Pretty When You Lie

by Anne Roman

Juniper Wild is a liar.

With her full lips, pretty blue eyes, and angelic face, she might have fooled everyone else in our small town, but not me. I know the truth about her - that she's a spoiled, selfish liar. Five years ago, she shattered my dreams with a single lie. And just when I thought she was gone for good, she shows up again, still hiding something. I won't let her get away with it this time. I'll bide my time, watch her from the shadows, and expose her for what she truly is. But as I wait and plot my revenge, I can't ignore the feelings I've been trying to bury. I might hate her, but I can't deny that I'm still drawn to her.

Cade Black is a nightmare.

He haunts my every waking moment. He thinks I'm responsible for ruining his life five years ago, but the truth is that I was just a scared girl who ran away. Now I'm back in town to take care of my brother, and I won't let Cade bully me into submission. But as we clash the chemistry between us is undeniable. Yet, we both have secrets that we're hiding, and they threaten to tear us apart. Can we find our way back to each other, or will our pasts continue to haunt us forever?

Genres: Dark Romance, Romance, Dark, Enemies To Lovers, Second Chance, Contemporary Romance, Slow Burn

274 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 23, 2023

About the author

Anne Roman is the author of suspenseful and thrilling romance novels. Her books are fast-paced, steamy, and will leave you on the edge of your seat! When not writing, Anne can be found at home with her kids, pets, and a husband who still sweeps her off her feet.

Reviews

[Ari Loves All The Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 1st book I have read by Anne Roman & it didn't disappoint. I finished this book within a day because it kept me intrigued. There was enough suspense, action, & plot twist to keep me entertained yet wanting to know more. I can't wait to delve deeper into the FMCs life and get some answers.

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

What. The. Fuck. Was. That.

I need book 2 stat.

[Skye • literaryintheskye · Rating 5 out of 5]

I ate this book up in less than an hour and BOY DID IT NOT DISAPPOINT. It gives loves to enemies back to lovers and…maybe enemish again? This fun motorcycle gang with organized crime read was right up my alley. It had a nice dose of smut with mystery and TENSION WOOWEE. But the ending…now how you gonna do me like that, I have questions that need ANSWERS.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reread and still absolutely loved this. Now, to dive into book 2, Pretty in the Dark.

Well once again Anne throws us for a wild ride. 😜
We need book 2 right now ! And then Book 3 immediately after because I know I'll devour book 2 just as quickly as I did this book.
In less than a day.
Cade 🥵🥵🥵
The tension between him and Juniper is exactly that....very tense, after a betrayal leaves them heartbroken and apart for over 5 years.
Cade in prison, Juniper laying low trying to stay hidden from her father. Unknowing of what unfolded with Cade after their last encounter that haunts her everyday.
Then, when she returns to the town she ran away from, brings back the past. It's like freight train going full speed into her heart.
All those feelings return, lies revealed & corrected, truths told, & a love so strong...even the war between two rival families can't keep them apart.
But there's something deeper that's unknown about Junipers family, that's about to be unveiled. And neither her or Cade know what to expect.
But one things for sure, Cade isn't leaving Juniper out of his site. Rather she likes it or not.

[Shayna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pretty When You Lie is book one of the Dark and Wild Series, and my first read of Anne Roman. Whewww, she did. not. disappoint!

It is a dark mafia romance with feuding founding families that is fast paced, has a thrilling plot, and my goodness, the sexual tension. 🔥
Think a dark, twisted, modern-like Romeo and Juliet forbidden love with a sprinkle of biker gang.😍 It hooks you from the start and you won’t want to put it down! The storyline is great, and the major plot twist is set up to where it didn’t take away from the story’s greatness but simultaneously makes you feel like “alright now here comes the actual story.” Secrets are revealed that are shaking but still leaves so many unanswered questions!

I need book two ASAP!!


Notes:
• Book 1 in Dark and Wild series

Tropes: forbidden love, touch her and die, feuding founding families, motorcycle club, mafia romance, secrets/lies/betrayals, dark romance.

[Aussie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I devoured this in a day as it was soo good ! As there was so much suspense , action and the plot twist that just keep me so entertained but wanting to know more and I can't wait till I dived in the next book .

[Ellie’s Little Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holy Sh*t balls! I knew there was a cliffhanger ahead of reading this book but I need book 2 like now!

I have rated this a 4 because for me personally I would have liked the spice a bit earlier on but that being said, the story line is amazing, so many mysteries throughout.

It’s giving Romeo and Juliet family rivalry with a modern twist vibes

❤️‍🔥 Bikers
❤️‍🔥 Rival Families
❤️‍🔥 Second chances
❤️‍🔥 Possessive Alpha
❤️‍🔥 Betrayal
❤️‍🔥 Secrets, so many secrets

I have never wanted to be called a pretty girl more in my life, Cade is now my book boyfriend and Pretty when you lie is my new personality 🙈

If you like romance, action packed and suspenseful this is for you

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/ ⭐
3/ 🔥

[tay ⋆⋆ ☾𖤓 ⋆⋆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m really hoping this series is complete with the next book I am starting immediately after leaving this review!
I am invested enough to read the next book, but I’m not sure I’m invested enough to wait for a third to be published. The story is dark, mysterious and I do like the main characters a lot but it isn’t SO ENTHRALLING that it’s changed my life.

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read the previous series by Anne Roman and really enjoyed it. Her books were fast paced, filled with tension and smut and had a really thrilling plot. On top of that they were relatively short and therefore easy to squeeze in or to read on tiring days. So when I got the chance to read an arc for this book I didn't hesitate one moment and accepted a copy. Yesterday evening it was time to dive in and way sooner than I had thought I finished the book.

What I love most about this book is the constant tension and the short chapters. Because the combination of both leads to one more chapter and one more chapter and one more chapter en before you know it you're through the entire book. Just like the previous books by this author the pace was quite high, but never rushed. As a reader there's no time to get bored but you never feel like things are glossed over either.

I have to admit that there was a moment the tension conflicted a little with the lack of communication. I understand that there is a lot of history between these two characters and their families and that they have their reasons to not fully trust each other but at some moment especially Cade comes across as really stubborn and unwilling to listen to the girl he claims to love more than anything in the world.

However, the plot, the secrets, the reveals, the questions, the answers and then more questions completely make up for it. This is only the first book in the series and it's clear there is much more to come in future installments. I can't wait to read them, especially because it feels like we now have the kind of information to get started with the actual story and most of all the actual danger. I'm pretty sure the next installments will be quite intense.

[Rae (semi-hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

That cover!! 🔥🔥

Second chance romances have a special place in my heart. I just love the angst and love that comes with them. This didn’t disappoint.

There’s a mysterious secret society aspect that is thrilling (and left us on a cliffhanger) that I’m curious to see how plays out.

I would say everything in this book moves veryyyyy quickly. The author did a good job of showing us the scenes as they happen but everything happened so fast I sometimes felt like I was missing parts. In particular flashback scenes? I wish we had some because they could have been useful to the plot as well as being fun and nostalgic. Other than that this was a pretty good first book in a series!

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy shit! I finished this book in a day!
It was so good!! I need more Cade and Juniper. 🔥

This is a dark mafia romance, and it seriously gave me Romeo and Juliet vibes with a twist. Cade is a total possessive alpha with a touch her and…. It was so good!! This is a fast pace read that will leave you hooked! I loved all of the angsty vibes and whew this book has some spice in it too. Whew!!
The mystery lover in me is really intrigued in the secret society vibes as well.
Patiently waiting on book 2! 🙌🏼

A very special thanks to the author for the complimentary copy.

[Beth Adman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a good read. Cade is the perfect morally grey MMC 😍 wasn't expecting any of the plot twists at the end! Can't wait for the next book

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

They say don’t judge a book by its cover but this one is beautiful and definitely contributed to my desire to pick this book up.

Pretty When You Lie was a quick and easy read that jumped into the plot quickly. Only characters necessary to character development and the plot were introduced. I also found the characters to be reasonably likeable.

However, there was significant exposition throughout and I found that the characters were often inconsistent with their desires and motives. Pacing could also be inconsistent at times - it seemed the majority of the plot occurred within 1-2 weeks, resulting in difficulty suspending disbelief when it came to drastic character development.

There were minor editing issues, but i have come to expect such with an indie book/non-traditional publisher.

Despite these criticisms, I still found it to be an enjoyable low commitment, low stakes read with potential and a moderately suspenseful overarching plot related to unravelling family secrets.

I likely wouldn’t reread it, but I am invested enough to consider reading the sequel.

[Esther · Rating 2 out of 5]

not sure what to think about it

[Kersten, Vol 1 (Kert) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[Jess Hornsby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Devoured this book! Couldn't put this Romeo and Juliet retelling. Add a little spice...and a bit of MC vs the Elite. And you got yourself a recipe for amazing storytelling.

[Lauren Dillon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Firstly - Yes. Cade alone is 5 stars 🥵

I really enjoyed the base line of the story, I was thinking it was going to move way too quickly to the end when we had so much to cover still but was pleasantly surprised it ended on a cliff hanger and I have already downloaded the next one to read on my Kindle. I love that we are going to get a lot more details and this one has just set the scene for the drama. The story was fast paced but not in a way that made it silly, their relationship could have been more of a slow burn but their history makes it understandable why it might not be too.

Lost a star for the multiple occasions of misspelling and typos. Almost feels like it was rushed out without being proof read, for example one of the sentences says "the worlds tumbled out of my mouth" instead of "words" and also Lacey is spelt Lacy on at least one occasion. I get this wouldn't bother everyone but I found it annoying and hope to see an improvement on this in the next book.

Overall though I enjoyed it and would recommend it and I am looking forward to the next installment 😊🖤

[Trish · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know what I just read.....I need book No. 2!

[Tayloura · Rating 4 out of 5]

pretty when you lie by anne roman

4/5 ⭐
0.5/5 🌶️

💭 Tropes l

- lovers to enemies to lovers to enemies
- mafia
- MC
- daddy issues


📖 My Thoughts

this was read was my first book introduction to anne roman. in all honesty, I chose to read this book because I love a dark romance with a traumatised fmc. this book was good for what it was, in other words it wasn’t exceptional but it wasn’t outright terrible either. honestly my only negative aspects are surrounding the fact that there was a lot of areas where there seems to have been a lot of trauma for the fmc and a very crucial background for the past 5 years of the mmc but it was glossed over. It should just be left out of the story if we’re not gonna properly flesh out that plot point or if we’re going to absolve it with some sex. I also felt that the negative relationship between our two main characters wasn’t fleshed out either. I feel like it just doesn’t make sense to have this 5 year long hatred and animosity suddenly forgotten about because of a one night stand and suddenly believing her story. Because of these aspects, the ending just wasn’t mind blowing given the lack of true depth the characters should have had.

However, I did finish this book within 2 hours, so it’s 100% a page turner without a doubt. if you haven’t read a story by anne roman, I think this a good one to start with because, as I said, it does what needed to be done. my rating would typically be a 3.5 for a book like this but because it was compelling, i feel comfortable enough to round up. I would recommended because the overall story is good and I’m likely to check out the next book. I like our fmc’s brother, I am hoping the next book sheds some light on his story. I know that when it comes to dark romance I tend to be overtly critical because I have this expectation that all dark books should be drowning in triggers lmao so I would recommend this to people wanting a dark romance but not too dark.

⚠️ Triggers

parental abuse, arson, police brutality, parental death, violence


🏳️‍🌈 Representation

n/a

🌶️ Spice

there is sex but I don’t think it was particularly special or anything

📝 Special Notes

i received this book as an arc but all opinions are my own.

🔗 Link to Book

this book will be on ku and officially releases on august 23, 2023, however the paperback and the hardcover editions are currently live on amazon.

Pretty When You Lie https://a.co/d/6Ew329F

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I voluntarily reviewed "PRETTY WHEN YOU LIE"
This story hooks you right from the start it pulls you into all the intense wild riviting rollercoaster ride full of deception, secrets, lies, angst, forbidden love, suspense, intrigue, revenge, spicy scenes, humour, twists & surprises you don't see coming.
Juniper Wild left the City of Wild to get away from her father leaving her younger brother Dean behind & asked Bess the housekeeper to watch over him its been 5yrs. she's been away, she returns to Wild thinking her father Edmund Wild is dead & she becomes guardian of Dean who isn't happy to see her.
Cade Black went to Prison for something he didn't do & because he didn't give away any secrets of the Son's of Diablo Club who Kage Diovolo is the President of, he gets him to spy for him in prison cleaning house he wants be in the future with the club not the old ways & Cade is helping him weed the ones that don't want to follow Kage, they will be eliminated then, when done he gets Cade out of prison after two yrs.
I definitely recommend to get this riviting mysterious journey that Cade & Juniper takes you on so full of anger, rage, revenge, heartbreak, miscommunication, both have been in the dark as to what truly happened after Juniper left 5yrs ago tho g's she didn't know, the lies he was told, can they repair what they had, someone is out for Juniper she's been marked, Kage asks Cade to keep her safe she's in danger.
I'm so looking forward to the next book after that shocking cliffhanger can't believe how it ended need to know what happens next.
AWESOME MYSTERIOUS DARK TWISTED ROMANCE

[Tasha Goulet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy moly!

Pretty When You Lie is a contemporary M/F romance. It's filled with secrets, masked creeps, betrayal, and feuding founding families-the Wilds and the Blacks. All the good makings of a great story!

Juniper and Cade have a rocky start in this book. Their relationship falls apart after Juniper is threatened and leaves to protect her brother. Cade finds himself on the wrong side of the law when she leaves and unknowingly takes his alibi with her.

Years later Juniper returns to care for her teenage brother when she learns their father was killed in an accident. And that brings her back into Cade's sphere. He has made a name for himself in their town, and he wants answers from Juniper. And he's willing to fight dirty to get them.

But Juniper is fighting to keep her head above water. Her father wasted their fortune, and her brother won't talk to her. She is trying to keep things from falling apart, while starting her own business, but someone is leaving skull messages on her car and shed. It's tied to the past of this town, but she's not sure how or why. As Cade and her wade through their issues and work to figure out the truth, she'll need to be strong. The few truths that are revealed are earth shaking and this is just the first book.

[HJ Doe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great read! It’s the story of Juniper and Cade. Juniper’s family is powerful while Cade’s is struggling to get by. They forged a friendship & romance when they were younger, despite their families having bad blood & feuding for generations. Each of them carries unwanted responsibility and expectations, and both are dealing with their own pain and fears for the future. Unfortunately, the communication and trust between them isn’t strong enough, and something happens that tears them apart in a horrible, gut-wrenching fashion, leaving Juniper fleeing town.

Fast forward five years, and Juniper has to return to her hometown to deal with the aftermath of her father’s death and to care for her younger brother that she’d left behind. Cade has also made his own way back to town, and their reunion is inevitable.

Unbeknownst to our heroine & hero, there’s an underlying mystery going on in the town, different players making moves, and dark things taking place behind the scenes. Will the two be able to get over their anger, hurt, and distrust of each other enough to survive what’s coming?

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pretty When You Lie by Anne Roman is book one in the Dark and Wild Series. This is the first book I’m reading by this author and I must say I loved this book. It’s a first-person, spicy, second-chance, enemies to lovers romance with Romeo and Juliet inspiration. I was obsessed after reading the first few chapters, I couldn’t put my kindle down. It kept me hooked until the very last line. I will mention to check your trigger warnings to be on the safe side. My emotions were on such a rollercoaster as I read about the mystery, suspense, the betrayals, all the intrigue and all the secrets. The worldbuilding was phenomenal. I was able to imagine everything that I was reading about. The plot and pace were amazing and kept me on the edge of my seat most of the time. Juniper and Cade were amazingly written characters in my opinion… definitely felt my heart get pulled in different directions with them. Reading about him wanting revenge and her guilt about what she did. It was a fantastic read but the cliffhanger at the end! Needless to say, I'm eagerly awaiting book two.

Final review:
5 out of 5 stars

[kreadsoften · Rating 4 out of 5]

Juniper Wild and Cade Black love each other, but they can’t be together as their families are rivals. Juniper just wants to escape and makes plans for her and Cade, but things don’t pan out. She runs, and Cade gets accused of a crime he didn’t commit. He also gets fed lies which turn his love for Juniper into hate.

Five years later, Juniper is living a different life. Not the one she wanted, but at least she’s free. But when her father passes away, she has to go home to take care of her little brother.

Cade is successful now. He built a name for himself after he was cleared of the charges against him.

When Cade sees Juniper again, he’s angry because of the way they left things. But the connection between them is still there.

Juniper is a bada** who can take care of herself. Even though her brother seemed to hate her, she still did everything she could to take care of him and protect him. And Cade was a possessive and protective MMC. He may have hated Juniper (at first), but he didn’t want any harm to come to her and wanted to do anything he could to keep her safe.

This book has so much action and suspense with some plot twists. It ends on a cliffhanger, and I can’t wait for the next book!A

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was shown to me through my book club (shout-out my Spread Those Pages gals). With it being available through KU, I thought, “why not?” and jumped straight into it.

It’s not like I have an excessively long TBR or anything 🫠

But, I was excited to jump into this one, especially because the author is local to me. I’m a sucker for dudes on bikes, what can I say? This book gave me Sons of Anarchy vibes, but also gives the same vibes as a mafia and a secret society too. I really, really enjoyed this one. The spice was definitely satisfying for the length of the read.

But the cliffhanger? I’m not happy about it. Will I read the second book? Yes, because now I’m invested. Cliffhanger literally hits you when things are just getting really exciting and you drop me off like that??

Overall, I really enjoyed this read. It was quick, but I find that I do love the characters. Juniper is strong willed and stubborn with Cade being her perfect match. I will definitely be diving into book two whenever it becomes available, but I will continue to kick myself for starting yet another series that is not complete.

[Kaitlyn Webb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Pretty When You Lie and I read it in one sitting!! It follows Juniper and Cade who are from warring families and were in love. On the night she ran from her controlling father an horrible event happens that leaves them both with terrible assumptions about each other. Five years later Juniper comes back to town and Cade wants revenge. Even though they tell themselves they hate each other they are obviously still in love.
Juniper and Cade are amazing characters! Juniper is strong, fierce, and is determined to live her own life. I would not want to cross her because she’s definitely a badass. Cade is a tattooed bad boy with a dangerous side for sure, but he also super protective and has a great heart. The fact that he looks out for Juniper’s little brother even with how he feels about their father totally supports this. Cade is also the embodiment of touch her and ☠️!
This is a short book but it’s still incredible and the spice is perfection and so 🥵! In addition to the romance this book has revenge plenty WTF moments, mafia/mc vibes, and a mystery.
And that cliffhanger! I have so many questions that I can’t wait until I’m able to read book two!!

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

My review might have spoilers...

Two young lovers separated by family feuds and lies going back generations. This feud is far greater than either of them understand.

MFC, Juniper Wild is forced by her father to get information on their enemy, another family in town. Juniper ends up betraying her father by falling in love with the enemy, Cade Black, MMC.

Juniper's dad comes into the hardware shop, shares some information making sure Cade was able to overhear.

Cade confronts Juniper, things get heated, she leaves town. Junipers dad set up Cade.

Five tears later, Juniper is back in town. When she bumps into Cade, all the old feelings they had come flooding back. However, they both have their baggage from the past and the way things ended between them so many years before.

They keep running into eachother. Things are revealed. Then we are left with a cliffhanger! Now I need to read book two to know what happens next!

Loved the way this book was written. Would absolutely recommend.

Alpha MMC
Bikers
Gangs
Loosing V-Card
Cute Nickname 😍
SMUT 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Punishment 🔥
Second Chance Romance

[Julorie Siefert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Juniper and Cade a tale as old as Romeo and Juliet, the family feuding one not good enough for another story right? Oh you could not be so wrong, the small deceptions, the things left unsaid. The white lies, along with Edmund Wild's (descendant of the original founders of the city) manipulations behind the scene, sent Juniper and Cade on two separate paths not to come back together until 5 years later. One with a great deal of rage and one with great pain. Juniper was told Edmund Wild was dead, his plane had crashed and she was now sole guardian of her brother Dean. What happened to the family fortune?What is the mystery behind Juniper? Why was Cade told to look after her? Who is leaving the the painted red skull in a circle around it looking like a crown? And when Juniper receives a letter with the red skull in a circle with a crown with a date and address, what did she get an invitation to? I am really looking to the next book. Smiling, especially as the cliffhanger ending with Jax, a big jerk getting his comeuppance!

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wait! WHAT? Oh no, no, no, that cannot be good!

This story was so good! Juniper is a free spirit, but her dad places a lot of rules on her. After reaching her limit, she leaves. Cade is mean, so she heads straight out of town, with no intention of returning.

I loved who Juniper became in her time away. Working at the biker bars, she had to learn to be tough and I love an FMC that can handle herself. Her vision for Wild's Emporium was incredible! I want to visit this little Emporium so that I can go shop and have fun. The way it's laid out, I love it.

Cade... Mmm, need I say more? Big, muscular, works on bikes, and drives a bike? Sign. Me. Up. Did I mention the hair? Oh, and the attitude? Yes, please! He wants to hate Juniper, but he just cannot. He is drawn to her like a moth to a flame. I love the back and forth with them.

I have a lot of questions. What just happened? What does it mean? This list is never ending. I am so invested in this story! I cannot wait for the next book!