Elaborate Lives

Elaborate Lives #1

by Jaye Viner

In life, as in film, fight for the role you want. An aspiring film director with anger management issues is sent to therapy or lose his job. Instead of doing the hard work of improving himself, he invites his troubled celebrity therapist to stage a fake romance with him so they can manipulate the Hollywood PR machine to fix their reputations. Larisa de France-Kahn is the daughter of a model and a famous film producer born to host formal dinners an adorn the arm of a powerful man, but she's determined to thwart her fate by graduating from her psychiatry residency and practice emergency medicine as an anonymous citizen if only her mother will stop sending her on blind dates with billionaires who would like to make Larisa their trophy wife. The separation between Larisa's celebrity and professional lives is threatened when a producer friend of her father sends one of his directors to Larisa for counseling. Quinn VanderVeer might be the greatest filmmaker of his generation, but he's so insecure he's turned everyone against him. He comes to Larisa in the middle of a nasty breakup, questions about his sexuality, and mounting pressure on the set of his first big budget production. She could help him if only he would see her as an ally instead of the woman who could reveal him as the imposter he feels he is. As Larisa works to tear down Quinn's walls, she also must work against walls of her own, holding them up against her belief that her education has made her unlovable, and her psychiatry skills make her intimidating to men who want to be in control. Together they might become an industry power couple, but first they'll have to trust each other with their deepest fears and secret desires. Book One in the Elaborate Lives Series

Genres: Romance, Ebooks, BDSM, Enemies To Lovers, Adult Fiction, Fake Dating

386 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 20, 2023

About the author

Born in Kobe, Japan, and raised in the Great Plains, Jaye Viner has spent her life exploring other cultures both near and far. She has two master’s degrees from the University of Nebraska and plenty of nonprofessional experience, studying the art of conveying meaning to an audience of readers. Her free time is spent at the salon maintaining her blue hair. She also worships her cats and cooks. Find pictures of food, queen cat, and small borg cat on Instagram @Jaye_Viner or Twitter @JayeViner. This is her first (published) novel. She lives in Omaha, Nebraska.

Reviews

[Jaye Viner]

This will sound funny, but I really enjoyed reading my own book as a reader instead of a writer. Not worrying about the writing really allowed me to appreciate Quinn and Larisa and their messy beautiful selves. This book is complex. It's a romance, but also more than a romance, with so much more than I realized about mental health and becoming an adult. And I realized its also about a period in my life when everyone I knew seemed to be getting married and having kids and I felt behind even though I wasn't planning on those things for my life. It's amazing how powerful that pressure is even when the lives you're watching isn't the life you want.

I hope you enjoy reading this book as much as I did.

[ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 ⭐️

Thank you to Jaye Viner herself for gifting me an ARC of her newest release.

This is a Hollywood romance mixed with the world of BDSM and I’m kinda mad about how quickly I finished it because woah I was LOVING it. I don’t know if you can call it a slow burn, maybe in some way, considering the main couple’s one side of their relationship is kinda a slow burn of sorts.

Larisa de France-Kahn is on her way to become a therapist, but with famous people, it’s showing to be a little hard for Larisa to live her life the way she wants to. Quinn VanderVeer is a up and coming director, set to direct his very first big screen movie, but when he runs into problem with the lead of the movie, he’s forced to go to therapy and guess who’s his therapist? None other than Larisa de France-Kahn herself. But it’s not the first time these two people meet each other, at least not for Larissa’s side.

This book was a sort of pallet cleanser for me from all the other stuff I have been reading lately, and I also feel like that’s one of the biggest reasons why I finished this in under 10 hours. It’s a fake dating Hollywood romance that’s for sure gonna steal your hearts. It may be told in 3rd person narrative but once you’re in the book, it’s not that noticeable. Jt’s a very well written book with relatable characters that also deals with insecurities a lot and the need to be your own person without the influence of others.

I for one can’t wait to read more about Larisa and Quinn in the next book Terrible Lives!

[Sheri]

If you are a fan of Christina Lauren you will want to check out this book. Larisa has famous parents but is determined to make her own life. As much as her parents try to influence her, she pushes back just as hard. I like Larisa’s spunk. The cover has a few Easter eggs into one of Larisa’s jobs and I’ll let you read the blurb to find out what that is! This is a very well written book with relatable characters. I was interested in this book based on the cover. It is shades of red and purple with a mysterious woman (Larisa) in the center. It is an enemies to lovers troupe, which is always exciting to read!

[Kara (Books.and.salt) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This romance was a deep look at how hard it can be to live authentically, and how one's mental health impacts how we view our relationships and the rest of the world.

Larisa is such a bad ass main character - she knows what she wants out of life and she's gonna get it. I can barely fill all the obligations of my single life and this woman is juggling a psych residency, a poppin' celebrity social life, and the life of The Queen in the evenings. I loved her confidence and ambition.

I did have a bit of a hard time vibing with the characters at times in this story. They seemed unnecessarily hardheaded and, as always with romance, the miscommunication (or rather, lack of communication) drove me batty. I wanted the characters to lighten up a bit, and I really wanted more happy times at the end as it seemed short lived.

Huge thanks to the author for my gifted copy - I really enjoyed this author's writing style and am looking forward to checking out their backlog.

[Emma Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had the hardest time rating this book cause there were a lot of things that worked for me and several things that didn’t.

This book had a very strong start. I loved the concept of multiple identities and it was very well done throughout. The first chapter was sexy and intense and hooked me right away. I liked how there was a reversal of traditional roles in heterosexual relationships, with the male being more submissive and the female being more dominant.

From a character perspective, the two lead characters were very nuanced and deeply developed. They both learn in grow in a way that felt realistic throughout the book, as Quinn realizes his faults and tries to do better while Larisa grows more accepting of her double lives.

However, they’re relationship didn’t work for me personally. From the beginning, the MMC loses himself with anger and resorts to physical violence in multiple circumstances. And Larisa just makes excuses for him to make it okay. I understand what the author was trying to do, with Larisa trying to build a patient-therapist relationship with him, but it was hard to build a romance around a male that hadn’t yet redeemed himself. And his redemption at the end with his big grand gesture was too little too late.

I think this book would be a great literary fiction about the struggles of unasked for, generational fame and the way this intersects with mental health. But as a romance, it fell a bit short

[Ade · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75⭐️

This books centers on the various lives of Larissa- first as a daughter of famous parents, a resident psychiatrist doctor and a dominatrix.

Her ‘lives’ change upon chance and formal encounters with movie director, Quinn.

This book is like an onion, you keep pulling off later after layer after layer. Seeing things from another perspective.

There are talks about mental health, therapy, panic attacks and whatnots.

The book just like Larissa is a chameleon. It appears as romance (which it is) then women fiction and then fiction. I had a hard time categorizing so I will settle for romance.

In Elaborate Lives, we have imperfect characters which I actually love. Characters who suffer from Imposter Syndrome, panic attacks and varying health and emotional issues.

I like the unpredictability. I knew Quinn and Larissa will get together at some point but I did not see the twist nor villain coming. I would have loved for the author not to write Parish off just like that.

The book was a tad longer than I expected. I felt it could have come a fewer chapters short and still pass across its point.

Also I feel that there are still unresolved issues with Quinn. Beyond the short snippets about his parents, the book was silent about his life.

I enjoyed reading and I’m glad I will still get to meet Larissa and Quinn again in Terrible Lives coming out later in the summer.

I received an advanced copy of this book and the review is entirely mine.

[Em · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. I went into Elaborate Lives with a different expectation than what the author delivered but I was not disappointed in the least! This was a fast and suspenseful read that held my attention with simultaneous feeling of dread and excitement. I had to know how this story would unfold. A love story is part of this book but it doesn’t follow a traditional romance formula.

The characters are so real, they nearly jump off the page. They are broken, striving, authentic depictions of people. At times I struggled to root for the characters after their choices, which is a completely human feeling.

At times I didn’t feel like themes or issues were fully addressed/concluded. This is written as somewhat of cliff hanger or continuation into the second book so there is not full resolution. I’m suspending my judgement on that aspect until after reading the second book.

The author includes a reader’s note about the content, which I found unnecessary. The aspects of BDSM and bondage are consensual and not overly graphic. The reader’s note implied severity that I did not find. I enjoyed reading about an interest I don’t share and learning more. I thought it was interwoven throughout the story in a cool way from both Quinn and Larisa’s POV.

I recommend picking this up if you’re looking for the themes of romance in a slightly dark, unconventional package.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Brittany Gonzalez · Rating 4 out of 5]

" Larissa went still. It wasn't so much the confession that stopped her, but the familiarity of it. She also walked through life with all of it held at a distance. Nothing was allowed the chance to truly shock her, or scare her, or delight her. If she let one part in, the rest would come, and she couldn't manage her life feeling everything."

Quinn is an up and coming movie director with mental health problems and aggression that makes others afraid of him. Larissa is in her last year of residency to become a psychiatrist and is trying to get away from the life that is expected of her. Both never expected the new path their lives would take them on. Struggling to trust each other while putting on a façade to everyone that they are dating. The walls they have built for themselves slowly crumble while they try and deal with the mental challenges in their lives.

This is a BDSM Hollywood romance that felt so real. It was so easy to get lost in the story and the characters throughout the book. I will say I was completely cat-fished by this book cover in the best way. I was not expecting the BDSM to be such a large part of the story but it made for an interesting little secret. I will also say that I cried, the connection I was able to feel with the FMC got me all in my own feelings. The focus on mental health was done perfectly as well. It was realistic and the steps taken to improve are what are expected in real life scenarios.

[Duo Bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

CALLING ALL FEMDOM LOVERS👇
If you’ve been following my page for quite some time, you’d know that I don’t read femdom that much, so for this exception, you know it must be good.

Thank you Jaye for sending over a copy!

✧ femdom
✧ FMC lives double lives
✧ fake dating
✧ dislike to lovers
✧ hollywood romance
✧ BDSM romance

Now, femdom isn’t really my style so I can’t say much about the spice, other than if I were into femdom, I would’ve really enjoyed it. So if you like this trope, 100% would recommend this book to you.

What I can tell you though, is how amazing the plot is??? Larisa, our badass confident QUEEN, lives a double life. On her way as a psychiatric therapist, Larisa unwillingly takes on the case of Quinn, an up and coming movie director. But what he doesn’t realise is that they met a few nights ago. Where? A sex/k!nk club where Larisa lives her alter ego as a femdom queen, and him seeking out a dom for physical atonements and surrender.

This is a really well written book, and the characters' backbones are strong. I do wish I enjoyed the femdom trope, because I would really have more to say. Not long ago, I asked on my IG story how many of you enjoy femdom books and quite a bit of you voted for a yes or a ‘i’ll read it’. So if that's you, this book is for you.

Ratings
Spice level: 3/5
Characters: 4.5/5
Plot & Pace: 4.5/5
Overall: 4.5/5

Elaborate Lives is available on KU & discreet paperbacks are available on Amazon.

[Lannie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5 stars. I happened on this author when I received an advanced reader copy of her first book, Jane of Battery Park, and really loved the author’s writing style. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and how much spice and BDSM was involved was a pleasant surprise. She has a content warning in the beginning which is well worded and appreciated.

The author strikes a great balance between the intrigue of escapist romance and deeply feeling, human characters. She pairs the drama of celebrity with situations that not only explore the human psyche but the pressures and consequences of societal norms, whether one decides to follow them or break free of them. This turns what could be categorized as chick-lit, guilty pleasure reading and elevates it to just pure pleasure.

If you’re a fan of the TV series Jane the Virgin (part Venezuelan soap opera antics weighted with depth and commentary on the human condition), I think you’ll enjoy Jaye Viner’s books. She’s fast becoming one of my favorite authors.

It appears this book is the first in an upcoming series. I’m totally invested in her characters and can’t wait to read the next one!

Bonus: there’s a playlist at the start of the book. Knowing many of the artists helped set the tone and expectation for this book. Foo Fighters, Florence + the Machine, even the legendary composer John Williams! But Viner had me at The National, my all time favorite band.

[Gwendolyn Leeder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elaborate Lives by Jaye Viner was an exceptional read. I really enjoyed it. Larisa is still finishing her psychiatric studies on placement in one of the Hollywood Hills area, after her parents convinced her to movie back closer to them but only on the concept of spending so many hours a month with them and an increase every spring with the finish of the school year. She is still daddy’s little princess but needs to work out the built up pressure of her workload within the hospital and having famous parents even if her dad is a retired film director/producer. Quinn is a movie director and has a huge movie deal but is unlike anything he has had to deal with before. He has always had a minimum cast and workers. Quinn is having high anxiety and things need to turn around. The producer of the movie approaches Larisa and her parents at brunch bring up that he has a problem with a director that he believes he needs help. She tells him that she isn’t licensed yet and only works with out patients that have come into the hospital. Will Larisa be able to help Quinn? Will the movie be made or will everything completely blow up? You will have to read to see. Had me from the get go!! I did receive this advanced readers copy for me to leave an honest review! Jaye Viner is definitely on my reading list now!!

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the concept of this story, with the main female character Larisa juggling different parts of her life and attempting to keep them separate. Of course, eventually things start to overlap which brings a new set of complications for her, most notably in the form of the main male character, Quinn, who is dealing with his own struggles. The two characters had a great dynamic from the start, and I loved seeing how they aided each other's overall development without becoming reliant because whilst this is certainly a romance story, both characters are fiercely independent which I always enjoy seeing.

There are content warnings at the beginning which should definitely be heeded as the spicy scenes are of a nature which isn't necessarily for everyone - I will admit to having skimmed through a couple of them - and mental health topics are addressed throughout. All matters were, in my opinion, handled well and in a manner appropriate for the story, and I would definitely recommend this book to anyone with an interest in them.

Thank you to the lovely Jaye Viner for sending me a copy of this book. I enjoyed reading it, and I will definitely be picking up the sequel Terrible Love - which is already available - at some point to see where life takes Larisa and Quinn next.

[Cassie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This books had its ups and downs for me.

I think the premise is intriguing. People’s lives are so much more complex than we see on the surface level. Even the pieces we DO see, often hide secrets, feelings, or insecurities that remind us how many layers make up a person.

It was interesting to see how Larisa’s three lives played together, especially when it came to her life in health care and her Dominatrix persona, The Queen. The importance of mental health was heavily prioritized, both from Larisa’s perspective and Quinn’s, and is represented accurately.

I enjoyed that you could tell the author did her research to make sure she was presenting an accurate story in these complex themes. Sometimes though, this made for a more difficult read, rather than a fun or romantic one - I found myself rereading a lot and needing to take breaks.

I liked how the plot moved along at the end, but it took me a while to get there. I wish our main babes would have come together in their vulnerability sooner, as I didn’t really feel their chemistry in a significant way until far into the book, almost the end.

Overall, I would give this book three stars! I want to commend the author in the hard work that went into this book! I can feel the effort that went into making this an accurate and meaningful read.

And a huge thanks to the author for reaching out to me to offer me a gift copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

[Romantical_Booknerd · Rating 3 out of 5]

Larissa is a born celebrity turned therapist while Quinn is an up and coming film director. Their worlds collide in a BDSM club and then later when Quinn’s executive on the film calls Larissa to help Quinn with his mental health. The crux is that Larissa knows Quinn from the club while Quinn doesn’t recognise Larissa.

The book was very well written but highly complex. The scenes and scenarios were very descriptive and the author took the developments of the characters very deep. You got a very good look into the minds of each character.

It didn’t feel so much like a romance novel but rather an analysis of mental health, the impact that has on ones life and the people around it. It gave a detailed look into celebrity life and the pressures of the industry.

The characters only come together at the very end and so there was an element of anticipation throughout which felt more frustrating than anything else. I would have liked to see the characters unite earlier in the real world.

[Caroline Corvin · Rating 4 out of 5]

An intriguing book, where you can expect favourite tropes, including: fake dating, forced proximity and a secret life. But also expect unique characters who breathe new life into those tropes.

I love books that give us a glimpse behind the scenes of celebrity. Main character Larisa is constrained by her status as daughter of Hollywood royalty. Fighting back against the chains of her family, she’s determined to hold onto her career as a psychiatrist and find love on her own terms.

Quinn, a film director on his first big movie, is fighting his own battle with raging anxiety and out of control imposter syndrome. Making it big has hidden shadows.

Thrown together in three different parts of their lives, Larisa and Quinn struggle to navigate the complexities of their situation.

This is a first in series, so I’m now keen to meet up with Larisa and Quinn in the next book, Terrible Love.

A refreshing read.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this for an honest review. I've put 4 stars but it really is more a 3.5

There was a lot going on with this book, it was hard to keep up sometimes. I found myself re-reading chapters to understand who was saying what on occasion as it wasn’t always clear.

I liked how serious issues were tackled and mental health is so important that it is nice to see a book recognise that and not put a negative spin on people suffering from mental ill health.

Chapter 18, whilst not the worst I’ve read in terms of spice, is, shall we say… interesting!!! If you don’t like spice, you can skip this chapter without it impacting the story.

Overall, I did enjoy reading this but I did find it difficult to follow as it is very complex.

I would be interested to see how Larisa and Quinn’s relationship develops in the next book.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book. It is more than just a romance. It does touch on mental health. Which I have read several books now that feature this in books. I think it is appreciated and shows that this subject matter is not taboo anymore.

Both Larisa and Quinn were complex characters. Which I really appreciated as it showed them both as more relatable. While, both come from wealthy lifestyles, it just shows that wealth is not everything. It can be a lonely place. Larisa and Quinn were trying to find their own voices.

Having said all this, I still myself found that I struggled to fully connect with Larisa and Quinn on emotional levels. Because of this, I would find myself not engaging all the time with the story and would have to go back and reread sections. Although, I would give try another book by this author.

[Chiniqua Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Following Quinn and Larissa has put me in the whirlwind. The angst, the slow burn THE FEELS. For a moment there I thought I wouldn’t like Quinn but who doesn’t love the dark brooding type. Add in double lives, fake romances and scandals… I was in love. I really couldn’t help myself if it wasn’t for sleep I could’ve easily finished this in one sitting. You just kept turning pages wondering what will happen next? How will it happen next? I can’t wait till book 2 comes out! I have so many questions and so many thoughts whirling around my head. loved the FMC and MMC in their own rights even though I wanted to scream just say it so many times I thought my head would burst. Only reason it got .5 less is because in the beginning it felt kind of choppy with chapter ending but it all pulls together in the end. 

[Chiniqua Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Following Quinn and Larissa has put me in the whirlwind. The angst, the slow burn THE FEELS. For a moment there I thought I wouldn’t like Quinn but who doesn’t love the dark brooding type. Add in double lives, fake romances and scandals… I was in love. I really couldn’t help myself if it wasn’t for sleep I could’ve easily finished this in one sitting. You just kept turning pages wondering what will happen next? How will it happen next? I can’t wait till book 2 comes out! I have so many questions and so many thoughts whirling around my head. loved the FMC and MMC in their own rights even though I wanted to scream just say it so many times I thought my head would burst. Only reason it got .5 less is because in the beginning it felt kind of choppy with chapter ending but it all pulls together in the end. 

[Carla · Rating 3 out of 5]

💭Thoughts:
Let me start by saying this is a complex book. There is so much going on in Larisa and Quinn’s lives.

Larisa’s character is especially interesting because she is both a therapist and a dominatrix. The story kept me engaged. I wanted to see how Larisa’s life and relationships evolved. It would be so hard to lead a double life. Due to her job as a dominatrix, this book brings the spice.

The book ends a bit abruptly, but it makes sense since we will be seeing more of Larisa and Quinn in the sequel Terrible Love. I look forward to reading the next book to see where their relationship goes.

Read if you like:
✨Fake Dating
✨Complex Characters
✨BDSM/Dominatrix
✨Mental Health
✨Lives of the Rich & Famous

[Jessica ❀ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was extremely well written, almost too well written. What I mean by that is that the author was so complex and in depth with the characters, that I had to re-read many parts and kept forgetting certain information about the characters that it would pull me out of the story. So I couldn’t just immerse myself in the story and it seemed more like homework in a way. The book is also labeled as a romance, which it is, but not heavily. It more so focuses on mental health and a woman who takes on way too much, which I could definitely relate to, which is why I did enjoy the story for the most part.

While I prefer stories I can completely immerse myself in, I did appreciate the story as it was very well written. I will still check out the next book in the series sometime soon.

[Susan Ballard (subakkabookstuff) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5🌟

This book turned out to be more interesting than I expected. Mainly because I thought Larisa was just struggling with being the daughter of Hollywood royalty and balancing her psychiatry career. Oh no, she also poses as the “Queen,” a dominitrix at a nightclub.

So there’s a lot to unpack in here: family pressure and expectation, mental health, as well as finding your own self-confidence and worth. I would have enjoyed an even deeper exploration into some of the characters’ minds and lives, but I enjoyed this unique plot.

Thank you @KateRockBookTours and @Jaye_Viner for the spot on tour and a gifted book.

[Tawana : bibliodragon07 · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good read, but not quite great. I did like the FMC. There were so many different ways she was stepping outside of the normal box. From being a dominatrix, who is also a psychiatrist to a Hollywood legacy running from her famous lifestyle. Sh ewas spunky and relatable. The MMC was not my favorite. He had some issues. Mental Health issues were definitely a little more prevalent than I expected, but was also one of the best things about the story. Being along for the ride while they decided to trust one another with their secrets was nice. But the Romance part of the story really did not hit home for me.
I liked the story and I am interested in book 2.

[Tashii · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spicy: 2 out of 5

I really liked that this book was different than your typical BookTok read. It's not about a woman seeking male approval. The focus was much more on the character's successful careers and not as much on a tumultuous relationship.

It's written as a dual POV. The first POV is Larissa/the Queen, a doctor of psychiatry completing her residency and femme dom. The other POV is Quinn who is the director of an upcoming film. I liked the dynamic between the two main characters. Their interactions are compelling, but I wish that we got to see more aspects of the relationship in this book. Hopefully something we can see explored more in the sequel, which I look forward to reading!

[Jordan Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so interesting to me. There was heaps to unpack as the FMC worked through her frustrations with her mother, tried to prove herself in her work while living a separate life in a BDSM club— as well as dealing with paparazzi because of her famous parents!

It was a whirlwind but I really like the balance between her story and the MMC’s demons he kept hidden as he tried to prove himself as a director.

The stories were really well weaves together and I found myself wanting to know what happens next.

Definitely worth the read!

[A_Stylish_Bookworm · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you @katerockbooktours for a copy of this book. I thought this was an interesting premise of a psychiatrist leading a double life and is also a socialite in the camera's eye. There was a lot of interesting aspect to the book as it deals with mental health and family dynamics. For me, both Larissa and Quinn just didn't work for me. The connection they had was only when they didn't know each other so I wasn't vested in their story. I wanted more romance but got more behind the scenes of movie making.

[Lisa Albright · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a little hard to review as I have mixed feelings about the characters and their motivations, their chemistry together outside of the club, their actions in their professions, and the ending although it did leave room for a second book. That being said, overall I found it entertaining and I will have to read book two if there is one. There are a few spicy scenes that could be triggering for some so check the author's kind note in the beginning of the book.

I received a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Whitney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elaborate Lives is a story that follows a psychiatric resident- Larissa whose private and professional life is entangled with an upcoming movie director- Quinn. This story has drama, BDSM, and a look into the life of the industry. I do feel like this book focused quite a bit on mental health and romance was on the back burner. I would recommend if you are in the mental health field or have a passion for it.
For romance there were only a couple spicy scenes however the overall relationship is the main focus.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story centers around the complex lives of two main characters, Larisa and Quinn. The characters of Larisa and Quinn are particularly well-crafted, with their interactions and emotions feeling genuine and relatable. The author’s writing style is elegant and evocative, drawing the reader in with vivid descriptions and a strong sense of atmosphere. The plot is engaging and unpredictable, keeping the reader on their toes throughout. Overall, I would highly recommend "Elaborate Lives" to anyone looking for a compelling and character-driven read⁣

[Sarah Bowe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not my typical read but I really appreciate the author letting you know exactly what chapter some people might have a problem with. So if you want to skip that chapter you'll know which one.

I was very invested into Larisa. What made her tick, what made her choose the profession she did and her side alter ego. I didn't really like Quinn though so I did have a little bit of problem with them having a fake arrangement.