Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

If Love Could Kill

Rate this book
Gwen and Cole's paths were never meant to cross, but an undeniable connection is formed when they do. Gwen and her son Nathan have moved to North Carolina in an attempt to start fresh after a difficult divorce. Cole is a newly widowed father, caring for his 13-year-old daughter Gracie after a horrific accident takes the lives of his new wife and stepson.Gwen and Cole's new found love is soon threatened by secrets and jealousy, leaving them to will they be given a second chance at love? or will it be till death do us part? This gripping novel will keep you on the edge of your seat with every twist and turn.

278 pages, Paperback

Published January 25, 2024

8 people are currently reading
162 people want to read

About the author

Riva Frye

2 books79 followers
Hi!
My name is Riva, I am a mother to two beautiful little toddlers, Wife and Army veteran. I met my husband while stationed in Vicenza Italy and got out after our first was born. I love tattoos, dark romances, thrillers, suspenseful books. I love getting to meet new readers and hope to get to meet all of you!

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
54 (43%)
4 stars
41 (32%)
3 stars
23 (18%)
2 stars
3 (2%)
1 star
4 (3%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
Profile Image for Samyra Alexander.
Author 11 books150 followers
February 11, 2024
What a story

This book kept me wondering what would happen next. All the characters were well written, and most were likable. Gracie was a strange character that came to life vividly in my eyes. I could imagine the odd facial expressions she gave others. Gwen was too nice. It worked for her but at a great cost.
Profile Image for Jana.reads1.
177 reviews21 followers
February 9, 2025
This was such a fun read! It really kept me guessing.
A single mom moves to a small town after divorcing her cheating husband. She meets Cole who is also a single parent and of course sexy as hell 🔥
They are drawn to eachother but strange incidents keep happening that keep you wondering what is going on!?!
I thought I knew, but then I didn’t! And it had me hooked.
Loved it! Loved the story, the thrill and of course the spice 🌶️🌶️
Profile Image for chel.
16 reviews
March 20, 2025
I got this book as an ARC and I was absolutely thrilled to read it! I kept picking this up to read at night and idk if that was the best idea cause it kept me up a few times cause the suspense was killing me. It was definitely a page turner and had an ending to remember!
Profile Image for Mariah Montes.
47 reviews1 follower
April 23, 2025
I started this book this morning!! I could not put down. What a page turner this book was. This Thriller spicy romance was fantastic. 100% recommend!! I loved the adventure we went on with these characters. Riva definitely did an amazing job writing this book!!
Profile Image for Ashley.
70 reviews18 followers
April 23, 2025
***ALC Review***

The story was good, but I found it predictable. Gracie, who is 14 years old, acts more like a 10 year old. The narrator was good, and some of the decisions made by the FMC were questionable. It had potential but needed some finesse.
Profile Image for Adneira ebs_book_club.
33 reviews
December 3, 2025
If Love Could Kill by Riva Frye
A woman moves to a small town with her son after a divorce, only to face strange and dangerous events from the moment she arrives. She grows close to her landlord neighbor, a man haunted by the tragic deaths of his wife and stepson. The secrets, suspense, and slow-burn tension make this a gripping read you won’t want to put down.
674 reviews4 followers
March 18, 2025
This book was pretty bad. The plot was shaky at best and predictable. The jump from scene to scene was dizzying with little to no explanation. The writing was poor and the editing was awful ‘I scowl under my breath’……

My biggest issue with this entire book, over the poor writing and grammatical, plot and character errors was the MMC’s daughter, who has a pretty significant part in the plot.

Let’s forget that the FMC has moved to this new town and the very next morning is being offered a ‘job’ to babysit the owner of the house she’s renting daughter.
The FMC has moved to this town with her 16 year old son who is allowed to go out and ‘make friends’ be left home alone while she ‘goes to work’ and is ‘picked up from a random trip out days after moving’ yet the daughter she’s ‘babysitting’ is 15……… 15!!!!! A year younger than her son but she needs a babysitter!! Are you joking!

Oh and the best part is how this 15 year old girl is written to act like she’s 4 around her dad! She jumped into his arms! Are you joking! What teenager talks to their parents let alone jumps into his arms, when he’s finished work…. Work which he does at home….. because he works from home……. So why does he need a babysitter!!!!! She’s 15!!!

Honestly this book was just cringe. I won’t even start on the weird relationship between the FMC and MMC. Nothing in this book worked for me. The only reason I didn’t DNF was because I got it as an Arc and I was trying to give it a go for the sake of indie authors.

Profile Image for Kourtney Bradshaw.
14 reviews8 followers
January 5, 2024
I loved the plot and plot twists of this book. There were times it was hard to put down because you wanted to know what happened next. There’s a little want for a “what happens next” at the end but the ending definitely made me smile in a Gracie kind of way.
Profile Image for Adele.
Author 12 books30 followers
April 23, 2025
Very dark. Very twisty. All the things I’m here for! This was a quick read, and I couldn’t wait to find out what happened. Gracie gave me the creeps from the very beginning!

Thanks to Riva Frye and Conquest for the ARC.
Profile Image for Stephanie P.
218 reviews4 followers
December 18, 2023
This story had it all!!! Drama, romance, suspense!!! I read this story in one sitting!!! A definite must read!
Profile Image for Ashley Kik.
54 reviews1 follower
January 2, 2024
Great plot line! However some things were.....uncomfortable.... but the ending was satisfying! and the smut delivers! Takes a bit, stick to it! it's worth it!
Profile Image for Megan🦋.
12 reviews
November 1, 2025
What a powerhouse of a story! From the very first chapter of If Love Could Kill, I was completely hooked. The premise is superb: Gwen, newly divorced and relocating to a quiet lake-town in North Carolina with her teenage son, is trying to rebuild her life when she meets Cole, a widowed father with his own dark past. What begins as a tentative attraction quickly deepens, but of course lurking in the background is the tension of secrets, a suspicious accident, and the chilling question of who can be trusted.

What made this book shine for me:
• Characters: Gwen is instantly sympathetic—strong yet vulnerable, someone you root for. Cole is mysterious, wounded, and utterly magnetic. The dynamic between them crackles with emotional and romantic tension.
• Romantic suspense done right: The story blends slow-burn romance with thriller pacing expertly. The relationship doesn’t feel rushed or artificial—it has real stakes, which elevates every moment they’re together.
• Plot twists and suspense: There are several reveals that genuinely surprised me, and the creeping sense of danger keeps you on edge. I found myself reading late into the night just to find out “what happens next.”
• Setting & atmosphere: The lake-house, the small town, the past lives of the characters—all combine to create an intimate yet eerie backdrop that enhances the emotional impact.
• Writing & pacing: The prose flows smoothly; the stakes rise convincingly; the tension is tight without becoming exhausting. It’s a compelling read that kept me turning pages.
• Value & finish: The book may not be massive in length, but it delivers big in emotion and drama. The ending was satisfying while still leaving just enough room for reflection.

If you love books that combine a convincing romantic connection and a suspenseful mystery—where the love story is as much about the characters healing and trusting as it is about falling in love—then If Love Could Kill is a must-read. I’m rating it 5 stars, and will definitely be seeking out more from Riva Frye.

Highly recommended!
Profile Image for Nicole Wendland.
79 reviews19 followers
February 11, 2025
OH MY LANTA!

I was lucky enough to arc read this for Riva and this book has my attention the whole time.

The. Whole. Time.

I kept trying to figure out what was going to happen and could not stop reading!

FMC Gwen and her teenage son Nathan move from Chicago to embark on a new journey after catching her husband (and Nathan’s father) in bed with his secretary.

They divorce and Gwen needs a change. They move to Haysville, NC. There she and Nathan move into a Lake House owned by the Cole, the MMC. They meet Cole and his daughter, Gracie who is 15.

Gracie’s mom left when she was born leaving Cole to be a single parent. When Gracie turned 13, Cole remarried to Rachel, bringing herself and her son Christopher into the picture.

Two years ago Cole’s wife and her son, Christopher passed away in an accident. How did they pass? Is someone responsible? Who was it? So many suspects, only one is guilty. Read to find out!

This book has you flipping the pages as you navigate through trying to figure out just what happened to Cole’s deceased wife and step son, Christopher. Who is responsible?

5 ⭐️
2 🌶️

Thriller Romance
Small Town
New Chances at life, love, happiness
Profile Image for Kimberly Barker.
107 reviews3 followers
April 3, 2025
Thank you to BookSirens, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Newly divorced Gwen decides that she and her teenage son, Nathan need a fresh start after discovering that her high school sweetheart attorney husband has had an affair with his receptionist. Gwen finds a very small town in the Smokey Mountains and rents a beautiful lake house to start over. She arrives in town and immediately meets Cole, the recently widowed, single father of a 13 year old daughter, and landlord of the lake house. The two hit it off and things escalate quickly. But as Gwen and Cole get closer, mysterious things start to happen. Can Gwen keep the newfound love in her life and keep herself and her son safe?

I enjoyed this book and wished there was more of the story. It was quite short. The twist was predictable but satisfying. I wish there was some more detail given about the villain of the story (no spoilers here) and the reaction of the other characters after the big twist.

If you like a creepy, twisty, dark romance this will be right up your alley. It’s available now.
Profile Image for Mimi.
133 reviews
May 7, 2025
I received this book as an ARC and unfortunately, it just didn’t resonate with me. I found myself repeatedly putting it down and seriously considered not finishing it, but I pushed through to the end. The pacing felt disjointed, with scenes jumping abruptly from one to the next without a natural flow. The characters were quite predictable, and the plot unfolded in a way that left little room for surprise or suspense.

The relationship between the MMC and FMC lacked depth and development—it felt rushed and, at times, cringeworthy. Their connection didn't feel authentic or earned, which made it difficult to invest in their romance. Additionally, the portrayal of the teenage daughter felt off; her behavior was more in line with that of a much younger child, which disrupted the believability of her character. The son’s freedom and independence also felt unrealistic given his age and circumstances.

While I could see the story the author intended to tell, it ultimately felt underdeveloped and rushed. With more time and refinement, this concept has potential, but as it stands, it fell short for me.
444 reviews3 followers
July 2, 2025
I loved this book! From the very first chapter, I was at the edge of my seat. Gwen’s story pulled me in right away. Just when you think she’s finally found peace in the Carolinas, you realize her past is far from done with her. And Cole? Oh, the slow-burn tension between them was perfect. He’s mysterious, wounded, and totally captivating.

Their connection felt so real, and just as things started heating up, boom, twists, secrets, and danger at every turn. I didn’t see a few of those reveals coming, which made the suspense all the more gripping. I flew through the pages needing to know what would happen next.

I listened to the audio version of this book, and the narrator, Kelsey John Klein, was fantastic, she really brought the characters to life and added even more emotion to the intense moments. It was such an immersive experience.

This story has the perfect mix of romance, suspense, and emotional depth. If you love stories with strong female leads, brooding heroes, and dark secrets that refuse to stay buried, this one's for you!
Profile Image for Niki N Evans.
101 reviews3 followers
November 20, 2025
oh my goodness so I absolutely devoured this book I loved it so much, both main characters lost a significant other and different ways one was through divorce and the other was because their significant other had passed away, so one of them moves to this little town and rents this lake house from the other and they end up really liking each other so they give it a go but all these weird things keep happening to one of them the one that moved into the lake house yearly weird like how is this even possible weird type of thing and there's just something off with not one of them but one of the other characters it was an absolutely thrilling thing now you do kind of see it kind of builds so you do know what's going to sort of transpire but the main male character that stumbles across the stuff doesn't have actual proof on what's going on and what their theory is so they're trying to find this while subsequently dating the other person and having these weird things happening to them, I would highly recommend this book if you like something thriller friendly with romance and spice.
Profile Image for Emily Hall.
6 reviews
February 3, 2025
Gwen moves to a quiet, small town with her son Nathan to start fresh from her divorce. Cole is renting his lake house to her. Cole’s daughter Gracie needs to be watched while Cole works from home and Gwen needs a job. As Gwen and Cole spend more time with one another, their romance begins to unfold. Gwen has a rocky past of her own and Cole’s past is dark and twisty. Someone is causing peculiar things to happen at the lake house. Is it someone from Gwen’s past or her present? Who could she have made so angry in this town already? She may be the only one to ever find out…

This book had the perfect amount of twists and spice! I couldn’t wait to read what was going to happen next up until the very end. Gwen and Cole’s whirlwind romance accomplished with some strange happenings and dark pasts keeps you engaged and guessing on what is exactly going on! 100% recommend adding this to your TBR!
277 reviews13 followers
February 12, 2025
Fresh from her divorce, Gwen and her son Nathan move to a small town for a new start. A chance meeting at a gas station on the way to their new home, winds up being the owner of the house. Cole and his daughter, Gracie, are there to hand over the keys and welcome Gwen.

As in all small towns, everybody knows everybody, and Gwen and son are not the only ones with baggage. Gwen becomes a part time nanny to Gracie for the days when Cole and his mother can't give her the attention she needs. Cole is a widower that lost his wife and stepson in a car accident a couple years before. While Cole and Gwen becomes a couple, strange things start happening which makes Gwen question the events of the loss of his wife and her son.

While this book was predictable, it was entertaining. A quick read that was fun with twists and turns. Some spice to give the book a little kick is always fun. A good first read from this author.
Profile Image for VDKeck.
547 reviews69 followers
April 20, 2025
If Love Could Kill
by Riva Frye
Expected release: April 22nd

This book kicks off like a Southern romance and swerves straight into thriller territory—and I was hooked. Gwen’s trying to rebuild her life in the Carolinas when she meets Cole, a brooding widower with a cute kid… and a whole closet of secrets. As their connection deepens, so does the danger, and let me tell you, the twists do not hold back.

The character development is spot-on—Gwen grows stronger with every chapter, and Cole keeps you guessing in the best (and worst) ways. Riva Frye’s writing is smooth, vivid, and laced with just enough suspense to keep your heart rate up. A twisty, emotional rollercoaster that’s totally worth the ride. 5 stars.
Profile Image for Axia.
45 reviews3 followers
February 6, 2025
If Love Could Kill, this one had me hooked from start to finish. Gwen, fresh from a messy divorce, wasn’t looking for love, but then she meets Cole...a man with his own painful past. Their connection is strong, but as their story unfolds, jealousy, secrets, and danger threaten to tear everything apart.

The emotional depth in this book really stood out. The characters felt real, the tension kept building, and the suspense had me flipping pages late into the night. While I personally saw some things coming, the way everything unraveled still made for an intense and gripping read.

If you love second chance romance with a dark, suspenseful twist, this one’s worth picking up
Profile Image for Camis.little.library .
429 reviews20 followers
February 21, 2025
A quick, fast paced dark romance thriller! Gwen moves to a new town, after leaving her cheating ex husband, there she meets her new handsome landlord who has suffered tons of loss in his life, that Gwen soon learns aren't all accidents.

Under 300 pages, this was a quick read with a lot happening in a short amount of time. However, I didn't feel it was rushed at all and actually enjoyed the pace of it.

Lots of twists and turns, I did figure out who the culprit is pretty early on, but there were other twists that came up that I hadn't thought of and took me by surprise.

Overall a great darker romance and thriller, that has you constantly asking, who's behind all of this?
Profile Image for Laurin Nicole.
31 reviews
February 28, 2025
Riva did an amazing job with this book if you are looking for a thriller spicy romance this is the book for you!

The characters and plot in this book were so good I wish there was a little more building on Gracie as to how she got to where is is as I think she acted a little young for her age.

Gwen moves her and her son to a new town to start a new life after her divorce. Not looking for anything but somewhere out of her old judgmental neighborhood.

Cole a widower da with a teenage daughter who grew up in the town rents his lake house to Gwen.

Neither looking for love but both finding an attraction to each other.
Profile Image for Chasity Trimble.
466 reviews20 followers
April 11, 2025
If this book doesn’t get your heart racing then I don’t know what will! Seriously, what a read! It pulled me in its grip from the beginning. There were moments I was even looking over my shoulder.

The writing was exceptional! I could visualize the scenes throughout, I felt completely immersed. The plot was brilliant, had me gasping, talking/yelling out loud and even times I was blushing. I loved most of the characters, I do admit Gracie creeped me out. Just wow!

All I have to say is if you enjoy a romance thriller this book is the one you want. Just be prepared for increased heart rate and the feeling of being watched. This page turner will have you on edge!
Profile Image for Selena Michelle.
27 reviews2 followers
April 23, 2025
If Love Could Kill was interesting from the start. I immediately wanted to know more about this newly divorced FMC. The only reason I was grateful this was a short read was because I got the answers to my questions quickly! But at the same time I would not have complained at all if I’d gotten to spend more time in this North Carolina town. Gwen and Cole have such chemistry (and banter!) from their very first encounter and getting to see their relationship develop along with the twists and turns in the sinister plot twists was such a fun juxtaposition. Riva Frye did her thing with this book, and I can’t wait to see more from her!
Profile Image for Natasha Dupuis.
11 reviews
May 26, 2025
Gripping, Twisty, and Totally Addictive!

Once I started If Love Could Kill, I could not put it down! From the very first chapter, I was completely hooked. The twists and turns kept me guessing the entire time—I was constantly on my toes trying to unravel the truth behind the mystery. What really stood out to me was how well the psychological thriller elements blended with the love story. It added so much emotional depth to the suspense, making it even harder to stop reading. I devoured this book in just two sittings!

This was my first time reading anything by Riva Frye, and I’m so glad I discovered her. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for her next release!
Profile Image for Ashley Miller.
603 reviews18 followers
April 24, 2025
**Rating: ★★★★☆ | Heat Level: 🌶🌶

This mystery thriller was an absolute wild ride! Packed with drama, romance, and jaw-dropping twists, it was a fast, entertaining read that kept me hooked from start to finish. The writing was so vivid, I could see the characters in my mind—I wanted to reach in and yell, “Don’t do it!” The story is full of intense moments, emotional highs and lows, and just the right amount of spice. If you’re looking for a short, thrilling escape with great characters and nonstop action, I highly recommend this one!
Profile Image for Nikki B..
807 reviews17 followers
April 24, 2025
If Love Could Kill was a great thriller. I actually got chills several times throughout the story!! The twists and turns in this story made for fantastic story telling. I was at the edge of my seat! I read this in one sitting in just a couple of hours. The writing is easy to follow and descriptive without being boring. And also.... Cole... you had my heart since gray sweatpants scene. lol. The characters are great though I do wish Gwen had a little more of a backbone and I wished Nathan played more of a role in the story as well. Still a great story and recommend giving it a read!
Profile Image for Sierra.
269 reviews3 followers
April 27, 2025
Overall: 3.75⭐️ (Rounded up for Goodreads)

This book was definitely a wild roller coaster of a read! There were points I was literally gaping at my book and moments I kept saying “what?!” aloud like a crazy person. A wild ride for sure but one I think any fan of a twisty thriller would enjoy. My only issue was at times the pacing was a little too fast or inconsistent but other than that a good read. Would definitely read this author again!

Thank you to StoryOrigin for the eARC in exchange for my review.
Profile Image for Tracy Redden.
179 reviews10 followers
May 1, 2025
2.5 stars rounded up.
This was a fast paced mystery. But not really a mystery as was easy to see the evil of Gracie. There was too many things that didn’t make sense to me (the daughter portrayed way to child like for being 15 year old teenager).
The gaslighting was maybe an attempt to make the characters look bad but just found it frustrating and a little over the top . The insta love was not convincing and I struggled to connect with main characters and storyline. I really wanted to like this but fell way too flat and unbelievable.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.