Veil of Lies

Secrets & Lies #1

by Ava Summers

Three boys, three temptations. But when my true identity is revealed, will they be my salvation or my downfall?

I can’t run forever.

Dad’s been arrested on investment fraud charges.

The whole world hates us.

Ridgeview College was supposed to be a fresh start, but rich boy Brax Walker refuses to leave me alone. I’m not like the other girls and he’s determined to get to know me better, no matter how hard I push him and his two stupidly hot friends away.

To Harley Jackson, I’m a challenge - his biggest one to date. Ridgeview’s resident lothario is not going to stop until he has me in his bed.

Mr. Nice Guy, Quinn Ellis, wants to take care of me, fix my problems, and it feels…amazing.

Everywhere I turn, these boys are there, tempting me, and reminding me of all the things I can’t have. But it isn’t long before I discover Brax is fighting his own demons and we have more in common that he knows.

Once he finds out who I really am, he’ll hate me.

Like everyone else.

Just as I start to believe I’m safe, my identity is leaked, and every reporter within a 1,000-mile radius shows up outside campus.

I thought being doxxed was my worst nightmare.

It turns out public vilification doesn’t even come close.

Dad’s been lying to everyone about what really happened. He thought he was protecting me, but now the world knows where I am, his shadowy business partner wants to tie up some loose ends.

And one of those loose ends is me.

Not even the three hottest, richest boys on campus can save me now.

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This is a standalone why choose college romance where the heroine has multiple love interests. It contains some darker themes and no MM or cheating. For triggers, please read the content warning at the beginning of the book. HEA guaranteed!

falls firstAfraid to commitDisguiseForbidden loveRedemptionFound family

Genres: Why Choose, Dark Romance, Dark, Contemporary, Romance, Suspense, Spicy

562 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 4, 2024

About the author

Ava Summers is a dark romance author who loves reading about feisty females and morally gray alpha males. She prefers books with a healthy dose of spice. If the heroine doesn't have to choose between her guys, even better! When Ava's not reading and writing, she likes to paint and occasionally run 10ks. She also spends way too much time keeping her rescue cat entertained.

Reviews

[Cat H]

DNF @1% p16/863 Chapter 1 (Stella)
Ughhhhh. Why?!
Why must every bad boy/playboy/rockstar/entitled prick meet the ‘not like other girls’ girl while getting their dick sucked? Why??
I hate that trope so fucking much.
I get it. ‘Show don’t tell’. 😑
Ugh. Now I have to go find something else to read, because I can’t continue with this book without having a major attitude about this fuckin prick. And Stella for eventually getting with him after meeting him like that. 🤦
This.
This is a trope I need a warning for.

[Ines · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always enjoy the novels where men who are used to getting every girl they want, finally meet their match in a feisty young woman that isn't all that impressed with their antics. "Veil of Lies" absolutely delivers on that front, and I loved every moment of it. Harley, Brax and Quinn finally meet the girl that knows how to put their feet back on the ground, and I really enjoyed how they responded to it all.

"Veil of Lies" is a contemporary 'why choose' standalone with an academy trope and a twist on the whodunnit trope. With stories like these, where a girl enters an academy where people study who were hurt by the things her father did, most authors tend to choose a bully trope between the girl and her man/men. I loved the fact this author chose a different path, and what this means for the bonds between these four main characters. I honestly love these three men equally, and have to say our girl chose well for herself.

All in all, this was a very enjoyable contemporary standalone, and I'm hoping the ending of this book truly suggests we might expect a side characters story in the future as well.

[Haven Gwynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this story, I enjoyed the fact that the FMC wasn't a pushover who was constantly making dumb decisions. She's intelligent and gives as much as she takes. The spicy scenes were very spicy and well written. I hope to read more from this author!

[chelle (serial downvoter) · Rating 1 out of 5]

Why the fuck is this book double spaced? This isn’t a college essay

DNF

[Anaceli Denice💕 · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is an extraordinary stumble that has captured my attention!!

I love everything about this story. It is filled with the lead FMC giving the three MMC shit and telling them to "fuck off." I am here for it. It is an excellent forbidden romance that I am here for and is extremely messy.

I highly recommend it if you are interested in a fast-paced read.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Veil of Lies
Ava Summers
Stars:🌟🌟🌟.7
Time to read: 8 hours
HEA
My review may contain spoilers
Read Trigger Warnings

Tropes:
RH
He falls first
College
Dark romance

Estella Cancello
Brax Walker, father passed away
Harley Jackson, playboy
Quinn Ellis, protector

Let me first start off by saying, when I started reading this I was extremely concerned this was going to be a Copypasta of Kings of Quarantine, however as I continued reading, I discovered that was not the case. Yes, there are a few similarities but I don’t feel like the two are truly comparable. I do feel like she could have used KOQ as inspiration though.

Plot: While her father is imprisoned, Stella decides to hide out in a prestigious school. She disguises herself by using a different last name, changing her hair color and wearing baggy clothing, praying no one will recognize her and link her to her father’s crimes. Stella catches the eyes of three best friends at school, Quinn, Harley, and Brax. After much persuading Stella eventually ends up in a relationship of sorts with one of the guys, but is still fearful of what will happen when they finally learn who she is. When her truth is finally revealed, the guys do have the reaction she thought they would have. The only one who seems to have a problem is Brax, whose father passed away from the actions of her father. When more truths are revealed, the guys are scrambling to keep her safe.

My personal preference would have been bully or enemies to lovers romance but I did enjoy this book. I didn’t love it, but I enjoyed it.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Áine Foley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to say that after reading a few of Ava Summers' books, I am a huge fan. I loved her Miami Mafia series and I was very excited to read this book. First of all, this is quite a long book, which might be surprising to those of you who have read her previous series, I think this book might be longer than those books combined! Sometimes it's hard to go from writing shorter novellas to a book of this length, but it's excellent and she gives herself the room to flesh out her characters and the story.

This book is a reverse harem (which I love) set in a college. I loved Stella and all her men: Brax, Harley and Quinn. You might think this is a bully romance, because reverse harem books set in colleges tend to be, but it isn't, which is refreshing!

I hope this book becomes part of a series, or that the author writes more books set in this "world." Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Merry Jelks-Emmanuel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This college romance had me glued to the pages from the very first. Stella is living her life incognito. Her father is in jail and the lives of the people he has ruined wants a part of him. The only good thing about it is that he sheltered her from the public and no one knows what she really looks like that is until her ex gives an interview and exposes her to the public. While in college Stella connects with three young men who has problems of their own and one is linked directly to her father's demise. As the four of them become engrossed in each other someone is gunning for Stella and the secrets her father has on file. Will she become a victim or will her three suitors come to the rescue and free her before danger come her way. This well written story had me cheering for Stella and her guys to get their chance for happiness.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Harleem · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book, I couldn't put it down!

Yes, this book is a reverse harem, with many spicy scenes, but it's more than just a smut book, there's a lot of plot to it too.

The story is told from the POV of the FMC and her three MMC love interests. They each have their own unique backstories, obstacles, personalities... The relationship between the characters are also unique and develop at their own pace and in their own way.

The storyline is also quite developed. There are different sides of the plot (per the different character POV) and the challenges and obstacles faced by the characters helps them evolve and grow.

The book would benefit from an extra round of editing, but the typos are easy enough to gloss over that they don't detract from the enjoyment of the book.

If you like reverse harem love stories WITH plot, many spice scenes, and a happy ending, pick this one up. I think you'll love it too.

[Alix · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun read! Happy I got this off of Stuff Your Kindle Day.


The plot felt fun but it was pretty fast for my taste. I love the relationships between the harems, it's so cute. But, I felt like they needed a little more bonding time with one another. Because it felt also like one page she hated them and then the other she just can't get enough of them.

I'm not even going to go in the cringe shame, because this has got to be one of those books with cliché fmc where she's just ..different. I get it, you're not like other girls. It was kind of hard to get through most of these scenes. Still fun because of how it was written but every time I'm reminded that Stella is 'different', I still get ticked off. Because sometimes it was written like this was her whole personality.

Plot was very interesting though. I loved the whole background story with her father and how it all then connects with her guys' families.

[readwithmariaxoxo · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️

It took me quite SOME time to finish this book as i have not initially noticed how long it is and could not have think where the story would go.

Stella hiding her identity comes to new college where she meets these 3 guys and they literary firstly don’t get her. But have insta list for sure. The books had lots of intrigues and somewhat of a thriller plot where you don’t know who didn’t but afterall the key to the story i think was much easier than i have initially thought the answer would be. I totally have liked the overall plot but somewhat lucked the guy character, esp Brax…. He was the least on the page and there felt almost no connection to him

The extended epilogue was nice enough to wrap up Stella and her gus story.

I have seen that there is second book about her bestie Tessa… But i’m not sure i will do it tbh

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really good read and I could not put it down. I loved Stella, our FMC as she navigated through hell as her life took a major turn. Her dad was arrested and they lost everything. Doing everything in her power, she attends college and hides herself to the world. Even wearing baggie clothes, glasses and horribly died hair, her beauty could not be disguised. Catching the eye of one of the hottest guys at college, Brax became intrigued by this sassy female. Not to mention Harley and Quinn who are all best friends and into to Stella. Loved the relationship building, steamy sexy scenes and some drama. With a good mystery thrown into the mix. And not to mention an awesome HEA. Will we see a book for Tess?

[BooksWithRook · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweetheart

4.75 ⭐️
3.00 🌶
Specs: Multi POV | Under 550 pages
LOVED IT! It has angst, suspense, steam, and a few near death experiences. The guys fell hard and fast. Harley is your golden retriever, Quinn is your caretaker, Brax is your broody man with deamons, and Stella is your loner girl. Together, they overcome obstacles that try to tear them apart.

I enjoyed the flash forwards that we got. I felt it finished the book off nicely.

There were some challenges with understanding certain phrases, sentence structure, or the use of Celsius instead of Fahrenheit that we may not use in the USA, but not enough to take away from the storyline.

[Esther]

DNF at 32% chapter 40

I have several issues with this book the first being that it is 865 pages which is unnecessary for a college romance. If the book needs to be that long, then make it into a series instead of a standalone. My next issue is that I was so bored after chapter 15, and I feel like nothing has happened except for Stella and the guys going about their daily lives while at college. I also didn't like the spacing of the sentences because they looked like they were double spaced and I even tried changing the layout settings on my Kindle to see if that would help and it didn't.

[Abbey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Didn't expect a slow burn RH story to be this worthy of the wait. The chemistry between the characters and the way the whole group finally comes together! The little twists and turns definitely brought some drama and trauma, but the MMCs determination to see the FMC and each other through each hurdle is commendable. Their love for each other was unwavering and it really took the introduction of the FMC in their lives for them to really understand their bond. Absolutely loved reading about Stella and her hotties!

[Alonna Irizarry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Why choose/ college/ MFM/ MMFM/ OW drama/ reformed playboys/ suspense/ pregnancy/ forced proximity/ standalone/ HEA

Trigger warning: violence/ kidnapping/ suicide/ death of a loved one/ alcohol abuse/ stalking/ gun use/ attempted murder/ neglectful parenting/ cheating(not MCs)

I appreciated that this was all wrapped up into one book instead of multiple parts. It was a bit predictable and while it was spicy, I would have preferred more group sharing but that’s just me being greedy.

[Kika Ribeiro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Veil of Lies was such a heartwarming read! I didn’t see the twist coming at all, and it made the story even better. I genuinely loved all the characters, especially Harley, his humor had me laughing out loud more than once. The banter between Harley, Quinn, and Brax was top notch, and you could really feel how strong their relationship was throughout the book.
A great mix of emotion, humor, and friendship, definitely a story that leaves you smiling by the end. 💛

[Wendy Livingstone · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well written story which is a reverse harem, with family, friendships, secrets, enemies / lovers, emotions, challenges, bullying, intrigue, undeniable chemistry, revelations, and love, which leads to an entertaining, and steamy, dark college romance.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jenni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stella had hoped for a fresh start at college away from her fathers media storm for all the wrong reasons but Brax, Harley and Quinn have other ideas for her butbwhen her identity comes to light and more secrets unravel where will others leave them? Well written steamy RH, college, desires action and more.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Anna Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exciting and fun, not really a dark or bully romance just a reverse harem with lovable characters. Stella's world has been rocked by her father's scandal and has been in hiding for her safety. As much as she tried to not attract attention, she still managed to attract the attention of Brax, Harley, and Quinn, the three hottest men on campus. I loved every ounce of this story.

[TAM · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I liked this storyline. I liked the characters but they could have been more developed. The book definitely needs some editing. This book could have easily been a duet with some more content and development. Also on a side note I hate double spacing in a novel.

[Salima · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow awesome book. This is the first book I’ve read from Ava Summers. I will definitely read more. I just love Stella and her guys, Harley, Quinn and Brax. I’m so glad she had her guys around her to support her with everything going on in her life. Protecting her as well. Can’t wait to read more.

[Jessie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually didn’t mind this book. I thought it had a good flow to it. I think the back and forth between Stella and Brax should have been done earlier than it did. The ending kind of dragged. The epilogues were okay.. maybe a little overboard on how many. Overall it was a decent read!

[Susana Flores · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quinn, Harley, Brax, and Stella are trying to have a relationship with each other, but there are so many problems between them. She lost everything when her dad went to jail supposedly for stealing his client's money.

[Amriel (Harli) Bang · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much fun

This was such a fun ride.

The plot was interesting and kept me invested.
I loved the guys. And it helps that one is not only blonde but his name is Harley(mine is Harli 😂.)

[Tied_Up_Cutie · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this wasn’t bad, I can’t say it was good either…nothing that makes it stand out from all the other RH stories out there, and honestly this was much too long. This doesn’t mean that I would t read another book from the author (hopefully something darker)

[Nate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It was a dark read with some twists. And am voluntarily leaving this review.

[Paola · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow

Ok this book had no business being this good but here we are. I binged in in less then a day lol

[Alana Rainey · Rating 2 out of 5]

I hated this book

[Katy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great

This was a really well written well paced story with action suspense mystery and romance. I really enjoyed it, and loved the epilogue and the hint of Tessas story.