Death was closing in, but they chose to face it head-on.
Maeve Kinley and Kaden Harris are two brilliant investigative crime reporters with a talent for solving the unsolvable. When a new case brings them back to their hometown—a small, religious community fraught with painful memories—they can’t resist. People are going missing, and a predator is on the loose. And when the killer's pattern emerges, everything changes. The case is more intricate than they thought, and they are alone in their search for the truth. Despite their distaste for one another, they delve into a maze of lies and deceit, chasing answers that slip through their fingers while their familiar obsession reignites. But it’s about the case, not each other.
Never each other.
WARNING: Hoax is a dark thriller romance that contains scenes that might be disturbing for some readers. It is recommended to check the ‘Important Note’ page before diving in.
KADEN KADEN KADEN 🥵 the man that he is omg. that mouth on this fine specimen took me to the galaxy 😮💨
thank you so much valeriia for giving me the chance to arc read this book !! from the plot to the spice to the characters and everything in between … i’m convinced every book you write will simply become my next obsession 🖤
if you’re a fan of dark thriller romance, mystery, religious town, cult, murder, sassy black cat fmc, unfiltered protective mmc, a gripping storyline, supernatural twists, tension, hate to love, yummy spice, and heavy themes … absolutely get this on your tbr !!
first of all, the romance … omg i LOVED the story behind maeve and kaden. it’s a best friends to hate to lovers and i ate it up completely 😍 this book was everything i needed and more !! the plot was heavy and the spice was just so mouth watering. the way maeve and kaden were written … perfection. there’s so much to both of their characters that i just wanted to be with them forever.
maeve is the definition of black cat energy. she is feisty and headstrong. this investigative reporter likes to be in her own little world doing her job. she loves finding mysteries and writing about them. and she absolutely hates the man she is partnered with and has to stay in his mansion with during their investigation. she also has a black cat named noir, which is just perfect LOL 😂
kaden … he could slap me silly and i’d say thank you 🫠 he is so protective, broody, and absolutely has a soft spot for maeve. he is a man with a traumatic past that took over his whole life. he is also a crime investigator which is why this case he and maeve are partnered together to dig into causes his past to come creeping in.
when two investigative reporters who cant stand to be in the same room together, have to go back to their hometown to solve the disappearance of two women … the tension, the secrets, the forced proximity, THE PLOT TWISTS !!! ugh i ate this up 🥰
The RELIEF I felt when finishing this book was the most positive emotion I felt during the entire reading journey. Wow this was so disappointing. I knew the “twist” almost immediately, felt the romance was super lack luster (though the actual smut was good) and the overall plot could have been SO. MUCH. BETTER. how can a book be 400+ pages and still feel like it had zero detail where it mattered?? Also the supernatural element was lowkey stupid and was just used as a random plot device, was not into it.
I gave this one star for the smut and one star for the author publishing this book, because that deserves a star regardless of how not good the actual book is.
Kaden the man that you are! 😮💨 When I say this man has a mouth on him, I mean it! Unhinged at times, especially when it comes to Maeve.
I would say that this book is more plot heavy and the romance storyline is more of a subplot for the horror/ thriller plot line. The romance gives a nice break at times from the dark parts of the book but it’s not the main focus.
I did find that some of the plot twists were a bit predictable but it could be because I read dark romance mostly, and I know not to trust anything!
Overall it was a fun read that I finished within a day and it’s great for those who like to read Horror/ thriller but want romance as well!!
This book is definitely a solid 4.75 stars for me. As a paranormal thriller with spice, it is so perfect for spooky season. The only reason it didn’t get 5, is because Maeve almost caught the hands a couple times 😤
This story was so intriguing from the very beginning. We get the forced proximity between Kaden & Maeve and I ate up every second of it.
Aside from the steamy MC’s, the plot was also so captivating. We have two crime journalists investigating the disappearance of two missing woman in their super religious hometown, that they left years ago. But nothing is as it seems, the lies and betrayal all come to light eventually.
all jokes aside. kaden is daddy okayy !! i’m swooning over him badd !! you just can’t go wrong with how he & maeve can’t stand each other but stay in a haunted mansion together. he still comforted her through her nightmares & all while dealing with his own traumatic past.
maeve & her black cat energy atee !! it’s so fitting because she has a black cat named noir which is so adorable. i love how bitchy she was towards kaden. both of them being crime detectives together in their religious cult hometown. i devoured their love/hate relationship !!
this book is a perfect mix of paranormal activity, thriller & mystery. i would suggest getting this on your tbr if it’s right up your alley.
“My obsession with you knows no bounds. I’d die just to be possessed by my goddess. Even six feet under, my stubborn soul would linger, forever yours.” 🔥
This was my first time ever getting to an ARC read. I was extremely excited to read it being that it is a mix of a paranormal thriller and a dark romance. SIGN ME UP! this book gave everything it was supposed to give. Cults, haunted mansion, small creepy town, friends to enemies to lovers, and all the good spice. I really enjoyed her ability to tell this story and keep me needing more and more as the pages turned. As always I am a sucker for a good ending and this book gave it! I also love that she references a favorite childhood movie of mine several times in this story 😉
Kaden and Maeve are two passionate, investigative crime reporters. They are both brought back to the small, religious hometown they escaped from when a new missing persons case emerges. Having to set aside their strong hate for each other and dive into this case, they soon find that nothing is as it seems. While discovering secrets and truths about the town and its people, they also discover truths about themselves and the distaste they share for each other.
Arc review: Okay so I was not a huge fan but only because I think there were too many genres wrapped up in one book. It came together well in the end but I felt like it was all over the place and could have left a few things out. I loved all of the ideas put into the book but also felt it could have been executed better. Dark romance is my favorite genre to read and what I mainly read and this just did not hit the spot for me. The add of ghosts and the paranormal was not properly done and the story was more high school level for me. But over all the book was easy to read and keep up with. I did not hate this book I just think it could have been better. Also I hated Maeve, I’m not one to typically hate a character but she was such a baby to me. Being traumatized by being grabbed by a man but nothing even happened to her? She just seemed very childish to me. And I don’t think there was enough background on when Maeve and Kaden were friends in the past. Some parts of the book just basically appeared with no real reason. If you like a book with a lot of different genres and aren’t into much dark romance this may be the book for you. Or if you are a beginner reader.
Thank you Valeriia Miller for sending me your book! This book was CRAZYYY!!! And I’m probably crazy for saying I loved it! This book had me hooked from the start! I loved the tropes in this and the crime aspect. I love how the mystery unfolds in this story. How Maeve and Kaden go about trying to solve it and how it’s all written in such an eerie and dark way! It’s all very captivating to read. It was very intriguing and I liked how most of the book was them trying to discover what was going on and how the author didn’t shy away from certain details. Maeve was very straightforward and doesn’t give a rats ass about anyone else! She is a girl who knows how to get what she wants and will fight for it. She has a rough exterior to everyone else but Kaden is truly the only one who sees past that. Seeing that she had more to her including her vulnerable and softer parts. Kaden was very meticulous and liked things a certain way. He was a rule follower but he had a boldness to him that was fun to read. The way Kaden couldn’t decipher his feelings for Maeve was so funny to me. Like the way he would get so jealous when someone else made her laugh or smile was pure gold!!! We love a jealous king! I love how even through Maeve gets on Kaden’s nerve and she does soemtning to absolutely piss him off he still enthralled by her beauty. His little comments on how he was captured by her beauty got me!! There were some parts when reading about the couple that were iffy to me…Their relationship was kinda rocky in different areas of the book, they went through a lot of up’s and downs and it was sometimes confusing because one moment they were happy and the next they were mad at each other. There tended to be a lot of switch up’s with very little explanations as to why but overall this book was super fun to read. The writing had a good amount of creepy and dark and depth to it that I really enjoyed. The twists of the mystery had me hooked and I did enjoy reading this!
Hoax ⭐️.67 You know I found this to be pretty horrid. Miss fmc was insufferable. We skipped like so much information in this like we were just supposed to understand her hatred for this man and their friendship with like no context? And the whole case was poorly done and made no sense. I also predicted parts of it and I think like nothing was explained well. The cult was never explained. The things they were doing to solve said case were skipped over. I felt no romance between them. Miss girl lived in a victim complex like crazy. Some of the smut was decent. The nickname Thera was stupid. She was a horrible friend to Axel. I don’t understand why Kaden liked her? I honestly just don’t get anything that occurred in this book. Even the paranormal aspects weren’t done well? And why did we just skip over everything important. Their job felt like a joke. Remy randomly being like yeah you guys are going to go in live in mmcs old house where is mom and brother disappeared from and he had it all like planned? Axel just randomly showing up and that whole scene was dumb. IDK IT WAS ALL BAD. I can’t get over miss fmcs victim complex tho. She was atrocious
This book had me in a chokehold. It was my first time reading a book from this author, but it definitely won’t be the last. The plot was gripping and suspenseful, filled with twists that kept me guessing till the end. I loved Maeve and Kaden. Their issues with anxiety and how they dealt with it separately and together, made them very relatable characters. Their chemistry together was off the charts hot too. This book was very dark, so be sure to check the trigger warnings before reading. This was an excellent, psychological, romantic thriller, and I highly recommend checking it out!!
WOW. TALK ABOUT PLOT TWIST! This book kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time! Dark romance with hints of the paranormal mixed with crime solving hotties IM SAT. Childhood bffs turned work place enemies sent on assignment in their hyper religious small town. Together they must figure out who is behind the killings and fight their growing chemistry at the same time! Plot and spice finger licking good!!
I was looking forward to this book but it was pretty disappointing. The amount of genres was not balanced well at all. The relationship drama felt very high school for characters that were in their 20's. It also came off like the characters just learned the word f*ck and used it in any variation they could whenever they possibly could.
At times I felt the author doubted the intelligence of the reader by over explaining the simplest of things. "She slams the door shut and locks it, signaling that she needs space and doesn't want to talk." I think anyone would've come to that conclusion when reading the fmc slammed the door in the mmc's face. It got to the point I started skimming the book after 50%.
The murders they were solving throughout the book were mostly in the background and not talked about enough for the reader to feel involved. There was mention of the murderer leaving behind 2 ciphers and that the fmc was working on solving them. Not once was the cipher provided to the reader, she just worked on it in the background and only mentioned sporadically. There was mention of the fmc having knowledge of the occult because of her upbringing with her super religious mother but never expanded on it even though it could've been interesting for the reader and relevant to the story. After she tells the mmc her mother made her read about them he starts doing research. It's only mentioned he read about them and it only becomes relevant maybe once when he recognizes a symbol from a book he read.
The paranormal elements felt like an after though and thrown into the story at the last minute. A ghost shows up 2-3 times. Didn't play much of a role and honestly could've been left out.
The nickname he gave her early on should've been left out as well. It felt extremely forced when it was given and every time it was used throughout the book.
The murderer could've been found around 20%. For being "brilliant investigative crime reporters with a talent for solving the unsolvable" they literally ignored the absolute biggest clue because they didn't want to believe it could be anyone they knew. Catching the killers was extremely anti-climactic.
It read like the author wanted to write a romance book and threw in all these other genres just because.
Thank you so much Author Valeriia Miller, for giving me the amazing opportunity to read an ARC of your new upcoming Novel. “Hoax” 5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Read!!!! WOW!!! I tore this book up completely from start to finish!!! I was so engrossed into this captivated-cinematic experience!🤩 filled with so many emotional twists and turns from the creativity of the Author’s creation. I am literally utterly obsessed with this masterpiece🖤✨ Kaden Harris is officially my new obsession & everything and more💋✨💫 “Hoax,” Stars two captivating characters. (Maeve Kinley & Kaden Harris) Valeriia Miller, embodies the essence of her book as she begins to take you on an exhilarating adventure In a small town of hidden secrets✨where rival reporters lurks. Maeve and Kaden are now back reunite after years of miscommunication & lost they now have no choice but to chase the truth behind recurring disappearances that reveal dark truths and pass connections and that’s when the lovely Valeriia Miller, takes us up on a twisted turns of plot-twists as the pot finally starts to simmer with hot held tension & lark obsession that begins to reignite as their personal rivalry grows in different directions but the mystery continues to endure endlessly engaging you into intriguing puzzles as they both hunt for clues before the predator strikes again. The Author, showers her creativity each chapter forward aggressively! she instantly grabs your attention the way she writes battles of wits between Maeve & Kaden as they tackle the hard heading case that could redefine their past & future life, and memories that could sir stand their relationship moving forward and I couldn’t adore it more🤩🖤 not only does the Author create a fascinating story but she does the same for her beautiful characters. My girlie💖Maeve Kinley, is a heart gripping crime reporter investigator that doesn’t take BS from no one or anywhere and she does it with a feisty/fiery persona that adds more depth into her leading character adding memorable moments of her characteristics Valeriia Miller, Wwrites Maeve Kinley with so utterly devotion & passion with heavy enthusiasm of past traumas of recurring emotional factors that gives you a different understanding of Maeve Kinley, she continues to grow stronger each pags facing with reality of heart-aching times that still haunts her to this present day! Maeve & Kaden share a history of teasing that captures your heart with each well written chapter that resonates with you deeply as you start to read about Maeve & Kaden’s love story🥹 The love Maeve has for Kaden is so emotionally heartwarming! Maeve embodies the spirit of love whenever she’s near Kaden, he’s her lover & protector of all kind and the one she loves endlessly forever in all universes and I couldn’t blame Maeve for falling for Kaden Harris!! I am in love with him too🖤🥹 Valeriia Miller, writes my all time favorite Kaden Harris💫🩷 A dark heroine with an engrossing storyline of his protagonist that I truly enjoy/love every line about! Kaden’s humor is the one that has you giggling & kicking your feet back on the bed the way Kaden has a way with his mouth on & off the job👀✨ The Author continues to create Kaden with so much love and elegance of his persona! Diving you deep into his world of possibilities especially with his lovely obsession “Maeve,” Kaden showers his Affection 24/7 for his love!! The protectiveness he has over Maeve instantly becomes attractive and even more for the way Kaden caresses Maeve whenever she’s in the need of it or the way he learns everyday to understand more than he ever did before about her and he stands strong with Maeve throughout every emotional outcome or situation that ever encounters between the both of them and I seriously couldn’t be more in love with Kaden Harris, and this fantastic tale of paranormal love of secrets & rumbles of dark romance with a century of twisted hate to love🥹🖤 that ends with a beautiful cinematic experience that Authors Valeriia Wilder created all so beautifully. Pre-Order “Hoax” Releases Nov 4th 2024!!!! Asap to ensure yourself for amazing ride of endless possibilities & emotionally tear wrenching moments that delve so deeply into essential life experiences that resonates profoundly!! You wouldn’t want rest even for second after entering page one🖤✨ And you can do just that by visiting the author’s social media. @Valeriiamillerauthor on IG that you can view so many new teasers and updates and amazing aesthetics of this tale🩵
“You’re mine, Maeve. I own your heart, just as you own mine. It’s us against the world, just like it was always meant to be.” Kaden Harris💋🖤💫 ✨My book boyfriend ladies & gentleman✨
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️4 / 5 This features many explicit scenes with lots of detailed language. This book is heavier on the spice, but the plot is still there and doing something interesting. I don't know that this book was kinky to me, but others might find it kinky.
TLDR: The plot of this book is really twisty and tense. I blew through the last 30% in a single sitting because I needed to know what was happening. I'm surprised that both characters who I felt a little meh about in the beginning grew on me as much as they did. And although I don't know that I would say I'm a dark romance reader this one kept me VERY invested.
Plot: Okay, this book has so much going on. There is a very compelling and complicated mystery going on throughout the entire book. There is interesting and wild paranormal encounters that happen to mostly Maeve but also Kaden. The town that this mostly takes place is is CREEPY AF. It also really hits on the small conservative religious towns have a creepy air to them that worked so well here. I only downed this to 4.75 and not 5 stars for me because I think them being enemies for so long frustrated me when the reason is a little weak in the end. And, the only other issue I had with this is while the spice is well written, fits the characters well, and is is hot it sometimes felt like there was so much of it that it took away from the plot. As 2 people so dedicated to the mystery taking place they dedicate a lot of time to sleeping together. But, totally personal opinion.
Characters: Love a changing perspective novel that uses it as well as this one does. There is no going back over anything that has happened it seamlessly progresses the narrative with both characters when it would be more helpful to see it from one rather than the other. I like Kaden, the portrayal of his very bad anxiety is so nice in such a strong and otherwise very masculine man is something I haven't seen before. He also has a migraine disorder which I also haven't seen a lot of rep for before and appreciated. Maeve I also grew to like, she is very prickly but through the narrative you understand why and see he develop and deal with her trauma and her responses to her trauma and upbringing and she is also a very strong character who learns to let people in and I appreciated that.
World: The world building is great. Being from a small town I love reading about small conservative towns. This one uses the small town almost as another main character. The town itself felt like it had personality and it's own mood swings and creepy factor that helped with tension and general vibe overall.
Review by Nic @polycraftory on Instagram, Tumblr, and Tiktok, where I do book reviews and crafts with my polycule. If you are curious about my thoughts on more books, you can find me @businesswife on Storygraph.
I was given a copy of this book in order to provide an honest review!
First off, Valeriia is an artist, not just an author. This whole book had me captivated from the beginning. I was super honored to be an arc reader, being an arc reader doesn’t sway my opinion of the book or the author. My honest review will be spoiler free!
5/5⭐️ 4/5🌶️🥵 This book was everything I needed from spooky season. It has mystery, tension, murder, dark vibes, sketchy religious town, and a black cat. Love Noir 🖤🐈⬛ the plot was heavy, and the romance in it wasn’t too much. I love plot heavy books with spice throughout, so this was literally perfect in my opinion.
Maeve, she is the definition of black cat as a person. She is dark, moody, sassy, unfiltered. She has a black cat named Noir, honestly I’ll count him as a main character. I loved him. Maeve has a complicated past, awful relationship with her mother. She’s an investigative reporter for crimes, absolutely doesn’t like our MMC that she works with. What happens when they both get assigned to the same case, and are forced to work together in the town they both fled from? 👀
Kaden, he is protective, dark, broody, but soft for our FMC. Kaden has a traumatic past, a case close to him has consumed him his whole life, returning stirs up memories. Staying in his family’s old manor isn’t so bad, except the strange happenings. Maeve and Kaden have a complicated past. So being forced to live in the same gothic manor for weeks isn’t ideal, but Kaden makes the best of it, he knows what he wants.
This book has supernatural aspects to it, and I LOVED every single second of it. It had thriller, horror, murder mystery. It was perfect. There were multiple times the suspense and tension was so high I was like speed reading to see what would happen next.
The romance. I LOVED this, it’s not exactly enemies to lovers, it’s more like hate to love. The tension and banter between them 🤌 the spicy scenes were written so well I was literally smiling like a fool every time I read one. It was like a reward after reading the suspense 🤣
The end had me in shock, like I had suspected something similar, but not exactly THAT. The plot twist gave me whiplash, but I’m not upset about it.
All in all I heavily recommend! I will be running to read all of Valeriia’s books asap, and she will be an instant buy author for me 🫡🖤
The storyline in this thing!! It was so good, so ridiculously entertaining. Right from the second they hit Hollow Springs, I was busy piecing together theories and suspicious of literally everyone. I ended up calling the big reveal, but that didn’t make it any less fun. The buildup was gripping, and the paranormal twist added so much. At first, I was confused and honestly wondering how it all tied together, but by the time everything hit the fan, it was crystal clear, and I loved it. The epilogues? Adorable. They tied up their story so well.
Maeve had such black cat energy… I also loved her cat Noir, it reminded me of my own little black cat Lucifer who is also a cuddle bug and never leaves my side when I'm home. Anyway, Maeve was SO stubborn and dead set on proving she didn’t need anyone. For most of the book, she was just stuck in her ways, refusing to budge except for a few “weak” moments with Kaden—then she’d flip and be a total pain, and I wanted to throw my book at the wall. But honestly, it kept me hooked, waiting for that moment when she’d finally get it together. The tension between her and Kaden was everything, especially when she had those “I hate to want you” vibes. BUT again she was kind of a bitch at times, and it made me so mad. I got her side of things—I would have been hurt too—but it just felt like Kaden went through something horrific, and she was just NOT understanding that, even when she would acknowledge it. A little selfish, if you ask me. But it didn't change how much I loved this book and added to the experience. I can appreciate the struggle of giving up what you're familiar with for something kinda new and leaving yourself vulnerable, which is ultimately what I felt Maeve was struggling with around the "new" Kaden.
Kaden was perfect; I wanted to reach through the book and pull him out just to give him a hug. The spice was also so good. Even when Maeve was pushing it away, their connection was raw and electric. You could feel the heat and tension radiating off the pages, and I absolutely ate it up.
Definitely read this if you like these vibes: - Second chance(ish), past BFFs/hate-to-love - Forced proximity - Religious trauma - Cults and murder investigation - Twisty and paranormal plot - Sassy FMC with a possessive & obsessive(ish) MMC - Electric chemistry
Valeriia Miller's Hoax draws readers into the eerie, unsettling world of Hallow Springs, a town steeped in religious fervor and secrets. The story revolves around Kaden and Maeve, childhood friends turned rivals in the world of crime investigation reporting. Their deeply intertwined past adds layers of complexity to their dynamic as they navigate their professional ambitions while grappling with unresolved feelings.
Miller's writing style is immersive and evocative, painting a vivid picture of the haunting, oppressive atmosphere of Hallow Springs. From the outset, the author masterfully builds tension, keeping my anxiety levels high—an exhilarating experience that speaks to her skill in world-building. The town itself becomes a character, with its dark corners and unsettling history, setting the stage for the unfolding mystery.
As Kaden and Maeve return to their hometown to investigate a series of strange occurrences, their slow-burn enemies-to-lovers arc takes center stage. The chemistry between the two is palpable, and Miller expertly balances their romantic tension with the suspense of the investigation. The intimate scenes are charged with emotion and heat, crafted with a finesse that draws readers deeper into their evolving relationship.
While I did manage to uncover the identity of the antagonist before the big reveal, it didn't detract from my enjoyment of the story. The journey itself—filled with thrilling suspense, drama, and unexpected twists—was engaging enough to keep me turning the pages. Miller's ability to weave together elements of murder, romance, and the intricacies of human connection is commendable.
Hoax is a captivating read that offers something for everyone: thrilling suspense, a compelling enemies-to-lovers romance, and intricate character development. This is my first experience with Valeriia Miller's work, but it certainly won't be my last. I eagerly anticipate exploring more of her stories. Highly recommended this book!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
arc review. thank you for the opportunity to read this amazing book early i absolutely loved it and loved your writing style. 🖤
this was honestly one of my favorite fall reads. it’s dark romance with thriller and mystery, religious small town, with paranormal/supernatural twist, tension and banter.
my favorite quotes:
"My obsession with you knows no bounds. I'd die just to be possessed by my goddess. Even six feet under, my stubborn soul would linger, forever yours."
"You're mine, Maeve. I own your heart, just as you own mine. It's us against the world, just like it was always meant to be."
from the first paragraph of the book i was hooked. the plot was so intriguing and i was always wanting to know what happens next, i also felt like an investigative journalist like our fmc and mmc. maeve our fmc did make me mad a couple times because she’s so head strong and feisty. her hate of kaden in the beginning was really frustrating because yes there are two sides to every story but when he would try to explain and apologize she basically wasn’t going for it until that one night in the morgue..she definitely had a right to be upset about him leaving her by herself..but sometimes it felt like she was trying to punish the both of them by ignoring the tension and spark they share. kaden the man that he is mhm i really like his over protective and broody self, he definitely has a soft spot for maeve and it’s very evident since the beginning of the book. kaden’s traumatic past is why he left maeve and now that he’s back by her side he doesn’t want to leave her again.. kaden also has a way with words and my oh my him telling maeve how he’ll punish her or what he’d like to do to her in the bedroom had me seated..
the tension, banter, secrets and forced proximity, spice was sooo good i ate every second of this book up. i definitely recommend
I received this book as an ARC and I loved this book! It’s the kind that when you’re not reading it, it’s all you think about What’s gonna happen next?? Who did it?? What the fuck!? To start, the beginning of the book was powerful and grabbed your attention immediately! Leaving you to wonder what the book would entail. The way the FMC and MMC were written was phenomenal, so much character behind each of them! And the way their relationship circled back and enter twined! Wild! Just all the connections in general were so well put together. The twist in this had my jaw on the floor! I really hope Valeriia is planning to right a second book to this, because I would love to know more about the Oppressed and who they are. I think she could connect it all so well that it would leave everyone in a state of shock! Now, the only reason I didn’t give 5stars, was because I felt there was some things that got forgotten throughout the story. Jessica was being written in so well but then she just disappeared. Yes she was connected in later on but she just vanished. There was no true answer or connection on the ghost in the mansion, never explaining that, again lost to the story. And lastly, how did Noir know to lead Kaden to the shed? I also wish that there was a little more to the scene when Kaden showed up to rescue Maeve. It was still good, I just wanted more juice there personally, felt a tad rushed compared to the rest of the detail and power throughout the story. Lastly, with a story so heartbreaking, creepy, and cruel, the way she gave both MC peace and love at the end was truly beautiful!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
"The truth, they say, is the cure, even if it stings."
~ ARC REVIEW ~
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
OH. MY. GOD. This book was INCREDIBLE. I absolutely devoured the story, and fell head over heels for Kaden freaking Harris. This man. I mean c’mon.
“My obsession with you knows no bounds. I’d die just to be possessed by my goddess. Even six feet under, my stubborn soul would linger, forever yours.”
Like are we for real right now?! I loved the way that paranormal elements were interwoven throughout this dark thriller romance, constantly keeping you guessing and on the edge of your seat. I really enjoyed the way that trauma was portrayed in this book, as well as mental health elements. The way it was written really made you feel for the main characters, and made me even more invested in their story.
I did guess one of the plot twists, but in the beginning felt like it was too easy and too good to be true, so I just kind of ignored it! Then for it to be revealed had an even bigger impact in my opinion, and made me feel like I was also an investigative crime reporter. I also really enjoyed the element of forced proximity as well as childhood friends to enemies to lovers that we had going on. It made for a really fun time. The steaminess and angst was also chef’s kiss 🤌🏼
Please do yourself a favor and pick up this book AS SOON as it releases on November 4th. I promise you won’t be disappointed!! But as always, please look at the trigger warnings prior to indulging, as it might not be a good fit for everyone.
This book. This freaking book. I’m not much for psychological thrillers but man. This one stole the cake and really came full freaking circle.
Maeve a determined career driven person who only cares about her job. Screw everything else besides the one friendship she’s made, her cat, and hatred for Kaden freaking Harris. Her world has become her own. She controls everything that comes her way until given a job that will open doors and secrets to her hometown that even she couldn’t have possibly known.
Kaden. A man driven by his wants and needs to solve every problem. Someone who is also career focused but wants his second chance with the one person who was there for him and him her as kids. Maeve freaking Kinley. Having to take on a job that puts them in close proximity against her wishes, Kaden takes the opportunity to mend their relationship even though at every turn she lashes out at him. He doesn’t give up. The unexpected horrors take over their world and hometown and the most solve it. Together.
I absolutely took my time with this book. It was such an interesting read. It has twists and turns everywhere. And this is a book you have to take your time with to process and think critically as if you’re also a crime investigator. You become so enraptured in the details that you start linking the pieces together that your characters deny for truth. It will have you kicking, screaming, and laughing at the antics that happen with in this story. I hope you give this read a chance as it is so worth it.
Maeve, i really loved this boack cat vibes FMC, sassy, moody and her cat Noir. She is independent and dead sure to prove everyone that she can do it.
She doesn't get along with her mother and It's complicated. She was working on a case with our one and only MMC, Kaden (daddy vibes 🥵🥵). And she can't bear him but life is unpredictable... so is work and she has to work on A case with him and they are bound to work together.
Kaden... Kaden.. Kaden.. what a man. He is everything you want, dark, broody, protective, daddy, but so mushy for Maeve. Kaden has been through something as well. He wanted to find out something related to his family... i won't spoil it.
I really felt that Maeve was being so childish at some point and stubborn as well. I really wanted to get in the book and ask her to please listen to Kaden and understand his point of view. But I think that add Its own element to the book.
The steamy scenes were perfectly fitted to the story and tej characters.
The plot and the unexpected things that happened in the manor were written so beautifully. I loved it alot. The mystery and the case they were solving had me captivating.
This is a must read.
"My obsession with you knows no bounds. I'd die just to possess by my goddess"
Two crime investigators have to come back to their super religious hometown to solve the disappearances of two women. Nothing is at it seems, and lies come to light in the end. Maeve and Kaden have to set aside their differences to solve this case.
The plot was so interesting and suspenseful that I couldn’t put the book down. The chemistry and banter between the two main charectors was spicy! Make sure to check trigger warnings before reading though!
Kaden. Oh how I loved this MMC. He’s protective, broody and dark. The disappearance of these two women stir up his traumatic past of his own family members going missing years ago.
Maeve, the FMC, is a moody and mega sassy women who will say it as it is. She has the CUTEST black cat named Noir, who might be my fave character. Maeve has a complicated history with her mother who used to turn to drugs but now it’s God. She gets assigned to a case with her former best friend and wants nothing to do with him. Will they work together to figure out what’s going on?
Overall I loved this suspense, the romance and paranormal aspects of this book. I definitely recommend this work of art!
Read if you love: * friends to hate to love * Thriller * Cults/religious town * Secrets! * Paranormal thriller * Forced proximity
Thank you to Valeriia Miller and her publishing company for choosing me to read this!
***Before I review, I'd like to start by saying that writing is a form of art and art is subjective. This is my opinion, and this book just wasn't for me, and that's okay. The writing was good and there were elements I enjoyed, but it wasn't my favorite.***
I thought this book was okay. For some reason, it was really hard for me to get into and stay focused on. With that being said, the way it was written, I felt I HAD to know how it ended.
For me, I found Hoax to be predictable (I called one of the killers from the start). I also didn't feel that all of the ghost appearances/elements were necessary; The religious cult aspect was scary enough without ghosts popping up. I felt it would have been scarier/more impactful for me if the ghosts were left out and instead refocused on the religious cult aspect. I also didn't feel that Maeve and Kaden's relationship was the most realistic, and I get that it's fiction and that's part of the point, but Maeve straight up ignored Kaden because he left town when they were teenagers? Yeah he could have tried to bring her with or talked more with her about it, but it didn't warrant complete isolation and cold shoulder, which also just further pulled me away from the book.
Honestly, I'm just glad nothing hurt or killed Maeve's cat, Noir.
This book was so cozy yes suspenseful! I honestly just want to read it again!
This book is a dual P.O.V that follows two main characters Maeve and Kaden who are both criminal investigator journalists.
Both characters grew up in a suspiciously religious town that they could not wait to escape. They find themselves working for the same outlet but years of resentment have pushed them miles apart. They end up assigned to the same case in their hometown neither of them willing to back down from the challenge.
As things start to unravel it becomes clear that not only are the townspeople in danger but it seems someone maybe targeting them!
In the face of danger Kaden realizes he will not allow any thing to happen to Maeve!
🥀“I’ll set this entire fucking town on fire if anyone lays a finger on you.”🥀
All of the unexpected twist and turns of this book lead our characters to new understandings of not only the town and its people but also themselves and their inner demons.
The tension in this book almost broke my heart the push and pull had me on the edge of my seat! 😋
Thriller, Gore, Spice, romance, Mystery, Friends to sorta enemies to lovers, Murder, super dark, some supernatural aspects, please Check your triggers!
Maeve and Kaden are investigative reporters for crimes and serial killers, They Used to be best friends in high school in their small, cult like, religious town before Kaden left her behind to pursue a big job opportunity which pissed off Maeve.
Now they both work at the same news outlet and get a assignment from their boss that they have to go back to their home town to investigate the disappearance of a few townspeople, together, forced to room in the same home, how will they survive!
Maeve is very similar to her black cat Noir, moody, sassy, antisocial. She has a complicated history with her mother and hates Kaden with a passion, now she’s being forced to work a case with him, being forced to be in the same home, close to him, what could go wrong?
Kaden is dark and broody but has a soft spot for Maeve. He has a traumatic past and returning back to his home town has stirred up some memories. Strange things start happening in their house they are staying at but Kaden makes the best of it, he has something he wants in his sights.
Very good book, super long read but I felt like it jumped ahead a lot with no transition or left out some details I thought would have been important.
Hoax by Valeriia Miller is an incredibly, and at times poetically, written book that ensnares your attention and submerges you into a world of intense crime and mystery with hate-to-love romance and steamy banter.
I received an ARC for this wonderful work and it is one of my favorite reads of this year. With the paranormal aspects and murder-mystery, it appealed to my love for the supernatural and true crime. I’m one of those who sits down and listens to true crime podcasts, so when I saw there was a dark, paranormal romance with crime solving I jumped the gun for the opportunity to read it and I was not even remotely disappointed!
There was a perfect balance between the romance and action and I loved seeing the character development of the FMC and MMC with each other and their individual struggles and journeys. There were times I was unnerved with the spooky occurrences, times I was mortified when it came to the investigation these two embarked on, and times where I was kicking my feet at the romance.
Overall, I was so thoroughly pleased with this book. I’m recommending it to everyone I know who enjoys a good, dark book. Now to secure a copy for my trophy shelf!