Brutal Little Secrets

Lust & Liars #2

by C.S. Berry

I’ve played every game the Devil’s trio wanted. I’m willing to give them everything, but

I want in.

On their revenge.

On my revenge.

I’m done being other people’s pawn.

Too bad I’m not the only one keeping secrets.

But halfway through, the rules change.

We’re not playing for fun anymore, we’re playing for keeps.

I just have to trust my guys aren’t running their own game.

The only ones who can break me now are my own devils.

This is the continuation of the Lust & Liars Series Book 2. Begins where Whisper Pretty Lies left off.

Genres: Why Choose, Romance, Dark Romance, High School, Forced Proximity, Sports, Dark

424 pages, ebook

Published October 31, 2025

Reviews

[Briana]

5 ⭐️
4 🌶️

🌟 ARC Review 🌟

These three have me absolutely feral 🥵
I’ve always been a sucker for a stepbrother trope, and this book delivered everything I wanted and more. Picking up right where Whisper Pretty Lies left off, it wastes no time throwing us right back into the chaos, tension, and addictive dynamic between EvanAnn, Damon, Hawk, and Cam.

I love how they all just accept that they’re down bad for her — no more pretending, no more holding back. Each of them brings something different to the table, but Damon really stole the show for me. His obsession with her, mixed with the respect and understanding he has for how much she means to Cam and Hawk, made my heart race.

And let’s talk about the spice — it seriously levels up in this one 🔥 The chemistry is explosive, the scenes are filthy in the best way, and the emotional connection makes it all hit even harder.

That cliffhanger, though? Absolute torture. I need book three yesterday. 😩



Spicy chapters 🔥
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48

[Wendy Livingstone]

This is the second book in this impressive series and continues straight on from where Whisper Pretty Lies ended.
EvanAnn has had enough of being a pawn in the Devil’s Trio’s games, and Damon, Hawk, and Cam, are possessive and protective over their little devil.
This is a well written easy to read, action packed, emotional roller coaster, with family dynamics, friendships, tension, bullying, lies, mystery, suspense, forced proximity, complex characters, vengeance, secrets. Challenges, humour, witty banter, trust, revelation, and combustible chemistry, which leads to an entertaining, tragic, haunting, twisted, and unreadable, dark romance, which has me on tenterhooks throughout.
This story ends in a mindblowing cliffhanger, and I cannot wait till January to read more!
I look forward to reading more from this talented author whose work I highly recommend.

[Shifali]

Ahhh!

I was so excited to receive the ARC so thank you! I may be a bit biased because I love all things CS Berry but I promise you, this book does not disappoint. The best part? It’s going to be a trilogy instead of a duet! So yes, I am seated for more EvanAnn and her boys!

The chemistry is chemistryfying. I love love love how careful and considerate all the boys are trying to be of EvanAnn. They treat her like the princess she truly is meant to be!

The steam is piping hot. Careful you may get burned! EvanAnn is strong and resilient and compared to the first book, she’s no meek little scared rabbit no more. She knows her worth and isn’t afraid of telling her boys that.

Story wise, it’s continuing where the previous book left off. We meet new characters, cheer for them, question them, but in all honesty, you just want to keep reading about them, especially EvanAnn and her boys.

Hawk is her silent strength who protects her, Cam is her warm hug on a cold winter night and Damon worships the surface EvanAnn walks on.

If you like dark romance with a FMC who has her men eating out of her hands and worshiping her like a goddess, look no further, Ms Berry has you covered.

It would’ve been 5 stars but minus 1 star —only because I would have liked to see more of Hawk and Cam with EvanAnn. I felt like they were missing out on all the fun Damon and Evan were having.

[❤️Tina❤️]

The Devils trio? 🔥🔥🔥

This book carries on straight from where we left off in Whisper Pretty Lies!

EvanAnn, Damon, Hawk, and Cam are back and their lives are still as dramatic as before! I love the fact in this one though they are no longer fighting their feelings, they want to claim her and don't care who knows it!

I shouldn't have favourites but Damon is definitely mine, he's possessive and will burn the world down for her if she asked. Yet he shares her so well with Cam and Hawk!

We really get the spice in this one and the chemistry between them all is explosive, with plenty of filthy scenes between all the drama!!

There's still lots of secrets to spill and revenge to be had so I need book 3 immediately!

I was so happy to get the arc of this after enjoying the first book ❤️

[Alex Ciz_naughty]

The suspense is stressing me out! 4 star read.

C.S. Berry is forcing me to stay up WAY past my bedtime because I need to see that happens next after this massive cliffhanger ending
We got to see the relationship bloom between Annie and the guys. We see her growing as a person and speaking up about what she wants. How they ALL are going and becoming their own little family. TONS of heat! Had to turn my radio down when driving as those parents are extremely prevalent in this book.
The narrators, Angelina Rocca, Aiden Snow, Tim Paige & Michael Gallagher did amazing as always. They all suit/fit, their characters really well.
All I. All another great installments I can’t wait to see what happens next!

[Autumn Elsner]

Wow that cliffhanger!!! Immediately jumping into the last book in the series. I’m absolutely obsessed ❤️😍🫶🏻

[Mel]

I’m not even sure what to say about this one. Definitely check your TW it’s A Lot😶
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

[The.SmuttyBookClub]

***Please note that this review is mainly for my benefit as it is more of a summary of the book and may contain spoilers.***

🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶
[v] Abduction
[v] Actor M
[v] Addiction (M
[v] Adopted Siblings
[v] Adoption (she adopts her younger brother, in the past on page)
[v] Adult breastfeeding
[v] Age Gap (21 F, 23 M, & 32 M
[v] Age play
[v] Airplane Sex
[v] Alien M
[v] Alpha/Bega/Omega (omega F, beta M, Alpha M)
[v] Amnesia
[ ] Anal
[v] F to F anal
[v] F to M anal
[ ] M to F anal
[v] M to M anal
[v] NB to M anal
[v] Anal Beads
[v] Anal Felching
[v] Anal Fisting
[v] F to F anal fisting
[v] M to F anal fisting
[v] M to M anal fisting
[v] Anal Gaping
[v] Anal Hook
[v] Anal Knotting
[ ] Anal Play
[v] F to F anal play
[v] F to M anal play
[ ] M to F anal play
[v] M to M anal play
[ ] Anal Rimming
[v] F to F anal rimming
[v] F to M anal rimming
[ ] M to F anal rimming
[v] M to M anal rimming
[v] Anthology
[v] Anxiety Attacks
[v] Arranged Marriage (marriage contract)
[v] Arrangement
[v] Artist M
[v] Assault (
[v] Auction
[v] Auralism Kink (sounds and voices)
[v] Author M
[v] "Baby Boy"
[v] "Baby Girl "
[v] Bar Sex
[v] Baseball/MLB 2 MLB players
[v] Bath Sex
[ ] Bathroom Sex
[v] Begging
[v] Ben Wa Balls
[v] Belt
[v] Best Friend's Brother
[v] Best Friend's Dad
[v] Best Friend's Daughter
[v] Best Friend's Mom
[v] Best Friend's Son
[v] Bi-Awakening
[v] Billionaire heiress F
[v] Birth Control Tampering
[ ] Biting
[ ] Blackmail
[v] Blood Kink
[v] Blood-Play
[v] Blue Collar (mechanic F & M)
[v] Body Guard
[v] Boat sex
[v] Bookstore Sex
[v] Branding (F's ex tattooed her by force
[v] Brat
[v] Breast Binding
[v] Breath-Play
[v] Breeding Bench
[v] Breeding Kink
[v] Brother's Best Friend
[v] Bully to Lover
[ ] Butt Plug
[v] CSA (Child Sexual Assault) in M's past, off page
[v] Cage
[v] Candaulism Kink (desire to show off one's partner)
[v] Cane
[v] Car Sex
[v] Carriage sex
[v] Cat of Nine Tails
[v] Chastity Cage
[v] Cheating (MMC's Ex cheats with MFC's husband, in past, off page, MFC cheats on husband with MMC
[v] Chef F
[v] Child Abuse (in F's past, off page
[v] Childbirth (off page
[v] Childhood Friends
[v] Choking
[v] Christmas
[v] Church Sex
[ ] Classroom sex
[v] Claws
[v] Clit Clamp
[ ] Closet Sex
[v] Cock and Balls Harness
[v] Cock Piercing(s)
[v] Cock Ring
[v] Cock Sleeve
[ ] Cock Warming
[v] CNC (Consensual Non-Consent)
[v] Collar
[v] College Romance
[v] Communication Barrier
[v] Cousins (not blood related)
[v] Cowboy M
[v] Cozy
[ ] "Crawl to Me"
[v] Crime
[v] Cuckhold
[v] Cult (she escaped religious cult
[v] Cum Kink
[v] Cumming in his pants
[v] Cutting
[v] "Daddy "
[v] Dad's Best Friend
[v] DADVP (Double Anal and Double Vaginal Penetration)
[v] DAVP (Double Anal and Vaginal Penetration) with fist (P) and anal hook and cock (A)
[ ] Dark Romance
[v] Daughter's Boyfriend
[v] Death of a Child (in M's past, off page)
[v] Death of Parent (in F & M's past, off page)
[v] Death of a Sibling (in F's past, off page)
[v] Death of a Spouse (in M's pastoff page)
[ ] Degradation
[v] Demisexual M
[v] Dentist F
[v] Dildo
[v] Dining Room Sex
[v] Disability (M, T1 diabetic)
[v] Dissociation
[v] Divorced M
[v] Doctor M
[v] Doll play
[v] Dom and Sub
[v] Dom and Subs
[v] Doms and Sub
[v] Doms and Subs
[v] Domme and Sub
[v] Domme and Subs
[v] Dommes and Sub
[v] Dommes and Subs
[v] Domestic Voilence (F, on page
[v] DP (double penetration) with fingers
[v] DP (Double Penetration) with cock (P) and vibrator (A)
[v] DP (double penetration) with dildo (P) and fingers (A)
[v] DP (double penetration) with vibrator (P) and anal beads (A)
[v] DP (double penetration) with cock (P) and finger (A)
[v] DP (double penetration) with two cocks
[ ] DP (double penetration) with finger (P) and butt plug (A)
[v] DP (double penetration) with cock (P) and butt plug (A)
[v] DP (double penetration) with vibrator (P) and cock (A)
[v] DP (double penetration) with vibrator
[v] DP (double penetration) with fingers (P) and cock (A)
[v] DP (double penetration) with fist (P) and anal hook (A)
[v] DP (double penetration) with dildo (P) and cock (A)
[v] DP (double penetration) with cock (P) and knife hilt(A)
[v] DP (double penetration) with cock (P) and tentacle (A)
[ ] DP (double penetration) with fingers
[v] DP (double penetration) with cock (P) and anal beads (A)
[v] DP (double penetration) with zucchini (P) and large candy cane (A)
[v] Drinking Blood
[v] Drug Use (weed)
[v] Drugging
[v] DUBCON (Dubious Consent)
[v] DVAP (Double Vainal and Anal Penetration) with cock and Vibrating bulb (P) and butt plug (A)
[v] DVP (Double Vaginal Penetration) with cock and fingers
[v] DVP (Double vaginal penetration) with vibrator and fingers
[v] DVP (Double vaginal penetration) with vibrator and cock
[v] DVP (Double Vaginal Penetration) with cock and dildo
[v] DVP (Double Vaginal Penetration) with two cocks
[v] DVP (Double Vaginal Penetration) with fingers and tentacle
[v] Eating Disorder
[v] Edging
[v] Electrical Stimulation
[v] Elevator Sex
[v] Enema
[ ] Enemies to Lovers
[v] Engaged M (not to each other)
[v] Ex's Dad
[v] Ex's Uncle
[v] Ex-Convict M, he escapes prison
[v] Exhibitionism
[ ] F Masturbation
[ ] F Virgin
[v] FF
[v] F to F oral
[v] FFF
[v] FFM
[v] FMF
[v] FFFF
[v] FFFM
[v] FFMF
[v] FFMM
[v] FMFM
[v] FMMF
[v] FMMM
[v] FFMMM
[v] FMMMF
[v] FMMMM
[v] Face Fucking
[v] FaceTime Sex
[v] Fairy
[v] Fairytale Retelling (Cinderella
[v] Fake dating
[v] Fake engagement
[v] Fall/Autumn
[v] Fangs
[v] Fantasy
[v] Fated Mates
[v] Feeding Kink
[v] Feet Fucking
[v] Flogger
[v] Food Play (zucchini & large candy cane
[v] Foot Fetish
[v] Football/NFL 2 NFL players
[v] Forced Marriage
[v] Forced Orgasms
[ ] Forced Proximity
[v] Four cocks
[v] Free Use
[v] Friends-to-Lovers
[v] Friends with Benefits
[v] Frotting (Jacking off two dicks together with one hand)
[v] Fucking machine
[v] G-Spot Stimulator
[v] Garage Sex
[v] Gaslighting
[v] Gay awakening
[v] Glory Hole
[v] "Goddess"
[v] Gods (Dragon shifter god M)
[v] Golden retriever M
[v] Golden Shower (peeing on someone)
[v] Grumpy and Sunshine
[v] Gun-Play
[v] Gym Sex
[v] Hair-Pulling
[v] Halloween
[v] Harness
[v] He didnt know she was a virgin
[v] He falls first
[v] Heartbreak
[v] Heat/Rut
[ ] Hidden Cameras
[v] Hidden Identity
[ ] Hockey/NHL 3 high school player
[v] Hood
[v] Horns
[v] Horror
[v] Hospital Sex
[v] Hot Tub Sex
[v] Hotel Sex
[v] HUCOW
[ ] Humiliation
[v] Imprisonment
[v] Incest, CSA in M's past, off page
[v] Infertility F (on page)
[v] Interracial (black M, 2 white M's & white F)
[v] Jacob's Ladder Piercings
[v] Kendo Sticks
[v] Kinging (face-sitting)
[v] Kitchen Sex
[v] Knife-Play (shallow cutting, he fucks her with knife hilt
[v] Knot
[v] Labia Clamps
[v] Lactation Kink
[v] Lake Sex
[v] Laundry Room Sex
[v] Lawyer M
[v] Leash
[v] Library Sex
[v] Limo Sex
[v] Lip Piercing
[v] "Little Girl"
[v] Locker Room Sex
[v] Love triangle
[ ] M Masturbation
[v] M Virgin
[ ] MF
[ ] F to M oral
[ ] M to F oral
[v] MM
[v] M to M oral
[v] M to NB oral
[ ] MFM
[v] MMF
[v] MMM
[v] MFFM
[v] MFMM
[v] MMMF
[v] MMMM
[v] MMFMF
[v] "Ma'am"
[v] Make-a-Baby Arrangement
[v] Marriage of Convenience
[v] Married woman
[v] "Madame"
[v] "Master"
[v] Mask
[v] Mating Mark
[v] Medical condition (diabetic M&
[v] Medical experiments
[v] Medical play
[v] Mental illness (D.I.D. M)
[v] Military (veteran F
[v] Milking Machine
[v] Miscarriage (in F's past, off page)
[v] "Mistress"
[v] Mistaken identity
[v] "Mommy"
[v] Mom's best friend
[v]
[v] Monster (minotaur M
[v] Motel sex
[v] Motorcycle club
[v] Mouth Gag (shirt
[v] Mummification
[v] Murder
[ ] Mutual Masturbation
[v] Muzzle
[v] Nanny
[v] NBF
[v] F to NB oral
[v] NB to F oral
[v] NBM
[v] M to NB oral
[v] NB to M oral
[v] NBFM
[v] NBMM
[v] Necrophilia kink
[v] Needle Play/Kink
[v] Neighbors
[v] Neurodivergent M, can't process or name emotions
[v] Nipple Clamps
[v] Nipple Enlargers
[v] Nipple Piercing(s) F
[v] No Happily Ever After
[v] Non-Binary (NB)
[v] NC (non-consent)
[v] Novella
[v] Nurse F
[v] Office Sex
[v] One Night Stand
[v] Orgy
[v] Outdoor Sex (Beach)
[v] Overdose
[v] Paddle
[v] Panic attack(s) F
[v] Pansexual
[v] Paralytic Poison
[v] Pegging
[v] Period Sex
[v] "Pet"
[v] Pet Play (Cow)
[v] Phone Sex
[v] Piercing
[v] Pillory
[v] Pinwheel
[v] Pleasure Dom
[v] Plus Sized FMC
[v] Plus Sized MMC
[v] Pocket Pussy
[v] Police Officer (SWAT M
[v] Politics (president M, first lady F, and vice president M)
[v] Polyamory (MMF
[v] Pool Sex
[v] Postapolyptic
[ ] Praise
[v] Pregnancy
[v] Pregnancy Sex
[v] Prehensile Cock
[v] Prehensile Tail
[v] Priest M
[v] Primal Play/Kink
[v] Prince Albert Piercing
[v] "Princess"
[v] Professional domme
[v] Professor F
[v] Prostate Massager
[v] Psychiatrist F
[v] PTSD
[v] Public Bathroom Sex
[v] Public Sex (alley, park [at night]
[v] Punishment
[v] "Pup"
[v] Pussy Pump
[v] "Queen"
[ ] Queening (face sitting)
[v] Rape (2 M rape M, on page)
[v] Reincarnation
[v] Remote Controlled Vibrator
[v] Restaurant Sex
[v] Restraints (belt
[v] Reverse Age Gap (25 M & 32 F
[ ] Reverse Harem (1 F & 3 M's)
[v] Riding Crop
[v] Rock Star M
[v] Role Playing
[v] Roommates
[v] Rose Toy
[v] Royalty (prince
[v] Rugby (former player M
[v] SA (Sexual Assault) (F, on page
[v] Saw Horse
[v] Schizophrenia
[v] Scissoring
[v] Scratching
[v] Second Chance Romance
[v] Secret baby
[v] Secret Society
[v] Selective Mutism
[v] Self harm (in F's past)
[v] Sentient Object(s)
[v] Serial Killer M
[v] Sex Club
[v] Sex in a Corm Maze
[v] Sex in the Woods
[v] Sex lessons
[v] Sex on a Carousel
[v] Sex on a Motorcycle
[v] Sex on a Piano
[v] Sex Swing
[v] Sex Tape
[v] Sex trafficking
[v] Sex Worker (stripper F
[v] Sexting
[v] Shape-Shifting
[v] Shaving kink
[v] Shibari
[v] Shock Collar
[ ] Shower Sex
[v] Single Dad
[v] Single Mom
[v] "Sir"
[v] Sissy Man
[v] Size Difference
[v] Slapping (breasts
[v] Slit
[v] Slow burn
[v] Small Town
[v] Snowballing (passing cum from one mouth to another)
[v] Soccer (pro player
[v] Social Media Influencer
[ ] Somnophilia
[v] Son's best friend
[v] Sounding
[v] Spanking
[v] Spanking Bench
[v] Spitting (on pussy
[v] Spreader Bar
[v] Squirting
[v] St. Andrew's Cross
[v] Stalker (MFC and MMC
[v] Stepdad
[v] Step uncle & step neice
[v] Strap-On Dildo
[v] Step Cousins
[v] Step Siblings (did not grow up together)
[v] Stepbrothers
[v] Stepsisters
[v] Stockade
[v] Suicide (not a main character)
[v] Suicide Attempt (in F's past, off page)
[v] Suspension
[v] Swingers
[v] Tail
[v] Tangy Dinger (giving blow job after doing anal)
[v] Tattoo Artist
[v] Teacher F & principal M
[ ] Teenagers
[v] Temperature Play (he can change the temperature of his skin
[v] Tentacles
[v] Terminal Illness
[v] Thanksgiving
[v] Therapist
[v] Titty Fucking
[v] Tongue Ring F
[v] Torture
[v] TVP (Triple Vaginal Penetration) with three tentacles
[v] Two Cocks
[v] Unplanned Pregnancy (
[v] Vaccuum Play
[v] Vaginal Felching
[v] Vaginal Fisting
[v] Vaginal Gaping
[v] Vaginal Knotting
[v] Vaginal penetration with tequila bottle
[v] Vaginal Piercings (
[v] Vanilla
[v] Vibrating bullet
[v] Vibrating cock
[v] Vibrating egg
[v] Vibrating Tongue
[v] Vibrating Wand
[v] Vibrator
[v] Vision Deprivation (blindfold
[ ] Voyeurism
[v] War
[v] Watching Porn
[v] Wedding (Epilogue, off page)
[v] Wet Dreams
[v] Whip
[v] Why choose
[v] Widow
[v] Wings
[v] Workplace Romance
[v] Yacht

3 F
3 M
27 MF
14 MFM
4 FMMM

[Amy Argyle]

The 2nd installment of this “why choose”, intense dark academia / sports romance has EvanAnn & the Devil’s Trio figuring out their relationship(s) amidst an unknown stalker, their continuing revenge pursuits, suspicious friends & family members, and the looming uncertainty of their futures beyond graduation.

It’s wonderful that this was extended into a trilogy so C.S. Berry was able to create such a lush story filled with passion, angst, joy, sorrow & obsession. The twists & turns will keep you guessing right up to the cliffhanger ending. January 2026 can’t come fast enough!

** I’ve been a fan of C.S. Berry since the Kindle Vella days & am thrilled to be part of her ARC team (in exchange for my honest review).

[H]

Morre smutty drama and I can't stop smiling. Just a fun audio listen. 🤣🫣

[Valerie Hurley]

Holy hotness! Book 2 of the Lust and Liars series was superb and did not disappoint.

Brutal Little Secrets picks up right where Whisper Pretty Lies left us hanging and its own cliffhanger has me on the edge of my seat. Plenty of spice and drama, with a little suspense and humor thrown in.

EvanAnn, Damon, Hawk and Cam's story has evolved wonderfully. Plenty of unexpected twists and turns to keep the plot intriguing.

Very thankful to have been chosen for the ARC team and anxiously awaiting the final book in the trilogy!

[Natasha]

I keep hurting my own feelings! I know CS Berry does not do duets but for some reason i thought this was one so I was like omg all the issues are being resolved, theyre going to be happy and the epilouge is coming just for me to remember... girlie there is a whole open plot point right now also we dont know a lot of things??? So makes sense another is coming 🙄 any who, this book was so delicious because the spice mixed with the revenge plot had me giggling but now that *insert semi spoiler* this in the next book i feel like is going to be NEXT LEVEL! I have to say, EA's mom is making my anxious... what are you waking up from and what does that mean? Also the texts and the way blank was responding in person saying exactly what the texts said... um yeah 911? Come immediately! Even though this i feel like shes proved herself multiple times... I dont trust Mia. I want to so bad but something about her makes me immediately say no. Like why do you want me to believe you so bad? Is this a review or my conspiracies? Who knows ill be here waiting for the next book either way

[Danielle Spellbound Stories]

Story: 5⭐️
Spice: 4🌶️

C.S. Berry doesn’t just pick up where Whisper Pretty Lies left off—she lights a match and tosses it straight into the chaos. Brutal Little Secrets is darker, hotter, and more emotionally charged—the kind of second installment that doesn’t just continue the story, it deepens it and raises the stakes for everything to come.

EvanAnn is no longer the pawn she once was. She’s taking back her voice, her choices, her revenge—and watching that transformation unfold is incredibly satisfying. She’s become the kind of heroine who doesn’t just survive the fire; she learns how to wield it.

And then there’s Damon, Hawk, and Cam. The Devil’s Trio have never felt more distinct—or more entangled. Damon’s obsession burns deeper, Hawk’s quiet devotion cuts sharper, and Cam remains the unexpected heartbeat of the group. Together, they’re volatile in the best way—each scene crackling with connection, tension, and heat. Berry makes every pairing feel deliberate, every look weighted with emotion, every touch purposeful.

And the spice? Shew. Now I understand why every one of my bookish besties told me to start with C.S. Berry. She writes scorching romance—uninhibited, intentional, and wildly satisfying. The physical connection between EvanAnn and each of her guys is beautifully explored, and Berry doesn’t shy away from the pairings or the group dynamics. It’s enough to melt the polar ice caps—and your panties. 😉

The writing is taut and dynamic, pulsing with energy. The plot tightens, the stakes climb, and the secrets bubbling beneath the surface finally demand center stage. Berry threads the mystery through the romance in a way that keeps you guessing as much as it keeps you gasping. The suspense rivals the steam, and both work in perfect sync to pull you deeper into the story.

And that cliffhanger? Maybe not as vicious as the last, but still enough to make you curse the calendar. Berry knows exactly how to give readers what they crave—and still leave them desperate for more.

Final Thoughts:
Brutal Little Secrets is bold, beautifully written, and utterly unputdownable. It’s the kind of sequel that delivers on every promise of the first book—more emotion, more danger, more depth, and enough heat to drain your Kindle battery. The bonds are deepening, the tension sharper, and the love story deliciously messy in all the best ways.

C.S. Berry has mastered the art of the slow descent—each book pulling you deeper until escape feels impossible. I’ll be counting the days until Dark Tangled Truths.

Favorite Quotes:

"She sighs and rests her head against my chest. Something shifts inside me and falls into place. This girl is mine."

"She crawls across the bed to my side. When she settles into her spot, I draw her in tight against me. This is where she belongs. In my arms. In my bed. Satisfied so many fucking times. Dripping with our cum. Ours."

"My revenge means nothing if I lose her because of it."

"It doesn’t matter how we started, goody. It matters what we do with what we found."

Genre:
🖤 Contemporary Romance

Tropes/Themes:
🖤 Reverse Harem/Why Choose
🖤 Hockey Romance
🖤 Private school with haves/have nots
🖤 Enemies to lovers
🖤 Blackmail/Revenge
🖤 Stepbrother
🖤 Good Girl x 3 Bad Boys
🖤 Bullies
🖤 Forced Proximity
🖤 MC Riders

[Jessica Partin]

🖤 Book Review: Brutal Little Secrets by C.S. Berry 🖤
✨ Book 2 in the Lust and Liars Series ✨

Some stories you read.
Others reach inside you, twist, and refuse to let go.
Brutal Little Secrets isn’t just a continuation—it’s a reckoning.

EvanAnn—the once invisible girl—steps into the fire with her three bully saviors, and together they burn hotter than revenge itself.🔥 She has played every game the Devil’s trio demanded. Damon, Cam, and Hawk—three broken, beautiful monsters who once made her suffer—now can’t seem to stop burning for her. The problem? The deeper she falls into their world, the more she realizes she’s not the only one keeping secrets. What began as revenge has turned into something raw and ruinous, something that feels too much like love to be safe.

C.S. Berry spins a story where vengeance and desire blur until you can’t tell which one will destroy you first. Berry moves seamlessly from Whisper Pretty Lies into this darker, deeper descent. The pacing is hypnotic, the emotion sharp enough to cut. Her talent lies in the way she makes you ache for every secret kept and every truth exposed. Because in this world, secrets are everything—
Your armor and your undoing. Your demise and your redemption.
This isn’t a simple continuation of Whisper Pretty Lies—it’s a transformation. EvanAnn is done being a pawn. She wants in—on the lies, on the chaos, on her revenge.

And halfway through, everything changes.
The games stop being games.
The rules shift.
Now, they’re not just playing to win—they’re playing for keeps.

Berry’s prose is darkly lyrical—razor-sharp and seductive, every line soaked in emotion and danger. She balances power and vulnerability in a way that feels raw, intimate, and addictively human. Her cliffhangers? Brutal, deliberate, and utterly masterful. The ending of Brutal Little Secrets doesn’t just leave you wanting more—it leaves you clawing for it.

The tropes here hit every delicious, dangerous note:
🔥 Forced Proximity
🔥 Hot Hockey Boys
🔥 Bullies-to-Protectors
🔥 Stepbrother Forbidden Tension
🔥 Revenge that tastes like obsession
🔥 A dark academy setting that hums with sin

This isn’t a light read—it’s beautifully twisted. Berry doesn’t shy away from the shadows; she leans into them. Her content warnings are there for a reason—bullying, blackmail, stalking, attempted assault—but through it all, she writes control and consent with intention, giving every dark act a pulse of emotion and consequence.

C.S. Berry is masterful. She gives you chaos, heat, pain, and then ties it all together with a tenderness that shouldn’t exist in a world this ruthless. Her writing is the kind that lingers on your skin—sinful, sharp, and impossible to forget.

And that ending? Pure, exquisite torture.

And then, just when you think you’ve survived her world, she leaves you waiting for Dark Tangled Truths—and that wait? Devastatingly Sweet Punishment.


⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / For every lie that burned, and every truth that still haunts.
Because Brutal Little Secrets doesn’t just make you fall in love with the devils…
It makes you wonder if you ever wanted to be saved at all. 🖤

[Sarah Furlow]

This book carries on straight from where we left off in Whisper Pretty Lies!



I love how they all just accept that they're down bad for her and there is no more pretending, no more holding back. Each of them brings something different to the table, but Damon really stole the show for me. His obsession with her, mixed with the respect and understanding he has for how much she means to Cam and Hawk, made my heart race.


EvanAnn-the once invisible girl-steps into the fire with her three bully saviors, and together they burn hotter than revenge itself. She has played every game the Devil's trio demanded. Damon, Cam, and Hawk-three broken, beautiful monsters who once made her suffer-now can't seem to stop burning for her. The problem? The deeper she falls into their world, the more she realizes she's not the only one keeping secrets. What began as revenge has turned into something raw and ruinous, something that feels too much like love to be safe.

I LOVED how Berry spins a story where vengeance and desire blur until you can't tell which one will destroy you first. This moves seamlessly from Whisper Pretty Lies into this darker, deeper descent. The pacing is hypnotic, the emotion sharp enough to cut. Her talent lies in the way she makes you ache for every secret kept and every truth exposed. Because in this world, secrets are everything- Your armor and your undoing. Your demise and your redemption. This isn't a simple continuation of Whisper Pretty Lies it's a transformation. EvanAnn is done being a pawn. She wants in on the lies, on the chaos, on her revenge.


And halfway through, everything changes.
The games stop being games.
The rules shift.
Now, they're not just playing to win-they're playing for keeps.
The chemistry is explosive, the scenes are
filthy in the best way, and the emotional connection makes it all hit even harder.

But the question is what does Jackson want with her and why now? Will they get their happy ever after in the end when school comes to an end next year and what will happen to Evan?


That cliffhanger, though? Absolute torture. I need book three yesterday….. My JAW dropped, like why do you have to do us dirty like that….

[Elizabeth]

I am obessed with this series!
C.S. Berry has done it again! Another fantasic why choose book. Brutal Little Secrets picks up where Whisper Pretty Lies left off. It throws us right back in to the thick of EvanAnne and the Devil’s Trio's relationship.

Can I just say obsessive, devoted Damon is epic!

The revenge is revenging in this and I was all here for it. It kept me on the edge of my seat wondering about the fallout. I'm excited for even more in the next one!

The mystery of the stalker had me questioning everyone. I felt like I couldn't trust anyone. I absolutely loved that!

All the aspects of this book kept me so engaged and I didn't want to put it down. That is the tell of a legendary book for me.

I love how much deeper their relationships go in this one. The all fall in love with eachother and it's so beautiful.
I loved how perceptive Damon is. He can pick up on how Evan is feeling just by her eyes and her little actions.
Evan and Damon understand eachother so much because they each lost a parent. They have a conversation in this book about their loss and pain. I love that they hold eachother up and can help heal eachother through it. Everyone needs some one who understands them and is there for them and Damon and Evan are that for eachother.
Damon and Evan spend more time with together because they live together. So I'm really happy that Cam and Hawk got lots of alone time to deeper their love with Evan in this one. As well as all of them together connecting as their relationship of four. The spice was Hot Hot Hot!

I also felt like I got to get to know EvanAnne's character more in this. She stood up for herself and used her voice!
She is amazing and I love her even more!

C.S. Berry is going to make us work hard for the HEA. And I'm so excited to see how it will all play out.
She has left us with a cliffhanger and I will be counting down the days for the next one!

Thank you to C.S. Berry and team for the eARC!

[Bridget]

🎧 Audiobook Review: Returning to this story, with these characters brought to life with incredible (returning) narrators, was everything I wanted! I enjoyed this audiobook for book two of C.S. Berry’s Lust & Liars series so much that I've already listened to it twice. C.S. Berry's RH stories are addictive, but something about them being in audiobook format grips my attention that much more.

The voice actress chosen for the role of EvanAnn, Angelina Rocca, was such a fantastic choice. Angelina conveyed the character’s inner strength and sense of groundedness. Evan Ann is a smart, ambitious, hard-working, talented, and sassy FMC. Angelina brought all those characteristics to her performance, and she also conveyed a sense of vulnerability, which is a key piece of the character.

Aiden Snow, Tim Paige, and Michael Gallagher also delivered tremendous performances in their roles as Damon, Hawk, and Cam. I have listened to many other audiobooks with these narrators, so it's always an enjoyable experience to listen to another - but it's even better getting them all together in a RH/Why Choose story. Evan Ann doesn't have to choose, and we don't either! 🤭♥️

If you're an audiobook lover like me, I definitely recommend experiencing Brutal Little Secrets this way. The narrators truly bring the characters, drama, spice, and romance to life. I couldn't stop listening, and once I finished, I started all over a few days later. C.S. Berry always delivers with characters that get under my skin and capture my attention. I can't wait to hear the conclusion of the story in Dark Tangled Truths.

[Jaclyn Schwimmer]

Brutal Little Secrets completely blew me away — the writing, the tension, the raw emotion, the twists — it’s all perfection. From the very first chapter, I was hooked and could not put it down. The chemistry, the danger, and the constant push-and-pull between power and vulnerability had me turning the pages like my life depended on it.

This book takes everything I loved about Whisper Pretty Lies and turns the volume all the way up. The characters are beautifully complex — Damon, Hawk, and Cam each bring something unique to the story, and together they’re pure chaos and temptation. The heroine’s strength and growth were everything. She’s not a passive player in their world; she’s fighting, surviving, and taking control of her own fate.

The plot twists? Brutal in the best way. Every secret that comes to light hits like a punch to the gut, and just when you think you know who to trust, Berry changes the rules. The pacing never drags, the dialogue crackles, and the emotional stakes keep climbing until the final page.

This series is dark, addictive, and unapologetically intense. C.S. Berry doesn’t shy away from showing the messy, dangerous sides of love — and that’s what makes it so unforgettable. Brutal Little Secrets is exactly what dark romance should be: passionate, suspenseful, and impossible to put down. If you like your stories with heat, heart, and a heavy dose of danger, you’ll devour this one.

Looking forward to the release of the third and final book in the Lust & Liars Trilogy Dark Tangled Truths on Jan 31st!

Thank you C.S. Berry and Evie for an ARC!

[Sumi]

Brutal Little Secrets is book 2 of the now-trilogy written by CS Berry with EvanAnn and the Devil's Trio - Hawk, Cam, and Damon. It picks upright where Whisper Pretty Lies left us, and the angst is ramped up significantly. All four high school seniors are realizing how much their lives and emotional wellness depend on each other, and the original intention of destroying EvanAnn for revenge against Chase changes entirely. Now all of them are invested in getting Chase to pay for destroying Damon's hocky dreams as well as being a cheating ex-boyfriend to EvanAnn.

New friendships pop up in volume two.
Keira is one that I like.
Mia is the sister of Tanner (from the Untouched series, who is a sleazy character, too.) Damon is wary of her intentions.

The threats are getting more prevalent, especially when there's an unknown stalker, a psycho unknown driver of a car, and a past acquaintance from the foursome's childhood days. Let's not forget Olivia and Chase, either.

However, the chemistry between EvanAnn and the trio is even more heated. The trust they share, the discussions of their collective futures, and the tender moments of EvanAnn holding their faces with sweetness just make me melt.

There is a cliffhanger moment at the end to get us ready for book 3, publication date TBD. Please mind the trigger warnings.

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

[Daniela Rodriguez]

Intense? That’s an understatement. BRUTAL LITTLE SECRETS confirms: This story deserved a TRILOGY!😮‍💨❤️

When C.S. Berry messaged me with the news that Lust & Liars would be a trilogy... my excitement went through the roof! She was so right: this gang’s story is so complex and deep that it needs all the room in the world. The good news is that this second installment picks up right where Whisper Pretty Lies left off. If you haven’t read it, run, don’t walk, to read it now! (It’s available everywhere and is necessary to understand the magnitude of this journey).

In Brutal Little Secrets, C.S. Berry dives deep into the past and personal life of every member of the team. I swear I love them so much!


🖤Several people get closer to the team, and, just like Evan, you start to distrust... not my boys, but their ‘friends.’ Danger is closer than ever!

🖤The start of university is coming…

🖤The challenge of coming out as a polyamorous couple to a world that isn’t always ready to understand them is a challenge here

These guys have everything stacked against them: their studies, their personal lives, their future, and their secrets. OH. MY. GOD. The pressure is palpable on every single page.

Honestly, I cannot recommend it enough. Brutal Little Secrets is a Dark Reverse Harem that will keep you glued to the page until the very last word. My sincerest thanks to @csberry for allowing me to read this ARC.

I am officially on my knees waiting for book three!

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Rachel]

​C.S. Berry delivers a knockout punch with Brutal Little Secrets, the scorching second installment that picks up right where we left off—but trust me, the drama is cranked to eleven!

​EvanAnn, Hawk, Damon, and Cam are high school students with big futures, navigating the treacherous halls of their exclusive school. Prepare for secrets, lies, and a world where trust is a luxury few can afford. This quadruple brings the sexy, and the tension between them is absolutely electric.

​Berry is a master of the twist! Just like the last book, every time you think you've figured out the plot or their plan for revenge, an epic, jaw-dropping twist lands out of nowhere and flips the script. The story deepens immensely here: we get incredible character background development, and secondary characters step into the spotlight, making the whole world feel richer and more complex.

​If you crave high school romance, a killer bully and enemies-turned-lovers dynamic, satisfying revenge plots, and a dark mystery, this book is a must-read. EvanAnn might be the "good girl" alongside the Devils Trio, but the secrets and actions behind closed doors bring out intense, unforgettable sides of these characters.

​I was absolutely hooked! I loved it so much that I've already read it multiple times. Seriously, clear your schedule because you won't be able to put it down. I'm already counting the seconds until the next book!

[Plot_Twist_Momma -Stephanie]

Brutal Little Secrets — C.S. Berry
(Book 2 | Lust & Lies Series)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Book 2 tosses us right back into the chaos where we left our good-girl-gone-feral EvanAnne (yes, I’m calling her that). Her oh-so-thoughtful boyfriend walked away… and if you read Book 1, you KNOW that sentence is dripping with sarcasm. 🥴 (If you know, you know.)

Revenge was the plan.
But revenge + three hockey gods? Lines don’t just blur — they disintegrate.

What started as a game has morphed into something deeper… or is Annie the only one catching feelings? She swears she’s protecting her heart — except she handed it over to the Devil’s Trio and forgot to ask for a receipt. 😮‍💨

Berry hooks us with betrayal, obsession, and a whole lotta “touch her and perish” energy that kept my Kindle fully charged and my sanity hanging by a thread. Will the boys keep Annie… or was she always just a pawn on their bloody chessboard?

Either way — high school drama has NEVER been this much fun. 😏

If you crave:
✨ Reverse harem goodness
✨ Possessive MMCs losing their minds
✨ Forced proximity & territorial growling
✨ “She was mine first” chaos
✨ Slow-burn torture that hurts so GOOD

…then grab a snack, kiss your sleep goodbye, and dive in.

Berry originally planned to stop at 2 books… but stories THIS HOT don’t behave. 🔥 So buckle up — Book 3 is coming for our throats.

And while you wait?
Do. Not. Sleep. On Berry’s Private Listing series.
This woman is on FIRE, and she’s just getting started. 📚🔥

[Shanna]

✨ARC Review✨
This is the second book in the Lust and Liars series, a suspenseful why choose romance that is still doing great things. While Whisper Pretty Lies, focused on a lot of bullying and blackmail to get EvanAnn to cooperate with Damon, Hawk and Cam‘s revenge plot, their relationship has drastically changed in this one. The boys have gotten to know EvanAnn and no longer see her as a whore or just a tool for revenge. She becomes much more to them, and their priorities start to shift from just revenge to creating a real relationship.

Meanwhile, EvanAnn is still struggling with catty mean girls, trying to extract information from a cheating soon to be ex boyfriend that abandoned her in dark woods when she wouldn’t put out, and an anonymous stalker. So the questions become: will EvanAnn be able to get the information from Chase without blowing her cover? Will the boys finally be able to get their revenge on him? Will EvanAnn be able to discover who her stalker is before she is in real danger? Will she and the boys be able to find a way to make their relationship last beyond high school? Find out if you can get the answers to these brutal little secrets but be prepared for a brutal cliffhanger! #whychoose #suspenseromance #hockeyromance #revengeplot #obsessiveandpossessivemmcs

[ThatsSomeGoodSmut]

Thank you to the author for a copy of this book.

Brutal Little Secrets is everything I wanted from the next chapter of the Lust & Liars series and so much more. C.S. Berry takes the high-stakes, revenge-fueled chaos from Whisper Pretty Lies and deepens it with even more tension, character growth, and heat.

EvanAnn isn’t playing nice anymore. She’s learning to truly embrace her relationship with the Devil’s Trio and the dynamic between them has evolved into something darker, more dangerous, and completely addictive. Their chemistry is magnetic, and the emotional pull between all four of them had me flipping pages like my life depended on it.

This book balances power games and vulnerability so well. There’s real depth beneath the spice, and the twists kept me guessing until the last line. It’s amazingly messy, bold, and unapologetically dark. And the cliffhanger? Absolutely brutal, just like the title promises.

If you love dark romance that thrives on secrets, revenge, and impossible choices, and are into reverse harem stories with obsession and massive amounts of spice, then you need to pick up Brutal Little Secrets. It's one of those reads that grabs you and doesn’t let go. I can’t wait to see how this all wraps up in book three.

[Diana Martins]

Prioritize.

WOW! I’m literally addicted to this series.
A dark, addictive RH page-turner, where the MMCs are her stepbrother and his friends.

This second book picks up right after the cliffhanger, and let me tell you—the intensity, the action, the chemistry… everything is taken to the next level, and in the best way possible.

And yes, another cliffhanger. Once again, the author proves she has an incredible ability to leave readers completely speechless—or screaming, “What?! WHAT?!”

I can’t wait for the next book!

Audiobook:
All the chosen narrators are excellent and truly bring the characters to life.

The MMCs’ personalities range from the most playful, to the most sensitive and caring, to the most intense.
What they all have in common is a morally gray side, expressed differently in each character—and the narrators capture this perfectly.

But the icing on the cake is definitely D. His voice gives me chills (the good kind—LOL). The narrator conveys his dark and possessive nature flawlessly.

As for the FMC, in this second book she feels more decisive and self-confident. So much happens, and the narrator does a fantastic job portraying her growth.

It was an absolute delight to listen to this story—it completely captivated me.

[Daphne]

3.5⭐️

🎧 I listened to the audiobook for this one. Duet multicast narration. The narrators do a good job and they’re worth the listen.
📚 the story is alright. There is at least some sort of story for all the 🌶️ that happens. There was a lot and it got repetitive after a while. There’s not much banter. I didn’t find myself laughing along with them while they had a fun time. Everything feels like doom and gloom or it’s 🌶️. Mia is growing on me but we still aren’t supposed to trust her and I don’t. But I do trust Keira. She hasn’t betrayed us but she’s also not much more than a colleague. So I can’t give a full star for a female friend who never betrays us. We don’t even really love her mom. I will give a half for it tho.
⭐️ all in all 3.5⭐️. I’ll read the next one to find out how the parents find out. And who the stalker is cuz it’s not likely the guy we think it is. But I want some motives. Did he work with Chase somehow? Why did Chase have that list?
There also seems to be some more books in this world. I’m guessing it’s wherever Mia and Tanner got kicked out from. The four horsemen were mentioned and there was more talk about their background in this book. Slightly curious at Mia’s origin story perhaps, if she doesn’t turn out to betray us in the next book.

[Merilu Keenum]

Brutal Little Secrets is the second book of the Lust and Liars series and it’s a revelation for the Devil’s Trio and EvanAnn. I’m utterly addicted to their story as the plot evolves, their relationship grows stronger, and the threatening darkness gets closer! I love C S Berry’s vision: she takes a revenge plot, stepbrother and friends, and enough spice to keep me blushing while building a romance that’s enviable! I love their story: it’s a study of trust, truth, and the power of love!

Evan’s grace, strength, and passion ruins Damon, Hawk, and Cam, but they’re more than willing because she’s perfect for them!! They fill her needs as well: they’re protective, possessive, and supportive! I absolutely adore their intimacy and the levels of raw energy to soft tenderness: it’s a beautiful piece of work that I crave as much as they crave their time together! Definitely a 10 star rating and 10 on the spice scale!!

It’s been such a wild ride for all of them and this book ends on a scary note, so I’m on the edge of my seat waiting for the next book!!

[Kara L Nieland]

Brutal Little Secrets continues where Whisper Pretty Lies leaves off. I was so happy to finally get this book to find out what happens with Evan, Hawke, Cam, and Damon since they hooked me from chapter one of Whisper Pretty Lies. I love how the characters have evolved. I truly enjoyed the multiple POV’s. It gives a more in depth understanding of each character’s character and what they were thinking. This second book had me just as hooked as the first and kept my attention, the whole read with “just a few more page” until I’d finished the book. CS Berry is very good at giving you a balance of plot and spice in her RH why choose read. I cannot wait for book 3 now Dark Tangled Truths that comes out at the beginning of next year!! Since she again leaves us on a heart wrenching cliffhanger with unanswered questions, I am dying to know what happens next to them. CS Berry is now one of my all time favorite authors. I was extremely lucky to receive an ARC of this fantastic page-turner!!

[Nicole]

Oh yeah - this was a fantastic book 2 of the series. But I now need book 3 ASAP! This follows Evan Ann and her Devils Trio of Damon, Hawk, and Cam as they continue on their road of exploration. There is pressure from every direction on this crew - their families, figuring out college, the danger that Chase brings to the table, and the new stalker for their Annie. It's intense at times - and these kids don't seem like any high school seniors that I know - but I loved the story. I'm not sure about Mia - is she a true friend or not. I like Kiera - but can she help manage the relationships between EvanAnn and her boys or not. What happens with Chase - hopefully book 3 brings that drama to a close. And then add in Jackson - the stalker - and more. I really hope this crew can figure out the polyamorous relationship and make it to college - that would be a super fun and sexy series to read. CS Berry knows how to write spice and reverse harem - but it's not just smut - there are real feelings there too.

[Chandera]

Another fabulous read by CS Berry in the second book in the Lust & Liars "Brutal Little Secrets." From start to finish I had to read, I didn't want to put the book down. After reading the first I couldn't wait for the second. It doesn't disappoint. There is such emotion in this book, with how each of them care for each other, the chemistry, it just drew me in. I like how if something happens to one they are there for each other. Like with what happens to EvanAnn in the beginning. How Chase just leaves her in the middle of nowhere and Hawk comes to her rescue and is beyond angry at Chase. Hawk takes care of EvanAnn and wants to be her protector. How they couldn't believe how they didn't really see her until now. Between the emotions, the ups and downs, the story was absolutely amazing. I cannot wait for the third book. I highly recommend this book. You wont be disappointed I sure wasn't.

I was given an advance reader copy of this book for my honest review.