Once Upon a Lie

The Protectors #2

by Max Monroe

An undercover cop. A mobster’s daughter. The best love stories start with a lie in this funny, emotional, suspenseful rom-com by New York Times bestselling author Max Monroe.

Valentina Cordone doesn’t need a prince—she’s got a thriving bagel-and-book shop in Nashville, game nights with her quirky crew, and a perfectly good life. But when her attractive new neighbor shows up with effortless charm and an award-winning smile, she starts to reconsider.

Detective Shane Maddox went undercover to surveil a mob boss’s daughter. What he didn’t expect? That she’d be a lovable ray of sunshine, nothing like the crime princess he imagined. He planned to get close but walk away untouched. Instead, he’s falling hard…and realizing she’s in more danger than she knows.

Torn between duty and desire, Shane keeps his identity secret while protecting Valentina from her family’s criminal empire. As the truth explodes, he must prove his love is real while keeping her alive—no small feat when she won’t take his calls.

Even though the prince is a liar, he can’t risk losing his princess.

Sometimes fairy tales don’t start with once upon a time. They start with once upon a lie.

Genres: Romance, Forced Proximity, Rom Com, Mystery, Humor, Contemporary Romance, Mafia Romance

326 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication October 20, 2026

About the author

Many moons ago, a dynamic duo of romance authors teamed up under the pseudonym Max Monroe, and, well, the rest is history...

Max Monroe is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of more than fifty contemporary romance titles. Favorite writing partners and long time friends, Max and Monroe strive to live and write all the fun, sexy swoon so often missing from their social media newsfeed. Sarcastic by nature, their two writing souls feel like they’ve found their other half. This is their most favorite adventure thus far. ​

​

Reviews

[✰ Bianca ✰ BJ's Book Blog ✰]

4.5 Stars

Valentina + Shane

We already met Shane as Dom's bestie in the first book. → Call Me Anytime
Now it's his time to find his HEA.
Which won't be easy because it all starts with a lie.
He's supposed to go undercover to find out how deeply Valentina is connected to her dad's mafia empire.
What the cops don't know - she is so not involved. She doesn't even know it exists.
She's happily running her bagel/book shop!
Dom moves into Valentina's apartment building to get close to her - which in itself is quite the challenge with its weird residents and the super insane HOA boss lady. LOL!

Let the fun times begin...

═════════════════




That was adorable and hilarious!
I really loved reading this.
It was a bit too slow-burnish and I wasn't in love with things as much as I wanted to. I don't like lies - who does? And this starts with a lie and Shane has to lie to her for almost the whole book. I really didn't love that. She was so sweet and happy and he felt so guilty and ugh. It just broke my heart! But I still loved reading this. It was so sweet and funny and sparky.
I also again - like in the first book - didn't love the nine year age gap.
But I loved the bestie and the dog and the apartment building with all its ridiculousness.
Like I already said in my review for the first book in this series: I found my favorite Max Monroe genre:
Super Hilarious Romantic Mystery Suspense!

ONCE UPON A LIE was a crazy fun and sweet suspensy mystery rom-com! Run to your nearest book dealer for your own Shane - this one is so mine!

If you can't click the buy-links
from your phone - click ► HERE!


💜 💜

[Anna (annareadit)]

I’ve just recently read Call Me Anytime and absolutely loved it, so I couldn't pass up the second book.

I enjoyed it, maybe a bit less than the first one, but I had a fun time.

I’m not a fan of mafia romance, but this one is definitely the best among them. The references to Fourth Wing were a bit annoying. I usually love book mentions in books, but it was a bit too much here (5 direct name drops and a few other times it was mentioned without naming it).

I recommend it to anyone who loves rom-coms with a hint of mystery and some absurd moments.

Thank you to Montlake and NetGalley for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Megan Coggins]

I loved Call Me Anytime, so when I saw there was going to be a second book, I had to read it, as soon as it hit my kindle.

Quite a few years ago me and my mom read Janet Evanovichs Stephanie Plum series, we’re talking 2010 ish. And in a roundabout way this gave me those vibes: minus the she’s bounty hunter.

Here she, Valentina, is the sunshine bagel shop owner.
She comes from a crime family.

Enter Shane, the undercover cop, whose mark is you guessed it our girl.
He tries so hard not to fall.

It was very much a rom com. The banter. The side characters. The wacky building group chat.

There’s a slight mystery aspect.

I’ll update this closer to release.

Netgalley arc review ✨

[Patricia (Spellbound Stories Trish)]

Shane and Valentina were so cute and completely unexpected!

Their story starts as a ruse for Shane. As he infiltrates Valentina’s life though and spends more time with her he quickly becomes enchanted by her beauty and pure heart. Their friendship is formed over time and a strong connection quickly builds but Shane knows the rules and holds back as much as he can but he just can’t resist Valentina.

This story was such a fun read and I loved each intense and adventurous moment these two encountered and overcame.

I love this series because it has the trademark humor that Max Monroe is known for but also mixes in some mystery and adventure.

[Emily Stephenson]

Rating: 3.75/5 ⭐

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Max Monroe delivers a fun blend of romance, light suspense, and humor in Once Upon a Lie. The premise of an undercover detective falling for the daughter of the mob boss he's investigating had me hooked from the start, and the story largely lived up to that promise.

What really made this book work for me was the cast of characters. Valentina ("Teeny") was an absolute ray of sunshine, but in a way that felt genuine rather than over-the-top. She was optimistic and kind without crossing into unrealistic territory, which made her incredibly easy to root for. While the attraction between Teeny and Shane develops quickly, their relationship itself felt natural, and I enjoyed watching their connection grow.

I also loved the friendships throughout the book. Teeny's relationships with Sunnie, Cher, Alfred, and Nico added so much warmth and personality to the story and helped create a strong sense of community around the main romance.

That said, I did struggle at times with the imbalance created by Shane's deception. Given the nature of his undercover assignment, I found myself wishing the truth had come out sooner and that the relationship hadn't progressed quite as far before Teeny had all the information. However, I appreciated that Shane himself recognized how complicated and uncomfortable the situation was, which made it easier to stay invested in his character.

My biggest disappointment was that I wanted a more significant confrontation between Teeny and Leo. Given the buildup, it felt like there was an opportunity for a more impactful resolution there.

Overall, this was an entertaining, emotional romance with likable characters, good chemistry, and enough suspense to keep the pages turning. Fans of romantic suspense with a lighter, rom-com feel will likely enjoy this one. And after meeting Nico, I'm definitely hoping there's a third book in the series that follows his story. I have really enjoyed this series so far!

[Elizabeth]

✨ARC Review✨

“Maybe fairy tales don’t start with Once upon a time after all. Maybe they start with Once upon a lie.”

ONCE again Max Monroe has written a book that I did not want to put down! I was SO excited when I found out there was going to be a second book in The Protectors series and I loved Shane and Valentina story so much!

Tropes:
🩵Alpha Hero
🤍Forbidden Love
🩵Hidden Identity
🤍Mafia x Law Enforcement
🩵Forced Proximity
🤍Neighbors to Lovers
🩵He Falls First
🤍Heroine in Danger
🩵Secret Romance

Shane gets put on an undercover assignment to watch the daughter of a mob boss. The problem…once he meets her, he cant get enough. She’s smart, sweet, funny, and caring and has absolutely no idea about her father’s involvement with the mafia.

Valentina thinks her father left his old ways behind when they moved to Nashville. She is happy making a life for herself running a bagel shop and has a small, but close group of friends. When Shane inserts himself into her everyday life she slowly starts to open up and cant help fall for his charm. But when she finds out the truth, she has to decide if it was all just a lie or he really is her prince after all.

I absolutely LOVE Max and Monroe’s books and this one was no different! I was hooked immediately and couldn’t help but root for Shane and Valentina to get their happily ever after. This was a great romantic comedy filled with the Max Monroe banter we all know and love as well as humor, emotion, and chemistry. The suspense of what was going to happen when Valentina found out Shane was undercover had me continuing to flip the pages. I’m a sucker for he falls first and boy did Shane fall hard!

Once Upon a Lie is book 2 in The Protectors Series and if you haven’t yet, you definitely need to read book 1 Call Me Anytime to find out how Hannah finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation after accidentally accepting a job as a phone sex operator!

[Justina R]

Once Upon a Lie is exactly what I’ve come to expect and love from Max Monroe: relatable, well-written characters, funny dialogue, and an HOA.
The second book in this series, but it can be read as a standalone. This one follows Valentina Cordone, who runs a bagel and book store, has a very cute 80-year-old best friend named Alfred, and might have mafia ties? Shane Maddox is on the case. He’s tasked with clearing her name because, you see, her father has a colourful past and might still be doing crime!
Valentina was such a cute gal, just living her best bagel-and-book life. I really enjoyed her daily life with Alfred and his dog, Pip. The condo characters were also really fun and memorable. Shane was great too, very likable and charming. I really enjoyed his banter with Valentina, the way their relationship developed and how fell in love, being there for each other throughout the book.
I loved the storytelling in this one, with the prologue starting with a dramatic event and then taking us back to show how they got there. It was really fun and entertaining.
I did think Valentina’s dad was pretty one-note and forgettable, and I wish he had been more present in the story. I also thought this was incredibly long for how little time actually passes throughout the book. After the climax, it really dragged for me and, dare I say, got a little boring. Even the epilogue is split between multiple POVs and feels very long and drawn out.
That said, I really did enjoy this book! It was so funny, and the romance was really well done and *sexy*. I’ve had *Call Me Anytime* on my TBR for a long time, and I’ll definitely be reading it now. I’m also hoping there’s more to this series. Maybe Nico next?
Thanks to NetGalley, Montlake, and Max Monroe for the ARC. I really enjoyed it!

[Aleksandra]

Thank you Montlake for sending me this ARC!

Once Upon a Lie is the newest book from two of my favorite rom-com authors and like always I had a lot of fun with it, loved Valentina and Shane’s story!

Valentina is a daughter of an ex mobster boss and lives her best life as the owner of bagel and book shop. But she doesn’t know her dad is still involved in his criminal activities and FBI sends detective Shane to get close to her and find out what she knows. Despite knowing it’s a terrible idea, Shane can’t help his growing feelings for his adorable new neighbor, but he knows it’s only matter of time before his lies come to light and might destroy everything.

This was such a fun and entertaining story, I was so excited when I heard it had mobster’s daughter x undercover couple and that trope was written perfectly, I loved these dynamics. All those secrets, lies and the hidden identity had me wondering how it would all unfold and I read the whole book in one sitting. I loved all the characters in this book, Valentina and Shane were amazing as the MCs, but Alfred was also incredible and of course the Magnolia Condos residents, I was laughing out loud at their shenanigans and group chats. The romance was kind of a slow burn, but there was a lot of tension and so much banter, Valentina and Shane were amazing as a couple and I loved seeing them slowly falling for each other, despite it being forbidden Shane didn’t stand a chance and I always love when ‘he falls first’.

Once Upon a Lie is a truly great book, I definitely recommend it to everyone, especially if you’re looking for a fun and quick read with interesting plot, amazing characters and beautiful romance. I already can’t wait for Max and Monroe’s next book.

[Tara Baja]

Max Monroe has easily become two of my favorite storytellers, and I'm so happy I discovered their books this year. I'm even happier that I was able to get an advanced readers copy of the second book in their The Protectors series, Once Upon A Lie. They, NetGalley, and their publishers Montlake provided the book, which I will say, is the perfect sequel to the first book in the series, Call Me Anytime. That's where we're first introduced to Nashville Metro PD's dynamic duo, Dominic Dunn and Shane Maddox.

In Call Me Anytime, Dominic found his HEA with Hannah May. However, this book focuses on Shane, who's been selected to be in a serious undercover operation with the FBI.. against the Mafia! In Nashville! I know right? That's a lot to deal with, especially on his own. His main role is to keep an eye on the daughter of the crime boss they're investigating, Valentina Cordone, aka Teeny. She has her own bagel + bookshop, The Hole Story. Shane must prove if her father has knowing or unknowingly involved her in any illegal activities through her shop. Some parenting!

Then Shane moves into Valentina's building, which has it's own brand of craziness! His snooping doesn't go as quickly as he'd like but it got Teeny's employees calling him Smokin Hot Shane! Shane and Teeny try to fight their attraction to each other, but... well, you need to read the book to see. Ultimately, the banter bantered, the spice spiced, and I think, nay I hope, I recognized an Easter Egg for a potential book three of the Protectors Series, which I'm really here for because the person who may be featured in it is very much my cup of tea! No offense to Dom or Shane but their story is already written. 5 ⭐

[Tara Baja]

As I've already reviewed the book (GoodReads link provided below) this review focuses on the narration of the audiobook. Graciously provided to me by authors Max Monroe, NetGalley and Brilliance Media in reciprocity for my honest review, I'll just lay it down... Narrators Shiloh James and Teddy Hamilton had a major task to handle! Not only did they voice Valentina Cordone and Shane Maddox, but the entire Cordone family, The Magnolia condos tenants, Teeny's employees Sunny and Cher, and her senior citizen bestie Al.

Kudos to them, because they did so magnificently! The different accents hit just right! For example Mom & Dad Cordone still had their Italian Brooklyn accent. The tenants in Magnolia's group chats were hilarious! More specifically, their neighborly banter. Every now and then you could most certainly hear someone's southern Nashville twang. Gotta have the twang! But not with our main characters. They had no accent really, just a hell of a lot of emotion!

I don't know if you could really hear age differences, but I could tell Teeny (Valentina) was younger compared to Shane. He was very much an Alpha-Roll, part alpha, part cinnamon roll. But only for her. She herself sounded young, sweet, intelligent and assertive. Perfect match for Detective Shane, right? Oh, and when it came to their spicy scenes, they were *ahem* quite realistic. The narrators skillfully emoted sadness and happiness, bravery and fear quite well. And above everything else? That of a Prince and a Princess, because after all, this is a fairy tale. 5⭐


GoodReads Once Upon A Lie Book Review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Lexie]

One I had no idea this was going to be a series. So when I saw this on NetGalley and I realized it was Shane’s story, immediately sign me up! Now even though I was excited for this I do have to admit it didn’t quite live up to Dom & Hannah’s story. However, Valentina & Shane’s kept me engaged the entire time and I couldn’t wait to see how their story unfolded.

My favorite component to this book was all the characters didn’t matter if it was main characters like Shane & Valentina. Or side characters like Albert, Cher and Sunni. Every single character is easy to connect to and the found family element even better. I especially loved Al and Valentina’s relationship it was so wholesome and brought such a sweet element to the story.

In terms of the relationship between Shane & Valentina I also enjoyed it immensely. They had a slow start and rightfully so. I also loved that even with the secrets there was grace and forgiveness.

My only complaint was the mafia element. I guess I expected more of it in the story. But it’s very diluted due Valentina being pretty naive about it. Also I was not a big fan of all the popular booktok book references. Which some might say blasphemy. But it got to be excessive and it took away from the actual story.

Overall, this is a fun book that I highly recommend. But I will warn please read Hannah & Doms book first before jumping in here!

Lastly thank you to NetGalley & Montlake for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Sarah Marquez]

Thank you Montlake through NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

4.25/5

I will admit, I haven't read the first book in this series but thankfully it is a complete standalone and I was not lost at all but intrigued enough to go back and read book 1. I knew this would be a miscommunication trop seeing as it's a cop and mob bosses daughter, and usually that is not my favorite, but I really enjoyed this book because the miscommunication IS NOT DRAWN OUT!!

Shane is undercover and trying to get information on Valentina Cordone but, best laid plans and all that, you can only imagine what ensues. The relationship progression felt very natural and was not rushed in my opinion. I have read other books by this author and have had my heart stomped on but this book was a nice romcom. The apartment complex adventures created a lot of fun times. And side noted, I work in geriatrics and loved Alfred and the story of his wife.

There were a lot of references to Fourth Wing, so if you don't like that book, WTF, but also you might not like this book. Valentina owns a bagel and book store which was described so well that I want to find a place like this like yesterday.

There are some twists and turns that you don't expect and some that you do. I kind of guessed certain aspects but some came as a surprise. The ending did feel a little rushed but overall I really enjoyed the book!

[Kim (Chipperbooks)]

Title: Once Upon a Lie Series: The Protectors, Book 2
Author: Max Monroe Narrators: Teddy Hamilton and Shiloh James
Main Characters: Shane and Valentina P. 326
Book Type Reviewed: E-Book Release Date: 10/20/2026
Tropes: Romance, Protective Detective, Mob Daughter, Close Proximity, Rom-Com, Light Suspense
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

In book 1, Call Me Anytime, Shane gives his partner Dom a hard time about falling for a woman while on assignment. Now it’s Dom’s turn to get the last laugh when Shane too falls for the woman associated with his assignment.

Shane goes undercover to try to get details on Valentina. She runs a small bagel shop and the authorities need to determine if any illegal activity has taken place. Pretty much from the start, Shane and Valentina hit it off and start spending time with each other. Shane tries to keep his personal feelings out of it but it doesn’t take long for him to realize he likes being around her, and not because of work. But when the case nears its end, how will Shane ever explain it isn’t all a lie?

Cute story. Despite the storyline and the suspense, this still reads light. I do wish certain parts of the book had more details or more depth but it is what it is. I did expect a fun book, lots of excitement, some laughs, some banter, and that’s exactly what I got. A good time.

Thank you to #Netgalley and #Montlake for this book. All reviews and opinions are my own.

[Andrea Peter]

Thank you NetGalley, Montlake and the authors for this ARC!

I loved this book. I need to say though i liked the first book a little bit better.

I had a couple issues with this one:
-I think the accident from what Shane needed to save Valentina was a bit strange and unrealistic.
-I thought that Shane was a bit more of a womanizer or he could have talked more or more openly with Valentina, i think he was scared of her, and this is not the Shane i know from the first book

The things that i loved:
-I loved the fact that we can understand why the title of the book is "Once upon a lie", and Valentina explains it herself
-I loved that Valentina was the one who was the grumpy and the one who needed the push to open her heart and after that she was an animal in all kinds of ways :)
-I loved very very much Valentina's shop and the name of it, it was hilarious
-It was so cool to see some pop-cultural scenes, like Leonidas from the 300 movie or Alfred's house was in the same situation between big buildings like in the movie Up.
-It was funny as always.
-It is very fast paced

As a whole it was a good book, i hope there will be more in this series.

[Lydia Irene]

I love Once Upon A Lie by Max Monroe. I got an ARC. It kept my attention the entire time. This is a suspense romance book but with Max Monroe craziness put in(the best kinda craziness). This is a sequel to the awesome Call Me Anytime. This is Shane Dom’s partner and Valentina’s story. He is in charge of investigating Valentina, the daughter of a former mob boss. The dad is doing even shadier stuff then before, and is being investigating by the FBI. Shane is in charge of trying to get close to her. What does he do though? What he’s supposed to not do? Fall for her. Every moment of this book kept me on edge, and it was thoroughly good. There were some crazy dare devil moments in this book as well. I love her book, and bagel shop its a great idea that should exist where I live. One of my favorite characters is Alfred. All the people in that condo building are off their rockers as well lol. BUT wouldn’t have it any other way. I loved every part of it, the couple is great, they have a lot of chemistry. It is a bit of a slow burn because Shane is trying to fight this attraction hard. But you know how that ends. Overall 10/10 recommend.

[Courtney]

3.5 ⭐️ rounded to 4 ⭐️

Going from the Red Bridge series to the Protectors series feels like two different sets of authors.

Once Upon a Lie at times feels like you’ve been dropped into the middle of a cheesy 2010s movie, which isn’t a bad thing just know what you’re walking into.

The Magnolia group chat gave me life, so absolutely ridiculous. Although there should have been some serious violations over the AC, how did everyone just let that go?! We need to see this building’s cast of characters again sometime.

Teeny is sunshine and kind in a way that’s genuine which makes you want to root for her. I remember liking Shane as Dom’s partner, I’m glad he got his own book with some similar parallels.

Part of me wishes that Teeny found out what was going on sooner. It feels like there should have been more time spent on the conclusion and wrap up. We kind of sped past things that could have warranted more air time from her perspective.

Overall this is a fun and lighthearted read despite the mafia plot points.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.

[Anastasia]

I read Call Me Anytime and loved it. When I heard Shane was getting a story, I could not wait to read it, because I just knew it was going to be epic.

Shane was always the single bachelor, jumping from one girl to the next. He wasn’t the one that wanted more and was happy with his life and his job as a police officer. No woman has ever made him, change his ways, or want more. Well, that was until Valentina was shoved into his life. He fell hard and fast, but he knew he needed to stay away and couldn’t because of his job, Valentina was his assignment. He was undercover to get close, but he never anticipated his whole world turning upside down when he met her. She was everything to him, but he has been lying from day one. The feelings and the way they were with each other wasn’t a lie. The lie was everything else, his job, his life, how they met. All a lie. How could he make this work once the assignment was over? How could he tell her the truth and for her to still want to be with him? He has forever changed and all he knows is that he would give up everything, even his job to be with her, if she let him.

Received this ARC for my honest review and opinion.

[bookishWife]

The story is fun, cute, and unexpected. Shane goes undercover for a federal investigation, expecting to find a spoiled mob princess. Instead, he meets Teeny—pure sunshine, kind-hearted, hardworking, and beautiful. She completely messes with his head because she’s supposed to be nothing more than a job. But when getting close to her starts feeling like more than just a mission, Shane does something drastic.

I suppose you could call this a mafia romance, but honestly, not really. The mafia element is minimal and mostly mentioned in passing. So if you’re looking for a dark, intense mafia romance, this definitely isn’t it.

Overall, the story is engaging, with an over-the-top HOA that I’m pretty sure is far-fetched from reality. There are plenty of cute and funny moments, and I really enjoyed the chemistry and interactions between Shane and Teeny. Their dynamic is definitely one of the highlights of the book.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Finkamundo]

This is not my usual romance subgenre. I'm not a fan of maffia stories, so normally, based on the blurb, I wouldn't have picked this book. However, when I saw this e-arc on Netgalley, I was intrigued and decided to give it a try, and was pleasantly surprised. The authors cross their t's and dot their i's, the story is well-executed without plot holes. I preferred Valentina's POV to Shane's - the authors made him a tropey wise guy cop with crude language, not into reading, but apparently with a knack for numbers... meh. Both MCs had distinctive voices, and I especially liked how Shane's troubled conscious was picked up on by Valentina, who struggled with the mixed messages, but did not become insecure and needy. Such a mature, strong and independent woman should not be calling her father "daddy", it didn't fit her character at all, nor the way she perceived her father and his behavior towards her.
Depending on the blurb, I will definitely try another novel by these authors!

[Mamawattto4 Melissa]

Thank you Montlake and NetGalley for the ARC

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Max Monroe has done it again! I swear I’ll read absolutely anything this writing duo puts out because they never disappoint. After falling in love with Call Me Anytime, I couldn’t wait for the next book in this series, and Once Upon a Lie exceeded every expectation.

I loved the mix of suspense, romance, and humor that Max Monroe always delivers so effortlessly. The undercover detective/crime boss’s daughter storyline had so much tension, and watching feelings develop when they absolutely shouldn’t have made it impossible to put down. The chemistry was electric, the banter was on point, and there were plenty of twists to keep me hooked until the very end.

If you enjoy romantic suspense with unforgettable characters, fantastic humor, and a love story worth rooting for, don’t miss this one. Another easy five-star read from one of my all-time favorite writing duos!

[KELLY]

This was such an entertaining rom-com! I loved it! It had the perfect mix of humor, romance, and heartfelt moments that kept me smiling from beginning to end.

Valentina has a huge crush on her handsome neighbor, Shane, and their meet-cute is absolutely hilarious. What she doesn't know is that Shane is an undercover detective and his assignment. He never expected to fall for her so quickly or so completely. While his feelings for her are completely real, everything else is built on lies.  There's plenty of emotional tension alongside the laughs.

This was a fun, swoony, and emotional romance with great chemistry, plenty of banter, and a hero who falls hard and fast. If you enjoy romantic comedies with undercover secrets, forced deception, and lots of heart, this one is definitely worth picking up.

Read & Listen on release date 10/20/2026.

Thank you Montlake and Netgalley for the book.

[Melanie Green]

The bagel-and-book shop was enough to make me curious about Once Upon a Lie, but the undercover premise is what kept the story moving. Valentina has worked hard to build a normal, independent life despite belonging to a powerful criminal family. Unfortunately, her charming new neighbor Shane is actually a detective using their relationship to investigate her father.

I enjoyed the contrast between Valentina’s warmth and Shane’s increasingly complicated mission. His feelings become real long before he can be honest with her, which gives the romance an unavoidable sense of tension. The suspense surrounding her family also raises the stakes beyond whether she will forgive him once the truth comes out.

Some parts followed a familiar undercover-romance path, but Valentina’s personality, the Nashville setting, and the mix of humor and danger made this an entertaining read. My sincere thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a free advance review copy.

[Julie]

✨Thank you to Montlake and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!✨

Once Upon a Lie was a fun read about an undercover detective and the mark he ultimately falls for! I enjoyed watching the hijinks that placed Valentina and Shane together, which helped their relationship grow. I did wish that certain reveals (about our MMC's identity) happened a little bit earlier in the story, so that I could see how the couple overcame the secrecy in their relationship in more detail. I suppose that would have made the story more emotional and serious as opposed to the lighthearted rom-com as is.... Overall, I enjoyed the read!

[PJ S]

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Once Upon a Lie was a pretty cute mafia princess story. The twist being that the princess doesn't know she's a mafia princess.
A bit contrived, but it works. Shane, our MMC, is a former playboy turned good guy, who falls for his mark while on undercover police business. Valentina, FMC, is a fiercely independent business owner who is suspicious of everyone but someone still falls in love at first sight with her hero Shane.
The enjoyment in this story is mostly in following along as Shane grapples with what it means to have actual real feelings for a woman, while also feeling really guilty about lying to her and crossing some professional ethical boundaries. It's an old story, but a fun one nonetheless.
This was book 2, and I'm strongly considering going back to book 1 to read how his partner fell into the same trap.

[Coco]

3* mixed feelings

Shane Maddox, a detective in the Nashville police department, goes undercover to investigate Valentina Cordone, the daughter of a suspected mob boss. To be able to watch her closely, he moves into Teena's high-rise apartment block, Magnolia Condos.

The book started so well, it was living up to its description of a rom-com, then the writing style changed - maybe the second author took over - Shane managed an unbelievable feat while saving Teena who in turn became clingy.

By far the most interesting character in the book was Rita, the self appointed president of the apartment building's HOA, she was a dictator, a bully, and feared by all the residents. Throughout the book I hoped she'd receive her comeuppance during the final pages, sadly she remained reigning over the residents.

Suspend your belief and the book will be enjoyable, it just wasn't for me.

With thanks to NetGalley and Montlake Publishing for the ARC, this review is my personal, unbiased opinion.

[Kelli Miller a_brunette_bookworm]

Once Upon a Lie was such a fun read. Valentina is warm, independent, and instantly lovable, while Shane is charming, protective, and carrying enough secrets to make any relationship unnecessarily complicated.

Their chemistry was fantastic, the banter kept me laughing, and the mix of romance, suspense, and quirky side characters made the story fly by. Shane’s plan may have started out professionally, but his feelings clearly did not get the memo.

This book had humor, heart, danger, and a hero who quickly realizes he is in way over his head. Apparently, falling in love is much easier than explaining why you have been lying.

A funny, emotional, and addictive romance that kept me smiling from beginning to end.

[Mallory Moureau]

Thank you NetGalley, Montlake and Max Monroe for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 ⭐️

This is book #2 in a series but could be read as a standalone. The first book was a fun, easy read that had me rolling my eyes.

This book felt slightly more realistic and serious and I enjoyed it overall more.

I really enjoyed the FMC and her independence, work ethic and loyalty. The MMC is the typical lovable playboy who is immediately smitten by the FMC who is entirely off limits.

The apartment building group chat was full of the quirky goofballs that cannot possibly exist in real life and yet somehow seem totally realistic.

Overall, this is a fun book that is easy to binge and get lost in but not something that will be a massive emotional rollercoaster.

[Lori Zakrzewski]

This second book in the Protector's series brings us Valentina and Shane, who we met in the first book, Call Me Anytime. Shane is assigned to go undercover to discover whether or not Valentina is involved in her father's criminal activities, or if she really is an innocent bagel and book shop owner. What he doesn't expect is his attraction to her. This book is filled with many funny and also emotional moments. The book brings us many wonderful characters like Alfred and his dog, Pip, Valentina's employees, Sunnie and Cher, not to mention the many interesting people who inhabit the condo building they are living in. Overall a book that brings us a story like we've come to expect from Max Monroe.

[Marina Skinner]

4.5 stars
Once Upon a Lie is an entertaining, intriguing story centering on Shane and Valentina!
Shane is a cop who is tasked with going undercover to assertain whether Valentina is a knowing participant in her father’s shady mob business dealings.
Needless to say catching her attention isnt easy.
I enjoyed alot of this book. Its quite the slow burn, with characters that make the story rather interesting. From strange apartment people to a girl who strives for her bagel shop.
Valentina is a woman who has it all, happy life, happy family, secure job but no love life as yet. Or so it seems.
Shane as an undercover cop, needs to gather evidence, however Valentina is this woman he has grown to like. It isnt until certain things happen that he realises something.
What happens is anyones guess and you wont want to assume anything. Quite the story!

[Farah]

When detective Shane is given the assignment to investigate bagels baker and bookstore owner Valentina, he doesn't expect feelings to get involved. As the daughter of a previous mob figure, Valentina knows her dad's past but he's put that all behind him....or has he? As Shane gets to the bottom of what he needs to find out, he knows that Valentina will be hurt when he reveals the true reason he has gotten to know her so well. 

Aaah it's been so long since I read a mafia romance and this one really delivered. I always adore Max Monroe's books! They are easy to read, easy to get hooked into and leave you with a smile on your face - this book included! Valentina was so innocent and easygoing and Shane fell so hard that it was simple to cheer them on for their happy ending. I listened to this book on audio and the narrators knocked it out of the park.