Liv didn’t expect to land in a town ruled by old money, inherited power, and families whose names matter more than morals.
Rafe keeps his distance from Liv with open hostility. as if disliking her will be easier than admitting the way his attention lingers. His best friends don’t hide their interest.
Silas is obsessed from the moment he sees Liv.
Archer keeps his desires to himself. She makes him feel things he never knew he could feel.
What starts as tension turns into something Liv never meant to want but can’t seem to escape, and in a town like this, wanting the wrong people comes with consequences.
Rumors spread, Lines blur and Control slips. When everything finally breaks, Liv is left questioning not just what happened—but who will believe her when it matters. Because in a place ruled by money and legacy, the truth is rarely the thing that survives.
Say You Believe Me hooked me from the very first page! My favorite thing was getting to know the characters bit by bit; the story is built in a way that, even with the different POVs, there were always new layers to uncover — including about Liv, the "main" narrator. It felt like peeling back the layers of the person whose head you're actually in, and trust me, every character is hiding something interesting!
The book hits several points of the 'high school' and 'new girl' tropes, which I really liked. A very positive aspect is that the characters only begin their sexual relationships after reaching 18. Also, I loved how the title is mentioned; I’m not sure why, but I always love when that happens! It appeared right during that massive cliffhanger, and now I can’t wait to read book two.
Lastly, if I’m being honest, I missed a bit of the mystery teased in the synopsis. I felt like it didn't really kick in until the very end, and I was craving more of that 'money and legacy vs. the truth' vibe throughout the book. Regardless, I'll definitely be picking up the sequel because the ending left me dying to know what happens next, and I really liked Liv and the boys.
I loved this book! A nice high-school romance, when the new girl Olivia moves to Haverhill, massechusetts from california. She moved for her family to open a new medical centre and opposite was an ice rink. She loved this in California so went to skate and knocked over Morrella on the ice accidentally. Her brother and two friends who play ice hockey see this and go to Morellas defense causing them to not like Olivia from the start. A blooming relationship for Olivia and Morella makes the boys have to be in close proximity to olivia causing them to see her personality and begin to like her eve though they don't want to, especially Rafe. I enjoyed how everything bloomed and wondering who gets the girl in the end. All of them have secrets that start to come out throughout the book and you fall in love with them all. Something then happens making you question things you thought and the book ends! I cannot wait to read the second to find out how things go! I loved the multiple POV's! Some chapters are the same scene but from POV's which i loved to see how each character felt in that scene and made you fall in love with them all more.
Thank you to the author, C.K. Kruse, for the free ARC.
I enjoyed this dark romance! It’s different from what I usually read, with tropes that I wouldn’t normally seek out, and I’m glad I gave the story a chance. It really hooked me and I finished the book in two days!
The relationships between the characters all felt believable, especially with how they developed over the course of the book. All of the main characters were well-written, especially the three love interests. Rafe, Silas, and Archer each had their own distinctive quirks and personalities that made them feel like real people.
I also liked the short chapters. They kept the story moving quickly and provided easy stopping points, although it was difficult to put the book down! The different POVs also kept me engaged. There was more spice than I normally enjoy, but it was written well.
The ending did feel rushed and a little abrupt with the cliffhanger. However, the last few chapters made me so excited for book two.
I can’t wait to see how the story unfolds and how the characters’ relationships develop in the next book!
I was lucky enough to receive an advanced copy from the author
This book was refreshing from your typical boy meets girl. Olivia has an accidental run in on the ice with Morella and immediately her brother and friends dislike her. But as friendships bloom feels start to emerge and who will win Olivia’s heart? You’ll have to keep reading to find out! I loved the multiple POV chapters which meant you got a better sense of each characters perceptions and feelings!! I really became attached to these characters and can’t wait to see where future books will take them!!
If you love romance in general or specifically sports romances then this book is for you!
Say You Believe Me by C.K Kruse is a story that feels like like you're teleported inside the book itself and feeling every emotion like no other. All the characters are relatable and you can definitely feel how the story unravels itself in front of your eyes. The story is fast paced yet the romance is slow-burn, which is a bonus. Apart from the MCs, the side-characters are definitely necessary in this story as they play a vital role. And trust me once you get into the end of the book you will want to know more about the characters, yes you got me right, it ends in a cliffhanger.
Thank you to the author for my ARC copy! I love dark romance, & while I’m typically drawn to MM/MM+ romance I enjoyed this book!
The set up & details in the first half of the book were well written & I was able to lose myself in the world that the author built. The spice was spicy, the characters had depth (loved the multiple POVs), & I was invested in the story.
I rated this 4 stars because I was looking forward to the mystery plot, which was hinted at throughout the book but didn’t really hit until close to the end. That said, I will definitely be reading book 2!
This is not my typical genre but I loved this book! It got my attention pretty quick and held it. Definitely has some spice and kept me up late reading, not able to put it down! I can’t wait to read book 2!!