Secrets in the Deep

Deep River #4

by Nyssa Kathryn

Someone’s turning fiction into reality…and she’s the target.

Five years ago, Emily Prior was ready to turn down the role of a lifetime for the man she loved. But Ryan refused to let her sacrifice her career for a relationship built around his deployments. So he broke her heart to save her future. Now she’s one of Hollywood’s biggest actresses, and she’s filming her new movie in the small town of Deep River—Ryan’s new home. Emily always told herself she hated him for what he did. But face to face once again, she’s not so sure that’s true.

Ryan Slade did the right thing. Or at least, that’s what he tells himself every time he watches one of Emily’s movies or sees her name in a headline…which is a lot. Five years later, he’s now out of the military, working search and rescue with his team, and Deep River has given him something close to peace. Until Emi arrives. With one glance, any reason he had for letting her go dissolves and he’s questioning every moment since.

When strange accidents surrounding the movie’s cast go from alarming to lethal, Ryan’s protective instincts kick in fast. Someone’s recreating scenes from the movie in real life. Now it’s a race to find the killer before they finish their deadly script. And if Ryan fails Emily this time, he won’t just lose her to her career—he’ll lose her forever.

A Small Town, Second Chance Romantic Suspense.

Genres: Romantic Suspense, Second Chance, Second Chance Romance, Small Town Romance, Romance, Audiobook, Contemporary Romance

316 pages, Paperback

Published August 7, 2026

About the author

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Australian Romantic Suspense Author, Nyssa Kathryn, is a passionate reader and writer of all things romance. Living in South Australia with her hubby and daughter, when she's not spending time with the family, she's either plotting her next story or got her head stuck in a book.

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Reviews

[Jenny]

Secrets in the Deep is book four in the Deep River series by Nyssa Kathryn. Emily Prior's whole life was destroyed five years ago when Ryan Slade broke her heart. Now, an award-winning actress is filming her latest movie in Deep River when she sees the last person she ever thought she would see, Ryan Slade. Emily Prior did not want to have any contact with Ryan. However, when strange things start happening to the cast members that feel too close to the movie's script, she has no choice but to accept Ryan Slade and his team's help. Will Emily Prior and Ryan Slade have a second chance at romance? Readers of Secrets in the Deep will continue to follow Emily Prior and Ryan Slade to discover what happens.

Reading this book, I started to think about the dangers of parents interfering with their children's lives. I like the way Nyssa Kathryn highlighted the greed, jealousy, and the dangers of never achieving what you dream of and how it can affect everyone.

I fell in love with Nyssa Kathryn's books after reading the first book in the Mercy Ring series, and I have not looked back. Nyssa Kathryn's stories are fast-moving and engaging, and I always fall in love with her characters. I enjoy that Nyssa Kathryn gives her readers a teaser at the end about her next book in the series.

Reading Secrets in the Deep kept up my love affair with Nyssa Kathryn's books. I engaged with this book from the first page and continued to the end because of the way Nyssa Kathryn portrays her characters and their interactions. I enjoy the way Nyssa Kathryn incorporates all the characters of this series into each plot and how they complement each other. Secrets in the Deep is well-written and researched by Nyssa Kathryn. I like Nyssa Kathryn's description of the settings of Secrets in the Deep, which allows me to imagine being part of the book's plot.

Thank you to the Author for providing me with my ARC exchange for an honest review. I recommend this book.

[Amanda Blanche]

Another instalment of the Deep River series - this time focusing on Ryan and Emily. Tropes include - second chance and suspense romance. This is kind of a departure from the previous books in the “crime” element of it all, but in a good way. It was a fun twist. I wanted more grovel and yearning in the relationship between the MMC and FMC. More drama. So, not my favourite in the series, but this author is always an automatic read for me. This is a guilty pleasure, read it in one day kinda book.

Emily is at the top of her career as an actress - and this brings her to a small town in Montana to film a horror movie. What she doesn’t expect is the man who broke her heart 5 years ago, is also in this town. On her set. Ryan is a part of the elite search and rescue team and hired to provide extra security and guidance as they film the movie in the woods. Immediately upon seeing each other, all the feelings and hurt re-emerge. But the same barriers and miscommunications still exist between them. And add in a mystery psycho who wants to turn the horror movies plot from fiction to reality - and Emily and Ryan have problems coming at them from all angles.

[angelictaleslibrary]

I listened to Secrets in the Deep on audiobook, and it completely blew me away! Savannah Thomas and Aaron Shedlock delivered incredible performances, perfectly capturing the heavy tension and explosive chemistry between former military man Ryan and Hollywood star Emi.The second-chance romance is beautifully written, but it’s the high-stakes suspense that kept me hooked. A stalker mimicking a movie script creates a terrifying, fast-paced mystery, and the final twist completely caught me off guard. If you love protective heroes, celebrity/small-town dynamics, and a thriller that keeps you guessing, I highly recommend this fantastic audiobook!

[Read All About It]

Ryan and Emily have a past so when she shows up in Deep River to do a movie the sparks start to fly.

Get out before your heart beats for him again.

Things on set start happening and of corse the alpha protective side of Ryan comes out in droves.

Slowly they are reconnecting but lots of interference from the outside is working against them.

They’d always fit like this. Like two pieces of a puzzle that had been perfectly cut to be together.

Another fantastic edition to this series with suspense and danger everywhere.

[kn_cozy_bookworm]

Devoured! Second chance romance is not usually my bag (I’m not a fan of the relationship baggage it usually comes with) but I really enjoyed this one.

I liked how Emily grabbed her life by the horns after her messy breakup with Ryan and lived her dreams. I really think she did love her acting life for a long time before the wear and tear started. Her unexpected reunion with Ryan was serendipitous and perfect timing.

Ryan is a guy obsessed. He never moved on from Emily in any way. He also has a hardest case I’ve ever seen of “I know what’s best for you” syndrome and boy was that a huge hurdle they had to work through. It was relationship BAGGAGE. Which I usually hate and while it did bug me there was so much other stuff going on that it didn’t ruin the read for me.

The suspense was good. I enjoyed all the characters, the director and other actors and of course the guys and gals of the past books.

Emily’s mom was a total controlling you know what and gave me someone to severely dislike. I swear there is always a horrible parent, lol.

Looking forward to Zac and Norah’s book and the two others that are coming.

[gabreadsbooks]

great!

I really enjoyed this! It had an epic second chance romance and a unique mystery.

Emily & Ryan felt epic. The chemistry between the was palpable and irresistible. They gravitated towards each other like magnets. I liked that they talked about what went wrong before and learned to communicate better. A healthy relationship is lovely to see. The steamy scenes felt intimate and romantic as well as spicy.

I also really liked Emily as a heroine. She learns to fight for herself and chooses a life she wants. I found that admirable.

I liked the movie setting and its importance to the plot. The suspense built up nicely and the escalating drama was great. There were plenty of red herrings to pick from too so you had your pick of suspects. The climax was action packed and exciting.

A great addition to the series but can be read on its own. Can’t wait for book five!

[b_reads27]

Book 4 in the Deep River series
Ryan and Emily
This is a forced proximity, small town, thriller, former navy seal x movie star actress, protective MMC, strong FMC, stalker (not MMC), years of pining, slow burn, second chance romantic suspense.
Nyssa Kathryn definitely knows how to write a suspenseful thriller romance that gets you hooked from chapter one! So many twists in turns in this book just like the rest of the series! After getting hints of Ryan’s past so excited to have gotten his story! This fast paced high stakes mystery with a stalker in the movie set really kept me in my toes trying to figure out who was behind it all. Such a great balance of mystery and romance in this series and I would definitely recommend it!
This audiobook was in complete duet narration and the voice actors did an amazing job! They really brought this story to life and depth to their characters!

[Sonya Davis]

Good story, unacceptable language

I like the story and most of characters. The suspense aspect kept ne engaged. I like that the FMC moved on, not romantically, but with her career. I didn't like that she allowed her mom to control her and she didn't pursue what she actually wanted. MMC is another arrogant, I know what's best for you type, which is my least favorite, especially when it continues after they reconnect. I don't like that his romantic history is never discussed. That usually tells me how much he's really into FMC. The use of God/Jesus's name as cursing is prevalent, if that bothers you like it does me, this is not the author for you. Sad because I would have liked to continue the series.

[Shiva]

Old love, buried secrets, and a danger that refuses to stay hidden.

[Marnie]

He broke her heart five years ago...

... “and forced her into the future he deemed more rewarding [sic].”

SECRETS IN THE DEEP from Author Nyssa Kathryn is the fourth book in her Deep River series and was such a compelling read I read it in one single sitting. While each of these books can be read as a stand-a-lone, reading them in order means that you'll get to know the other team members who gain their own HEA’s, and see the underlying threads of this series be pulled, with more details brought out into the open. Still, there is so much more in the small town of Deep River that need to be exposed, and I can’t wait for the final book to shed light on it’s secrets! Just who has been behind the disappearances of the women over the last 30 years, and who is funding the expense of this Search & Rescue team of sexy ex-Seal’s ???🤔

Ex-military and second chance romances are for me a perfect sub-genre and trope match made in heaven, and in SECRETS IN THE DEEP, Ms Kathryn has put together a book I was looking forward to. She not only completely further entrenched my reading investment into her latest Romantic Suspense series, but she also nailed the feelings of insecurity and powerlessness of Ryan and Emily, who appeared to have everything they could wish for. Not so, when she showed that our star-crossed pair had pushed those feelings deep into their fractured hearts.

Ryan Slade, team leader and ex-military, very much hid that he believed his deep and profound love for Emily, his Emi, had been worth less than the promise of her burgeoning acting career, breaking both of their hearts in the process. For the last five years during his time as a Seal and beyond, he’d regretted his choice. Now his new future was in Deep Water as leader of the new Search & Rescue team as they dealt with lost tourists and women who had gone missing on their watch. Having Emi in his new patch brought back those feelings of loss and now that his team were protecting the filming of her movie, she smashed those assumptions, letting him know just what she thought of his solo decision about her future;

“You weren’t just worth changing my plans for, Ryan. You were the plan. You became my entire future.”

Yet still the stubborn man stuck to his reasons for the decision he’d made, because to do otherwise was to acknowledge what he’d taken from them both;

“It had all hit him at once. The love he’d walked away from. The future that should have been theirs. And he had no one to blame but himself.”

Emily Prior had become the mega-star actress that Ryan knew she’d be, yet my heart broke for her when Ms Kathryn gave her POV in the descriptive and emotion filled writing that is always associated with the books she writes. Emi was continually being told how lucky she was, that she had everything,so how could she communicate to anyone the depth of her sadness and loneliness. I intensely disliked her female parental (as a mother that abysmal woman had really lost her way!) from the first sentence she appeared in and it was no wonder that Emi had been miserable in the five years since her career had taken off. Afterall, she’d been left with a broken heart and no other choice but to build her natural talent, her name and status as an actress, because that was all she felt she been left with. I felt even more sad and angry on her behalf that Ryan had taken her choice away from her;

“You took away my choice. You took the future I’d planned for us. And I don’t know if I can ever forgive you for that.”

SECRETS was everything I love about a book written by Author Nyssa Kathryn. Full of emotion, regret, pain and sadness, love and forgiveness - even for those whom I’d disliked from that first sentence 😬, I couldn’t put it down and loved every minute that I spent with Ryan, Emily, their friends and the people of that small town. It’s a great read that I highly recommend for anyone who loves the aforementioned tropes. Ms Kathryn, in my humble reading opinion, has not written a book that disappoints. She has a formula that works, and still manages to keep each book fresh.

Also, let us not forget the underlying plot thread that Ms Kathryn has pulled just enough to remind her readers why they keep coming back with each book release, because like me, a severe case of FOMO means I want to know what happened to the original missing women 30 years ago !!!👀👀 SECRETS OF THE DEEP was a 5-Second-Chance-Action-Suspense read for me 💕 🖤💛

[Brenna]

Hot Take: I’m glad I am done with this series. It had potential. But it was extremely formulaic and derivative. Also the spice was 🥱. I also don’t like how often the author relies on toxic female side characters. Also, all the males she writes are stubborn ass holes who take mansplaining to a whole new level. I will read book 5 when it comes out in October, but I won’t read anymore of this authors work.
Main Characters: Emily and Ryan
Other Characters of Note: Zac and Nora
Spice level: 2/5
1st kiss: 18%
1st actual sex scene: 44%
Recap: Emily Prior, a Hollywood actress, arrives in Deep River, Montana to film a movie, only to discover her ex-boyfriend Ryan—a former Navy SEAL now working with the local search and rescue team—is part of the security detail. Five years earlier, Ryan broke up with Emily after her mother Melanie manipulated him into believing Emily was sacrificing her career for their relationship.
Following the breakup, Emily tried to contact Ryan but received no response; she later discovered her mother had blocked his number and intercepted his attempts to reach her. After their breakup, Emily followed Ryan in her car during a rainstorm, crashed into a river, and severely injured her knee, requiring multiple surgeries that left permanent damage. Now reunited in Deep River, Emily and Ryan navigate their unresolved feelings while a series of dangerous incidents plague the film production. Cast members are attacked in ways that mirror scenes from the movie script: Emily's harness snaps during a river crossing, Preston is chased through the woods by a masked figure, Faye is knocked unconscious in a bathroom, and Emily is slashed with a real knife that replaced a prop. Emily confronts her mother about the past manipulation and fires her as her manager, then reconnects romantically with Ryan. However, their relationship hits another obstacle when Melanie reveals Emily plans to break her lucrative film contract to stay in Deep River, and Ryan-believing he's not worth such a sacrifice-tries to make the decision for her again. After working through their issues and acknowledging their love for each other, Emily decides to leave Hollywood and start a new life with Ryan in Deep River.
The attacks escalate when Preston is found critically injured after being stabbed multiple times, and actress Faye is arrested based on evidence linking her to the crime. However, Ryan realizes Faye has been framed when he discovers inconsistencies in the case and identifies director Roscoe Boone as the true perpetrator. Roscoe kidnaps Emily and takes her to the abandoned Connoway mansion, revealing he orchestrated all the attacks to film a real-life horror movie that would make him an infamous director. Emily fights back, stabbing Roscoe multiple times as he pursues her through the mansion rigged with cameras. The confrontation culminates on the roof where Roscoe holds Emily at knifepoint; Ryan arrives and disarms himself to save her, getting stabbed in the process. During the struggle, Roscoe falls from the roof pulling Emily with him, but Ryan catches her while team member Zac shoots and kills Roscoe. In the aftermath, Emily publicly announces her retirement from Hollywood and reveals plans to start a theater company in Deep River, offering plays and acting classes to the community. She reconciles with her mother, who apologizes for projecting her own failed dreams onto Emily, and commits to building a life with Ryan in the small Montana town-though Emily's discovery of a mysterious diary entry about strange lights and the disappeared Connoway family hints at deeper secrets lurking in Deep River's past.

[Kimberly A. Green]

This is book 4 in the "Deep River" series. For a complete list of series set-up and characters, see my review under book 1. I’ve been looking forward to this book as I’m enjoying this series, and especially the overarching mystery of the town’s history of women gone missing. This book unfortunately didn’t do a lot to advance that mystery and I thinks there’s only book 5 left, since there’s only one Navy Seal left (Zac). I think book 5 will be Zac as MMC and Nora (Ryan’s sister who’s new to town) as MFC.

Anyway the MMC here in book 4 is Ryan. The MFC is famous actress Emily who’s in town to shoot a movie about a murder mystery. This is a 2nd chance romance trope, as Emily and Ryan had an intense but only 5-6 month love affair five yrs ago, just before Emily’s acting career really took off launching her into fame. Ryan didn’t want her to give up her budding career for him and to have to deal with his dangerous always deploying Seal lifestyle, so he abruptly broke off their relationship five yrs ago. You find out in this book that Emily’s bitchy stage mom/manager inserted herself, getting into Ryan’s head, amplifying his doubts and leading to his breaking off the relationship.

So the plot here in this book is that scenes from the movie start happening in real life, and each “scene” is escalating until another actor named Preston gets nearly stabbed to death, which shuts down the movie production. By this point in the book Emily & Ryan have found their way firmly back together, after some repeat drama waddling on his part, and she’s insisting on living with him in Deep River while taking a break from acting. She’s at the point where she no longer finds acting and the nomadic spotlight lifestyle fulfilling. This greatly dismays her bitchy manager mother, who Emily finally stands up to and fires from being her manager, thank God.

Another actress in the movie is arrested for attempted murder, but she was set up of course… the real killer ends up being the wacky director and the climactic scene has him filming Emily trying to escape from the spooky deserted old Conway Mansion as he hunts her down and attempts to kill bet on camera. He intends on releasing the footage and becoming “famous forever” or something while he escapes abroad.

Eye roll …

So the Conway Mansion is gonna play into the overarching mystery, because earlier in the book Emily had found one of the children’s diaries in the mansion, when the whole cast & crew were meeting at the abandoned house to view it as a potential set for the movie. She tells the Navy SEALs about the diary and they’re gonna try to get the Mayor’s permission to retrieve it because maybe it’ll give them some insight into the 5 still five missing women’s disappearances, and help them in solving that mystery. I still think that the Mayor may end up being involved in the missing women mystery… we shall see.

So at the very end of this book, Nora has accepted a counseling job at the local high school and Zac is working there part-time (just a couple days a week) to teach wilderness/safety skills to students or something… So they will indeed be the MFC and MMC of book 5.

[Suzana]

〽️ Contemporary romance
〽️ Romantic suspense
〽️ Small town
〽️ Military
〽️ Protector
〽️ Deadly Obsession
〽️ Second Chance Romance
〽️ Celebrity × Small Town
〽️ Protective Hero
〽️ Former SEAL Hero
〽️ He Let Her Go Because He Loved Her
〽️ Hollywood Star Heroine
〽️ Forced proximity
〽️ Grumpy x Sunshine
〽️ Workplace romance
〽️ Enough emotional baggage to fill a room + emotional roller-coaster
〽️ Fun cast of supporting characters
〽️ Engaging / riveting / gripping / gritty / addictive storyline
〽️ Page turner / suspenseful / fast paced

╰┈➤Emily Prior: Comes to Deep River as one of Hollywood's biggest starlets to film a horror movie. She hadn't seen Ryan Slade in five years. She struggles with the heavy emotional baggage of her past and is constantly suppressed by a domineering, toxic, and controlling mother who dictates her life and career choices.
╰┈➤Ryan Slade: A former Navy SEAL who moved to Deep River. He is a team leader of the elite search and rescue team providing security and navigation for the movie set in the dangerous Montana woods. He broke Emily's heart years ago, falsely believing he was protecting her career from his military deployments, but he has never stopped loving her.

౨ৎ A dangerous antagonist is targeting the movie crew, methodically turning fictional, lethal horror movie scenes into real-life murder.
౨ৎ A betrayal from the inner circle and a hidden threat close to home keeps everyone on edge.
౨ৎ Ryan and his search and rescue teammates are forced into close proximity with the Hollywood crew to handle the escalating danger.
౨ৎ The overarching mystery of the movie-set murders and the psychological thriller elements are woven perfectly.
౨ৎ Emily and Ryan reconnect in Deep River, forcing them to confront their unresolved feelings and his past mistakes.
౨ৎ Their relationship is complex and layered, especially because of Emily's built-up resentment and Ryan's lingering guilt over letting her go.
౨ৎ Their love story is deeply rooted in their shared past, intense emotional depth, and heartbreak.
౨ৎ Lot of tension, unresolved feelings, professional boundaries crossing, and past hurts.
౨ৎ Ryan is a protective alpha hero, shifting into even more hyper-vigilant protector the second Emily is threatened.
౨ৎ Despite the internal battles and the weight of their history, the classic grumpy x sunshine dynamic and undeniable spark between them reignites.
౨ৎ Torn between the lingering pain of the past and the promise of a future they both desperately want.
౨ৎ Ryan is fiercely protective of Emily as the lethal movie-set danger escalates.
౨ৎ Emotional healing, breaking free from toxic parental control, and overcoming past regrets.
౨ৎ Romantic suspense, second-chance romance, and deadly obsession thriller.
౨ৎ Small-town Deep River dynamics mixed with Hollywood glamour and dark woods suspense.
౨ৎ Enough suspense, workplace tension, and emotional baggage to fill a room.
౨ৎ Page turner / suspenseful / fast paced.
౨ৎ Engaging / riveting / gripping / gritty / addictive storyline.
౨ৎ Absolutely love how this addition to the Deep River series delivers!

[Bette]

Awesome Story & Narration🎧Captivating & Heartfelt!

Secrets in the Deep
Deep River, Book 4
By: Nyssa Kathryn
Narrated by: Savannah Thomas, Aaron Shedlock

Nyssa Kathryn’s “Deep River” series is amazing, with each installment as brilliant as the last. Each book features a member of the new Search and Rescue team, all former military, which is funded by a mysterious benefactor. Their stories stand on their own, but to get the most out of the incredible world-building and an ongoing series storyline, it is best to enjoy them in the order written. This fourth book is Ryan Slade and Emily Prior’s story, a beautiful second-chance romantic suspense that tugs at your heartstrings, mystery and suspense that keeps you thinking, then takes you to the edge of your seat. Six years earlier, Emily and Ryan were in love, and he was active in the military while she was pursuing an acting career in Hollywood. While home in between missions, Ryan thought he was doing the right thing for her, breaking up with her for the sake of her career, breaking both their hearts and forever changing their lives, even more than he knew. In the present time, Emily is in Deep River starring in a movie being filmed there, and she was not expecting to see Ryan, and Ryan heard rumors about who the replacement star was, but did not believe it until he saw her, his one regret and the one who got away. There were unresolved feelings between these two, and the chemistry between them did not diminish. It was great watching these two first fight their feelings, their angst over what the other had done or not done, learn the reasoning and the truth, and then the reacquaintance. Along with the romance storyline is the suspense storyline, which is absolutely brilliant and well done, mimicking the movie scenes. There is never a dull moment in this book, a masterfully crafted, multi-layered story with a perfect balance of drama, angst, twists and turns, thrilling suspense, heartfelt emotions, and a slow-burn but so worth the wait romance. Nyssa Kathryn, thank you for another amazing story and the wild and emotional rollercoaster ride.

🎧📚🎧 Another grand audiobook production and listen performed in duet by the wonderfully talented Savannah Thomas and Aaron Shedlock, who delivered an amazing performance voicing the characters. They embodied their characters completely, capturing all facets of their personalities, excellent not just as the two leads, Emily and Ryan, but were equally impressive in their portrayal of the side characters too. Their expressive delivery conveys all the characters’ emotions, and they had you feeling each one. These two entertaining storytellers make an ideal duo, with voices and talent that complement each other and a captivating performance that rivets you to the story.

[𝒩𝒶𝒹𝒾𝒶𝒽]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)

As a longtime Nyssa Kathryn reader, Secrets in the Deep reminded me exactly why I keep coming back to her books. She has such a talent for blending emotional romance with high-stakes suspense, and this story delivered everything I was hoping for. From the first chapter, I was completely invested in Emily and Ryan's journey, and I honestly didn't want it to end.

Second-chance romance is one of my favorite tropes when it's done well, and Nyssa absolutely nailed it here. Emily and Ryan's history felt authentic, with years of lingering heartbreak, love, and unanswered questions making every interaction between them meaningful. Their chemistry was undeniable, but what I appreciated most was how they had to earn their way back to each other. Their relationship was built on healing, forgiveness, and rediscovering the love they never truly lost.

The suspense was just as captivating as the romance. The mystery surrounding someone recreating scenes from Emily's movie kept me guessing, and every chapter added another layer of tension. I loved how the danger never felt forced—it fit naturally into the story and made it impossible to put the book down. Just when I thought I had everything figured out, another twist pulled me right back in.

One of the things I love most about Nyssa Kathryn's books is the sense of community she creates, and returning to Deep River felt like coming home. The familiar setting, the supporting characters, and Ryan's search-and-rescue team all added so much heart to the story. They made the world feel lived in while giving Emily and Ryan the perfect backdrop for their second chance.

As an ARC reader, I'm so grateful I had the opportunity to read this before release. This is another fantastic addition to the Deep River series and one of my favorites yet. If you're already a Nyssa Kathryn fan, you're going to love every minute of this book. And if you're new to her writing, Secrets in the Deep is a perfect example of why so many readers keep coming back for more. It has the perfect balance of romance, suspense, emotion, and small-town charm, and I can't recommend it enough.

[♡︎ Kesa Subban ♡︎]

ꍏ꒒ꏳ ꋪꏂ꒦ꀤꏂꅐ 5 ⭐
𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐨 - 𝖱𝗒𝖺𝗇
𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐞 - 𝖤𝗆𝗂
𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐎𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧

Book four in this series and I swear Nyssa is just hitting the mark with everyone of them.

Emi, five years ago she fell in love. It was fast and with utmost certainty the best thing that happened. But one sentence changed everything, her world crushed. And she was forced on a path she didn't want, a choice that was made for her.

Now. Years later, she is one of Hollywood's best actresses, living a life so many people want, yet she just wants out.

Ryan, his childhood wasn't the best and he always made decisions for his sister and himself, for a better life. Five years ago, he did it again, and broke his own heart in the process.

It was the most painful thing he ever did, but he did it because he believed he wasn't worth it.

Now. Years later, after leaving the Navy he has joined his brothers in Deep River and is the leader of the Search and Rescue team. The one thing missing in his life is Emi, and when she arrives in town to shoot a movie, it's his second chance. He just has to not mess it up.

Ryan and Emi's book was filled with years worth of pain, decisions, betrayal and a love that never went away. What an emotional journey. And the suspense, had me on the edge of my damn seat. Loved every second of it.

I loved this book & the audio just made it 10× better.

ꍏ꒒ꏳ ꋪꏂ꒦ꀤꏂꅐ - 10/10

This book was narrated in duet by 𝑆𝑎𝑣𝑎𝑛𝑛𝑎ℎ 𝑇ℎ𝑜𝑚𝑎𝑠 & 𝐴𝑎𝑟𝑜𝑛 𝑆ℎ𝑒𝑑𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑘.

𝑺𝒂𝒗𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒂𝒉 𝑻𝒉𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒔 𝒂𝒔 𝑬𝒎𝒊. I absolutely love this narrator and she embodied this character so perfectly, she really brought out Emi's emotions and vulnerability so well.

𝑨𝒂𝒓𝒐𝒏 𝑺𝒉𝒆𝒅𝒍𝒐𝒄𝒌 𝒂𝒔 𝑹𝒚𝒂𝒏. This was my first time listening to this narrator and his voice was spot the freak on for Ryan's character. Ryan was a strong and protective leader but he also had a softness to him when it came to Emi and his sister. And his switch up in tone when he narrated the other characters 👌🏻

𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬
𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐨 🔍🛟🔫🔍🛟
𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐞 📽️🎬📽️🎬📽️
𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥 🥵🌶️
𝐏𝐥𝐨𝐭 📚📚📚📚.5
𝐄𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥 💧

[Denise H]

Secrets in the Deep was another wonderful addition to the Deep River series. It had a great combination of suspense, emotion, romance, and small-town charm. It also had an additional element of freshness and mystery with the film crew milling around town and the killer reenacting movie scenes in real time. The support characters were charming and humorous and balanced out the heavier second chance romance between Ryan and Emily.

I loved how all the women rallied around Emily and brought her into the fold and treated her like she’d always been there. That’s part of the reason I really enjoy Nyssa’s books: the friendliness and helpfulness of the other women. They don’t have to be asked or bribed or anything of the sort. They see, they take action and make the new additions feel important and seen from the start.

It was also fantastic to see Emily finally be able to take control of her life the way she’d always wanted to, speak up for herself with her overbearing mother and Ryan, and set herself free of living everyone else’s ideal of what they thought she wanted for her life.

The chemistry between Ryan and Emily still burned hot after all the years apart and it was easy to see them as a couple. Though Ryan took several wrong turns with Emily along the way, their reconciliation and newfound relationship was solid by the end and full of love, understanding, and promise for the future.

There’s not a lot of time spent with the search and rescue team, as most of it is directly around the filming and Ryan and Emily’s relationship, but they do make appearances along with a surprise visit from Ryan’s baby sister, Nora. There’s definitely something simmering between her and Ryan’s search and rescue buddy Zac and the hook at the end absolutely has me eager for their book.

[Bec McQuillan]

Secrets in the Deep, the fourth instalment in Nyssa Kathryn’s Deep River series, dives straight into the emotional wreckage left behind when Emily Prior’s world shattered five years earlier. Now a celebrated actress returning to Deep River to film her newest project, Emily is blindsided when she comes face‑to‑face with the man who broke her—Ryan Slade. She’s determined to keep her distance, but when unsettling incidents begin mirroring scenes from the movie’s script, Emily finds herself reluctantly relying on Ryan and his team. As danger closes in, the question becomes impossible to ignore: is there room for a second chance between them?

What struck me most while reading was the way Kathryn explores the ripple effects of parental interference—how ambition, resentment, and unmet dreams can twist into something destructive. The themes of greed and jealousy are threaded through the story with a sharpness that makes you pause and think.

I’ve been hooked on Kathryn’s writing ever since discovering the Mercy Ring series, and this book only deepened that love. Her pacing is consistently tight, her characters vivid, and her emotional beats land every time. I also appreciate her habit of teasing what’s coming next—it keeps the anticipation alive between releases.

Secrets in the Deep pulled me in from the opening chapter and didn’t let go. Kathryn has a talent for weaving familiar faces from the series into each storyline in a way that feels natural and rewarding. The setting is described with such clarity that it’s easy to imagine yourself right there in Deep River, watching events unfold.

This ARC was a pleasure to read, and I’m grateful to the author for the opportunity. I absolutely recommend Secrets in the Deep to anyone who loves character‑driven romantic suspense with heart, tension, and a beautifully crafted second‑chance arc.

[Patty]

Secrets in the Deep
Deep River, Book 4
By: Nyssa Kathryn
Narrated by: Savannah Thomas, Aaron Shedlock

I see Nyssa Kathryn's name and I know, it's for me. This fourth book int he Deep River series is romantic, full of amazing characters and full of twists and turns. Emily and Ryan were in love, but after understanding Emily's chance to be the actress she wants to be, Ryan breaks up with her. Emily was heartbroken, but driven by her mom, she becomes the famous star she wanted. Or did she? Now she is in Deep River shooting a movie she didn't want, and to make it worse, Ryan is there on set with his team, keeping people away and the cast safe. There are so many unresolved issues between these two, and he can't keep his eyes or hands off her. Finally they talk and now we get to see where things go. That is when things on set start to go awry. It's scary, and no one knows what is going on or why. Danger is becoming greater and Ryan needs to keep Emily safe. Who is creating the threats, why and what will happen next? The team is there, the women have taken Emily in, her mom is crazy and some various new characters that could be the suspects. It's so romantic and so terrifying all at the same time. It's fantastic!

Aaron Shedlock breaks out with a protectiveness and warmth that makes Ryan the man to be with! Each scene builds on his feelings, and he has his voice full of emotion and at the same time keeps him calm. Savannah Thomas is Emily and she nails her personality. Angry and bored with her life, she gives her the inflections to make her real. Then she can turn on the sensuality and make her love with such ease showcasing her talent. I loved this team for this book, perfectly cast, they made an amazing listen.

[shanelle maree]

𝕒 𝕦 𝕕 𝕚 𝕠 𝕣 𝕖 𝕔 & 𝕣 𝕖 𝕧 𝕚 𝕖 𝕨

🌟:4 🌶️:2 🎧:5

Narrated by: Savannah Thomas & Aaron Shedlock in duet

•–•Some tropes I think you’ll love•–•
▪️ second chance romance
▪️ romantic suspense
▪️ actress fmc x ex-military mmc
▪️ bodyguard romance

Ughhh, I’m a sucker for a good second chance romance. 🫠 it’s one of my favorite tropes for a reason. This 4th book in the series gives the perfect "it's always been you" energy and mixes it with a wild, edge-of-your-seat mystery. I was hookethed. 👀

Five years ago, Ryan broke Emily's heart to protect her acting career, essentially pushing her away because he loved her too much and he didn’t want her to resent him for “holding her back”. This broke Emily’s heart, and she never really recovered from it. Fast forward to present day, and Emily is back in their small hometown to shoot a massive movie. Ryan is working search and rescue, so of course with it being a small town, they run right into each other. But as tensions start heating up, things start getting crazy real fast when a stalker starts staging actual, deadly accidents on set that copy the exact scenes from Emily's movie script. I tell you what, Nyssa always knows how to keep things compelling and interesting!

The chemistry between Ryan and Emily is completely undeniable and is off the charts. Watching Emily try to guard her heart while seeing Ryan go into full-on, broody protective mode makes the emotional payoff so worth it. ✨

The audiobook is a masterpiece thanks to the flawless narration in duet by Savannah Thomas and Aaron Shedlock. They interacted so seamlessly, and it completely elevated the suspense and made the romantic tension feel so alive. 🥰

Highly recommend!!! 💖✨

[Robyn Corcoran]

Secrets In The Deep is the fourth book in this fabulous series, it focuses on Ryan and Emily who were once as close as any couple could be.

Emily is a successful actress who has moved to Deep River to film her latest movie. However, she’s not the only one who has come to Deep River, someone very disturbing is targeting her, and although she and Ryan are no longer a couple, he knows he and his team have to keep her safe.

Ryan works on the town’s search and rescue team after retiring from the military. Seeing Emily again totally throws him for a loop. He only pushed her away five years previously because he didn’t want her to miss out on all of the possible opportunities her career could offer, while he was deployed overseas.

The chemistry between these two lead characters is still roaring hot but their relationship needed a lot more to heal. This second-chance
at love romance is up there with the best of them. They have a lot of outside interference though, between familial pressure, exhaustion, and that pesky person attacking cast members.

Being back in Deep River is like going back to your favourite holiday place. The characters from previous books welcome you as old friends and the story flows so smoothly all of a sudden, the end is coming up. Nora, Ryan’s sister, is such a fun character I can’t wait for her story with Zac in the next book.

The opening scene hooked me straight away and I literally couldn’t put the book down. Lots of incredible action and drama keep you glued to the pages and turning as fast as you can read. With the plot twists Ms Kathryn keeps her readers on their toes, I loved it!

[Kellie Rivera]

ASTONISHING!!!

*ALC Review*

Nyssa ma’am, you did a phenomenal job with this book which I’m not surprised at all because everything I’ve read and listened to of yours always leaves me wanting more. There’s something about your writing that just always has a chokehold on me from the very beginning to the end. Nyssa I will always be a big fan of yours because your books are the perfect balance of suspense and entry that I have no choice but to fall in love with it.

This book made me laugh a few times, at times broke my heart, made me so so happy, made me hot and bothered, was on pins and needles, at times made me so so angry, had a few OMG moments and so many other things. Nyssa there’s something about your writing that always has the perfect balance of suspense and nail biting anticipation to find out what happens next. You are always my go to when it comes to romantic suspense books that always makes me want more.

I want to give a big shout out to Savannah Thomas and Aaron Shedlock for bringing this beautiful audiobook to life. Savannah your portrayal of Emily was so beautiful performed because you had the perfect balance of heartache and devastation of not being with your love of your life. Aaron your portrayal of Ryan was so powerful because you had the perfect balance of longing and disappointment that you walked away from your love of your life.

If you absolutely love a book about second chances with the love of your life, then this book is for you. This book was truly a whirlwind of suspense that I devoured it in less than two days. What are you waiting for people? You seriously need to get this book today. You won’t be disappointed.

[Janelle]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Book Review

This was such a fantastic blend of second-chance romance, small-town vibes, and romantic suspense! ❤️‍🔥

Emily and Ryan’s story had me hooked from the beginning. Five years apart may have changed their lives, but it definitely didn’t erase the feelings between them. I loved watching them find their way back to each other while dealing with all the hurt and unresolved emotions from their past.

Ryan was the perfect protective hero, and once the danger surrounding Emily started escalating, the suspense really kicked in! Someone is recreating scenes from the movie in real life, and the stakes quickly become deadly. I loved trying to figure out who was behind everything while watching Emily and Ryan fight for their second chance.

The combination of Hollywood, small-town romance, military hero, second chances, protective instincts, danger, and suspense made this such an entertaining story! ❤️📚

🎧 Narrator Review — Savannah Thomas & Aaron Shedlock

Savannah Thomas and Aaron Shedlock were fantastic! Their performances brought Emily and Ryan to life and really captured the emotions, chemistry, tension, and suspense throughout the story.

I especially loved how they portrayed the emotional moments between Emily and Ryan. Their voices worked so well together and made it easy to get completely lost in the story. They kept me invested from beginning to end and added another layer to an already great romance.

Savannah Thomas and Aaron Shedlock were the perfect narrators for this story! 🎧❤️

If you love second-chance romance with a protective hero and a suspenseful storyline, this is definitely one to check out! 🔥📚

[Jess]

Secrets in the Deep is the 4th book in the Deep River series by Nyssa Kathryn.

This installment focuses on Ryan and Emily. Ryan had the best of intentions when he broke up with Emily, he wanted her to pursue her acting career so that she was ready to give up for him. He couldn’t have known then that breaking her heart would alter her life in more ways than one. Fast forward 5 years and Emily is a successful award winning movie star who has just been casted to portray the lead character in a scary movie which is set to film in Deep River. The last person she ever expected to see was Ryan, and all of those feelings of love and hurt are still there. Now with a stalker on the loose, Ryan feels even more protective of Emily, and their constant proximity is the spark needed to light those old flames.

This series has been such a pleasure to listen to and Ryan and Emily’s story was no exception. Their connection was mentioned previously, but diving into their past was such an emotional experience. Emily’s heartbreak over Ryan was palpable, I wanted to jump through the book and give her a hug! Ryan’s protective nature was swoon worthy and I couldn’t have wanted a happy ending for these too anymore than I did!

Secrets in the Deep is narrated in duet by Savannah Thomas and Aaron Sheldock. This is my second time listening to these two narrate together and they are quite the combination! Their voices and performances compliment each other so well, making this such a treat of an audiobook to listen to!

[Ginny]

Second chance, romantic suspense

I love going back to Deep River. The men are alpha but sweet, and the woman are fierce. Ryan and Emily were no exception. They have a brief but intense history. They split up 5 years ago and now she is back. She’s a Hollywood starlet and her latest film is being shot in the town and woods of Deep River. Ryan’s SAR team is brought on to keep the cast and crew safe. Their reunion is rocky. The chemistry is still there but there’s a history to work out and old misguided feelings start to creep back in.

Ryan and Emi are trying to reconnect but it’s not easy. Accidents happen on set but then things escalate when someone is recreating scenes from the movie. Besides the threats to the cast, there’s a interfering stage mom and the uncertain future of Emi’s career. This is a fast paced, intense, emotional, and suspenseful ride. I love the appearances of the other SAR team members and the way the women included Emi.

Duet narration by Savannah Thomas and Aaron Shedlock. They were fantastic! Savannah was a perfect balance of vulnerable and powerful as Emi. Aaron portrayed the broody Ryan and nailed the mix of emotions he goes through. You felt his adoration and protectiveness of Emi. The story is intense and with a full cast of characters. Savannah and Aaron captured it all and brought the story to life.

There are still some things left unanswered, but clues to what might be next. I can’t wait for the final installment of this series.

[bookishWife]

Five years ago, Emily was ready to leave her career behind to be with Ryan. Ryan couldn't let her make that sacrifice, so he broke up with her. Five years later, they meet again in Deep River, where Emily has become a famous actress and is filming her latest project.

Ryan obviously never got over her. The moment he sees Emily again, he's drawn right back to her. Emily is still as beautiful as ever, but she's also on the verge of burnout from the pressure coming at her from every direction. Then strange things start happening on set, and Ryan's protective instincts immediately kick into high gear.

Ryan has some serious parental issues. He was raised to believe that being responsible for the people he loves means taking control and making decisions for them. Unfortunately, that mindset leads him to repeat the same mistakes with Emily. To his credit, he eventually realizes that he needs to change and genuinely tries to do better—but honestly, I wanted to slap him so many times along the way.

Overall, this book lived up to my expectations for an NK romance. It's suspenseful, romantic, and emotionally satisfying. I especially appreciated that Emily and Ryan's original separation wasn't caused by some ridiculous misunderstanding or dumb communication problem. Their issues felt rooted in their personalities and circumstances, which made their second-chance romance much more believable.

[Di]

Years ago Ryan made a decision that affected his life and Emily’s, not giving her a chance to fight for them. Circumstances kept them apart and now that she is his small town filming a movie, there is no way to avoid each other, especially since he is part of security for the location. Emily can’t believe she is seeing Ryan, he broke her heart and left her without hesitation, what she doesn’t know is that after all these years, he never stopped loving her and made a decision after a hard mission and some meddling from her mom. Seeing each other brings up the bad memories but also the feelings they had for each other, and when strange happenings start on the set, Ryan stays close for protection, which allows them to rehash what happened all those years ago. Not everyone is happy they are getting close again and it seems like someone is acting out the movie in real life and when they finally figure out what is happening….they may be too late.
Another great addition to the series with suspense, surprises, twists and turns, steam, and great characters that kept me flipping the pages. Ryan…oh Ryan…good intentions and heartfelt but Emily has her own mind, she knows what she wants and good for her for finally sticking up for herself with everyone. The story flowed with descriptions that were spot on and the ending…what a plot twist…loved it!

[Carolyn Glover]

I can’t believe we’re already at Book 4 in this wonderful series! Coming back to Deep River really does feel like meeting up with old friends, and I love catching up with the characters we’ve come to know and love.

This time, it’s Ryan’s story, and things get even more interesting when an old flame arrives in Deep River. As Ryan and Emily begin to reconnect, danger starts to threaten the movie set where Emily is working, leaving Ryan and his team to use all their skills to keep her safe.

As always, Nyssa Kathryn delivers another page-turning romantic suspense filled with danger, tension, romance and plenty of emotion. I absolutely couldn’t put this one down and found myself racing through the pages to see what would happen next.

This can definitely be read as a standalone, but I highly recommend reading the whole series - you will get so much more enjoyment from getting to know the characters and the Deep River community.

I am especially excited that it looks like some new members are joining the team! I cannot wait to read Zac and Norah’s story next.

Another fantastic addition to a series I’m really loving and another reminder of why Nyssa Kathryn is one of my go-to authors!

[S Celeste]

I am loving this series so much! Each story draws me more into Deep River. This is book 4 and it follows Actress Emily Pryor and her second chance with Ryan Slade who is now part of the SAR team in Deep River. Ryan and Emily fell hard and fast, but when Emily makes a decision to give up a chance at a starring movie role, Ryan breaks things off and breaks her heart so she won’t give it all up for him. Years later when their paths cross again, it’s in Deep River and Emily is shooting a movie that is plagued with a series of accidents. Ryan and his team of course jump in to provide assistance to the cast and crew, and Ryan is determined to keep Emily safe. They are also forced to finally confront their feelings for each other.

I loved Ryan and Emily. I love a good second chance romance, and this one has a lot of great elements including a meddling mother, of course, a lot of suspense, and just the right amount of steam. The Deep River Series is 4 books in, but I already don’t want it to end! Emily and Ryan’s HEA is hard fought and worth the read/listen. I was able to experience this on audio narrated by Aaron Shedlock and Savannah Thomas; you get all the drama, suspense, and steam for your listening pleasure. Great listen!

[Jenn the Readaholic]

Is it wrong that I wanted some more…misery for Emily’s mom? Not life threatening or physical, mind you. Just the emotional suffering deserved for the events she deliberately set into motion. I mean, I did feel for her in the end, but oh, she made me angry too many times to just want her to feel a twinge of remorse, rather than a truckload of it!

But I digress. Ryan and Emily have quite the past. And one of them unilaterally made decisions to ruin everything. That same person is now doing it AGAIN. Even though they know better. Or should. But this time, the other party isn’t just going to deal. Nope. They’re going to be heard, seen, and then move on if that’s what has to happen. They just have to survive whoever wants them gone first.

This town has a lot of mystery, even more danger, a criminally lazy man in charge of safety, and a mayor who seems to be hiding far more than one would originality guess. But I demand more. Yeah, demand. I already need to know what’s coming their way next. I need Nora to share her secrets and her fears. I need the next new face to arrive since that means the series will continue. And oh, how I need the next dangerous mystery sooner than later!