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Head Under Water
Opal Sullivan has a plan:
- Move home to help her mother grieve the loss of her best friend
- Stay in her childhood home until she finds a place of her own
- Keep far, far away from Will Kendricks
Opal’s plan falls apart before she can unpack the first box.
- Too many questions still linger around Ruth’s death
- Her mom has already found her a new roommate
- The new roommate is Will
Growing up as neighbors with best friends for mothers, Opal has never been able to untangle her life from Will’s. He was the boy who teased her, the teenager she hated, and the man she never understood. And after one night they’ve kept buried all these years, they stopped speaking altogether.
Now they have no choice but to break their rules if they want the truth about Ruth’s death.
Because something isn’t right.
The town and life that once felt so safe now simmer with unease.
When tragedy strikes again, Opal knows time is running out. The deeper she digs, the more certain she becomes: whatever truths they uncover might be more devastating than all the lies.
Pulled together by grief and suspicion, the boy she once despised becomes something far more dangerous—someone she can’t quite trust, and yet can’t bring herself to let go of. Are they ready to face the past they’ve both tried to forget?
Will might be her downfall…
Or the thing that saves her from it.
Three-million-copy bestselling author Kiersten Modglin returns with a haunting blend of romantic suspense and psychological thriller. This high-angst and totally unpredictable enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity story is dripping with tension, yearning, and shocking secrets that will have you falling desperately in love and obsessively searching for answers with every turn of the page.
- Move home to help her mother grieve the loss of her best friend
- Stay in her childhood home until she finds a place of her own
- Keep far, far away from Will Kendricks
Opal’s plan falls apart before she can unpack the first box.
- Too many questions still linger around Ruth’s death
- Her mom has already found her a new roommate
- The new roommate is Will
Growing up as neighbors with best friends for mothers, Opal has never been able to untangle her life from Will’s. He was the boy who teased her, the teenager she hated, and the man she never understood. And after one night they’ve kept buried all these years, they stopped speaking altogether.
Now they have no choice but to break their rules if they want the truth about Ruth’s death.
Because something isn’t right.
The town and life that once felt so safe now simmer with unease.
When tragedy strikes again, Opal knows time is running out. The deeper she digs, the more certain she becomes: whatever truths they uncover might be more devastating than all the lies.
Pulled together by grief and suspicion, the boy she once despised becomes something far more dangerous—someone she can’t quite trust, and yet can’t bring herself to let go of. Are they ready to face the past they’ve both tried to forget?
Will might be her downfall…
Or the thing that saves her from it.
Three-million-copy bestselling author Kiersten Modglin returns with a haunting blend of romantic suspense and psychological thriller. This high-angst and totally unpredictable enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity story is dripping with tension, yearning, and shocking secrets that will have you falling desperately in love and obsessively searching for answers with every turn of the page.
315 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 25, 2026
About the author
Kiersten Modglin
66 books16.3k followersABOUT KIERSTEN MODGLIN®:
Welcome to the KMod Squad—
The rooms change here.
The house stays the same.
KIERSTEN MODGLIN is a #1 bestselling author known for unique and unforgettable stories that explore the cobweb-filled corners of human nature. Her stories cross genre lines, inviting readers to follow her into psychological thrillers, domestic suspense, romantic thrillers, mysteries, and emotionally driven fiction. Each novel opens another doorway into the KMod Universe, where ordinary people and seemingly harmless decisions unleash blindsiding consequences.
A fiercely independent author, Kiersten has built her career around creative freedom, fearless storytelling, and a direct connection with the readers who have come along for the ride. Her books have sold over three million copies worldwide, been translated into multiple languages, and earned recognition including KDP Select All-Star, ThrillerFix’s Best Psychological Thriller Award, Suspense Magazine’s Best Book of 2021 Award, and multiple Silver Falchions.
From the darkest parts of the human mind to stories of resilience, love, and survival, Kiersten’s novels invite readers to explore an ever-expanding world where each story promises to be everything they hope for and nothing they expect. Her readers lovingly coined the name “KMod” early in her career, and it has grown into more than a nickname. It represents a storyteller whose curiosity leads her—and the readers who have joined her—through doors they never expected to open.
Make yourself at home here. Look around. Step into the next room. You never know what’s waiting for you.
Welcome to the KMod Squad—
The rooms change here.
The house stays the same.
KIERSTEN MODGLIN is a #1 bestselling author known for unique and unforgettable stories that explore the cobweb-filled corners of human nature. Her stories cross genre lines, inviting readers to follow her into psychological thrillers, domestic suspense, romantic thrillers, mysteries, and emotionally driven fiction. Each novel opens another doorway into the KMod Universe, where ordinary people and seemingly harmless decisions unleash blindsiding consequences.
A fiercely independent author, Kiersten has built her career around creative freedom, fearless storytelling, and a direct connection with the readers who have come along for the ride. Her books have sold over three million copies worldwide, been translated into multiple languages, and earned recognition including KDP Select All-Star, ThrillerFix’s Best Psychological Thriller Award, Suspense Magazine’s Best Book of 2021 Award, and multiple Silver Falchions.
From the darkest parts of the human mind to stories of resilience, love, and survival, Kiersten’s novels invite readers to explore an ever-expanding world where each story promises to be everything they hope for and nothing they expect. Her readers lovingly coined the name “KMod” early in her career, and it has grown into more than a nickname. It represents a storyteller whose curiosity leads her—and the readers who have joined her—through doors they never expected to open.
Make yourself at home here. Look around. Step into the next room. You never know what’s waiting for you.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 122 reviews
October 26, 2026
Opal comes home to help her mum after a loss, only to find herself living with Will, the one person she wanted to avoid. Add a suspicious death, old secrets and a complicated history between them, and things get messy pretty quickly!
I enjoyed the relationship between Opal and Will, and their past made things more interesting. I also liked the family connections and how the story moved between the past and present. There was plenty to keep me curious, although I did find myself wanting more focus on the mystery at times, as the romance took centre stage for quite a bit of the story.
The final reveals helped make up for the slower parts, and I enjoyed seeing how everything came together. I would have liked a little more suspense throughout, but this was still an entertaining read with a good mix of romance, secrets and twists. 🖤
I enjoyed the relationship between Opal and Will, and their past made things more interesting. I also liked the family connections and how the story moved between the past and present. There was plenty to keep me curious, although I did find myself wanting more focus on the mystery at times, as the romance took centre stage for quite a bit of the story.
The final reveals helped make up for the slower parts, and I enjoyed seeing how everything came together. I would have liked a little more suspense throughout, but this was still an entertaining read with a good mix of romance, secrets and twists. 🖤
Read
September 12, 2026ALC provided by High Gravity Productions.
Head Under Water had some interesting moments, and one of my favorite parts was the three moms raising the kids together. I loved that whole family dynamic. The romance between Opal and Will was the center of the story.
The thriller side worked less for me. I figured out what was going on pretty early, and with such a small group of characters, the mystery wasn’t hard to narrow down. There was also one scene where the logic completely lost me, which made the reveal more frustrating than surprising.
Persephone Lee did an amazing job with the single narration. Her male and female voices were both strong, and her tone and delivery really helped with the tension. Even with the time jumps, the audio was easy to follow, and her performance added more to the suspense than the plot itself did for me.
Overall, I liked the romance and family side more than the mystery, but the narration was definitely a highlight.
I’d recommend this to readers who like romance-forward suspense, and strong single narration.
Head Under Water had some interesting moments, and one of my favorite parts was the three moms raising the kids together. I loved that whole family dynamic. The romance between Opal and Will was the center of the story.
The thriller side worked less for me. I figured out what was going on pretty early, and with such a small group of characters, the mystery wasn’t hard to narrow down. There was also one scene where the logic completely lost me, which made the reveal more frustrating than surprising.
Persephone Lee did an amazing job with the single narration. Her male and female voices were both strong, and her tone and delivery really helped with the tension. Even with the time jumps, the audio was easy to follow, and her performance added more to the suspense than the plot itself did for me.
Overall, I liked the romance and family side more than the mystery, but the narration was definitely a highlight.
I’d recommend this to readers who like romance-forward suspense, and strong single narration.
Did Not Finish
September 26, 20261,5 hours in and I’m capitulating. I’m just too old for the ‘I hate you, but somehow I realize I was wrong’ trope.
September 26, 2026
HEAD UNDER WATER BY THE LITTLE LEGEND THAT IS KIERSTEN MODGLIN
5 ✨ ✨ ✨ ✨ ✨s
I absolutely adored this book.
I loved the family dynamics and it was perfect.
The chemistry and romance between Opal and Will was just perfect.
This book cover is 🔥 love it.
Any fan of Hemlock will absolutely devour this story.
I highly recommend this book to every Romance Thriller lover ♥
5 ✨ ✨ ✨ ✨ ✨s
I absolutely adored this book.
I loved the family dynamics and it was perfect.
The chemistry and romance between Opal and Will was just perfect.
This book cover is 🔥 love it.
Any fan of Hemlock will absolutely devour this story.
I highly recommend this book to every Romance Thriller lover ♥
Review of advance copy received from Author
Mysterious, charming, and filled with tension, this romantic thriller buzzes with electrical chemistry.
Modglin expertly crafts a fresh and unique balance between angst, fear, and heartfelt moments like no other.
With scenes I'm STILL thinking about, this brilliant page-turner will have you in a chokehold from page one (guaranteed!) and leave your head spinning by the very end.
All the stars! My favourite read of the year.
Modglin expertly crafts a fresh and unique balance between angst, fear, and heartfelt moments like no other.
With scenes I'm STILL thinking about, this brilliant page-turner will have you in a chokehold from page one (guaranteed!) and leave your head spinning by the very end.
All the stars! My favourite read of the year.
September 30, 2026
This was entertaining, but it was extremely predictable from very early on. I knew everything that was going to happen. I think it was because of the prologue which just made it too easy to guess everything next.
I still really enjoyed the first half of the book though and the chemistry love/hate relationship between the 2 main characters. However, I think it lost the magic in the 2nd half. To me, the writing got a little bit silly and I had already predicted everything, but I stuck it out until the end.
I would say this book is entertaining enough to read if you are bored, but it is not going to blow your mind at all. 3 stars for sure.
I still really enjoyed the first half of the book though and the chemistry love/hate relationship between the 2 main characters. However, I think it lost the magic in the 2nd half. To me, the writing got a little bit silly and I had already predicted everything, but I stuck it out until the end.
I would say this book is entertaining enough to read if you are bored, but it is not going to blow your mind at all. 3 stars for sure.
October 23, 2026
I have been on a thriller kick lately and this one did not disappoint. Opal and Will have been tangled up in each other's lives forever since their moms were best friends, and the whole 'one night they never talk about' thing had me hooked from the start. I was so sure I had it figured out like three different times and I was wrong every single time.
The twist genuinely got me, which doesn't happen as much as I want it to anymore. My only complaint is that the middle dragged a little for me, but once it picked back up I could not put it down.
If you like slow burn thrillers where the ending actually pays off, add this one to your list.
The twist genuinely got me, which doesn't happen as much as I want it to anymore. My only complaint is that the middle dragged a little for me, but once it picked back up I could not put it down.
If you like slow burn thrillers where the ending actually pays off, add this one to your list.
September 30, 2026
I really enjoy Kiersten Modglin’s writing, but I didn’t love this story.
September 17, 2026
Kiersten Modglin does it again, but Head Under Water completely caught me off guard in the best way possible!
Will is my new book crush! This is heavy on the romance end, but I promise you won’t even care what happens in the mystery, you just have to know what happens with Opal and Will first. Well, at least for me anyways! I’m not typically a romance girlie, but this enemies-to-lovers story is so worth the pick-up.
The forced proximity of them unexpectedly having to live together while trying to uncover the truth behind Ruth’s death creates an absolute pressure cooker of tension and yearning.
Narrator Persephone Lee brings every drop of suspense, history, and raw emotion to life so seamlessly. If you're looking for a romantic thriller with high angst, wild twists, and unforgettable chemistry, press play on this audiobook immediately!
Will is my new book crush! This is heavy on the romance end, but I promise you won’t even care what happens in the mystery, you just have to know what happens with Opal and Will first. Well, at least for me anyways! I’m not typically a romance girlie, but this enemies-to-lovers story is so worth the pick-up.
The forced proximity of them unexpectedly having to live together while trying to uncover the truth behind Ruth’s death creates an absolute pressure cooker of tension and yearning.
Narrator Persephone Lee brings every drop of suspense, history, and raw emotion to life so seamlessly. If you're looking for a romantic thriller with high angst, wild twists, and unforgettable chemistry, press play on this audiobook immediately!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 27, 2026
Phenomenal
I am such a fan of Kiersten and the twists and turns of her books. I read this book so quickly to see if my theory was correct!
I am such a fan of Kiersten and the twists and turns of her books. I read this book so quickly to see if my theory was correct!
October 24, 2026
couldn't put this down!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
3.75/5 stars
This is my second book from this author and when I saw romantic thriller I was definitely intrigued. In this one we follow Opal as she is returning home to her hometown to help her mother grieve the loss of one of her best friends.
I really loved the found family aspect of this one with the three best friends (mothers) that were so close and raised their kids (most of them) so closely.
Opal's plans derail quickly when she is forced to be roommates with her childhood "frenemy". We got flashbacks to learn more about their backstory. While these flashbacks and backstory were good and necessary at times, other times it felt like a little too much and more focus on the past than the present.
Let's add in the mystery of what really happened to her mother's friend. So many different accusations of what actually happened. What is the actual truth? I do wish that we did have some more focus on the mystery at times.
I was surprised with the twist and what happened! Definitely wasn't what I expected. Part of it maybe, but not all!
I listened to this one and the audio was single narration by Persephone Lee, and I feel like she did a great job with the story and all of the characters!
If you enjoy a romantic thriller with found family vibes, enemies to lovers, and some suspense, then definitely check this one out. Huge thanks to High Gravity Productions for the copy to listen to!
This is my second book from this author and when I saw romantic thriller I was definitely intrigued. In this one we follow Opal as she is returning home to her hometown to help her mother grieve the loss of one of her best friends.
I really loved the found family aspect of this one with the three best friends (mothers) that were so close and raised their kids (most of them) so closely.
Opal's plans derail quickly when she is forced to be roommates with her childhood "frenemy". We got flashbacks to learn more about their backstory. While these flashbacks and backstory were good and necessary at times, other times it felt like a little too much and more focus on the past than the present.
Let's add in the mystery of what really happened to her mother's friend. So many different accusations of what actually happened. What is the actual truth? I do wish that we did have some more focus on the mystery at times.
I was surprised with the twist and what happened! Definitely wasn't what I expected. Part of it maybe, but not all!
I listened to this one and the audio was single narration by Persephone Lee, and I feel like she did a great job with the story and all of the characters!
If you enjoy a romantic thriller with found family vibes, enemies to lovers, and some suspense, then definitely check this one out. Huge thanks to High Gravity Productions for the copy to listen to!
October 1, 2026
I thought I loved Hemlock but omg, this just took first place for me out of all of her books! So much love shared in one book. Sisterly love, motherly love, romantic love and old love. This book means so much to me as I rediscovered my high school sweetheart many years later. We split up my last year of high school, married other people, had a child with them, our marriages crumbled and he found me again. We’ve been together ever since, 20 years in February. Thank you for all the feels and reminding me what’s really important in life.
October 2, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Head Under Water was such an amazing story! Will and Opal pulled at my heartstrings almost immediately, and I became so invested in them and their story.
I especially loved Will and the protective role he played throughout the book. There was something about his character that made it impossible not to root for him. The emotional side of this story hit just as hard as the suspense, which made me love it even more.
Kiersten Modglin has a way of keeping you turning the pages while also making you genuinely care about the characters, and this one absolutely did that for me. This has easily become one of my top 5 Kiersten Modglin books.
Emotional, suspenseful, heartbreaking, and completely addictive. I loved it so much that I already wish I could erase it from my memory just so I could read it again for the first time. ❤️
Head Under Water was such an amazing story! Will and Opal pulled at my heartstrings almost immediately, and I became so invested in them and their story.
I especially loved Will and the protective role he played throughout the book. There was something about his character that made it impossible not to root for him. The emotional side of this story hit just as hard as the suspense, which made me love it even more.
Kiersten Modglin has a way of keeping you turning the pages while also making you genuinely care about the characters, and this one absolutely did that for me. This has easily become one of my top 5 Kiersten Modglin books.
Emotional, suspenseful, heartbreaking, and completely addictive. I loved it so much that I already wish I could erase it from my memory just so I could read it again for the first time. ❤️
October 1, 2026
I LOVED this book so much!! I have an aunt Opel and I’ve never met anyone else with that name, absolutely love the name Opel. The story starts off with a bang and continues to build. Kiersten writes in a way that makes you feel like you’re literally living the story. Another 10 star book for me ✨
October 10, 2026
I absolutely loved this book! Kiersten Modglin always hits right for me. I loved Will and Opal’s love story as it unfolded. It was a perfect blend of a romantic thriller in my opinion and I would recommend it to anyone that likes that genre.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Head Under Water by Kiersten Modglin is a haunting, high-angst blend of psychological thriller and romantic suspense that weaves effortlessly between past and present.
The story follows Opal Sullivan, who returns home to help her grieving mother after the tragic loss of her best friend, Ruth. With plans to quickly find her own place and steer clear of her childhood neighbor and frenemy, Will Kendricks, Opal’s life immediately unravels when she learns her mother has rented her a room—with Will. Having shared a complicated history of best-friend mothers, bitter teasing, a buried past, and years of silence, Opal and Will are forced into close quarters. When questions and suspicious circumstances surrounding Ruth's death begin to mount, the pair team up to uncover the truth, navigating a tense small-town atmosphere where safety gives way to unease.
Blending an enemies-to-lovers romance packed with yearning, unresolved tension, and deep emotional stakes alongside a twisty mystery, the narrative keeps listeners guessing as past secrets threaten to resurface. The suspenseful listening experience is brought brilliantly to life through a phenomenal solo narration by Persephone Lee, whose strong distinct voices for each character and expertly paced delivery amplify the chilling atmosphere and emotional weight from start to finish.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. All words and opinions are my own; no AI was used in writing this review.
The story follows Opal Sullivan, who returns home to help her grieving mother after the tragic loss of her best friend, Ruth. With plans to quickly find her own place and steer clear of her childhood neighbor and frenemy, Will Kendricks, Opal’s life immediately unravels when she learns her mother has rented her a room—with Will. Having shared a complicated history of best-friend mothers, bitter teasing, a buried past, and years of silence, Opal and Will are forced into close quarters. When questions and suspicious circumstances surrounding Ruth's death begin to mount, the pair team up to uncover the truth, navigating a tense small-town atmosphere where safety gives way to unease.
Blending an enemies-to-lovers romance packed with yearning, unresolved tension, and deep emotional stakes alongside a twisty mystery, the narrative keeps listeners guessing as past secrets threaten to resurface. The suspenseful listening experience is brought brilliantly to life through a phenomenal solo narration by Persephone Lee, whose strong distinct voices for each character and expertly paced delivery amplify the chilling atmosphere and emotional weight from start to finish.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. All words and opinions are my own; no AI was used in writing this review.
September 28, 2026
Head Under Water by Kirsten Modglin
“For the first time, the future doesn’t feel like something to survive. It feels like something to step into.”
This was like falling into vintage KMod, and I am here for it. As fantastic as her thrillers are- her romantic thrillers are next level, and this did not disappoint.
I enjoyed this story. I liked how it was told, the alternating timelines and the way the characters develop as we go.
Something Kiersten does brilliantly is humanize her characters… they read as real people, with flaws and errors in judgment, and that feels so relatable.
I loved the depth to these characters, especially Will. I will forever be a Noah and Jesse girlie (iykyk), but Will is pretty dang great.
This story sucks you in. It is so layered and is very much a story within a story. I loved how the family is presented, and how the moms form a unified front, choosing to tackle life together. It takes a village, y'all.
This was a beautiful release from a writer we all know will never disappoint.
Publication Date: September 25, 2026
Publisher: Bitter House Publishing
“For the first time, the future doesn’t feel like something to survive. It feels like something to step into.”
This was like falling into vintage KMod, and I am here for it. As fantastic as her thrillers are- her romantic thrillers are next level, and this did not disappoint.
I enjoyed this story. I liked how it was told, the alternating timelines and the way the characters develop as we go.
Something Kiersten does brilliantly is humanize her characters… they read as real people, with flaws and errors in judgment, and that feels so relatable.
I loved the depth to these characters, especially Will. I will forever be a Noah and Jesse girlie (iykyk), but Will is pretty dang great.
This story sucks you in. It is so layered and is very much a story within a story. I loved how the family is presented, and how the moms form a unified front, choosing to tackle life together. It takes a village, y'all.
This was a beautiful release from a writer we all know will never disappoint.
Publication Date: September 25, 2026
Publisher: Bitter House Publishing
October 2, 2026
My thoughts 💭
Such an amazing story on how Opal & Will share a need to have each other in their life, no matter the situations. After all of these years, being pulled together by grief, they connect in a way that they hadn’t with anyone else before. Every turn of the page held high-angst & unexpected secrets waiting to come to light. I really enjoyed this story so much, yet I’m not surprised because of who wrote it, this author has very easily become a favorite of mine, with this making the 25th book of her’s I’ve had the opportunity to read! I would definitely recommend the story of Opal & Will, to anyone in search of a romantic thriller that includes an enemies-to-lovers trope & surprising secrets!! 🤫
Such an amazing story on how Opal & Will share a need to have each other in their life, no matter the situations. After all of these years, being pulled together by grief, they connect in a way that they hadn’t with anyone else before. Every turn of the page held high-angst & unexpected secrets waiting to come to light. I really enjoyed this story so much, yet I’m not surprised because of who wrote it, this author has very easily become a favorite of mine, with this making the 25th book of her’s I’ve had the opportunity to read! I would definitely recommend the story of Opal & Will, to anyone in search of a romantic thriller that includes an enemies-to-lovers trope & surprising secrets!! 🤫
Review of advance copy
Happy Pub day @kierstenmodglinauthor You’ve done it again. This one is filled with tension, mystery, angst and is a unique romantic thriller. A fresh novel, not to be missed. 5🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤 It’s no secret I am a huge fan of this author and she’s an auto buy for me. She can’t write them fast enough for me. 😊
September 27, 2026
Such A Good Story
I picked this up on release day and read it within a day! It was so good. Kept me hooked with each page. This novel was definitely more romance heavy than suspense but I enjoyed the heck out of it. 5/5 stars.
I picked this up on release day and read it within a day! It was so good. Kept me hooked with each page. This novel was definitely more romance heavy than suspense but I enjoyed the heck out of it. 5/5 stars.
September 28, 2026
3.5 stars. I love Kiersten Modglin but this feels underwhelming for me. Although this will not stop me from reading her books.
October 9, 2026
I loved this book so much!!! There was a perfect mix of romance and thriller energy!
October 3, 2026
Excellent read
I read this in under 24 hours. She did it again! Only K-Mod can make you feel you're part of a family such as this. There were a few twists and a love story inside this book. Well done K-Mod!
I read this in under 24 hours. She did it again! Only K-Mod can make you feel you're part of a family such as this. There were a few twists and a love story inside this book. Well done K-Mod!
October 22, 2026
I always enjoy Kiersten modglin books so much. 😍 this one had some mystery and some romance. I loved the banter between the characters and she always writes a great thriller ! I listened to this one on audio and the audiobook narrator was perfect. Can’t wait for the next one 🤩🛁
October 2, 2026
Such a delightful love story, such a twist of suspense, such a strong sense of friendship that becomes family. This book will tug at your heart while keeping you on your toes.
October 26, 2026
Incredible. My favourite romance book I’ve read this year. Thrilling and so bingeable. Words cannot describe how much I loved this book. I was smiling, laughing, and crying. 10/10 WOW.
October 5, 2026
“I can’t stand you, and yet I would kill someone for hurting you”
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
You know when a book hooks you with the opener...yeah this ones going to do just that!
Head under water is a hidden gem of a read. It took me by complete surprise and i love that for me.
It’s a romance thriller at its absolute finest, yearning, chemistry, years worth of slow burn and with the added mystery of what the helly happened to Ruth!
Honestly I could not put this book down because I had to know what happened.
Loved every single page! Opal and Will...I’m making space for you, because I am not in any way ready to let you go!
Favourite Quotes:
- “When you come around, it’s like someone has plugged that boy into an outlet”
- “His mouth crashes into mine like it’s simultaneously killing him bringing him back to life”
- “Hating each other no longer feels quite so simple”
- “Everything feels fragile now, propped up against a reality that could collapse at any second”
- “I’m standing on a ledge, up so high I can’t see anything but clouds. and I need to jump. I need to trust the water is there, ready to catch me”
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
You know when a book hooks you with the opener...yeah this ones going to do just that!
Head under water is a hidden gem of a read. It took me by complete surprise and i love that for me.
It’s a romance thriller at its absolute finest, yearning, chemistry, years worth of slow burn and with the added mystery of what the helly happened to Ruth!
Honestly I could not put this book down because I had to know what happened.
Loved every single page! Opal and Will...I’m making space for you, because I am not in any way ready to let you go!
Favourite Quotes:
- “When you come around, it’s like someone has plugged that boy into an outlet”
- “His mouth crashes into mine like it’s simultaneously killing him bringing him back to life”
- “Hating each other no longer feels quite so simple”
- “Everything feels fragile now, propped up against a reality that could collapse at any second”
- “I’m standing on a ledge, up so high I can’t see anything but clouds. and I need to jump. I need to trust the water is there, ready to catch me”
September 21, 2026
3.75 bumped up. A huge thank you to High Gravity Audio and author Kiersten Modglin for the ALC of Head Under Water 🖤
This was such an interesting romantic thriller! I’ll be honest the romance definitely seemed to overpower the thriller/murder aspect for me until about the 70% mark. I found myself wanting a little more mystery and suspense throughout the first part of the book, but that last 30% really helped make up for it!
Opal, our FMC, returns home after the death of one of the “moms” who helped raise her. And, of course, coming home means coming face-to-face with Will, the boy she grew up with and the ultimate frenemy who knows exactly how to get under her skin.
Will is THAT boy. The one who secretly loved her for way longer than he’d ever admit. Their romance was actually really sweet and packed with tension. There were definitely moments when I wanted to yell, “JUST KISS ALREADY!”
But the part that really pulled me in was the thriller aspect. I was intrigued by the mystery surrounding the death and kept wondering what was really going on. And that twist toward the end?! I LOVED it. It was shocking, heartbreaking, and sad all at once.
The narration was done entirely by Persephone Lee, and she did a fantastic job! She brought both the female and male characters to life and really captured the emotions, tension, and suspense throughout the story.
Overall, this was an intriguing romantic thriller with a sweet, tension-filled romance and a twisty ending that definitely kept me invested!
This was such an interesting romantic thriller! I’ll be honest the romance definitely seemed to overpower the thriller/murder aspect for me until about the 70% mark. I found myself wanting a little more mystery and suspense throughout the first part of the book, but that last 30% really helped make up for it!
Opal, our FMC, returns home after the death of one of the “moms” who helped raise her. And, of course, coming home means coming face-to-face with Will, the boy she grew up with and the ultimate frenemy who knows exactly how to get under her skin.
Will is THAT boy. The one who secretly loved her for way longer than he’d ever admit. Their romance was actually really sweet and packed with tension. There were definitely moments when I wanted to yell, “JUST KISS ALREADY!”
But the part that really pulled me in was the thriller aspect. I was intrigued by the mystery surrounding the death and kept wondering what was really going on. And that twist toward the end?! I LOVED it. It was shocking, heartbreaking, and sad all at once.
The narration was done entirely by Persephone Lee, and she did a fantastic job! She brought both the female and male characters to life and really captured the emotions, tension, and suspense throughout the story.
Overall, this was an intriguing romantic thriller with a sweet, tension-filled romance and a twisty ending that definitely kept me invested!
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