King of Lies

by Jennifer Rebecca

Once upon a time…there was a girl who worked in a bookstore and lived a happy but quiet life until a prince swept into her world.

It was as if all my dreams came true.
The perfect life with a happy home and a handsome Prince.
But unfortunately, it was nothing more than that, a dream.

Because life is not all fairytales and there are no handsome princes, only dangerous secrets and the devil himself, the king of lies. There are no Happily Ever Afters. At least not for me.

There are only monsters that live within these castle walls.

Genres: Romance

Unknown Binding

First published January 30, 2023

About the author

Jennifer is the USA Today Bestselling Author of the Claire Goodnite series and the Presidential Affair. She is a native of San Diego, California. She credits her love of books and reading to her mother and her knowledge that real heroes do exist to her dad.

Jennifer is a graduate of California State University San Marcos where she studied Criminology and Justice Studies. She is also a member of Alpha Xi Delta.

She currently lives in East Texas with her husband, Sean, and their three children along with an entire menagerie of lovable but sofa eating animals. She can often be found on the soccer or baseball fields, reading, or wondering what the hell her senior citizens have gotten up to now. Jennifer is convinced that if she puts her fitbit on one of the dogs, she might finally make her step goals.

She loves a great romance, an alpha hero, and lots and lots of laughter.

Reviews

[Read All About It · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not sure how to write this review. I had a love hate relationship with this story. On one hand I love the Cinderella love story but my gosh the evil seem to be overwhelming. I really want my male lead to step up and protect his woman but that didn’t seem to happen in this book.
I have read this author before and loved it. This story was good besides the fact that it ended in a huge cliff hanger. I’ll read the next book in this series just because I’ve got to find out what happens next.

[Carole · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED this Contemporary Romance by first time author for me Jennifer Rebecca!
MFC Stella Reyes is a shy lover of books who fantasizes a lot about meeting her prince charming and living happily ever after. One day in the bookstore where she works a fall off a ladder lands her in the arms of MMC Reyes Alexander and a torrid love affair soon follows as Reyes gently eases Stella out of her comfort zone. Oh, but is this man hiding some jaw dropping secrets which will really turn up the notch in their relationship and not necessarily in a good way.
The writing was excellent and the storyline had me guessing as the suspense and danger began to enter into the picture along with plenty of didn’t see that coming surprises.
My only disappointment is I have to wait for book #2 after the cliffhanger ending in this one. (Sigh).

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book one in The Royal Secrets and Lies Series and it is Stella and Rhys Story and omg what a great start to a new series and definitely a must read. Stella is a book nerd, quiet, reserved and keeps to herself and after her parents died her uncles who brought her up are the most important people in her life. When Rhys comes into her life everything happens so fast that it ends up all being a lie and danger is just around the corner watching and waiting for the right time to strike but will Stella ever be safe and make it out alive especially when she finds out that her whole life has been one big lie and betrayal runs deep with Stella having no one to trust and then you get an explosive cliff hanger ending that you definitely didn’t see coming. I absolutely loved this book and I couldn’t put it down as it was so addictive and I can’t wait to read the next book in this series.

[Geraldine Streit · Rating 2 out of 5]

Story is slow and repeating itself again and again. Stella with her mousy attitude is not really interesting. All of that make it really difficult to get into the story.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jessica Grimes · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️Spoiler Review – You’ve Been Warned ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

King of Lies by Jennifer Rebecca is one of those books that slowly tightens the knot around your chest until you realize—too late—you’ve been rooting for the wrong person… or at least not the whole truth.

At first glance, this feels like a dark romance with familiar power-play vibes: a charming, intelligent, emotionally guarded male lead, Rhys, who seems broken in all the right ways, and a female lead, Stella, who believes she’s the exception—the one person he won’t lie to.

The real punch of this book is the slow reveal that Rhys is exactly who the title says he is—a master manipulator who lies not just to others, but to himself. The breadcrumbs are there early: half-truths, evasive answers, secretive. But like Stella, I brushed them off because the chemistry was strong and the emotional moments felt sincere.

Then the truth starts unraveling.

When it’s revealed that key parts of his life, his motivations, and even his emotional vulnerability were carefully curated narratives—not accidents, not misunderstandings—it reframes the entire relationship. What hit hardest wasn’t just the lies themselves, but how intentional they were. He lied to control outcomes and to control Stella.

But Rhys is also facing,
- The past death of his Mother
- The current death of his Father, The King
- Preparation of becoming the King
- The manipulation of his Queen Stepmother
- The overwhelming knowledge that Stella is now being hunted to be killed.

Now to our sweet, innocent bookworm Stella.

Stella’s realization is brutal and earned. Watching her piece together the truth—recognizing that love doesn’t cancel manipulation—was one of the strongest parts of the book. Trust is broken, and the story allows that damage to exist instead of wrapping it up neatly with a romantic bow.

But she’s fed up. Worried about her ‘Uncles’. She’s done and feels like she will only be a shadow due to the current Queen. The Queen’s pure hatred for Stella is obvious from the initial meeting and we knew she would make it miserable for her.

That said, with Crown of Thorns next, I personally can’t wait to see if Rhys is held accountable for his lies and/or secrets; That Stella learns more about her family’s history; and that the current Queen gets the boot.

[Brittney · Rating 5 out of 5]

KING OF LIES by Jennifer Rebecca
Royal Secrets & Lies Book 1

✨ A contemporary romantic suspense with fairytale aesthetics, dangerous secrets, and a heroine whose quiet life unravels the moment her “prince” walks in.

Stella Reyes lives a quiet, book-filled life until a fall from a ladder lands her in the arms of Rhys Alexander. Their connection is immediate, tender, and full of possibility - until the truth shifts beneath her feet. Behind the charm and allure are secrets, shadows, and a reality Stella never expected. What begins like a dream slowly becomes a maze of lies, loyalty, fear, and desire.

What I Loved:
📚 A shy, bookish heroine whose voice feels authentic and easy to root for
👑 A “prince charming” love interest whose mystery deepens with every chapter
🕸️ Twists, secrets, and a mounting sense of danger woven into the romance
🔥 Strong chemistry built on emotional tension and vulnerability
🗝️ A storyline that blends sweetness with suspense in equal measure
🎭 Side characters from other series appearing organically without confusion
💥 A cliffhanger ending that sets up the next installment with clear stakes

Vibe: moody, romantic, suspenseful, fairytale-turned-dangerous
Spice: moderate; chemistry-driven
For fans of: romantic suspense, hidden secrets, prince-meets-bookish-girl beginnings, and angsty slow unravelings

💜 A compelling start to the duet with tension, romance, and a heroine you want to protect. I’m eager to see how Stella and Rhys’s tangled story unfolds in book two.

#KingOfLies #JenniferRebecca #RomanticSuspense #ContemporaryRomance #BookishFMC #PrinceCharmingVibes #SecretsAndLies #TwistyRomance #AngstyReads #SeriesCliffhanger #Bookstagram #RomanceTropes #PlotTwistMarketing

[NICUnurse Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once upon a time, there was a new-to-me author I took a chance on with her book, Tell Me a Story, and from that moment on, she hooked me on her writing. It’s not all been “...and they lived happily ever after” because she loves to write cliffhangers, and I abhor them. However, for her, I endure them. Beware, King of Lies does end with a cliffhanger, so if those are not your cup of tea, you can wait for the series to be complete, then binge your happy little HEA-loving heart away. I’m a die-hard romantic suspense junkie, and Jennifer Rebecca is now a favorite of mine in this genre. She blends the serious, the snark, and the steam artfully, and I keep coming back, time and again.

Stella and Rhys’s story has a sweet beginning but quickly turns into one of lies, intrigue, mystery, and suspense. There are many tangled webs that I’m sure will eventually be unraveled, and I’ll adore Rhys, but I feel like he’s a bit of a jerk right now. In her Presidential Affairs series, he was a handsome, mysterious, but somewhat likable stranger. Unfortunately for him, he dropped down a notch in this book. Speaking of her other series… I enjoy how she can write a completely standalone book with characters from her other series without leaving you feeling lost as to who they are. For long-time fans, it’s like coming home, and for new readers, you’re not left feeling left in the dark.

Now excuse me while I go pout a bit over the fact I have to wait a while to see how she ultimately wraps this angsty story up over the next few months.

[Jacqui Norris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't think April 19 can come fast enough!
Already a big fan of the author I knew this book wouldn't disappoint. The story is of Stella, a shy, quiet girl working in a bookstore living out her simple life. When an accident happens and she falls literally into the hands of a handsome stranger, she has no idea her world is about to be turned upside down. Rhys, the handsome stranger finds an attraction he can't resist in Stella. Taking her on a personal journey of love and seductive romance. She has a hard time saying no to him, and he won't let her. But when his secret is brought forward, she struggles with her feelings and what she wants. She is whisked away to another country and life she couldn't have expected. A life of never having to want anything except the man she fell in love with. But that all is about to come to a head when she discovers the real truth about herself and the man she fell in love with.
I will admit in the beginning the story was not completely holding my attention. Simple, ordinary girl falls for a overly seductive man who seems out of her league. I thought I had it all figured out, until I didn't and I couldn't put it down. The story turns Stella from a simple girl willing to do whatever to keep her man to her finding her voice and making a choice for herself. When I hit the last page, I quickly pre-ordered the next one and silently willed the author to finish it up so I can get it faster.
Jennifer Rebecca, thanks for another amazing story. Now, could you finish the next one? Please?!

[Dirty Little Secret Book Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stella(Hen) is a nerdy librarian she loves her job.
Being around what she loves most of all, not just reading books, she loves the touch, the smell of books.
When she can't be around her books, she has her ebooks on hand.

Rhys in town on business.
He's in a library when a woman falls right into his arms.
Instantly, he's attracted to her and wants to take her out. Since he doesn't want to scare her off, and he can be persistent and wants to get close to her, Rhys sends Stella flowers, and slowly gets her to agree to go out for coffee.

Maeve is so true to the character and wanting everything on schedule and details to be spot on, you can picture the look she would have for someone to mess up hair or makeup, she most definitely would be mad. I do love her character.

Dahlia (Rhy stepsister) and Leo (Stella security) are characters that I love, and would enjoy to have their storylines.

This part of the book was so true.
It's really a good reminder that you never know what someone else is going through.

“Some people, not all, but some—the very best ones—need more love at their worst, than they do at their best,” I tell her softly. “And Dahlia, you’re one of the very best ones. Never doubt it.”

I really enjoyed reading all the characters in this book, I'm looking forward to the next book.

~Diana

5 ⭐
author_books_friends

[Kendall Rubel · Rating 4 out of 5]

LOVED this Contemporary Romance by first time author for me Jennifer Rebecca!
MFC Stella Reyes is a shy lover of books who fantasizes a lot about meeting her prince charming and living happily ever after. One day in the bookstore where she works a fall off a ladder lands her in the arms of MMC Reyes Alexander and a torrid love affair soon follows as Reyes gently eases Stella out of her comfort zone. Oh, but is this man hiding some jaw dropping secrets which will really turn up the notch in their relationship and not necessarily in a good way.
The writing was excellent and the storyline had me guessing as the suspense and danger began to enter into the picture along with plenty of didn’t see that coming surprises.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book through a Goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for choosing me.

I enjoyed the book, I liked the story. But, I hated how much of a doormat Stella is. I need her to have a backbone in book 2 because I wanted to strangle her, shake her, and knock some sense into her so many times throughout the novel. Sure, Rhys is "perfect," and he's whisking her away from her quiet life, but for goodness sakes, that doesn't mean you bend over backward for him constantly. The stepmother from hell needs to be taken down a notch or two.

I will say Rhys is swoon-worthy, obsessed with Stella, and seems to truly care for her until the end. I'm going to need to read the rest of the series to figure out exactly how I feel about them as a couple.

My first read by Jennifer Rebecca and won't be my last.

[Karina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was absolutely drawn into the story from the start. Stella was this shy young woman, trying to learn to live her life on her own for the first time when this beautiful man walks into her life. In walks Rhys. This story book perfect man, that wants everything that Stella has to offer. Everything seemed too good to be true and for a while things were great. Until that weren’t. Stella gets a big shock and is thrown a curve ball when she realizes that Rhys hasn’t been totally forthcoming with who he truly is.

There were many time during my time reading that I wanted to shake Stella and tell her to start questioning things! So much was going on and girl just went along with it. Who could blame her though, the man was perfection.

[Avid · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my first by the author. I loved the crafting of the frame, the world building, the characters, the dialogue, Stella's naïveté, Rhys's goals, and the pacing of the story.

I would give this book five stars except for two things:
a) the frame work that uses a cliffhanger, which made me wonder how many additional books I would need to read to finish the story

b) the over reliance on the chapter sub titles to move the story (which was not necessary given the rest of the excellent writing).

I recommend this to readers who want a good story with a cliffhanger.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Happyscribe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dark retelling of Cinderella in a lot of ways - but note - dark! Not "trigger" scary but has the reader wanting to beat up our MC (Reyes) and tell him to snap the heck out of his head and get into alpha protector mode.

That aside - I did ever so enjoy the steamy lust-fest between Reyes and Stella. Cute "book-nerd meets hunky mystery man" story that rockets along ending in a cliffy that has me tapping my keyboard asking Jennifer Rebecca for MOERR ALREADY!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[SBee Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

★ “My life is … not always my own to live and I wanted something just for me.” ★

—>>> Engaging first installment to this series, once you can set aside the level of naïveté of Stella, but that was mainly due to past circumstances and machinations not in her control. But when this suave man comes into her bookshop, you just know that the playing field will be a landmine for her. And sweep her and her deeply romantic heart off her feet he does, with the greatest of ease. Now let see what happens next when the lies surface…

[Vicki Stephens · Rating 5 out of 5]

King of Lies is the first book in the Royal Secrets and Lies Series which focuses on Stella, who is employed at a bookstore and believes in romantic fairytales, and Reyes, who rescues her from a fall from a ladder. Their first meeting soon morphs into a steamy relationship, but, Stella’s Cinderella story soon comes crashing as Reyes has been hiding secrets which brings danger and suspense into their lives. This well written book ends in a cliffhanger and the story continues in Crown of Thorns.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[SusanT62 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book in this series. Stella is a naive girl whose Prince Charming shows up. She loves books and her life is changed forever. Rhys is suave and can sweep a girl off her feet but he is hiding stuff.

The author pulls you in from the start and weaves an interesting story. Of course, it ends on a cliffhanger so it leaves you hanging. I prefer books that don’t leave you hanging but I will definitely read the next book!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sarah LaFata · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn’t sure what to think about this book! It was such a weird meet cute and a lot of it didn’t make sense to me. I’m glad to have the next book so that things can all make sense. There was a big cliffhanger in this book and I only hope the stepmom ends up rotting, lol! She’s as evil as they come! It gives me Royal family feels along with a little Cinderella thrown in. It definitely kept my interest and was an easy read!

[Lori Wade · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the premise. Book nerd girl accidentally falls into the arms of a handsome stranger. What a great start to the book. It’s the things book nerds dream of, or is it? Did she build things up too much in her own head. Or is she blocking her own happiness. Rhys seems like a dream, but is he also her nightmare? This is a great strat to the series and I can’t wait for the next parts!

[Annalisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the romance. The world building is exceptional and the characters are complex. The story is beautifully written and kept me guessing what is going to happen next. I really liked it.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kat M · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the way Jennifer Rebecca wrote this, it was what I was hoping for from the description. It does it's job well and I'm glad I got to read this.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kristi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable, captivating, hard to stop reading are just a few ways to describe this story. It's well written and pulls you in as you get to know the characters with every turn of the page.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

No ending, have to buy book #2 maybe?

The book was excellent, but I didn’t want a book that you must read the next (2nd book) to find out the ending. What a let down. Sorry, I won’t get roped into another book. I’ll find another book that has an appropriate ending.

[Shanna D · Rating 5 out of 5]

King of Lies (Book 1 of Royal Secrets & Lies) by Jennifer Rebecca. This story intrigued me and held me captive until the end (cliff). And has made me anxious to dig into the conclusion in Crown of Thorns. Stella and Rhys’s story is dark, dangerous, and at times quite sinful IMO.

[Jeanne Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read several books written by Jennifer Rebecca; she is becoming one of my favorite authors. I can’t wait to read more of her books.

This is the first book in the Royal Secrets & Lies Series; it is the beginning of a new series and needs to be read in order.

[Yetsie · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s a great read! A bit of mystery and intrigue from chapter to chapter. I do feel for Stella (fmc), she goes through some up and down feelings. Ends with a cliffhanger…

*Goodreads giveaway winner*

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first from this author and I loved the story. Looking forward to the next chapter!

[Chris]

DNF 10%

[Kathy Church · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very Good

I have really enjoyed reading this book. A modern day fairy tell so to speak, with an ending making you want the next book to hurry up and be written.

[JoAnna · Rating 1 out of 5]

I couldn't get past the pet name used and the whimsy way it was written.