Cal

Secrets and Lies #1

by B.J. Alpha

Cal
I knew her only as Carmen, the little hottie from a night of passion in Vegas, the love of my life!
15 years later after tracking down a cyber thief who has stolen millions from me and my family, I’m holding a gun to her head thanks to her dumb-ass son! Only he’s not just her son… secrets are exposed and just when I think things can’t get any worse? The Cartel are after them.

Lily
My teenage son leaves a trail of destruction in his wake, the latest, stealing millions from a Mafia family. Cal the sexy man from my past comes barreling back into my life, as if it isn’t chaotic enough, he’s holding a gun to my head.
My ex-lover is now my savior, only I’m not sure he can handle the number of secrets and chaotic baggage we bring.

Genres: Second Chance, Mafia Romance, Dark Romance, Romance, Dark, Contemporary Romance, Second Chance Romance

244 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 8, 2021

Reviews

[Kursed Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cal and Lily connected over a one-night stand in Las Vegas 15 years earlier. When a misunderstanding finds Lily waking up alone with no way to contact Cal, they are each forced to, reluctantly, move on with their lives.  
 
Fate and some next-level hacking skills bring their lives crashing back together. They almost seamlessly reconnect, as if no time had passed. 
 
I loved these characters, most notably Reece who is filter-less and an absolute fcuking delight! The O’Connells have a lot of secrets and some sordid histories. I’m looking forward to getting to know each brother in his respective book and the women who bring them to their knees.  

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Burn: 🔥🔥🔥1/2
Darkness: 🖤
Heat: 🌶️🌶️
Range of Emotions: 😳😂🥵🫣😍
Ending: 💗 {HEA}
POV: 👫🏻 {Dual}

🗂 Genre: Contemporary Romance

✨ Tropes: Forced Proximity, Instalove, Mafia/Bratva/Crime Family, Miscommunication, One Night Stand, Rich AF, Second Chance, Secret Baby, Single Parent

💋 Kinks: n/a

⚠️ Warning: This book may cause blushing, squirming, combusting panties, and/or self-care.

🚩 Safety Squad: Child Loss (Past Account), VioIençe, OW/OM Drama (Mild), and other triggering elements. If you have any hesitation, check the warnings before diving in. Otherwise, blind is best!!

📣 Type: CAL is part of the Secrets and Lies series, but can be read as a standalone. This series will be best enjoyed when read in order.

🛑 Be Advised: My Goodreads shelves are … explicit in both senses. As such, they could be considered spoiler-y.

[Dolly Remphrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Meh…it was ok. I won’t read the rest of the series though.

[Kelly_Reads_Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cal and Carmen meet in Vegas, they have a wonderful night of passion and promises, but suddenly Cal is gone.
Fast forward and the most bizarre circumstances bring them face to face again but with an unexpected twist.
Refreshing story, cute characters, and I absolutely fell in love with Reece ❣

[Megan Bloomberg · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ok story, not great writing or characters

A good example of a good story that went off the rails. Great blurb, pulled me right in then it went down hill.... Immature writing, extreme characters in the aspects of their personalities being all over the place. Screeching and carrying on every second. Clearly the author is not from America and uses British terms, but the story takes place in America. Just all in all more dislikes than likes. I may give another book from this author a chance in the future but not I am not running to do so just yet.

[tee · Rating 2 out of 5]

dnf @ 62% - i honestly cannot finish this for the life of me, characters are lacklustre apart from reece and oscar. this is mafia but i'm not seeing any action or much talk about it so that's fairly disappointing. it was just meh, it did have some funny moments mainly with reece but otherwise fell short. probably won't finish the series either

[Reading In the Red Room · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy Cow, what a great start to a new series! I’m all in! Cal is part of a major Mafia family. He gets a surprise of a life time when he comes face to face with Lily a woman he never forgot. Turns out Lily has something that belongs to him. Lily and Cal have a deep connection and hot chemistry. Reece is her 14 year old Autistic computer genius son, that I fell In love with on page one. Between Cals snobby fiancé, all his brothers and the dangerous men from Lily’s past we have a lot going on. The characters are well developed and this story has me wanting so much more. As I met each brother, I wanted to know so much more about each of them. I’m so excited to read each of their stories. This book was so detailed and layered, I was Extremely entertained. I was laughing out loud one moment and holding my breath from the danger the next. I am already looking forward to the next book in the series.

[Soma · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel the story line had potential but never fully engaged the reader. I kept waiting for the story to become more detailed and colorful but instead it ended flat.

My main issue with the book was the two main characters. Lilly was overly dramatic, and having a child like Reese is not a good combination. She was annoying with her reactions. I get that Reece was overwhelming but the constant shrillness was over the top annoying. Cal was supposed to be this Irish mobster and over the top jealous and protective, but he was fairly weak and blah.
My favorite Character was Reese, he was funny smart and witty. I felt like his character carried me thru the story as I struggled to get into it.

[Intel Chicky Reads Romance (Kara Merideth) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute read!

Story: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Trope: second chance
Angst: 😱😱
Smexy: 🔥🔥🔥
Triggers: pregnancy loss

I thought it was a great first book! The storyline was great and many parts were super original. I enjoyed the characters, especially the son and his interactions with others. I did feel like it could have used a little better editing - the mistakes were to the point of distraction - and the flow could have been a little smoother. But again, really liked the storyline and am really looking forward to Con's book!

[Liz (LoverOfBooks80) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing read. Totally addictive.

Cal is Dominant, possessive and hot! And that mouth!!
Love Lily, she’s so strong. The trust they build up cements them, and that Insta attraction - smokin’.

Great read x

[*CJ*]

"Cal" is the story of Lily and Cal.

DNF at 50%.

Not for me. Didn't get the humor, language was crass and the whole plot was messy. I really didnt like that kid.

Unrated.

[Judith Ross · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was okay. I felt the over use of profanity was too much and kinda brought it down. Especially how Lily just cusses her son out like that. I've never been in the present of someone with autism, but do they curse that much? The way that the they dealt with the Russians was a little too over to fast and straight to epilog with no mention and the after effects and dealings kinda irked me. I don't know i guess I expected more. The booktok that caught my attention was great and I'm not sure if I'm going to read the following series.

[BookishAnya · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly I kept going back and forth between rating 2 or 3 stars. This wasn’t a great book for me, it was entertaining but I’m not sure in the good way. The main characters son is 14 with autism and I wasn’t a fan of how he was portrayed and how the mc used him and often how they spoke of him. I also wasn’t the fan of the OW being so over the top and unrealistic. The over the top shaming for have plastic surgery wasn’t cool too. It’s boring and outdated. There was funny moments in this but looking back after finishing there was a few red flags for me. The smut wasn’t good either.

[tee ✧˖° · Rating 2 out of 5]

Plan was there, but the execution was horrendous. Only good thing about the book was Oscar.

[Luna ♡ · Rating 2 out of 5]

»Yeah, Da, that's exactly what I'm doing. And he won't be a bastard son when I marry his mother, and if you want to accept him you can, if not then...«

★ ★

❥ 𝑳𝒊𝒍𝒚 𝜗𝜚˚⋆
I liked her I think? Her character was kinda flat and messy.

❥ 𝑪𝒂𝒍 ࣪⋆✮
He is a man who knows what he wants. He treats Lily well and I liked how he cares about her.

✥ 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌
What in the Wattpad was this book? This was so messy and unserious I can‘t (*laughing emoji*). The whole storyline didn‘t make any sense and the characters were a bunch of crazy mafia guys I think? Everything moves on quickly and there wasn‘t any character building at all. The whole story felt rushed and kinda silly. All characters act without reason and not relatable. It felt like a Wattpad story written by a 14-year old teenager.
The idea was interesting and promising but the implementation lacked. It was hard to connect with the characters and overall this book was nothing for me.

𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤?
No.

𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝟓 ׂㅤ𐙚 ࣪ ⭒
plot: 2/5
spice: 1/5
humor: 3/5
couple/tension: 2/5
world building: 2/5
happy end?: yes

𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬 ᡣ𐭩ྀི₊ ⊹
possessive and protective hero, mafia, second chance, secret baby, instant attraction, autism representation, found family, from different worlds, secrets and lies, he falls first and harder, forced proximity, family reunion

[B.M. Hawk · Rating 4 out of 5]

So for the 2nd time in 3 days it is 3:35am and I just finished a book that had me giggling at the antics of a very special character
I got to the back of this book and the authors notes and start reading
Straight away TL Swan is thanked and tge Cygnets 🦢 are mentioned then I’m realising
Omfg I’m reading another one if Tee’s girls
I had no idea
BJ Alpha it was Cal
I came about this book mention in my Swancnuts girls
As soon as I saw secret baby, I was like What book is that I want it
I’ll be honest it took me a few chapters to get right into it but then I was realising I was really enjoying it
The amazing character of Reece
This kid stole the book , with your insight into Autism and sharing it with the reader, how could we not love it
So glad that there are going to be others in this series
Irish brothers sitting around the dinner table , what more could a girl ask for
I’m not going to say much about the plot so others can just go and grab it and read it , like me In one sitting lol
I have to be up early as I have a morning funeral
I’m going to be if no use to anyone 🤦🏽‍♀️
Can’t wait to read Con and I can’t wait to read more books from the Cygnets
Best way to start the year with amazing book recommendations and they living up to it
Well done congratulations
Book review tomorrow if I can get the energy to do so lol

https://www.amazon.com.au/CAL-Secrets...

[Shawna Jimenez more.books.forever · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I say about Cal except that he is everything! This man gets the biggest surprise that he never expected and takes it like it’s another day and handles business like a boss! Lily and Cal shared a magical night that didn’t turn out so well the next morning but that wasn’t all she was left with, enter her amazing son Reece this freaking kid I completely fell in love with and was dying for what would come out of his mouth next. Lily has not had the easiest life after her and Cal went their separate ways and some of her moments are completely heart breaking and gut wrenching but she is a fighter to say the least. You get to meet all of Cal’s family and all of his brothers who are each very intriguing and I’m dying for each of their stories because I just know they are going to be as good as Cal’s! There is some twists and turns and moment to keep you on the edge of your seat. This is a must read in my book! Loved it!

[•Cici• Theory of A Dreamer Book Blog♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

As soon as i stumbled across the synopsis for this book i had to go and add it to my TBR List right away. I couldn't wait to read it and picked it up as soon as i could. I got into the Secrets and Lies world so quickly. I enjoyed this first book!

Lily and Cal's journey grabbed my attention right from the moment they're reunited! I really liked how the ball got rolling from the start and the way i was pulled into this story. I wasn't sure what all to expect in their story which got me into it even more. I so enjoyed the fact that i felt many things from beginning to end with these two! I really liked what Reece brought to this story as well!

With CAL, Ms.Alpha has created such a good debut! I'm already looking forward to diving back into the Secrets and Lies Series with the second installment!


*I volunteered to read and review a copy of this book from Wildfire Marketing Solutions / the author*

[Samantha Hickey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an AMAZING start to a new series!!

Lily and Cal meet in Vegas and have 1 night together. After a misunderstanding the next morning Lily leaves and go homes with a surprise. Her life hasn't been easy after her night with Cal plus she has her son Reece. Reece is 14 years old, a genius, and autistic. He does something that gets Cal and his mafia families attention, and this is how they come to meet.

There is so much that happens that keeps you on your toes and guessing. I love Reece, his character is amazing! We get to meet all of Cals brothers, Lily's past comes back for her and so much more. I loved everything about this book and I can't wait to read the next one!!

[Shannon Godwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! What a way to start a new series! I wanted to keep on reading to know more about all the other characters also. Lily & Cal was so much more than I was expecting. You have a lot going on in this book and you’ll be tied yourself down so nothing else will get finished until after this book.
Cal & Lily have meet and then go separate ways, years later when he does catch up to her (not in a bump into you kind of way), he gets more surprises than he ever thought he would.
Loved every bit of it!!

[Giorgia Reads · Rating 2 out of 5]

First things first, the couple had no chemistry, I had no interest in them.

Second, I don't mind swearing in my books at all, so this is not what I'm complaining about BUT the 15 year old in this story speaks in an appaling manner and it's just not ok. I cringed and felt uncomfortable so much during his dialogue. Like, I said, this is not being overly critical but the way he talked about anyone and everyone and no one seemed to care was worrying.

[Bookaholic blonde · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was really enjoyable to read and very well written. I enjoyed the characters Cal and Lily and the relationship between them. This book is fast paced but still gives indepth background of the family around Cal. Look forward to reading the next book in the series.would definitely recommend this.

[Sarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

not good

Not all that great.
-it was set in America but it had Like British phrases and Irish stuff thrown in.
-could’ve been a lot better
-I liked the son Reece… he’s autistic and high functioning and a genius and he was honestly the best part lol.
-skimmed most of the book

[Savannah Clifton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant!

I have never laughed so hard while reading a book before. Cal and Lily’s story was absolutely beautiful. The fact that their feelings for each other lingered for so long and were able to find their happiness finally and pick up like they never left off was pure bliss for me to read. However, I really feel that Reece stole the show. I’ve never loved and been so proud of a kid character! The story overall was so different than anything I’ve read and had a unique feel throughout the entire book. I loved it.

[Patti · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I read Con first and after reading the Reece moments I had to read Cal. This was about a second chance, I guess for Cal and Lily. But honestly I was here for Reece. All the banter and kid moments really make this series.

[Amanda Upton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. Lots of spicy scenes. The story line in this one was very intriguing and kept me on my toes! Will enjoy getting the rest to read!!!

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75☆

[kc_chaoticreader · Rating 2 out of 5]

This story was just a bit too flat for me. The characters and execution was very underwhelming. I’ve heard a lot of great things about this author so maybe I just picked up the wrong book 🤷‍♀️

[Jess 🦋 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad, very fast book!
Definitely looking forward to the rest of the series x

[Jen • jenteereads · Rating 1 out of 5]

I tried, I really did but this was bad. What awful writing.

[Nikila Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fabulous read! I just loved the chemistry between Cal and Lily. Loved Cal's single minded devotion to Lily and how vulnerable he was at times. Absolutely loved Reece (and Oscar); he cracked me up with his frankness. Can't wait for more from this talented author.