Despite Chaos

Falling Castles #1

by Stacy Lynn Miller

Alexandra Castle hides the brightest part of herself. As the heir-apparent to the Castle Resort empire, her only fault—according to her controlling father—is that she’s gay.

Keeping her sexuality hidden seems a small price to pay for upholding the family image. When Alex’s father pits her against her twin brother in a high-stakes competition to choose who will take over the company upon his retirement, Alex knows she’s got what it takes to win. Until an ex-lover reappears and threatens to destroy her life.

Tyler Falling hides the darkest part of herself. On the surface, she’s a put-together middle-class wife and mother. In reality, she’s broken from a sexual assault twelve years earlier. When Tyler unexpectedly comes face-to-face with her rapist, a deep family secret surfaces and jeopardizes the life she’s created.

With both their worlds crumbling, Alex and Tyler escape to Napa where a brief, anonymous encounter sparks a mutual infatuation, changing the trajectory of their lives. Living a lie is no longer an option, but can an improbable romance bloom amid embezzlement, blackmail, and self-exploration?

Content the book contains one brief description of a sexual assault.

Book One in the Falling Castles Series.

Genres: Mystery, Audiobook, Romance, Lesbian, Femme Femme, LGBT, Family Drama

320 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 18, 2022

About the author

Stacy Lynn Miller is a retired Air Force officer who found her passion for writing after leaving the service. With twenty years of experience wearing a badge, working with computers, and investigating cases, she has created multiple award-winning thriller and suspense series packed with strong sapphic women, gripping stories, and a perfect blend of intrigue and romance.

Stacy is a visually impaired, proud stroke survivor, mother of two, tech nerd, and chocolate lover. She's also a terrible golfer who managed to get a hole-in-one! When she's not busy writing, you can find her playing golf or enjoying a glass of wine (sometimes both) with her friends and family in Northern California.

Reviews

[Diane Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

'ARC provided by both NetGalley and The Publisher (Bella Books) in exchange for a honest review'

**'An important thing in storytelling is the capacity to astonish.Not shock -- shock is a worn-out word but be astonished...A writer can both be a sadist and a masochist -- they create characters readers fall in love with and then turn around and torture them..'

4.5stars!
Evocative, poignant, sordid and a seriousness in it's execution made 'DESPITE CHAOS' the first book by Stacy Lynn Miller that i've really enjoyed reading. Such a riveting story about Love, family, friendships, authoritarianism, legacies etc.. The story is also filled with snappy writing, an assortment of well-crafted situations that few readers will realized their significance because they ended up making perfect sense during it's progression. S.L.Miller carefully tried not to belabor the plotline with the many occurring incidents by some of the minor supporting characters thereby keeping the storytelling interesting and fresh to entice her readers.
The only part that I took serious issue with was at the beginning of the book -- at the 4 maybe 6% mark --- a bit puzzling and uncomfortable to read because of that terrible traumatic incident/event while still trying to decipher what was what and who was who --- once things became more clearer as to my many why's and also trying to understanding the storyline's direction, only then did I ended up really enjoying it. Could not stop flipping the pages fast enough wanting to find out what was happening and how everything will turned out -- even wondering if the plotline will end on a cliffhanger.
One of 'DESPITE CHAOS's' many strengths is it's simplicity. Readers has to really follow the storyline and pay close attention to that developing relationship between Alex and Tyler because it's a doozy. Their chemistry was hot and so realistic. For most of the storyline, Alex had a lot to deal with;- wanting the CEO position of her father's hotel chains, either ignore or pursue any action necessary against her brother's backdoor problems even confront her antagonistic father or risk losing the person that she loves.
So many favorite parts that I cannot mention them all -- it will be a spoiler to my review and give away how good this story turned out to be. I'm hoping the few tid-bits that i laid out will be enough to entice all interested readers.
A highly recommended book #1!

p.s. - cannot wait for book #2

[Lex Kent · Rating 3 out of 5]

It looks like I’m an outlier on this one. Out of all of my friends on Goodreads, I seem to be the only person that didn’t really enjoy this one. I didn’t think there was anything bad, but the book is stuck strictly in the just ‘okay’ category for me. Not that you wouldn’t already, but this is one of those times that I would highly suggest reading other reviews before you decide if this book is for you. It seems like no one agrees with my opinion on this one so please keep that in mind. Also, I ramble a bit in this one so skip the next 2 paragraphs if you want to get more to the point.

While Stacy Lynn Miller is a newer author, she quickly won me over with her Manhattan Sloane books and easily made my automatic to read authors list. I was really looking forward to this book to see where she would be taking a new set of characters. Unfortunately, before I could read/review the book, I got really sick, for weeks, and then fell into the worst reading slump –I’ve ever had- to where I just could not read anything. This was supposed to be my next read, when that all happen, so it just kept getting pushed back and back. I’m quite late on this review so I do apologize. The reason I bring this all up is as I read the reviews that rolled in, I started having off feelings about this book. I just had a bad feeling that I wouldn’t click with it and I’m sorry to say that that feeling partially came true.

I know it is not fair to think I might have issues with a book before I even read it, but that’s what was happening. I know one of the reasons for it was that I heard this book had a rape scene in it. I don’t know if it is the times we are living in but I have more of an aversion to rape scenes in books that ever before. Part of the reason is that I’m just sick of reading them. While yes, rape happens in real life, but it also happens in LGBTQ+ books, particularly lesbian fiction, more than in any other genre. I’m estimating here but let’s say that I have read 500 books with rape scenes in my life time. In that large number, at least 80% of them were in women loving women books. I don’t know how or why this awful trend happened really, but my guess is because WLW fiction started as pulp fiction. It used to be that to allow a story about two women in love to be published, one woman had to be killed off, attacked, married off to a man, or live forever broken hearted and alone. I don’t know if that evolved into the only way queer women can be happy is if they are put through the wringer first, but even the classic lesbian romance, Curious Wine, by the great Katherine V. Forrest, had a jarring rape scene in it. Anyway, this really is a talk for another day and it is getting better. The ratio of rape scenes in WLW books are way down even compared to just five years ago, and especially ten years ago and longer. While I wasn’t happy about the rape scene in this book, I was glad that it was less explicit than I was worried about. I also appreciated that the character being raped was integral to the story and not done as a cheap plot device.

I’ve already been rambling a lot and I haven’t really gotten to talk about the book much. To not make this review book length, I think I will concentrate on what didn’t work for me since there are so many good reviews about what did work for other reviewers. The romance of the book was a struggle for me. This was what you would call “love at first sight” romance. I’m not going to debate if it does occur in real life -I mean I hope it does- but I don’t really care for that type of romance in my books. I prefer to read about a great meet-cute, characters slowly getting to know each other, and seeing how that changes into something more. In this book the characters saw each other and that was it, they were obsessed even though they didn’t even really talk to each other (in person) until the last third of the book. They just spent too much time apart for me to believe in the “I love yous’. This is a series and I wish they could have slowly developed more in the next book.

There is a main storyline surrounding a wealthy business with infighting and intrigue. Normally, that would be right up my alley but again I struggled to connect. The characters felt very cartoonish to me and the story felt like it was going in circles. The brother messes up, and then the sister tells him to knock it off. Then the brother gets mad and messes up again so sister tell him to stop, but then he messes…. well I think you get the circle. And the whole time the father is just sitting on his company’s throne barking out “there will be no kissing other women” every few chapters. The excitement and twists and turns were just not there like I needed them to be for this type of book.

I’m sorry that this review is a bit of a mess but it is never easy having difficulty connecting to a book that everyone else seems to enjoy or love. I’m a Stacy Lynn Miller fan and I have to believe that she will blow me away with her next book because she is too good of an author not to. Actually, my favorite part of the book was the cliffhanger. I thought finally, something I didn’t see coming which could lead to some really great storylines in book 2. I’m excited to read it and I have hope I will enjoy it as much as everyone else does.

A copy was given to me for a review.

[Della B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Money spoils everything or so they say. Alex Castle has worked hard all her life to take over the leadership mantle when her father retires from his multi billion dollar resort empire. She only has her gambling addict twin brother to better and to hide her lesbianism for her father to choose her.

Tyler Falling has compartmentalized her feelings and emotions since her sexual assault twelve years ago. She has been raising her two daughters with her husband and started a business with her best friend to keep herself busy. Until the day her rapist walks in the door seeking a job.

Despite Chaos is a slow burn romance deeply rooted on one side by the Castle family as they battle each other for business dominance. On the other side is the Falling family trying to make sense of their twenty year relationship after the sexual assault to Tyler.

Chaos is the definite theme of the novel. It begins a little too chaotic in the first few chapters as it introduces the characters but then quickly settles into a palpable rhythm which kept me up reading all night. It has all the makings of a good soap opera without the saccharine after taste.

I must mention the ending is the best that I have read in a long, long time. I will be counting the days until the second book in this series is released.

WARNING Sexual assault is described.

I received a free advance review copy from Bella Books and NetGalley. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[pipsqueakreviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love at first sight.

Despite Chaos is the first book of the Falling Castles series and also my first Stacy Lynn Miller book and I'm keeping my eye out for this author. She's really good at this.

This is more than a romance novel and I was totally engaged here. As this is only the start of a series, a lot of story building takes place and I didn't mind it at all because the main characters are interesting enough on their own. Alex comes from a wealthy family, capable in her own right and slated to take over the family's billion dollar resort business. But she starts out as a wuss constantly being played in the hands of her manipulative father who pits her against her twin brother. Tayler's story is bit more delicate. She's a middle class wife to an amazing man, a mother to two girls and also a victim of sexual assault.

The romance is a slowburn and a bit dreamy when it happens. Alex and Tayler are only officially introduced to each other after the midpoint mark but the pacing feels right. It's love at first sight and there's a lot of self-realisation that takes place after that.

This story ends on a cliffhanger when it gets pretty exciting and dang it, I'll just have to wait for the sequel.

I received an ARC from Bella Books through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[MZ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars. I was happy to see this first book of a new series. I really enjoyed Miller’s Manhattan Sloane series, so picking up this book was a no brainer. I’m not going to lie, this book had some bumps, but in the end, it is the level of enjoyment that counts and I found that this book entertained me and easily kept my attention. I will definitely be reading the sequel to this book. I don’t usually give trigger warnings, but a rape and PTSD trigger warning are in place for this book.

It’s hard to describe this book, there is so much going on. On one hand, there is the Castle family, with the twins Alex and Andrew who are competing against each other for the favor of their father (and the key to the Castle hotel chain legacy). On the other hand, there is the Falling family, who seem perfect on the outside, but in reality, Tyler has never gotten over a sexual assault that happened 12 years previous.

The start of the book was bumpy. Several characters are introduced and there are many time-jumps. It was hard to keep track of who was who and did what and when. The book has many POVs (3rd person) and honestly, I could have done with a couple less. After I got a grip on the characters and was ready to get into the story I realized that I had no idea where this story was going and what the main storyline was. Later on, I realized that this book is best enjoyed thinking of it as a soap opera, many small and bigger storylines that are all slowly intertwining at some point. Like soap operas, this book quickly had me hooked and only became better when reading more. And that ending…. It’s not really a cliffhanger, but I promise you want to continue reading.

I like how Miller is not afraid to take risks on the romances in her books, she did it in the first series and here she does it again. She has a way of sparking a new romance while one of the mains is married without entering the cheating zone, or making the partner a huge asshole. The romance is a slow burn and at the same time it‘s also a bit instalove, I know I don’t make sense here, perhaps it’s better described as fated love. I liked it though and want to read more about them.

The title of this book is fitting, there is a lot going on in this book, sometimes I thought it was perhaps a bit too much, but then again, I was never bored and this was a fun ride. I’m looking forward to what the sequel will bring. Recommended!

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been looking forward to reading Despite Chaos by Stacy Lynn Miller.

She has been on my “Must Read” list since I devoured the first novel in her Manhattan Sloan series. Ms. Miller did an excellent job writing her first series, and I believe she’ll do equally well, if not better with this new one. She has definitely caught my attention with the first book in the “Falling Castles Series”.

You’re going to need to buckle up for this story. It reads almost like one of those prime time soap opera series on television. This is the story of two families, one on the East coast and one located in California. Alexandra (Alex) Castle is the main character and the likely future CEO of the Castle Resort empire in New York. At least she might be if she wins a competition with her twin brother that her father is forcing on the two of them…and if she manages to stay in the closet. That is a must for her controlling and homophobic father. On the West coast we meet Tyler Falling, a wife and mother to two children. On the surface they are a perfect middle class family, but if you look closely, they have their own secrets and problems. In spite of the distance between these two, there is a connection that will draw the two families and these two women together.

The first few chapters in this novel are very busy introducing a fairly large cast of characters and also giving the reader a lot of backstory about Alex and Tyler. This is needed information, and once you have it, the story really takes off. You will be hooked just like I was and won’t want to put the book down.

The author is extremely skilled at unexpected plot twists in her stories. I’m often surprised at the twists and turns of her tales, and what she puts her characters through. There are times when she is not kind to the folks in her books. Of course this only makes her books even more compelling and interesting to read. Her endings leave us all wanting more.

Despite Chaos is a wonderful tale of mystery, intrigue, and romance. After this ending, I’m sitting on the edge of my seat waiting eagerly for the next book in the series.

Trigger Warning:
This book contains a scene of sexual assault on a major character, and a character with PTSD.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bella Books for an honest review.

[Jo reece · Rating 5 out of 5]

I honestly do not know what to say! Fantastic story. Everything I’ve read by Stacy Lynn Miller has been entertaining, engaging and gripping. Despite chaos is yet another amazing story, it’s a must book to own in 2022. It’s a 5/5.

And with a cliffhanger like that… can’t wait for that sequel.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Miller's Manhattan Sloane series the author walks the fine line between attraction and cheating and it seems to be a go-to theme for her.
I appreciate how the author never crosses the cheating line in Manhattan Sloane series and does the same thing in this first book of the Falling Castle series. That's not to say I don't have some issues with this book.

First things first, Miller has a good writing style, but it was hard for me to get into this story. I felt like I was being pulled all over the place. Lots of different characters and places in the first 10%-20% of the story, you don't really have the time to settle in. And the thing that happens around 5%, for starters it needs a bit of a content warning (sexual assault). I had a hard time making sense of all these earlier chapters and no clear idea how our leads would ever end up together in a way that made sense, but I shouldn't have doubted Miller's ability to have it make sense, because, in the end, it does all make sense.

There's a lot going on in this book, Alex is battling her twin Andrew for the reign of the Castle Resorts. Their father is a complete ass. Andrew has gotten himself in a world of trouble with his gambling. Tyler just started her own graphic design business with her best friend when a nightmare from her past walks in and triggers her PTSD. Tyler's husband, Ethan, is hired through Alex's brother-in-law to investigate a gold digger from her past. Ethan is related to Alex's brother-in-law. Syd is Alex's half-sister who cut ties with their controlling father to find her happiness with a winemaker in Napa. Alex's best friend, Harley, is her wing woman who makes sure her dalliances remain a secret. Harley's mother, Abby, is Alex's mother's ex-lover and surrogate mother since her mother passed. See, lots of ties and things to figure out. It took me a good third, maybe even half the book to have it sorted in my head.

If you are looking for an extreme slow burn, you have it here. I think the characters only meet at the 65% mark of the book, so it takes forever. But they are in contact because of their work, so the foundation is there already. I'm just not sure if this romance works for me. The chance encounter that has them both so mixed up and longing for the other person, it's a bit too fairytale-like to fit in with the rest of the story. I find the character development of Tyler, especially her dealing with her PTSD and taking the steps to become happier and healthier very well done. I don't think Alex has the same steep character development going on, but the slight changes she does make are all for the better, luckily. I'm not sure about their paring, but I guess any future books will make me either believe their romance more or not. And believe me, there will be more books. I wouldn't call the last lines of this book a cliffhanger per se, it could end just there, but it also entices enough to keep you wanting to flip the pages. Which is true for this book anyway. I think that can all be attributed to Miller's writing.
I enjoyed the book, it's a solid start of a new series, but it wasn't the easiest to get into.


*ARC received in exchange for a voluntary and honest review*

[Kaitlyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐ A decent plot - although this was categorized as a mystery and it really didn't feel mysterious at all - wrapped around a sweet, heartwarming romance that centered around healing from trauma.

The main thing that I didn't like about this book that knocked it down from a 4 ⭐ for me was the excess of perspectives. Personally, I found it unnecessary and a bit disorienting. Most of it could have been achieved without so many peripheral characters getting their own scenes; it really muddied the waters and detracted from any real mystery.

Not a bad read/listen and Lori Prince did a great job with the audio.

[XR · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy shit… this was such an amazing read!

I'm not sure I'll make it until the next book comes out... I need it ASAP! 😱

[Aleana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alex and Andrew are twins who is pitted against each other by their father William to see who rightfully is the best to take over Castle Resort empire when he retires. Alex has done everything she thinks her father want even to the point of putting her love life on hold. Andrew is thrill seeker who loves to gamble and believes their father loves Alex the most but in my opinion if that was the case he would have accept who she is not just the parts he likes. As we get to know them we meet a woman Tyler who is dealing with being sexual assaulted by a friend 12 years earlier she married to her high school sweetheart and have two children. She hasn’t really dealt with her emotions when it comes to her assault especially when that person comes back into her life.

This was a good read I won’t go into what’s happening this is the first book in this series so it does leave with a cliffhanger it took me a minute to really get into because it had many things going all at once but I enjoy it can’t wait for the next book I hope it’s soon.





I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.

[hubsie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This kept me engaged through a long trans-Atlantic flight (no on-flight entertainment needed for this girl) and a few evenings in Scotland. I did like the slow coming together of the two mains, Alex and Tyler. Admittedly, they are apart for most of the book, but the simmering chemistry was still there due to a chance meeting, and threaded itself nicely throughout the story. Sadly we have to face a heart wrenching rape scene, something I do not welcome in my lesfics. Coulda done without some of that detail. Nevertheless, the author did deal with the subject matter in a mature, caring way moving forward. I'm into these two characters enough to continue the series.....

[Cherie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this one quite a bit. I listened to the audio with Lori Prince narrating. It was a chaotic start, maybe the title is appropriate!
And too many tied in relationships to sort out and that seemed way too co-incidental. Tyler’s character was very well written and seemed so genuine and life like. Her suffering and trauma were intense in the audio version, almost movie quality. Alex’s character starts out week and controlled by her tyrannical father but in the end she figures out what is truly worth fighting for and goes after it. Lucky me, I get to read part two right now😁

[emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Humm. Okay. I DID enjoy this, and i very nearly bumped this up to a 4 rating because I was very much engaged the whole time, invested in the characters, and wanted to know what the hell was going on.

HOWEVER, the way the romance developed is… not my personal preference. Instalove, or love at first sight is… not my thing. These characters (both of whom I liked a LOT!) spent the majority of the book apart (not really an issue for me, as I know this is the first in a series, and I’ve listened to the Manhattan Sloane series, and while I have my own issues with that series, the slowburn development of the romance over the course of the three books largely isn’t one of them) so I was on board for a setting introduction and early stages of romance. HOWEVER lol, these women spent like 2.5 seconds in each other’s presence and are obsessed with each other, still on board! We’ve all met a stranger that stuck with us for whatever reason or another, sure, fine. But then they have like… maybe 4-5?? (that’s never made super clear) phone conversations and suddenly they’re In Love. They met for the first time after realizing all of this and they are In Love with all the capitals and bells and whistles that comes with it. And I just… sighed. Because while I want them together, this is a series! Let us see them learn each other and fall for each other!! It felt like telling instead of showing and needing to get on board with love at first sight, which is just not my preference.

That said, I DID enjoy their interactions, and I bet I will really like their dynamic in the next book, it just was kind of a bummer for me. The story was engaging and I really liked almost all of the characters.

Big caveat and trigger warning: there is an on page rape scene and one of the main characters main arc is her ptsd recovery journey after her rape. (And the rapist comes back into her life, and she gets pregnant and keeps the baby, spoilers, but I think ones some people need/want to know going in). The actual scene is pretty short, and not super descriptive in an explicit way, but it’s def something to note and be aware of.

I’ll be on the lookout for the rest of this series, if nothing else than Lori Prince brings the characters to life in a way that is perfection, which is why I got into reading this authors books in the first place.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok, so when is book 2 coming??? What? Not till August 2022?
If this series is anything like Miller's previous Manhattan Sloane series...It will be a grand success.
Book #1 is great. Lots of pathos, unusual romance and a bit of mystery.
Miller creates some very likeable characters and you want to see them succeed and not be hurt. But I warn you, that's not always the case. There will be some "oh no's" along with "wows". There is a brief rape scene but it is not difficult to read but necessary to set the base for the story.
Because this is a 3 book series expect an unexpected cliffhanger. You will definitely want book #2 And I expect book #3.
If you like audiobooks, book #1 will be available as an audiobook in March 2022...narrated by one of my favorite narrators, Lori Prince. I may have to get that too just to satisfy me till August.
I was given this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[M · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a really great concept for a story that wasn’t carried out as well as it could have been. The writing was very awkward overall, but especially the dialogue between characters. They all had the exact same dated style of speaking which not only made me question how old the characters actually were, but what era this book takes place in. Everything felt very unnatural in that the writing style felt forced. I appreciated that the SA was handled so well and didn’t feel like it was included for shock value. By the end of it I don’t know if the writing found it’s footing, or if I just got used to it, but I was oddly really invested in the characters themselves. With that cliffhanger ending I have to see what happens next.

[Bookista · Rating 4 out of 5]

This ended up being an interesting read and at the same time not quite what I expected. You have two protagonists Alex battling her twin to become the next CEO of her company and Tyler a graphic designer and suburban mom of two who has a dark secret.
At the start of this book - I wasn’t quite sure how these two were going to even meet - different worlds - different coasts, however there are quite a few plot threads that are opened at the start of this book and as each thread follows its course, the scene is set for these two to meet.
This was also a very different book in that the romance is not the only driver and the focus of this book alternates between the romance of the two characters and the plot that’s afoot. If I had known that would be the case, I think I would have been more patient with some of the tangents the book was taking.
Which brings me to the next realization I had, which is that this isn’t a one and done or standalone in a series type of book. It’s a sweeping generational and familial melodramatic type of storyline and going in with that expectation will help you enjoy this book more.
The plot was interesting and kept me engaged but I did feel like the pacing of the romance was quite slow with quite a few interruptions and some unnecessary angst before bringing it to its natural conclusion. Also would have liked to see more interactions with Alex and Tyler and maybe we’ll get that in the second book. Overall an engaging read. 4🌟s

Thank you NetGalley and Bella Books for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Kaye · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me a few chapters to get into this family drama, woman's fiction, mystery romance. But then I was hooked. It reminded me of an episode of Dynasty or Dallas (my references date me, not the book). A wealthy powerful father, pits his twin adult children against each other with the ultimate prize, his approval and running the Castle Resort empire. Both Yale educated, Alex sacrifices everything including her dating life to please her father. Her brother Andrew is taking short cuts but will do anything to beat his sister. There is blackmail, embezzlement, and mayhem along the way. With the reward in sight Alex literally bumps into a woman who she can't get out of her mind. She might be the person to cause Alex to walk away from the family business.

This is a fast paced story with many characters. There is surprising depth and motivations considering the speed of moving to the next plot point. I'm not a big fan of instant attraction/love but it fits the story. Intimacy is fade to black but there is great kissing descriptions. This is the first in a series and it does end on a cliff hanger. I'm hoping I don't have to wait too long for the next book. There is a trigger warning for an assault and rape. Nothing is graphic but be aware. Thank you to NetGalley and Bella Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Colleen Corgel · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 Stars. Stacy Lynn Miller has a great ability to write messy, complicated people that are easy to like. With this first book in the "Falling Castles" series, she does it again with Alexandra Castle and Tyler Falling. Which... Falling and Castle - Falling Castles, I just got that. Anyways, both our leads are have a chance encounter when they literally bump into each other in Napa, California that changes their lives. I usually don't like a romance in this style, but the way it unfolds is really good.

You have the hyper confident Alexandra Castle, a hotel heiress that is set up to take control of the Castle empire, but she has to hide her sexuality. Tyler Falling is a successful designer who is kind of just going through the motions in her own marriage because she is still compartmentalizing her sexual assault. It's made worse when her rapist was released from jail and is attempting to make contact with one of Tyler's daughters, who he believes was conceived as a result of the rape.

It's really interesting, I empathize with both characters, even though Alex is very rich and is set to receive even more money, and Tyler herself is well off. Alex has to juggle her brother's consistent jealous behavior and her father's overbearing personality, but I believe that Tyler is the one that really shines here. Her arc in the book is chilling, heartbreaking, and hopeful at the same time. She's a rape survivor that has disassociated so much that she pulled away from her husband without realizing it. Her husband, thankfully is kind, a little sad, and somewhat angry. When he does get angry, he is so on Tyler's behalf and it is directed at her rapist and now stalker. He is a genuinely good character and I love that - He isn't needlessly cruel, he's just sad and his reactions are of a man who loves his partner, is supportive, but knows that he can't always be enough.

There's a lot of good stuff in here, and I really enjoyed how the romance played out. It was almost Cinderella like, with both characters kind of having that brief but impactful encounter and them thinking about the other for weeks. They also work together, as Alex contacted Tyler's company to work on a website for them, but they don't know it. It plays out wonderfully. Just chef's kiss.

The only minor complaint is it that it takes a very long time for them to even meet, which I guess is fair, as this is a series that will be about Tyler and Alex, but I was just itching to see how they would meet. For me, that meant that the front section did drag a little, but once the pieces were in place, the pacing smoothed itself out and the payoff was really well done.

I'd say this is pretty much a must read, especially for those who like longer set ups and just highly impactful payoffs for each lead. Both Alex and Tyler hold their own and have satisfying arcs for this book. I cannot wait to see what they'll do next.

*I received this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well written slow burn romance. There's romance, competition, blackmail, embezzlement and jealously.
The story was fast paced, and I enjoyed every minute of it. The love, support and understanding of Tylers husband was astounding. Hands down a great read and I recommend getting a copy. 4.5 stars

I received an ARC from the publisher Bella Books via NetGalley.

[Tory · Rating 5 out of 5]

Talk about left hanging! I want to read the next book already. Okay Stacy, (can I call you Stacy?) let’s get writing. You can’t see me but I’m clapping my hands in encouragement.
Another great series I’m sure. I loved Manhattan Sloan and I will be looking forward to the next book in this series.

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5* This book is okay, but given the many good reviews heightening my expectations, a tad disappointing for me. Obviously others have enjoyed this more than I have, but the story is just not my cup of tea. How the two main characters got together is just too coincidental for me. And, not sure if this is spoiler-y, but Tyler's husband needs to be nominated for sainthood the way he's written.
There are a lot of thoughts in my head but I find it hard to write them down coherently. In the end, not sure if I'll read more of this series. This author's other book series are more to my liking.

[Jamie (TheRebelliousReader) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars. That cliffhanger!! I need book two immediately. I need answers right now. I devoured this book and I want more.

This was absolutely addictive. I loved the writing, the pacing was great, and the way that Miller handled the tough subject matters of rape and PTSD were well done and handled with care. My heart absolutely broke for Tyler and what she had gone through. I loved that there was therapy rep in this (I’m always here for that) and just how supportive Ethan was of her choices. I’m purposely being vague because of spoilers but yeah, everything with those two was so compelling.

Alex and her twin brother Andrew were fascinating. Andrew is an absolute mess but he brought all of the drama I’ll give him that. Alex was awesome. She’s such a strong and determined character and I really enjoyed her and Tyler’s relationship. They had such a deep connection and I loved how patient and kind Alex was with her. It was beautiful.

This book was full of twists and turns and all of the drama kept me absolutely hooked. That ending had my jaw on the floor and I cannot wait for book two. I’m very interested in reading more by this author because this book left me wanting more.

[Laure · Rating 5 out of 5]

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That’s in exchange of an honest review that I received, from Bella Books (via NetGalley), an ARC of "Despite Chaos" (Falling Castles Series - Book#1) by Stacy Lynn Miller.
So, here it is !!!

My rating : 5 ⭐️ -- 🤯 👍👍 A MUST READ. ☑️

That’s not a secret : I’m a huge fan of Stacy Lynn Miller’s work since I've discovered Out of the Flames (A Manhattan Sloane Thriller #1) back in 2020 when it has been released (For those who don't know it yet, ‘‘Manhattan Sloane Thriller Series’’ is SL Miller's first series which made us, discover her talent as an author and made me add her on my “Must Read” list ever since … ). So, for me, requesting this book was a no-brainer. As a matter of fact, I’ve been looking forward to reading it since the first time I’ve heard about its (back-then) incoming release. And I wouldn’t be surprised if the author does even better with this new series of hers than with her first one.

The story sets in the US, and, rare fact, the MC live, literally on opposite coasts : Alexandra ‘‘Alex’’ Castle lives on the East coast in New York City, New York & Tyler Falling lives on the West coast in Sacramento, California.
Alex is the heir-apparent to the multi-billion-dollar Castle Resort empire and she has worked hard all her life to take over when her father will finally retire. But it’s common knowledge that more often than not, money spoils everything and her controlling father doesn’t make things easy for her. He even pits her against her consistently jealous twin brother in a high-stakes competition to choose who will take over the company upon his retirement. So, to reach the top she must better her gambling addict twin brother but, of course, it’s not all. The tyran also forces her to hide a the brightest part of who she really is and requires she keeps her homosexuality a secret. Alex doesn’t get why the guy is such an homophophic jerk. Until she does and it changes everything.
Thirteen years ago Tyler has been sexually abused and she has compartmentalized her feelings and emotions since this tragic night. It took a huge toll on her and on her marriage, she’s just a shadow of the woman she used to be. To keep herself busy (and avoid to think too much), she has been raising her two daughters with her husband Ethan and started a graphic and web design company with her best friend Maddie… She thinks she has things under control until a dire day when her living nightmare, literally, shows up on her doorstep.
None of them is looking for a romance as Alex & Tyler both witness their worlds crumbling and need to escape … Their destination ?? Napa, California. That’s where their paths cross unexpectedly, where the magic of a very brief and anonymous encounter with the ‘‘mystery woman’’ sparks a mutual fascination, inoxerably changing the trajectory of their lives. From this moment, they both acknowledge the fact that living a lie is no longer an option… The road leading to their improbable romance will be a very bumpy one for sure especially with obtacle like self-exploration, competition, blackmail, embezzlement and jealously throwing themselves their way … But who knows how things could sort out in the end...

Gosh! It’s awesome, addictive & compelling!
Seriously, I was totally hooked. I couldn’t stop flipping the pages & I couldn’t do it fast enough! I really wanted to find out what was happening next, how everything would turn out for the MCs and some of the secondary characters … I just can’t wait for the next books in this series (hopefully in time it will be more than the trilogy it’s initially supposed to be) ‘cause I really need MORE about Alex & Tyler (who still has a lot of work to do to find her balance in this brand new life) … What happened in the cliffhanger will, for sure complicate things even more between them and their goal to build their relationship & Love but it wouldn’t be a good thriller otherwise, right??
This new series opening is very different from the ‘‘Manhattan Sloane Thriller Series’’ in the sense it’s, between a few other things, a story about business, sexual identity and embracing one’s true self. But, in the same time, it’s also very similar: a story about a beautiful and meaningful slow-burn romance, about family coupled with mystery & intrigue. Oh, and in both series SL Miller makes her MCs walk the fine line between attraction and cheating but with never crossing the cheating line, something I really appreciate 'cause I hate cheaters ( they are a pet peeve of mine)


➕ The "Pros" (in no paricular order - non exhaustive list) :

° the depth of the complicated MCs (both with a very different background having trauma or hard stuff to deal with) who are easy to love and connect with. I like Alex a lot but I really felt for Tyler …

° the off-the-charts chemistery (which is still a very realistic one) & deep connection between the MCs allowing them, in the right time, to open to each other & be more than what people think they are, for example, how hyper confident, strong and determined Alex is patient and kind to Tyler whose ARC story is hopeful despite its chilling & heartbreaking start…

° the good secondary characters (some more likeable than others, some being very supportive when some are the the foes …) that, I hope we will meet with again in the next instalments – minus one of course … (sorry guys, but I won’t say more : no spoiler !!)

° the tough topics that are rape and PTSD which have been, IMO, handled with care & respect and even included a therapy. Or other huge issues that are gambling addiction and the toll it can takes on one’s life, leading them to make very bad choices …

° the fitting title. Yep, chaos is the accurate term to define the theme of this new series

° the great writing style

° the great fast-pacing & drama allowing a captivating building of the suspence with twists and turns

° (thank God &, also, SL Miller for) the touches of smartass humor found all the novel long allowing us to relieve the tension after the reading of heavier parts …

° the ending and its expected & frustrating (but still welcome) cliffhanger



➖ The "Cons" : ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ nothing to declare … (not even the fact the cliffhanger could be seen as an act of psychological torture …)

(⚠️Tyler’s sexual assault stops short of being graphic but since the rape is then mentioned multiple times as well as the resulting PTSD, just in case, I prefer adding this trigger warning ⚠️)



If I had to make a very short and quite different version of my review, it’d be something like this :
- Did I enjoy this book? => Yes
- Did I find the characters believable? => Yes, very and they are also super touching
- Is this book now included in my "must be re-read"-list? => Definitely!
- Will I purchase the paperback? => Definitely! I need this one on my book shelf (to join the ‘‘Manhattan Sloane Thriller Series’’)
- Would I read another book by this author? => Definitely! And I really can’t wait !!! (yep … . I will be counting the days until the Book#2 is released)
- Would I recommend this book => Definitely! I even highly recommend this book…

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[Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not so much a romance as a story about family. A story about business. A story about sexual identity. And a story about embracing self. As the characters were introduced and their role in the story, I separated them into you are interesting or what the heck are you doing. The what the heck are you doing characters, really drive the story while laying out the tension. The main characters Tyler Falling, has been through some tough stuff as she works to build her business with her co-owner, best friend. Definitely not looking for a relationship. Alexandra Castle, heir to the Castle Resort empire, keeps busy so she does not have to think about her relationship loneliness. Both women attempt to navigate their various issues while dealing with external forces. I am hooked and look forward the next book in the series.

ARC provided by Bella Books via NetGalley

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm starting this review at the 61% completion mark of the book. Let me start at the beginning. The cover is what drew me to even read the synopsis of this novel. I love the game of chess and thought this was a fantastic cover. I have not read any previous books by this author but the cover and the description of the book was enough for me to purchase this title. I did not read it right away and then I came across the 2nd book in this series to read from Net Galley for an honest review. Many times when I come across a book that is not the first in a series I've chosen to forgo reading the previous titles and found I was missing key information that I would have known had I read the other books first. So because I already owned this title I decided to read this first before reading the ARC copy of the next title in the series. As yet I do not know if I could have read the 2nd without reading this one first but regardless I am really enjoying this title. The reason I choose to start this review before finishing it is because I wanted to comment about a pivotal point in the novel. I won't reveal anything except that the author chose to at least until this point, to not make the husband into a bastard which I really appreciate. More times than not the man in the lesbian books turns into a really bad guy and in this case I really really like Tyler's almost ex-husband Ethan. He is just a really good, kind, supportive man and I actually hope that he will continue to be a character in the next book and any others in this series. I believe that his profession could make that possible. I'll finish this review once I finish this book. Well I finished it and it was so good. Alex got Tyler, and that's not a reveal because people this is part lesbian romance and the girl always gets the girl in the end- that's why we read these books--- for the HEA. I said part because this novel does has elements of intrigue, mystery and thriller. I won't say anything about that part, I'll just say that I really liked this book and I'll be starting the next one shortly. Definitely recommend. I give this a 4 and a half stars.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel is packed with various escapades and misdeeds from the beginning. The mogul and family patriarch has 3 kids. The eldest, Syd, escaped to the west coast, defying her father. Alexandra and Andrew were raised to carry on their father’s legacy, his resorts/hotels.

Unfortunately for him, both of the twins do things he doesn’t like. Alex’s fall is purely due to being queer. Andrew has different issues. In-between the Castle drama is Tyler, a graphic artist. She has a history and a family. A past event traumatized her so much she still has PTSD. The reason for that reappears in her life 13 years later, causing all kinds of havoc for her and her husband. At the same time, she meets a mystery woman who intrigues her. Then things take off from there.

It's kind of a fairy tale because Alex is so rich, and yet so capable. Both women had enough background, though, to make them feel three dimensional. Their initial feelings were a bit over the top since both fell for a mystery woman they were unlikely to ever see again, but the author resolved that well enough. The story built slowly, layer after layer. I was prepared for some events but not the last event.

[Bella · Rating 4 out of 5]

TW: sexual assault, PTSD, homophobia, violence
This book isn't a fluffy romance since it's drama mostly, the romance is only a subplot.
I was confused at the start of the book because of the synopsis, so let me try to clear up my own confusion in case it benefits anyone else. Alex and Tyler were strangers. They happened to meet briefly and were fascinated by each other instantly. Then they met again by chance, given that they were across the country from each other. Besides the prologue for background and setup, this book took place in 2007.
There are a few things happening:
- The Castle company competition
- The embezzlement
- The blackmail
- PTSD
- Self-discovery
- The romance
They all happened at the same time, which was very overwhelming but I couldn't stop reading. I wish that there were more romance and fluff to balance those dramas out. Although, I have to remind myself that this was back in 2007 and Alex was almost 32 and Tyler was about 39, so it wouldn't have been like a puppy-love kind of story. The romance was love-at-first-sight and it might be too quick, but I didn't find it as unbelievable as it could've been.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

First in a new series of books which was very evident in the epilogue which created tension for the next book. I found this an unusual book in a familiar genre, in that in many ways it's a classic story of two women meeting by chance becoming entranced with each other, followed by a build up to their eventual meeting. In this book, Alex is fighting with her twin brother for succession to their father's empire, Tyler's story begins with her rape, which stops short of being graphic but may need a trigger warning.
The author tells a good story and there is plenty of plot to enjoy. I also really enjoyed Alex's friend's and the dynamic between them. I also really appreciated the sensitivity that was shown to Tyler not only by the author but also by the characters in the book.

Read in one sitting, will be interesting to see how this series goes.

With thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

[Margaret L. Hedman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great.

I really enjoyed Despite Chaos. A little bit hard to follow in the beginning. But then it smooths out and everything becomes clear. If this turns into a series, I will follow it.