Masked Secrets: Prequel to the Love Over Murder Series by J.D. Carothers
Series: Love Over Murder #0
Genres: Contemporary Romance
He’s a billionaire living for fun, fighting expectations, and avoiding his future. She’s an alluring, intelligent, career-focused woman. Throw in a masquerade ball, a steamy, encounter, and a villain. It’s a recipe for fireworks.
Brooke
It all starts when the power goes out, leaving me trapped in a dark elevator.
Just when the walls are closing in and panic starts to take over, a sexy stranger comes to my rescue.
His deep voice, yummy British accent, warm shoulder to lean on, and flask of expensive whiskey is just what I need.
Embarrassment aside, what happened shouldn’t matter. I’ll never see him again. That’s good because I’m no longer the adventurous risk-taker I was in college. Now, I’m a rule-following professional—at least that’s what I tell myself.Stuart
Her wavy, auburn hair, sparkling emerald eyes, and perfect curves mesmerize me.
When she panics, my instinct is to protect her. That is until she snuggles against me and sparks fly, making me want much, much more.
I regret not getting her mobile number. It shouldn’t bother me. I’m not looking for a relationship. And she doesn’t seem like the type for a fling.
To my surprise, she turns up unexpectedly. I’m relieved and thrilled. But she pushes me away.Welcome to the fast-paced Prequel for the Love Over Murder series. While the Prequel is shorter than the other books in the series, it's a standalone story featuring one couple's journey to their happily-ever-after. Each of the other books in the series is also a standalone book featuring a couple's journey to their guaranteed H.E.A. The series is especially for lovers of swoony moments intertwined with a light twist of suspense.
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my review
Brooke’s life is built on rules. She works hard, keeps things professional, and long ago left her impulsive college days behind. Then a city-wide blackout traps her in an elevator with a complete stranger.
Not exactly the way she planned to spend her evening.
Stuart, on the other hand, isn’t complaining. He’s charming, ridiculously attractive, and the kind of man who can calm someone down with a few quiet words, a flask of expensive whiskey, and that unmistakable British accent. Their time together is supposed to be a one-time encounter. Then life has other plans, and suddenly they’re standing across from each other in a professional setting pretending they haven’t already met.
I loved these two together.
Brooke isn’t looking for distractions, and Stuart isn’t used to anyone telling him no. Watching him slowly chip away at her carefully built walls was so much fun because he never tried to change who she was. He simply kept showing her that sometimes the best things happen when life refuses to follow your plans.
The chemistry between them is obvious from the beginning, but what kept me turning pages was the mystery running quietly in the background. Someone is pulling strings, secrets are starting to surface, and every time I thought I had figured out what was happening, something else would send me in a different direction.
I also loved that this story never lost sight of the romance. The suspense added tension without taking over the book. Brooke and Stuart remained the heart of the story, and I found myself rooting for them from the moment those elevator doors closed.
This is exactly the kind of prequel I want to read. It introduces new characters, leaves you wanting more, and makes you excited to dive into the rest of the series.
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