Rival Secrets

Love over Murder, Book 1

By: J.D. Carothers

Narrated by: Shane East, Samantha Brentmoor

What happens in Vegas can be deadly…

After my parents passed away, I put my culinary dreams aside to be the lawyer they wanted. However, with my 30th birthday rapidly approaching, my bestie urges me to enter a cooking competition in Las Vegas. When a contestant is murdered, my time watching from the sidelines is over. I’m suddenly thrown into the event as a finalist.

I knew the kitchen would heat up, but so did my love life when I unexpectedly met the handsome billionaire Evan Catalinus. Evan checks off all my dream guy boxes: a British accent that makes me hang on his every word, a love of food that rivals mine, and let’s not forget those body-melting kisses.

Evan declares he’s falling for me, but I sense there’s a truth he’s not sharing, and my past makes me hesitate to take this budding relationship further. Will searching for a killer bring Evan and me closer to each other, or will the secrets kept in Vegas end my life before I can discover Evan’s truth?

Rival Secrets is the first book in the Love Over Murders series. Rival Secrets is a significantly updated and rewritten version of Cassie and Evan's story that originally appeared in Thrill Ride. Each book is a standalone story featuring one couple’s journey to their guaranteed H.E.A. and no cliffhanger. The series is especially for lovers of swoony moments intertwined with a murder mystery.

©2024 Dreamlific Publishing (P)2024 Dreamlific Publishing

Keep ya guessing

This book was so good it sucks you right into the mystery of who is doing the killing! I couldn’t put it down!

I was shouting in my kitchen and exclaiming to no one because the book had me so invested. So invested I actually burned dinner because I was distracted listening to the book 🤣🤣

It is dual pov & dual narrated by Samantha Brentmoor & Shane East.

Samantha does a good job of portraying the male parts when necessary and Shane does a good of portraying females when necessary.

Each character has a distinct voice so you’re never wondering which character is supposed to be talking.

This is a romance as well as a murder mystery but I like that the murder mystery takes the main plot and the romance is in the background.

With that said the balcony scene towards the end🥵🥵🥵

My review is based on an advanced listener copy that I was super lucky to receive. My review is freely given.

Wonderful Story!

Wonderful Story! I liked the whole chef competition! The author does a great job making me feel the stress, the rush and the thrill of the cooking contest. The suspense is as exciting as the relationship between the two MC. I look forward to more in this series. I listened to this on audio. Samantha Brentmoor and Shane East do a wonderful job in the narration.

This was fun!

1/5 🌶️

Performed in Dual Narration by Samantha Brentmoor and Shane East

Tropes
Secret Identity
British Billionaire
Murder Mystery

I enjoyed this thoroughly. I haven't had a fun mystery read in awhile and I felt like I was immersed in a game of clue that had some romance dabbled in.

Cassie is a lawyer who finally gets her chance to follow her cooking dreams on a reality cooking show. Evan is a billionaire prince who is just looking for some time away from his obligations at home by visiting his college best friend at his Vegas resort/casino. They're instantly attracted to each other but soon after allowing themselves to explore their attraction, contestants of the show start meeting sabotage and murder. Cassie is then trying to clear her name, while Evan is torn between wanting to protect her and also wondering if he's fallen into the bed of a murderer.

Evan & Cassie

I loved Evan and Cassie’s story! It’s a murder mystery (but not too dark and twisty) with a dash of swoon, SPICE, and sweetness! The plot is centered around a cooking competition in Vegas where several mishaps, including death of one of the competitors, bring a different level of stress to the competition for the remaining finalists. When Evan sees Cassie, it’s insta-lust that eventually turns into more. I loved the little twists and turns along the way, which kept the plot interesting! I devoured this one in a little over a day! J.D.Carothers is a new-to-me author and I’m excited to read more from this author! I read this one with my ear holes and the QUEEN, Samantha Brentmoor, and Shane East were PERFECT to bring the MCs to life! 🤩

So excited for this series!!

Story - ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Spice -🌶🌶
Narration - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Rival Secrets is book #1 in the Love Over Murder series. I'm excited for this series if all the books are as good as this one. Evan is a prince, the spare heir, trying to find his purpose. Cassie is working a job she hates and enters a cooking competition for her joy of cooking. Things heat up quick when these two meet in Vegas. I loved how Evan stood by Cassie, believing in her while she was under suspicion and alone. The author delivered intrigue, suspense, and steamy scenes all while wrapping us into a story full of great characters and lots of plot twists. I'm really excited for more!!

The narration was perfection 👌! Shane East is the ultimate voice for all things royalty. Samantha Brentmoor's sultry voice delivers every time!! 5/5 stars for this sizzling duo!🌟

The Kitchen isn't the only thing heating up!

Evan and Cassie

The narrators did excellent job of telling this story. Especially Shane his voice 🔥🔥🔥🔥.

This was really interesting. It was like a combo of shows for me. I got a food challenge/Top Chef, Hallmark movie, mystery vibe. Cassie is competing in a culinary competition when she meets Evan a friend of the casino owner where the show is being recorded. Not only do you get their relationship, the competition, someone sabotaging the competition, blackmail, Cassie being a suspect to a murder, money being siphoned from the casino, kidnapping and secret royalty. There is a lot going on that kept this an entertaining story.

Chef Kiss

J.D. Carothers' "Rival Secrets" delivers a potent mix of romantic suspense, heightened by the intimacy of the audiobook format. The story of Cassandra and Evan is one of immediate, intense connection, shadowed by hidden agendas and the looming threat of secrets revealed.

Cassandra, burdened by familial expectations and financial strain, finds an unexpected escape in a high-stakes opportunity. The allure is magnified by Evan, a charismatic billionaire whose British accent and captivating presence ignite a powerful attraction. The narrator deftly portrays Cassandra's internal conflict, balancing her ambition with the burgeoning, undeniable pull towards Evan. The listener is drawn into her emotional turmoil, feeling the weight of her responsibilities and the thrill of her burgeoning romance.

Evan, equally captivated by Cassandra, harbors a secret that threatens to shatter their newfound connection. The audiobook format amplifies the tension of his concealed truth, with subtle vocal inflections revealing his internal struggle. The narrator's portrayal of Evan's conflicted emotions adds depth to his character, making him both charming and enigmatic.

The audio performance excels at capturing the sizzling chemistry between Cassandra and Evan. The narration effectively conveys the emotional intensity of their interactions, making their connection palpable. The pacing allows for both moments of tender intimacy and suspenseful anticipation, building towards the inevitable confrontation with Evan's secret.
"Rival Secrets" is a compelling listen for those who enjoy romantic suspense with a blend of emotional depth and thrilling intrigue. The audiobook format enhances the story's emotional impact, allowing listeners to fully immerse themselves in Cassandra and Evan's complex relationship. The exploration of trust, vulnerability, and the risks of love in the face of hidden truths resonates, making this a satisfying and engaging audio experience.

I'm HOOKED!! This audiobook was AMAZING!

This was the first book I have listened to by J.D. Carothers and I'm hooked! I'm already obsessed with this series and just started book two! The story and the characters were well written. The narrators Samantha Brentmoor and Shane East did a wonderful job telling this story. I love both of these narrators so I was excited to listen to this book. They will hold your attention and keep you entertained the entire time. You will also feel like you really get the characters they portray them so well.

Cassie became a lawyer to make her parents happy after they passed away. Her true dream job was to be a chef. So when her friend urges her to sign up for a cooking competition she decides to go for it. When she gets a call that she didn't win a spot but as a back up she leaves for Las Vegas to stand by and watch from the sidelines. When a contestant is suddenly murdered she becomes a finalist in the show and a suspect.

Evan is a spare prince and is looking for something to give him more purpose so he decides to help his friend who owns a hotel with a cooking competition. When he meets Cassie you can tell these two have instant chemistry. I just love how protective he is of her. Evan will definitely make you swoon! Now Evan and Cassie have found themselves in a little murder mystery and a blooming romance. What will happen next?!

This book was so addictive and I definitely didn't want it to end. I has so many swooning and smiling moments in this book. I loved having a romance story with a mix of suspense put in there. Then add in the Prince story line and it was just perfect! You will get the perfect happily ever after story and will be left with a big smile! I highly recommend this book and can't wait to see what happens next in book 2!

Interesting Murder Mystery story

Cassie is a burnt out lawyer that secretly has a passion for cooking. So when she gets the opportunity of a lifetime to be an alternate in an elite cooking competition in Las Vegas, she drops everything and takes her shot. She may be an alternate, but that won't stop her from soaking up all the fun, glitz, and glam that this trip will bring to her mundane life.
Evan is a crown prince of a small Eurpoean country and second in line for the throne. With his brother set to take the throne soon and so much change happening, he is trying to find his purpose outside of royal duties, so he decides he needs a much needed break and heads to Las Vegas where his best friends runs one of the biggest hotels on the strip. The hotel that happens to be were the cooking competition is.
As a favor to his friend, Evan helps out with managing the competition and is instantly dawn to Cassie. They keep running into one another all over the hotel and at competition events that they decide to start spending time together on purpose and the spark between them is ignited. But as the competition gets underway, the financial issues of the hotel come to the forefront and when people a part of the competition start popping up dead, there is more going on than meets the eye. Solving the mystery becomes priority while still trying to keep the competition going and the closer they get to discovering the truth, the more in danger they all are, especially Cassie.
Rival Secrets is a murder mystery romance full of twists and turns that keeps you on your feet. As murder mystery is not the most common trope in romance these days, I found this story a great change of pace and I am interested to see how the next book in the series plays out.
Samantha Brentmoor and Shane East were delivered great performances here. I don't think I've ever heard them together on a title and it was fun to experience that. Samantha with a British accent was FUN! These two are some of the best in the narration game and this was no different.

Great romantic suspense with excellent narration!

Rival Secrets is Cassie and Evan’s story and kicks off the Love Over Murder series. Cassie is a lawyer who dreams of being a chef and finally takes the step to participate in a cooking competition in Las Vegas. What promises to be an exciting opportunity turns sour when murder is on the table and the plot thickens. There is plenty of suspense as the murder investigation unravels. Evan has secrets, but he is drawn to Cassie. I like how their relationship unfolds, even in the midst of the investigation. This is a fun, steamy romantic suspense with excellent humor and great characters to drive the Love over Murder series. I’m looking forward to more!

Narration by Samantha Brentmoor and Shane East is fantastic! They work so well together with great timing and chemistry. Both of them are excellent performers and I always know I will enjoy any project with these two. I was very excited to receive this advanced listen.