I really like how the author handled depression and PTSD. She did a really good job with that. I liked the characters a lot and they were developed well.

The story had a nice flow to it. Aside from the beginning and end, there wasn't a lot of suspense. Tension, yes and it was well done too.

I would have liked an Epilogue, but that's a personal preference.

A very enjoyable read! A good first novel for this author!

3.75
Christian Suspense is my all time favourite genre, and when I find a new author in this genre, and one who delivered a enjoyable suspense, I want to do a happy dance. I'm feeling like this after reading Living Lies.

There was a great mystery around the murder of Sydney and why she died. Added to that a small town, a heroine who struggles with depression, a charming hero, the cutest little boy and very interesting side characters, you have a winning combo. Even though I guessed right away what is going on with the paintings and the actual murderer, I still enjoyed the ride of seeing how the characters will come to the same conclusion. The ending and one or two other small things I did not expect, so I enjoyed those twists.

I see a lot of potential in this writer and added her to my authors to watch. There was a few loose ends/unfinished points (for me) and I guessed the plot etc to quickly for my liking, but it was a solid suspense and iff you love suspense like I do, you should give this one a go

If you like Colleen Coble, Dani Pettrey and Irene Hannon, definitly pick this one up..

This is a suspenseful novel around PTSD, depression and organized criminality. The underlying Christian theme can be summed up as everybody is worthy to live and to be loved and everybody deserves a second chance, something even non-Christians can easily agree to. This book might be encouraging for those who suffer of depression or blame themselves for things that ultimately were not their fault.

In my personal opinion there was too much stress on veterans being heroes.

I absolutely loved this book. I loved the emotions and action in this book. This is a new author from me and now can't wait for the next one. I highly recommend this book for everyone to read. It deals with real live issues that need to be addressed and make people aware of.

Living Lies is more than just gripping fiction. The story drew me in before I had finished the first chapter, and didn't let go until I had reached the end. Though the plot reached a stopping point, I wasn't quite ready for the story to end.

The characters are well developed, and you can connect with their fears and frustrations. Lane wants to conceal her weakness, afraid that it will lead to others getting hurt. Charlie wants to prove that he has made the right decision. Besides that, the descriptions of both the people and events let you easily imagine what they look like and what happens.

That aspect alone made it hard to put down, but the underlying messages in Living Lies made it so much better. Lives in the story are built on keeping a public facade intact and worrying too much about what others think. Over the course of the book, people learn that outward appearances are not the most important thing. Being who God created you to be is where your focus should be. A good summary is provided by the quote, "If all you see when you look in the mirror are your flaws, then you’ll believe that’s all anyone else will see. You are not broken."

People learn about trust and sharing each other's burdens. Stories with these aspects remind us that we are to do the same.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

It’s hard to believe this is the debut novel by this author. It is well-written and gripped me from the opening, poignant scene. Lane struggles with depression and feels marked by it even as she tries to hide that from others. The new deputy Charlie Lynch seems to understand without having been told and doesn’t treat her like she’s damaged. Lane starts to wonder if she has reason to hope that she can move on from the tragedy in her past.
Walters writes of depression and PTSD with compassion and insight. It was such a different take on a heroine and it moved me as did Charlie’s unconditional friendship.
Besides the depth to the story, there is an exciting plot with plenty of action and danger. There’s a sense of urgency. It was a hard book to put down. I would highly recommend it and I can’t wait to read the next story about Frost.
Thank you to Revell for providing me with a free e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Harbored Secrets Series:
Book 1: Living Lies
Book 1: Deadly Deceit (coming 11/5/19)

Living Lies, book one in the Harbored Secrets series by debut author, Natalie Walters, instantly grabs your attention and, like a good suspense book, doesn’t let go. I became so attached to these characters that even after the story was over I still wanted to keep reading.

In her debut novel, Walters tackles a subject that I haven’t seen many fiction authors take on: depression\suicide. And she does so with great diplomacy and eye-opening realisticity. Lane Kent is just struggling for a ray of hope after her husband’s traumatic death, but instead she finds herself tangled up in a web of deadly deceit. The “new guy in town,” former Marine-turned-sheriff’s-deputy Charlie Lynch is tasked with discovering the truth behind the murder that has rocked the small town of Walton, Georgia. Both of these characters are struggling with their own demons, and are so real you can’t help but relate to them. The addition of 5-year-old Noah, Lane’s son, was very sweet, and I loved seeing his interactions with Charlie as he and Lane find themselves drawn to each other.

There isn’t boatloads of action throughout most of this story, but the twisty plot definitely keeps your attention. I had a few guesses as to how the story would play out, but for the most part I was surprised. I greatly enjoyed Walters’ writing style; it’s not overly wordy, but it smoothly draws you into the story, and you can’t stop reading.

All in all, I think Natalie Walters is an author to watch. I look forward to reading book two of the Harbored Secrets series in November! I highly recommend this novel to fans of suspense with a touch of romance.


FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book for promotional purposes from LibraryThing and NetGalley. A positive review was not required. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.

"Living Lies" is a Christian romantic suspense/mystery. The heroine literally stumbled across the body of a murdered girl, and the hero was the officer assigned to investigate and solve the murder. He's drawn to the compassion and kindness shown by the heroine to Vietnam vets and others that are struggling. She can relate to them because she's struggled her whole life with depression and anxiety, plus she still mourned her husband's death and carried guilt about it.

The characters acted realistically to events and came across as real people with genuine struggles. The suspense came from a shady character who kept lurking about the heroine's business and then the threat of another murder at the end.

Since the heroine felt like she was made broken due to her depression, she struggled to accept that God loved and cared about her. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd highly recommend this exciting novel.

Fabulous debut! Natalie Walters has crafted a tightly woven mystery that grips the reader from the first page and doesn't let go until the last page is turned.

Living Lies is a timely tale, tackling the misperception out culture has concerning mental illness and depression. This book shines a spotlight on the destructive power of lines and secrets, and demonstrates the transforming power of truth and forgiveness.

Excellent and highly recommended!

I really enjoyed this book by debut novelist Natalie Walters. This is the first in the series, and I look forward to reading the next one in the series.

Lane Kent returns to her hometown with her five year old son. Lane lost her husband recently, and she is dealing with deep depression. When she comes into town, she discovers the dead body. She starts working with the newest deputy, Charlie Lynch, to figure out who the body is and who was the murderer.

There is some suspense with a little romance thrown in. There is a slight twist, also.

I recommend this book to anyone that likes good, clean, romantic suspense novels.

I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley for my honest opinion.

A new author debuts with the start of a new series, Harbored Secrets, in this suspenseful novel, Lane, a widow with a young son is taking one day at a time dealing with depression when she unknowingly stumbles upon a murdered teen. The struggles of depression is highlighted throughout this story as the police try to uncover what is happening in their small town. Looking forward to the next book. Highly recommended!

Solid debut!

This suspense novel is believable and features an unlikely heroine, one that suffers from depression. Lane captured my heart with her sweet spirit and desire to help others. Typically, an on again off again romance drives me bonkers, but it rang true knowing the main female character isn't confident of her worth or value.

The secondary characters were wonderful including young police officer Frost and an unnamed character to avoid spoilers.

I look forward to continuing this series.

Natalie's first book is a great read. The story has a good plot, characters and many mysteries. I liked the characters in the story, each one brought more to the story. As the story went on it become more intense in places until the nail biting final conclusion.

I received a readers copy of this book through Netgalley for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.

I'm always looking for new romantic suspense authors, and this book did not disappoint. I liked how the author handled the topic of depression and incorporated it into the story. There was also a sweet love story that went along with the mystery. I will definitely be returning for more from this series.

Living Lies is the first book in the Harbored Secrets series by debut novelist, Natalie Walters. Walters has done a superb job of crafting a thrilling suspense, with threads of heart-pounding romance and important messages about acceptance and removing the stigma of mental health and depression. I truly enjoyed this exciting book and I look forward to reading the subsequent titles in the series.

Lane Kent knows heartbreak. She knows the guilt of her past mistakes. Returning to her home town with her young daughter was supposed to be a fresh start but sometimes the secrets and family expectations feel suffocating. When Lane finds a dead body in the woods, she and Deputy Charlie Woods team up to solve the case.

I loved the relationship that builds between Lane and Charlie. I loved how the feelings of love and excitement of a new romance don’t change the facts of Lane’s depression - nothing is swept under the carpet and I loved the dedication to truth and reality. This isn’t a fairytale, but more closely resembles the harsh reality of life, which I though was both really important and helpful for readers, especially those who can relate to Lane’s experiences with suicidal thoughts and depression. Yet, there is a wonderful joy and glow you can feel emanate from Charlie and Lane as they manage to steal quick moments of time in amongst the murder investigation.

There is no shortage of action and tense moments in Living Lies. At first, with the inclusion of chapters from a secondary character, I thought the mystery would be easily laid out to readers and reduce the suspense a little, but the added details, while removing a little of the guess work, only serves to increase the tension and builds to a nail-biting climax.

The crime in Living Lies resolves around murder, drugs, art and basically all those things that make the good guys so eager to catch their bad guys. I loved Deputy Frost - genius, computer-geek, slightly awkward and all-round good guy. I do hope he and others of the wonderfully supportive and detailed secondary characters return in the next books in the series.

Living Lies is a complex, well-constructed and engaging story. With such important and positive messages about mental health, interwoven with the story of crime-fighting action, faith, and romance, I can very highly recommend Living Lies.

The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.

Find more reviews, reading age guides, content advisory, and recommendations on my blog <a href="https://madisonslibrary.wordpress.com">Madison's Library</a>

Really enjoyed this. Refreshing read, great job. Full review on the blog coming shortly. . Really great job!

You will be surprised by the ending! Lane and her son return to Walton, Georgia to make a new life for themselves by running a small cafe. Lane’s new neighbor is Charlie, a young policeman who isa veteran who fought in Afghanistan. Lane and Charlie meet in a forest when Lane accidentally trips on a young teenager’s body and Charlie hears her scream and finds her with the beaten, bruised young girl’s body.
The young couple are attracted to each other, but Lane is cautious about trusting anyone with her four year old son, Noah.
You will have to read the book for yourself to find out how investigating this case puts everyone’s life in danger , and how Lane’s past does not ruin her future.

In LIVING LIES, NATALIE WALTERS deals with heavy subjects such as depression, suicide, murder, family relationships and war vets suffering from PTSD, but she has encased all this in a beautiful love story.
We are reminded of the importance of acceptance, unconditional love, faith and hope for the future.
The characters are believable and well portrayed and the story is exciting.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Revell. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

Living Lies by Walters is book to keep you on the edge of your seat and deliver an important message at the same time.
The opening scene captures your attention and creates a ton of questions in your mind. Lane deals with depression and the author gives a very accurate portrayal of depression. From a serious perspective, I found her descriptions of growing up with it the most interesting. You don’t realize what a child or teen must feel when they have depression and not understand what it is or how to deal with it and why they are different. Her family dynamics added more complications in dealing with it.

We also have a mystery of a murdered young woman. One of the suspects is a veteran from Vietnam who deals with PTSD. Once again the author did an amazing job of sharing not only his experiences, his trouble coping but also reminding us of how unfairly they were treated when they returned.
In addition to all of this was a beautiful romance. Charlie the new detective is a retired Marine who has his own experiences of depression and its repercussions. His acceptance of her and his growing feelings were beautiful. It is what you want in any relationship: that acceptance and that feeling that we are in this together. The question is can she accept it.
I highly recommend this book. It takes on more serious subject matter and is worth the read.

I received this book from Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review.
You can see my full review at More Than a Review dot com where I rate the level of sex, violence, language and drug/alcohol use in books.