Member Reviews
Yet another fantastic release from Tijan.
The Insiders is a fast paced romance with a twist. Already having read and loved Tijan’s books in the past, as soon as I read the synopsis for The Insiders I was intrigued and excited, and it did not let me down.
From the first page the story jumps right into the action. I very much enjoyed the main character of this story, Bailey.
Bailey is a tech genius just like her father, Peter Francis. Though, she is not aware of this until she is almost kidnapped because of her connection to her father. Things spiral on from this point as the web of lies and secrets surrounding Baileys life and her newfound family, unravels.
I enjoyed getting to see into the techy side of things with Bailey and how amazing she is with computers. As someone who is a disaster with electronics, that was really cool to read about.
Like I said in the beginning of my review, The Insiders is a fast paced story. It takes off from the beginning and I was thoroughly hooked throughout the story. There is enough intrigue and mystery surrounding Baileys new family to keep you glued to the pages. The romance between Kash and Bailey was interesting in the mix of everything going on in the story, and Tijans writing keeps you engaged.
I Loved this fast paced, and engaging romance! And am highly looking forward to the next one.
**Thank you to the publisher, St. Martins Press, and NetGalley for the early review copy. My review will be posted to my socials and amazon on release day.**
I have read Tijan books forever, I am talking back to Wattpad days. Reading this book was confusing at first because I had to make sure she wrote it. It was amazing like all her other books, but it was so different. The characters were just as broken and lush as always, but it felt like a different tone. I love Kash and Bailey, but I definitely feel like there is more we are unaware of with Kash. The ending was not what I was expecting and it left more questions....like was that really a car accident or was the person behind it? I need more!
3.5 Stars
Have you ever been addicted to a book and had no idea why you were addicted to it? That's how I felt with The Insiders. It was kind of a mess in some ways, but brilliant in others.
Tijan has an obvious voice in her writing. There's something about the way that she writes that pulls me in. There is a familiarity in the rambling, redundant train of thought her characters have. In some ways it's like coming home, in others it makes all her female main characters feel a little too much alike. Luckily, each has at least one unique quality that prevents them from being carbon copies. Bailey was an incredibly intelligent young woman with a photographic memory. She was close to her mother. She was an introvert without athletic ability. She did have daddy issues like many other Tijan characters, and that was a major part of the plot. Bailey, like the rest of Tijan's female characters, was an underdog I couldn't help rooting for.
Bailey's love interest in this book was Kash, her father's right hand man. I have to admit I had a hard time buying into the instant love thing going on between Bailey and Kash. I totally got the physical attraction by the descriptions, but the mental connection was what was missing for me. That being said, I appreciate the way the men in Tijan's books stand up for their women, support them, and love them. There's always a jealous female or two, but they don't break the emotional connection the MCs have. The Insiders was entirely in Bailey's POV so Kash felt like a complete mystery throughout most of the book. It wasn't until almost the end that I understood his reasonings and feelings a bit more. I'm hoping in future books he's going to get a POV. Even though I still feel like I don't know him well enough after this book, I could feel his dedication to Bailey.
As always, Tijan's side characters were fantastic. Bailey's other younger siblings were sweet in their own ways. I hated and loved Matthew, the poor messed up guy that he was. I can also tell there are some female friendships for Bailey that are going to turn out to be strong connections I'll love in future books. Bailey's parents played a big part in this book. I liked her mom, but the jury is still out on her dad for me. Heck, even the "bad guys" were great characters who snuck up on me. I won't say who they are, but I liked them.
Now I'm going to get down to the messiest thing about The Insiders for me. The plot. I hate to say it, but the majority of the books felt like it was lacking a plot. Everything felt surface level. Bailey was on this almost redundant road to nowhere. Nights with her man, hanging out with Matthew, connecting with the little kids, all while worrying about her relationship with her father and her possible kidnappers. It kind of felt like things were going nowhere until BAM! everything came into focus towards the end. Once revelations starting coming, they didn't stop. It was like fast forward had been pushed and everything started happening all at once. I finally got it then, the lead up. I understood and liked this book even more. It's weird to admit, but I didn't mind when the book was I felt like there wasn't much of a plot. I was still addicted. And that addiction paid off in big ways. Some I saw coming, some I should have seen coming, and some that truly surprised me.
So, yeah. Sorry this review is a little rambling. I just wanted to make sure I got everything across about how I felt about The Insiders. It was a hard book to rate. I couldn't decide if it deserved 3 or 4 stars from me. It wasn't my favorite book by Tijan (How can anything beat the FCH series?), but it I enjoyed every minute of it. It left me wanting to know more about basically everything. I'm happy this will be a three book series, so that I can get to know Kash better and find out what happens in Bailey's life.
I was hooked on The Insiders from the moment I started reading, it got me out of my biggest reading slump to date! The suspense, sexy tension and drama was exactly what I needed!
Bailey is an excellent hacker who lives with her single mom, working towards graduate school. But when she is targeted in an attempted kidnapping, she is suddenly brought in to her unknown father’s family and she has to navigate now being the outsider in her new role. Add in protection from Kashmir Colello and Bailey soon finds herself way out of her depth.
I loved the first two thirds of this story as it developed the whole situation. But then it fell off the rails as it tried to incorporate Kash’s story into it. Needs more development to understand the premise. But it still makes me want even more Tijan!
From the synopsis this isn’t the kind of story that I would choose to read. But I have read several other books by Tijan and liked them. I am so glad that I did read this book. I was drawn in from the first page. And throughout the story I kept trying to figure things out. I was on the edge of my seat. Bailey is thrown into a different world when she goes to live with her father she’s never met. She is there for her safety. Kash is close with her father and his family. He watches over Bailey to keep her safe. But there is so much mystery surrounding him. This is an original story with great characters.
Super smart heroine good with technology...
Swoon worthy hero there to protect...
Bailey is a genius with a photographic memory. She is almost kidnapped and now has to make some tough choices.
Kash is a mysterious family friend of Bailey’s father and is now protecting her.
The insiders was an enjoyable read, a lot of secrets, twists and turns and a cliffhanger that makes me want the next book now.
Tijan has been a one-click author of mine for a while, so I will preface this review by saying I generally like what she writes. The Insiders is no exception. It was such a fantastic, different book! I loved the characters and the story line is fresh and original. Note: There is a slight cliffhanger at the end since this is the first book in a new Series. If you love reading New Adult Romance, Alpha heroes, super intelligent heroines, secrets and lies, and a tense plot, you will definitely be satisfied with The Insiders! 5 Stars!
This is why I love Tijan - she always brings you something fresh, new, and SO GOOD with each book! I flew through this book - the characters, the plot twists, all of it kept me enthralled to the very end! I definitely need more and cannot wait to read the next book!!
ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
4.5 stars
I’m a big fan of Tijan’s books and this story was one of the best I’ve read by her so far ( I still have to read of few from her backlog catalogue and I promised myself I will this year)
I want to high five her for her amazing arc characters and Bailey is my favourite. Young and strong, thrown in a world that she didn’t knew it existed or that was part of, she has to go through all the emotions and drama of a family like hers . On top of that, she’s a nerd girl, and I loved this about her.
Kash is the perfect hero that I couldn’t love more even if I wanted, always protective and loving, always there for her.
I loved being in this new world where we met new characters and all the suspenseful moments that kept coming with each page turned.
If you haven’t read any Tijan’s books by now, read this one and you won’t be disappointed.
I loved this book. The storyline, the characters, the plot twists. I loved everything about it! I have only read a few of Tijan’s books and those that I have read have been filled with teen angst. This one was a little more mature. Bailey is forced to make some major decisions about her future in a very short amount of time following a tramatic event. She tries to make the best decision for her and her mother, but sometimes best intentions are just not enough. The events following her decision will allow her to find love and a family she never knew she had, but will she be welcomed as an insider or cast out? This book pulled me in from the first page and didn’t let go until the very last word.
I was given an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley and voluntarily left my review.
Books like this are why Tijan will always be a one click author for me! Complex storytelling with a group of characters that had me hooked from the first page.
Sooo many plot twists and gasp out loud moments I simply couldn’t read fast enough. I fell hard for Kash - he’s the dark, mysterious bad boy you can’t help but love. And Bailey, well I’m a sucker for a quirky, smart heroine. Together they were chemistry perfection!
I cannot wait for the next book in the series.
Ummm.... this is a no for me. I am a big Tijan fan. Teardrop Shot and Crest series are some of my favorites.
This story lacked all the things I love about those books. There was just so little cohesion. The characters were flat and dull. The storyline was a mess. There were too many details for some things and not enough for others.
This is in my opinion by far Tijan's best work yet, this is and it isn't like her fallen crest series, carter reed series and her book cole all rolled into one it was addicting from the star.
Bailey is a baddy she can pretty much hack into anybody or anything and please don't even get me started on Kash (OMG) he is probably my favorite character ever.
Please if your a Tijan fan you don't want to miss this.
Interesting start to a new series. I hate when a smart heroine does stupid stuff and hero has to save her. I liked this book but did not love it hopefully will will learn more about Kash in the next book.
Another great book by TIjan! The characters are so in-depth and well written, you really get a sense of who they are- good or bad. It flows super well and is easy to read- so much in fact you don't want to put it down! Love the intense moments, never boring!
Do you ever get a vibe from a book and then you read it and it's not what you were expecting?
Well, that's what happened to me with The Insiders, this book was so much BETTER than I thought it was going to be.
The Insiders follows Bailey, super tech genius with a photographic memory. Daughter of a single mother and has never met her father. Her entire life changes the night a group of men break into her home to kidnap her, hoping to use her against her father. Thanks to a nosy neighbor, they are unsuccessful. That night she meets Kashton Colello, an associate of her father's and has to make the decision to go into hiding until the threat passes.
We watch through Bailey's eyes as she gets to know her siblings, who don't know who she is. Cheating, betrayal, lying, and secrets, this book has it all.
This story was well written, sexy and exciting. The characters seem like real people and Bailey's undiagnosed PTSD was portrayed in a really realistic way, I actually felt her panic like it was happening to me. there were a few plot holes, that I know can't remember what they were (I have GOT to start using the notes feature on my Kindle), so clearly they weren't all that important to the overall story.
I'm really glad I got to read this book, it was very enjoyable.
*Thank you to the publisher for this eARC.
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.
Wow. I have never read anything by Tijan but I am soooo glad that I did. When I read the synopsis for the Insiders, I knew I had to read it. This book was amazing. The romance, mystery, and the sibling relationships just made the book for me. I can’t wait to see where this trilogy goes. I need book 2 ASAP!!!
Well, another AMAZING book by Tijan but I'm not surprised I love everything she writes!!!! The Insiders grabs your attention from chapter one and you can't help but get pulled into this story. With a great lead character in Bailey, you can't help but root for her and hope she gets the family she always wanted. Oh and then there's Kash yummy!! Another strong (and when I say strong I mean sexy) male character written by Tijan. I need more Bailey, Kash, Peter, Chrissy, Ser, Cyclone, and even Matt (Hope you find what you're looking for Matt in the next book there is still hope for you) If this is the first book in this trilogy, I can't wait to read the other two. AMAZING JOB!!!!!
This book starts off fast, plunges you right in by grabbing your attention and holds it from the beginning. Not being a huge fan of "slow burns" I appreciated that.
I really liked the protagonist. Bailey was an intelligent girl and my heart ached for her during certain situations. You really become invested in her life. I also liked how this was a mix of romance and mystery. Overall, I think fans of YA romance will enjoy this read.
***Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.