NetGalley ARC Educator 550974

Trigger warnings: sexual assault, ptsd, and homophobia.

A twisted father, twins who will do anything to win his affection and a sexual assault survivor. This story has it all. Be prepared to walk away in anger, and come back to finish the book. First in the series, it will have you wanting more.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Alexandra (Alex) Castle is the heir-apparent to the Castle Resort empire, but is in a competition for the leadership position with her twin brother, Andrew. Alex is a lesbian, but her Castle Resort CEO father is homophobic, and has asked Alex to hide that part of herself for the past thirteen years.

Tyler Falling is a wife, mother, and she co-owns a small graphic design firm in Sacramento. She was assaulted twelve years earlier and that assault has forever changed her life and her marriage.

Alex and Tyler have a brief encounter on a sidewalk in Napa Valley, California, and there is mutual attraction between the two women.

Without giving away more of the plot, this first book in the Falling Castles Series, is a slow burn romance. The two main characters don’t really even meet until almost half way through the book, Once they meet they begin to learn about each other in an unusual way, while not even knowing they are talking to the person they each met on the sidewalk. This truly defines a mystery woman scenario.

The book kept me engaged with the exploration of the assault, PTSD recovery, multiple briberies, some interesting locals, and a cliffhanger to kick off book two. 4 stars

I received an ARC from Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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.

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.

'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

Alex is aspiring to become CEO of the family company. Her homophobic father has pitted her against her twin brother to see who will be the best fit (in his opinion). Alex is being blackmailed by an ex with some injudicious photos taken in her teens. Alex ran into (literally) a woman with whom she felt an immediate connection but never saw her after that. From her sister she obtains the name of a detective who will investigate the ex and hopefully have the photos returned without having to give in to the blackmail.
Tyler was the victim of a rape which produced a daughter. Tyler's husband raised the girl as his own. The rapist is back after serving time and wants to meet the girl. Tyler and another woman run into each other and a connection is felt. But she doesn't know who the woman is and doesn't see her again. Tyler's husband is a detective whose cousin is married to Alex's sister.
These are some of the problems Alex and Tyler face.
I found some of the story a bit long winded but on the whole I liked it Once Alex discovered who her mystery woman was the story got more interesting.
The book ends with a bit of a cliff hanger so I will definitely be getting the next one to find out what happens.

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.

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.

There is a LOT going on in this book. A well written, high drama lesfic with one of THE MOST understanding husbands on the planet. This will be a great beach read. Can't wait for the next title in what is bound to be an exciting series.

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.

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.

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.