Thriller with Themes of Justice

Even When You Lie by Michelle Cruz is a thrilling debut novel that combines elements of romance and noir with a gritty exploration of big-city crime. The story centers on Reagan Reyes, a former intelligence officer turned criminal investigator for a high-profile defence attorney, Cade McCarrick. The plot kicks off with Reagan's encounter with a mysterious woman whose subsequent death entangles Reagan and Cade in a web of secrets and danger that could cost them everything, including their lives.

Overall, Even When You Lie is a highly successful debut that offers a potent mix of romance, thriller, and social commentary. Its strengths lie in the well-developed characters, the fast-paced and gripping plot, and the insightful exploration of deeper themes. Some readers might find the combination of genres a bit uneven at times, but this does not detract significantly from the novel's overall impact and enjoyability. Michelle Cruz has established herself as a promising new voice in the genre, and this book is a must-read for fans of suspenseful, thought-provoking thrillers.

I loved the mix of suspense, mystery and romance. This is a fast-paced read that would be great for both romance readers who want to dip their toes into crime and suspense, or the latter fans who want something with a little extra spice.

I'm excited to see what Michelle does next!

This was a wonderful book. It got me hooked and I couldn’t put it down. Michelle’s writing is like one of an experienced writer who has several novels. Can’t wait to read more from her.

I did not finish this one, it was not for me, I couldn't relate to the characters, and just did not care for the story.

It was an enjoyable and good thriller. However, for my personal taste there was too much romance that was not necessary. I was just expecting more suspense and the thriller aspect to be in the focus. Nevertheless, I felt like the pacing took off after the first 50% and it got really interesting. I liked many characters like Cade, Rafi, and Evangeline. I did not expect the culprit but it made sense in the end. The end was concluded very nicely and there were not any loose ends.

I requested "Even When You Lie" for the cover alone (which I saw on Twitter and I don't know how) and it was honestly SO GOOD. It's slow paced, but I thought it fit perfectly with the plot, adding more realism to the mystery part. The two protagonists communicate well with each other and I love how they are both reliable too. I love how the female lead is written. She is strong and smart, but also fragile also, and it was well nuanced within the story. The male lead was a green flag and I want to read about men like this more often. If you like your suspense vibes mixed with romance, this book is definitely for you.

Modern day mystery with a splash of romance thrown in. Enjoyable, quick read with likable characters and somewhat realistic storyline. Regan Reyes, Former AF officer turned criminal investigator with a large law firm. In an affair with her boss, Cade McCarrick, against company policy but agreeable and exclusive. Regan is given an envelop from a strange women who is later found dead. This opens a can of worms, leading to a somewhat expected outcome.

A little bit of something for everyone in this book. I did enjoy the relationship between Regan and Cade, different to the point of their devotion and love for each other. Trigger warning: racism, Veteran Affairs. New author for me. Look forward to reading her again.

Thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for this ARC. Opinion is mine alone.

Ex-military intelligence officer, Reagan Reyes, has a few secrets that she is trying to protect, mainly a forbidden relationship with her boss, Cade McCarrick, at an upscale Dallas criminal defense firm. All that is threatened when a young woman with pink hair comes into the firm asking to see Cade. Rebuffed, the woman drops off an envelope and leaves. Reagan follows her out the building only to see her collapse on the sidewalk. Will the contents in that envelope threaten Reagan's livelihood or her life? Fast-paced with engaging characters and an absorbing mystery.

This was an OK read. I found myself bored at times but I’m glad I finished.

I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

This was pretty good! They're romance was really great, which I think added to the whole thriller rather than taking away from it. Also was really the pair were both reliable individuals; I hate when a member of a couple winds up being one of the liars.

A great rec for romantic suspense fans. Strong characters and a solid atmosphere combine with an interesting mystery. An excellent debut!

I really liked the premise of the book- a dating couple at a law firm working together to find the connection between a big white envelope dropped off at the office by a young woman who then dies in the lobby of the building. I also enjoyed the exciting, action-packed ending that revealed the connection and who was behind her death.

What I didn’t like about the book was that a majority of the story was focused on Reagan and Cade’s relationship. They were either mad at each other for something inconsequential or they were passionately making love. To me, this is a red flag for a relationship. I also felt the main characters’ personalities were a bit flat making it hard to connect or relate to them. At times, the writing was choppy or disconnected. It seemed to me that the author left out small details to help paint the complete picture of what was happening. I also felt like I was reading a book from the middle of a series instead of a debut novel because the characters had a lot of backstories and past interactions, i.e., how they met- which story was not revealed, only eluded to.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review

Should you get involved with someone from the office?
Reagan dies with Cade, although they try to keep it hidden.
Eventually it causes bog problems. Is the price to stay together too high?
It’s a decent read. I liked all the researching and trying to put together the pieces.
I also liked the setting in Dallas.

Michelle Cruz is a new voice in the mystery- thriller genre making her debut with "Even When You Lie". The story focuses predominantly on the relationship between Reagan Reyes and her boss, criminal defence attorney Cade McCarrick. A former intelligence officer, she is hired by Cade to be his in-house investigator at the firm he works in.

Reagan's chance encounter at her office with a strange woman changes the course of both her and Cad's lives. When Michelle Cruz is a new voice in the mystery- thriller genre making her debut with "Even When You Lie". The story focuses predominantly on the relationship between Reagan Reyes and her boss, criminal defence attorney Cade McCarrick. A former intelligence officer, she is hired by Cade to be his in-house investigator at the firm he works in.

Reagan's chance encounter at her office with a strange woman changes the course of both their lives; as they try to unearth the truth behind her death and other matters pertaining to it, they both also have to understand their feelings towards each other. In a very fast and thrilling story, the author Michelle tells a tale of perseverance, courage, love and bravery.

This is a very decent debut attempt by author Michelle and definitely worth reading, The author has a brisk and crisp style of writing with perfect pacing. The story never slows down; it starts off at full speed and never let's up. The author has tried to place the book in the romantic thriller but the story just doesn't give value in terms of its mystery elements. I also felt the romantic angle of the book also requires more finesse and depth.

Overall, this is a decent attempt by the author and a good mystery thriller.

I thought this was just OK. I love romance, suspense and investigative mysteries but the suspense/mystery felt a little boring. It got a little more exciting toward the end so I guess it’s just a slow burn suspense. I also didn’t feel any chemistry between Reagan and Cade.

Romantic suspense is my favorite genre but I rarely find books that meet this niche for me. They are either too heavy on the suspense or too heavy on the romance but rarely a good combination of the two. This one was a bit lackluster on both counts but I still enjoyed it. I wish there was a bit more suspense and a bit more romance.... both hovered in the book and it felt more like just waiting for the other shoe to drop. That said, this was enjoyable and a quick read.

Even When You Lie comes out next week on March 21, 2023 and you can purchase HERE.

It's summer in Dallas, sticky and sweaty, and I try to ignore the immediate perspiration rolling down the small of my back. Protest season, my granddaddy calls it, with the blithe dismissiveness of a white man who has never had to march for a goddamn thing in his life.

Did not finish, so it's not really a review. I really liked the title, cover and the blurb. I expected it to be a clever, fast paced thriller but it seemed like a relationship story. The thriller part was not intriguing enough to keep me hooked.

Thank you for the review copy, sorry it didn't work for me.

A well done thriller about an investigator who finds herself on the spot and possibly the next target of a murderer. Reagan, a former intelligence officer now works for a big Texas law firm, where she is also the secret romantic interest of Cade, an ace criminal defense attorney. An envelope left at the desk opens a can of worms about not only the law firm but also the Texas elite of sorts. Issues of race. class. and other things are raised. You, like me, might guess the ending but I enjoyed Reagan, who is dogged - this could easily be the first of a series. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

Even When You Lie is a fantastic modern day romantic mystery. Reagan Reyes is a former intelligence officer, a captain in the Air Force and now she’s currently an in-house investigator for a criminal defense attorney Cade McCarrick. The firm forbids in-house romances, but Reagan and Cade believe they are quietly but firmly together. They have an agreement never to lie to each other.

A Strange but mysterious woman leaves an envelope for Cade and is soon discovered dead outside their offices. The envelope’s contents aren’t connected to any of Cade’s current cases, but Reagan curiosity gets the better of her when she begins to ask questions quietly and discovers a connection to a brutal crime that happened outside a nightclub—and a link to the dead woman.

The detectives come to ask questions, but they deftly answer by not giving them any information since it is not their case. As she digs deeper things become clearer but nothing concrete. One morning while running Reagan is attacked and told to leave it alone. Rafi, a homeless Texas Ranger, Reagan tries to befriend, and help comes to her rescue and scares off the attacker. Rafi sees her home safely and quickly becomes a part of their lives.

The contents of the envelope will lead to another death of someone who may be connected to the dead woman and a managing partner of the law firm where Cade and Reagan work. Reagan and Cade's life will be in danger as they get too close for a killer who wants to win it all at any cost.

This was a fun mystery to read. There is a lot of emphasis on the relationship between Reagan and Cade. But the real story is about the murder and how it affects the law firm. I really enjoyed the relationship between Cade and Reagan which are two very strong characters and the people they work with, but not only that the people they encounter as they investigate. The way the story ends makes me hopeful that this could be a series in the future. I really would like to read several more books with these characters.

At no fault of this book, I just couldn't get into Reagan ... I tried but the character is not one I'd like to follow. I enjoyed the writing so I'm giving it four stars. I'm hoping to jump back into it when I'm more in the mood.