Super fun thriller! Reagan Reyes is former military working as an in house investigator for a law firm in Texas.
Formerly a lone wolf, Reagan is also involved with Cade McCarrick, the top lawyer in the firm against company policy. She has to juggle her confusing feelings and hide the affair.

When a mysterious woman leaves an envelope for Cade and dies directly after, Reagan begins her own independent investigation, stirring up interest from some powerful enemies who will stop at nothing to keep their secrets safe.

This novel is super fun, super thrilling and reminded me of the blockbuster books I read years ago (only better written). If you want to be lost in a novel that reads like a movie, love your thrillers dashed with danger and romance or just are looking for a new female hero, Even When You Lie is for you! #MichelleCruz
#CrookedLaneBooks

I loved this book! Suspenseful romance, so easy to read, I absolutely ate it up. I loved the dynamics between the characters, the twists, I was on the edge of my seat and read this practically in one go. I had a blast, would definitely recommend

We are following Reagan, who used to be an intelligence officer, but now uses her skills to be a high class investigator for a pricey criminal defense lawyer. Part of working in the firm, is that they forbid romance between employees. Too bad for Reagan, because she’s in deep for Cade. Things are working fine, until a mysterious letter gets left for Cade and he’s found dead. Reagan could have never prepared for the things she finds when she starts investigating.

I though that this was a fun book, and while I enjoyed my time with it. I felt like it was very similar to other things I have read, but if you are not a big myster/thriller reader, I think that it would have blown your mind more. Overall, I did like it, but it wasn’t a favorite.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this advanced readers copy!

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, from Crooked Lane Books and #NetGalley. Thank you for the opportunity to preview and review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

Fabulous romantic thriller I read in one sitting. What a debut, I look forward to more.

Michelle Cruz's EVEN WHEN YOU LIE grabbed me by the throat from the very beginning and held on tight through the thrilling conclusion. Generations of secrets and lies come to a head as outsider Regan Reyes challenges the way things have always been done to get justice for people who would otherwise slip through the cracks. Steamy, sexy, and suspenseful, Southern noir meets the glittering lights of Dallas in this perfectly penned, lushly written romantic thriller.

This was a really enjoyable novel of suspense. The synopsis per the editor:

Reagan Reyes hunts other people’s secrets. A former intelligence officer, she’s currently the in-house investigator for pricey criminal defense attorney, Cade McCarrick…and she’s his lover, despite the law firm’s rules forbidding romantic relationships between partners and staff. But their love—including their agreement never to lie to each other—is the only authenticity they have in a world of subterfuge and betrayal.

That agreement is pushed to its limits when a mysterious woman leaves an envelope for Cade and is soon discovered dead. While the envelope’s contents aren’t related to any of Cade’s current cases, Reagan uncovers a connection to a recent murder outside a nightclub—and an even more ominous link to the dead woman.

My thoughts:
It was well written and I could picture the people and places. It was a quick read and I kept the pages turning.
However, it was a little predictable - I pretty much knew what would happen early on. Also, it was almost a romance novel - which i did not expect. And a lot of descriptions of their sex life - which I honestly skimmed.

This is a good summer beach read - an easy, fun, suspenseful, quick read.

3.5 stars rounded to 4.

Thank you to the author, the publisher and #netgalley for the ARC which did not impact my review.

Reagan Reyes hunts other people’s secrets. A former intelligence officer, she’s currently an in-house investigator for pricey uptown criminal defense attorney Cade McCarrick. The firm forbids in-house romances, but Reagan and Cade are firmly hooked up. Their love—and their agreement never to lie to each other—is the only truth they have in their world of subterfuge and betrayal.

I can't say how much I enjoyed this book, so much so that it was read in one session. Great story that kept me totally engaged and characters that I really enjoyed getting to know. Reagan and Cole make a fantastic team and the banter between them is captivating. A great thriller with a touch of romance which is usually not my thing but in this book it very much suited the story and I loved it. I will definitely be looking out for more books from this author.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me an advanced copy in exchange for an unbiased review.

Even When You Lie is a romantic thriller. Actually, I couldn't decide with which word to go first so that is a good thing.
Reagan is an investigator for Cade, a lawyer in a powerful law firm. Two dead bodies turn up and are generally ignored - but Reagan realizes they are quite relevant. To solve the mystery she needs Cade as they explore the seedy side of Dallas - and put themselves at risk.
The romance is slow - which is perfect as it never draws away from the narrative - it folds nicely into it.

I really enjoyed the book and thank the publisher and Netgalley for this advanced readers copy

I love romantic thrillers/murder investigation like Nora Roberts and Heather Graham works, so I requested this one right away after reading the synopsis.

It was good. Nicely paced and written neatly so it's not confusing. Easy to follow and gripped readers enough to keep reading. Didn't find any shocking twist, but I enjoyed the suspense. I love all the characters and how they carried the story. Cade and Reagan's relationship was progressing slow and steady, and I love how they worked on it while resolving the case.

I received an early copy of this book for review.

Even When You Lie is different from books I’ve read recently, which was a nice change. The book follows Cade and Reagan as they investigate the murders of two people, soon realizing the case hits closer to home than they first imagined. The plot kept me guessing for the most part. Case and Reagan’s relationship was strong but a bit more background n their beginning would’ve been appreciated.

Overall this was a good read but there were a few things that irked me throughout. Reagan is an American of Mexican descent, who struggles somewhat with her identity—this representation is good, however there was some stereotypical talking points that felt a bit forced to me. It wasn’t enough to put me off the book but was enough to grab my attention in a negative way.

Super enjoyable, fast paced escapist book - perfect for summer reading! A perfect blend of almost old school detective novel and a little romance. All of the characters captured my attention and the "goodies" my heart as well. Office politics of a law firm, mashed up with old fashioned detecting, intrigue, family secrets and an out of bounds romance.

Michelle Cruz's "Even When You Lie" is an excellent debut novel. I devoured this book in three days and found it extremely difficult to keep it away. The element of suspense wraps around you from the get-go, and the pacing of this novel is incredible. Cade and Reagan are lovely, solid and capable protagonists whose passion, strength and partnership shine throughout the book. What made me love them so much is their dynamic of establishing a relationship on trust and shared values. Their unfailing loyalty and having each other's backs while deciphering their deceptive legal world were immersive, tense and memorable. They bring out the best in each other and lean on each other to uncover the truth. The ending was something I couldn't predict, and all the loose ends slowly came together beautifully. A 5-star read! I can't wait to read more of Michelle's work.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for giving me an ARC. This honest review is left voluntarily.

Two sittings to complete this excellent romantic thriller. Michelle Cruz has written a sensational novel for her debut - a story that keeps you glued to the pages. Twists and turns, surprises and chills in a legal world that combine and lead to a wonderful finale. Well worthy of five stars and looking forward to Michelle's second novel.

Of course, I could not wait and immediately had to open this book up. And I now have a new favorite author!
Even When You Lie by by Michelle Cruz is a wonderfully written five star debut novel.
From the very beginning, I was hooked. The suspense had me wanting to keep turning the page, it was so hard to put this book down.
Reagan and Cade are both very interesting, extremely intriguing characters. I loved them both honestly.
A well written book with plot twists, suspense, relationships, and just how far one will go through to uncover the truth.
A page-turning, glamours, pulse-pounding romantic thriller. I loved it and I can't wait to see what Cruz comes out with next!
Overall an absolutely addictive, mind blowing page turner that will keep you up with a racing heart until you've finished!!!

“I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”

Crooked Lane Books,
Thank You for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!
Seriously, Thank You!

I really, really enjoyed this book. It was kinda slow in some areas, but once it picked up I couldn’t put it down.

This book was a wild fast paced read about the under belly of Texas politics and I couldn’t get enough. I loved Reagan and Cade’s dynamics throughout the story and highly reccomend this for anyone wanting a good thriller

I liked the characters and the story. I could see this becoming a legal thriller series.

Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really love this fast pace thriller. I enjoy the setting and I enjoyed the characters even more. This book will definitely be appealing to anyone who loves a thriller or mystery.