Think Succession family drama but trapped on a boat. If this has been marketed as a family drama it would've knocked it out of the park...but it is most definitely not a thriller. Given it has been classified as a thriller I have to compare it to other thrillers and there it falls short. It was way more suspense than major twists and turns.

This is the ultimate read of a rich family doing some shady things. As the patriarch drops a bombshell on his family, the group works to stay in his good graces and end up on top. Seriously as I read this one, I could not figure out who I disliked the most. As soon as I figured it out, someone else jockeyed themself to the top of the list. The tagline for this one could be people behaving badly. A lifetime’s worth. And while this seems like I didn’t like the book, it was kinda like a train wreck that I could not look away, or at least put down the book. I wanted to know what happened to this despicable family.

The Kingsley family goes on a weekend voyage on their father’s new yacht. The father is controlling, and when he brings up the family inheritance, the adult children are ruthless.

Beneath the Surface is told using multiple points of view with short chapters. The characters are devious. The story is fast-paced and wild.

A wickedly fun thriller. Secrets, scandals, and betrayals. This is the first book with The Kingsleys, and I look forward to reading more.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book about the dysfunctional Kingsleys. A family hungry on power and each determined to take over the family company. This book is part of a series and I read the second book before this one. It was interesting to read the characters knowing what happened in the second book. The books really can be read in any order and I highly recommend this series!

I highly enjoyed reading Beneath the Surface by Kaira Rouda. In this book, we meet the Kingsley family as they escape their everyday lives on their father's yacht. As the CEO of a big company, billionaire Richard Kingsley has a big decision to make about the future of his company. What ensues is something not to be missed. I loved the family drama all throughout this story. I have also received a copy of the next book in this series and I can't wait to read more about the Kingsley family!

CEO Richard Kingsley invites his sons and their wives on an overnight voyage with a special oppurtunity - to see who will gain control of their dads billion dollar real estate business. Then the messy, daughter shows up trying to get her stake. No one is honest, everyone is brutal (and not very likable), but its addicting to see what is going to happen on this ship. Went into this novel with no expectations and was very pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it. Read it very quickly in 2 sittings (would of been 1 if I didn't have work to interrupt me).

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to advance read this book! Out now and can't wait to see what others think.

Beneath The Surface
By: Kaira Rouda
Publish Date: September 5, 2023

Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas and Mercer, and the author Kaira Rouda, for the advanced copy of Beneath The Surface.

"Soon I will be announced as the leader of a huge multinational company. I have it all. At least, you could believe that if you didn't look beneath the surface."

I loved this book! I went into this book, without reading the summary and I was highly surprised at how much I enjoyed it! It is completely different that what I even imagined it would be about.
The story is told from each of the 7 main characters point of view. Although it changed from person to person each chapter, it flowed so flawlessly that it seemed like there were only a few characters!
Every family has their secrets, their issues. When billionaire Richard Kingsley invites his children, all of them and their wives, on his brand new, impressively huge yacht, they know it is to be in the running to take over the Kingsley Corporation. But, when one sibling tries to outdo the other, and they begin to fight, turn against and blackmail each other.....what could go wrong....or right?!!
I recommend this book for a fun, intriguing read!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for the digital ARC of “Beneath the Surface” in exchange for my honest opinion. This book is full of unlikable characters that are quite entertaining to watch. Overall the plot moves slowly, with each chapter devoted to one of the Kingsley family members having the same argument as to why thy should take over the family business. It was fairly predictable and I expected more out of the ending.

While this started slowly, it certainly picked up!

This fun thriller is about wealthy people behaving badly. I personally love all the drama of the super wealthy. There is a full cast of characters you’ll love to hate.

Richard Kingsley has invited his children on his new mega expensive yacht.
Cue - the kids didn’t know their siblings are invited. Richards new, very much younger wife is hosting. Richard has an announcement.

Expect housewives of beverly hills vibes, secrets, betrayal, and lies with this fun popcorn thriller.

Many thanks to @netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advanced reading copy.

I tried a few times to get into this one. I loved her previous books, but I just couldn't get into it, sadly! I will still read her future books!

I do not want to leave a bad review on my accounts, so I will just post it here!

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own!

Unfortunately this book just wasn't for me. I don't really agree with its classification as a thriller. Maybe just a family drama. The problems I had are that none of the characters are likable. They are almost parodies of what they area supposed to be (the gold digger, the over-the-top toxic male head of the family, the idiot sons). The dialogue and storylines are just kind of repetitive to me. This looks as if its the start of a series, but I don't think I will continue on with it.

Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advanced readers copy of this book for my honest review.

Gripping family psychological thriller with many surprises and twists and turns. Secrets are revealed as the Kingsley family spends one fateful weekend on the family yacht, vying to be the successor to the family business. Great read with a somewhat surprising ending - I can't wait to read the sequel to this book.

I’ve read and enjoyed quite a few books from Kaira Rouda. I thought this was a good read though I did have a hard time with all the unlikable characters. I don’t have to love every character but it’s nice when there’s at least one to root for. That being said, I still read this from start to finish in just a day.

There is a second book in this series coming next year and I’ve already added it to my list as I am curious to see where the story goes next.

Overall an intriguing and entertaining story.

The concept of this story had great potential - somewhat-corrupt family decides successor when patriarch no longer can continue. But the execution needed a LOT more work to be successful. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free advance copy.

"You are cordially invited to an overnight voyage on the Splendid Seas. An invitation to Catalina Island from billionaire CEO Richard Kingsley. For his sons, Ted and John, and their wives, it’s an opportunity to curry favor, gain control of a real estate empire, and secure their family’s futures. For the controlling patriarch, succession is a contest. He and his newest wife won’t make it an easy win. Then Richard’s estranged live-wire daughter, Sibley, crashes the party. She’s the least of the night’s surprises. As the stakes for the inheritance of the Kingsley legacy are raised, the beautiful waters of the Pacific look more like a menacing illusion. Let the games begin for a family who has everything money can buy, and has used lies, deception, and more to keep it. This weekend one of them will be crowned heir. One is in line to lose everything. That’s the plan. But in the coming storm, so much can go dangerously wrong."
What storm will happen, will anyone be crowned heir for the real estate empire, will have to read the book to find out.
Thrilling, suspenseful, fast paced. I have been to Catalina island love that the author put this in her story.
I give this book 5 stars.
Thanks to Thomas & Mercer , netgalley, and the author for a chance to leave an honest review.
Published Sept 5th, 2023.

Twisted family members on a yacht getaway with all plotting against each other. Secrets prove that no one has good intentions. Told from perspectives of several characters make this #thriller a #5⭐️read!

I adore #KairaRouda as a favorite writer of #psychologicalsuspense!

Thank you, Kaira Rouda, Thomas & Mercer, & netgalley for my copy! All opinions are my own.

Think #Succession on the seas with this one. If you love Succession like I do then you will be into this one! This is a wild, weekend voyage on a mega yacht full of estranged family members, secrets and one company they are all vying for. I don’t want to say too much but this was a fun ride and I’m already excited for book two.
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Huge thank you to #thomasandmercer and @netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
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Great book! Loved the setting and I was fortunate to obtain a hard copy along with a fun package! definitely an author I will look out for in the future!

Richard Kingsley is a very wealthy man and has bought an enormous yacht named Splendid Sea. He takes it for a weekend to Catalina Island along with his 5th wife Sabrina. He is in his 80's and needs to pass the control of his mega Co. to one of his children. He has three, John the oldest has the brains, Ted, has the looks and Sibley who appears be the odd one.
The wives come along for the weekend. John with Rachel, and Ted with Paige and Sibley shows up with some unfavorable guy, Colson.

RICHARD, intends to put the children against each other during the weekend to see who comes out on top. The winner gets the head of the business.

What he didn't expect was to find how much the family is dysfunctional. There is such maneuvering around each other for the sake of money and power. There are episodes of burglary, cheaters, thief, lying, gambling, and stealing, and complete mistrust of each other. But the family just explodes when the outcome is for money and power.

It was an interesting read to see how a filthy rich family is no different from a middle class when it comes right down to looking really close. There can be a dangerous and disappointing outcome.

I wasn't attached to any Character as there was no depth to speak of in this plot. It was a bunch of folks wanting the same thing from the top of the money pit. But, it was fun to guess who would win and who would loose. It keeps you guessing to the end.

If you like family drama & the conflicts that arise from having tons of money, this one is for you! It is a suspenseful book involving many unlikable characters willing to lie and basically stop at nothing to get what they want, I'd say fans of reality-type shows would really enjoy this one, which is book one of a series.