Family dynamics on an ocean voyage. Here are reasons to read this thriller:

Yacht Trip - The Kingsley family is taking a little weekend Yacht trip

Family Reunion - and head of family, Richard has entitled his children and their spouses for a little family reunion

Catalina - they are headed for Catalina, where a storm is brewing, and not just the one outside the boat

I have never read anything by this author before. But I have to say this thriller is very slow paced. Besides the intensity of how the family all felt about each other, it was about 60% of the way through the book before it got thrillery. It also has many points of view, and due to the cattiness and greed of these characters, only 1 in my mind was even one I could root for. This book is great if you LOVE domestic thrillers with a slow burn.

This book was extremely slow and very repetitive. The characters are awful and the plot did not keep me interested at all. Wish I would have DNFed.

Beneath the Surface by Kaira Rouda is the first in the killer "The Kingsleys" series. After zipping through this suspenseful locked-room family drama thriller, I am very curious to discover what will happen next, so much scope for bad blood and poor-mannered antics. Unexpected twists are pretty wonderful and the writing is compelling.

The dreadful Kingsley family is aboard the patriarch's luxury yacht, Splendid Seas. Aging billionaire and CEO Richard has invited his family to join him and his wife Serena for a weekend on the water. But family members are suspicious of each other's motives, correctly surmising Richard's pending announcement of the next CEO and heir of his vast fortune. Of course the knives come out and family members show their true colours. Sons Ted (wife Paige) and John (wife Rachel) are very different from each other but when daughter Sibley and her boyfriend Colson arrive they seem almost tame. Sibley's constant barrage of insults is infuriating to those around her, including me. Waves of secrets expose uncomfortable truths and tragedy strikes.

If you seek a suspenseful book with characters you want to strangle, this may be for you. I couldn't stand them but don't need to love characters to become immersed in a good plot. Infidelities and other deceptions reign and this dysfunctional family is jam packed with nefarious goings on. Observing how the characters observed each other was great fun.

My sincere thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this enthralling novel. So many reasons to anticipate #2 in the series.

This was a great family drama! Sons fighting to become the next CEO of their billionaire father’s business. Secrets come out. A tragedy unfolds. A surprise twist. This was a great one! I devoured it over two days! I really enjoyed how it was told through all main characters’ pov, and realized I hated most of them.🤣 Paige was the exception, I only disliked her a little. But I can get down with unlikeable characters in a book!

This story is very much like the messed-up family dynamics and power machinations in the hit show Succession, which is probably my favorite series to date. I found the characters and their relationships to each other very complex and interesting, but I was bothered by the dialogue, which was often too on-the-nose and honest to what the character was actually thinking and feeling, and the moments of repetition within the prose.

3.5 ⭐️ A billionaire invites his dysfunctional family on a luxurious yacht for a weekend getaway. Everyone has secrets and a great dislike for each other. I enjoyed reading the different viewpoints and manipulations of each character as the secrets are slowly revealed. Suspenseful and kept my attention til the end. #BeneaththeSurface

Billionaire Richard Kingsley has invited each of this children on his new yacht for a trip to Catalina Island. His children all hate each other but are competing to run his company.

This is a fun fast paced read good for a vacation read, especially if you love family drama with gossip and badly behaved rich people. The first half of the book is getting to know all the characters, so stick with it while you get to know them and their immature ways. It’s definitely a fun read but takes some time to get into.

“Nothing like family togetherness to bring out the worst - I mean, the real - character in a kid.”

Beneath the Surface comes out 9/5.

I recently completed a book that wasn't quite my taste, but I believe it could appeal to many readers. The story had an engaging and gripping quality that held my attention throughout. The central theme of predicting the heir for the family business added an element of mystery that I found intriguing. The family's weekend on a luxurious yacht, where they grappled with their hidden secrets, was a captivating setting. The fact that most characters lacked likability didn't bother me too much.

However, the ending left me somewhat dissatisfied due to its heavy focus on revenge, a theme that doesn't resonate with me personally. The abundance of shocking twists, betrayals, and intense moments might resonate with others, but for me, it felt a bit overwhelming. I tend to prefer stories with less emphasis on revenge and more focus on other aspects.

Moreover, the unnecessary complications in the plot further contributed to my mixed feelings. While some readers might enjoy intricate and complex storylines, I found that they detracted from my overall enjoyment of the book.

Nevertheless, despite my reservations about the ending and the plot complications, I believe that this book will certainly find its audience. If you're a fan of intricate family dynamics, uncovering hidden secrets, and intense drama, this book might be a perfect fit. While the ending and plot weren't my cup of tea, I recognize that reading preferences vary widely among individuals. The mystery element and exploration of family dynamics were the aspects that stood out to me positively.

Is there anything better than family drama and secrets? I absolutely love reading about dysfunctional families. This book takes place aboard a yacht, where Richard, Daddy Kingsley, has gathered his children and their partners for a family outing aboard his lavish vessel. While on board, the family business will be discussed with Richard to finalize who will be his successor.

This book got more and more salivating the further I read on. There were secrets galore and everyone seemed to have something hidden up their sleeves. The multiple POV's were fantastic, however as most family members have their own chapters, I would recommend to read this book rather than listen, for ease of keeping track of everyone. I'm thrilled to see that this is book one of a series and I can't wait to see the direction the Kingsley's take in book two.

Beneath the Surface introduces The Kingsley family who are about to depart on a cruise to Catalina Island.

The Kingsley's to say the least are quite the dysfunctional family.

The billionaire patriarch has invited his sons and their wives for a weekend getaway.

The sons Jon and Ted expect their dad to name themselves as the successor and each feels the other one does not deserve to be named.

Secrets, lies, long standing family feuds: what could go wrong.

The ending leaves you hoping the second book in the series comes quickly . I cant wait to see what happens next in this crazy family.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for a delightful read that kept me up turning the pages.

Billionaire Richard Kingsley invites his two sons Ted and John and their wives to join him on a gorgeous new yacht for the weekend. And surprise - Richard didn’t tell each boy that the other would be there, knowing that they butt heads. Neither son likes his new wife Serena (wife #5) either, and they are in for an even bigger surprise to see their long-lost sister Sibley show up with her boyfriend as well. Each boy wants to take over Richard’s company when he retires and they were sure that this would be the weekend he made that announcement. Even the luxury of the new yacht doesn’t distract from the fact that nobody in this family particularly likes each other.

Another solid family drama/domestic thriller by Kiara Ronda! As with all her previous books that I have read, this story is very character-driven as we see the various points of view from the members of the family. They all have some questionable morals and behavior to match as each son thinks he is the rightful future leader of the family company. Richard enjoys toying with his children, stirring up the competition and rivalry amongst them too. I always think it’s fun to read about unlikeable characters and their drama, and I’m happy to see this is the start of a new series! I’m looking forward to seeing what’s next for The Kingleys!

Thank you to Thriller Book Lovers Promos and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC! “Beneath the Surface” will release at September 5, 2023.

3.5/5

There’s something about the authors books that keep pulling me back year after year even if my ratings of them aren’t the best. I’m not sure what keeps me coming back exactly but something about her style always ends up speaking to me. Maybe it’s because I know what to expect from her, I know I’ll get unlikable characters that are just fun to read about alongside a plot that is total brain candy, they almost feel like taking a break and provide a much needed escape. This time around you get a family of narcissists who hate each other and they’re taking an overnight luxury cruise together. So the setup was fun, I like a locked room style mystery and the cattiness and drama this family provided was entertaining enough. Things did start to feel repetitive fairly quickly but I was interested to see where it would go and I have to say, I was kind of surprised with the direction it took. If you like dramatic stories about bickering families fighting over power and money this one was decent.

A family get together on an extravagant yacht, what could be more perfect? Well, the patriarch of the family is dying and has used the get together to determine who will succeed him in leading the company. Everyone has secrets. Everyone is pretty darn horrible. Telling the story from multiple first person points of view was genius! This let the reader know exactly how horrible each person was. The main mystery seemed to be who had the worst secret and who was the most horrible person. These people were almost caricatures of wealthy behaving badly. Anyone who loves reality tv in any form will instantly love this book. I did like how the ending left the story and am wondering what is to come in the rest of the series. This one gave it a lot to live up to!

How about that trip to Catalina? Richard Kingsley, a billionaire, invites his horrible children John, Ted, and Sibley, for a trip on his yacht because he has things to tell them. Of course, they bring their equally awful partners. This hops around between the group as secrets, lies come out and family unity (never a strong point for this group) dissolves. This is one unhappy group of people. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A fast read.

If you like reading about billionaires acting badly or are Jones-ing for something to fill the Succession withdrawal, this is for you.

Patriarch and billionaire Richard Kingsley needs to select a successor for his business. He invites his grown children to join him aboard his new luxury yacht for a family outing to Catalina Island. What should be a happy family gathering is anything but. Richard gets his kicks from turning his two sons Ted and John against each other to determine who will take over the family business. Richard even invited Sibley his daughter to join them. Sibley, always dramatic, makes her entry from a helicopter. The brothers revile their rebel sister, even more so when they find out she has switched sides—joining her Uncle Walter, Richard’s brother and nemesis. Richard, however, takes it all in stride, even having a fondness for his rebel daughter that the brothers don’t understand. Adding to the mix are the spouses and Richard’s fifth and youngest wife Serena. Everyone has secrets, some that will help them gain the reins of the business and a few that will work against them. Tension increases on the way to Catalina when a major storm causes outages on the yacht and rocks an already rocky group to commit acts that add to the turmoil of a family that is about to explode. Will Richard Kingsley name an heir? Will everyone live to enjoy their fortune?

Author Kaira Rouda spins a thrilling contemporary King Lear full of lies, backstabbing, deception, and even murder. Using a devious slow burn, Rouda spins and twists multiple viewpoints to keep us guessing and turning the pages. Just when you begin to sympathize a little with a character (if that’s even possible), she blows that out of the water.

Beneath the Surface works like a locked room thriller. The characters can’t leave the yacht and are forced to interact with each other. The different characters' viewpoints let you in on their secrets so that you know more than the other characters, therefore ratcheting up the tense atmosphere. Sibley was the only character who seemed a little cliché for a female rebel with her counterculture tats and appearance along with bringing a suspect male friend. But other than that, the characters all have realistic lives, successes, failures, and demons where family loyalty plays little part in their actions. Beneath the surface, what the siblings really want is their father’s respect and love. That gives us sympathy for the siblings. Power rules, not love.

Beneath the Surface is a perfect summer escapist read. It’s also book one of a new series, so the good news is you’ll be hearing more about the Kingsley family in the future.

Thanks to Kaira Rouda, Thomas & Mercer, and NetGalley for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

I’m a huge @kairarouda fan and I’ve enjoyed every book I’ve read by her and this one is no different! 𝗕𝗘𝗡𝗘𝗔𝗧 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗨𝗥𝗙𝗔𝗖𝗘 is a fun, bingeable, mystery read that is filled with nothing but family drama, secrets, deceit, and power struggles.

Filled with twists and turns along the way that will leave you thinking that you have it figured out but do you really? 🤔

Perfect for fans of the tv show 𝗦𝗨𝗖𝗖𝗘𝗦𝗦𝗜𝗢𝗡!

Highly recommend if you need a quick, enjoyable book 𝗣𝗟𝗨𝗦 it’s a first in a series!

I rated this a 4.75/5! I loved this book so much! The characters, the plot twist!!! I didn’t see that coming! Would most definitely recommend!!

The chapters were fast paced, but it almost felt too rush. I felt like the characters weren't fully thought out, and the plot twists didn't really shock me.

The children of a wealthy billionaire and their families are on a cruise on his new expensive yacht. A storm is coming though, both literal and metaphorical.

I liked the general idea of this, but I think there were too many POVs. Especially because at first it seems like it will just be Paige and John as they are the first two and then there is a an article (shift in writing style, which I liked). But to me, that made it feel like those would be the two POVs. However, after that, we get multiple more. it was just overwhelming, and I think this particularly story could've been told through one or two.

3.5 stars

The Kingsley siblings are about to embark on an overnight trip to Catalina Island on their father’s new yacht. Sounds like the perfect family get together…..until you realize they’re all there to battle to be the heir to their father’s company. While the seas become rough, they are no match for the manipulation and tension taking place onboard the yacht. Who will come out on top, and at what cost?

Calling all lovers of fast reads and family dramas, this one is for you. This family is stuffed full of drama, lies, and manipulation. Not a single character (besides Paige) is likable but they are definitely interesting.

The concept of a family filled with conniving, warring siblings on a yacht in the middle of a storm is definitely an intriguing one. However, much like the seas they were experiencing, the flow of the story felt a bit choppy. I have a feeling this was due to the fact it was told between 5 different perspectives, which normally I love but in this story there was a bit too much repetition between the POVs.

While some of the twists were a bit predictable, I enjoyed the way they played out and they made for a very entertaining story. The ending wrapped up nicely which I was especially excited to see. Since this is a series I rather have the story feel complete and leave me guessing what this crazy family will get up to next instead of leaving on a cliff hanger (I’m way too impatient for those 😂).

All in all it was a solid family drama that I flew through. Can’t wait for book 2!