Synopsis:
This book tells a story of a billionaire's family going on a weekend getaway that's expected to be all about laughing, drinks, fun and family bonding,
But can it really? ..... when there's inheritance on the line ?

My Thoughts
This is a great book, Intriguing plot full of lies, truth, backstabbing, and plot twists,
Fast paced chapters that get you hooked from beginning to the end
I also loved that we got every characters POV which allowed us to understand the characters deeper..

On the other side,
I think this story deserved more, it felt rushed and denied of certain expressions or emotions, although the characters were introduced as powerful, they all came off as weak and scaredy-cats, it had too much of tell and less of the show aspect especially when expressing anger or sadness
The plot twists would have been shocking but the characters didn't manage to express them in a way that would convey thrilling emotions to me.

Conclusion:
I'd recommend this one to any dreamer who wishes to go a billionaire's Yacht for weekend getaway
Can't promise it would be pretty though

This books gets only a 2 star and although is wasn't it for me, I do look forward to reading Kaira's other books which I've seen a lot of

Thanks Net galley for giving a free eARC in exchange of an honest review.

This review will be published in my bookstagram @elatedwithbooks some time in the near future.

Thank you, NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this advance copy.

What a brilliant book! It’s like succession on a yacht. You hate everyone but you love them at the same time. The blurb describes the book perfectly and I don’t want to spoil anything else.
seriously read this, you won’t be disappointed.
I can’t wait for book 2!

Set in the OC (which I love - sucker for a book based where I live), its Jackie Collins-esque with drama, twists, turns and epilogue, I'm hankering for a sequel and more books like this from Kaira Rouda!

This book was so well paced that it had me gripping my seat the entire read in anticipation. The conflict between the siblings and Serena created an action packed story behind Richard naming his successor. As is the rule in most family dramas, appearances are everything. I'm interested to see what becomes of the Kingsley family and the company's new president in book 2!

A book about the 1%ers. This book was enjoyable enough to read and finish. I did find almost all the characters unlikable and at times one dimensional. The pace was a slow for a thriller and felt repetitive at times. The skeletons in the closets weren’t that shocking. Didn’t feel there was much of a twist either that most thrillers offer. I did want to finish it to see who King Kingsley picked. I will read the next one as I’d like to see what happens with the successor of the company.

I just finished reading "Beneath the Surface" by Kaira Rouda. Many thanks to Net Galley and Thomas and Mercer for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
The novel centers around a very rich family which includes the patriarch, his fifth wife, and his three children: John Ted and Sibley. John is the oldest who has been faithful to his Dad his whole kife. Ted is the middle child who is handsome and. social but harbours many secrets, especially from his wife. And Sibley...well she is a hot mess. She relies on her father for money and is quite demanding and petulant in my opinion.
They are invited on a three day cruise aboard their Dad (Richard) luxurious yacht, where the future of the family company will be revealed. They siblings are expecting that Richard will choose an heir to his company.
All the siblings have nothing but comtempt for each other and it is clearly visible in the story. Add to the fold the much younger fifth wife Serena, and it promises to be a very eventful trip.
What I liked about the story is that it was fast paced and slowly byt steadily revealed he characters, their secrets, and their true selves. Besides Sibley, who was transparent from the start, both brothers had intriguing secrets and equally intriguing relationships with their wives. But noone like each other, the Richard wasn't exactly father of the year material. I also liked that there weren't alot of extra characters. Each character served a purpose to the big reveal....and I liked who Richard chose as his heir to the family company.
What I didn't like was that Blair (Ted's wife) was portrayed as weak in some cases and almost stupid to accept her husband's feeble excuses when she asked him to explain himself. I also didn't like that at the end, these spoiled rich snooty children and their Dad, really got away with very bad behaviour. There was really no actual consequences for their choices. I am under the impression that this book is the beginning of a series, so maybe it will happen in the next book....Who knows but I definately will be reading Kaira Rouda's next book if this is. a series. She had created enough compelling characters and storylines that make me want to know what happens to this spoiled rich family of entitled superficial people.
Happy Reading.

A rich billionaire pits their kids against each other for control of the empire when he sets sail on a yacht with the family. What could go wrong? Everyone in the family hates each other. Richard the patriarch and his 5th wife Serena hood court. John is the oldest som jumps at everything his father says and is not a winner in his wife’s eyes. Ted is the youngest son who is currently not working for the the family company and his wife Paige is almost an empty nester. Sublet is the only daughter is the black sheep. I really enjoyed the book and its layers of family drama. I am a huge Kaira fan and this did not disappoint!

3.5🌟
Anchors away!⚓

A family get together. A trip to Catalina island on a state of the art yacht! Sounds perfect right!?

Just one small hiccup. Everyone in this family hate each other! Oh yeah…it’s going to be a choppy cruise!

Richard and Serena: the patriarch of the family with bride number four (or perhaps it's five.) LOL! He has things to discuss with his children. They’re not all going to like what he has to say!

John and Rachel: The eldest son who jumps at everything his father says, he can never quite measure up in his wife’s eyes. What lengths does he have to go to in order to win everyone’s approval.

Ted and Paige: The youngest son currently out of the family business but hoping that will change. While Paige is preparing for their lives as empty nesters, how will she now fill her time.

Sibley and Colson: The only daughter, and her highly questionable boyfriend. The black sheep of the family, she likes to create a scene wherever she goes…the yacht included.

As the waves begin to rise so does the tension between these family members!

I am a huge Kaira Rouda fan! But sadly this might be my least favorite of her books so far (most are five star). She always writes unlikeable characters, and that’s ok with me! I expect that from her...and look forward to them. But this cast just didn’t give me the snark I’ve come to expect. They all came off a bit weak instead of the power hungry nasties we love to see.

This is book one of a new series. And I’m not sure I’ll be running to pick up book two. Okay…who am I kidding! It’s Kaira Rouda! Of course I’ll be reading it!🤣

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer

Succession meets White Lotus on the high seas. An excellent read that takes you on a sleek super yacht with a family who are tearing at each other until they reach land. Family secrets rise to the surface with every page.

4.5 rounded up
Not a likeable character in the bunch but couldn't stop reading it. Great twists and turns. Looking forward to more time with the Kingsley family. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

This book was good but not unique in any way. Wealthy family full of screaming and backstabbing. Not one of her better books in my opinion.

If you thought your family was dysfunctional, move over for the Kingsleys. The Hatfields and the McCoys had nothing on the Kingsleys versus themselves.

Ted and John Kingsley, along with their wives, will meet their billionaire father aboard his yacht, the Splendid Seas. He owns it with his 4th - and youngest - wife. Both brothers believe their father is poised to retire as CEO of the family business, and each believes he's the better son for the new role. Ted is the younger golden child with the good looks and charm. John is the older, reliable, boring one with 2 adorable kids. Their narcissist father, Richard, enjoys seeing then squirm and vie for his attention when competing for the CEO spot.

Youngest child (and most reckless) Sibley shows up unannounced with her strung-out boyfriend, determined that she should inherit the business. With more twists and turns than most thrillers, the lying, cheating, stealing, and mind games kept me hooked. I can't wait to read the next book in the series!

What better than a family with lots of secret's on a yacht near a secluded island during a storm! Such a good read!!It honestly just kept getting better and better as the story unfolds.

First of all, I think I had this book confused with another that I wanted to read, so it was not what I expected, so there's that.
Secondly, while I managed to finish the book, I did not like it at all. The entire book is filled with pages and pages of a cheating, manipulative family, all bickering about who deserves to take over the family company when Daddy dies. Everyone hates everybody else and thinks only they deserve to have the job. One son thinks it so much that a tragedy occurs, which is quickly covered up.
There was not one single character in the book, and there were several, that I could muster any kind of likeable feeling about. They were all horrible people who deserved what they got.
Thanks, NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer foo letting me read this...I think.

Book Title: Beneath the Surface
Author: Kaira Rouda
Series: The Kingsley #1
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Pub Date: September 5, 2023
My Rating: 3.5 Stars!
Pages: 264

This is my sixth author, Kaira Rouda novel ~ they have ALL been great. I requested this knowing nothing about only that I love this author!

You are cordially invited to an overnight voyage on the “Splendid Seas”.

(This invitation made me laugh as we live in Southern California and have been to Catalina
Island several times. Just as the songs lyrics state “Twenty-six miles across the sea”.
It takes approximately 90 minutes from Newport Beach to Catalina Island.
Hmm an overnight voyage seems that it must go in circles!)

The invitation to Catalina Island is to Ted and John Kingsley and their wives from billionaire patriarch Richard Kingsley. The idea is for the family to reconnect however the heirs know it is an opportunity to see who is fit to gain control and run the family’s real estate empire.
Story is told from the POV of Paige, John, Serena, and Richard the billionaire dad.
Richard (80 years old) has come up with a contest; he and his fifth and newest wife (38 year-old) Serena won’t make it an easy win.

Then we have Richard’s estranged daughter, Sibley who just appears via a water taxi.
Yep! The stakes for the inheritance of the Kingsley legacy are raised.

Although not the typical ‘Rouda’ spark I was expecting ~ perhaps it was just 🤔
However, I did like the ending! I am actually looking forward to ‘Keeping up with the Kinsley’s Book #2!
.
Want to thank NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for granting me this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for September 5, 2023.

This was my first book by Rouda, and I can definitely say it will not be my last!

Full of drama, secrets, jealousy, sibling rivalry, deceit and power struggles, the Kingsley family is all sorts of messed up.

When it comes to who will inherit the family company that is worth billions, nothing is off limits for each of the Kingsley children.

This thriller is full of twists and turns, and just when you think you have someone figured out, it turns out you don’t!

I could not put this one down, and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves a thriller involving family members.

Kaira delivers again this time with the start of a new series. Scandalous secrets, rich people you love to hate and twists and turns on the high seas this is one that you don’t want to miss. I can’t wait for the next in the series.

Beneath the Surface was the first book from this author that I have read. I enjoyed the switching of the points of view because it brought other characters into the mix. I thought it was interesting that the author had a point of view that wasn’t one of his children, but I loved that. You have love/hate relationships with most of the characters and get sucked into their lives. Honestly, I forgot I was reading a book most of the time. This was a great book, and it will not be my last from this author.

Kaira Rouda does it again with the story of an aging millionaire whose children are embroiled in a bitter find over his money and will go to any lengths to control the fortune. So good!

Well, the cover is nice. It pains me to say that I did not really enjoy a Kaira Rouda book. This one fell flat. Getting everyone's point of view made for a repetitious, tedious read. Anticlimactic and, overall, boring.