The Ritchie authors are back and cooler than ever with this new series! I am so glad to see they have introduced a new series with Dishonestly Yours, moving away from their previous Calloway and the second generation families. FINALLY urgh.

Anyways. This book. In this, the grifter concept in it made the characters unique and the plot intriguing, with Phoebe as a seductress and protector of her best friend Hailey, and Rocky as cool but hanging by a thread. The love and tension between them added depth to the story. The siblings of Phoebe and Rocky also played significant roles in the narrative, creating a close-knit group dynamic similar to the previous series.

And the romance guys, oh my god! wow! The friends to lovers romance was addictive, angsty, and messy, with morally grey characters that kept the reader invested. And the coastal town setting and rich inhabitants added to the summer vibes of the story. The unexpected twists and cliffhanger ending left me eagerly anticipating the next book in the series!! Really recommend it!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc!

I really liked Phoebe and Rocky’s dynamic with each other. A couple that wants to be together so bad and has so much chemistry, but won’t get together for familial and other reasons.

I also loved Hailey’s character, she was such a good best friend even if she did mess up at times (but don’t we all). I also loved all the siblings we meet in this book, and I can’t wait to see them get devolved more in the next book.

This book was a rollercoaster, especially with the last 10%. I just have so many questions about the next book in this series (or will it be a duet, idk).

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the ARC of Dishonestly Yours! I want to start by saying this book sounded SO fun to me. Best friends escaping their life of conning - which they were born and raised into - sneaking off to a wealthy Connecticut town to start new? Love that. Hot brother? Amazing. Trying to fight the itch of flat-out robbing these awful rich people? I'm obsessed. There was also a really steep plot twist introduced in the last couple pages which I actually really want to know more about.

Unfortunately, I think it wasn't executed that well. I stopped reading several times because of how ridiculous and unrealistic the interactions were The main characters stick their tongues out at each other. Phoebe, the MC, constantly says things - or lies - that she immediately cringes at, which made it hard for me to believe she's a professional, life-long con artist. The first few scenes with their landlord were so absurd and random that I kept rereading to make sure I wasn't missing something. It really took me out of the story and felt a lot like rewriting the same tropes, lines, and scenes embedded in every romance, even if they didn't make sense in this context. Not to mention the cons they flashback to didn't make a ton of sense or give off brilliant-con-artist vibes.

For fans of KBR, this one will probably hit for you. The romance was steamy and angsty and juicy. Sadly, the rest of the plot was just a little too flimsy for me to lose myself in. I'll still recommend to a lot of friends, it just wasn't for me.

Readers of The Ritchie sisters will find this has a similar vibe to Addicted/Calloway sisters and Like Us in the family ties. It does stand on its own and is definitely a unique story. Get ready for a cliffhanger too.

*I received an ARC from Netgalley. My review is my own.

clearly, the ritchie sisters have a fondness for crafting entire series around lovers who have known each other all their lives and I have no complaints. similar to their famed lily and loren, phoebe and rocky have heaps of history and little idea of how to actually be together. as children of con artists, the pair are equipped with unconventional skills, complicating their undeniable connection. in dishonestly yours, the pair, alongside hailey, phoebe's best friend and rocky's sister, look to leave the world of conning behind following a job gone wrong. but when lying and scheming feels as natural as breathing, committing to a normal life won't be so easy.

honestly, before the 40% mark, I was a bit skeptical of this story. previous to that point, the premise felt a bit dramatic and hard to believe. the characters read younger than the advertised mid-20s, creating doubt in my mind that they could con with any success. but certain flashback chapters shifted my impression, showcasing just how capable they truly are, crafting dangerous operations and walking away with tons of money. as the pressure and tension heightened, as their families began to ask questions, I couldn't get enough of dishonestly yours. overall, this book serves as a quality start to a series I have high hopes for. not only is the cover gorgeous, but the twists and turns introduced in the closing chapters felt so thrilling. this is a messy tale that really hit its stride in the second half, centered around an unconventional romance. as distrust between our main characters, rocky and phoebe, and the people who taught them all they know, their parents, reaches a breaking point in the final pages, the stage is set for what will hopefully be an exciting next installment.

thanks to berkley and krista & becca ritchie for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Mastering the art of looking rich, stealing money, and never getting caught are the hallmarks of every good family. At least the families that Phoebe and Hailey grew up with. Everyone is in on the con and that is the way it always will be. Until Hailey decides that she wants out!

Phoebe understands the dangers of the con and constantly craves the adrenaline high, but the last mark may have cost too much. She agrees to try to go straight, and the girls hightail it to a small east coast town.

If you love the Mentalist and Party of Five with some spicy romance thrown in, this is definitely a read for you. Although part of a large family, these kids raised themselves in between jobs. They are more loyal to each other than to either set of parents. With all their extra special talents, the reader understands the desperate measures their parents will take to keep them close. Characters are fun to watch trying to fit into "normal life", and the plot is fast moving. My only complaint is that the next book is not out right now! Can't wait for more. 4 out of 5 stars and 2 hot peppers.

like most reviews, i was excited to start something new from the ritchie sisters after absolutely loving the addicted/calloway sisters series. a book based on the children of con artist families, trying to start anew and leave their life of crime behind? color me intrigued. that being said, i thought dishonestly yours was a solid start to the series.

the writing for the first 30-40% of the book was a bit clunky and didn't immediately grab my attention. as we get to know phoebe and rocky more, it got better. their push and pull dynamic, though frustrating at times, really speak to their undeniable connection and soulmate like bond. their relationship reminded a bit of lily and lo. the flashback scenes were great and really serve to explain the dynamic of the families and how they went about their cons. there are found family elements, a country club aesthetic, the angst-est of angst and just overall really interesting characters that i hope to learn more about in book 2.

thank you berkley romance for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

4.5 Stars
I'm probably in the minority when I say this, but I have been waiting for Krista and Becca Ritchie to leave behind the Hale/Cobalt/Meadow families for years and give their readers something fresh and new. I know they haven't left them for good, but it was nice to get the start of a new series with Dishonestly Yours.

Dishonestly Yours had me hooked from the very start. I was a little worried I wouldn't love the grifter concept, but it made the characters in this book unique, and the plot interesting. Phoebe was a seductress but also the protector of her best friend Hailey. She was tough and adaptable while trying to hide her big emotions. Rocky came off cool and collected but was always hanging on by a thread. I ached for these two. The love and affection they had for each other always had to be contained and it made for the perfect amount of tension and angst. They needed to be able to finally be together. There was a lot trying to push them together and pull them apart in this book. It was a ride with all the revelations and twists that came. 

Phoebe and Rocky's siblings were along for that ride. Best friend Hailey was a goth girl who came across as surprisingly timid. She was also Rocky's sister. They also had a younger brother who makes an appearance. Phoebe has two older brothers: Oliver and Nova. They were along for part of the ride as well. These six were a close-knit group (think Hale/Cobalt/Meadows style).

There are a lot of other things I want to say about this book, but I would be giving everything away. Instead, I'll end with a few more comments. The Ritchie twins gave me another addictive friends to lovers romance that was angsty and messy. I was completely invested in all of the book's characters and the fact that they were morally grey only added to that. I loved the summer vibes of the coastal town and its rich inhabitants. The twist and turns this book made surprised me when I was least expecting it. And that cliffhanger... I need the next book NOW.

This is my first Krista and Becca Ritchie book, and safe to say I’m hooked!

The reason why I didn’t give this book 5 stars was due to pacing and the ending. At times I felt like some characters weren’t flushed out as well as they should have been. For example, some side characters were essentially mentioned once and then never again, or not given enough substance. The ending was also super abrupt, even though I know due to it being a cliffhanger that is the purpose. It was such a surprise that I genuinely was flipping through my eARC trying to see if I accidentally skipped 10 pages.

Besides that, I really enjoyed the romance! Also the found family trope was done very well and I’m looking forward to seeing what happens in the next book in the series! I’d recommend it for sure.

Thank you again Berkley Publishing Group for the opportunity to read an early copy in exchange for an honest review!

This book was so good!! I love everything Krista and Becca write and this was no different. Can’t wait to see what happens in book 2, I’m totally hooked! I loved Rocky and Phoebe and all the siblings. Highly recommend. 5/5 stars!

I had to DNF. I wanted to like this book so bad because I love heist and con books but I just couldn’t get into it. I liked the characters at times but they were bland sometimes and the pacing was very slow and it just got a bit boring unfortunately. Got to the 50% mark and I just couldn’t get into it and I wanted more. Skipped to the end to see how to ends and while the end did pick up, I don’t plan on going back to read the 40% I missed or continuing this series.

“Rocky and I are in the same passenger car. We always have been. Sitting there together, peeking out of the opened door as the landscape whizzes past us, wondering where the hell we're going.”

I didn’t know what to expect going into this but I really enjoyed it and I thought it has a lot of depth. The storyline is so engaging and fun — I was constantly entertained and wanted to find out more.

There is a ton of drama and dark twists & turns that caught me off guard and I was HOOKED. I also felt like I connected to the characters pretty quickly. Krista & Becca Ritchie do a great job at writing family drama and found family moments.

Rocky & Phoebe’s story was so exciting and the tension/angst had me squealing at certain points & I’m so excited to find out more.

This opens the door to a potentially amazing, fun series and I’m dying to see what’s next after that cliffhanger.

“I whisper, ‘I'm your Phoebe.’ The purest emotion brims his eyes. ‘I'm your Rocky.’”

Thank you to Berkley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

CRACK - this book is CRACK

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

This book is my newest obsession. It has everything you could want in a book... AGNST, TENSION, MYSTERY, ETC

Rocky and Phoebe are from two different con artist families that have worked together their entire lives lying and scamming their way from city to city. After a con gone wrong, Rocky's sister and Phoebes best friend, Hailey decides she wants to get out of the con artist life and live a normal life so she convinces Phoebe to run away to a small town in Connecticut to create a real life for themselves. Rocky follows first and eventually the other siblings show up in town.

The story mostly follows the relationship between Rocky and Phoebe while giving us flashbacks into previous cons that show us why they are the way they are and why they are essentially 'hiding' from their parents.

There is so much love between Rocky and Phoebe but they are so resistent to give in to those feelings because theyve normally only been intimate during cons so when they do get together they both want to make sure its 100% authentic and real.

The tension between these two and the angst is EVERYTHING

I cannot wait until the next book comes out and this one hasnt even released yet.

There are 6 siblings total and some intriguing side characters so I cannot wait to see how the sisters mold these characters and shape their stories.

It is going to be incredibly difficult to put my adoration and obsession with this book into words. Dishonestly Yours is easily one of my favorite books of all time. It’s criminal that I will probably have to wait over a year until the next book!!

I was so nervous to start a new series by Krista and Becca Ritchie. The Addicted/Calloway Sisters series is my all-time favorite, and I was skeptical about how they could possibly match the brilliance of that series with Dishonestly Yours. But WOW!! This stories and these characters captured me almost immediately.

Phoebe Graves and Rocky Tinrock grew up in two con-artist families. Phoebe, plus her two brothers, and Rocky, plus his brother and sister, have played integral roles in the major cons their parents have orchestrated. But now, they are trying to escape that life and break away from the hold their parents have on them all.

The plot was like nothing I’ve seen before, especially for a romance book. It reminded me of the Netflix show “Imposters,” but much more characterized and darker. Dishonestly Yours and its characters are very Florence and the Machine-coded, specifically “Seven Devils.”

Let me tell you— Phoebe and Rocky were the epitome of twin flames, rivaling the couple I always considered to be the best example of twin flames— Lily and Lo. The tension, passion, and fire between Phoebe and Rocky felt incredibly real and raw. AH! I don’t want to give away too much, you’ll just have to trust me on this!

The aesthetic of this book was absolute perfection— dark and sensual in stark contrast with the elite, wealthy Connecticut town setting.

Krista and Becca Ritchie do three things better than any author I’ve read:

1. Characterization- It’s absolutely magical, the way their characters come off the page.

2. Vivid Scenes- Their scenes always play out like movies, almost as if they are incorporating screenwriting into their novels. I still can’t put my finger on exactly what it is.

3. Found Family- I loved seeing the birth of a new one in this book and can’t wait to see it fleshed out more.

Okay, I’m going to stop now because I could write a dissertation on this book, but AH I love everything about it. Krista and Becca Ritchie are already well-known and loved, but I know that this book is going to catapult them into stardom!

Wow! This was my first Ritchie sister book and now I am kicking myself for not picking up their books sooner!

This book had it all, mystery, angst, thrills, humor and romance. I was shocked that from page one I was completely sucked into the pages. The characters were all amazing as well as the overall plot of the book.

Phoebe is a spit fire and I am obsessed with her. She is strong and determined, yet is sensitive and relies on other more than they know. Reading her growth throughout the book is great, and I know is just going to get better at the series goes on.

Rocky is HOT! He is that aloof character that you know feels so fiercely. His loyalty and love to his family is inspiring and so sweet. Right from the get go I needed him and Phoebe to get together. She helps smooth out all of his hard edges, and he is someone she can always rely on.

This was an interesting case of a found family that seems to re-find one another. By the end of the book the siblings from both sides of the family have a new goal which brings them even closer together. That new goal was a twist that I never saw coming. I swear, the last few chapters of the book had my heart racing! The cliffhanger was amazing as well and I cannot wait to get my hands on book 2 even though book 1 has not even released yet.

The spice was minimal but the tensions were high. Rocky and Phoebe could start a fire with all the sparks between the two of them!

Overall, this was a seriously great book and now I need to read some Ritchie sister books to tide me over until book 2!

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for a digital ARC for exchange an honest review

All of their books just keep getting better and better. I loved every part of this. This book was raw, honest and made me feel all of the things.

No one does complicated childhood friends to lovers quite like Krista and Becca Ritchie--and this didn't disappoint in that sense. Incredibly angsty and filled with tension, the romance here is bursting with yearning and desire. While not incredibly spicy, it was still a romance that had me begging for them to get together. However, the build up in this book (of the romance and the overall plot) was incredibly slow to me; I found myself not completely engaged throughout. 3.5 stars

I went in with incredibly high expectations and I am happy to say they were 100% met. The start of a new series had me anxious because the addicted characters are my fav OAT and nothing can get to that, I tried not to compare the best I could but there's no way to completely avoid it (I also have to say I love the fizzle it made my heart so happy). First of all the plot, super interesting, super “cowboy like me” and I LIVE for that kind of thing. I have def read mafia before but not specifically con artists and it was the same but better with all of the different jobs and roles they have had to play. One part was a lil too close to incest for comfort and had me in tears of fear and I couldn't get past that but other than that I loved all of the characters they had to play and the JEALOUSY OH MY LORD literally 99% of this book was pining and angsty I loved it. It is clear from the beginning that they have always cared about each other but it is the farthest thing from insta love because of all of the tings in the way. I thought both characters cared so much about each other and that group of siblings made my hear melt. KB Ritchie knows what they're doing. AND THE PLOT TWIST AT THE END like the whole blood ting and then my kindle said I had 15 min left but then it was acknowledgements and I was shook like this is the curse of arcs when you need the next one but you have to wait even longer than normal cuz the first one isn't even out yet. The way Rocky and Phoebe so clearly thought of each other as home and loved each other throughout it all, I loved the flashbacks and the present day. Everything was so easy to picture and I will be rereading and annotating when this formally comes out. Five Stars. Highly recommend.

Dishonestly Yours is the first book in a new series by Krista Ritchie and Becca Ritchie, the authors of Addicted to You and the Addicted World series. I've never read anything by these authors, but have heard such good things about their writing that when I saw this on NetGalley, I just had to try it.

Dishonestly Yours introduces the reader to two families who have raised their children from birth to be con artists. With six children across the two families, now in their 20s, they have executed every type of con imaginable. After a job goes bad, Phoebe and her best friend, Hailey, agree to try and live an honest life. Without telling their parents, they move to a small town and decide to see if they can get by without doing any more con jobs. Hailey's brother and Phoebe's longtime crush, Rocky, catches them as they're leaving and comes with them to ensure their safety.

Without giving too much away, I LOVED this. The plot was fascinating and I enjoyed this take on crime romance so much more than the overplayed mafia boss with a sweet wife trope. I loved that Phoebe and Rocky have a history of conning together and that they were both apex predators who cherished each other and their siblings above all else. Their dynamic reminded me a little of Marrow, with Rocky calling Phoebe Little Nightmare. This book had the twists of a thriller, the small town upper class drama of a great beach read, and scorching romance. I loved that this was a friends to lovers with off the charts tension and a level of bantering you usually only find in enemies to lovers.

I will absolutely be buying this when it comes out and will be going back to read the Ritchie sisters' existing series, too. Thank you so much to Krista & Becca Ritchie and to Berkley Publishing Group for this ARC through NetGalley. Dishonestly Yours will be available for purchase July 2nd, 2024.

✅ MF romance with spice
✅ Best friend's brother
✅ Friends to lovers
✅ Found family
✅ Morally gray characters
✅ Crime romance

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5 Stars!!

📅 Out July 2nd, 2024

Krista and Becca Ritchie can do no wrong in my eyes and this book is a perfect example of that! As a massive fan of the Addicted series, I was very excited to start their new book and meet new characters. Wow! I was blown away and so hooked on the storyline. There were so many moments where my jaw was on the actual ground. I have never read a book like this before! I loved it! It was thrilling, different, exciting, and just overall AMAZING!