Deadly Deceit

Author: Natalie Walters
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Series: Harbored Secrets #2
Release Date: November 5, 2019

Welcome back to Walton, Georgia, where everyone knows your name--but no one knows your secret.

Independent and tenacious journalist Vivian DeMarco is back in Walton, Georgia, for one reason--to do her job and get out. When her boss suddenly dies under suspicious circumstances, Vivian's only hope for finding the truth--and the next big story--is small-town law enforcement's lanky poster boy, Deputy Ryan Frost. But the deeper they dig, the more twisted the truth becomes. False leads, incriminating emails, and someone called the Watcher force Vivian to fight for answers--and her life.

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Reviewer: Abigail Harris

Wow! This was wonderful!!! Just as good, no, I take that back. Almost better than Living Lies, though not quite since I enjoyed the first one so much. This series is so good, the writing style is spectacular, the characters jump off of the page, the subjects through hard are, I must say this is a need to read for everyone who enjoys suspense.

The subjects covered in this book are not as hard and yet harder than the ones covered in the first book, Deadly Deceit shares pain, hurts, and forgiveness with a set sorry that is extremely enjoyable though maybe just slightly unrealistic though not too over the top and it is possible that things like what happens in this book could happen.

Recommendation: 16 up for violence, inappropriate actions, and mentions of affair/s as well as the consequences of said affair/s.

Verse: John 3:21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. (King James Version.)

Disclaimer: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion

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Reviewer: Anna Bottoms

In “Deadly Deceit” Natalie Walters takes us back to Walton, where friends are true, family is important, and danger may be just around the corner. 

She seamlessly weaves together romance, and suspense in a novel that also takes a look at the hurts that drive us.

Each of us face the disappointments from the past in different ways. But what happens when they come in conflict with what could be a different future than we could ever imagine? 

Ryan turned his father’s abandonment at age twelve into a mantle of protectiveness. He gave up his dreams for his family. When he gets an offer that’s hard to refuse, will he be able to break free? Does he want to?

Vivian let her father’s lies spur her to prove she could be enough. Enough in her job, enough in her successes, but could she ever be enough for someone to love? Can she love herself?

With the Watcher destroying lives, and a murder to solve, this story had enough suspense to keep me guessing, and authentic interactions that made me want to read until the early morning hours. Great book!

I received an ARC courtesy of Baker Publishing Group through Interviews and Reviews. This review reflects my honest thoughts on the book.

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Reviewer: Jill Jones

Vivian's boss has a story for her to tell. Only he dies before he can give her any details. Deputy Ryan Frost has been assigned to the potential murder case, and they both discover that there is more to the death than meets the eye.  Once her boss' death is ruled murder, the clues they find put Vivian in more danger the closer they get to the truth.

Someone calling themselves "The Watcher" tries to force Vivian to give up the story of her life in this twisted story about truth and secrets. "Deadly Deceit" by Natalie Walters is book 2 in her Harbored Secrets series. I enjoyed the first book, but this one is the best primarily because of the characters, who were very likeable, and the plot was original and intriguing.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, through Interviews and Reviews, as part of its Book Review Blogger Program. I was not required to write a review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Reviewer: Laura Thomas

Deadly Deceit is the second book in the Harbored Secrets series—and in my opinion, can absolutely be enjoyed as a stand-alone novel.

When feisty journalist, Vivian DeMarco, discovers her boss has been murdered, she joins forces with handsome Deputy Ryan Frost as they attempt to uncover the truth about a serial blackmailer known as The Watcher. Based in smalltown Georgia, Vivian and Ryan are likable characters—both carrying heavy burdens and looking for their next right thing in life, and I found myself rooting for their happy ending together amidst pitfalls and perilous detours along the way. The suspense heightens as the story progresses with twists and heartaches into a real page-turner that left me looking forward to the next book in the series!

This book was provided courtesy of Baker Publishing through Interviews & Reviews.

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Reviewer: Rebecca Maney

"I've got a marmalade dropper, and I think . . . . I think it's the story you've been waiting on."

Harold Kennedy's cryptic message took Vivian DeMarco straight to his front door. At nearly midnight, what awaited her was not a news story, but a tragedy; bringing her face to face with the one person from her not so distant past who might be willing to help assuage her guilt and unravel some very confusing clues.

Deputy Ryan Frost is pretty certain that Vivian DeMarco is not telling him everything she knows about the death of her beloved editor. And as the case morphs from accidental to homicidal, he becomes convinced that working alongside the tenacious journalist will keep her safer, but neither of them could have predicted the magnitude of the case nor the "unexpected, but not awkward" steps towards attraction.

While the story line steadily advances, it's about half-way through the book before the depth of its characters really begin to impact the outcome. Ryan and Vivian are both bruised by their pasts and tend to tip-toe around issues that could ultimately make a difference. Will their walls remain built with bricks of "abandonment, rejection, alone and unloved" or can they be replaced with "family, friendship, belonging, and love"? Ultimately, it's a race against time and a matter of life and death.

Enjoy this ingenious suspense with its many "harbored secrets", while being reminded that hope shines brightest in the darkest of moments.

I received a copy of this book from Baker Publishing through Interviews and Reviews. The opinions stated are entirely my own.

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