A thrilling and emotionally gripping novel of love, marriage, deception and… murder. “An unforgettable thrill-ride that had me hooked from the first page. Secrets, lies, betrayal and passion.” 5 StarsIt’s one thing to discover your husband is not who you believe him to be.It’s another thing entirely to prove it.The only question now, is how far he will go to protect his secrets.From the #1 … his secrets.
From the #1 INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING AUTHOR of the award-winning Beyond the Grave paranormal romance series.
“Athena Daniels has spun a spell-binding story that is sure to seduce fans of suspense… Her compelling writing style coupled with elements of high drama and disturbing characters makes for an emotionally intense read. Athena Daniels has a new fan in me!” Readers Favorite, 5 Stars
”…a contemporary psychological thriller with a solid plot line which had me reading late into the night. I thoroughly enjoyed every word.” 5 Stars, Readers Favorite
One lie is enough to question all truths.
As I lie here in my front hallway, in the place where it all began, I wonder what would have happened if I’d never opened the door that afternoon?
Would she have gone somewhere else? Would she have swept off in another direction, an alternative reality where our lives would never have crossed paths?
And now I’m lying here, blood pooling beneath my body, deep crimson smears on cold white tiles, remembering every sordid moment in vivid detail.
There’s a shadow standing over me.
“I want you to die here, slowly and alone.” Her voice is cold, emotionless. “And I want you to use the time to think about what you did. And when you take your last breath, I want you to realize it’s all your fault. All of it!”
I drift in and out of consciousness and wonder if I had my chance to do it over again, if I had the choice, would I choose not to open the door that day?
Even after everything, I know that I would.
I’d go through it all again, and then some, if it meant the chance to be with Zach just one more time…
An unforgettable Romantic Thriller that is impossible to put down. Get your copy now!
“Author Athena Daniels has created an extremely readable and relatable tale in The Scream Behind Her Smile. As a lead character Claire was real, believable and someone the reader clearly wanted to root for while at the same time feeling this intense desire to shake her out of her complacency and her naivety. What I particularly liked about this story was the author’s obvious desire not to minimize the incredible effect losing a child has on the parents. No amount of advice “to move on” or “to let it go” is ever going to make any difference. No parent dreams of this ultimate tragedy and when it happens, it is totally devastating to the parents. This whole premise was beautifully and sensitively portrayed by the author. Until you forgive yourself for what happened, you can never make peace with the present or the future.
The relationship between Zach and Claire was moving, powerful and incredibly sexy. I did love that Zach not only had a past but that he was actively dealing with reconciling with that past. Both Claire and Zach felt they had huge impediments in their lives to them ever being happy again but Daniels skilfully showed us that there is a way to let go without forgetting. I can highly recommend this book, especially if you love romance with some real meat on its bones. This is what this book has.” Grant Leishman Readers Favorite, 5 Stars
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Wow! Once I started this book it was very hard to put it down, almost every waking moment that I had, I was reading this book. It kept me engaged from the first page to the very last. On the edge of my seat excitement is exactly how I felt while I was reading this book. I’m not going to go into a lot of detail in this review like some others may do because I don’t want to take anything away from your enjoyment of reading it. All I can tell you is that you don’t want to miss reading this book, it is absolutely fantastic until the very last page.
It begins with a woman lying in a pool of blood in the hallway of her home. Drifting in and out of consciousness, she remembers how it all began. Knowing what she knows, would she still open that door?
Claire is a woman still grieving the loss of her young daughter three years ago and is just now seeing the fog disappear and taking an interest in living again.
Her husband has lied to her, cheated, got another woman pregnant, turned her friends against her. When she decides to pack her bags and leave, he becomes dangerously angry.
He locks her out of the home, changes the locks on her business, cancels the credit cards, and turns all her friends against her with his lies.
It’s one thing to discover the man you married is not who you think he is. It’s another thing entirely to prove it. After all, who is going to take the word of an unstable woman who’s never fully recovered from the heartbreak of losing her child?
This is an exceptional emotionally charged thriller with a finely crafted plot line. It’s a tale of love, hate, loss, and new beginnings. The characters are memorable and the reader can feel the angst, the anger, the hurt, the pain … and experience, along with them, hope and looking forward, even a new romance… and trying to stay alive when divorce becomes a killing offense.
Many thanks to the author / Sunset Coast Publishing / Netgalley for the digital copy of this psychological drama. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
Gripped me right from the start and kept my attention from start to finish. Absolutely adored this book!!
This was an interesting read and very different from what I was originally expecting here.
This had so many actual twists and turns that it managed to capture my attention so effortlessly.
It was well written a page-turner that really was addictive reading.
Claire as a character I felt for her so much, her backstory in regards to her daughter made my own heart hurt so much.
But for sure she certainly was a lousy judge of character.
She has surrounded herself with toxic relationships from her so-called friends who have obviously never read the girl code rule book (What Traitors) to her waste of space husband Derek.
Derek, himself has managed to isolate Claire manipulating and controlling the situation itself until she really has no way left to turn.
Add in that venomous viper Jasmine who was such a piece of work and I was internally screaming put your foot down and issue your waste of space husband an ultimatum they are both taking the mick so badly.
So Zach who for me was a surprise addition and what I saw of him I really liked a lot: he was mysterious, sexy and seemed protective of Claire but I did feel his input here was slightly limited and I would have liked to have got more of an insight into how he ticked.
I felt this would have been better served being told in dual POV rather than just from Claire’s side of the fence.
I really would have liked to explore Zach in more depth rather than just the superficial and felt this one-sided style of narration limited that slightly.
We did get a snippet in the epilogue from him but this was really not enough to satisfy me.
This was a great read that I enjoyed a lot a thumbs up from me.
I voluntary reviewed a copy of The Scream Behind Her Smile.
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/9460945-bex-beckie-bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
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While there were a couple of spots I found “awfully convenient” in the end this was a great story with wonderful character development. There were good guys that you truly felt for and bad guys you really hated. Enough twists and turns to keep you reading way past the time you planned which is always a good sign for me. (I voluntarily reviewed an ARC).
The Scream Behind Her Smile was exceptional from inception. Athena Daniels words will give you goosebumps, from the prologue to the epilogue. The author’s words is like a sweet caress the calm before the storm. You will feel every kiss, every touch that will leave you in insatiable desire. Simply mesmerizing.
This one was a surprise but also seem to have a dose of whiplash from the surprises that were inside. The unpredictable fabulous story took me with it from beginning to end. The grip it had thanks to the style and the things that pop up unexpected as this unfolds had me going at times like a fine oiled tennis match hence the whiplash. Claire is the one I stuck too like glue was attached from the first while I witnessed Derek do and say some things that had me agape. I had alot of saddness until three quarters of the way when something else seeps into her life. This also has tremendous intrigue with alot of suspense. Alot of other characters form the body not forgetting Zach. The power of a man is in Zach lol. This is the kind of reading material you search for and is hard to come by bit by bit. Now I will crave more from this author with being patient hard to do.
Holy smokes this book is absolutely brilliant!!! Another phenomenal masterpiece by the ever talented Athena Daniels!
Be prepared to go on quite an emotional roller coaster…and be prepared to LOVE every single second of it! This book gives you all the feels & emotions… it makes you think you know what’s coming next… but trust me you dont! The twists and turns are amazing! The author is such a wonderful storyteller!
Definitely a 5 star read form me!! Wow!! Wow Wow!! This book Is going to be on my mind for quite some time! (And I mean that in the best way ever!!) FANTASTIC JOB once again Athena Daniels!!
This book is absolutely amazing. I could not put it down. If you like a suspenseful book, with romance and a great story this is it.
The story line moves fast, and you don’t get bored at all. There are several twists, and parts that leave your jaw dropped to the floor! I found myself getting angry at some of the characters, while loving others, absolutely great writing, great story.
Received an ARC
Holey moley!!!! This book had my emotions in an uproar!!!! I felt what the characters felt and the situations they were going through, especially Claire and the tragedy that hits her, it felt so real and that I was going through them too. I won’t spoil any more details but I have to recommend this book to anyone who needs an emotional jolt. Well written story and I want more LOL
She’s done it again! This book was another I couldn’t put down. It sucks that some hits really close to home, but because it’s relateable, it made it a little hard to read in some areas. I pushed thru it and enjoyed a wonderfully written love story that shows anything is possible if you only try. I can’t say I wouldn’t have done some of the same things she did. Everyone should read this book and learn something from it, in my opinion. Thanks for the sad (keep tissues handy), but lovely read Athena.
OMG, this story was so gripping, I could not put it down! Chapter 12 will bring on the tears, and is the pivotal point for Claire. His book is riveting and I love it.
A THRILL RIDE OF DANGER AND HOT ROMANCE! FIVE BREATHTAKING STARS!
WOW! Just when I was beyond tired of cookie cutter romances with the same old tropes, this captivating story took hold and pulled me out of the book doldrums from the very first page. Believe me, I could NOT put this book down! I’ve seldom read a romantic thriller that surpasses this gripping tale of grief, deceit and steadily encroaching danger, wrapped in a passionate romance between two broken people.
(Here’s a bit of the plot, but no big spoilers–I promise.)
Claire is barely existing, still grieving over the death of her little girl three years earlier. Struggling to break free from depression and medication, her tenuous recovery is threatened by her manipulative husband (Derek) and the sudden arrival of a beautiful and mysterious house guest–an “old school friend” of Derek’s. Claire is immediately suspicious of Jasmine and rightly so, for secrets lie just beneath the surface of the woman’s quick smiles.
When Claire realizes that Derek’s feelings for Jasmine are much more than friendly, she decides to leave him and seek a divorce. But Derek vows to stop her–no matter what it takes–because he and Jasmine are enmeshed in a nefarious scheme that depends on Claire for its success and their survival. If she leaves, someone will die.
As she fights for her freedom, Claire is befriended by Zach Argos, a successful artist with deep secrets of his own, who mitigates the sins of his past by rescuing homeless children and housing them in the Village, a cluster of cabins in the woods. Zach is a hero to die for–a dark and brooding man with a kind and generous heart. (He’s also gorgeous, in case you wondered.) The undeniable attraction between Claire and Zach culminates in steamy sex almost hot enough to melt my Kindle!
But their newfound happiness is soon threatened by criminals as the plot twists and turns through a labyrinth of lies, greed and breathtaking suspense, leading to . . .
I’m going no further. Don’t miss this compelling story of love’s power to heal . . . to survive . . . to flourish despite overwhelming odds. With memorable settings in Perth, Australia, where the Swan River meets the southwest coast, this beautifully written novel richly deserves five breathtaking stars! Kudos to the author and her entire team.
Goodness I really don’t know where to start about my feelings for this book. They are all over the place, I feel sorrow, rage, happiness, love …so many emotions!!! Claire bless her heart, there were times I wanted to reach into the book and slap her but then I would remember her life before now. Then I wanted to reach in and strangle her stupid a!! husband. THENNNNNN I wanted to reach in and grab Zach and hug the hell out of him!! Everyone needs a Zach in their life one way or another. There were so many times that I spoke out loud at home and my husband thought I was crazy lol!!! This was my first read by Athena and it was freaking great!! Great job!!!!!
This plot is brilliant and so very well written by this author. This is story that you want to read and won’t forget very easily. The characters are great. If dark, twisted, psychological romance thrillers are your thing then you must read this one!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I liked the thriller part of this story, I could do with less graphic sex, I am just not into that. The rest of the story was just fine. I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book from Booksprout.
May contain spoilers
This is not my normal genre and although this is my first book by Athena Daniels
I look forward to reading more.
The things that Derek did and got away with. I found him to be vile and disgusting. I did find it hard too believe no one questioned his friendship with Jasmine. Everyone grieves differently and to lose a child is very traumatic it seemed to me her friends were to quick to take Derek’s side. And then there’s Jasmine what a conniving, manipulative Bitch. So many times I just wanted to throw my kindle and claw her eyes out and slap the smug smile of her face and that’s the nice things I wanted to do to her. Why did no one question Derek and Jasmines relationship? One doesn’t just invite an old friend into their home and conduct themselves the way Derek did especially when your wife is still recovering from losing your child. And no matter how Zach came into Claires life thank God he showed up when he did. How awful it is to have to keep your emotions hidden for fear of being labeled unstable. While the only thing you should be labeled is a grieving mother who needs the support of your friends and most importantly your husband not just a bottle of pills. And then for him to blame his actions on her and use it for an excuse for what he did was disgusting. I wondered many times if he ever truly cared for Claire much less loved her. I liked how Zach and Claire found love and helped each other heal. I think in the end Derek got what he deserved and Jasmine got way less than what she deserved. I only wish that the epilogue would have mentioned Bec, Rob and Julia’s reaction to the truth.
I think this is her best work yet. It not only touches on themes like domestic violence and psychological abuse, but it gives us a true picture of what so many women go through when they have no control over their own financial and physical lives. There’s a continuing lethargy when it comes to homelessness. Our minds and hearts have a tendency to want to turn away, but that only reinforces the problem. This story brings so much into the light, and it forces eyes open to a growing problem. And there’s a strength that builds as Claire discovers who she really is and what she’s capable of. It’s uplifting and gives us a glimpse of not only vulnerable exposure but growth and revelation. I think it shows us that we don’t have to be ruled by our circumstances but can learn from them and move forward with positivity.
In the midst of all of this, there’s a love story for the ages, something that wraps right around your heart and melts it. It’s beautiful and sweet and super sexy, and he’s exactly the type of bad boy gone good that every woman would love to find. And he supports and defends Claire in ways that she needs. And all of the secondary characters are perfect in their roles. Some of them you want to know more about, while others you just can’t help but hate.
I don’t know how the author is going to top this, but I can’t wait to see what she does next.