Masked Secrets

Prequel to the Love Over Murder Series

By: J.D. Carothers

Narrated by: Erin Mallon, Nathaniel Priestley

He’s a billionaire living for fun, fighting expectations, and avoiding his future. She’s an alluring, intelligent, career-focused woman. Throw in a masquerade ball, a steamy encounter, and a villain. It’s a recipe for fireworks.

Brooke

It all starts when the power goes out, leaving me trapped in a dark elevator.

Just when the walls are closing in and panic starts to take over, a sexy stranger comes to my rescue.

His deep voice, yummy British accent, warm shoulder to lean on, and flask of expensive whiskey is just what I need.

Embarrassment aside, what happened shouldn’t matter. I’ll never see him again. That’s good because I’m no longer the adventurous risk-taker I was in college. Now, I’m a rule-following professional—at least that’s what I tell myself.

Stuart

Her wavy, auburn hair, sparkling emerald eyes, and perfect curves mesmerize me.

When she panics, my instinct is to protect her. That is until she snuggles against me and sparks fly, making me want much, much more.

I regret not getting her mobile number. It shouldn’t bother me. I’m not looking for a relationship. And she doesn’t seem like the type for a fling.

To my surprise, she turns up unexpectedly. I’m relieved and thrilled. But she pushes me away.

Welcome to the Prequel for the Love Over Murder series. Each book is a standalone story featuring one couple’s journey to their guaranteed H. E. A. The series is especially for lovers of swoony moments intertwined with a light twist of suspense.

©2026 Dreamlific Publishing (P)2026 Dreamlific Publishing

So Good

I love a good billionaire romance with a bit of mystery. J.D. Carothers knows how to write a swoon worthy story that will have you completely invested in the character's storyline. I couldn't stop listening to the audiobook and loved every minute.

quick suspenseful love story

After an electric meet cute while stuck in an elevator, Stuart and Brooke have chemistry that is memorable. When it turns out that Brooke is actually the lead lawyer for the business that Stuart is in town for in place of his father, she doesn't know how to react. Stuart is enamored with her from their night before and reassures her that they can still work together while he is in town. As they attend events and work on the project they start to fall for each other, but mysteries and discrepancies start to arise and when someone is murdered at one of the events, there is more than meets the eye to what's happening around them. When Brooke overhears something she shouldn't, her life is at risk, and Stuart has to try and save her while stealthily revealing who the murders are before they can run. The elevator meet-cute pulled me in, and I loved how the story blended chemistry, mystery, and just enough drama to keep things interesting. I love seeing the familiar characters from the rest of the series and if you haven't read the rest and enjoyed this story, I definitely recommend you give them a read as they deliver the same balance of chemistry and suspense as this one. Erin Mallon and Nathaniel Priestley delivered wonderful performances that only added to the balance of chemistry and suspense throughout the story.

Great narration!

This was my first book by this author and I really enjoyed it. Cannot wait to continue on in this series!

Masked Secrets is the prequel book to the Love Over Murder series and it was quick, fun, spicy and just an all around good time! I loved the mix of romance and murder! I could not wait to see what was going to happen. I will say I figured out one of the two killers and suspected the other and that is why it is only getting 4 stars instead of 5.

I listened to this on audio and I really enjoyed Erin Mallon and Nathaniel Priestley as the narrators. I loved the British accent of Nathaniel Priestley! This was a dual narration.

Read if you like:
-Forced proximity
-British viscount MMC
-Romantic Suspense
-Murder mystery
-He falls first
-Protective hero
-Stuck in an elevator together

I flew through this one!

This is the novella prequel to the Love Over Murder series (and my first by this author), focusing on Brooke and Stuart, and it has so much development, humor, tension, and drama that you forget it's on the shorter side. There's a meet-cute in an elevator, and when they get stuck, Stuart offers Brooke some of his whiskey... only she drinks too much and ends up passed out by the time the doors open. And when he can't figure out who she is, he takes her back up to his room and watches over her until she wakes up (it sounds creepy, but it's really sweet!). And when she sneaks out while he is occupied, he regrets not getting her number.

Lucky for him, she walks into a business meeting later that day, and they're forced to spend an obscene amount of time together. And with time, their chemistry grows until it can no longer be contained. Even though he's royalty from across the pond and she's a lawyer working her way towards partner, these two can't NOT be together while he's in L.A. And when strange things keep happening, these two grow closer and closer, until it all falls apart.

READ IF YOU LOVE:
- He's royalty
- She's a lawyer
- Forced proximity
- Billionaire romance
- There's only one bed
- Workplace romance
- Secret relationship
- Spice, swoon, + suspense

THE AUDIOBOOK: Erin Mallon was fantastic as Brooke, and as one of my comfort narrators, I felt consumed by her performance. I think Nathaniel Priestley is new-to-me as a narrator, but his posh British accent brought Stuart to life perfectly. I flew through this one on audio!