Not What It Seems

By: Nicky James

Narrated by: Nick J. Russo

Length: 12 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's Summary

They say I killed them. They say I’m sick. They’re wrong. Nothing is as it seems.

Renowned psychiatrist Dr. Cyrus Irvine takes his job and his life very seriously. He is well-respected in his field and has worked hard to get where he is.

But he’s lonely.

When called in to evaluate a murder suspect, the last person he expects to find is the man he slept with a few months ago. The man who ghosted him and wounded his fragile heart.

Ethically, he should turn around and walk away, but he doesn’t. For as much as Cyrus understands the human brain, he can’t understand the pull he feels toward the patient.

One session with River Jenkins and Cyrus is sure of three things: River and everything about his preliminary diagnosis is a lie, his feelings toward River haven’t gone away, and despite his professional code, he isn’t going anywhere.

Someone needs to get to the bottom of this.

Cyrus’ world is turned upside down as he and River team up to find the truth.

During their quest for answers, Cyrus discovers the hardest part of his decision isn’t the risk to his career, but the risk to his heart.

Not What It Seems is a 115k MM romantic suspense with doctor/patient, forced proximity, and age gap themes.

©2021 Nicky James (P)2022 Nicky James

Amazing Thriller!!

This one was such a thrilling ride!

Absolutely loved this.

The plot was interesting, complex and so well done.

The characters were well fleshed out and I loved the chemistry between them

Definitely recommend this amazing series

4.5 stars. Omg I blew through this

Omg. I am normally slower on audio but I could not stop. I blew through this and didn’t sleep much. Nick did an amazing job. I felt like I was right there with the guys.


What a ride Nicky James took me on with this thriller. She left me guessing right to the end. Wow.

Cyrus is in his 40’s. He is lonely and such a sensitive soul. Professional to the core with no self esteem due to his past relationship. I just wanted to give the poor man a big hug.

River is cocky to the bone, brass but is also caring. He is not into relationships and not looking for long term. My heart hurt for him as he has never felt the love of a family going from foster home to home.

When there is a killer on the loose, Cyrus steps up when least expected and in a way not expected to help figure out who is killing the young girls. Can he work together with River? Will River be able to see what is right in front of him in Cyrus? I loved them together. Total opposites but fit perfectly together like a puzzle.

If you like solving murders, like twists and turns, and want to get lost in a book saying WOW, then this book is for YOU!!!!

mysteries, intrigue, drama, sex.

mysteries, intrigue, drama, sex. these are some of the words I would use to describe this book. The beginning was a little bit hard for me to get through only because there was references to a single weekend of sex and debauchery that we did not get to see. I enjoy smut in my books there was a lot in this book. I personally skip through it but that's just me really like both characters relating a little bit too hard to each of them in my own way. definitely would recommend too people who like mysteries. Also a bit of kink that kind of came out of nowhere but fit quite well.

Fantastic!

This has got to be one of my all time favorite books by Nicky James and I was ecstatic when I heard that Nick Russo was going to be narrating! I am happy to say that it lived up to the hype in my brain! It was stellar! Nick did such a wonderful job bringing these characters to life. This will be one I relisten to in the future.

Loved!

Nick J. Russo brings this story to life in the best possible way. I found myself unable to stop listening as I was completely wrapped up in the world Nicky James has created in Not What It Seems.
This mystery/romance is top notch and you will find yourself going down the rabbit hole of trying to figure it all out.
I found both MC's to be absolutely fascinating.
Cyrus and River were so sweet; they had a good dynamic and great chemistry together.
Their HEA was absolutely perfect too!

Wonderfully Suspenseful!!

Wow! I absolutely loved Cyrus and River’s story. When this came out in audio, I couldn’t grab it fast enough. Nick Russo did a fantastic job bringing this wonderfully gripping suspense to life for me. Even having read it previously, I was caught right back up in the story and questioning if I really knew how it was going to unfold! His narration for Cyrus and River was spot in, and kept me engaged through the whole book. When I read this, I was drawn in from the first page and the narration only ramped that up for me. I was sad when life required a pause! I loved both of these characters as they immediately pulled at my heartstrings for different reasons. Cyrus, a renowned psychiatrist, is called in to confirm a schizophrenia diagnosis. What he doesn’t know when he walks into the room is that the patient, River, is a man he knows intimately. They had a 3 night stand months before which meant the world to him, and nothing to River. What ensues is a story that will keep you guessing throughout with so many twists and turns that will leave you stunned! There were points where I thought, “Oh I got this, I know what’s happening now”, and Reader, I did not! I was kept on my toes trying to figure out how this would all unfold! Woven into this wonderfully suspenseful story is an equally wonderful love story as well. Cyrus harbored past hurts from his ex and his awful treatment of him. His ex had effectively destroyed his self esteem and self worth in his personal life. River recognized that as he got to know Cyrus more and he knew just how to bolster his esteem and be what he needed in the moment. River had his own reasons for ghosting Cyrus months prior. Bouncing from foster home to foster home, he never learned about relationship connections. He felt that connection with Cyrus and rather than explore it, he ran. Their connection was so strong from their first interaction, it really drew me into the story. They had wonderful chemistry. Their sexy times were so freaking hot. I loved Cyrus’s kink! I’d never read anything with a foot fetish before, and the author did a wonderful job of introducing me to it! I shouldn’t be surprised as Nicky James is such an amazing storyteller. Cyrus and River’s story is in my top reads of the year so far, and is not to be missed! I couldn’t recommend diving into this one more!

Loved it!!

I loved this book so much!! I really loved the main characters of this story, Cyrus and River are up there as one of my favorite Nicky couples! I enjoyed the mystery and suspense of this book. The chemistry between these two was off the charts!!! I liked that I couldn’t figure out the mystery right away. Let me guessing and reading!! Highly recommend this book!!!

Nick did a great job with the narration of the story!

Enjoyed It a Lot

I loved this book. Due to some stressful events going on presently, it has been difficult to get into a story for me, I started number of books and put them down, unable to get into them. Not What It Seems did the trick and I was engrossed in the story from chapter one. Interesting characters Cyrus and River made an unlikely team but I found myself rooting for River and Cyrus to overcome all the challenges both on the outside and between themselves. I thoroughly enjoyed the mystery aspect, it was captivating and kept me on the edge of my seat. Narrator did a great job, he made this book an amazing listening experience.

Suspense Thrillers

What a ride this book is truly a suspense thriller, is fast pace and entertaining as hell, I love muder mysteries and this was exactly what i love , and the narrator was so good , i give it 5 stars

What an awesome book!

The Nicky-Nick combo is always a winner and this one was no exception.

First advice:
Approach this book as a mystery suspense more so than a romance because ultimately, the Mystery trumps the romance in this book. I guarantee that you would enjoy the book more that way.

Second Advice: Get the audio of this book because Nick Russo knocks it out of the park as usual. He brought the book to life. the voices, the inflections the emotions... He nailed it.

Review:
What I Loved:
1. The mystery whodunnit: I honesty didn't have an inkling who the villain was and was very surprised when it was revealed.

2. Cyrus: I loved his strength despite his vulnerability, anxiousness and extreme lack of confidence. He did the right thing against all of the odds because he was convinced that he was right and that River was innocent. even his light kink and his self consciousness about it. he was a mess most of the book but a cute mess and I was charmed by him.

3. The steam: What was on page was great and what was mentioned off age was hotter. I wish we had those on page too lol.

4. Dual POV which I loved in this case because we needed to be in both character's heads.

5. The HEA: Loved it!

On the other hand, I struggled to warm up to River. He was too calm at times and that made him, for me, a bit one-layered.

Annoying characters, Annoying narration

I didn't enjoy this story. Cyrus the psychiatrist was such a whiney character that I have no idea how he would cope in everyday life. The writing was also repetitive which made the story drag. There are far too many internal monologues from Cyrus spiralling about self hatred, and his low self-esteem. Neither character was likable and I didn't root for either.
When it came to the narration I was well aware of Nick J Russo's inability to say the word 'continue' which he says as 'contanue', but in this story he gave us another really annoying mispronunciation of adding an 'll' sound to words, so raw= rawll, saw= sawll. This wasn't an affectation of the characters accent. He did it on so many words that once i heard it i couldn't unhear and it bugged the hell out of me, pulling me out of the story each time.

Fraternization

The perfection of the narration makes this book a gem. It brings fully to life the well written and defined MCs, their harum scarum quest for answers, dark humour and graphic interactions inside an unusual plot. Such a strange mix, so well done. VERY ENTERTAINING

Simply incredible

This is my first novel from the author and lordy Goddy, it did not disappoint. I'll be buying more books from this author

A thrilling blend of suspense and romance

I'm still new to the suspense genre, but I love the way Nicky James writes it. With unique characters that drew me in and a compelling murder mystery to solve, this story had me constantly questioning what I thought was true. As much as I enjoyed Nick Russo's narration, I found myself on the edge of my seat numerous times, wanting to rush through the chapters so I could unlock all the secrets and find the truth for myself. I've never been so excited to be completely and totally wrong about who the killer was, and what a shocking showdown those final few chapters were.

From the very start, River and Cyrus's relationship threw me for a loop. To go from being two strangers in a bar to being on opposite ends of a table in a psych ward is a jarring transition, and it set the tone for the rest of the story well. For a few short minutes, I actually believed River might be a murderer, but the more Cyrus analyzed his behavior, the more we both came to the conclusion that something was off. It was fascinating to watch as Cyrus battled between staying professional and revealing their personal connection, but I have to admit that never in my wildest dreams did I expect him to get so involved in clearing River's name. River may have been self-assured and confident, but Cyrus was a constant worrier and sometimes painfully anxious in his decision-making. I certainly wouldn't have paired them up to solve a case of this magnitude, but much to my surprise, they brought out the best in each other.

As the two of them pieced together clues and hunted down connections from River's past, I found myself utterly charmed by the romantic relationship building slowly in the background. River and Cyrus didn't have much time to linger between the sheets, but even without an overload of steamy nights I still believed in the connection forming between them. The closer they grew, both physically and in solving the mystery, the more anxious I became about how everything would work out. There were multiple instances when things started sliding sideways and River or Cyrus had to hastily course-correct to avoid a collision, and boy did each instance make my own heart beat out of my chest. It was almost a relief when they did finally figure out the truth, if only because it gave me hope that the constant chase was finally nearing its end. Of course, the true villain didn't go down without a fight, but River and Cyrus's resourcefulness allowed them to get the upper hand.

River and Cyrus may not have gotten the traditional happily ever after with elaborate declarations of love and riding off into the sunset together, but the way their romance ended was equally satisfying and full of promise for the future. I can't complain about a single second of their story, and now that I know all the hidden surprises I want to give this a re-read to see what extra clues I can pick up on in advance!

**I voluntarily listened to a free copy of this book. This review expresses my honest thoughts and opinions.

I certainly didn't see that coming !!

Well, I can say that I didn't see that coming in so many points in the story ....
The first chapter got me all hot under the collar with a certain description of River's next hook up, then in the next chapter suddenly I was in a mental institute, talk about whiplash....
Cyrus is a great character, under his professional persona lies a scared and lonely man who's confidence has been forcible taken from him. I really enjoyed his battle with head over heart and other bits, over analysing every feeling over and over. He believes that his patient is innocent, and is desperate to bring him justice.
River, oh you poor gorgeous, selfish man you, what a mess you've created, why doesn't anyone believe him ? Cause you don't make sense that's why....

The narrator really amped up the suspense for me, the more dangerous the situation got the more excited Nick's voice became, by the end I really didn't want to stop listening. I really wanted answers to so many questions, but how? What for ?

This murder mystery is certainly one ride you should experience....

Amazing story

Story 5*
Narration 4*

Really loved the story and I was so excited about the audio, but this time the narrator didn't do great for me. I so love this book and wanted it to love in audio too, but I just couldn't concentrate to it, the voices were all over the place and not what I imagined to the characters. It's a first for me to not like one of Nick J Russo's audio, and I hope it will be the last too.

*ebook/story review :

This book was just as perfect as I thouht it would be. Doctor patient?! Come on! Best thing after a student/teacher, and as we can see, Nicky can write both amazingly.

The emotional and deep scenes, the suspense, being kept in the dark the whole way - wow. And the characters. Both Cyrus (aww poor baby, I just want to hug him) and River (oh you dirty boy). Loved them. They were perfect separately and together too. Both were intriguing and their connection and relationship was so good. I couldn't see how their relationship would end and I was afraid at the beginning, my brain was playing games with me, I should have known that Nicky will give me a perfect love story and I don't have to fear a one bit. I really thought it will be instalove, but no. It was perfectly paced and emotional.

And and and oh god, Cyrus's foot fetish was just so perfect. It blew my mind how well written it was. I need to see more kink from Nicky because if she can write foot fetish this awesome...my mind and heart just won't be capable of handling more LOL but I NEEEEEEED.

Cyrus was the best in this story, his personality was so well written and I just loved everything about him. Sometimes shy, sometimes not. Funny and needy in bed, and I just loved how he was speaking with River. And how fragile he was. Have I mentioned that I want to hug him?

Oh and the suspense! It was awesome! All new details, all the investigation, the fear of being caught but still going after the killer. Perfect. And the ending just so sweet.

WOW....... Magnificent.... 💖💖

Absolutely Brilliant so blown away by this Nick J Russo as done it again love how he pulls you in from start to finish and you can't get enough even though you know what happens in the story with reading the book the way Nick brings River & Cyrus to life and takes you on their amazing, captivating and emotional journey and your holding your breath until the end I didn't want to leave them love both of them I couldn't stop listening to this recommend so much. 💖💞💞💖

Intriguing to say the least

Story: A very good mystery that pulls the reader in from the get go. I wasn't very sold on the romance part for most of the book, as the circumstances put the MCs in too much of a power struggle for me, but overall the book is a really good read and well worth the time. I always admire the attention to details and factual side of Nicky James stories, and this one is no different.
Narration: Very good performance.

Wow!

They say you don't forget your first, and let me tell you I was blown away by my first audiobook. Nicky James' story and Nick J. Russo's narration, what a great combination!

This story sucked me in right from the beginning. Dr. Cyrus Irvine is a well-respected psychiatrist who follows ethics and every moral code there is. In his personal life however, he is lonely, insecure and mentally bruised. River Jenkins is cocky, witty and a typical ‘bad boy’ with a hard loveless childhood. They shouldn’t work, but they so did. The change in their relationship happens gradual and natural, all the while trying to solve the murder mystery.
Something was happening all the time. New leads and clues were discovered throughout the book, all leading to an unexpected reveal.

This is a compelling murder mystery with real characters, romance and a hard-earned HEA. Highly recommended!

HIghly Recommended

I don’t know where to start on this review. This author just consistently produces great stories. I love this story but each time I read one of her stories I give it an outstanding review and think she can’t possibly come up with something this good and each time her stories are that good. Her stories are always original and emotional. They are thought provoking. These characters and this story kept me page turning till the end. There are unexpected twists and the relationship is sometimes frustrating. I so love River. The hand he has been dealt makes him wanting to stay uncommitted to anyone. Cyrus on the other hand, has very little self confidence and less experience. Reading about the decisions they make and actions that they take make this totally engrossing. The narration by Nick J. Russo made the cockiness and personalities of these characters so much better than what I had imagined. His narration conveys the mood and tone for the story. This is something only great narrators are able to provide