Sweating Lies

By: Emma Jaye

Narrated by: Jonathan Waters

Length: 8 hrs and 45 mins

Publisher's summary

“Gladiator or toy?” Kaspar asks, as if it’s the easiest choice in the world. 

It might be an easy answer for someone branded, brainwashed, and who remembers no other life. But that’s not me - not yet, anyway. I’m a cop - or at least I was until my cover got blown.

Now, I’m a captive on a ship; one of the trafficked people I vowed to save. Kaspar’s a toy - a pleasure slave - content to warm our sadistic owner’s bed; he laps up the abuse he’s conditioned to associate with affection. 

He’s my only way out. To gain our freedom, I must play the hardest undercover role of my career and be everything his fractured mind needs: a more controlling bastard than the man who turns people into grateful slaves for a living.

Officer Jiao Sweatt thinks I’m a victim. 

He has a lot to learn. 

And it’ll hurt.

Themes: Crime. Slavery. Mental health issues. Abduction. 

Genre: Dark psychological thriller M/M. Violence. High angst and explicit steamin’ hot scenes.
Length: 81K. Stand-alone with happy for now. Series continues with the same characters in Splitting Lies.

Warning: These books are for adult listeners who enjoy stories where lines between right and wrong get blurry. High heat, twisted and tantalizing, these are not for the fainthearted.

©2019 Emma Jaye (P)2022 Emma Jaye

A stunning psychological romance!

I absolutely loved this deliciously dark, captivating, psychological romance!

I could not put this book down

The plot was compelling, very interesting and had me at the edge of my seat.


I can't get enough of this series!
Looking forward to listening to the next one.

Good but Disturbing

I was not ready for this one right here. Now I like reading dark stuff but this one right here was very disturbing. So much violence....ALOT of angst...not really romance but there is some warm fuzzy feelings between the two MCs. I totally love the narrator tho...if it wasn't for him, I might not have finished this. He is a master in narrating. This is a HFN...not really a cliffhanger but there is another book that carries on the story of Kaspar and Jiao. Kaspar is such a tragic character and Jiao is the hero...not sure if I want to continue on with this (just too much angst for me) but I hoping Kaspar gets the help he desperately needs and Jiao is there to care for him.

Fantastic series!💜

This story was an unexpected surprise!! Well written and highly entertaining albeit somewhat disturbing.
From the first chapter until the end I was captivated.
It wasn’t at all what I expected, it was better. Although, there was rape, abuse and torture it wasn’t as much about the sex as it was about mind control & brainwashing. Even Jiao who was gay didn’t walk around aroused by all the naked men around him but rather for the most part was disgusted by what was going on. He was determined to stay strong and do whatever it takes to save himself and as many others as he can.
Kasper was broken, he was weak yet strong, flamboyant yet shy, Kasper’s character was brilliant, in so many ways!! There were many additional secondary characters that were there for different reasons and this story really gave you an idea of what they each have had to endure while trying to survive their captors.
Let’s talk narration.
Jonathan Waters performance in this story was absolutely brilliant. This story has given Jonathan a platform to really showcase his voice acting talents. His range of characters and emotions are phenomenal. I’ve listened to many performances by him in a few different genres, but this performance was hands down my favorite. He made a great story even better!
This is book 1 and continues in book 2.
This review is for books 1 & 2.
I highly recommend this series!!

Sisters Spotlight 💜

Great listen!

Thoroughly enjoyed this new audio from Emma Jaye! Solid storyline with great main characters, this one was excellent! New narrator for me and I thought he did a super nice job!

A Dark But Hopeful Romantic Suspense Story

With its twisty storylines and fascinating characters, ‘Sweating Lies’ is an utterly engrossing dark romantic suspense tale. It certainly had me resisting the pause button.

Emma Jaye has created such a unique character in Kaspar, and the world he inhabits, that it’s no wonder he quickly became my favorite. Wonderfully complex, he keeps the reader transfixed throughout the story.

Jaye’s bad guy also elicits a visceral reaction. I really, really detest that guy.

My opinion of the ending isn’t precisely the same as the author’s stated HFN, but the reader is left with a definite hint of potential future happiness. It makes me that much more anxious to move on to the (hopefully) happy ending of the second book.

Narrator Jonathan Waters delivers a tour de force with Jaye’s outstanding storytelling. Multiple accents and intricate characterizations–all of it performed superbly.

Highly recommended.

Such an Unique Dark Story

This is a great but very dark story! I found that the storyline was super unique and I was intrigued from the start. It takes a little while to get Jiao on the boat where the majority of the action happens but the characters are complex and really intriguing. The world building is solid and the performance by Jonathan Waters was spot on. It's hard to say too much without giving much away but Kaspar and Jiao are great together and while there's some dark and disturbing practices on the boat, I was rooting for these two. There is another in this series and the story does continue on. I can't wait to see what's in store in the next book!

Truly disturbing, but also fascinating

This was a tough one to stomach a lot of the time - it most definitely deserves a HUGE trigger warning for on-page graphic rape/sexual assault, dubcon, reference to minors being sexually used, torture, mutilation, blood and gore. I knew it was supposed to be dark, but sometimes books labeled as dark aren't as graphic. So there you are - you've been warned.
That being said, I did find the story oddly fascinating and incredibly suspenseful. Once I got past the point when Jiao was captured, I binged through the rest. (I approached the point of his capture with an enormous amount of dread, starting and stopping through what was a relatively brief portion of the book. I wasn't sure how it would come about, though knew from the blurb it would be where the real story would begin. The not knowing got to me.) After that, a feeling of dread was less so, because there was too much else to focus on in each moment.
The world Jiao is taken into is very complex. It didn't feel like a mafia/organized crime world, but almost like a cult, minus a clear supernatural religious deity to worship. Sure, it was also a money-making business, but it had a kind of devotion beyond a typical crime family tradition. I will say that I sometimes had trouble remembering what certain words meant - the names of different roles given to people who were captured and/or brought up within their group were not familiar ones, but I was still able to follow the general gist - the gist that this group was just awful, all completely brainwashed awful...but car wreck rubber necking fascinating.
Kasper is the most fascinating of all. He's so much more than any adjective I could use and I think it's best for the reader/listener to just take him as he comes, be absorbed in the story as it plays out. Jiao's got an awful lot going on too - way more than he'd probably admit to himself were he a real person. He seems rather simple in some ways, but he's got some major conflicts and flaws. I'm curious about how both of these characters will act and feel come the end of the next book.
The audio was quite good. This was my first experience of this narrator. I think it's possible that Jiao was supposed to have a different accent, but he did move around in the world quite a bit, so his lack of a distinct accent could make sense. There are characters from multiple countries/regions in this book and while I don't know if the accents the narrator gave were authentic, I didn't find them terrible. He did quite a good job at differentiating the many characters' voices and I really liked how he performed the parts with Kasper's inner conflicts. (And I'll say no more of that, because it would spoil the fun for the listener.) I would definitely listen to more from this narrator.

Sweating Lies

This is a wonderfully written disturbing, intense book. It definitely isn't for everyone so be aware of the triggers. There is a lot going on and I even listened to the beginning again for better understanding. Jiao and Kaspar are wonderful characters and I enjoyed them together. The internal strength it took just to survive on that boat. I have to admit parts of this book were difficult for me to get through. It's no wonder Kaspar is the way he his. This book has a HFN ending as the story continues in book 2. Though this book was intense I am curious how it will end.
Narrator Jonathan Waters does an amazing job in bringing this book to life.

Interesting dark story

I really loved the main characters of Jiao and Kaspar. This was an interesting dark world to find myself learning about. Overall I think it could have used a few more trigger warnings especially with repeated rape. This story though incredibly dark and not necessarily romantic despite its label as a romance was interesting to hear. It does end on a cliffhanger and I would listen to hear what happens next. The narrator was phenomenal and really delivered well in his story telling. I would say if you like dark and can deal with triggers it's an interesting listen. Overall 3.5 stars as it was good but not exactly what's advertised as a Mafia romance in my opinion. Still worth the listen if your looking for high heat and a lot of darkness in your listen.

Jiao and Kaspar

Jiao and Kaspar have a tenuous connection. They meet in what may be considered less than ideal circumstances. There are unique aspects to this book that I like, but I don't want to give any spoilers. There is a HFN and a second book with these same characters. This is definitely darker than many romances but fits well with a mafia- type theme. If you have triggers, please read the blurb carefully.

A dark story - brilliant narration

First of all, I have to say that the blurb made me curious. I didn't know the author or the narrator before, but I'll keep an eye on both.
It warns of a dark read and it was - dark. But it wasn't just dark, it was really well written.
Before Jiao Sweatt can pull out of his current undercover mission, he gets busted. And now his world is upside down, because he is a prisoner on a ship. Here, people are treated like animals: abused, branded, brainwashed, raised to be sex slaves.
And in all the darkness shines a gem: Kaspar, very attractive, but broken inside. Jiao is fascinated by Kaspar, in whom there is so much more than first appears.

The protagonists were described in detail, they are multi-layered and there is no black or white, but a rather gray color, because the boundaries between good and evil, right and wrong are blurred. The author did this really well and as a listener you didn't know what to expect next. My heart bled for Kaspar, he was like a shining diamond that is sometimes brighter and sometimes darker and you never know how he will act next.
The story captivated me and I listened through the audiobook in just two days. The book ends with HFN and I'm already totally excited for the next volume.

The narrator Jonathan Waters was new to me and he read this audiobook exceptionally well. I adored the many different voices he used for the different characters and I could relate to each voice. His speaking pace was very comfortable and he brought the book to life with his voice. Then sound effects were used very appropriately which enhanced the audiobook. I will be on the lookout for more audiobooks narrated by Jonathan Waters.

"Sweating Lies" is an absolute pleasure to listen to. Highly recommended!

I requested a free copy of the audiobook and this is my honest opinion that I am volunteering

Psychological Dark Romance!

I absolutely loved this deliciously dark, captivating, psychological romance!

I could not put this book down

The plot was compelling, very interesting and had me at the edge of my seat.


I can't get enough of this series!
Looking forward to listening to the next one.

Sweating Lies

Oh, my!

Yes, and Wowza.

This is an experience. Not everyone may enjoy it, but boy, I did. If you like dark MM, you need this in your life. The narrator did well.

A very dark mm romance!

An undercover cop turned victim. He is thrown in a world he fights against. Slavery and trafficking humans. It’s a twisted world with sadists and masochists, innocent boys corrupted, and a drama that will leave you breathless. I didn’t want ro miss a minute of it. This ends in a happily for now and I can’t wait for the next book to devour it too. Awesome listen.

A very dark listen

I’ve been enjoying the Criminal Delight series and was (pun intended) delighted to see a new addition through this audio release. Now, if I had to listen to dubcon with morally questionable people every day, I’d get tired of them. One or two a month? Perfect.

To start, I’ll say I liked Jiao Sweatt as a character. Hard-scrabble life. Made his way up from nothing to be a cop. A cop who infiltrates the mafia world to bring down some bad dudes. He’s moved from assignment to assignment, sinking deeper into these roles. Killing other bad dudes without much compunction. Fighting in MMA-style brawls to keep his street cred. Doing whatever it takes to bring down the criminals.

Until the day it all goes sideways. His cover is blown, he’s taken down, and the next thing he knows, he wakes up on a boat. A boat full of slaves for an underground mafia family he’s never heard of. By the time he gets his bearings, he realizes he’s in deep trouble. There are bad men running this organization – possibly some of the worst he’s encountered. And they train their young captives to become obedient sex slaves. Human trafficking at its finest.

Jiao vows to bring them all down. But that’s pretty hard while he’s suffering horrific abuse at their hands, is miles offshore, and is falling for another captive.

Kaspar has a decent life – for a sex slave. His backstory was unexpected, and I won’t reveal it here as it’d be a huge spoiler, but I didn’t see it coming. He’s obedient to the captain of the vessel and mindless in his submission. Except the voices in his head. He’s clearly mentally ill – not so much because of the torture he appears to willingly submit to – but because there’s obviously more going on with him. Jiao sees it, but is powerless to help.

Until the day escape seems possible. But with the odds stacked against them, it doesn’t seem to be a true option. And this organization has tentacles everywhere. Even if they manage to get off the ship, would they ever really be safe?

Oh, and Kaspar doesn’t want to leave. He’s happy to remain onboard, a victim who doesn’t see himself as one, for as long as he’s alive.

High drama. High stakes. Dark, uh, stuff.

I was along for the ride. Ms. Jaye drew me in from the beginning and I was right there, horrified by the abuse – as I was expected to be – and rooting for some strange characters. Like the captain was a POV character, so I kept wondering what his true role was.

There are more books in the series and OMG when the opportunity to snag them comes along an audio, I’m all-in.

I will say Jonathan Waters is a new narrator to me and I’m hooked. I liked the effects he did with the voices in Kaspar’s head. And he held steady through the entire book. Glad to see he’s on board for the entire series. A dark series. A desolate series. An enthralling series.

A different experience in audio

I've read my share of dark stories like this but this is only my second on on audio and I'd forgotten how much more intense and heart wrenching it is to hear these characters brought to life in an excellent performance like this one. All the despair and the deadness of spirit from those who've given up as well as the struggle to fight from others is right there. This won't be my last of this series in audio.

Wow!

I was really looking forward to listening to this audiobook having snapped up the ebook a while ago.
I am more than happy to say that I absolutely loved this!
Beautifully narrated by Jonathan Waters,a new to me narrator, this dark and deliciously disturbing story had me hooked straight from the beginning!
There is so much more that I want to say about this but, I won't, as I don't want to spoil this brilliant story for anyone.

Gripping Story! Amazing Performance by J. Waters

I've never heard Jonathan Waters perform and audiobook before, and I'm blown away! His vocal range is amazing, and the accents he uses are simply perfect. The effect of the different voices in Kaspar's head is beautifully done.

Emma Jaye's Sweating Lies is the darkest thing I've read in a really long time. Dayum, this one is dark! Jaye maintains a contant level of intensity, full speed ahead from the very first page.

The story is exellent.

It doesn't end in a cliffhanger, but Lies #2, Splitting Lies, is nicely set up.

CLIFFHANGER

When I decided to listen to this book I thought “Series continues with the same characters in Splitting Lies” meant it was an ongoing series where each book is a complete story with a hfn or something like that. Wrong, this is a big time cliffhanger. Since I feel its my fault for not being clear what I was getting I’m not taking off for it being a CLIFFHANGER. This is a dark story which is warned. I like dark so I was interested in the cop saving people. This story touches on a lot. Brainwashing, branded, torture and more. The story is interesting and kept me wondering what the outcome would be. There are a number of twists making an answer not so easy. There is also a sort of attraction between two characters. I really was enjoying the story until right at a good part it stopped and talked about the next book. I have to give Jonathan Waters credit. His narration gave real personalities to the characters.

Mind-Bending Suspense

Sweating Lies is the first book in the Lies series. (Be forewarned that the book ends on a tenuous HFN note, but a lot of plot points are still unresolved. Luckily, the second book in the series is available immediately to carry on where book 1 ends.) This book was an intense ride. I was completely unprepared for how chapter one unfolded, and the plot kept me on my toes the entire time. The characters are fascinating and oh so disturbing. This book deals with some DARK issues, and it does not hold back. Read the trigger warnings and take them seriously.

I LOVED this book and was completely invested in the predicament of all the characters. The world building was interesting, and it added another layer of psychological suspense.

The audiobook was narrated by Jonathan Waters who does a fantastic job. Jonathan is a new-to-me narrator, and I was impressed by his performance and emotional range. He knocked it out of the park with his voice sound effects (especially the multiple personalities). The audiobook production was superb.