The First Lie

Shadows of Deception, Book 1

One audit. Two men. A dangerous obsession that could unravel her entire life.

Olivia Hart thought landing a job at Sterling Enterprises was her big break. But when a routine audit uncovers financial irregularities, she finds herself caught in a web of deceit and conflicting desires.

Ethan Sterling, the charismatic billionaire heir, becomes fixated on making Olivia his own, his intensity both frightening and oddly compelling. As his pursuit escalates, the lines between professional and personal blur dangerously.

Torn between her seemingly devoted husband and a man who won't take no for an answer, Olivia must navigate an increasingly treacherous path. With each step, she sinks deeper into Ethan's world of wealth and power, questioning everything she thought she knew about love and loyalty.

In this gripping psychological thriller, appearances are deceiving, and the truth becomes the ultimate betrayal. As hidden facets of both men emerge, Olivia must confront her own desires and decide who she can truly trust.

The First Lie is a provocative tale of obsession and redemption that will keep you guessing until the very last word.

Listen now to uncover the first lie today.

©2025 Melissa Marie Sovak (P)2025 A Novel Idea Publishing, LLC

Great Narrator; “Meh” Story

First, credit where it’s due: the narrator did a great job. Their performance definitely helped carry the story, and the concept itself was interesting enough that I stayed through the entire book.

Now for spoilers & constructive criticism:

One phrase that really pulled me out of the story was “crossed my features,” which is used repeatedly. It also felt odd in first-person narration—how does someone see their own features cross? I’ve never heard that phrase used that way, and the repetition made it more distracting over time.

The characters, unfortunately, felt weak and hard to connect with—especially Olivia. She rarely communicates, barely shares any inner thoughts or wit, never clearly tells Ethan she doesn’t want him… yet still accepts his car? That moment completely broke immersion for me.

And Daniel… oh, Daniel. I genuinely found myself rooting for the antagonist, which says a lot. The main couple lacked chemistry and depth, so the emotional stakes just weren’t there.

Ethan being so intensely in love also didn’t feel earned. Olivia is described as fragile and passive, and we barely know anything about her—aside from her brown eyes. We’re repeatedly told Ethan loves her intellect, but we’re never shown it. No sharp dialogue, no insight, no moments that justify why a billionaire would be utterly consumed by her.

Overall, the idea had potential and the narration was strong, but the execution fell flat due to underdeveloped characters and a romance that felt unconvincing.

It took a while to get into

It took a while to get into but I did so when it ended at a place that made it feel like the end of a season of tv show it made me mad I don’t think I listen to the next book

Kept my interest the whole time

It has been quite some time since a Audible book has captured my attention the entire time without having to rewind because I stop paying attention. This is a great book, especially since it was included with Audible’s premium collection excited for the second.

Stupid!

Can’t believe such a story has a part 2, this first was bad enough no need to keep this stupidity going

Ewww, yuck

I tried to get through it, but could not stand it beyond the first 5 chapters. I tried. This author must be a juvenile boy who is writing whilst suffering overblown romanticism & ingrown hairs in private places or…. I’ll stop here, except to warn you my dear friends. To listen to this story, you’ll need a strong scrubbing to remove the yuck off.