Book Review for Under the Palms by Kaira Rouda

 The Kingsleys #2

Under the Palms by Kaira Rouda

Published May 21, 2024 by Thomas & Mercer

Genre:  Mystery Thriller

Taken from Goodreads:  During a weekend retreat, a powerful family plays a dangerous game of dark secrets and cold-blooded ambition in a novel by Kaira Rouda, USA Today bestselling author of Beneath the Surface.

Under the direction of the Kingsleys’ new president, Paige, the family has gathered for a weekend retreat at a luxurious Laguna Beach resort.

Still clinging to the hope of succession are the sons of Richard Kingsley, the family patriarch and John, the oldest, who’s clawed his way back from a dark tragedy, and Paige’s estranged husband, Ted, the golden boy. When Richard’s ex and his wayward daughter join the fray, Paige finds herself with two fast allies. They know a secret that could shatter the family legacy. Call it leverage, call it revenge, the Kingsley women believe they have the upper hand.

But as the power games begin, greater threats than the howling Santa Ana winds are coming. Because this weekend, amid so much greed and betrayal, no Kingsley is safe. It’s family. Watch your back.

 

My Thoughts:  I devoured this book on a cold and rainy day.   It was wonderful and kept me entertained from the first page to the very last page.   I loved the setting of the 5 star hotel with all the “rich” features.   The exclusiveness of the hotel showed just how powerful the Kingsley Family really is.

I have to talk about the characters.   They were something else.   Every one of them had a holy than thou attitude and it was fun to figure out who was holier than the rest.   Who was bad person, who was set up, who was going to be in the CEO?    There is so much back stabbing and betrayal that I had no idea who the good and the bad were.  

Kaira Rouda is an amazing author.  Her thriller, suspense, and mystery writing skills make her a must-read author.   I recommend checking out Under the Palms.  

Thank you Thomas & Mercer for a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

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Meet Kaira Rouda (Taken from her website):  Kaira Rouda is an award-winning USA Today and Amazon Charts bestselling author of contemporary fiction that explores what goes on beneath the surface of seemingly perfect lives. Her novel, The Next Wife, won two Silver Falchion Awards for Best Suspense Novel and runner up to Best Book of the Year. To date, her novels have been translated into a dozen languages.

A former magazine editor and society columnist, Kaira won the Stevie Award for Women in Business for creating the first female-focused residential real estate brand, Real Living, and growing the brand to more than 22 states before its sale to Berkshire Hathaway. Her first book, Real You Incorporated: 8 Essentials for Women Entrepreneurs led to a national speaking tour where she inspired thousands.

Active in the areas of homelessness, food security, and empowering women and girls, in her twenties, as a volunteer, she created the first emergency walk-in shelter for homeless families in Central Ohio. Kaira has received numerous awards for her community service including the national Kiwanis Service to Mankind Award, and most recently was named a Kickass Woman of Orange County by Orange Coast Magazine. Kaira was appointed by Governor Gavin Newsome to the California Volunteers Commission.

She lives in Southern California with her husband, Congressman Harley Rouda, and is at work on her next novel.

 

Kaira also belongs to the following writing organizations:
Sisters in Crime | Mystery Writers of America | International Thriller Writers (ItW) | California Writer’s Club | Killer Author Club / founding member | Author’s Guild of America | Women’s Fiction Writers Association