Reviewed by Jen
TITLE: Beautiful Liar
SERIES: Arcadia U
AUTHOR: Roxas Winters
PUBLISHER: Self published
LENGTH: 279 pages
RELEASE DATE: March 21, 2025
BLURB:
Kieran
I gave in to temptation, but happily ever after was never part of the deal.
I am heir to a mafia kingdom and taking my place means leaving Arcadia behind. Arcadia U was built to house bastards of the criminal elite and wayward children of soldiers loyal to the four founding families. I am neither. When a death at the school puts everyone at risk, I return to keep my friends safe. But things have changed since the three months I’ve been gone. Loyalty must be earned, and my secrets revealed. But is it too late to save what I want most?
Tomás
I chose the enemy. I chose to be a secret. Kieran asked me to wait until he was ready, and I fell easily into the lies. But I have a lie of my own. After a death puts the school on lockdown, I’m forced to face a past I buried. A past that threatens everyone I love, including Kieran. To protect him, I must lie to him.
But lies fester. And the rot always finds a way out.
REVIEW:
I could not wait for this installment, and it did not disappoint! You absolutely must read these in order, as there is a lot of build up to get where we are now, and all of the details play a part in how everything plays out.
This installment picks up where the first book left off with Kieran out getting involved with the family while Tomás is still back at Arcadia. Boy, do these two have a complicated relationship. On one hand, there doesn’t seem to be a chance they can ever be together, while, on the other, there are obstacles seeming to fall out of the way. But, Kieran and Tomás are their own worst enemies. There are still so many secrets in their way and trust is not easy to come by.
Everyone’s hands are forced when there is a death on the campus and Tomás is front and center in the thick of things. The original four family leaders call for a hunger games type event that Kieran and the other students must survive. Meanwhile, some people are trying to bring secrets to light that will affect everyone involved. Needless to say, there are a lot of twists and turns as we, and other family members, learn the truth about past events.
I am really enjoying this creative mafia world and the push and pull of Kieran and Tomás navigating their relationship and feelings for one another. It isn’t often easy, but the road is worth it. There are still a number of unanswered questions and characters to flesh out, and after flying through this installment, I’m already excited to see where this story goes next.
RATING: 
LINK:
