Amy's 3.5 star ARC Review of Secrets and Lace (Fatal Heart Series book 1) By Dori Lavelle

**WARNING: Due to sexual situations and adult content, this dark romance thriller series is not intended for readers under the age of 18, and anyone who is unable to read books containing, kidnapping, murder, rape, and extreme abuse. ** 

Chloe Parker has the world at her feet. Her career in magazine publishing is flourishing, and she’s about to marry the man of her dreams, billionaire philanthropist Miles Durant. 

But one month before her wedding, she receives a countdown card. No sender. No return address. No message. Only a piece of lace stained with blood. As the wedding gets closer, the cards keep coming, every day without fail. 

It seems, while she’s counting down to the happiest day of her life, someone is doing a countdown of their own. Chloe fears she’s in danger, but she can’t turn to the cops for help. There’s something in her past she wants to remain hidden, a dark secret that could destroy the life of her dreams. 

To make things worse, Miles is becoming increasingly impatient and suspicious about her past, to the point where he’s so angry he becomes a man she doesn’t recognize. 

While working to keep her relationship intact, Chloe must find out who wants to hurt her before she loses everything, or ends up dead. 

*This story unfolds over three volumes.*

3.5 stars

This is my first read of a Dori Lavelle release. This is a dark thriller with some pretty intense moments. 

Chloe Parker is a huge hit in the magazine world. She is successful and is engaged to a extremely rich man. In a month her life will change as she becomes Mrs. Miles Durant. On this same day she receives a very disturbing note with that same number on it. The note is bloody and only says one number on it. Someone knows something … yes Cole has secrets to hide. 

I'm not crazy about Chloe’s finance, as he is a douche bag at times. It seemed like there relationship had changed quite a bit since they had started dating til now. He was somewhat overbearing for. Something was off with him. A charity man not willing to take on his own family? Doesn’t seem like he is the good guy he puts off to be! 

I can't say much more because I don’t want to give any spoilers away. I really didn’t connect with the characters in this one. It wasn’t a bad read I just didn’t feel like we were getting the whole story or maybe enough of the story and the preface is are the notes. We have to wait a long time before we get to the last card the stalker plays. It’s a good one for sure but it was a little too much for me. Maybe we could have had an additional snippet of a story line in between or something. Not sure. Chloe is going back to her high school mates to discuss the "event" they all kept quiet about as well just wasn't for me. There is a huge cliffhanger so be prepared to wait for round two. 

Thank you for the ARC. Review to post to Ramblings From Beneath The Sheets.