Black Ties & White Lies by Kat Singleton Summary

Black Ties & White Lies by Kat Singleton follows Margo Moretti, a graphic designer whose life transforms when Beck Sinclair—her ex-boyfriend's older brother and a billionaire—proposes a fake engagement. Beck needs to clean up his playboy reputation to protect his company, leading Margo into a world of luxury, lies, and complicated emotions. As the lines blur between their pretend relationship and real feelings, both must navigate past betrayals, growing attraction, and the secrets hiding beneath New York's elite society.

Kat Singleton is a USA Today and Amazon bestselling romance author best known for writing Black Ties & White Lies. She specializes in crafting elite banter, emotional angst, and spicy romance scenes that keep readers engaged. Singleton believes every love story requires authentic emotional turmoil before reaching a happily ever after, making her novels deeply satisfying for romance readers. She lives in Kansas with her husband, two children, and two doodles.

Black Ties & White Lies is perfect for romance readers who enjoy billionaire romance, fake relationship tropes, and forced proximity storylines. Fans of emotionally charged narratives featuring morally gray characters, second chances, and forbidden love will appreciate this novel. The book appeals to readers seeking spicy scenes combined with elite banter and complex relationship dynamics. If you enjoy contemporary romance with high stakes, luxury settings, and ex's sibling romances, this standalone is ideal.

Black Ties & White Lies is worth reading for fans of emotionally intense billionaire romances with complex character dynamics. Kat Singleton delivers compelling tension between Margo and Beck, exploring themes of trust, manipulation, and redemption that resonate throughout the story. The novel balances spicy romance with meaningful emotional depth, making it more than just a typical fake relationship story. However, readers who prefer straightforward romances without morally gray heroes or manipulation themes may find certain plot elements challenging.

Black Ties & White Lies explores:

• Love and manipulation as Beck uses deception to secure Margo's presence in his life, creating a toxic foundation that both characters must overcome.
• Loyalty and betrayal emerge through Margo's complicated relationships with both Sinclair brothers, forcing her to reassess where her true feelings lie.
• Trust and redemption become central as Beck confronts his manipulative past while trying to prove his genuine feelings, demonstrating that authentic love requires honesty and vulnerability.

Black Ties & White Lies incorporates multiple popular romance tropes that drive the narrative forward.

• The fake engagement serves as the primary plot device, with Beck hiring Margo as his pretend fiancée to protect his company's reputation.
• Forced proximity intensifies their connection as Margo becomes Beck's personal assistant, working closely in his elite New York world.
• The ex's older brother dynamic adds forbidden tension, since Beck is the older brother of Margo's ex-boyfriend Carter.
• Additionally, billionaire romance elements provide the luxurious backdrop and power dynamics throughout.

• Margo Moretti is a graphic designer from LA who becomes entangled in Beck's world after accepting his fake engagement proposal. She's resilient yet vulnerable, struggling to trust Beck due to their complicated history and his manipulation.
• Beck Sinclair is a billionaire playboy and the new owner of Margo's company, whose feelings for Margo drive him to extreme measures including buying her workplace.
• Carter Sinclair, Beck's younger brother and Margo's ex-boyfriend, adds tension through his emotional neglect and jealousy, complicating the central romance.

The fake engagement begins when Beck Sinclair needs to repair his playboy image to protect his business interests. He offers Margo a position as both his fake fiancée and personal assistant, relocating her to New York and immersing her in his luxurious lifestyle. As they navigate engagement parties, private shopping sessions, and intimate moments, the boundaries between performance and reality dissolve. Their undeniable chemistry and Beck's genuine feelings complicate the arrangement, forcing both to confront whether their relationship can transition from fabricated to authentic.

Black Ties & White Lies examines how manipulation can poison even genuine affection when Beck's initial pursuit of Margo involves deceit and control. Beck's actions—including buying her company and orchestrating their fake engagement—stem from real feelings but employ manipulative methods that leave Margo hurt and distrustful. The novel suggests that love built on false pretenses requires extensive effort, vulnerability, and forgiveness to overcome the damage caused by dishonesty. Both characters must learn to separate Beck's authentic emotions from his controlling behavior to build something real.

Margo begins as a struggling graphic designer adjusting to singlehood after her relationship with Carter ends. Throughout the story, she transitions from feeling out of place in Beck's elite world to gradually embracing her new circumstances and finding her voice. Her emotional journey involves learning to trust her own judgment after experiencing betrayal from both Sinclair brothers. By the novel's end, Margo must decide whether Beck's genuine feelings outweigh his manipulative actions, ultimately choosing what she truly wants rather than remaining loyal to her past.

Black Ties & White Lies is the first book in Kat Singleton's Black Tie Billionaires series but functions as a complete standalone. Readers don't need to read subsequent books to enjoy Margo and Beck's complete story. The series is set around an exclusive country club in the Hamptons, with "Bad for Business" being the second standalone novel featuring different characters. Singleton has also written other series including Pembroke Hills, Sutten Mountain, and Mixtape, giving readers multiple entry points into her romance universe.

Black Ties & White Lies distinguishes itself through its unflinching exploration of manipulation within romance, refusing to romanticize Beck's controlling behavior without consequences. Unlike typical billionaire romances, Kat Singleton forces both characters to genuinely reckon with the ethical implications of building love on lies and deception. The ex's older brother dynamic adds forbidden tension and family loyalty complications rarely explored in depth. Singleton's signature combination of elite banter, emotional angst, and spicy scenes creates a more raw and authentic love story that demands genuine growth before the happily ever after.