Maneater is fun, flirty, and unapologetically hot. ~ Under the Covers

This post contains affiliate links. That means we receive a small commission at no cost to you from any purchases you make through these links.

If you’ve ever wished The White Lotus had more competent women and more orgasms, Maneater by Morgan Elizabeth is your next obsession. This spicy, grumpy-sunshine mystery romance follows a seductive private investigator on a mission at a luxury resort-and the man who keeps getting in her way. Come for the sabotage, stay for the tension that could burn the place down.

What Is Maneater by Morgan Elizabeth About?

Josie is known in elite PI circles as the Maneater, for good reason. Her job? Use her looks, charm, and terrifying ability to get men talking to solve high-stakes problems for high-paying clients. Whether it’s corporate sabotage, cheating scandals, or insider trading, Josie knows how to play the game.

Her newest case takes her undercover at Daydream Resort, a luxe destination for the rich and secretly shady. Someone is sabotaging the resort, and Josie’s mission is to find out who and why.

But Rowan Fisher, the resort’s VP of Operations, and a man from her past, is also investigating. He’s not buying Josie’s vacationer act for a second, and he’s definitely not ready for the chemistry between them to come roaring back to life. As the sabotage escalates, so does the heat, and both Josie and Rowan have to figure out if they’re on the same team… or headed for disaster.

Who Are the Mavens in Maneater by Morgan Elizabeth?

The Mavens are a covert, femme-powered PI firm operating somewhere between Charlie’s Angels and Olivia Pope’s crisis team. Recruited for their unique skill sets and strategic brilliance, each Maven plays a specific role-and Josie’s is seduction.

In Maneater, we also get to meet Rory, the group’s tech genius who’s always one step ahead with surveillance, hacking, and data pulls. She’s the calm, sarcastic voice in Josie’s ear and plays a huge part in solving the case.

Overseeing them is Gabriel, the Mavens’ elusive and powerful boss who’s always pulling the strings behind the scenes. He gives serious shadowy handler who knows everything energy and adds an extra layer of intrigue to the world Morgan Elizabeth is building.

Is Maneater by Morgan Elizabeth Worth the Hype?

Absolutely, especially if you love your romance with some action and your heroines slightly morally flexible.
Josie is an instantly compelling lead. She’s a little bit Bond girl, a little bit girlboss, and somehow still relatable even while casually seducing billionaires for intel. Her confidence is sharp-edged and unshakeable, but the book does hint at vulnerability, even if her backstory feels a little underdeveloped. Her origin story (college side hustle turned career) doesn’t hit quite as hard as the present-day plot, but once she’s in Maven mode, she’s magnetic.

Rowan is where things get really fun. He’s buttoned-up, skeptical, and clearly nursing a long-term obsession with Josie. The man is a simp, but he’s also got that dom energy when the moment calls for it. One second he’s sulking in a linen shirt, the next he’s sending your Kindle into meltdown.

The mystery subplot adds just enough tension to balance the romance. Is it twisty? Not really. But it does what it needs to: raise the stakes, keep the characters moving, and justify the tropical chaos. The resolution is fine, but the real payoff is in the relationship, the way Josie and Rowan shift from sparring partners to something real.

Also, love the way Morgan Elizabeth writes spice: emotionally grounded, character-driven, and just rough enough to be interesting.

Final Thoughts on Maneater by Morgan Elizabeth

Maneater is fun, flirty, and unapologetically hot. It’s perfect for readers who love confident heroines, simmering enemies-to-lovers angst, and a little espionage to spice up their beach read. Josie and Rowan have the kind of tension that crackles, and the Mavens are clearly the start of something bigger. I’m all in.

Pin this for later