Fans familiar with Megan Hart's books know that she writes the Hot Romance Novel with exceptional flair. Her sexy times always have just the right amount of detail to deliver the quiver ... a lot of quiver.

This is true of All the Lies We Tell, too. This is more of a slow burn book, though, in that Hart builds to those scenes, making you wait while she lets you get to know her characters and get absorbed in their stories.

The hub of the book is Alicia. Growing up across the street from the Stern brothers, Alicia watched as her older sister Jennilynn fell in and out of like? love? something with Ilya, the older Stern boy. Alicia, meanwhile, fought and scraped with Nikolai, but there was always a sort of underlying attraction between them. After a tragedy struck, she and Nikolai shared a moment. More than a moment, even. But then he left, not saying goodbye.

Now, nearly twenty years later, Niko has returned because his grandmother is dying. He knows that his brother married Alicia, and he predicted the disastrous nature of this union. They have been divorced almost as long as they have been married, but many people in their small town still think of Alicia as Ilya's wife, something not helped by the fact that the two co-own a business. She doesn't, though. She most assuredly does not.

Since Niko is only going to be around as long as necessary for his grandmother, and since neither he nor Alicia has forgotten that shared moment, what's the harm in having another one? He will leave, she will stay, so it isn't as if one can fall for the other, right? Right?

As the burn builds, Hart leads you to the heat of this book. And there is loads of heat. Fret not, Megan Hart fans. You will love the sexy times in this book. Niko and Alicia try to communicate with their private parts, and it works, to a degree. They just need to learn how to communicate in other ways, too.

Given that this is the first in a series, you can see what Hart is setting up with all of her characters. This occasionally causes pacing issues. Sometimes the focus turns to a character who distracts and detracts from where the focus should be. This is Niko and Alicia's story, yet those times when it isn't pull you too far away from them.

For Niko and Alicia, this could be a second chance, if only they were honest with each other. But honesty can make you vulnerable. Lies can make you feel stronger than you actually are, and letting yourself be vulnerable takes courage, as does telling the truth. Alicia and Niko are going to have to be honest with themselves and each other - about their pasts and their presents.

Alicia and Nikolai have been friends for years. Growing up in the same small town, right across the street from each other, they knew each other better than most people. Her sister, Jennilynn and his brother, Ilya, were also great friends. They all did everything together until Jennilynn started acting strange.
One night, one tragic event and all their lives change for ever.
Niko leaves town after an argument with his family, not even saying goodbye to anyone, even Alicia. He stays away for a year and when he comes back, the one thing he regretted leaving behind is married- to his brother. He never told her how he felt, although they did share one kiss when they were younger. He stays away for years, until another tragic event happenas .
Alicia also harbored feelings for Niko, but she didn't tell him. When he left without saying goodbye she was heartbroken. When she sees him years later, can they find a way to be together, or are there too many lies and lines that can't be crossed or fixed to find their happily ever after?
I really enjoyed this book, but there were times when I got so frustrated with both Niko and Alicia. I felt like I was reading a story about high school kids instead of adults, when they couldn't find a way to admit how they felt about each other. I was glad that Ilya didn't cause a problem, like I thought he would. I can't wait for the next book, Ilya's, to find out how he deals with everything. Also, to find out more about Theresa and to see what happens with Niko and Alicia.
I received an ARC, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest, voluntary review.

The plot is interesting and the writing is good as what you expect from Miss Hart but I feel like there is something missing. There was something in the story about Jenni’s death that was built mysteriously yet wasn’t met by the end and it left me disappointed yet wanting to know more. Or I’m assuming it will unfold in the next book.

All the Lies We Tell is told from a point of view of four characters: Alicia, Nikolai, Ilya and Theresa, the Stern brother’s ex-stepsister so readers get to see a different perspective, though they can be really frustrating. They all have their own faults which make them hard to like but also makes the story more realistic. I just feel so drowned in their sorrows and drama and it is too much for me to handle. How can those four characters be so unhappy?

This may not be my favorite Megan Hart book, but All the Lies We Tell is a reminder why I keep picking up her novels. It is a story of romance but much more about loss and getting through it, about secrets and lies, and about family and the drama that goes with them.

This is the first book in the series and it was a good read. Alicia, Ilya and Nico grew up together. After tragedy strikes, Nico leaves town and Alicia and Ilya end up married. After ten years, Alicia and Ilya have divorced and Nico is back in town. Nico and Alicia had always felt a draw to one another, but when Nico left town unexpectedly, Alicia moved on without him. Now, this group of friends is trying to overcome their past and move forward. There is a wave of mystery about the tragedy that occurred. We don't get all of the answers in this book, so I'm hoping that the mystery clears up in the second book.

There is a lot of jumping from the present to the past in this book to get the backstory. I found it to be a little confusing at times, but totally necessary for the story. It was a good read and I look forward to the second book.

Book Info
Paperback, 304 pages
Expected publication: May 1st 2017 by Montlake Romance
ISBN 1503942775 (ISBN13: 9781503942776)
Edition Language English
Series Quarry Road #1
Other Editions (3)
Source:Netgalley EARC

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BOOK BLURB


Everyone knew Alicia Harrison’s marriage to Ilya Stern wouldn’t last. They’d grown up on a remote stretch of Quarry Street, where there were two houses, two sets of siblings, and eventually, a tangled mess of betrayal, longing, and loss. Tragedy catapulted Allie and Ilya together, but divorce—even as neighbors—has been relatively uncomplicated.

Then Ilya’s brother, Nikolai, comes home for their grandmother’s last days. He’s the guy who teased and fought with Allie, infuriated her, then fled town without a good-bye. Now Niko makes her feel something else entirely—a rush of connection and pure desire that she’s been trying to quench since one secret kiss years ago. Niko’s not sticking around. She’s not going to leave. And after all that’s happened between their families, this can’t be anything more than brief pleasure and a bad idea.

But the lies we tell ourselves can’t compete with the truths our hearts refuse to let go…

My Thoughts


New series that follows the lives of the Harrisons and the Sterns, in this first book specifically we take a journey with brothers Ilya and Nikolai and their neighbor Alicia. Allie was once wed to Ilya and after their divorce moved back into her parents home which was across the street from the one they shared for the 10 year tenure of their marriage. Not only next door neighbors to each other the exes also have a shared business that they still manage together ten years after having dissolved the marriage.

Talk about a crazy set-up this one is strange enough to actually ring true to me.

Past and Present merge creating a mishmash of what is and what was that gives the reader insight into the choices made by these 3 characters and those details make up a complicated story that will grab you right from the beginning all the way to the ending.

(view spoiler)

Filled with flashbacks to the past we follow the story through the different main characters viewpoints, sometimes getting more information than others but always learning something new with each chapter.

Not your typical Friends-to-Lovers second chance romance but still it will tug at ones heart and by the set-up-for-next-book ending thoroughly have you wishing to know what happens next sooner than later. Especially with Alicia and Nikolai.

[EArc from Netgalley in exchange for honest review]

On every book read as soon as it is done and written up for review it is posted on Goodreads and Netgalley, once released then posted on Amazon, Barnes and Nobles as well.

All the Lies We Tell is more women's fiction/mystery/family drama than romance, but it has strong romantic elements in it. Many years ago, there were four of them living across the street from each other: Jennilynn, Alicia, Ilya, and Nikolai. They were friends and enemies. They played together, fought together, loved each other, and then, suddenly, they were three. With the death of Jennilynn, their little world blew apart. Then there were two when Nikolai packed a bag and left without saying good bye. Alicia and Ilya got married, lived together, and then got divorced.

And now, another imminent death brings them all back together. Babulya, Ilya and Nikolai's grandmother is dying. With her death, come people: Theresa and her father Barry, Galina, and with them come memories.

Told in alternating present and past, this is Alicia's and Nikolai's story. They were friends, more than friends, enemies, and then strangers. But proximity shows them both what should always have been. It's a long time coming, a lifetime of pain and regret, of misunderstandings and confusion. Dealing with everyone else only makes it all harder.

Behind their rekindled relationship is the return of Galina, Ilya and Nikolai's mother. Her erratic and inconstant ways are a source of endless frustration to the brothers. Plus, Ilya's pain from that long ago death is exacerbated by the pain of his grandmother's death. And Theresa, the brothers' former step-sister is an unknown. But behind everything else are the questions: What really happened that night so long ago when Jennilynn didn't come home? Who was she seeing? There are plenty of breadcrumbs to follow, with a promise of more to come in the second book of this duology.

I liked this book well enough and am certainly curious to see if my guesses about things turn out to be right so I'll be keeping my eyes open for All the Secrets We Keep.

This book was an okay read for me. I thought the story flowed too slow for me. I wished it would have picked up somewhere along the way but it really didn't. This story goes from past to present which didn't bother me at all. It wasn't a bad story, it just didn't leave me wanting more.

Megan Hart is one of those authors that when you read her blurb, you are sucked in! Then once you start reading her actual book, you are confused at what you just read. She pushes you outside of your comfort zone, and yet you love these characters.

In All the Lies We Tell (Quarry Road #1), Megan Hart does that again. Alicia Harrison’s marriage to Ilya Stern is very.... complicated. But a series of events brings Ilya's brother, Nikolai, back into their lives. Alicia ends up having feelings for Nikolai. They fight their feelings for each other throughout the entire book.

I will tell you that I love Megan's style of writing. She keeps you guessing. But this book was not a book for me. I did not connect with the characters and their story. I kept wanting to connect with them because I have loved Megan's work in the past. Alas, I gave up....

Thank you for the opportunity to read All the Lies We Tell (Quarry Road #1). I am glad that I tried it. I would have been wondering about this book if I didn't give it chance. I am not going to give up on Megan and her work. In fact, I look forward to reading some of her past work for pleasure reading here soon.

Thank you again!

* Because of my review being a 3 star review, I will not be posting my review on GoodReads, Amazon or my blog page. I feel that it would not be fair to the author or to other readers. Just because I did not like it does not mean that someone else would not enjoy it.

I would like to thank Magan Hart, Montlake Romance and Netgalley for giving me this book for my honest review.
Review By Stephanie
Allie Harrison’s marriage to Ilya Stern was doomed by everyone not to last. They grow up in a small town where there are two houses and two sets of siblings that will lead to a huge mess. Sadly everyone was right and Allie and Ilya get divorced….yet they still together.
Ilya’s brother Nikolai comes to the small town to spend time with their dying grandmother. Nikolai and Allie had a not so fun past, Nikolai would tease and push Allie’s bottoms, then left town without a goodbye. Now that he has returned her feelings for Nikolai are completely different. She has desire for him!!! HOT HOT desire! But will a fling between these two probably isn’t the best idea……buttttttttttttt….haha read this book and thank me later!
I loved this book from Magan Hart! The story was fun, heartbreaking, full of family secrets and of course a fair share of steamy moments. I can not wait to read from Magan and this series! YAY for me I found a series at book 1!!!!!!

Rating: 4.5 stars.

It's been three years and change since I read my very first Megan Hart book. It was one of those books that made me go: I must read more by this author! Much more! Now, many Hart books later, I can say those novels I read way back then are my favorite. All the Lies We Tell isn't like the other books by Ms. Hart I've read, but reading it felt like I was reading one of those earlier ones. It reminded me why I fell in love with her work in the first place. For this reason I kept smiling while I was reading it even though the story wasn't exactly a happy one. Weird? Maybe.

Like I said, I found this novel different from all those other books by Ms. Hart I've read. I'm aware she's a prolific author writing in several genres, but for the most part, I've stuck to her romance novels. All the Lies We Tell has romance, but it's also a story about two families and the ways their lives were connected over many years. The book has multiple POVs which was something new for me in the author's work. Plus, there was mystery surrounding a death of a family member. Mystery which will be unveiled in the second book, I assume. So, to me this is something of a romance mixed with family drama with a dash of mystery.

The story is told from the perspective of a few characters, but the main couple here is Alicia and Nikolai. They had brief romantic past which ended when Niko left town. As it would happen Alicia ended up marrying his brother Ilya. Their marriage is another thing of the past. Speaking of the past, Ilya used to be in love with Alicia's sister. Oh, yes, Megan Hart has cooked up some pretty complicated drama which would get even more complicated when Niko finally returns from his journey, and old feelings of attraction, hurt, resentment, and love come to surface. However, even as old flames were reignited and Alicia and Niko were older, more mature people, they kept secrets from each other, and doubted each other making their relationship even more difficult than it had to be, but it sure made for an interesting read.

What I've come to realize over years of reading is that I love it when the story is told in both the present and the past, and this book had that. Besides Alicia and Niko and their relationship, the present is about Ilya, and his relationship with Alicia, and Niko, and it's about Ilya and Niko's family that has loads of drama on their own. The past covered some significant moments in all of their history which helped to get a clearer picture about these characters and the ties that bind them. I'd rather not get more specific than this. Some things are better left to be read by oneself.

All in all, All the Lies We Tell was a book which reminded me why I'm a fan of Megan Hart's storytelling.

Book two All the Secrets We Keep will be available only little over one month after this one, and I'm excited to read how the story of these two families from Quary Road will be concluded.

~~2.5 stars~~

I received an e-ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

What first attracted me to this book was the cover, pretty and simple but the title intrigued me too. Once I read the synopsis it lured me in even more. An ex-husband and the brother of the ex husband, secrets, and lies.....say no more. I'm all over it!

I STRUGGLED to finish this book. It started off really slow with hashing out the backstory of everybody's lives. When I got to 24% I really wanted to DNF it and go find something else to read. While it's always good to get the backstory, I don't think it should take over the main focus of the book. I kept waiting for something to grab my attention but unfortunately that did not happen with this book. I kept on telling myself...oh it will get better, but it did not for me. I didn't feel any connection with the characters. I really didn't care to see what happened to any of them. Unfortunately this was a bust for me.

All The Lies We Tell
by Megan Hart
Genre: Contemporary Romance, E-book
4 Stars-RT Rating


Guilt and forgiveness is the powerful base on which Megan Hart builds her story of two families who are torn apart and then rebuilt by tragedy. Poignant, heartfelt, and raw with realism, Hart writes in the past and the present to take readers on a journey that examines the intricacies of human nature and the choices that shape us. Rich in details with complex characters and bold honest dialogue, All The Lies We Tell stays with the reader long after they reach the end.

SUMMARY: Alicia Harrison should never have married Ilya Stern but grief and guilt often blind people to the truth until it’s too late. Now divorced but still connected through business, Alicia feels trapped and unable to move forward. When her ex brother in law and former best friend comes home for a funeral, she finds herself reliving the past and admitting to herself the part she has played in creating her own cage. Nikolai Stern ran from home and his family years ago but he never forgot Alicia or his feelings for her. Now home, he takes stock of his own life, his childhood, and his own choices. As Alicia and Niko lie to one another and their family about their attraction to one another, choices will again be made that will either destroy them or finally set them all free.(MONTLAKE, MAY., 304pps., $12.95)

Reviewed By: Tori Benson
Publisher: Montlake
Published: May 2017

I have never read Megan Hart but I am going to go out on a limb and say this was a departure from her erotica. All The Lies We Tell is a family drama with romance and intrigue.....with the bonus of a forbidden romance. I liked the storyline but the pieces did not quite work for me.

I’ve been a Megan Hart fan for years and revel in the fact that I never know what I’m in for when I pick up one of her books. I can’t say I’ve loved every one I’ve immersed myself in, but I will say that she never takes the easy way out or tries to cram a cookie cutter plot down her reader's throats. She typically delivers a unique perspective or skews the norm where relationships are concerned, resulting in a story that feels different somehow. I don't know about you, but that's what I crave each and every time I pick up a new book. Realistic or not.

This happens to be one of those times when the pieces she laid out didn’t quite fit for me. I had a hard time deciphering what this was book was trying to be . . . was it a romance, a mystery or maybe a classic whodunnit with a side of steam?

Ilya and Alicia’s entire lives are intertwined - families, memories and almost every moment of growing up. Married for ten years and now divorced for another ten, they both reside in their childhood homes, across the street from one another, and run a scuba diving business, you guessed it . . . together. Talk about wallowing in a stagnant existence.

A sad situation brings Ilya’s mother and his brother, Niko, back home to Quarry Road and things get a little awkward. Who am I kidding, they get a lot awkward. I would totally be glossing over my feelings if I didn’t mention that the thought of Alicia having feelings for Niko rubbed me the wrong way. Her former brother-in-law . . . um, no. I didn’t see that turning out well in any scenario. As more of their tangled history was unraveled, it forced me to look at things in a different light though. I found myself on the opposite end of the spectrum - rooting for them to make a go of it, rather than cringing at the mere thought.

Niko and Alicia together weren’t without their faults. It's a lot of angsty - 'we shouldn't do this' and 'we need to define this relationship', oh and I can’t forget, 'let’s make the most of the time we do have.' This is one I consider to be high on the drama scale and light on the steam.

The author weaves a little bit of mystery into the storyline, but it’s never fully realized. What happened? Is there a mystery to be solved or is the suspense reader in me constantly trying to crack a case? Are all of the unanswered questions an attempt at leaving us with bated breath in anticipation of the next installment? Who knows. The one thing I do know for sure, I’m not completely sold on the idea of picking up a book from Ilya’s narcissistic perspective.

I love love me some Megan Hart, She is one of those authors that can write stories that have me in awe.
The depth of characterization and emotions that are splayed in those pages again amazes.
This story didnt do it for me sadly. I really tried as it has been a good few years since I have read any M/F book.
Sadly I DNF'd this but its a case of its me not you.
I guess I wanted something like Tempted and I didnt get it so thats my own fault. Nothing to do with the author.

Childhood friends torn apart by one tragedy are brought back together by another. Secrets of the past bring up old feelings making everyone question choices of the past and choices for the future. Emotionally driven, All the Lies We Tell, alternates between the past and present. It plays to our human nature with how we deal with loves, losses and facing our future while healing from our past. Megan Hart is one of my favorite authors, and Lies, is a prime example why.

Childhood friends torn apart by one tragedy are brought back together by another. Secrets of the past bring up old feelings making everyone question choices of the past and choices for the future. Emotionally driven, All the Lies We Tell, alternates between the past and present. It plays to our human nature with how we deal with loves, losses and facing our future while healing from our past. Megan Hart is one of my favorite authors, and Lies, is a prime example why. A contemporary love story with a touch of mystery, All the Lies We Tell, will draw you in from beginning to end.

I read All the Lies We Tell in one sitting. I could not put it down! I really enjoyed the way the story was told, weaving in "then" stories with what is happening now. I thought Even though she had some reliance on Ilya I thought Alicia was strong. I loved Nikolai, though I wish we had known a little bit more of why he left.

Everything that had to do with Jennilynn broke my heart. I don't want to go into much details there, but there was crying.

Alicia and Nikolai were absolutely great together. They were adorable and I loved that they had a bit of a thing way back when, but not a full blown thing so they were exactly reunited lovers. It was touching and heartbreaking at the same time.

My only complaint is that something in the timing felt a bit off for me. I did read the arc so maybe this was fixed in the finished version. It was said she got married to Illya at 19, but later it talked about how she was in school for 2 years and was still living with her parents at 20. It was also a little weird to me that they had been married for 10 years and then divorced for longer than that (I think that's what it said?) They certainly didn't act as if they were 40. Early 30's were my guess. Honestly, none of this affected the story though.

**ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.**

I will say this has book has an appealing cover! Somehow the cover, and particularly the title gave off a mysterious feel that everything may not be all that it seems. Let's just say after reading it, I have no idea why it has the title it has, or the cover it displays. Really, I'm pretty good at connecting the dots usually. This was completely lost on me.

The story covers the lives of two brothers, their step sister whose introduction to the story line may make sense in the next book, and two sisters who grew up next door to them. As adults they still live in the same houses as they did as children, and it seems as if they either have married each other, or fall in love with one another both in the past and present. They are strangely pulled together again by the death and funeral of a beloved grandmother. Until this moment in the book, the book almost had a romantic comedy feel, particularly the first chapter. It shifts very suddenly to a melodramatic plot as grandma dies and secrets about another mysterious death unfold. I found this shift a little bizarre and forced.

It appears there is a part two to this story, and perhaps many of the unanswered story-lines and characters introduced will be explored and make sense, but I remain baffled and uncertain what exactly this first book was truly about and which direction the author really is trying to take it. 2 stars.