I was not a huge fan of this one. The blurb intrigued me and I think the premise was interesting, but something about the writing style made me not enjoy it as much as I would have liked.

This was a book that could have been great, Emily Griffin brings some of the likeness of Something Borrowed back in this book, possibly because of the cameo of some of the characters. Cecily is a someone who seems to jump from one bad situation to the next. there was growth of the characters, but also some characters that were just unlikable. But it was like there were two different people writing this book. There was good parts that kept you wanting more but then there was parts that was unlikable and rediculous at times. I have loved Emily griffins books but this was good not her best.

Emily Griffin just doesn't disappoint. Ever. Twisty and full of drama I think this is one of her best books yet. Unputdownable. I don't give out spoilers so you'll have to take my word and pick up this winner of a book. You won't regret it. Happy reading!

Oh, wow. This is such a fantastic book. From the very beginning, my heart ached for Cecily, because we've all been in that situation. And we've all been where she was, wanting to feel swept away by passion, that all-consuming love. Even when she made questionable decisions, Giffin's masterful writing helped me understand and identify with Cecily. I wanted to hug her and feed her chicken soup at times. I absolutely devoured this book, and I was a bit sad when it ended.

I want to start by saying I think Emily Giffin is BRAVE. She's outspoken. She's not afraid to say what's on her mind. She is definitely starting to tackle more and more complex subjects as her writing evolves and I am here for it.

A lot of people are saying "too soon" or that she is "capitalizing on the nation's pain".

But I think that it's a part of our history that deserves to be talked about and I'm glad she's an author who takes risks and did it tastefully, and yes, it was risky. But it's refreshing to not read the same stories over and over.

That being said - not my favorite of her books. Did I read it compulsively and tear through the pages like I do with all of Giffin's books? YES. Did I enjoy escaping in the story? YES.

The first 25% felt like classic Giffin. It was SO nostalgic for me. I was living in NYC in the late 90's and early 00's. I remember all the sights and sounds and things of that era that she describes (PERFECTLY) and I LOVED it all. Thursday night Friends was our JAM and she brought me right back there.

Them BAM. Gutted. I felt everything she described. The anger, the fear, the uncertainty that is described on that fateful morning. I spent the day trying to make sure friends I knew were safe. Other friends who had parents in the towers that clearly were not safe. And the aftermath of it all. I thought it was done tastefully, and well and then - it got crazy.....

There was A LOT to unpack after that and I felt 9/11 had a small part. SO MANY things were jam packed into the last 25% that my head was spinning. I had a hard time believing anyone was really in "love" with anyone in the book. I had a hard time putting all the pieces together and making sense of it all in the end.

Did I like it? YES. It wasn't my favorite book of hers, but I commend her, and I still love her books and will devour everything she writes.

I really enjoyed reading this book, but I had mixed feelings about it as well.

Cecily wonders if she made a mistake ending her relationship with her longtime boyfriend, Matthew, but one night at a bar, a voice stops her from calling him, telling her she’ll regret it. This is the moment Grant enters Cecily’s life and turns her world upside down. For once, Cecily follows her heart instead of her head, but then tragedy strikes and she questions whether she really knew Grant at all.

This book was paced very well and kept my attention from the first page to the last. While I enjoyed all of the unique characters and the drama that surrounded their lives, it wasn’t until Cecily met Grant that I found myself getting annoyed with the decisions that they were making and the secrets being kept. I often felt that they took the easiest route and didn’t fight for what they really wanted. It seemed like there was a lot of unnecessary heartache throughout the story, and as far as the romance aspect, I wasn’t really feeling it.

Overall, I thought it was a creative and enjoyable storyline, though I wasn’t necessarily a fan of the characters’ decision making.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3360678815

Such a fan of Emily Giffin's work, but this was not up to par with her other works unfortunately. Cecily, our main character, was not particularly likable and could never understand her motivations and decisions. After a breakup, she meets a mysterious man while drowning her sorrows. Immediately she becomes head over heels for Grant and excused SO many red flags about their relationship. A tragedy occurs where Cecily makes some even stranger and unbelievable decisions which due to spoilers shouldn't be revealed. But suffice to say, nothing makes sense from here on out and I was left scratching my head about the plot. And just "nope" about the ending.

I think I have read everything that Emily Griffin has written and I loved her first few books, and I mention this because this book, for me, has the same feel as Something Borrowed and Something Blue. The relationships in this story felt familiar yet fresh and new. The story really revolves around September 11, 2001 and I did appreciate that she made the experience feel just as real for me as it did 20 years ago. Cecily, Matthew and Grant make for an interesting triangle and I wasn’t sure who to root for in this story, but the resolution was satisfying. Very reminiscent of Something Borrowed.

Cecily and her boyfriend Matthew have just broken up. While in a NYC bar, Cecily meets Grant. A man that seems too good to be true. The immediate chemistry between the two of them was instant and a romance begins. While Grant quickly declares his love for Cecily, things are just a little off with Mr. Perfect.

The tragedy of 9/11 ends everything and Cecily and Matthew find their way back to each other. New lies are told. Old lies are uncovered. I’ll leave it at that as anything more would be a spoiler.

The Lies That Bind does an excellent job describing the horror, chaos and grief surrounding 9/11. The events in the book are a bit far fetched but that didn’t bother me. I felt this was a worthwhile read. You’ll want to know how it all turns out.

Rated 3.5 .

I have only ever read one other Emily Giffen novel called The One and Only. In that novel the heroine falls for her best friends father. A disturbing theme that somehow turns out ok and I remember admiring the author for making me feel something even though the topic made me feel kind of uncomfortable. It wasn’t until I was a good way into The Lies That Bind that I realized this was that same author and I had that same feeling again. Cecily’s actions made me feel slightly uncomfortable. Even though she was in love with Grant because of what she found out after 9/11 she ran back into the arms of her ex, Matthew. The she started her own brand of lying. I admired the authors storytelling, but again was reading a plot that was out of my comfort zone. Did I like it? I’m still mulling over that thought. I think I can safely say that I did, although I will admit to skimming over a couple of areas because I needed to read to a point where I started feeling better. I can totally understand if this is confusing to you all because it’s confusing to me too, but without giving away all of the secrets and lies, it leaves me with only that gut feeling to talk about.

Let’s talk characters. I liked Cecily despite disagreeing with a couple of choices that she made in this story. I also liked Grant. Even after hearing the truth. Just as Cecily repeats in the book their love felt so real. It did to me too! The person who honestly drove me crazy was Cecily’s best friend Scottie. His personality was very over the top and he seemed kind of unforgiving? Despite his own sad predicament, he wasn’t a very sympathetic character and Cecily, bless her heart, needing someone to help lead her out of the path she was on. Unfortunately Scottie was not that guy. He was good for a little comic relief though.

Just as in The One and Only, despite how the book made me squirm, I liked the author’s style and her willingness to look at different kinds of behaviors and dig deep into her characters psyche. There were just too many grey areas and my own morals are pretty black and white. I’ll admit, this did slant my rating down just a tad I would have a hard time giving it less than a 4 rating. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received a copy of this book through NetHalley for my honest review and it was honest.

Quite honestly, I struggled with whether to request and review Emily Giffin's' 2020 release The Lies That Bind. As a long time Emily Giffin book fan, more recently I have found myself very disappointed to see that she was using her large online platform to tear down other women, with little insight as to why it is problematic. I do have very fond reading memories of many of her books from my early 20s so maybe it was the reading nostalgia in me but I took a chance.

Her last book, the 2018 novel All We Ever Wanted, was a surprising shift from her fluffy and predictable reads and took on the timely and relevant topics of social media, privilege, and race. While it wasn't a completely original or multifaceted storyline I was quite impressed and looked forward to more writing like that in Giffin's future.

This book, unfortunately, missed the mark. The writing was flat, the characters were completely unlikeable and angsty and the use of 9/11 as the stories backdrop within a "love triangle" just didn't sit well with me, at all. It was a completely surface-level reading experience and I am sure some of my irritation comes from my disappointment with her choices as a person but this was just a big miss for me.

Thank you to Ballantine Books for a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

The Lies That Bind is another intense and emotional story by Emily Giffen. It primarily takes place in New York City beginning in May of 2001. Journalist Cecily Gardner has just broken up with her boyfriend of several years. She is ready to move to the next step, he is not, so as she approaches her 29th birthday she figures it is time to cut her losses and move on. However, the pain of it finds her in the neighborhood bar late at night ready to call her ex. As she reaches for the phone the bartender provided a voice behind her asks if she really wants to make that call. When Cecily turns to find the source and begins talking to that person she is mesmerized. In the ensuing weeks, Cecily and Grant grow closer until he departs for England. His fraternal twin brother, like their late mother, is suffering from advanced ALS and they are heading to London for a special trial to help Byron.

They share emails and brief conversations before Cecily and her friend from childhood, Scottie, take a short trip to London. She sees Grant briefly and is able to meet his brother before heading back to New York. Grant and his brother return, after the trial fails, on September 10, when Cecily sees Grant once again. But the following day the towers come crashing down and it appears that Grant is lost in the horror of the day, but his lies are then uncovered.

This is a wonderful, intense story of love, lies, and the aftermath. The Lies That Bind is an amazing tale of an intense time and the impacts that happened to so many people. With twists you will not expect and turns that will make you cheer, this is a wonderful novel that kept me reading late into the night. I did enjoy this book and I do recommend it!

I loved this book! I read it in a day because it was simply that engrossing. Yes, it's a bit predictable (I guessed the twist well before it happened) but I was still completely involved with the plot and main characters. Giffin is a brilliant storyteller and The Lies That Bind did not disappoint!

After breaking up with her longtime boyfriend Matthew, Cecily Gardner finds herself in a dive bar. She’s desperately trying not to call him when she’s interrupted by a stranger, Grant. She and Grant form an unlikely connection, one they both desperately want to explore, despite the fact that Grant is moving to London. When Grant disappears in the mayhem of 9/11, Cecily desperately tries to find him, only to reveal more secrets than she bargained for. 

The Lies That Bind is the third book from Emily Giffin that I’ve read to date. I had a tough time getting into it from the beginning, but once I got through the first few chapters, I was able to connect to the story more and was mesmerized by the twists and turns in this story. What I thought would be an entirely straightforward love story threw me curveball after curveball, constantly keeping me guessing.

The story is told entirely in the first person from Cecily, the protagonist’s, perspective. I really connected with Cecily. I thought she had some solid character progression throughout the book.

I found The Lies that Bind to have similar vibes to In Five Years by Rebecca Serle, another recently released novel. So if you enjoyed that one, or any of Giffin’s other books, I think you would enjoy The Lies That Bind.

Thanks to NetGalley, Random House/Ballantine Books, and Emily Giffin for the opportunity to read and review her latest book. She is typically a must-read author for me but this one didn't quite do it for me. 3 stars.

Cecily is living and working in NYC in 2001. She just broke up with her boyfriend, Matthew, because he couldn't commit, she feels like she should never have left her family in the Midwest, and she doesn't like her job as a reporter for a small paper. She decides to go to a nearby bar and randomly meets Grant with whom she feels an instant connection. But Grant is dealing with his twin brother's fatal illness and their relationship is put on hold - until he shows up at her apartment on 9/10/01 and leaves for work in the Twin Towers that fateful morning. When she sees a missing poster with his picture, she discovers that Grant hadn't been truthful to her.

I don't want to ruin this book for anyone who may want to read it so that's enough of the plot! But to me, the characters weren't likable nor their behavior believable, the 9/11 plot line felt disrespectful, and the ending way too hard to believe.

After Cecily breaks up with her boyfriend, Matthew, she's filled with regret and what ifs. She finds herself at a bar, reaching for the phone to call him. But she's stopped by another patron, who tells her not to. They start chatting-fueled by alcohol-and spend a memorable night together (not in that way). But Grant is dealing with a lot: his brother is ill and he's about to head overseas to help him with his treatment. Still, Cecily promises to wait for him. Then Grant returns and is immediately lost in 9/11. Cecily begins to investigate, searching for answers about the man she felt was The One.

Well, this book played with my emotions, but not necessarily in a good way. It was somewhat predictable and, honestly, I'm not sure why it needed to use the backdrop of September 11th for its story. The "one that got away" could have happened without using such a tragic event in this way. Cecily talks so much about her feelings for New York that it felt wrong to have 9/11 as a plot point that didn't really need to be there (I don't want to go into more and spoil anything else).

I'll admit that the book is oddly compelling. I read it in about a day. Cecily made a lot of bad decisions, but I wanted to see how her life was going to turn out. The focus on love, trust, and loyalty certain gives us universal themes with which we can all relate. But I was frustrated with Cecily's choices, the weird plot decisions/coincidences, and the overall ending. Everything just left me with a bad taste in my mouth, even if I was quickly flipping the pages. I hope that makes sense. It's a shame, because overall, I really enjoy Giffin's books. Alas, this clocks in at 2.5 stars for me.

I have read all of Giffin's books - I would place this book in the middle not her best or her worst.
I enjoy her writing so I finished this book in one day. I was disappointed with some of the plot points and a few characters were a bit unbelievable. For her longtime fans she did have some cameos of characters from her past books which I found amusing. This is a good book for sitting by the pool and want a light-ish read.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Lies That Bind is a fantastic novel. Emily Giffin has written a page turner with the perfect combination of romance and suspense. Cecily has just broken up with her long time boyfriend Matthew when she meets Grant in an East Village dive bar late at night. They have an instant connection and begin a relationship. It is the summer of 2001 and Grant is preoccupied with taking care of his twin brother who is dying from familial ALS. Cecily gives Grant all the space that he needs and they continue to see each other. Matthew asks Cecily to come back to him, but she is sure of her feelings for Grant. Or is she? Cecily's world is turned upside down and she doesn't know what to believe. The author has created relatable characters that make this story very interesting and entertaining. This is one of Emily Giffin's best novels and should not be missed.

3 Stars!

It pains me to give EG a low rating because she's one of my favorite authors but I will also always give honest reviews and opinions about the books I read.

"And in that moment-for what feels like the first time ever-my head and heart are telling me the very same thing"

Cecily is alone at a dive bar and she's feeling lonely and homesick. She just ended a long relationship and wonders if she will ever fit into New York. She is about to call her ex when someone tells her not to do it. Insert: Grant. Grant and Cecily don't talk a ton but don't need to as they both feel an instant connection. However Grant is planning to go overseas to help family but they try to make it work. 9/11 comes and Grant goes missing. Cecily tries to search for him and comes across a flyer. She never guesses who could be on the other end of that flyer and is in for a huge surprise. Cecily continues to navigate these tough relationships and tries to find answers to so many questions.

This book was very middle of the road for me. Maybe I expect more from Giffin but I found myself frustrated with this story. Actually, there's about 10 plot lines happening at once and I could easily see readers getting confused. Giffin typically has strong females leads and Cecily just felt so lost and unsure of anything in her life that I kept say "c'mon Cecily, figure it out girl, the answer is super obvious." I didn't really like the way either love interest treated her and it left me with so many additional questions. In fact, I didn't like most of the characters.

The one character I did love was Scottie. He was funny (I cracked up a few times) and he was the best friend I wish I had. He was super caring, very involved but also wasn't afraid to tell Cecily the truth. In fact her told her multiple times how to handle situations and she never listened (ugh). I feel like if Giffin wrote a spin off about Scottie's life I would 1000000% pick that book up in a heartbeat. Also, I liked that Giffin made a few cameo appearances of characters in her other books!

Overall, The Lies that Bind wasn't a huge winner for me but I look forward to the next one that will come along.

Thank you to the author for sending me an ARC of this book.

TW: 9/11 storyline

9/11 books are a trigger for me. I can read them if I have myself in the correct mind space for them, but I was not in it when I picked this one up – so that’s on me. My uncle and very pregnant aunt were on the 77th floor of the North tower when the plane hit. They were able to escape to safety and we all thank God every day for that. Once I finally read The Only Plane In The Sky, I will touch more on their incredible story, but I wanted to explain why this is one of my only triggers while reading books. I should have read the plot summary to this before picking up the book. I’m so bad about that. But I saw it all over bookstagram, got excited, and requested the ARC immediately.

I read a review on goodreads that summarized my feelings of why I ranked this book so low and it’s “Using that tragic day in such a crass way just didn’t sit well with me. And I’ll leave it at that.”

As far as the “love story” goes, I didn’t find it believable at all. I’m such a pragmatist when it comes love stories and I just don’t buy two people falling in love that fast – and for good reason, apparently. This story goes to show that if something seems too good to be true, it usually is. There’s a difference between infatuation, which is possible and I was infatuated with Michael the moment I met him, and love, which takes time to build to.

This was my second Giffin novel and also my last. Between the 9/11 exploitative storyline and her reputation for being a racist, I’m done. I was hesitant to even post this review because I didn’t want to give her attention, but I also think that honest reviews are important so that people can know what they are getting themselves into.