Cecily goes through the terrible breakup that everyone has felt but was "blessed" to find her one at a dive bar in New York. Sounds like the greatest romance book of all times...but that is not what makes an awesome thriller. Emily Giffin used the memory of the 2001 Twin Tower tragedy to create this amazing novel full of love, suspense, intrigue, deception, anguish, and goodwill. This book was well written and so lovinging developed with a loving "newborn baby" touch for those who were affected by this devastating act of terror in New York. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to all. It gives new meaning to - "Don't do it" - and leaves you with a "full" feeling and a determination to always try to see the best in people. Excellent read.

Emily Giffin at her best - in a wonderful romantic story with a bit of triangle and twist. The Lies That Bind feels like Giffin at her earliest (which is honestly when I most love her writing) a la Something Borrowed/Something Blue, with a delightful cameo from some beloved characters. TLTB is a September 11th love story but the book overall is not a sad one - but rather a fast paced pageturner that will have you dying to know what's coming next. I can't say enough good things about this one but I can urge you to pre-order it ahead of it's June 2nd release!

I just finished reading "The Lies That Bind' and, once again, Emily Giffin wrote a very moving story of love, passion, and deception. On the one hand, I didn't see this story ending the way it did, although it was what I hoped could happen. The main characters were well developed, although I wish we could have spent more time with Grant. Even though I wanted to dislike Matthew, I simply couldn't. He made decisions based on what he could and couldn't live with and held firm to what he believed was the right path for him. I REALLY enjoyed Scottie and his interaction with, not only Cecily, but the other characters as well. All in all, this was a very enjoyable (and sometimes sad) read. As with most of Emily Giffin's stories, I devoured this book and am still digesting. I love when a book's story captures you and doesn't let go for several days...this is one of those books. (I was given this book for my honest review, but would have gladly purchased it!)

I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review. The plot , about relationships built on lies, was very interesting . I enjoyed reading about the characters and how lies tied in to their lives and either reinforced or crushed relationships. The story takes place in New York City and incorporates the 9/11 nightmare into the plot. The plot was good and I was anxious to finish the book to see how it ended. My only criticism is that the story was very repetitive and slow at times.

Emily Giffin is known for her romance books, this one takes place in the months before and after 9/11 in New York City. Cecily has recently broken up with her long term boyfriend because he was unwilling to see a future for them. She quickly meets a man who she sees as her soul mate. Many issues ensue, won't spoil it for anyone. Giffin does a wonderful job of describing what it was like in NYC on and after 9/11. I like to be able to climb into a book and I was certainly able to do that with her descriptions of visuals and the emotional toll it took on New Yorkers.
That being said, I found myself drifting off during a chunk of the book as Cecily tries to come to terms with what forever love is. She is all over the place with Cecily's emotions and what she wants for her future. Maybe it's because I'm a "mature woman" but I just couldn't deal with her swings one way then the other.

This was another great story from Emily Giffin, fantastically interwoven personalities with twists that keep you turning pages and not wanting to put it down. I finished this in a day.... and completely enjoyed it. The setting is one that I lived, and so with that knowledge, my only criticism is that Mustang Sally's would have been beyond mobbed with people waiting for the trains to restore services and anyone who lived in the the vicinity would have chosen another location and there wasn't any mention of the smells that permeated our lives during that time. Besides that, I found this a great read and I'm grateful for having been given the opportunity to read it in advance of publication and share my thoughts. Emily Giffin does not disappoint. Thank you.

Really disappointed. Her last book was SO GOOD, and she had improved so much as a writer. This feels like going backwards. It's a quick read, fluffy. Unfortunately.

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this wonderful novel! I was hooked from the start. The connection that Cecily and Grant had felt so real. Matthew irritated me the entire time, no specific reason, I just didn’t like him. I didn’t give this one 5 stars because I felt the ending was a little too “everything falls right into place perfectly”. Cecily had such a complex plot throughout most of the novel, and everything got tied up with a bow in the epilogue. But it was a super quick read and I couldn’t put it down!

I was given a chance to read this book as a preview. I wanted to love this book, cause I’ve love this author. I even meet her at a book signing for one of her other books. But this book was very disappointing.. I hate to give away the story, I didn’t like the ending. I lost someone in 9-11 and that may be why. I couldn’t get into her characters.. I’m a person who believes that if a person lies to you they will always do it again. But I will be reading her next book.

As a longtime Emily Giffin fan, I was excited to pick up The Lies That Bind. This novel takes place in 2001 around the time of 9/11, and actually incorporates living in NYC during that time into the plot. Cecily Gardner is a single woman in her late 20s contemplating her life choices one Saturday night when she spontaneously decides to go to a bar. It’s there that a chance encounter with Grant leads to a whirlwind romance, ultimately ending in tragedy. I wanted to really like The Lies That Bind, but it ultimately left me feeling flat, that everything wrapped up just a little too conveniently. However, having said that, it’s a light, escapist read with an engaging, fast-paced plot that will definitely appeal to Emily Giffin fans!

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House for my advance reader copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Ok, I woke up before daylight to finish this book. I have been reading so many thrillers I had forgotten how much I love relationship books that are great stories like this one. Cecily is a young writer living in New York dating a man not ready to commit. They break up and she meets who she thinks is Mr Right. The story is full of twists, lies,and secrets.. It's unbelievable yet believable at the same time. I spent the last half of the book trying to keep myself from reading the end to find out what happens. Thank you @netgalley and @emilygiffin for an early copy. I'll miss, Cecily, Mattew, Grant and Scottie and think of them often.#theliesthatbind #netgalley Bravo!

I really enjoy Emily Giffin’s books and this one did not disappoint. I read this in two nights and all of the characters were so relatable. Her easy writing style allows you to resonate with Cecily and sympathize with her crazy predicaments. Enjoy this book!!!

This book had me all over the place. Cecily made me want to scream and shake common sense into her, but I also felt sympathy, or maybe just pity, for what she went through. But she created so much of her own misery and it seems like with each main character, they all had pretty crap character traits. I will give the author credit for bringing me right back to 9/11 with just the right amount of detail. I’m not sure how I felt about the ending...maybe it was too easy and too nicely tied up in a bow. Or maybe because the book took at least 50% of the book to cover 3 months but then rushes through 5 years in 5 pages? Ugh, even as I’m writing this I’m tempted to lower my rating to 3 stars, but I’ll give it 4 because Emily Giffin is an author I like a lot and like her previous novels, this one makes me wonder how I would behave in a similar situation.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I don't read a lot of chick lit, but Emily Giffin is one of my go-to authors. Like so many of Giffin's previous books, this one really resonated with me on a personal level and left me feeling a lot of emotions. I think it's tricky, even now almost 20 years later, to do a 9/11 story well, but this one does that. I too remember sitting and watching Katie Couric and Matt Lauer, in real time, and wondering what was happening as the events of that day unfolded. I was fortunate enough to be safe in my NC home at the time. Giffin does a fantastic job presenting slightly flawed characters here and more than anything, this is a novel about relationships. This book was hard to put down and I strongly recommend it.

Secrets and lies abound - so much so that the characters can’t keep them straight. And though I knew something was a little off at the beginning, as soon as the Big Tragedy happened, the plot twists became more evident. There’s a romance in here, but I really didn’t like the dirty way it began. My discomfort had me skimming some chapters, hoping to avoid any more dishonesty. All i can say is, karma came through in the end.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group for allowing me to read an advance copy of The Lies That Bind in exchange for an honest review.

This book is one I didn't want to put down. It is set in New York City in 2001, shortly before 9/11. I love how Ms. Giffin captures life in the city before and after the attack.

The main character is Cecily, who has been in a dead-end relationship with Matthew for three years. She has broken up with him and meets a tall, dark, stranger one night named Grant. They instantly connect but he leaves the country shortly after they meet.

Everything changes after the attack. I don't want to spoil the plot, but it's a journey for Cecily to determine who she is and what she wants. And to uncover more information about the mysterious Grant.

This is a beautiful novel about unconditional love (among friends, families, and significant others) and what will stand the test of time.

Very readable, typical Giffin story. The story was a bit predictable but not so much so that I didn't want to read to see where it was going. Will be a great summer beach read. If you have enjoyed her previous books, you'll like this one.

I’m typically a very fast reader. Once in a while, I am so taken by a story, that I slow down to better take in the details.
More rarely, I savor each chapter, in the hopes it won’t end. The lies that bind is that book. I absolute fell in love with Cecily and Grants love story and the ins and out of their relationship. While the story may be predictable, you can count on Emily Giffin for a happily ever after ending. 5 stars.

I have yet to read an Emily Giffin book that I didn’t love the entire way through, from the first to the final word. The Lies That Bind was no different. I always kind of think of Giffin’s writing as a romcom, or maybe it’s just that I’m so excited for the book to become a movie?
The Lies that Bind was definitely not a romcom, but it still had that extremely relatable vibe to it and so maybe this one will be more like P.S. I Love You when it comes out as a movie -which it really kind of has to at this point. Yes, I realize P.S. I Love You was a book first!
I think that one of my huge connections to Giffin’s writing is that her characters are so completely relatable. They are always cute, but not beautiful, successful, but not wildly so, and they all have hang-ups and doubts just like the rest of us. Cecily is no different. And even though I’m now an old married lady, there’s a part of me that still feels like that carefree, single, 20-something year old. Tragic, isn’t it?
I can’t lie, I didn’t read the book’s description before I started reading it. So when 9/11 happened it in the book, I was kind of like, oh wow. I think it’s a hard topic to tackle because there is so much wrapped up in it. It’s hard to make a 9/11 fictional narrative ring true. Giffin did a decent job, not focusing too much on the event itself but rather on how the event acted as a catalyst in her character’s lives.
Ultimately, The Lies that Bind was classic Giffin, destined to be a “lighter read,” even with the subject matter and a favorite among book clubs and all those ladies like me who are all still living the fabulous 20’s life (albeit in our minds) into our 30’s, 40’s and 50’s.
Thank you, thank you, thank you to Netgalley and Ballantine Books for an e-galley in exchange for my honest review. This one is out June 20, 2020. You are going to want to pre-order this one. This review will be published on my blog, Women in Trouble Book Blog on May 20, 2020.

I was excited to read this since Emily Griffin writes so many great books.
I found it a bit hard to accept how naive the main character seemed in just accepting that she is told. I thought the 9/11 backdrop of the story was interesting, but thought it was unbelievable that G was just hanging out at his cabin and that the feds hadn't found him. So it's an okay book, but has some holes in the story for me.