Captain Ava Cappi is happy flying planes and is known for her heroic landing of a plane. Her best friend was murdered when the girls were in high school. Ava returns to Minneapolis and attends the memorial for Danielle. Danielle's murder is still unsolved.
The story just did not hold my interest as I kept reading and it fell flat.

Thank you NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the opportunity to read this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me. All opinions are my own. I didn’t realize that this was part of a series, works just fine as a stand alone. I have been feeling very stressed and worried that this might be too tense, but was delighted to find it to be laugh out loud funny, with quick dialogue and quirky characters. I loved that Ava was a confident woman working in a typically male role of commercial pilot. I also enjoyed Tom and his niece, both geniuses and likely on the spectrum. This was a romcom, but also a mystery, but the best part for me was the quick wit and humor.

Truth, Lies, and Second Dates is a mystery meets romance novel and is the third in the Danger trilogy by MaryJanice Davidson. Davidson describes the Danger trilogy as a love letter to romance tropes. She even included a list at the end of the book with every trope she included and noted which she subverted in this story. I appreciate that Davidson embraces that many romances use tropes and the common, recurring things people love are what keeps them coming back. (Just watch the Hallmark Channel if you doubt this to be true).

Truth, Lies, and Second Dates is about Ava Capp, pilot for Northwest Southeast Airlines (they fly everywhere!), and Tom Baker, a medical examiner in Minnesota. Ava has a stopover in Minnesota that happens to coincide with the ten year memorial for her best friend who was brutally murdered. Tom is concerned that Ava may have been the intended victim ten years prior and is determined to keep her safe while they solve the cold case.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked this book. I did not enjoy the second book in this trilogy at all, mostly due to the main character being an insufferable brat, but Ava and Tom were delightful. I really enjoyed the Lifetime meets Hallmark charm of Truth, Lies, and Second Dates! I thought Davidson balanced the mystery and romance well, and I never felt that one genre was overshadowing the other.

I did not love the inclusion of Blake in the epilogue. I understand that this Is part of a trilogy, but I think it would have been better suited as a stand alone novel. Alternatively, including it in the trilogy due to its use of common tropes would have linked the books well enough to not need a carryover character. This chapter felt out of place and distracted from the happily ever after.

With all that being said, I would recommend reading this as a stand alone even if you haven’t read the other two books in the trilogy. It was an easy read and light, and there was only one very skippable steamy-ish scene toward the end. There is an occasional reference to a murder, but it is more humorous than grisly.

Thank you to St Martin’s Griffin for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my fair and honest review.

Whew this book is just what I needed. Take your funniest rom-com and put it in book form and this is what you get. I loved the awkward hero and brash heroine. Finally a book where the heroine doesn’t sit back and let the hero take care of her problems. These two characters are a great team and I loved reading their story. The only question I have is, will Hannah grow up to be a superhero or a supervillain?

Ava Capp has returned home a rather reluctant hero. A pilot who while a passenger assisted in a difficult landing when the assigned pilot had a medical emergency earned her a nickname and a bit of fame. Home to honor her best friend who was murdered ten years ago. The memorial has triggered not only memories but it appears the killer is now after Ava. To her rescue and humorous annoyance is Dr Tom Baker the ME with a noticeable crush on Ava. A complication or asset you be the judge. Happy reading

Truth, Lies, and Second Dates was one of those books that just hits the right spot, especially when you have been on a reading slump. This book is FUN. As always Ms. Davidson brings to life sassy, hilarious characters that make you want to read about them over and over again. Captain Ava Capp is a commercial pilot, slightly famous for a belly emergency landing, who is overly blunt with no apparent social skills. Ten years ago, she came home and found her best friend murdered. A flight back to Minnesota just finds her in town for the ten year memorial for her best friend which turns into another disaster in its self. Dr. Tom Baker, medical examiner, wants to solve the case and is also lacking in the usual social graces. What follows is a wild ride of awkward flirting and hilarious interactions as a murderer comes out of the past to try and take Ava out for once and all. Funny, lovable, and unconventional characters become the driving force in this entertaining, decimator of tropes that is unputdownable and easily one of my favorites reads this year! My voluntary, unbiased review is based upon a review copy from Netgalley.

Thanks to NetGalley & St. Martin's Griffin/Press for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

To start, Captain Ava Capp is a well-written character. Although she has flaws that got annoying at times, it's what made her a more realistic character. Her interactions with GB and India show the interesting balance of being co-workers and friends. I absolutely loved the one "twist" with Tom's character that he reveals to Ava as it's a new topic that doesn't get included in many novels. Tom is a great character and his interactions with Ava were witty and fun to read.

The writing style of the book was a little difficult to get used to as it feels like every thought the characters could ever have were put on paper which made it seem overwhelming and "ramble-y." However, you get immersed in the story and you don't mind it anymore. One thing I could not stand in this novel was the character Hannah as she's written way too advanced for a 6.5 year old. Although she's an extremely gifted kid, as a former teacher of gifted students exactly how she was supposed to be, it was very hard to read her as the younger girl she was supposed to be as her mannerisms, vocabulary, grammar, and comprehension was on par with our intelligent main characters. Although some combination of these are possible, it's very hard to believe that a 6.5 year old and a well-educated late 20s+ year old would be on equal ground. Aside from my one main criticism, the novel is an interesting read of who-done-it while integrating the rom-com aspect of it. Overall, I am glad that I gave this book a chance and I would read more by this author.

This was a fun, quick read. I have always enjoyed MJ Davidson's work. Ava is great. Funny, quick witted. Some mystery, some romance. All fun.

Thanks to Netgalley for a free copy for an honest review.

This was an entertaining, light read. Ava was hilarious in her interactions with co-workers and friends. Dr. Baker's insights and though processes added to the fun. A little mystery and solving of a cold case added some levity.

Truth, Lies, and Second Dates by MaryJanice Davidson is a fun, quirky, sassy, and enjoyable book that is part contemporary romance part mystery.

I enjoyed reading the interactions and relationship with Ava Capp and Tom Baker. Their characters were both realistic and imperfect, but yet like able. I loved the banter, sarcasm, and witty commentary the most. Quick one-liners that were dispensed throughout made me literally laugh out loud several times. The plot and pacing were quick, light, and satisfying and I was easily able to devour this book in two days.

A great book for anyone looking for a light read, humor and a little romance and mystery.

5/5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon and B&N accounts upon publication.

Thanks NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

I read a lot, and have cried while reading, but never have I ever laughed so hard, that I was in tears! I seriously didn't want this book to end because the characters are hilarious, and so relateable.

Great book to put you in a good mood!

Truth, Lies, and Second Dates is predictable story, but it's written in a way that's fun and makes it a book that is very easy to use to escape the world for a while.

I devoured this novel in a day.

First, I just LOVE that the main character is a strong female pilot. Even though it is a romantic comedy (with mystery elements), the fact that Ava is a professional in a man-dominated profession makes it a unique twist on the usual prototype of a rom com. From the narrative, it is also clear that Ava is very intelligent and *real* with past traumas, worries and regular-people-problems. She definitely made this book for me, and I would like to see move of Ava in possible further installments (please!).

I have seen other reviewers commenting on the fact that this book was much more of a rom com than it was a mystery. This is definitely true, and this is the expectation you should have when reading it - the mystery on its own is not that strong. It would have been a perfect novel if it was because I really seem to like the marriage of romance and mystery/thriller. However, the romance is very strong here, and it is funny, exciting, sweet, intelligent and gripping.

Any reader will be rooting for the badass main character Ava and melt from the romance, but while the mystery is a really fun spin, it is not the focal point of this book.

*Thank you to the Publisher for a free advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

2.5 stars

The cover look pretty, the synopsis looked interesting and funny.
However, it just fell flat even though I wanted to like it .
It isn't heavy on romance even though I liked characters but mystery isn't expected well.

*𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘭𝘺 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘷𝘪𝘢 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸.

Captain Ava Capp is a pilot with a man in (not quite) every port and a tragic backstory. When her past (and a murderer) comes back to haunt her, she'll have help from an ME called Dr Tom Baker (lol!). Ava's days of casual sex might be over - and possibly her life as well.

This cosy mystery/chick lit/spoof (I laughed at loud at some points, so if it's not a spoof then I consider it time well spent anyway!) was so unexpectedly fun and I had a blast reading it. Davidson combined many aspects that I enjoy about these sorts of books and blended it with humour and weirdness. Probably not a style I'd read often, but it sure put a smile on my face.

Light reading but a bit too flippant for me. I couldn’t get into the characters and decided not to finish the book.

What a charming read! Delightful beach reading. I really enjoyed the banter. Mary Janice Davidson does not disappoint.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

Truth, Lies , and Second Dates by MaryJanice Davidson

Ava Capp is a Sexpot and makes no excuses for her lifestyle. She enjoys being single and having control of the aircraft because she had no control of the situation she left behind in Minnesota the state she hates! Her best-friend Danielle was savagely murdered and she questions her role in the death!

Tom the hunky guy from Morgue is he their to scratch her itch or help dissect her & put her life back to together?
The author does a exceptional job at drawing you the reader into the web of her own lists and the character! There are a lot of humorous twists and spicy twists that keep the plot flowing right into the climax! Get it? 😂 I hope you enjoy the book because at first I was not interested, but I kept going and then it just started happening and Ava and G.B. were a great team to follow and then the quips between Ava and Tom were hilarious! So, yes, the book is worth a read!

Thank you to the author and publishers who work hard producing books for us the readers!

I received an advanced copy from NetGalley and I am willingly giving my thoughts and opinions.

Davidson is a witty and sharp writer who delights in subverting typical romantic genres while simultaneously embracing them. Truth, Lies, and Second Dates is no exception to this rule.

Ava Capp has taken to the skies after the murder of her best friend. Dr. Tom Baker is set on solving said murder, and equally as set on wooing Captain Capp.

There are enjoyable turns throughout the book, but all fairly predictable - which I believe was an intentional homage to the genre. Fantastic read for those who want to poke fun at romance/murder mystery novels, but not recommended for those who use the genre to lose themselves for a few hours.

I love her books always and forever, but this one was not her best ever. (In some ways. In others, it was amazing, for example I haven't ever read a book with a demisexual male lead before so wow.)

Hopefully this one gets another editing pass before print because this one has a serious math/logic problem going on--the main character is 27? because her best friend was murdered when she was 17 and that was 10 years before. And that means she's been flying since she was 21, which is believable, but Tom, the love interest, is 5 years younger than her which means he's 22, and he's a doctor and medical examiner, and has been at this job for several years which while not impossible is unlikely/exceptionally noteworthy--he would have had to be graduating medical school by 20? And college in his mid-teens, which certainly would have been mentioned, given that Hannah's a prodigy. To me it feels very much like originally the book was set with this being 15-20 years after the death and then for some reason the timing was cut down to a decade without thinking about how that changed people's careers? And I just got to the point where Becka's age is discussed as 'early 20s' which is '8 or 9 years younger' than Ava, so yes, there's some serious math issues going on.

Still, that's not the point. It was good and funny, and while I would have liked it more if my brain hadn't been stuck on the ages so much, it was a light comforting read and makes me want to read more of her. (Like always)