3.5 stars [Liked it]

This was a good debut. I loved the writing and the narration of the audiobook was also great. I loved the characters and seeing how Holly’s journey to finding her voice. The overall story was just okay for me, it felt a bit bland at times. I did love the feminist aspect of the book.

Thank you to the publisher and @netgalley for providing a free advanced copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the idea of the book. I connected with the main character on a lot of levels. There were a lot of points that hit home about not wanting to do the things that society makes us feel we have to.

Nothing But The Truth

3/5 Stars

Liar Liar meets 13 Going on 30 meets 16 Candles.

Nothing But the Truth was such a cute and inspiring novel – following Lucy, a Celebrity Publicist who does nothing but lie, spin the truth, use fake smiles and cover up the scandals her clients create in their day to day lives.

At the precipice of her 30th birthday, Lucy Green raises a glass to a new chapter in her life. She wishes on her cocktail, wanting nothing but to enter her 30s with everything she needs, to have the best time ever. But this little wish at a local bar (with a drink from a super-hot bartender) leaves her unable to tell a lie, unable to hold her tongue at work, unable to take what she usually does. Leaving her try to undo her wish, almost ruining her career – but in the long run making it better than it ever was – threatening her relationships and the entire life she’s built for herself.

Nothing but the Truth was short, sweet, and a lot of fun to read – even if there was a lot of feminist dumping throughout the book. All the points were valid – but it was dumped into small spaces that ended up over flowing with a little bit too much.

Happy endings with not a lot of tenseness. Overall just a really good fluffy read, easy to get through and with a satisfying ending.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

To be honest, I felt like there wasn’t much special about this book. The voice didn’t really captivate me, and I’ve read plenty of books about white women going through quarter-life crises. DNFed.

Wait I absolutely LOVED THIS BOOK!!! I want so much more because I did not want it to be over, but also it was perfect and not overdone and didn’t feel too long. This book spoke to me on such a deep level, and I know so many others will relate to Lucy and the struggles she goes through daily as a woman. The underlying story is very me-too but the additional plot points of honesty, friendship and romance had me fully swooning over this story. Absolutely adored!!!

I need to confess than I could not read the book. However, I found a way to finish it. I always feel super responsible to keep my promises.
Luckily for me I found an audiobook and one of my favorite narrators made it possible.
What can I say.... I will definitely not get back to this book any time soon if ever.
The heroine is just plain.
I always expect some emotions but nada.
I say 3,5 ⭐ . Half point I gave extra to my favorite narrator who made me finish it.

"The balm for the soul that I needed. We women don’t need to smile more or look pretty or conform to expectations…we just need to read this, buy a copy for our best friends, and toast to the truth."—Jodi Picoult, New York Times bestselling author of Wish You Were Here

In this sparkling, page-turning debut, Lucy Green learns that when you make a wish, you don't always get what you want…but you might just get exactly what you need.

Nothing But the Truth was a really enjoyable read for me. Essentially Lucy Green makes a birthday wish for a perfect day and when she wakes up, she starts making all of these choices that are things that she WANTS to do, but normally doesn't because she isn't supposed to. In a lot of ways, these choices are comical and you don't really catch on to the fact that something is going very wrong, until suddenly... Lucy can't lie. And when you have that realization, it's a whole thing.

Now, something that you should know is that this book addresses the #MeToo movement in the sense that Lucy's boss is sleazy and gross. And this book takes a stand on that issue. In a lot of ways, this was really difficult subject matter to cope with, but at the same time, I thought James had a deft hand and also never let me as a reader, feel like things weren't going to somehow work out.

Additionally, there's a really delightful bartender/bar owner character who is fantastic and wonderful. And Lucy is great. I do think the writing is something that will either work for you or not, so try a sample to decide, but if the storyline of going after what you want (partially because you don't have a choice as fate is intervening) appeals, then I would definitely recommend!

Somehwat of a modern retelling of Liar Liar, this was a thought provoking and really great read! Im telling everyone to read it.

This is the perfect hug for best friends. I read this just in time for my 30th and it made me all the more nostalgic and appreciative. I love that this is more than a love story. It’s about loving and caring for yourself and finding liberation in telling the truth. I think we all should read this.

I really enjoyed this! It's written with a real bouncey joyfulness, and the concept (Lucy makes a wish about her birthday, and then finds on the day that she cannot tell even the most basic lie) is brilliantly silly and also not silly at all. What would happen if you had to be truthful about your work, your relationships, your clothes? Would everything stay the same or change forever? Everything in her life unravels and she's panicking and yet also -free. Very witty, with great characters.

This was very boring and bland. I loved the idea of the plot…but why did it have to be soooo detailed. I wish I could of loved this more, but it just wasn’t for me.

This was a charming story about a professional woman named Lucy Green who makes a wish the night before her thirtieth birthday for the perfect day. You see Lucy thinks what will make her happy is a huge promotion at work and getting engaged to her long-time, but very dull, workaholic boyfriend. This is the kind of chick-lit I miss! It was so refreshing because it pointed out the absurdities of our current society in a fun way. The mishaps that occur on Lucy's birthday are hilarious and I fully supported how she thumbed her nose at the pressures women feel about looking perfect 24/7 no matter how uncomfortable it is. There is a darling supporting cast of misfits who help her along the way during her misadventures on the BIGGEST DAY OF HER LIFE (or so she believes). There was a #MeToo side story that I could have done without, but this is 2022 after all so it helps to check off some boxes I suppose. Overall this story is a delightful read best enjoyed near the water with a cocktail under some shade. Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

On the eve of her 30th birthday, Lucy wishes for a perfect day. In her mind, that means landing a promotion, a new client, and a proposal from her long-term boyfriend.

But she wakes up unable to tell a lie, even to herself. Soon she’s facing truths she’d rather avoid, possibly blowing up her life in the process.

While it might not be the perfect day she imagined, it might be the perfect day she needs. It’s certainly one this reader found quite entertaining!

This was a cute variation on the movie Liar Liar and I enjoyed the humor and levity the author mixed in with the more serious undertone. I love books with a strong female main character and this book definitely had that, along with several very strong supporting characters. I really liked the humor Holly James uses throughout the book, even when dealing with some heavier topics like workplace sexual harassment. Lucy’s rapport with Adam was fun to read and I found myself wanting more of their interactions.

My only criticism is that it dragged a bit for me around the middle of the book and I began to lose focus. Overall, I would definitely recommend checking this one out especially if you enjoy women’s fiction featuring strong, take charge women.

I listened to this one on audio and I thought Brittany Pressley did an excellent job narrating. it was a quick and easy listen as well as being very clear and concise. Sometimes a narrator can hinder a book, in this case, she definitely did not.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton Books for my ARC and PRH Audio for my ACL copy in exchange for my honest review.

In this novel, Lucy is a publicist in LA, and on the night before her 30th birthday, she makes a wish that her birthday the next day be the best day ever. Much to her surprise, she soon realizes the next day that her wish has gone awry and that she literally can’t tell a lie in some kind of unexplained magical way.

But this is not just like the chick lit version of Jim Carrey movie Liar Liar, as her compulsion to tell the truth involves not just the inability to lie in response to a question, but also to face the truth about what she really wants in life - and to confront her sexual harassing boss as well. Indeed, while the book also involves romance, friendship, career, and family, it is probably more than anything a Me Too book though written with a light touch. (Though perhaps resolved in a way which might require almost as much of a suspension of disbelief as the magical wish itself.) But I loved the feminist spin which definitely made this an original story.

The premise of this book hooks you in right away- reminded me of Liar Liar with Jim Carrey but a younger, hipper, cool version! The title could not have been more perfect. I loved it. I thought it was fresh and the writing was solid. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this gender swapped/#metoo on the movie Liar Liar. I found this story to be fresh, fun and tackle some serious topics. I loved the lesson learned about finding your voice and speaking the truth when necessary! I really connected to the book in that way because I don't always speak up when needed.

This took me a little bit of time to get into, but once I did I finished it in less than 24 hours. I was very drawn into Lucy’s story and how she couldn’t lie (which could be extremely problematic in her work as a celebrity publicist! This was a very female power story! I loved how not be able to lie really made her examine her life and how she was living it! It would be interesting if we all had a “perfect day” like this to really examine our own lives. I loved how strong and brave she was in going after what she wanted and saying what she didn’t. I also loved the random run-ins with the cute bartender, Adam. As a woman, the parts dealing with the sexual assault was tough to read, but an important part of the storyline. I look forward to what Holly James writes next!

BOOK REVIEW: Nothing But the Truth by Holly James
2022 Publication Date: July 12

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐⭐️

T.I.M.E. Favorite Books To Read
T.I.M.E. Best Book Club Books
T.I.M.E. Best Books By Genre | Contemporary Fiction

CONNECT WITH A BOOK | T.I.M.E. SIMPLE LIVING TIP
As you make each choice in your day, pause and ask... Why am I doing this?...

T.I.M.E. BOOK REVIEW: I love finding T.I.M.E. Best Book Club Books from genres that can often be thrown in a bucket of stereotypes. July seems to be rewarding me with this wonderful gift of finding multiple matches in one of my favorite book treasure hunts!

Nothing But The Truth by Holly James is a refreshing and insightful read that will both entertain you and strike a chord with any woman who reads it. Coming off the age of the "Me Too" movement, Holly James masterfully writes a story filled with humor, magic, romance and tons of insightful moments originating from the strong female lead at the center of this story.

This is no easy feat... And even more impressively, this is Holly James first novel!

Nothing But The Truth has snagged all my top book awards: T.I.M.E. Favorite Books To Read, Best Book Club Books and Best Books By Genre for Contemporary Fiction... Yes... This book is "that" unicorn!

And I can assure you... Holly James' next book will be an auto-buy on my Most Anticipated Books of the Year list as well.

Holly is exactly the type of author I love to read... and applaud. I (along with many women) love to find stories where we can both celebrate strong female empowerment while still totally embracing being a girl.

Folks... It is not a contradiction. Get used to it... ✨😎✨

Pages: 303
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Sub-Genre: Women's Fiction
Time Period: Present Day
Location: Los Angeles (California)

IF YOU LIKE THIS BOOK THEN TRY…
Book: Smile and Look Pretty by Amanda Pellegrino
TV: Good Girls Revolt (Amazon Prime)

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
It's the eve of Hollywood publicist Lucy Green's thirtieth birthday, and she's hoping for a promotion and a proposal from her boyfriend. But when he stands her up for a date and her rival colleague is determined to snag her promotion, she makes a wish for a perfect birthday filled with everything she wants.

Little does she know that her wish will be granted in the most unexpected way possible.

Suddenly, Lucy finds herself compelled to tell the truth all the time, no matter what the consequences. And when the truth starts coming out, the wish starts to feel more like a curse as it threatens to destroy her relationships, her career, and her life as she knows it.

With her new "let the chips fall where they may" truth-telling, Lucy scrambles to find a way to break the "curse" before it destroys everything she's worked so hard for.

Can Lucy find a way to break the curse before it destroys everything she's worked so hard for? Or will the truth finally set her free?

Filled with heart, humor, and a whole lot of truth-telling, Nothing But the Truth is a funny, heartwarming novel about finding out that sometimes, the best thing you can do is just be yourself.

BOOK CLUB DISCUSSION:
• The power of truth-telling: Lucy's compulsion to tell the truth, no matter what the consequences, ultimately leads to some difficult conversations and situations. But it also opens up a whole new world of honesty and authenticity for her.
• The importance of being honest and true to yourself
• Explore the expectations placed on women's appearances

RELATED QUOTE:
"The truth will set you free, but first it will make you miserable." - James A. Garfield

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All my book reviews can be seen at This Is My Everybody | Simple Living | Denise Wilbanks at thisismyeverybody.com/blog/what-book-should-i-read

♡ Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to review it and the opinions contained within are my own.