4⭐
Genre ~ domestic family drama
Setting ~ Alabama
Publication date ~ March 14, 2023
Publisher ~ MIRA
Est Page Count ~ 336 (p+ 41 chapters stating character and day it’ll follow)
Audio length ~ 9 hours 33 minutes
Narrators ~ Susan Bennett, Megan Tusing, Ferdelle Capistrano, Karissa Vacker, Brittany Pressley
POV ~ single 1st & multiple 3rd person POV
Featuring ~ lots of family secrets, murder, mentions of miscarriage

The Williams family has always been pretty close. Grandma Pearl took her grandchildren in after their parents' death. Now she’s dead and the family has to work together to cover up a mistake one of them makes. As we go back and forth between the multiple POV’s we learn there are plenty of options of who the dead body can be.

Stephanie is married to Walker, but going through a divorce. She’s never really gotten along with her sister in laws. Does that mean she’ll spill the family secrets when questioned by the sheriff?

Tara has sticky fingers where the church profits are concerned. Since her husband is the preacher this puts an extra wrench in things.

June is a nurse and married to Nic, a doctor working at the same hospital. One thing missing from their life is a baby, so she decides to steal a newborn after the mother dies. Do you think Nic is happy with what she’s done?

Clementine is dating her married professor who is twice her age.

Overall, a decent domestic suspense full of family drama, secrets and a well deserved death. More mystery than thriller.

I'd like to thank NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader's copy of this thought-provoking novel. "I Love It When You Lie" is a character-driven mystery that delves into the complex lives of four women - three sisters and their sister-in-law - as they navigate the aftermath of their grandmother's passing. The story is more about the characters' inner struggles and relationships than it is about a fast-paced thriller.

The author does an excellent job of crafting relatable, flawed characters with their own secrets and insecurities. The Williams sisters, Clementine, Tara, and June, are each uniquely interesting, with their own distinct personalities and motivations. The addition of Stephanie, the sister-in-law, and Lottie, the teenage daughter of Tara, adds depth to the story.

What I appreciated most about this novel was its willingness to tackle tough subjects like religion, racism, and white-collar crime without resorting to stereotypes. The author handles these themes with sensitivity and nuance, avoiding the pitfalls of didacticism. The characters' struggles and conflicts feel authentic and engaging.

Ultimately, "I Love It When You Lie" is a domestic suspense novel that explores the complexities of family dynamics and the secrets we keep from one another. While it may not be a traditional thriller, it's a thought-provoking read that will appeal to fans of character-driven stories. If you're looking for a novel with morally grey characters and a slow-burning mystery, this might be the perfect choice for you.

Unfortunately, the execution of this wasn't as good as the premise. The synopsis sounded so intriguing so it was kind of a let down that it was on the dull, slow side.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of <i>I Love It When You Lie</i> in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

<h4 style="margin-top: 84px;">The Gist</h4>

<i>I Love It When You Lie</i> by Kristen Bird fails to live up to its promising premise, ultimately delivering a disappointing reading experience. While the novel initially presents itself as a psychological thriller filled with intrigue and suspense, it quickly falls flat due to its lackluster execution and unconvincing character development.

<h4>The Details</h4>

One of the major drawbacks of the book is its reliance on clichéd plot twists and predictable narrative tropes. Instead of offering genuine surprises, the story unfolds in a formulaic manner, leaving little room for genuine suspense or engagement. As a result, the supposed twists and turns feel contrived and forced, failing to elicit any real emotional impact from the reader.

Additionally, the characters in <i>I Love It When You Lie</i> come across as one-dimensional and uninspired. From the troubled protagonist to the cardboard-cut-out supporting cast, none of the characters feel fully fleshed out or relatable. Their actions often seem arbitrary and illogical, making it difficult for the reader to invest in their fates or sympathize with their struggles.

Furthermore, the prose lacks depth and nuance, with Bird opting for a straightforward writing style that fails to evoke any sense of atmosphere or mood. Descriptions are sparse and uninspired, robbing the narrative of its potential to immerse the reader in the world of the story.

<h4>The Verdict</h4>

Overall, <i>I Love It When You Lie</i> is a lackluster effort that fails to deliver on its promises. I wouldn’t recommend it.

I love a good family drama with a lot of humor and heart and that is what Kristen Bird gives in spades.

I do wish the focus had remained on, you know, the missing body more than it did everyone's workaday issues that are, typically surmountable as well as being self-inflicted (for the most part- difficulty having a baby is not and it isn't something I am making light of). The fact that it wasn't the focus might be a commentary on just how absorbed we can become with our own bubbles. After all, we are all so deeply self-aware that it is at once hilarious and consuming.

But a missing body? Hard to ignore and, yet, we do our best.

Somehow I am here for that lol.

This was an engaging and interesting family suspense which kept me glued to the pages. I enjoyed the dynamics of the characters and the mystery surrounding them all.

3.5 stars rounded up

The Williams women don’t just keep secrets…

They bury them.

Just before her eightieth birthday, Pearl Williams dies, and now her granddaughters must make plans for a proper send off. But each of the sisters has secrets of her own. With the entire family together, they’ll have to put their grandmother in the grave, while dealing with another body they’ll need to bury as well.

There’s nothing I love more than a twisty family drama, and let me tell you, this family was twisted. Each sister was hiding something and willing to do anything to protect that secret. There was so much drama it was like watching an episode of Dynasty (yes, I’m aging myself!)! The writing was witty, and I loved how Bird writes a morally grey character.

I wouldn’t necessarily consider this a thriller. It was more of a family drama with some suspense. The mystery was left towards the end as the book mostly focused on the issues the women of the family faced.

This was my first book by Bird, and I look forward to reading what she comes out with next. Thank you HTP Books MIRA for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

Unfortunately i did not totally enjoy this book. I found Myself bored and it was hard to get through. Dnf about 40% in. Would try this author again

The Williams women have been taking care of each other for a long time. After the death of their parents, they were raised by their grandmother, Gran. 3 girls and 1 boy. Now they are all adults with lives of their own, though they are all still pretty close to home. When Gran dies just as they are planning her 80th birthday celebration, the family has to come together to help keep buried the secrets the family has held for a very long time.

I gave this book 3 stars. It just feel short for me on some points. I have enjoyed books by Kristen Bird in the past and I will continue to read her books, just this one didn't pack quite the punch I would have hoped it would.

This was a really good book - I can see it being used for a lot of book clubs! The cover is beautiful with the pink that pops.

This was a family drama about sisters coming together after their grandmother died, and all of the family secrets coming out as a result. The story alternated between each sisters POV and as their individual stories unraveled, it was clear that not only were they each up to no good, but that they had inherited the family drama. There was a good amount of suspense throughout and each chapter left a cliffhanger that made me want more. I definitely recommend this book if you're into bad people and family drama.

I did not finish this one, it was not for me, I couldn't relate to the characters, and just did not care for the story.

This is a strong family drama with a thrilling ending. The characters are hard to like but that goes with the story. My one gripe is that because there are multiple POV's it was a little hard to get into.

I know I am the first to complain when a book doesn't live up to the hype of being a thriller, but this book wasn't and worked just fine! I think it did because the rest of the story was so compelling. I loved the deep dive in the relationships of 3 sisters and their sister-in-law around the time of their grandmother's funeral. While all this is going on, a man has disappeared. The reader doesn't know who the man is, what happened to him, or who did it. That is the mystery! But it was overshadowed by the great story of the sisters! I loved the claustrophobic atmosphere of the small town and how it kept all the history, good and bad, fresh. Strange for me to say, but I would have still enjoyed the book without the mystery!

This is a domestic thriller, I found it to be more family drama and suspense. I liked the fact that the missing person wasn't revealed until almost the end. I also liked how the author had you guessing who the actual missing person was, definitely did expect it to be the one it ended up being. The women of this book had a sisterly bond so strong they would do just about anything to protect each other. Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my review.

This was FUN. I listened to it while cleaning my house & it made the chore so much more enjoyable. I loved all the different viewpoints and would recommend the audio for this reason. Family secrets & drama are my fave - if they are yours too, highly recommend this one!

I Love It When You Lie is a phenomenal thriller from start to finish. Filled to the brim with twists and a captivating plot, this one is sure to keep readers hooked. The characters are well-developed. The story is a well-timed slow-burner. This is one not to be missed! Highly recommended! Be sure to check out I Love It When You Lie.

Book Summary:

Some people are born to keep a secret. Other people may end up dying for a secret. Either way, nobody wants those truths to get out. For the Williams women, they certainly know how to keep their secrets safe – it simply takes extreme measures.

Pearl Williams passed away mere days before her eightieth birthday. You'd think the family would be distraught – but they're mostly focused on keeping their lives together. Easier said than done, given the unraveling that is now happening.

My Review:

You know that saying, two can keep a secret if one of them is dead? That kept popping up in my head while reading I Love It When You Lie. More specifically, that song by The Pierces (Secret) kept getting stuck in my head. Wonder why (note the teasing sarcasm, please).

If you've ever wanted to read a thriller novel full to the brim of family drama, this is the book for you. It's an interesting plot – a twist on the whole dark family secret thing. I say twist because this is a secret they wouldn't want to let out! (Often, it feels like hiding is worse than the actual reveal, but not in this case).

I Love It When You Lie is a fast-paced and quick read while heavily focusing on the family drama side. While I enjoyed the writing, I'll admit that I wasn't totally head over heels for this story. I will blame the characters and some slower parts that popped up throughout the book.

Highlights:
Mystery/Thriller
Whodunit
Morally Grey Characters

It was sadly just not a fast paced novel! And by not a fast paced I mean I struggled to maintain interest so it took me a lot to convince myself to come back and finish it. BUT I did love the writing style (both the humour and the character development) so that got bonus marks, it was just the plot that fell short for me

Book Review:
Title: I Love It When You Lie
Author: Kristen Bird
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️/3 stars

The Williams women are all gathered for the funeral of their grandmother, Pearl. The sheriff of their small town in Alabama seems to have it out for the Williams women. Especially now that someone else has gone missing. Tara, June, Clementine, and Stephanie must keep the truth from coming to light at all costs. This book is more suspenseful than thriller/mystery. It wasn't my favorite, but it wasn't bad. I love the cover!

Published: March 14th, 2023

Thank you, @netgalley and @_mira_books_, for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!