This was an absolute romp! Such a fun take on the "con woman tricks rich, oblivious man" trope. Evie Porter is an experienced con woman sent to charm her latest mark Ryan...and she can't help but be charmed by Ryan, as well. And while Ryan might be oblivious to Evie's schemes, she also must contend with her mysterious boss Mr. Smith — the mastermind behind all of Evie's con jobs. I can't help but call this a "rompity romp" — it requires serious suspension of disbelief, but it's FUN. While there's not much in the way of character development (even with the little glimpses of Evie's backstory Ashley Elston weaves into the novel), the breakneck pacing and clever twists kept me turning the pages. This is a juicy, binge-worthy vacation read!

I understand why Reese chose this! It was refreshing to hear a new type of psychological thriller rather than the continually played tropes. Some parts were a little hard to follow but all came together at the end! A solid 4 star book.

Best thriller I have read in a long while! How it came together has me convinced Ashley Elston is a genius! I was hooked from the beginning and will be recommending this to everyone!

I kept going back to this one! Could not put it down. From the very beginning I thought I knew the direction we were going. I thought Evie Porter was just another woman with a past to hide trying to nail a man.. quickly shifts to her being a girl boss on a job to secure information from said man. I highly recommend!

First Lie Wins is a suspense filled twister that keeps you guessing. Evie Porter is masterful in hiding her identities during cat and mouse games. Until everything begins to slowly unravel reaching an unexpected conclusion.

"First Lie Wins" by Ashley Elston is an absolute page-turner that had me hooked from the very first page! Once I started reading, I couldn't put the book down—its gripping narrative kept me on the edge of my seat, constantly wanting to know more. Every chapter brought new revelations and unexpected twists, leaving me eager to uncover the truth behind Evie Porter's mysterious identity and her mission.

The author's skillful storytelling and well-crafted characters made the reading experience immersive and intense.

"First Lie Wins" is a high-stakes thriller that keeps you guessing until the very end. The unpredictability of the story kept me turning pages late into the night, eager to uncover each thrilling twist and turn. The fast-paced narrative and heart-pounding suspense left me breathless, and I can confidently say this is a book I'll be recommending to all my fellow book lovers. If you're looking for a suspenseful and adrenaline-pumping read that you won't be able to put down, look no further than "First Lie Wins"!

I keep seeing ranting reviews on First Lie Wins, so was happy to check it out myself. It was not a let down, Evie held my attention every single page. Couldn’t put this one down, 5 stars!

Special thanks to Penguin Group Viking, Pamela Dornan, and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

This book would probably be a book I'd recommend for an unseasoned reader who wants a bit of a mouse and cat game. For me it was just okay, and I really wanted to enjoy it. The writing was fine, but less characters and unnecessary fluff would've made it better.

Its a 3 star book for me.

I enjoyed this thriller, but the twists ended up not being for me. The audio was fantastic, though, and it was a very quick read.

Many people announce where the "plot twist" is, and that usually kills it for me. I prefer for it to be a surprise and where it can sneak up on you. But in here, there's so many and you really cannot announce where they all are!

Evie Porter, who by the way, has many AKA's and works for Mr. Smith. Mr. Smith is a mysterious robotic voice that nobody in his line of work knows or even who he is. Evie's job? She's a con artist that Mr. Smith calls and sends her to her next assignment.

Her next assignment will be Ryan Sumner. She needs to get all the info that she's been assigned in a certain amount of time. He is falling for her, enough to ask her to move in. Now making the job easier, she gladly accepts, however she is falling for him! She is now living her fairytale life, with her dream home, and her Prince Charming. The life she never had and now wants forever. Then Mr. Smith calls.

A definite handful of "wait...what?" in there and I thank Pamela Dorman Books and NetGalley for this arc.

First Lie Wins is a twisty cat-and-mouse thriller about Evie, a female con artist and her mark Ryan. We learn Evie's back story as the story unfolds showing the various cons that she has pulled off and what brought her here to present day.

I liked that Evie was a likeable character. Her life of crime started when she was in high school and her mother was dying of cancer. Evie became recruited by "Mr. Smith" who upped her con game. The story was interesting and kept your interest as you couldn't wait to find out what happened next. In all this was an enjoyable and entertaining thriller with a few twists thrown in.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this intriguing book.

I became an Ashley Elston fan after reading her YA book Rules for Disappearing, so I was excited to get a copy of this book, her new thriller for adults. Unfortunately, I found the story to be far-fetched and confusing. There were too many characters (none even likable or relatable) and flashbacks (of all different time periods to keep straight). I would put the book down out of frustration, not wanting to pick it back up, but I made myself finally finish it. From the many positive reviews, it appears that I’m in the minority. I wish Ashley and the publisher much success with her book. Thank you for granting me an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my thoughts.

I stopped after chapter 1. This feels like a solid three to four stars, five for the right readers. It definitely feels like it hits the genre’s notes.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin for the ARC.

Thanks to the publisher, NetGalley, and the author for the advance review copy in exchange for my honest review.

This book was… readable! That’s the best word that I have for it. It wasn’t particularly inventive and it won’t stick with me. Just your run of the mill thriller. A quick and easy read, but didn’t end up feeling like it was worth my time.

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Thank yo to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Viking for the arc. Great story! Author drew me in from the first chapter. A captivating edge of your seat read! Loved the mystery surrounding the main character. Highly recommend!

First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston is a thrilling tale of identity and deception. Evie Porter is tasked with a high stakes job that could change her life. Her target, Ryan Sumner, proves to be more than just a mark as Evie finds herself drawn to him in unexpected ways. As she navigates the complexities of her mission, Evie must also confront her own past, which threatens to unravel everything she's worked for. The author writes a gripping story full of twists and turns, keeping readers on the edge of their seats until the very end. With its compelling characters and suspenseful plot, this novel is a must read for fans of thrillers and suspense.

First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston is about Evie Porter who has a picture perfect life. She has a wonderful boyfriend and a beautiful house. The only thing is Evie Porter isn't real. Evie has been given a new identity and new job to complete. However complications quickly arise when a new woman arrives who is using the same name as Evie. Evie's real name.
I really wanted to like this. It has all the things I usually look for in a thriller. There were a lot of twists, messy character, but reading it felt incredibly tedious and boring. This one did just not keep my interest.

Thanks to Penguin & NetGalley for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Can Reese pick 'em, or what? I didn't know this was a Reese's Book Club pick until after I was given access, but this is one of the better ones I've read. Evie is an operative for the mysterious Mr. Smith, assigned various targets to get information or treasure from them. Her last job was a bit of a clusterf*ck, so in her current assignment she needs to redeem herself. She is assigned to be the girlfriend of Ryan, who has a straight job most of the week, but a secret smuggling business using trucks on Thursdays. Everything is swimming along nicely for Evie until Ryan's friend comes back to town. James is a bit of a loser: family money with a side of drug addiction and gambling debts. But worse, James comes back toting a woman who bears an uncanny resemblance to Evie, and goes by her real name, Lucca Marino. Then things get weird.

The action is pretty good in this story and the plot mostly hangs together. It's really more of a spy-type thriller than a suspense/mystery novel. Evie is likeable and clever, and there are some good twists, which makes up for the not-very-credible ending. It definitely kept me coming back!

3.5 stars rounded up

This was a good thriller that was not scary or kept you up at night. It probably will not be a memorable book either. Nothing particularly happened that will stick out to me and make my remember the details of the book. Overall, a good book though.

First Lie Wins is the book everyone is talking about! I was so excited to read this one and it lived up to all the hype! There were so many twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. I couldn’t put this book down and have already recommended it to multiple friends!