One thing Kevin Kwan does so well, is write about rich people. I love reading about rich people drama, so Kevin always delivers.

This story is about Rufus Leung Gresham, whose family fortune has withered away over the years because of just reckless spending, however that is not the life that is portrayed to the public. Because being poor would obviously be the worst thing ever… Rufus’s mom wants him to marry rich, but he doesn’t want to. He wants to marry the girl who lives next door to him, who doesn’t know that he is in love with her. So, what is he to do? Well obviously go to Hawaii and pick a wife.

I honestly enjoyed this book! I thought it had great critiques of our society as a whole and its obsession with material goods, wealth, and the way other people view us, but at the same time really making you feel for the characters and their “rich people problems”. Kwan has an amazing way of making you understand where his characters are coming from even though you may not always agree with their actions.

I thought this was a fun read full of drama, scandal and romance and I ate it up. I will always pick up a Kevin Kwan book and I am so very thankful to Netgalley and Doubleday books for an advanced copy of this in exchange for my honest review.

Super entertaining, love the drama of it, and the multi POV. Seeing into the lives of peopel with this level of money is so interesting.

Rufus Gresham, a mixed-race Viscount with less wealth than he realizes, is a perpetual bachelor and photographer living in Hawaii. His mom, Lady Arabella, a Hong Konger former supermodel, treats him as the prodigal heir and has high expectations for him to marry and continue to be among the wealthy and elite in England. The family trust has been depleted, and Rufus needs to marry for money to pay the mountains of debt. When he falls for Eden, the proverbial girl next door, the match is not one that his mother approves of even though Eden is a doctor.

Lady Arabella was the most insufferable character with lofty aspirations. I think some of her insufferableness came from the internalized racism that she and her family had been living with. But beyond that, she could have been better about being there for her children, including Rufus. Rufus and Eden were lovely together amidst all of the continued drama and scheming.

While the plot was a little predictable, I enjoyed the details and footnotes that added to the overall story. It was a decent family drama with flashy backdrops of location, wealth, fun, and humor.

Thank you to NetGalley and Doubleday Books for this eARC.

I received a copy of #LiesandWeddings by #KevinKwan from #NetGalley. I read it in one night. I enjoyed the conversations between the characters and how some of them related. I felt sorry for the Gresham children for the way the mother treated them and anyone she didn't have value to her financially. There were at least 4 weddings that took place and two of them, the main characters Eden Tong and Rufus Gresham were not originally invited to. The lies and omissions were many and some things would not have happened if people were honest. In the end, Eden could have given certain people their comeuppance but didnt. The book made me glad I never cared about what the rich in those books cared about.

Unfortunately, this one didn't work for me. Kwan's writing has been hit or miss for me personally, and I didn't find the characters interesting or compelling enough to care what happened to them. Lies and Weddings will still appeal to fans of Kwan's previous work and those looking for a dramatic read.

I think the one thing that Mr. Kwan does best is describe the lives of the rich and famous.--their cars, where their houses are, their handbags, what they eat, etc. He brings us "common folk" into the secret society of the really ultra wealthy. This book is no different. Could the reader maybe predict the ending? Probably, but it doesn't matter because the characters are sooooooooo much fun, from the wacky Gresham family to the dastardly Luis Felipe. He did leave some loose ends, I kind of liked Martha Dung, she was in the story for awhile and then she was gone, I would have liked to hear what happened to her--did she get together with the doctor? All in all, although not life changing this book was a lot of fun!

My first Kevin Kwan book. I loved the movie "Crazy Rich Asians," but never read any of the books, so I was really interested when this popped up. I thought the writing was excellent. This book was so much fun to read. I will definitely be reading more from this author!

Thank you to the author and the publisher for the opportunity to review this book.

This book really just took me for a ride. I loved the build up, the character development, and the writing. I would definitely read more from this author!

"Lies and Weddings" by Kevin Kwan is a fun mix of drama, humor, and glamour. The vivid characters and captivating storyline made it hard to put down. What an entertaining escape into a world of secrets and extravagance! A fun read for fans of witty contemporary fiction.

'Lies and Weddings' by Kevin Kwan is everything we've come to expect from one of his novels. Glamorous, globe-trotting, fun, and a little predictable in the way that fun romances are.

Wonderful story, great character development, great writing! Highly recommend this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it

Unfortunately I ended up DNFing this one. The pacing did not work for me and I couldn't push through it,

I am unfortunately DNF this one. I had a hard time getting into this one. There were a lot of characters and the jumps to different times and characters at the beginning was confusing to me. I had a hard time keeping track of characters and who they were in relation to the other characters. I loved Crazy Rich Asians, but I thought this one was a little more convoluted in terms of character and plot.

Another opulent, dramatic, romantic, escapist read from Kevin Kwan! I loved the characters, chemistry, and banter in this one.

Eden Tong and her father have been lucky enough to be friends and neighbors of the titled Gresham family. When a family wedding in Hawaii ends with a proclamation of love and a dangerous lava flow, Eden and Rufus Gresham get caught up in family secrets and expectations. At the root of it is Rufus’s mother Lady Arabella Gresham. With trips, diversions and the exorbitant lifestyle of the elite Kevin Kwan once again ropes us into the beautifully vibrant and ridiculous world he has created.

Lies and Weddings was an awesome read from the author of Crazy Rich Asians. I loved this book, as it is very similar in tone to the Crazy Rich Asians trilogy. The characters in this book were a lot more likable than in Kwan’s last book, Sex and Vanity. I also loved that this book is set in the same universe as Crazy Rich Asians, however you don’t have to have read the previous books to be able to enjoy this one as it’s a standalone.
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The book follows Rufus Leung Gresham, the future Earl of Greshambury, as his mom tries to wrangle him into a prosperous marriage. The reason is that his family is broke and they are hoping that Rufus can marry wealthy and give their family an influx of cash. However, Rufus has other plans and wants to follow his heart and marry the literal girl next door, Eden Tong. The book is a hilarious series of events, most of them orchestrated by Rufus’s mother, that tend to keep Rufus and Eden apart.
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There is also a mystery that involves Eden’s father that unfolds throughout the course of the book. The story jumps into the past for that part which is pretty cool. I love how it all comes together at the end and brings both story lines to a close.
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Overall I found this book very entertaining. Eden and Rufus are fantastic characters that seem very real. There are a lot of hilarious moments that will have you laughing out loud. I definitely recommend this book to those who loved the Crazy Rich Asians trilogy.

Fans of Crazy Rich Asians rejoice as another drama-packed novel by Kevin Kwan hits the shelves. With a great mix of romance and drama of the rich, this tale is a tug of war between love and riches. With life like characters who jump off the page, to an enthralling plot with problems and predicaments, the story is engaging and completely immersive.

I enjoyed reading this and all of Mr. Kwan's books. Sweet love stories wrapped in opulence is his calling card and this newest installment doesn't disappoint. Thank you for allowing me to read it.

I can’t stop thinking about the Arabella character and how she was type cast into the most annoying stereotype of all time: the greedy Asian rich lady who constantly thinks no one is good enough for her or for her sons. Kwan already used this archetype in CRA with Nick’s mom (Michelle Yeoh in the movie). I think it’s not only overused but also unnecessary to have the same villain/antagonist archetype in this book. Actually I’d we did a side by side comparison, I’m pretty sure this is CRA just with different names in different locales. The Eden/Rufus plot line is Rachel/Nick! The gossipy, over-the-top wealthy, and luxurious AF vibes were all there, which made it so juicy, entertaining, and fun-to-read. I had a hard time getting into it in the beginning but then I hit a point around 40% in where I couldn’t stop turning the pages. Entertainment value is high. I don’t really appreciate the “Asian representation” factor in this one - it was shallow, repetitive, and are pretty stereotypical. I didn’t find there to be much character depth but it was an entertaining and light read.

I fell in love with Kevin Kwan's writing whilst devouring the CRAZY RICH ASIANS trilogy -- and he just gets better and better with each book! LIES AND WEDDINGS was another great work of contemporary fiction from him.