I read this in one day and want more! I love Jaime Lynn Hendricks books. This was no different. I enjoyed the dual timeline and multiple POVs. I could not put it down. The ending was great and everything wrapped up nicely. 5 stars!

Another book that elicited complex feelings from me, leaving me torn between a grade of 3 to 4 stars! It's not that I found it boring or that the main plot lacked direction. On the contrary, the pacing was at lightning speed. I was so intrigued, as if I were watching scandalous episodes of one of the real housewives from any other city. It's perfectly scandalous, and I could barely keep up with the relationship dynamics—who's cheating on whom, which character is the biggest liar, and who is the most despicable one? It was challenging to choose when you have too many unlikable characters rubbing you the wrong way! But my winner is undoubtedly Pepper!

The story unfolds in two timelines: 1999, where an accident claims the lives of two innocent students. Chloe Michaels, who was drunk driving, hit Julian Ackers that night. It was considered an accident, but there were so many plot holes that didn't get investigated, like extra tire traces that proved somebody else was there and corrupted the crime scene. Chloe was cheating on her boyfriend, Chris, with Julian, the goth kid. Why would she kill the guy she fell in love with, even though she was under the influence? What really happened that night?

In the present, we're introduced to Scarlett Russo, perhaps the only likable character in the book, yet she got on my nerves for staying married to a husband who impregnated another woman and acted like a college student with his infamous boys' nights. This is not the only juicy part of their dysfunctional marriage: Vince, her husband of the year, was her best friend Pepper's college sweetheart. After the tragic accident night that Scarlett knows the partial truth of (she was also intoxicated), Pepper forced her to keep secrets and lie to the officers during interrogation. The preceding night, Pepper disappeared into thin air to move to NY. Heartbroken Scarlett finds herself in a fling with Vince, which resulted in pregnancy, and was forced to marry him at a young age. Scarlett is now trapped in a marriage with her troubled bestie's ex for the sake of their son, Luke, who is about to leave for college.

Oh, and did I mention Scarlett's first love, Chris, is also Vince's best friend/business partner and has a close relationship with their son Luke? I know things turn into a telenovela episode, but this is just the beginning.

A surprising guest introduces herself to Scarlett: Pepper's daughter, Zoey, at the age of twenty-two, looking for the identity of her dad! What? Wasn't Pepper dating Scarlett's husband for four years, already told her she was pregnant but was planning to get an abortion? Unfortunately, Pepper is a good liar, and her very nosy daughter says she's a victim of a drunk driver! Not only is Zoey adamant about wrecking her house by searching for her biological father, but she is also intrigued by what happened on the tragic, so-called accident night that Scarlett lied about to save Pepper. Zoey has already alerted the detective who still has unanswered questions.

How long can Scarlett keep her lies to protect herself and the family she's built? What if everything is doomed to crumple into pieces? What if everything she believes in is cemented with betrayal, more lies, and dangerous truths that could ruin everyone's lives in her circle?

Well, I have to admit, some parts of the story were too far-fetched! I'm not sure some of the characters get what they deserve at the end, but to be fair, Jaime Lynn Hendricks is truly the queen of page-turners. I didn't expect to read this book at lightning speed. I found things unreliable, but still, I couldn't stop reading. It was addictive!

I'm rounding up 3.5 stars to 4, even though this book has tons of unlikable characters more despicable than a lot of politicians, and the conclusion has still too many "no freaking way" kind of exaggerated explanations. But I still enjoyed it as great popcorn reading that kept me on my toes and made me boo most of the characters, especially Vince.

I had a great, entertaining time. That's why I rounded up my grade, and I cannot wait to read another unputdownable page-turner by Jaime Lynn Hendricks!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penzler Publishers/Scarlet for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Thanks to Penzier and NetGalley for the ARC. Although the writing was a bit simplistic, I did enjoy this quick read. Recommend for a fast paced drama.

Many thanks to @NetGalley and Penzler Publishers, Source Books for the gifted eARC to read and review!

Hendricks has consistently made my annual top 5 lists with her prior releases, so it’s no surprise that 𝗔 𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗟𝗬 𝗟𝗜𝗘 is one of my 𝗠𝗢𝗦𝗧 𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗖𝗜𝗣𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗗 books for 2024. I even abandoned my current read so I could dig into this beauty!

This was another solid one from Ms. Hendricks! These characters confused the heck out me; one minute I hated them, the next I sympathized with them. JLH is the queen of complex characters and it’s so fun getting into each of their heads through the dual POVs! 🙌

Read this if you:
✨live for dual POVs
✨love a good narcissist
✨grew up in the 90s
✨geek out over sarcastic inner monologues

Also, how about this cover? 😍 So gorgeous! Can’t wait to display my preordered copy next to the rest of my JLH collection when this one pubs in May!

𝗡𝗢𝗧𝗘𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗛𝗬 𝗤𝗨𝗢𝗧𝗘𝗦:
“You have no idea about the backstabbing that goes on when people pretend to be friends.”

The catch line for this story is : Is it better to believe a lovely lie or to know the horrible truth?

Scarlett Russo is living a modern life with her wayward husband and 17 year old son when a young woman approaches her in town. Zoey is Pepper's daughter - Scarlett's best friend from high school and someone she has not spoken to in 20 years. Pepper left town without a word. It turns out she was pregnant and Zoey is searching for her father.

Scarlett has a sense of dread around Zoey and Zoey can sense it. She will stop at nothing to identify her father and if that rubs people the wrong way, so be it!. With police interviews interspersed between the chapters, it doesn't take long to realize that Scarlett and many others in town have secrets that they need to keep.

This was a fun story. I didn't always buy into the conversations and depictions of the "bad" guys but I enjoyed it all the same. Jamie Lynn Hendricks can always bring me right into a thrilling plot where I can feel the goosebumps on my arms.

A great thriller and domestic story!
.#Penzler #alovelylie #jamielynnhendricks

This book has it all-unreliable narrator, flawed characters, fast pace, twists and surprise ending. This draws you in on the first page and keeps you engaged until the end. Scarlet and Pepper were best friends in high school but on the night of the senior picnic there was an accident that changed everything. Now decades later Zoey, Pepper's daughter shows up wanting answers as to who her father is and what happened that night.

Scarlet and Vince have never talked about that night. Now all the secrets are going to come out.

This goes back to high school where you are stupid enough to do anything for your best friend. Just loved this book so much!

The book is so messed up. If you are looking for a twisted thriller that will hook you from page one and will keep you guessing till the end, this is for you. The twists and turns were so unpredictable and the truth was twisted and hidden behind the layers of lies and betrayal. The characters have infinite facades and it’s hard to differentiate between truth and lie in this book.

Scarlett and Vince are married and they have a son called Luke. While Pepper Wilson was Scarlett’s best friend. Somehow they got involved in a car accident some years ago since then Pepper vanished from everyone’s lives, no one knows about her whereabouts. After twenty-two years, Pepper’s Daughter Zoey shows up at Scarlett’s door and says her that Pepper is dead. Zoey is trying to find out about her father. She is trying to find truth out of the buried past. The more you will read it, the more you will get tangled in the mystery and the buried past that has some sinister secrets, lies, deception and truth embedded in it.

The author has truly unveiled the true facade of each character and a layer of mystery with each chapter and revelation. I must say the author has masterfully crafted this twisted and gripping thriller that will keep you guessing till the end. This is the best thriller.

Thanks to the Author, Publisher and Netgalley.

Who remembers how vicious high school could be?
What are Scarlett and Vince hiding?
When will the author write another book?
Where in the world will she go next?
Why did I not guess how awful some of these characters would be?
How am I to survive until her next book?

What can I say about A Lovely Lie? Scarlett has been married to Vince for years and she lives for their son Luke. But when Zoey shows up, claiming to be Vince’s daughter with Pepper, Scarlett’s best friend from high school, well things get super Cray Cray, super-fast.
I’m not going to say a lot about what happens, but trust me,the twists just kept on coming.Holy high school and young bad decision-making brains. This story makes the mean girls and cool kids look like demons in training.
Oh, if I didn’t mention it, I loved this page flipper. I know I’ll be seeing it all over the beach this summer because it is just the perfect, perfect beach read. All the stars🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

This book was absolutely filled with twists and turns. I continued to be very surprised throughout. My only hold up was the fact that I felt a disconnect with the characters and their interpersonal relationships.

Ohh my gosh this book gripped me from the very beginning and refused to let go throughout the entire thing! I was totally hooked from beginning to end! My eyebrows were raised to my hairline, my mouth dropped open in shock or my hand had flown to my mouth as I yelled wtf so many times! It has all of my favorite bookish things: First person perspectives from multiple characters, nonlinear timelines, police interrogations, past conversations, nonstop things happening without a bunch of fluff, and Hendricks powerfully and effectively dropped clues and hints and got my theories going crazy! And I was still blown away by each revelation and unprepared for how it all played out! One of my favorite book endings EVER and at the end of the book, I just sat there with my jaw on the floor and a grin on my face! Plus the character development and character arcs are written so well that my opinions of each character morphed as details came to light throughout. And now I truly want there to be a sequel because I am so vested in each of the characters!
I will be recommending A Lovely Lie forever as it’s easily one of my favorite books ever!

This book is the anxiety you get before a big poop. I said it here, mark my words. Jaime Lynn Hendricks gives me the most exciting diarrhea

Pepper.Scarlett.Vince.Zoey.Chris.Luke

They all have secrets…

Some worth killing for.

A Lovely Lie : An arm-hair-raising, Mind bending, spine tingling, kind of thriller that will enable the ability to blink for 72 hours after concluding.

That’s how I’m feeling. The bags under my eyes have rolled in and this is a job even La Mer, can not handle.

I have loved and obsessed over Jaime Lynn, since Finding Tessa. I have waited for the fluttering in my tummy since the day I concluded that book and man, it’s been a struggle .

Why can’t I ever feel completely satisfied? Don’t get me wrong, I still love my thrillers but nothing has tickled my fancy quite like Finding Tessa.

That is until A Lovely Lie

Jaime speaks to my soul. I know that I got this book by being super duper annoying and I’m sure she just gave it to me so I would shut up but I was willing to do what it took

I won

I love you, boo bear. You speak my language and I’ll never stop annoying you to write. You are a magician, a beast, my spirit animal and I am addicted to you.

A Lovely Lie, is like nothing you have ever read before and I promise you I have read them all.

Teaser :

1999: The night of their senior picnic, Scarlett Russo and her best friend Pepper were involved in a car accident that left two of their classmates dead. Afterward, they lied to the police, protecting each other from the consequences. Then Pepper left town and Scarlett never heard from her again…

Now: Twenty-two years later, Scarlett has buried that deadly incident deep in her mind and built a comfortable life for herself, raising her teenage son with her husband Vince. Her peace is disrupted, however, when Pepper’s daughter shows up with news of Pepper’s death. She has a cryptic letter from Pepper addressed to Scarlett that alludes to the events of that fateful night and Pepper’s initial intentions to get an abortion. Now Zoey wants answers about her mother’s past.