Twenty Two years ago Scarlett and her best friend Pepper were involved in some kind of accident, that same night, two teenagers lost their lives. Were Pepper and Scarlett involved?
Scarlett's world is turned upside down when Peppers, now grow daughter arrives in town looking for answers.

Man, this author knows how to write an obnoxious character.
This was a twisty little mystery, that while the major points of the story were predictable, some little bits of the story succeeded in catching me off guard a couple times.

This was so fast-paced and twisty! I didn't find any of the characters particularly likable, but I think that was the point. They all had secrets, and I wanted to keep reading to find out what really happened back when they were in high school. I liked that this alternated between past and present and enjoyed the police interviews.

Thank you, @netgalley and @penzlerpub, for the #gifted e-arc!

Oh boy, what a wild ride! The duel timelines, police interviews, secrets, lies, twists and turns. I loved everything about this book. I was hooked from
the first chapter and read this book in one weekend. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

A Lovely Lie is one of my favorite books by Jaime Lynn Hendricks. She had me hooked from the beginning and took me on a wild ride. The dual timelines and police interviews helped the story unfold. The characters have complicated relationships and as the story is told the secrets and lies are slowly revealed. There are characters I hated and ones I routed for. This book is a fast read and perfect for your beach bag this Summer.

This was a fantastic book and I loved it. The suspense from the original accident up until the end was palpable, I was not expecting some of the twist and turns and was one of those books you dont want to put down. It had me on the edge of the seat!

4.5 stars

Now this was a fun thriller. The plot was convoluted and it started a bit slow but I had a great time.

Things to look forward to:
-the TWISTS. They just started coming and I couldn’t put the book down
-multiple povs
-two different timelines
-buried secrets
-the most awful people you’ll ever meet
-character growth to a point where you actually start rooting for them

I know I’ve mentioned this already but if you want a book with twists, this one is perfect. It’s a great popcorn thriller that you definitely have a great time with.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for my honest review

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…

I’m loving all these fast paced thrillers! Once I started I didn’t want to stop. This one was hard to figure out because no one really seemed to be innocent. There are a handful of characters that aren’t likable when you first start off, which made it fun to try and figure out who was guilty.

So many secrets to unravel and so much crazy! Lies from 22 years ago that just keep getting worse. Addictive read with a perfect ending!

Scarlett and Pepper were high school best friends until an accident on the night of their senior picnic changed everything. Pepper ran off to NYC the next day and no one heard from her again. Over twenty years later, Zoey shows up at Scarlett's work looking for answers about who her father is and what happened at the end of senior year. Scarlett doesn't want to drag up the past and all the skeletons that come with it.

Jaime Lynn Hendricks is becoming one of my must-read thriller authors. I love her character development and the pacing of her thrillers is perfection. The way the story unfolded between past and present really kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end. A great, quick book for thriller fans.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penzler Publishers for the ARC of A Lovely Lie.

I'm actually really surprised that I'm an outlier review for this novel, because it was so predictable! The characters weren't great, I saw the twists coming from a mile away, and it was a struggle to get through this.

First of all, Scarlett's weird obsession with her son just rubbed me the wrong way. I don't know why, but all the "my boy" comments and the fact that she seems to think her son is perfect just did not do it for me. And while her husband is very obviously far from perfect, I find it strange that she's stayed with him for as long as he has.

Zoey was supposed to be this big, bad character, but I honestly found her to be a bit annoying. Her twist just wasn't an actual twist and even though she was supposed to be a MC, she definitely didn't feel like one.

I like that the novel moved quickly enough, and the chapters were short. This story could have been good, but it unfortunately fell flat for me. But considering all the 4 and 5 star reviews, maybe you'll like it better than me.

Over twenty years ago, Scarlett and her best friend Pepper were involved in an accident that ended with two teenagers dead. Lies were told, and then Pepper left. Now in present day, a young woman, Zoey, arrives saying she is Pepper's daughter and she is looking for her father. This sets off a chain reaction that will finally expose the lies of the past.

I thought this was going to be a lot more suspenseful than it was. It was more of a drama than a thriller in my opinion. I also found it hard because for most of the book, all of the characters were so unlikeable. Especially the chapters from Pepper's POV were so annoying. Interesting concept, but it just didn't deliver for me.

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This author is amazing! The book was fantastic! I loved the fast pace and the twists and turns! An auto read author for me!

Is It Better to Believe a Lovely Lie or to Know the Horrible Truth?* is a gripping tale of buried secrets, long-held lies, and the relentless pursuit of truth. Set against the backdrop of Florida's serene west coast, this novel intricately weaves a story that spans over two decades, captivating readers with its emotional depth and suspenseful narrative.

In 1999, Scarlett Russo and her best friend Pepper's lives are forever changed by a tragic car accident that leaves two classmates dead. The pair's decision to lie to the police sets off a chain of events that ultimately leads to Pepper's disappearance from Scarlett's life. Fast forward twenty-two years, Scarlett's seemingly tranquil life is upended when Zoey, Pepper's determined and inquisitive daughter, arrives with unsettling news of her mother's death and a cryptic letter hinting at unresolved issues from that fateful night.

Zoey's quest for answers forces Scarlett to confront the past she's tried so hard to forget. As Zoey digs deeper, she not only uncovers secrets about her mother but also questions the identity of her father and the true events following the senior picnic. The tension mounts as Scarlett's carefully constructed facade begins to crumble, exposing the raw and painful truths she has concealed for so long.

Scarlett is a complex protagonist, whose internal struggle between maintaining her peaceful life and facing her past mistakes is poignantly portrayed. Her relationship with her husband Vince and teenage son adds layers of depth to her character, making her a relatable figure caught between the past and present.

Zoey, on the other hand, embodies youthful determination and curiosity. Her drive to uncover the truth about her mother's life and death is both admirable and heart-wrenching, as it challenges the comfortable lies Scarlett has lived with for years.

The novel explores themes of guilt, redemption, and the moral dilemma of whether it is better to live with a comforting lie or face a painful truth. It delves into the complexities of friendship, the consequences of our choices, and the intricate ways our past shapes our present.

The author's writing is both evocative and engaging, seamlessly shifting between past and present to build suspense. The vivid descriptions of Florida's coastline juxtapose the tumultuous emotional landscape of the characters, enhancing the narrative's overall impact.

I just reviewed A Lovely Lie by Jaime Lynn Hendricks. #ALovelyLie #NetGalley

Thank you Netgalley, author and Penzler Publication for the ARC.

Scarlett who's leading a comfortable life with her husband and her teenage son , working in a hotel in Florida , but harboring a deadly secret that she's buried for over 20 years. One day when a young woman Zoey shows up at her work desk and introducing herself as Pepper's daughter, Scarlet is shocked to see her former best friend's child. Moreover when Zoey shows her the cryptic letter from Pepper insinuating the terrible accident that occured on the fateful night when they were teens , shakes Scarlett to her very core. The very secret that should remain buried seems to forcefully resurfacing as Zoey remains adamant to dig it all up , which means decades old secret will devastate all that they have built so far!

Highly entertaining suspense thriller, narrated from the key characters in the story , it alters between present and past timelines too. A deadly accident that took place when the central characters were teens ends up having bigger impact in the present lives. There's extracts of interviews between the cop investigating the accident happened in the past and the teens involved then, which added interesting touch. The scandalous nature of the story that builds up as pieces of the puzzle starts falling in place makes it a page turner.
The story had a strong YA book feeling , but not surprising since the secrets are all surrounding the incident when they are teens and how it's affecting them now as adults and brewing trouble in interpersonal relationships.

If you want a quick, twisty and entertaining, with Pretty Little Liars vibes, read this is a decent pick

It's a 4/5 🌟 read for me.

There is so much to unpack in this book. This story is told in dual timelines; flashbacks to 1999 and fast forward to the present day.

Flashback to 1999: Scarlett and her best friend Pepper were involved in a car accident resulting in the death of two of their classmates. The girls lied during the police investigation, vowing to one another that the truth would never be revealed. Shortly after, Pepper left town.

Current day: Pepper's daughter, Zoey, shows up unannounced at the hotel where Scarlett works. Armed with a letter from the now deceased Pepper, Zoey is looking for answers - who is her father and what is behind this letter she found in her mother's belongings? To further complicate things, Scarlett is married to Vince, who was Pepper's high school boyfriend.

I despised most of the characters in this book; however that is what made it such an enjoyable read. I was not rooting for anyone, leading to zero disappointment. I found the first half to be a slow build, but once you crested the 45% mark, it was fly by the seat of your pants. The ending was perfectly executed. All in all, this was a quick, solid read that I enjoyed.

Many thanks to Penzler Publishers, Scarlet & NetGalley for the ARC.

Honestly the only things I enjoyed about this book was how fast it read and I like the cover design. Other than that I feel like I waited a long time for something thrilling or twisty to happen and got very disappointed. This book was nothing but marriage drama, self-centered characters and a lackluster plot. I will say I was enjoying the book at the beginning and then quickly drew tired of the story switching between teenage drama and marital drama. The whole story centered around a woman that peaked in high school and a husband that couldn't keep his you know what in his pants. I didn't care for any of the characters except maybe Zoey and I barely cared about making it to the end of the book for the big reveals. This was definitely one of the most anticlimactic non-thrilling thrillers I've ever read. I'm sad to say this will be my first and last book I read by this author.

Many thanks to Penzler Publishers, Scarlet for the review copy!

Scarlett works at a local hotel in Central Florida, in the town where she grew up and is married to her high school BFFs ex-BF, Vince. The web quickly becomes even more tangled when a young woman, Zoey arrives at Scarlett’s workplace and claims to be the daughter of the long lost high school friend Pepper. Scarlett and her husband Vince have not seen Pepper since she left town immediately following the senior class party after graduation. Zoey is the result of a teenage pregnancy that Pepper stated she was not intending to keep at the time but ultimately did keep. Now Zoey is trying to figure out her family history by tracking down the mystery of who her father is.
The plot is a tangled tale and it weaves itself between timelines and character’s POVs. There are mysteries in the past and mysteries in the present. The plot twists just keep coming throughout the story and it is a fun, summer read.
Definitely recommend!
#ALovelyLie #NetGalley #PenzlerPublishers

A mystery following two timelines with one timeline in the past where something happened with two friends, Pepper and Scarlett, promising to never speak about it again and the second timeline following Pepper's daughter Zoey who is trying to find out what happened to her mother and how it might lead to the identity of her father. As Zoey gets closer to her father's identity, she realizes that her mom has lied about a lot and in doing so affected the trajectory of Scarlett and their other friends. Overall, a somewhat predictable mystery with mostly unlikeable characters. This one was a bit more clunky than her last novel and wasn't as compelling when the reveal finally happened.

After loving the author’s past books I was really excited for this but unfortunately it wasn’t my fav. Maybe I read too many thrillers bc while I’ve seen reviews raving about the twists in this one; I predicted the entire plot except for one small thing. I’m not a big fan of the whole “that THING that happened” being brought up for so long without giving any details and it went on for too long here. There’s also a ton of thriller filler, mostly unnecessarily detailed descriptions, especially in the first half which is an extreme slow burn. There were some repetitive aspects along with some clunky phrases and language used, including trying to work the title in to the story which didn’t feel natural at all. The police interview transcripts with snippets of the past talking about the accident gave no new info and didn’t add much to the plot.

I have seen others who loved this and called it twisty and shocking so it could just be a me thing. I’d encourage you to check out other reviews to decide if it might work better for you. I have loved the author’s other books and will still look forward to reading whatever she writes next. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the DRC.

A Lovely Lie
Written By Jaime Lynn Hendricks
Published By Penzier Publishers
Release Date May 28, 2024


Hendricks has done it again! This is probably my favorite though with dual POV’s and great character development that includes a perfect narcissist that makes this story one to remember.

Flashback: A car accident on the night of their senior picnic…..Scarlett Russo and her best friend Pepper were in the car with two other classmates who were killed as a result of the accident……..or was it an accident? Then the two girls lied to the police so that no one would ever know the truth. Pepper moved away and Scarlett thought she would never hear from her again.

Forward 22 years: Scarlett seems to have forgotten all about that fateful night and is married with a teenager herself when she gets a visit from Zoey who is Pepper’s daughter. Pepper has passed away and Zoey has a letter for Scarlett. Zoey just happens 21 yrs old which is something to remember when reading. The letter talks about Peppers pregnancy and how she intended to get an abortion and eludes to the events of that night 22 years ago. Zoey is an investigative journalist and wants information about her mother’s past and who her father is.

Can Scarlett help her figure things out or is there something that she needs to keep hidden? This book shows how amazing Hendricks is as an author. Her ability to take the reader on a ride of they will not forget is something that a lot of authors just can’t do. The author leaves a few breadcrumbs for the reader to keep the twists coming. Immersive and continual thrills as you try to figure out what the plot twist is….yet it is not predictable at all. This is one book that has everything needed for the best mystery book. If you love a great book that takes you on a roller coaster of a ride, this one is a must. Hendricks will keep you on the edge of your seat from page one till the very last page.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

🚗Book Review 🚗
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Summary; Is it better to believe a lovely lie or to know the horrible truth?
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, working in a hotel on the west coast of Florida and 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. Zoey is twenty-one and studying to be an investigative journalist. 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. Who is Zoey’s father? And what really happened after the senior picnic? As Zoey continues to dig into the past, all of Scarlett’s buried secrets threaten to rise to the surface.
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Rating; ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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My thoughts- I loved this thriller! I’m a big fan of Jaime Lynn Hendricks writing style! This is my second favorite of hers, the first is her debut. This was a read that I just couldn’t put down. I was obsessed with the way this was told. The Audiobook was fantastic! I really enjoyed learning the truth about Scarlett and Pepper. I continued to be surprised by each reveal, overall this was a very solid thriller! Definitely recommend checking this out this summer !
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QOTD- do you read thrillers ?! What do you look for in a good thriller?! I love mystery/ thrillers they are definitely my genre of choice !
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#alovelylie #alovelyliebook #jaimelynnhendricks #bookreview #bookrecommendation #bookstagram #booksofig #booksofinstagram #booksofinsta #bookish #bookobsessed #booklover #bookaddict #bookaesthetic #booknerd #bookworm #bookwormproblems #bookwormsunite