“Sometimes the beginning of everything sneaks up on you when you least expect it.”

Actress Amelia Grant is reeling from the death of her mother and betrayal by her longtime boyfriend when she is offered the role of a lifetime - starring in a biopic about the reclusive romance author Gloria Diamond. To prepare for the role, she arranged to spend a week with the the author. There’s only one problem - Ms. Diamond is unpleasant and uncooperative. She’s also untruthful. Her entire career is built on a lie.

Jillian Cantor allows Gloria’s story to unfold through recollections. Told via multiple perspectives and across timelines, Gloria’s secrets are threatened to be revealed and lives will be affected.

Fans of Evelyn Hugo will get similar vibes from this book. There’s a mystery at the heart of the story entwined with love, loss, and second chances.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the advance copy in exchange for my unbiased review.

“The Greatest Lie of All” is the story of Amelia, an up and coming actress who is hired to play the part of Gloria Diamond, a famous romance author, in a movie about Gloria’s life. Seems straightforward, right? As Amelia starts to get to know Gloria in preparation for the movie, though, she starts to realize all is not as it seems with Gloria.

It’s hard to categorize this book or figure out how to describe it or what to liken it to – it’s got slight shades of “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo”, “Great Circle”, and “Did You Hear About Kitty Carr?” to it so fans of those may enjoy this. Although I’d say it doesn’t have the same level of character development as those books so I wasn’t really invested in the same way. Also, it was a little predictable at times, although I definitely didn’t guess what I’d describe as the final twist.

This is the second book I’ve read by Jillian Cantor and it did leave me wanting to read more by her. I like that I can’t quite pin down her style.

All in all this was an enjoyable and fast pace read and I’d recommend it to fans of the books I’d mentioned earlier!

Amelia has the lead part in a movie featuring her Mom’s favorite author. She’s headed to the author’s house prior to filming to get some sense of her.
I thought this was a really good book. It’s full of secrets, surprises and heart breaking moments. You won’t be able to put it down

Struggling actress Amelia Grant is offered the chance of a lifetime. She's going to spend a week with the iconic writer Gloria Diamond, a woman with a dazzling past and a fascinating entourage. But Ameila is struck by the icy demeanor of Ms. Diamond and wonders why she is so guarded. Is she a chameleon, ready to change into whatever suits the moment, or she is a sensitive soul who has been bruised by life experiences? Amelia is determined to find the secret that unlocks Ms. Diamond's personality and it may be the surprise of her life. Amelia will have to unravel fiction from fact in this engrossing story. High recommend.

Gloria's got a secret. This moves back and forth in time to tell the real story of Gloria, whose true name is Mare and George, her husband who she idealized. Amelia, an actress who is meant to play her in a film about the writer's life finds Gloria to be not at all how she conveys when they actually meet and she's disappointed. But then she meets Gloria's son Will, who is a good egg but their nascent romance is cut short. Or is it? What is the connection between Gloria and Amelia's mother? No spoilers from. This pops along quickly and if the end is a little discordant, well it's still a good read. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A fun one.

Whoever said diamonds are a girls best friend never met Gloria Diamond - a bestselling romance novelist with thirty novels on her shelf and a reputation for happy endings. In reality Gloria lives an isolated lonely existence bossing her assistant around and desperately hanging on to her grown son’s dwindling adoration. When Amelia, a pretty, semi-successful actress is offered the lead in Gloria’s biopic, she jumps at the opportunity to escape Los Angeles. The unexpected loss of her mother and very public breakup with Jase - a too handsome actor and rising star - has become more than she can handle. In preparation for the role Amelia heads to Washington State to spend a few days with Gloria prior to filming. A Method actress, Amelia wants to capture the essence of what makes Gloria tick. Upon arrival Amelia immediately senses a coldness she cannot understand. The adoring assistant tries to remain neutral but it appears the only one who can reveal the truth about Gloria is her son. Will is a kind, charming lawyer who doesn’t fawn over Hollywood actresses and doesn’t even watch television. As Will and Amelia get closer and she learns about Gloria’s past, too many things don’t add up. A stack of old photos sends the couple on a goose chase they never expected as they discover the fine line between fiction and the truth. Quick, easy read filled with suspense and a great cast of characters. Always love a good book in a book with a twist!

Amelia is a young actress, given a starring role in a movie about much loved romance writer Gloria Diamond. To do the part justice, Amelia is to live with Gloria for a week before filming starts. Things do not go as planned. Gloria is very cold, not forthcoming, and definitely hiding something. As the story unfolds, secrets are uncovered that will challenge everything Amelia knows and question the story that Gloria has weaved.

Thanks to a fellow Bookstagrammer for her early review. Her reference to Evelyn Hugo vibes, which is one of my favorite books, made me jump to request. Thoroughly enjoyable book that held my attention from the first chapter. I love dual timeline books and Cantor did a wonderful job marrying the two and slowly revealing the holes in Gloria’s story and the surprising connection between the two main characters. Mystery slowly unravels which keeps the reader turning the pages until it’s fulfilling conclusion. Romance takes a backseat to mystery and drama. This is my first book by Ms. Cantor and I look forward to reading her previous books.

Thanks to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing and Park Row Books for this ARC. This is my honest opinion.

Amelia is an actress whose life has fallen apart. Her mother died suddenly and her boyfriend cheated on her. So when she is offered the lead in a biopic about a famous romance writer, she believes her luck is changing. While shadowing the writer she believes that the stories of her life are lies. How can she play this role and why was she chosen for the part?

This story is full of secrets and lies. The author Gloria Diamond's version of her life and love story does not ring true. Sometimes the things we don't know about someone can hurt us? This is a quick read and you will be glued to the page to see what lie is revealed next. It definitely was a good read.

Thank you to #NetGalley, #JillianCantor, and #ParkRow for a copy of this book.
#TheGreatestLieofAll

This is a captivating read about love, friendship, and family, with major Evelyn Hugo vibes. The mysterious connection between the FMC (Amelia Grand) and Gloria Diamond, the aging romance novelist she’s portraying in a biopic, instantly hooked me.

I love the alternating timelines and Jillian Cantor's ability to give us just enough at each chapter to keep us wanting more.

For me, though, I found Mare’s character to be EXTREMELY ANNOYING on so many levels. She makes weird decisions and becomes entitled at her age. Thankfully, Amelia and Will make up for Mare’s character shortcomings.

In the end, the novel was a solid 3 Stars. The pacing was good enough, and the dual POVs and will-they-won't-they relationship between Mare and Max had me staying up late to find out what happened. The ending felt rushed, and I hated how many of the problems could've been solved if the characters just talked to one another instead of keeping quiet, but I guess we wouldn't have a book if they did.

Overall, I had a good experience reading this book.

I loved this book. Jillian Cantor has written a novel full of mystery and intrigue. It is a story about friendship, secrets, lies, love, and betrayal. It is so well written and kept me captivated through every single page. There are several likeable characters, Amelia, Will and Bess, and a couple, Gloria Diamond and George, not very so likable. I have read and loved many of Jillian Cantor’s previous books, mostly historical fiction novels, and she is now on her way to becoming a top-notch author of mystery, suspense, and thriller novels. I highly recommend The Greatest Lie of All.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for the review copy!

WARNING: it's another unpopular opinion!!

I really enjoyed my first experience with Jillian Cantor's writing last year, and I've been meaning to read more of her work ever since. The premise of this newest story kind of gave me Evelyn Hugo vibes, and I couldn't resist adding it to my shelves... Unfortunately, I ended up being an outlier once again and this story didn't quite hit the mark for me. I'm suspecting this is most likely either because my reading mood has been particularly fickle lately or because this story simply wasn't a good fit for me though.

Don't get me wrong, the premise is without doubt intriguing and I particularly liked the mix of different genres incorporated into the plot. Historical fiction, contemporary, romance, mystery, drama... The Greatest Lie Of All has it all, and as a result offers us a multi-faceted story. The plot uses a dual timeline structure as well as multiple POVs, switching between the present and the upcoming movie and many flashbacks to the past to help learn more about Gloria's life. Dual timelines can go both ways for me, and I think in this case the flashbacks slowed down the pace a bit too much for me personally.

I think part of the reason that I wasn't as invested in the story had a lot to do with the fact that I somehow struggled to connect to the characters. I didn't feel that they were fleshed out enough or there were at least too many cliches involved, and as a result I wasn't really all that interested in discovering the truth about Gloria's past. The fact that certain twists were quite obvious didn't really help either... True, I didn't see the full truth coming, but I'm not sure it was all that satisfying in the end. Will is probably the easiest to like, although some of his actions could be quite frustrating.

Another reason why The Greatest Lie Of All simply wasn't a good fit for me: the fact that there is a lot of active cheating going on especially in the flashbacks. Cheating is a major pet peeve for me and having so much focus on this topic instantly makes me enjoy any story and its characters a lot less. I wasn't a fan of how the domestic abuse topic was incorporated into the plot either... Nor the fact that so many conflicts could have been prevented by just simply putting things out in the open. Oh yes, there is a LOT of drama going on during most of the plot! Certainly an overdose for me, but again this is probably just a personal reaction.

The Greatest Lie Of All has been receiving a lot of high ratings so far, so definitely take my review with a grain of salt if you think this story could be for you... I'm just putting my two cents out there in case there are others out there who ended up with mixed thoughts.

The Greatest Lie of All by Jillian Cantor was such an emotional and captivating read. The storyline was compelling, and the author did a great job weaving together complex emotions and relationships. While I enjoyed the twists and the depth of the characters, there were moments when the pacing felt a little off, but it didn’t take away from the overall impact of the story.

It left me thinking long after I turned the last page, and for that, I gave it 4 stars—a heartfelt and memorable read.

Holy cow did I devour this novel! I was hooked by the first line and then it just kept reeling me in. I wasn’t sure why Gloria/Mare was so rude to Amelia, I mean she could have said no to having her stay with her. What unwinds is that fiction is sometimes better than the truth, when the truth is a lot of heartbreak.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy. This book is a quick read about a famous author and up-and-coming actress and how their pasts are intertwined. I think it had potential to be really interesting, but I did not connect with any of the main characters at all. They all felt a bit like caricatures rather than fully fleshed out characters, so it was hard to buy into the story. Overall, I do think this had potential, but was missing the character development to make it a rich, compelling story.

Jillian Cantor’s “The Greatest Lie of All” pulled me in from the very first chapter and didn’t let go. It is a breathtaking exploration of love lost and found, ambition, and the delicate balance between fact and fiction. Set against the glamorous backdrop of Hollywood and the secluded Pacific Northwest, the story is a mix of Hollywood drama, buried secrets, and heartfelt emotion that makes it so hard to put down.

Aspiring actress Amelia Grant is at a low point in her life—still reeling from her mom’s death and a messy breakup—when she lands the coveted role of portraying Gloria Diamond, a legendary romance author, in a biopic. Spending a week at Gloria’s secluded estate sounds like the perfect escape for Amelia, but instead of glamour, she finds a prickly, closed-off woman who seems nothing like her public persona.

The story flips between the present day and Gloria’s past, which makes the unraveling of her secrets so satisfying. The tension between Amelia and Gloria’s son, Will, adds depth and a touch of romance. Then Amelia stumbles onto something that changes everything. This book isn’t just about the lies we tell others—it’s about the ones we tell ourselves, and how those lies can both protect and imprison us.

Cantor’s writing is lush and emotionally resonant. The themes of friendship, grief, and self-discovery are beautifully handled. This is easily one of Jillian Cantor’s finest works!
Thank you to Park Row and NetGalley for the advance copy. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

The Greatest Lie of All by Jillian Cantor is a captivating tale that follows a glamorous romance novelist and an aspiring starlet as they navigate an unexpected secret. This addictive story delves into themes of love, ambition, and the lengths we will go to protect our hearts. With its irresistibly juicy plot, full of twists and layers, this novel explores the narratives we create to hide our true selves and the sacrifices we make in the name of love.

Never Meet Your Heroes - You Might Find Out More Than You Wanted To. Seriously, this book takes that age old saying to heart in its basic premise... and then spins it on its head in the actual execution of the tale at hand and in showing all that has transpired in these characters' lives.

This is one of those inventive enough tales that it seems almost completely implausible... and yet real enough that it feels all too real at the same damn time. Surely, *nothing* could be *this* convoluted, right? (Says the guy whose mother in law is best friends with her husband's ex-wife and whose grandparents lived together on the same property - at times even in the same house - even after they divorced and remarried.) In other words... yes, life can get quite messy at times, and this book does a tremendous job of showing this to great dramatic effect.

This is one of those women's fiction/ romance genre benders that actually has the *cajones* to walk right up to the RWA/ RNA gatekeepers and say "Really? You're going to try to tell me that *this* isn't a romance for the ages?". There is even at least one element of this book that will certainly, if the book reaches enough people, prove quite controversial indeed, and while I know *exactly* what those arguments will be and who (in general) will be making them, revealing even the specific nature of that particular debate pretty well spoils what this element is, so this is about as close as I can get to noting its presence without spoiling it.

Releasing late in the year when Yankees are seemingly already snowed under and largely inside their might-as-well-be Igloos for the winter and thus needing much reading material (at least that is how this Southern boy who has never lived any further north than the Atlanta exurbs tends to look at these things), this is going to be one of those great ones to read while huddled up trying to stay warm. Yes, even for us Floridians in our heaviest Arctic gear getting ready for temperatures that begin with "5" for a few days.

Very much recommended.

When I first read the blurb on this story, I pictured a sweeping love story that would be told in the past as we learn of Glorias' live and in the now as Amelia experiences it. I was both right and wrong.
Before I jump into that explanation and what I liked and didn't like about this book, I am reminded of something I heard years ago. "You can trace your entire live to one moment, one act." For Amelia, that act as the author tells us started with a red bra and set her onto a collision course with Gloria. That incident also colored my opinion a bit of Amelia, she seemed to retreat into herself a bit instead of standing firm and taking back what was hers. The author did soften her lack of engagement with the first person who wronged her by putting her in an extremely emotional place with the loss of her mother. That also setup a dynamic that followed through the story and that is simply family and how it motivates the actions of the characters in this story. For example, Amelia was excited to work with Gloria because her mother loved Gloria's book. Another example is how Gloria's son was part of the reveal of Gloria' truth.
From the jump with this story, we knew Gloria was not what was anticipated. Amelia expected a fancy home and a fancy lady, instead Gloria's home was lived in and her demeanor while cold was that of just a person. As the story unfolds we learn what shaped Gloria and what secrets she was hiding. The story was not really a happy one and while there was love that I would have expected there was also pain. Gloria was flawed and learning her history helped us understand why.
The earliest scene in the story contained a bit of tension and drama. In my mind, it setup a story that would be full of drama but the execution of the rest of the story felt a little flat to me. The story did not live up to my expectations based on the blurb. After reading other reviews, I wondered if I was being harsh so I will leave you with the story was definitely not for me but I think perhaps it might fit a different audience better. I am sticking with 3 starts but objectively speaking it might be closer to 3.5 stars.
Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing | Park Row for the opportunity to read this ARC.

This book was honestly very captivating and a great palette cleanser! I loved reading about all the interconnections between the 2 charaters.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Wow! This novel captured me from chapter one. I ‘m going to remember these characters for a long time. It has Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo vibes (but not the same at all) which I also loved.

This novel dives into the glamorous life of Hollywood (actors and authors) and covers truth, lies, ambition, romance, heartbreak and so so many secrets. There were quite a few twists. I guessed a couple but I didn’t see the rest coming.

It is a well written story with dual POV and past/present narratives. The author tied up the story perfectly. Not one loose end. I recommend this book to fans of Taylor Jenkins Smith and anyone who loves mysteries, thrillers with a touch or two of romance.

Thank you NetGalley, Jillian Cantor and Park Row for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Releases 12/3/24