#ALovelyLie#
By: Jaime Lynn Hendricks
A lie in the past between two teens to hide their involvement in a homicidal car crash is forgotten as life moves on. Years later, the daughter of one of the teens discovers a letter her mother wrote to the other teen. The letter reveals secrets between the two that affect this daughter's life. She wants answers. Confronting her mother's long-ago friend brings dire consequences. The plot keeps you turning pages as you don't know what to expect next.

This may be Jaime Lynn Hendricks's best thriller yet. Told in multiple POV and in two different timelines (although the past timelines is not always consecutive), A Lovely Lie tells the story of cheating teens who died in an unfortunate accident--and that's what it is: a story, because Scarlett Russo has been hiding the truth of what really happened that night twenty-two years ago. And when a woman appears claiming to be the daughter of Scarlett's former best friend, searching for her father, the story unravels, revealing truths even Scarlett knew nothing about. Truths that may destroy her marriage and threaten her liberty.

Several times I thought I knew what was going to happen, and then a twist threw me for a loop. Even reveals I sort of expected led to more twists. The ending is satisfying and the characters fleshed out and realistic. Scarlett was admittedly not the strongest in the past, but over the course of the book she finds her inner voice and takes charge of her life. The book is excellently narrated by Hillary Huber, to the point that even young Scarlett and Pepper sound distinct from the more mature selves. If you only read one psychological thriller this month, A Lovely Lie should be at the top of your list.

This book has a really interesting storyline. None of the characters are particularly likable but you can’t look away from their dysfunction. I wish the last few chapters had been tighter to heighten the suspense but other than that the pacing was good. The book also has an egregious amount of f-bombs. So if you can’t handle that, skip this one.

I loved this one!!! I am a huge fan of Jamie, her writing is beautiful, and her twists and turns are my favorite. Although I listened to this one, I also read it and the day it came out I was at Barnes and nobles 0900 to get my hands on it on that certain Tuesday. Oh. My. God. With methodical plotting, dynamite characters, and a whole pile of delicious secrets, A Lovely Lie was one heck of an epic rollercoaster ride from beginning to end. What got me the most, however, was the fast pace and intricate plot. Alternating between multiple POVs and dual timelines, it was clear that Hendricks must have had a spreadsheet to keep track of who knew what when. As for the best part of this sublime tale of domestic suspense, the twists and turns certainly took the lead in a very packed list. Each delivered in a subtle but perfectly timed way, they took the plot I suspected and morphed it into one that was truly unguessable. So much so, in fact, that I gave each and every character the side-eye as I looked on them with suspicion. After all, they each had their own motives and, as their lies and betrayals were unearthed, I simply held on for dear life.

A Lovely Lie is a tale of friendship, lies, and betrayal. Scarlett is confronted by the daughter of her high school best friend. She is shocked to hear that her friend, Pepper, is dead. She is even more surprised to learn that her husband, and Pepper’s ex high school boyfriend, may be the father of Pepper’s daughter. Zoey has come to Florida to find her father, and also uncover what happened 20years ago at the graduation party that left two graduates dead.
This book does tell an interesting story about how secrets have a way of coming back to haunt you. Told from several perspectives, the narrative does get a bit muddled, but the slow reveal of the mountains of lies will keep you reading.

Hendricks has a knack for crafting binge-worthy books, and this one is no exception!
Her stories are consistently gripping and I'm quickly drawn in from the start.

Narrated from various perspectives and across alternating timelines, we're treated to a captivating array of characters, each intriguing in their own right, even if not entirely likable!

The storyline is entertaining, tense, and irresistibly juicy! It's a top-notch popcorn thriller, ideal for a summer read!

Best friend stick together no matter what. And 20 years later they are still covering for each other.. or are they? Secrets are hard to keep but secrets about murder are nearly impossible to keep buried as the characters in this novel figure out pretty quickly. When the daughter of her best friend comes back to Florida to discover her recently deceased mother's past, Scarlett is faced with a past that she thought was behind her. This novel had me changing my mind about almost every character and provided some very fun villains that the reader will love to hate.

This book had me engaged the whole time! I love that there were back flashes and different points of views, but not too many where I would get confused. I listened to it in 24 hours and would definitely recommend!

Loved this book. Scarlett and Pepper were best friends in the 90's until an unfortunate event following senior picnic night. A fatal accident happened, and they promised each other they wouldn't tell a sole. 22 years later, Pepper’s daughter Zoey shows up in their Florida hometown wanting answers as to who her father is and what really happened that night over two decades ago. Her appearance throws Scarlett who is married to Vince, Pepper's high school sweetheart into a tailspin. Let the mystery begin! This was definitely a page turner for me! Well done!

Scarlet and Vince are in a loveless marriage. Scarlet is holding on to the idea of marriage for her son’s sake but not Vince. He only married Scarlet out of duty but is still in love with his high school girlfriend Pepper, Scarlet’s old best friend.
When Zoe, Pepper’s daughter, discovers a hidden diary after her mother has died that alludes to a hidden secret she seeks out Scarlet and demands that Scarlet tell her what secrets she and her mother buried years ago. Zoe claims Scarlet must know all her mother’s coveted secrets, including who Zoe’s father is, but Scarlet must decide if now is the time to uncover past mistakes.
Determined to find out, Zoe puts her investigative journalism studies to the test to discover more than just who her father is. But is it Vince or someone else that changed all their fates long ago at the senior picnic?
Overall rating 3/5
Such a great audio version of this book done by Hillary Huber! Hendricks poses a great discussion on past mistakes done in our younger years and at the hands of someone that is highly manipulative. Would you do what you think is right or wrong for the someone you think you love? Also when confronted with your husband’s possible love child how would you react? And a love child with your former best friend? I love the dynamics between all of the characters and the twists in the middle leading to a great domestic thriller.

*Thank you to Jamie Lynn Hendricks, Netgalley and HighBridge Audio for the audiobook ARC copy. I am freely leaving my honest review.

Enjoyed it. Listened and read along. Loved the setting and characters. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

This was a FANTASTIC thriller! I loved the multiple perspectives and I didn't see every twist coming which I love in a thriller. It was suspenseful and just when you thought you had it figured out, something unexpected popped up. I look forward to more books from this author. This was awesome!

Thank you, HighBridge Audio for this advance copy in exchange for my review.

Is it better to believe a lovely lie, or to know the brutal truth?

Told through dual POVs and timelines, this twisty read will leave you questioning whose side you're on and what exactly to believe happened in 1999 after the senior's picnic.

If you're looking for a nice easy read, this popcorn thriller is for you!

🎧📖 note: Hillary Huber is perfect as usual in capturing different emotions from different characters.

Would you still keep a secret for a friend in high school that you haven’t seen or talked to in over twenty years?

A Lovely Lie is a face paced, popcorn thriller if you are missing that drama from high school that you still might not be over. Relatable if you live in a small town where everyone’s partner is so and so’s ex.

If you like toxic, unlikeable characters or just need to figure out what really happened when given a web of lies this book is for you.

Thank you Net Galley for the ARC.

Jamie Lynn Hendricks’s new thriller A Lovely Lie is a gripping ride that will keep you guessing until the end!

Scarlett Russo has spent years trying to forget the tragic car accident from her senior year, but when her old friend Pepper’s daughter, Zoey, shows up with questions, those buried secrets start surfacing. As Zoey digs deeper into her mother’s past, Scarlett’s carefully built life begins to unravel. Full of twists and turns, this book will have you questioning everything and everyone.

My only ‘complaint’ is that the ending seemed to come at you super fast! Don’t get me wrong I was very satisfied and enthralled with how it all came together, I just felt it was a little rushed! But overall, if you love a good page-turner, A Lovely Lie is a must-read!

Huge thank you to #netgalley and @scarletsuspense for the advanced audiobook copy!

Rounding up to 4.5 stars. I enjoyed the dual timelines and MPVs. Yes, some parts of the story are a bit far-fetched, but I've come to expect that from a good thriller as you'll see when the secrets and lies unfold. A novel filled with drama, tension, deception and twists. Thanks to Netgalley I was able to review the audiobook.

This was a great book, with all sorts of back and forth in time. What happens at the end of high school. A lot of secrets, and twists and turns. Very good book!

🚗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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Lies, lies, and more lies abound in this mystery involving the deaths of two graduating high school seniors and the paternity of a young woman who is trying to get answers more than 20 years later. What really happened the night of that senior picnic in Florida?

There was very little buy-in from me from the beginning of this story because I didn't feel like the author introduced the characters very well. All the action began so abruptly. The ending was equally abrupt and unsatisfying, but there was enough of a twisty plot to keep me listening to the audiobook. This book had the potential to be better, but the execution was off. The narrator was OK but sounded kind of robotic.

2.5 stars.

A Lovelyn Lie by Jamie Lynn Hendricks. This book is everything you want in a thriller. Mystery, heart racing moments, suspense. This book truly had it all. I did not see the ending coming and I really enjoyed getting to know all of the different characters. The narrator was fantastic. READ THIS BOOK!