I'm a huge fan of Claire Contreras! I had to get the audio of When We Lied. I loved the female narrator. She was very easy to listen to. The male narrator was kind of hard. But I still enjoyed the audio of When We Lied. I loved the whole book and the plot. I was not expecting the plot twist at the end. My mouth was wide open in shock!

What a twist! I'd call this a Romantic Thriller!

Publisher's summary
Finneas Alexander Barlow is a walking thirst trap. Tall, hot, and broody. Tousled brown hair, chiseled jaw, alluring green eyes, perfect teeth, well-groomed beard, broad shoulders, and lips good enough to bite. He’d look like a Disney prince if the prince was a broody ahole.
Four years ago, a fated meeting led to an inevitable hook-up. Just one. It’s his rule. One-time hook-ups, no information exchanges, and no repeats. I knew that even before he established his boundaries, and he kept his promise. I hadn’t seen or heard from him since.
A year ago, when tragedy struck, he came back to town and sought me out. Gone was the disarming grin and the innuendos he’d once used to make my knees go weak. Unfortunately, his ire was equally debilitating. Now he’s back as the face of Fairview’s brand new professional hockey team and he’s looking for answers I don’t have. Finn won’t accept that, though. He’s as determined to uncover my secrets as I am to keep them. He pushes as hard as I pull. It’s only a matter of time before the rope snaps. Now I can only hope I'm the one left standing.

Thanks to NetGalley & The Wicked Pen for the ALC of this book!

When We Lied
By: Claire Contreras
Narrated by: Stephen Dexter, Janine Granda
Series: Fairview Hockey, Book 2
Publisher: The Wicked Pen
Release date: 06-14-24

Ok I loved this one! The story starts out with our MCs meeting in a club, having a moment of passion, and parting ways with the expectation this was a one time thing. Fast forward a few years and the audience is piecing together the aftermath of a tragedy, the mystery unfolding, and what ultimately brings our characters back together. I loved how despite Finn's reputation he was obsessed with Josslyn the moment he saw her. Joss herself was such a sweet and fun character, but I liked how she played such an active role in solving the mystery on her own terms.

I think the way the author organized this story worked so well for revealing bits of information at a time and keeping the reader on edge like our characters. With new twists I was surprised each time and can say I never saw the conclusion coming! The other thing I appreciated was the story felt complete with extra chapters plus an epilogue after the final mystery/conflict. Sometimes it seems books wrap up too quickly just giving a brief flash forward epilogue rather than giving the readers a bit of insight into the healing and how things all came together. I mean after all the trauma and angst we endured with these characters we definitely deserved more happy moments so thank you!

The narrators were on their game! The mix of romance and mystery was superb! The MC's were perfection! 5/5

Audiobook received from NetGallet for review.

A powerfull love story. Claire brings to life complex, unperfect but strong characters and you can't help but root for them tofind love forever. Tough subjects as suicide, mental health and depression are well developed into the story. Finn and Jovelyn are perfect for each other. The audiobook with Stephen Dexter and Janina Granda, makes the story even better

When We Lied- Claire Contreras
Narrated by Stephen Dexter and Janine Granda

Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Narration 🎧🎧🎧🎧🎧

You know with a title like “When We Lied” you’re about to go into one heck of a story. I forgot how suspenseful Claire’s books are, at least this series. The storytelling is so beautiful. I love seeing a woman bringing a playboy to his knees and our girl Joslyn did just that with hockey playboy Finn. From the moment he saw her at his sister’s birthday party four years ago, he was smitten, be he’s a one and done kind of guy, and it remained that way. Until 3 years later, when tragedy brings them back together and they both have questions about what happened. They had undeniable chemistry and they had me guessing the whole time what was going to happen and I was shooketh when all the questions finally got answered.

Stephen and Janine were *perfection* in this one. They brought Finn and Joslyn to life and it was just an incredible performance for both of them. Great job to both narrators!

This was a hockey romance? Where was the hockey? Anyway, this one was good but not great for me. Overall I liked the story but I did feel like it dragged on a bit. It was definitely spicy which I liked but I did feel like it lacked a bit of romance between the two MC's. A majority of the book focuses on the sister's death which is fine, but I feel like it overshadowed the relationship between the MC's.

The audiobook narrators, Stephen Dexter; Janine Granda did a great job narrating the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Select | The Wicked Pen for access to the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

This audiobook was such a wild ride! The story is told in dual narration which was done very well! The narrators definitely brought both characters to life. The book is more than a sports romance we get some suspense and mystery! I loved Finn and Jos’s relationship! Finn was always a one night stand type of guy but he was different with Jos, he could tell something set her apart from the rest of the girls he had been with. Following Mallory’s story was such a rollercoaster that ended with a twist! I loved seeing Lachlan and Lyla! Definitely recommend the audiobook!

5/5 stars
3/5 spice

The narrators did an amazing job bringing Josslyn and Finn to life. I was completely engrossed and loved getting back to these characters. It's still a favorite, and I'll probably re-read again when I get my physical copy. My full review is below... just giving love to the narrators first.

Tropes:
Sports romance🏒🏀
Obsessed/Possessive Hero
Mutual pining
Found family
Multicultural/Interracial
S3x Club
Touch Her and die
No 3rd act break up
Dual POV

I love it when the player falls hard... it's just perfection seeing them go through all that denial and angst. It's so entertaining lol...
The banter was fun... and Finn would say the most outrageous things to get Josslyn to give in to their mutual sexual attraction.

I was also having fun with the mystery plot. I swear I thought I had it figured out, but that plot twist got me!

Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book. I loved the cameos of all the characters from Until I Get You. I wasn't expecting that much interaction, but they were in quite a few chapters. Loved it!

If you love sports romances and a bit of mystery thrown into the mix, then you'll love this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for giving me an ALC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and offered voluntarily.

Trigger/Content warnings:
Mentions suicide (off page), implied SA, death, violence, gun violence, blood, injury details, drug abuse, explicit sexual content, explicit language

Everyone knows I always love a broody hockey player romance with a little bit of suspense, but audio took When We Lied to the next level for me. Finn and Joss are absolute fire and tension together and the voice actors (Stephen Dexter; Janine Granda) truly brought them to life. From the emotional parts to the steamy parts, they absolutely NAILED these characters with their acting. The audiobook is available now and I highly, highly recommend it. It made me swoon, it made me giggle, and it had me on the edge of my seat trying to figure out WHAT happened. So so good.

If you love heroes who are a little extra obsessed with the heroine, then you will love this steamy and suspenseful romance read!

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Select for the audiobook ARC of "When We Lied" by Claire Contreras. I did not realise that it was part of an interconnected series but it was no issue to follow the story if you hadn't read the other books. I loved the story and the spice was great. I especially liked that the plot was still there, it wasn't "just" spice. I also enjoyed the relationship the two MC's developed throughout the book without it feeling too rushed. The story was well paced and the narration was also enjoyable. Overall I very much enjoyed the book.

Holy wow this one was addictive! Firstly I didn’t realise it was connected to other books, but it reads perfectly fine as a standalone! Secondly I seriously loved this sexy suspenseful read! And thirdly the narrators did such an amazing job!!
The speed of the story fluctuates a bit, but my attention was held the entire time trying to piece things together. And that plot twist is epic. Blew my mind!

Finn and Jocelyn are next level on the charts for their chemistry! The way they meet and how everything happens is just so good. I love that Joc says Finns full name and how possessive he is of her! It was all just so great and now I need to go read the books I’ve missed 😆

3.5 ⭐️
3 🌶️

A special thanks to NetGalley and Claire Contreras for this ALC.

I really enjoyed the mystery and suspense that this book brought to the table. The beginning of this book started on the spicier side so that quickly caught my attention too 🤭 The spice was SPICING but I felt like the bond/development of the romanic aspect between Finn and Josslyn didn't feel complete/well done.

If you are looking for a spicy book filled with mystery and suspense, I think you'll enjoy this! I have nothing negative to say about the narration. They did a good job 👏

📚 When We Lied by Claire Contreras
🔖 Series: Fairview Hockey
🎧 Format: Audiobook
📕 Genre: Romance, New Adult, Fiction
📖 Read: June 2024
✨ Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“I plan on being with you until forever ends.”

‧₊˚✧ Tropes ✧˚₊‧
ꕥ Grumpy Pro Hockey Player
ꕥ Sunshiny College Basketball Player
ꕥ Possessive MMC
ꕥ Found Family
ꕥ Brother’s Teammate
ꕥ Touch Her & Die
ꕥ No Third Act Break Up 😍

I 100% squealed like a school girl when I was approved for this audiobook. I have been dying to listen to a Claire Contreras book and was so excited when this popped up. The fact that Stephen Dexter narrated Finn’s POV was the cherry on top! I absolutely love his deep beautiful voice! This was the first time I’ve listened to something Janine Granda narrated and I was very impressed. Both did an amazing job portraying the characters in this story.

I won’t lie, I finished this audiobook in less than 24 hours. I was so obsessed with it. The plot had so many twists and turns and I loved the mystery laced into the storyline. Both Jocelyn and Finn came across very mature. Ironically, I found their relationship to be very honest. There were a few small things that got in the way, but when confronted, they were always up front with each other and there was no miscommunication.

This book was honestly a world wind. The journey we get to see these two go on is incredible, considering how it starts. 😏 The chemistry from the beginning was insane and the spice definitely did not disappoint. I without a doubt recommend this book! It was perfection!!

Thank you NetGalley, Dreamscape Select and Claire Contreras for the audiobook. This is my voluntary, honest review.

Thank you NetGalley , Dreamscape Select, The Wicked Pen and Claire Contreras for ALC of When We Lied narrated by Narrated by Stephen Dexter; Janine Grand.
Beautiful story. Claire Contreras is a auto buy author for me. I enjoyed this audiobook so much. I was hooked from beginning to end. Stephen Dexter a Janine Grand did such an amazing job bringing the characters to life. This story is more than hockey romance. The suspense and spicy was everything. I could stop listening.

Synopsis: Finneas Alexander Barlow is a walking thirst trap. Tall, hot, and broody. Tousled brown hair, chiseled jaw, alluring green eyes, perfect teeth, well-groomed beard, broad shoulders, and lips good enough to bite. He’d look like a Disney prince if the prince was a broody ahole.

Four years ago, a fated meeting led to an inevitable hook-up. Just one. It’s his rule. One-time hook-ups, no information exchanges, and no repeats. I knew that even before he established his boundaries, and he kept his promise. I hadn’t seen or heard from him since.

A year ago, when tragedy struck, he came back to town and sought me out. Gone was the disarming grin and the innuendos he’d once used to make my knees go weak. Unfortunately, his ire was equally debilitating. Now he’s back as the face of Fairview’s brand new professional hockey team and he’s looking for answers I don’t have. Finn won’t accept that, though. He’s as determined to uncover my secrets as I am to keep them. He pushes as hard as I pull. It’s only a matter of time before the rope snaps. Now I can only hope I'm the one left standing.

Review: loooooook. I loved this. loved it. there's just something about a toxic man that's obsessed with his woman. (yes, I'm in therapy, leave me alone). the twist was something I absolutely wasn't expecting but damn was it good. love, love, loved this. Also, the audiobook was spectacular.

When We Lied was such an addictive, unputdownable, suspenseful, spicy read and I loved every second of it. It was a bit of a slow burn and lengthy in some parts but overall really enjoyable. Going into it I had no idea what I was embarking on and man oh man I've been missing out on this author. I loved her blend of suspense, romance and spice it was PERFECT 👌 It was all over the book which made me truly enjoy it even more.

I absolutely loved Finn, he's a possessive, obsessed, dirty talking, hot hockey player that's completely obsessed with his girl. What more could you want? He would do ANYTHING for her. Josslyn was also a great FMC. The two of them together were absolutely explosive, hot damn the spice was off the freaking charts 🥵🥵🥵

The plot and the storyline truly kept me glued to the book. It was the perfect blend of everything. I guessed one of things that happened, but the twist at the end I was shocked, truly wasn't expecting that. It won't be my last by this author that's for sure !!

🎧 The narration by Stephen Dexter & Janine Granda was amazing. They brought the characters to life. I truly felt I was watching a movie. The spicy scenes with them were so very hot, be warned, listen alone. All the emotions, the tones of their voices everything was great.

✨️Thank you to @netgalley, @dreamscapemedia & @clairecontreras for my gifted ALC in exchange for an honest review.

LOVED this audiobook.

Super spicy, great characters and a mystery! What more could you ask for?

There were a lot of characters introduced in this book, but still easy to follow. I love Finn and Jocelyn.

Such a great story!

I loved being back in the world of Until I Get You. When We Lied is a standalone, you don’t need to know Lila and Lachlan’s story to appreciate their presence in this book, but knowing them only added to my love of this story. Finn and Joss are just so sweet for each other. The story does take place over years - from their first meeting to them getting together - and it’s all important in their story. But I thought the wide timeline was handled so well and it didn’t detract from their story in the present. They’re brought together through the death of Finn’s sister (and Joss’ friend). These two are faced with so much adversity but their communication brings them through without a breakup - which was so beautiful to listen to. Speaking of listening, the narrators are both new to me in this book, but they both did an incredible job bringing Finn and Joss to life. Once I started, I could not put this down!

This was marketed as a hockey romance but there wasn't much hockey involved. The mystery suspense element played a big part of this story and it was fairly interesting until it seemed to drag on a little too long. I enjoyed the audiobook narration of this one. It was a steamier book than I expected (it was my first read by Claire Contreras) but I did enjoy this side of it.

Spicy and suspenseful, this one kept my attention until the very end! Although the ending was a tad predictable, the storyline was intriguing.
The characters were well developed and played well off of each other. Their chemistry was palpable and Finn’s obsession with Joss was somehow enduring. I will be looking for other books to read by this author in the future!
Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.