Hiding Lies

I absolutely love the characters in the Eleanor Ames books and was thrilled to read an arc of this 2nd novel in the series. Eleanor is a wonderful character with spunk and personality. Miles, her boyfriend/FBI agent in training/tough guy, is another wonderful character! When I read these books I feel like I should be watching a great drama series on the CW! Full of mystery and intrigue, former con artist Ellie is trying to help change her mother's jail sentence. Her choices lead her back into the life she was trying to escape and forces her to see her father again. Set on a school trip to NYC, this story picks up right where the first book left off. With her friends, Ellie finds herself battling con artists, mobsters and the FBI. The story is well written and the plot moves quickly. I really enjoy the cast of characters and I'm excited to see where their story goes next! I am secretly hoping for a Harper/Aiden story too since Ellie's sister and her boyfriend are also brilliant characters. Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

I received a copy HIDING LIES on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the publisher and author.

Five stars and here's why:

HIDING LIES kept me reading way past my bedtime. Julie Cross delivers a riveting suspenseful story. I got sucked in on page one and ended up with a wicked book hangover.

I didn’t read the first book in the series, but this HIDING LIES can be read as a standalone. That being said, I just bought the first book, CHASING TRUTH, because I need to be totally immersed in this story as it’s that good. Ellie reminds me of Veronica Mars. Boy, was I addicted to that story. Ellie apparently helped put her con-artist mom in jail and she’s been dealing with the fallout of that situation. She decides to go undercover and get the real villain – her father – and that’s when the story takes off and you just can’t put the book down.

If you love a book about a sassy, savvy girl, some sexy guys, and a suspenseful plot filled with twists and turns that’ll keep your head glued to the page, then this book is for you! Highly recommend!

Review: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥



Refreshing and vibrant. 5*

I'm totally in love with Julie Cross's books. This is my fourth and I just can't wait for more! If she's writing I'm reading! Her stories are always colourful and her characters are complex.

Hiding lies is the follow-up book to Chasing Truth. It can be read as a standalone (It has all the catch up you need) but I would recommend reading book one first.

Eleanor Ames has been compared to Veronica Mars and in many ways, she's the closest famous character to relate to her, but Ellie is so much more. Who is Eleanor Ames? Well, that's just it. Not even Ellie knows who she really is. Her mother is in jail and her father is a notorious con man. She now lives with her sister and they have a fake name but Ellie doesn't know her real name anyway. Ellie feels bad about how things turned out for her mother. She feels her dad should be the one doing the time.

Ellie is now settled into a normal high school teen life. She studies and is actually considering college. Two things Ellie never thought she could have. Her boyfriend Miles aka secret agent in training is visiting her for Christmas before he vacations in Turkey. His parents have accepted her and he is keeping her self-defence skills in top form.

Ellie's family are all con artists. Her cousins are probably not related to her and all family members have special talents. Her father is the mastermind behind the cons and her mother was the conscience that kept them safe. Now she's gone her father has taken his tricks to a whole new level. Ellie's cousin, Oscar has managed to hunt her down and wants her help. The family are in trouble and Oscar thinks Ellie is the only one who can turn it around.

Dominic was close to Simon and Miles. Now he will become Ellie's new best friend. We get to see a whole new side to Dominic and I'm loving his character. He's smart and brilliant when he puts his mind to it.

Miles and Ellie's relationship is taken to the next level. I love these two and their relationship is just so complex. The criminal and the federal agent. It works so well. They both have a trick or two up their sleeves. Their relationship is intense and passionate.

The great thing about this book is that we get to see all the characters again and the story follows perfectly. We get to know more about Ellie's past. There is no black and white everything is grey.

We are going on a schools trip with Holden Prep to New York City. The trip will be educational in more ways than one. There will be an opportunity to meet with college representatives, write a school report and enjoy the delights the city has to offer. The problem is Ellie is taking more than her school friends. She has to juggle school work, meet with her father and did I mention the FBI? They have decided to join the party too! Ellie has a new mission. She's hoping to help her mum get out of jail but this ride is going to be bumpy.

I absolutely love this story. It's exciting and full of twists. The characters are dynamic and interesting.

I really like Julie Cross's writing style and she keeps me hooked on every word. There is so much more I could tell you about this book but I don't want to spoil anything. In my opinion, this is a must-read. Highly recommended. It has romance, dangerous missions and loveable characters.

5 stars out of 5. I enjoyed this one even more than the first. *I received ARC in exchange for a review.

Hiding Lies (Book 2 Eleanor Ames Series) Is a Fantastic book. It was full of suspense and I couldn't but it down. Another Great book by Julie Cross but I can't say I'm surprise she's a terrific writer!!!!

leanor Ames is back and Hiding Lies was just as enjoyable as book one.  



Ellie is dealing with her regrets of getting her mom put in jail.  She is willing to do just about anything to get her out.  Once she finds out that her mom is getting ten years, Ellie offers to go undercover with her family to get her dad instead.  Luckily Holden Prep is heading to New York and that just happens to be where her dad is.  Her "cousin", Oscar, finds her and says that her dad is in over his head this time.

Miles is acting a bit distant and keeping something from Ellie.  But Dominic gets pulled into this con and helps Ellie out with her family.  I loved Dominic in this book.  He provided a break in tension with his humor.

"God, how do you do this shit all the time?  I'm on a verge of a dozen nervous breakdowns."

Hiding Lies has a fast pace with different twists and betrayals.  Ellie finds herself wondering if she can trust Miles, even after she realizes that she is in love with him.  She is also keeping secrets from Harper and having to use her friends and the teacher she really likes.  But she just wants to help her mom and get revenge on her dad.  



I can't wait for book three and to find out if Ellie will ever be able to live a normal life.  I gave Hiding Lies 4  1/2 stars (rounded up to 5 on goodreads).

Thank you to Entangled Teen for providing me with a copy of this book for review.  The quote above is taken from the arc and may change before release date.

5 STARS!!

It's been one of the best reading experiences getting back into the world of Eleanor Ames. She is by far one of my favorite YA heroines and this is definitely a favorite series. My expectations were high for this second outing, because Chasing Truth was a favorite YA book of mine from 2017. Yet, Julie Cross outdoes herself and delivers a funny, tempestuous, shocking, and ultimately romantic story. I honestly can't decide which book I love more. They are equally fabulous. With the way Hiding Lies is written, it can well and truly stand on its own, but it would be an injustice not to read Chasing Truth first and get the whole Eleanor Ames experience. Personally, I loved how some of the characters from the first book took new and exciting roles in this one. I'm not sure if this is a continuing series or just a duology, but if the author plans to continue in the world of Eleanor Ames, I will most assuredly follow. (This is my voluntary and unbiased review of an advanced copy of Hiding Lies via the publisher and Netgalley.)

Rating: 4.5 stars

I have to say, I enjoyed this one just as much as the first book, which means I really liked it. Some of the things I enjoyed:

•You all know I love being in NYC. It's always a treat to read a story set in my hometown, and I enjoyed traipsing around the boroughs with Ellie and the gang from Holden Prep.

•Though I missed spending time with Aiden and Harper, I enjoyed all the quality time spent with Justice and Dominic. Dominic and Ellie grow a lot closer on this trip, and I learned that there's a lot more to Dominic than meets the eye.

•Ellie's "family" plays a big role in this book. We learn a lot more about Ellie's life before, as well as what happened to her parents after the FBI raid. It was really interesting to get that first hand look at her life before, as well as revisit her memories pertaining to her previous life.

•I was pretty shocked to discover what Miles was doing on his Christmas vacation, and it added an extra level of intrigue to the story for me.

•Miles little excursion was only one of many twists Cross threw at me, and I enjoy following those twists and turns throughout the book.

•The romance ramps up in this one, and you know I was happy about that. I ship these two hard and just want to see them in a solid relationship with each other.

•I am a fan of this kind of series. Where there is a shorter story arc completed in the book, which also adding to the series arc.

•That ending made my heart sing. It was all sorts of wonderful.

Overall: Another great Eleanor Ames story, which left me all sorts of satisfied. If this is the last book, Cross gave us a great ending, but I must say, I would love to read more of Eleanor and Miles' adventures.