2 Book Lovers Reviews

​​​This is my first 5-star read of 2025!

Tell Me Lies was a whirlwind of emotions. As a reader who is always searching for that book that is angst-filled, emotional, and has the possibility to break my heart, this novel certainly hit the spot. I felt every emotion as if it were happening to me (but thank goodness, it wasn't). It hurt, it angered me, it shocked me, and it kept me completely invested and glued to its pages.

The story follows Lucy Albright and Stephen DeMarco as they meet in college and follows them after graduation in New York City. It alternates between Lucy and Stephen’s perspectives, and the reader gets an insight into each of their personalities, their lives, and their thoughts. I enjoyed this back and forth. It helped give me the opportunity to get to know them. Did I like Lucy and Stephen? I would have to say no. Did I have strong opinions of them? Oh, hell yes!

Lucy was excited to have a new start far away from her home in Long Island, New York. When she meets Stephen DeMarco, he exudes confidence and charm. He knows just what to say, how to get what he wants, and he is utterly shameless. They had a chemistry and a spark that was undeniable, however, Stephen was a game player, a liar, a manipulator, and a self-centered piece of…work. But sometimes we want what we know we shouldn’t have. We know that someone might not be the best person for us, but the heart wants what the head is screaming a resounding “No!” to. We lie to ourselves because we truly want them to be the right person.

I felt for Lucy. I did. I also wanted to shake some sense into her. With every turn of the page, I wished I could sit her down and give her some good, experienced advice. It was frustrating to watch her succumb to her desire for someone who was so unworthy. Oh, don’t get me wrong, she had her own personal challenges. She was far from perfect, but she had experienced an “Unforgiveable Thing” by her mother, and I certainly did feel for her situation. She had so much to overcome.

I don’t think that there was one turn of the page in which I didn’t feel this book right in the pit of my stomach. I could go on and on about these characters and their story, but I will let other readers discover it for themselves. If you enjoy a tumultuous story, this is the book for you.

Carola Lovering delivered an addictive story that gave me exactly what I was looking for. This book made me feel, boy, did it ever! I have read every novel that this author has written, and I am eagerly awaiting her next one.

*5 Stars

 
 

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