Rating: ????
Genre: Contemporary Fiction

In the book, the protagonists are three sisters who are brought back together for the occasion of one of their sisters' wedding, which takes place in an English castle. As a librarian and a widow, Sylvie, whose name is derived from Sylvia Plath, is about to tie the knot with Simon Rampling, a man who is extremely wealthy.

Even though her sister Cleo, who is named after Cleopatra, is a criminal defense attorney and has relationship issues, she will take on the responsibility of investigating Simon's history in order to ensure that her sister is making the right choice by marrying that man.

On the other hand, Emma's life is falling apart because she has made a number of decisions that are problematic from a financial standpoint, and she has been attempting to conceal the entire situation from her husband.

Add to the above mix a toxic mother who used to care about nothing but herself! Will she change this time, though? You need to read to find out.

The book is narrated from the POVs of the three sisters, and thankfully, all are in third-person narration style. I think the author has done a great job with the family dynamics. I enjoyed reading about the three sisters, their stories, and how they bonded. Themes of unity and forgiveness were really impactful here.

There were times when the story seemed predictable, but that did not detract from its endearing qualities or positive atmosphere. Some of the themes in this story include love, forgiveness, healing, and unity. It was an entertaining read.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book.giveaway-read netgalley x-4-star ...more43 s29 comments Jennifer *Nottoomanybooks*344 40

Sylvie, Cleo and Emma are sisters who all have secrets that could potentially ruin their relationships with their significant others and each other. When Sylvie meets Simon, she is swept off her feet in a whirlwind romance. They get engaged quickly and are to marry in Simon’s castle over in London. Cleo finds out some unsavory information about Simon and decides she needs to tell her sister before the wedding. I enjoyed this one, it kept my attention, I read it in 3 days. I enjoyed finding out about the secrets and how people reacted when they learned them. I was happy with the epilogue, it wraps everything up nicely in a bow for all the characters. This book is divided into many parts, each one having multiple chapters told through each sister’s POV. I loved getting into their heads!11 s Dianne1,680 133

Happy Publication Day!

I really don't know if I can give this book a star rating, but a 5-star rating seems appropriate.

As you can tell, this book is about lies; it is also about a family of 3 sisters, a mother, and the men in almost all their lives. This book had me feeling several emotions as I was reading it. I had a twisty, anxious feeling in my stomach for some parts, deep anger for other parts, and a nearly ho-hum feeling for a lot of it. But this book blended these parts well and kept me fascinated, so that I just had to finish it!

One sister - Sylvie - annoyed me with her dreaminess and longing for her long-dead husband (I know that sounds cold, but if you read this book, I think you'll see what I mean). Another sister -Emma- is keeping a HUGE secret (lie) from her husband that may destroy her family, and the last sister- Chloe- just can't seem to get her act together romantically even though she is an intelligent, sharp-witted woman.

Sylvie is getting married, and the whole family, including their estranged *itch of a mother, is going to England to a castle to see it happen. Of course, this castle happens to be Sylvie's fiance's castle!

Things go from excellent to bad to worse and then to nearly excellent again.

Everything is tied up neatly in a nice epilogue.

A perfect beach read, in my opinion. This was a fast read, told from three different views, and kept me riveted.

*ARC was supplied by the publisher Ballantine Books/Random House, the author, and NetGalley. My thanks.2024 galleys-arcs netgalley9 s Meagan (Meagansbookclub)510 2,779

Just fine.

Estranged sisters with a terrible mother and dead dad. Sisters gather to rich fiancés castle for wedding and drama ensues. Nothing original? Might be nice to toss into a beach bag?? I don’t know. I won’t remember this story tomorrow guaranteed.7 s Anne1,467 34

This is a clever book about three sisters who "reunite" in England at the outset of Sylvie's wedding to Simon. Because they are getting married in a grand baroque castle that belongs to Simon's family, everyone is excited to be a new place with so many things to explore. But they all have secrets; one is in love with her best friend, one is almost bankrupt, and the third is harboring thoughts about something that she witnessed as a child. And many families, these people have messy, complicated lives (and children) that may be upended if drastic decisions are made. It's a wild ride but worth it in the end!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!5 s Amy2,102 1,934

3.5/5

I am always drawn to a story about sisters, something about that family dynamic never gets old to me and throw in some drama and I’m set. This follows the Peacock sisters and there was lots of secrets and drama in this family that kept me pretty entertained. Based on the title I knew there would also be lies obviously but I didn’t realize how big and dramatic some of them would be. None of the characters were super likable to me, but they were interesting enough and this one went by quickly. I really enjoyed the setting of the castle for Sylvie’s wedding and enjoyed the details and history highlighted throughout. I struggled a bit with some of the situations but overall this was mostly enjoyable for me. If you family dramas with toxic relationships and complicated upbringings give this a try.3 s Shannon5,542 309

This was such an easy and ENJOYABLE binge read!! By far my new favorite from author Amanda Eyre Ward, this story has a dysfunctional family with estranged sisters, secrets, lies, second chances, a destination wedding and a bookish, librarian female main character. It was great on audio and unputdownable! Highly recommended, especially for fans of authors Lian Dolan. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

CW: absentee parent, death of a spousenetgalley-arc prh-audio3 s Kim618 38

Absolutely delightful and funny and heartwarming and relatable! This story reads a modern day fairytale; complete with a handsome prince or two, a narcissistic mother, and her three daughters who are lost in a big world looking for love. I loved every word of this book, it brought me so much joy! Thank you Netgalley, Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine and the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. This book will be available for purchase on May 14, 2024favorites netgalley3 s Christi1,165 34

This story of three estranged sisters starts a little slow but by the end of Part II, I could not put down this book. I was rooting for all three Peacock sisters: Cleo, the workaholic attorney in NYC' Emma, the wife and mom who stayed in Montana, and Sylvie, the widow librarian in Miami. This book has multiple complicated relationships, a toxic mother, a whirlwind romance, and a rundown English castle. What's not to ? I also d that the kids in this book were regular kids who aren't overly precocious or bratty or only for comic relief. Every character in this book is able - except for the toxic mom - and I wanted them all to be happy and loved.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the advance reader copy. I am required by law to disclose this. 2024-reads kindle netgalley3 s Anabel205

*I received a copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity*

Each of the three Peacock sisters has a secret. Sylvie clings to her first husband even after her whirlwind engagement to the charming, and rich, Simon Rampling. Emma has fallen into the pit of a MLM and sacrificed not only her own personality, but the entirety of her family’s savings. Cloe, fierce and independent, feels stifled in the loving embrace of her long-term, picture-perfect boyfriend. And at the core of each of their stories– the trauma from their childhoods that still motivate their decisions well into adulthood.

A story of sisters who love each other desperately, even if that love beats below the surface, LOVE AND LIARS is truly a book for those of us who are looking for our happily ever after.arc-books heart-eyes kick-ass-girl-power2 s Bella Jensen116 1 follower

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for sending me an ARC for an honest review.
Lovers and Liars was an introspective view on how a traumatic childhood can deeply and diversely affect different siblings. Throughout the book, the three Peacock sisters reminisce about how they grew up while navigating adulthood and the turmoil of love and loss and complacency. Though I did not grow up with a narcissistic parent, my of my past experiences have led to similar feelings and behaviors that the sisters have. Cleo has a sense of protectiveness over her sisters that as the oldest sister, I very much relate to. Emma just wants those around her to love and need her, which can definitely be both a positive and negative trait. Sylvie, I also can feel myself disassociate when I experience any sort of strong emotions.
The short chapters kept me enticed and had me speeding to the finish. There was a fair amount of repetition around thoughts the sisters would have or feelings they needed to express. From personal experience, trauma can bring out the need to repeat yourself or go back over memories or thoughts in a continual loop.
My only criticism is that the conversations would sometimes feel disjointed or out of place in the context of the chapter.
I was surprised how much I enjoyed this book and I want to look into more of the author’s work. 1 Anne507 16

Sylvie, a school librarian, an introvert, has been widowed for ten years and now is about to get married to Simon, a wealthy British professional bird photographer, at his family’s castle in the English countryside. Sylvie’s sister’s: Emma, a failed entrepreneur who is hiding debt from her husband, and Cleo, a high-powered lawyer who is about protecting her sisters, reunite for her wedding. They haven’t seen each other in 10 years, since life is busy. All come bearing secrets even Cleo, who is suspicious of Simon. Is he who he says he is? Will the sisters hit it off from where they left off? This book will have you turning the pages to see what comes about everyone’s lies, including Simon’s secret? Will Sylvie still get married?

A fun light read that will have you shaking your head at times and laughing out loud! Between the characters and storyline, it makes for an entertaining read! A great book to take on vacation!

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine (Ballantine Books), I was provided an ARC of Lovers and Liars by Amanda Eyre Ward via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. #Netgalley

1 Marcee65

This was just a good old fashioned romance. Of course you can’t have romance without family drama and sibling rivalry.

It was a quick and easy read. Perfect for the beach or a vacay read. The characters were endearing. They managed to work their way into your life and by the time the book was done you wanted to be able to check in with them to see how they were and what was happening in their lives.

The specific ending came out of nowhere for me. I can see why it was used tho otherwise the book wouldn’t have had the closures it needed.

The cover art is bright and eye catching.

I received this book from the publisher for free and it is my honest review. 1 Katie Samsock261 14

Thank you to Goodreads and Ballantine books for the arc!

What a gem! I devoured this book faster then a thing of Pringles. The snack size chapters make it impossible to put down. The story revolves around three sisters who grew up with a monstrously dysfunctional mother. The middle sister has found true love and in a whirlwind romance is off to his castle in England the be married. Her sisters are holding on to a secret they discovered about Sylvies fiancé and while debating how to help their sister they’re also juggling the dumpster fires in their lives.

Every character, no matter how small is so well rounded you feel you may have met them. I’ll definitely miss this family. Great book. adult-fiction arc books-about-books ...more1 Dina119

I love a good sister story. The Peacock sisters each have a secret and are all still processing the trauma from their childhoods. This includes MLM nightmares, loss of a spouse, a castle and a little bit of wanderlust. I was here for the secret reveals and a happily ever after.

It was just okay, and I felt dragged in parts.

Thank you for the advanced reader copy Netgalley & Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Ballantine Books.1 Shelley English103 1 follower

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of Lovers and Liars, what a great book by Amanda Eyre Ward. I enjoyed the book from the very start as it drew me in. It was a quick read with good character development and setting/location. Would definitely recommend. 4/5 starsnetgalley1 LibraryLaur1,543 56

I enjoyed this story of three sisters trying to overcome childhood trauma due to a narcissistic mother.

*Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review!adult edelweiss1 Carol Scheherazade857 17

Waffled on this rating. Enjoyed the book but needed better editing. 1 Adrienne72

I got an advanced reader copy through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. I appreciate them and the publisher for providing me with it!

I loved this book. Parts of it were a little slow, but the payoff was worth it. The love story of Sylvie and Simon, the connection between Simon’s daughter Penelope and Sylvie, and Sylvie coming to terms with the reality of her previous husband were all beautiful plot points. The complicated relationship between the three sisters: Sylvie, Cleo, and Emma, and the secrets they shared and kept from each other was a wonderful story of complicated family dynamics. I love that once they could all be honest with themselves and each other, they could all find the ending they needed. Highly recommend!1 MalJacks84 3

4.5 rounded to 5. Thanks to Goodreads and Ballantine Books/Random House for the free advanced copy via Goodreads giveaway!

There were so many elements that I loved in this book. The story told from multiple perspectives of the three sisters and how their mental, personal, and professional lives were impacted both similarly and differently as a result of their mother's narcissism and her resulting parenting, and the added perspective of Penelope at the end, a stepdaughter and new addition to the sisters' family; it was the perfect ending after the emotional rollercoasters they've all been on and that was told throughout the book, to show the redemption of the women in this family through the first daughter between the three of them, and the redemption of Penelope specifically from what she'd been through with her own mother.

While Sylvie can be incredibly frustrating, she shows significant character development so you love her (vs just liking her sometimes) by the end, and as someone who loves to read, I thought Sylvie's and Simon's love story was adorable - meeting through a book lovers' dating site, their shared love of books and swapping books back and forth to read, him gifting her libraries to fill and books that have special meaning to her, and the fact that he paid so much attention to her that he knew how much these things would mean to her. Un the vast majority of other romances/romcoms I've read the past couple of years, the sex scenes, though frequent between Sylvie and Simon, were neither gratuitous nor repetitive or unimaginative in detail. They were at the same time erotic and tasteful and didn't feel the author was trying too hard or that the editor was forcing the issue in order to attract the 50 Shades fan club.

Ironically, Emma and Rich were the most frustrating (Emma) and most loveable (Rich) characters. She is incredibly baffling but as a father and as a husband, and because their sons are adorable, my favorite parts of the book were their family scenes.

Something that confused me was the way Cleo approached Thisbe. With all her money and the resource she has in her best friend as an investigative journalist, she decides on a whim to pose as a Starbucks deliverer at Thisbe's building and try to get information out of her about Simon in the lobby of her building. It just didn't make any sense with everything else we're told of Cleo and how she is as a person. It just seemed so college-student-don't-hurt-my-sorority-sister. I think maybe it was supposed to be funny but it just didn't make sense at all with her character.

Also, the money laundering situation was very confusing. I devoured the book but still didn't grasp more than that Thisbe's dad was a dirty politician; how the castle helped with the money laundering is still not clear.

A couple of editing notes. First: Sylvie says on two separate occasions, "He had found the strength to stay sober - that was his end of the bargain." The second time I read it (Part 7, Chapter 1) I got this feeling of deja vu and remembered she'd already said the exact thing in an earlier chapter. Second: It was Katherine Howard, not Catherine of Aragon, who was beheaded. Henry VIII had his marriage to Catherine of Aragon annulled so that he could marry Anne Boleyn, and Catherine died years later of illness/natural causes. (Part 6, Chapter 8 during the Tudor dress experience, it's incorrectly stated the Catherine of Aragon was beheaded.)

Overall I loved the book and will definitely read this author again and recommend this book to others. This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.Show full review Jackie Sunday552 30

This book is a little peculiar but some may find it to be just right.

On the surface, many young women dream of a perfect marriage in a castle with a man that is wealthy, kind and incredibly attractive. Sylvia, a librarian in Miami, felt she just met her charming white knight. Simon was wonderfully romantic and gave her a huge diamond engagement ring. Perhaps, he was her prince. But the Prologue revealed that she wrote him a note at the castle to tell him she was sorry; it was over. Readers know right away that reality was going to hit hard.

Sylvie’s two sisters told their story next – both miserable. Emma was deep in debt and Cleo was in love with not the man she was living with but an adored Jewish friend. His mother said he had to marry a Jew and she wasn’t the right match. The sister’s divorced mother, Diane, was diagnosed as a narcissist. And these were the people that Sylvie hadn’t seen in ages. And now she wanted to get close to them again -- at her wedding? Well, that would be her second marriage. It’s crazy, insane and made my head spin.

Yet, it was fun to imagine the place where the wedding was set: the Mumberton Castle in the northern part of England. Simon’s family owned this mansion from the 1200s with the kings who ruled and women who were there to serve. It made me want to read more about the many wives of King Henry VIII who had connections at this place. The family also had adventures before the wedding date with birds, sea animals and specialty shops in town.

It’s was a quick read with the suspense that made me eager to find out if Sylvie and Simon would be living happily ever after at the end. However, I couldn’t relate to most of the characters. I found Emma, Cleo and Diane to be annoying. Yet, I get it. This is set up just in time for a beach read with those wanting to sink into a fantasy world of tender love.

My thanks to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book with an expected release date of May 14, 2024. Tiffany1,644 61

Lovers and Liars-a standalone

By Amanda Eyre Ward-new to me author

Rating: 4/5 ????

Spice 4/5
Autor del comentario:
=================================