When Helena Hunting announces she is going to go back to her angsty roots to write a spin-off of one of my favorite series, you better believe I’m going to drop everything to read it.
Little Lies is a fantastic mix of satisfying, slow-burning drama, heartbreaking emotions, and unresolved tension.
Lavender Waters is the only daughter of Alex and Violet (from the Pucked series) and the baby of the family of six.
A traumatic event turns her from an expressive little girl into an anxiety-ridden worrier with frequent panic attacks. The only thing that calms her is her friend Kodiak, who is the son of Lainey and Rook Bowman (from the All-In series).
However, Kody suffers from his own perfectionist and anxious tendencies, so their relationship becomes a co-dependency quite quickly.
Turns out, it wasn’t a good thing for either of them and their worlds are torn apart.
Fast-forward to college and Lavender has finally been given some freedom, but she is living with her three overprotective brothers, so it is limited at best.
Kody attends the same college and since he is best friends with Maverick, Lavender’s brother, she is forced to see the guy who not only broke her heart but continues to ridicule her so that she never forgets it.
Seeing the progression of Lavender and Kody’s relationship is both torturous and agonizing to witness.
Kody lashes out when he’s hurt and Lavender folds in on herself, so that gives you a feel for their dynamic. Lavender has worked hard to find her independence and strength, and seeing her grow into a kickass woman is the most satisfying part of the story.
While Kody’s cruel behavior is understandable to a point, I found it hard to read some of his interactions with Lavender. Also, their turnaround from enemies to lovers seemed a bit abrupt for my liking, but it didn’t take away anything from the story for me.
The Pucked/All-In mashup with their grown-up children is an amazing concept and I can’t wait to see if Helena gives us more of their world.
Personally, I am hoping for each of the siblings and cousins to find their happily ever afters.
Lavender finally looks my way. “You can go back to your bunnies, Kodiak. I don’t need a bodyguard or a babysitter.”
Clarke laughs and smirks at me. “You heard her. We’re good.” He slings his arm over her shoulder and pulls her into his side. I’m pretty sure her ass cheek is pressed up against his leg, and his fingers dangle perilously close to her boob.
My control slips. The frustration over not being able to have what I want is wearing me down. Everyone has an opinion on what’s good for me—how I have to manage all the impulses, how I can’t let the obsessions rule me the way they often do. But this is more than I can take. It’s been weeks and weeks of fighting the need of being an asshole because the alternative is to dive right back into that fixation—and if I do, I’m very worried it’s going to consume me. And her.
Thank you for the advanced copy of LITTLE LIES by Helena Hunting. All opinions are my own.
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NYT and USA Today bestselling author of PUCKED, Helena Hunting lives on the outskirts of Toronto with her incredibly tolerant family and two moderately intolerant cats. She's writes contemporary romance ranging from new adult angst to romantic sports comedy.
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date published : November 16, 2020
pages : 337
audiobook narrators: Teddy Hamilton, Stella Bloom
audiobook length: 10 hrs, 46 min
I don’t want you.
You mean nothing to me.
I never loved you.
I turned my words into swords.
And I cut her down. Shoved the blade in and watched her fall.
I said I’d never hurt her, and I did.
Years later, I’m faced with all the little lies, the untruths, the false realities, the damage I inflicted, when all I wanted was to indulge my obsession.
Lavender Waters is the princess in the tower. Even her name is the thing fairy tales are made of.
I used to be the one who saved her.
Over and over again.
But I don’t want to save her anymore.
I just want to pretend the lies are still the truth.
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