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Op een snikhete middag in augustus vindt Maddie Faraday onder de voorbank van de auto van haar man een zwart kanten slipje. Het is niet van haar...
Alsof dat nog niet genoeg is, staat C.L. Sturgis, Maddie's geheime jeugdliefde, plotseling op de stoep. C.L. blijkt nog steeds erg aantrekkelijk en Maddie laat ook hém niet koud, integendeel...
Maddie staat voor een groot probleem: ze wil wraak nemen op haar man, maar zonder haar eigen reputatie te verliezen, en in een klein stadje als Frog Point is dat een hele opgave.
Wat wil C.L. nou precies van haar? Welk geheim houdt haar hartsvriendin Treva achter? Zelf haar eigen moeder verteld de waarheid niet. Niemand wil Maddie de waarheid vertellen...
Dit is een speciale uitgave voor Hermans Instore Marketing B.V.
Alsof dat nog niet genoeg is, staat C.L. Sturgis, Maddie's geheime jeugdliefde, plotseling op de stoep. C.L. blijkt nog steeds erg aantrekkelijk en Maddie laat ook hém niet koud, integendeel...
Maddie staat voor een groot probleem: ze wil wraak nemen op haar man, maar zonder haar eigen reputatie te verliezen, en in een klein stadje als Frog Point is dat een hele opgave.
Wat wil C.L. nou precies van haar? Welk geheim houdt haar hartsvriendin Treva achter? Zelf haar eigen moeder verteld de waarheid niet. Niemand wil Maddie de waarheid vertellen...
Dit is een speciale uitgave voor Hermans Instore Marketing B.V.
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1998
290 people are currently reading
4486 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Crusie
80 books7,816 followersJennifer Crusie is the New York Times, USA Today, and Publisher's Weekly bestselling author of twenty-three novels, one book of literary criticism, miscellaneous articles, essays, novellas, and short stories, and the editor of three essay anthologies.
She was born in Wapakoneta, a small town in Ohio, and then went on to live in a succession of other small towns in Ohio and New Jersey until her last move to a small town in Pennsylvania. This may have had an impact on her work.
She has a BS in Art Education, an MA in literature, an MFA in fiction, and was ABD on her PhD when she started reading romances as part of her research into the differences between the ways men and women tell stories. Writing a romance sounded like more fun than writing a dissertation, so she switched to fiction and never looked back. Her collaborations with Bob Mayer have pretty much proved everything she was going to say in her dissertation anyway, so really, no need to finish that.
For more information, see JenniferCrusie.com and her blog, Argh Ink.
She was born in Wapakoneta, a small town in Ohio, and then went on to live in a succession of other small towns in Ohio and New Jersey until her last move to a small town in Pennsylvania. This may have had an impact on her work.
She has a BS in Art Education, an MA in literature, an MFA in fiction, and was ABD on her PhD when she started reading romances as part of her research into the differences between the ways men and women tell stories. Writing a romance sounded like more fun than writing a dissertation, so she switched to fiction and never looked back. Her collaborations with Bob Mayer have pretty much proved everything she was going to say in her dissertation anyway, so really, no need to finish that.
For more information, see JenniferCrusie.com and her blog, Argh Ink.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 598 reviews
August 4, 2012
I cannot enjoy a story where the major plot events are based on heroine stupidity.
Tell Me Lies had five major stupidities. Here are two of them.
Maddie knows a security guard watches couples having sex at a place called The Point. So why does she insist that CL take her there to have sex? When the guard sees them, she is horrified. She is worried that he will gossip and she may have trouble getting custody of her daughter in the divorce. Apparently I am supposed to believe she had been drinking and forgot about the security guard.
Maddie is a suspect in the murder of her husband. Someone planted the murder weapon (gun) in her car. When she sees it, she picks it up which puts her fingerprints on it.
Stupidity is the main reason I did not give it more stars. But a second reason was “the heroine lying to her daughter and others” was not interesting. Her husband is having an affair and a divorce is coming. But Maddie tells her daughter that everything is fine. Her habit is telling lies to her daughter. Toward the end the daughter is upset at all the lies, so Maddie promises to be truthful. But after this sweet connection, she tells more lies to her daughter. For example someone was hired to hit Maddie’s car, but Maddie tells her daughter it was an accident, not intentional. The daughter asks if Maddie is going to marry CL. Maddie says no. The reader knows they will marry.
Another lie was everyone “knew” her husband hit her, but she continued to say she ran into a wall. On balance, the lies were not interesting or entertaining - to me.
Another reader liked this book and commented to me “her insecurity, stupidity, impulsiveness, closeness to her mother and grandmother, obliviousness to her husband, et al make her a three-dimensional person.” So some will like this.
I’ve read this twice, in 2007 and 2012.
DATA:
Story length: 347 pages. Swearing language: moderate to strong, including religious swear words. Sexual language: none to mild. Number of sex scenes: three or four. Setting: current day Ohio. Copyright. 1998. Genre: romantic mystery.
Tell Me Lies had five major stupidities. Here are two of them.
Maddie knows a security guard watches couples having sex at a place called The Point. So why does she insist that CL take her there to have sex? When the guard sees them, she is horrified. She is worried that he will gossip and she may have trouble getting custody of her daughter in the divorce. Apparently I am supposed to believe she had been drinking and forgot about the security guard.
Maddie is a suspect in the murder of her husband. Someone planted the murder weapon (gun) in her car. When she sees it, she picks it up which puts her fingerprints on it.
Stupidity is the main reason I did not give it more stars. But a second reason was “the heroine lying to her daughter and others” was not interesting. Her husband is having an affair and a divorce is coming. But Maddie tells her daughter that everything is fine. Her habit is telling lies to her daughter. Toward the end the daughter is upset at all the lies, so Maddie promises to be truthful. But after this sweet connection, she tells more lies to her daughter. For example someone was hired to hit Maddie’s car, but Maddie tells her daughter it was an accident, not intentional. The daughter asks if Maddie is going to marry CL. Maddie says no. The reader knows they will marry.
Another lie was everyone “knew” her husband hit her, but she continued to say she ran into a wall. On balance, the lies were not interesting or entertaining - to me.
Another reader liked this book and commented to me “her insecurity, stupidity, impulsiveness, closeness to her mother and grandmother, obliviousness to her husband, et al make her a three-dimensional person.” So some will like this.
I’ve read this twice, in 2007 and 2012.
DATA:
Story length: 347 pages. Swearing language: moderate to strong, including religious swear words. Sexual language: none to mild. Number of sex scenes: three or four. Setting: current day Ohio. Copyright. 1998. Genre: romantic mystery.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 13, 2017
I admit it was a little drawn out but I liked it. It was comically refreshing. I was fooled by the mystery of who dunnit!
March 22, 2020
I always know that a book by Jennifer Crusie will not let me down. There is so much going on in this book that you have no idea which way is up. The reader literally has all the clues to solve the mystery but it really isn't until the MC starts to make connections that you are like "it was in front of my face the whole time". I enjoyed the story line and the little mystery (even though it it technically chic-lit). Overall a good read.
dnf
August 1, 2021DNF at 27%... just couldn't get into this "small town" adultery tale w unlikeable characters... MEH!
April 14, 2014
I liked Maddie and C.L. and I liked their relationship, too. And Maddie's daughter Em had some stellar moments that gave the book an endearing heart I greatly appreciated. Indeed, if it hadn't been for Maddie's husband Brent this would easily have been four stars. Yeah, Brent had affairs and their marriage hadn't been working for years, obviously, but I still just can't get past Maddie's adultery—and that goes for C.L. as well (since he was fully aware of the state of affairs . . . heh).
The rest of the book was quality Crusie—good plot, excellent characters, wit and humor and interesting events and people. I don't know if this story could have worked without the adultery or not, but I wish Crusie had tried...
A note about Steamy: Somewhere in the middle on my steam scale. A handful of explicit scenes. Really good explicit scenes, too. If only... yeah, I'll stop harping on that, now.
The rest of the book was quality Crusie—good plot, excellent characters, wit and humor and interesting events and people. I don't know if this story could have worked without the adultery or not, but I wish Crusie had tried...
A note about Steamy: Somewhere in the middle on my steam scale. A handful of explicit scenes. Really good explicit scenes, too. If only... yeah, I'll stop harping on that, now.
May 22, 2010
I love a lot of what Jennifer Crusie has written for funny, light reads -- my favorites are probably Bet Me and Welcome to Temptation, but a lot of the others are also very entertaining.
Tell Me Lies reads like a "proto-Crusie" -- a lot of her characteristic elements are there: fiesty heroine discovering her inner fabulousness, redeemable hero being redeemed, cute kid, even cuter dog, fabulous friends and/or family characters, mystery to be solved complicating heroine and hero getting together.
But it's just not as crisp and pulled together and funny as the later works. It's like she was working out how to make all those elements work together without getting too bogged down in the set up and the exposition. She's getting closer by the end, but the first 150 pages would probably only have been 50 in a later work or hers.
Overall, still worth reading if you already love Crusie's work, but maybe start with one of her more recent solo books if you're new to her.
Tell Me Lies reads like a "proto-Crusie" -- a lot of her characteristic elements are there: fiesty heroine discovering her inner fabulousness, redeemable hero being redeemed, cute kid, even cuter dog, fabulous friends and/or family characters, mystery to be solved complicating heroine and hero getting together.
But it's just not as crisp and pulled together and funny as the later works. It's like she was working out how to make all those elements work together without getting too bogged down in the set up and the exposition. She's getting closer by the end, but the first 150 pages would probably only have been 50 in a later work or hers.
Overall, still worth reading if you already love Crusie's work, but maybe start with one of her more recent solo books if you're new to her.
November 26, 2010
I missed the point of this book if there is one. Basic story line: small town where everyone knows everyone else's business and/or is related to each other. Twenty years have passed since high school graduation and former 'bad boy' comes back to town, now a successful accountant, to investigate a prominent citizen's company's financial soundness. The prominent citizen happened to be former 'big man on campus' who married 'most popular good girl' who actually was attracted to 'bad boy' who it turned out wasn't really 'bad boy' just 'honorable boy who defended others with his fists'. 'Most popular good girl' is still best friends with one of her high school friends and they work together as teachers and have matching 8-year old daughters. 'Prominent citizen' is found murdered in the park where many of his high school conquests occurred and 'most popular good girl' is a prime suspect because he has cheated on her, embezzled money from their construction company and was planning on fleeing to Brazil with the money and their daughter.
The book has a cartoon/soap opera quality. Flat characters, predictable plot structure and dialogue. The 'most popular good girl' makes such bad choices (ie puts murder weapon in a casserole in her friend's freezer) that I guess one could laugh. There are so many other books to read - even if you are just looking for a beach read, give this one a pass.
The book has a cartoon/soap opera quality. Flat characters, predictable plot structure and dialogue. The 'most popular good girl' makes such bad choices (ie puts murder weapon in a casserole in her friend's freezer) that I guess one could laugh. There are so many other books to read - even if you are just looking for a beach read, give this one a pass.
November 6, 2011
This book wasn't quite what I look for when I Jennifer Crusie's novels. That, in and of itself, could account for the relatively low stars I've given it in comparison to her other works. The dialogue was fun, as it is in every Crusie book, but there wasn't much else to recommend the story.
I'd say this book belongs in a special subset of chick-lit that I like to call "adultery-lit." These are the books wherein a spouse seeks and finds fulfillment outside of marriage. Maddie, our protagonist, has very good reasons for wanting to end her marriage to Brent, but my inner prude doesn't like the timing of her new love interest. Admittedly, part of this book was about Maddie throwing off the chains of expected behavior, so the fact that she engages in an extramarital relationship isn't really all that much of a shocker. It's just not something I enjoy reading too much.
Otherwise, the book was fun and rather entertaining, but it pales in comparison to the better Crusie titles.
I'd say this book belongs in a special subset of chick-lit that I like to call "adultery-lit." These are the books wherein a spouse seeks and finds fulfillment outside of marriage. Maddie, our protagonist, has very good reasons for wanting to end her marriage to Brent, but my inner prude doesn't like the timing of her new love interest. Admittedly, part of this book was about Maddie throwing off the chains of expected behavior, so the fact that she engages in an extramarital relationship isn't really all that much of a shocker. It's just not something I enjoy reading too much.
Otherwise, the book was fun and rather entertaining, but it pales in comparison to the better Crusie titles.
June 23, 2009
This one wasn't one of my favorites of JC's. I've read several of her books and really enjoyed them, but this one had a small town gossip undercurrent that started to bug me fairly soon into the book. It bothered me that the characters were so worried about what the town thought that it effected everything that they did. Some of that is okay, we all live with it a little, but this went over the top. I really liked the characters and their relationships to each other, but the story seemed to drag through the middle and I had to really fight to get past that part. Over all I liked the book and give it three out of five stars.
July 31, 2018
This book started out ok but the main character was annoying. She kept lying and lying and almost lied her way into a prison cell. It did improve though and I found Maddie pretty tolerable by the end. I’ve never really much cared what people think of me, and Maddie’s insistence on doing the right thing because people would talk was really annoying. By the end she was cheerfully potty mouthed and that bumped this from two stars to three.
May 7, 2008
This was my first Crusie book, though I do have at least one other in my TBR mountain. I read this one for the Yahoo Bookcrossing Reading Group.
I most likely wouldn't have picked this one up on my own, as I have a million and a half books to read. In fact, I almost didn't finish the book. I wasn't entirely overwhelmed in my first day of reading the book. I even posted that opinion in the group. Well, pardon me. The book turned around and slapped me silly! Within hours of my post, I was totally on edge due to this book. Not because I didn't like it. Oh no! Instead, the suspense level got amped up to about 1000!
Tell Me Lies is about Maddie Faraday's life gone wrong. She finds evidence that her husband is cheating, her best friend is keeping secrets, her life is known to EVERYONE in her small town, and the hottie to whom she lost her virginity is suddenly on her doorstep - looking just as scrumptious as ever!
The thing that really got me about this story is small town life. The gossip moves quicker than any internet connection could hope for! Everyone is talking about who is divorcing who, who is cheating who (great song, BTW), who got fired, who quit, and on and on. I am from the small town of Lebanon, Illinois. I worked in and later managed a gas station there. OMG, the stories that passed through that store! The worst ones about it were the cops - "Did you know that so and so's car was at such and such's house last night?" That is what made this book for me. People in small towns tend to live their life for the approval of the town - just like Maddie Faraday.
Tell Me Lies is a hot book - it's funny too -- and loads of suspense. The reader will be kept guessing. Who's doing the cheating? Who's committing the crimes? And will Maddie ever learn to let go and just be happy?
I most likely wouldn't have picked this one up on my own, as I have a million and a half books to read. In fact, I almost didn't finish the book. I wasn't entirely overwhelmed in my first day of reading the book. I even posted that opinion in the group. Well, pardon me. The book turned around and slapped me silly! Within hours of my post, I was totally on edge due to this book. Not because I didn't like it. Oh no! Instead, the suspense level got amped up to about 1000!
Tell Me Lies is about Maddie Faraday's life gone wrong. She finds evidence that her husband is cheating, her best friend is keeping secrets, her life is known to EVERYONE in her small town, and the hottie to whom she lost her virginity is suddenly on her doorstep - looking just as scrumptious as ever!
The thing that really got me about this story is small town life. The gossip moves quicker than any internet connection could hope for! Everyone is talking about who is divorcing who, who is cheating who (great song, BTW), who got fired, who quit, and on and on. I am from the small town of Lebanon, Illinois. I worked in and later managed a gas station there. OMG, the stories that passed through that store! The worst ones about it were the cops - "Did you know that so and so's car was at such and such's house last night?" That is what made this book for me. People in small towns tend to live their life for the approval of the town - just like Maddie Faraday.
Tell Me Lies is a hot book - it's funny too -- and loads of suspense. The reader will be kept guessing. Who's doing the cheating? Who's committing the crimes? And will Maddie ever learn to let go and just be happy?
June 1, 2017
3.5 Stars. Good story with some unexpected twists along the way.
July 6, 2022
I couldn't finish this mess, despite getting pretty far into it.
The "hero" CL Sturgiss, had a crush on Maddie back in high school, when he was the local bad boy and she was dating Brent, the football hero. Brent was a cheating hound dog and Maddie caught him too many times. To get back at him, she elected to lose her virginity to the delighted CL in the back seat of his car one night. Then she went back to Brent and married him.
Flash forward a dozen or so years to the present. Maddie has once again discovered Brent is cheating on her, via a pair of crotchless undies she finds in his car. She vows to leave him. Meanwhile, CL is in town. He left right after high school, but he's back and looking to speak to Brent for reasons too convoluted to even get into. How convenient - Maddie decides it's the perfect time for another revenge fu(k with CL!
So that happens, and then CL immediately takes over Maddie's life and tries to bond with her daughter and plans to build a house to move them all into, like a weird, desperate creepy stalker. At least that's how it seemed to me, but the scenario was presented as if it was supposed to be this great sexy romance. Then a new development takes the plot in another absurd direction.
I have tried a few of her other books and didn’t like them, either. I guess Crusie’s writing is just not for me.
The "hero" CL Sturgiss, had a crush on Maddie back in high school, when he was the local bad boy and she was dating Brent, the football hero. Brent was a cheating hound dog and Maddie caught him too many times. To get back at him, she elected to lose her virginity to the delighted CL in the back seat of his car one night. Then she went back to Brent and married him.
Flash forward a dozen or so years to the present. Maddie has once again discovered Brent is cheating on her, via a pair of crotchless undies she finds in his car. She vows to leave him. Meanwhile, CL is in town. He left right after high school, but he's back and looking to speak to Brent for reasons too convoluted to even get into. How convenient - Maddie decides it's the perfect time for another revenge fu(k with CL!
So that happens, and then CL immediately takes over Maddie's life and tries to bond with her daughter and plans to build a house to move them all into, like a weird, desperate creepy stalker. At least that's how it seemed to me, but the scenario was presented as if it was supposed to be this great sexy romance. Then a new development takes the plot in another absurd direction.
I have tried a few of her other books and didn’t like them, either. I guess Crusie’s writing is just not for me.
November 5, 2019
I should have gone with my first impulse and skipped that one...
It starts with Maddie, the heroine, finding crochless panties in her husband's car. He had been unfaithful before, but she'd allowed him to convince her to forgive him, but this time she is determined to divorce him.
Turns out he has also been .
Enter CL, the hero, who has some history with Maddie from their high school years. He is tasked with investigating Maddie's husband by his ex, and that's how he gets reunited with Maddie, who was essentially the one that got away for him.
When Maddie's husband turns up dead, she is the prime suspect, and she discovers all sorts of buried secrets in her efforts to clear her name.
Long story short, .
The story is dated, but the story was engaging enough if you can forgive Maddie's many moments of intense stupidity and ostrich syndrome. It's one of my pet peeves so I couldn't, hence the low rating. Oh well...
It starts with Maddie, the heroine, finding crochless panties in her husband's car. He had been unfaithful before, but she'd allowed him to convince her to forgive him, but this time she is determined to divorce him.
Turns out he has also been .
Enter CL, the hero, who has some history with Maddie from their high school years. He is tasked with investigating Maddie's husband by his ex, and that's how he gets reunited with Maddie, who was essentially the one that got away for him.
When Maddie's husband turns up dead, she is the prime suspect, and she discovers all sorts of buried secrets in her efforts to clear her name.
Long story short, .
The story is dated, but the story was engaging enough if you can forgive Maddie's many moments of intense stupidity and ostrich syndrome. It's one of my pet peeves so I couldn't, hence the low rating. Oh well...
October 5, 2013
This book is a caper and a drama. It mixes in equal proportions murder mystery and comedy, romance and betrayal, friendship and lust, motherhood and embezzlement, all happening in a small town Frog Point. Of course it does. What else could happen in Frog Point? Don’t you just love the name?
The novel has the best first paragraph of most novels I’ve read:
A bunch of complex relationships enrich the story, while the dialog sparkles with wit – typically Crusie.
An enjoyable chocolate cake of a book. Yummy! It even ends with the word “chocolate”:
The novel has the best first paragraph of most novels I’ve read:
One hot August Thursday afternoon, Maddie Faraday reached under the front seat of her husband’s Cadillac and pulled out a pair of black lace underpants. They weren’t hers.It goes downhill from there for Maddie: stolen money, tragic secrets, false accusations, adultery, and a gun in a casserole – and she rides through it all and comes out the winner. She also gets her man.
A bunch of complex relationships enrich the story, while the dialog sparkles with wit – typically Crusie.
An enjoyable chocolate cake of a book. Yummy! It even ends with the word “chocolate”:
And in the meantime, there was chocolate.Recommended to any romance fan.
April 5, 2021
This book was way too long
December 22, 2008
Not my favorite novel by Crusie - but still an enjoyable read.
December 1, 2017
This is the story of Maddie Farraday, who married her high school sweetheart and settled down in the small town she grew up in. Her husband has been a philanderer but they've stayed together "for their daughter" (ugh), an adorably precocious pre-teen. When Maddie finds evidence of another affair, she blows her top, and throws her husband out. But she's so obsessed with what the town might think of her, so afraid of not living up to her "good girl" reputation, she's considering backing down from her request for a divorce. And she lies to her daughter about what's going on, to "protect her," something I find inexcusable. Happily, her daughter calls her on it. She's initially annoyingly wimpy and lies all the time to maintain the status quo. CL, the boy who got away, is back in town, interestingly enough, to investigate a possibly shady business deal her sort of ex-husband is involved in. CL is awesome. His character alone is worth the price of admission. The chemistry between CL and Maddie is great, and there are some hot sex scenes. Maddie's daughter and best friend are also awesome, and Maddie finally becomes awesome when she gets a backbone and starts to be honest, no matter what other people think. As with all Crusie books, there are lots of fun, quirky characters, some plot twists and unexpected secrets. This particular story also has a murder, so it's got some good investigative bits. If Maddie didn't annoy me so much to begin with, I'd give it another star. Not one of Crusie's best works, but still worth a read if Bet Me or her other, better books, are unavailable.
March 25, 2019
Not my favorite by Crusie, mostly because I have a hard time with adultery by a H/h (even if they were already being cheated on). And the general complacency of Maddie who hadn't been happy in her marriage for a while but was waiting for Brent to do something bad enough she could leave him for it. Mind you, I don't live in a tiny town, and trying to be perfect (the town's good girl) sounds exhausting.
I loved Em as well as Henry and Anna. And C.L. and Maddie were good together. And Maddie's grandmother was a hoot.
I loved Em as well as Henry and Anna. And C.L. and Maddie were good together. And Maddie's grandmother was a hoot.
February 21, 2013
Who is Brent sleeping with?? While not a mystery in the Romantic Suspense world, it IS a mystery, and one that Maddie must solve before it drives her crazy. Well, not that Maddie isn't already crazy. Even C.J. is looking good, and THAT is just plain crazy.
If you are looking for a change from the angst filled world of Romantic Suspense, read this book. It has comedy, romance and mystery (who is Brent sleeping with, etc.). There is a great cast of suspects and any one of them could have done it. Small town taboos are meant to be broken. It is fun and a great escape.
If you are looking for a change from the angst filled world of Romantic Suspense, read this book. It has comedy, romance and mystery (who is Brent sleeping with, etc.). There is a great cast of suspects and any one of them could have done it. Small town taboos are meant to be broken. It is fun and a great escape.
August 4, 2012
I adored this book. I loved C.L. and I adored Maddie. They are such a wonderful couple. I did find her a bit stupid at the start, she was so obsessed about the town, about what other people thought about her, and she was so heavily influenced by her mother. But then as she started to break free, I began to like her more and more. She became someone I wanted to cheer for, someone who became important to me. In many ways I see how that kind of small town mentality could be so stifling for growth. She was never given an opportunity to do what she wanted, she only did what was expected of her. But finally, she does find what she wants with C.L. and even better, so does her mother, which I thought was an especially sweet touch.
C.L. is the perfect hero. I just loved his attachment to Maddie, how he had always felt this strong sense of love for her. I just adored that. I've never lived in a small town, I've always moved not only city, but country, so don't have that kind of bond to a place and people. But I was lured into wanting that kind of life because of this book. A great, fun read.
C.L. is the perfect hero. I just loved his attachment to Maddie, how he had always felt this strong sense of love for her. I just adored that. I've never lived in a small town, I've always moved not only city, but country, so don't have that kind of bond to a place and people. But I was lured into wanting that kind of life because of this book. A great, fun read.
December 15, 2014
It did nothing for me.
The aspect of 'small town' romances that I actually enjoy is usually the Cinderella story thing... dorky girl comes back and makes everyone eat their words etc. This book typified everything I dislike about small towns and small town fiction. It was claustrophobic and every single character hated it, but no one seemed willing to leave. I know I've always been a city girl and I haven't talked to hardly anyone I knew as a child in ages, but I couldn't understand why anyone stayed there and dealt with that nonsense.
CL was barely a character, he was nothing. I felt like the main character didn't like her daughter much (which could have been kinda interesting) but that got taken away quickly to boring and usual dynamics.
Nothing really wrong with the book, but not something for me at all.
The aspect of 'small town' romances that I actually enjoy is usually the Cinderella story thing... dorky girl comes back and makes everyone eat their words etc. This book typified everything I dislike about small towns and small town fiction. It was claustrophobic and every single character hated it, but no one seemed willing to leave. I know I've always been a city girl and I haven't talked to hardly anyone I knew as a child in ages, but I couldn't understand why anyone stayed there and dealt with that nonsense.
CL was barely a character, he was nothing. I felt like the main character didn't like her daughter much (which could have been kinda interesting) but that got taken away quickly to boring and usual dynamics.
Nothing really wrong with the book, but not something for me at all.
April 27, 2018
I cannot say it enough, I love Jennifer Crusie. Her novels are fun and flirty. She creates dynamic characters (both human and dog alike). I really enjoyed the mystery aspect of "Tell Me Lies" as I did with "Crazy for You". It adds a new depth to the story line and keeps me turning page after page.
Did I guess part of the mystery VERY early on? Yes. Did I guess all of it? I did not. Thankfully so.
I picked up a few more of her books at the local bookstore and I'm sure I will be reading more of her work very soon!
Happy Reading!
PS. It's an easy read. I'm not really sure why it took me six days to read. Very unlike me.
Did I guess part of the mystery VERY early on? Yes. Did I guess all of it? I did not. Thankfully so.
I picked up a few more of her books at the local bookstore and I'm sure I will be reading more of her work very soon!
Happy Reading!
PS. It's an easy read. I'm not really sure why it took me six days to read. Very unlike me.
April 2, 2017
This book is FOREVER long. Full of way too much stuff and random details and just too much filler. And DL is weirdly pushy and it isn't cute or romantic at all! It's creepy!
And also, wth is up with the completely unnecessary Emily chapters?! Trying to suck out some sympathy for Brent? Showing parallels between Em/Mel and Maddie/Treva? Imo, they were completely extraneous.
And also, wth is up with the completely unnecessary Emily chapters?! Trying to suck out some sympathy for Brent? Showing parallels between Em/Mel and Maddie/Treva? Imo, they were completely extraneous.
September 11, 2016
OMG BEST BOOK EVER!!!! Let me just say... All of the characters were great and this is one of my favorite books by FAR!!!!!
February 11, 2026
Books I Own. Contemporary Romance Challenge 2026. Tropes: Contemporary Romance, Family/Friends, Troubled Marriage (Cheating), Small Town Romance.
h. Maddie Martindale now Faraday,39, married to Brent high school sweetheart, Emily (Em) daughter, 8 yrs old. Maddie's bestfriend Treva married to Howard Basset, two children Three and Mel (Em's bestfriend. Both Maddie and Treva are school teachers. Maddie's mom lives close by and is one of the town's leading gossips.
H. C.L. Sturgis,38, accountant, divorced moved away from Frog Point. He was raised by his Uncle Henry and Aunt Anna who lived in a farm outside of town. His bestfriend is now a local Policemen. He always had a crush on Maddie Martindale since he was 10 year old.
Rating 4.5 Stars
Opinion:This was a mature second chance, small town romance with a murder mystery. The MC's meet after twenty years again and fall in love, well Maddie fell for the first time but C.L. has loved her since she was 12 years old. There's a mystery about Brent, Maddie's husband and money and his affairs with other women which keeps the reader turning the pages. This is the first book I've read where children are voicing their thoughts and part of the plot. It gave this a real family feel along with all the characters in the town. Maddie Martindale was raised to be a good girl never doing anything wrong until she is accused of murder. Her character went from worrying about gossip to not caring at all. There was some humor in the story too with all the zany characters especially her great gran, Bailey and the next door neighbors. Maddie and Brent's daughter Emily (Em) really wanted to know what was really going on and you could feel her confusion and her pain. The story was well written with excellent character development, humor, action and romance with a murder to top if off. I gave it 4.5 stars.
Plot Summary:
This story is a family drama set in a sleepy little town, Frog Point, where everyone knows everyone else's business, except there are secrets, lies and mystery in the Faraday and Basset households. The main characters Maddie Faraday nee Martindale, 39, and C.L. Sturgis meet again after 20 years when C.L.'s ex wife asks him to look at the books of a company her new boyfriend is buying. The company is owned by Brent Faraday and Howie Basset and C.L. has gone all over town looking for Brent but talks to his first crush Maddie Faraday. When they see each other they are both pleased with the way each other looks after 20 years. The last time they were together they each had their first sexual encounter in the back seat of a car.
Brent and Maddie married after college. He started a company with Howie Basset building homes and Maddie became an art teacher at the local school. They have one daughter Emily who is eight. Maddie was cleaning out her husbands Caddy and found a pair of women's crotchless black panties. She immediately knows he is cheating again. That night she spies on him at the Point and sees him sleeping with another woman but she doesn't know who. The night watchmen Billy came to watch them (a voyeur) so she couldn't let anyone see her. She tells her bestfriend Treva and agrees Maddie should divorce his ass. Treva has a secret too but is not sharing.
C.L. Sturgis hasn't been back to Frog Point for 20 years except to visit his Uncle Henry Hanley and Aunt Anna. His ex wife moved back after their divorce ten years ago. She invited him back to look at Brent Faraday's books as he is an accountant . He didn't come back just for that but see Maddie after all these years. He fell for her when he was 10 years old and slept with her when they were in highschool. To him she's the one who got away.
Maddie and Treva each have two daughters who are bestfriends. The girls spy on their parents by listening into converstions and listening on the phone. Both girls know their is something going on with their parents.
Maddie finds evidence against her husband regarding affairs and women. She goes to their safetly deposit box and find two plane tickets to Buenes Aires and two passports, one for him and one for Emily plus thousands of dollars in cash.
The day before she told Brent she knew he was cheating on her. Last evening she went out with C.L. Sturgis after getting drunk and they slept together in the back of Brent's Caddy. The sex was good and she told C.L. she was divorcing Brent. When she arrived home, Brent asked where the box was and she told him she knew what he was up to. He hit her twice and then she barricaded herself in her room. Brent left and the next day the bank called her about her bank account being cleaned out, hence looking inside the safety deposit box.
C.L. Sturgis tells his Uncle Henry about Brent hitting Maddie but his Uncle said to let them work it out on their own. He told C.L. to do something helpful instead of beating Brent up. He went to pound and brought a dog for Emily and a new microwave for Maddie. He invites them out to his Uncle and Henry and Aunt Anna's to stay for a few days. He wants Maddie safe and away from Brent. Maddie hasn't said a word about the money yet.
h. Maddie Martindale now Faraday,39, married to Brent high school sweetheart, Emily (Em) daughter, 8 yrs old. Maddie's bestfriend Treva married to Howard Basset, two children Three and Mel (Em's bestfriend. Both Maddie and Treva are school teachers. Maddie's mom lives close by and is one of the town's leading gossips.
H. C.L. Sturgis,38, accountant, divorced moved away from Frog Point. He was raised by his Uncle Henry and Aunt Anna who lived in a farm outside of town. His bestfriend is now a local Policemen. He always had a crush on Maddie Martindale since he was 10 year old.
Rating 4.5 Stars
Opinion:This was a mature second chance, small town romance with a murder mystery. The MC's meet after twenty years again and fall in love, well Maddie fell for the first time but C.L. has loved her since she was 12 years old. There's a mystery about Brent, Maddie's husband and money and his affairs with other women which keeps the reader turning the pages. This is the first book I've read where children are voicing their thoughts and part of the plot. It gave this a real family feel along with all the characters in the town. Maddie Martindale was raised to be a good girl never doing anything wrong until she is accused of murder. Her character went from worrying about gossip to not caring at all. There was some humor in the story too with all the zany characters especially her great gran, Bailey and the next door neighbors. Maddie and Brent's daughter Emily (Em) really wanted to know what was really going on and you could feel her confusion and her pain. The story was well written with excellent character development, humor, action and romance with a murder to top if off. I gave it 4.5 stars.
Plot Summary:
This story is a family drama set in a sleepy little town, Frog Point, where everyone knows everyone else's business, except there are secrets, lies and mystery in the Faraday and Basset households. The main characters Maddie Faraday nee Martindale, 39, and C.L. Sturgis meet again after 20 years when C.L.'s ex wife asks him to look at the books of a company her new boyfriend is buying. The company is owned by Brent Faraday and Howie Basset and C.L. has gone all over town looking for Brent but talks to his first crush Maddie Faraday. When they see each other they are both pleased with the way each other looks after 20 years. The last time they were together they each had their first sexual encounter in the back seat of a car.
Brent and Maddie married after college. He started a company with Howie Basset building homes and Maddie became an art teacher at the local school. They have one daughter Emily who is eight. Maddie was cleaning out her husbands Caddy and found a pair of women's crotchless black panties. She immediately knows he is cheating again. That night she spies on him at the Point and sees him sleeping with another woman but she doesn't know who. The night watchmen Billy came to watch them (a voyeur) so she couldn't let anyone see her. She tells her bestfriend Treva and agrees Maddie should divorce his ass. Treva has a secret too but is not sharing.
C.L. Sturgis hasn't been back to Frog Point for 20 years except to visit his Uncle Henry Hanley and Aunt Anna. His ex wife moved back after their divorce ten years ago. She invited him back to look at Brent Faraday's books as he is an accountant . He didn't come back just for that but see Maddie after all these years. He fell for her when he was 10 years old and slept with her when they were in highschool. To him she's the one who got away.
Maddie and Treva each have two daughters who are bestfriends. The girls spy on their parents by listening into converstions and listening on the phone. Both girls know their is something going on with their parents.
Maddie finds evidence against her husband regarding affairs and women. She goes to their safetly deposit box and find two plane tickets to Buenes Aires and two passports, one for him and one for Emily plus thousands of dollars in cash.
The day before she told Brent she knew he was cheating on her. Last evening she went out with C.L. Sturgis after getting drunk and they slept together in the back of Brent's Caddy. The sex was good and she told C.L. she was divorcing Brent. When she arrived home, Brent asked where the box was and she told him she knew what he was up to. He hit her twice and then she barricaded herself in her room. Brent left and the next day the bank called her about her bank account being cleaned out, hence looking inside the safety deposit box.
C.L. Sturgis tells his Uncle Henry about Brent hitting Maddie but his Uncle said to let them work it out on their own. He told C.L. to do something helpful instead of beating Brent up. He went to pound and brought a dog for Emily and a new microwave for Maddie. He invites them out to his Uncle and Henry and Aunt Anna's to stay for a few days. He wants Maddie safe and away from Brent. Maddie hasn't said a word about the money yet.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 31, 2017
Another wonderful novel from Jennifer Crusie. Like most of her other works, it explores being true to oneself, no matter your age or marital status. Two thumbs up for a truly wonderful hero and a wonderfully true heroine.
January 8, 2024
Possibly my favorite Crusie. I'm actually tempted to give it five stars because it was just so thoroughly enjoyable. I like that the two leads have a history, so the romance doesn't feel as rushed as in some Crusie books.
September 8, 2025
Great book
August 13, 2019
3.5 stars
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