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Lovers and Liars: A Novel
NATIONAL BESTSELLER Three wildly different sisters reunite for a destination wedding at an English castle in this heartfelt and rollicking novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Jetsetters.
“The sort of novel that simultaneously tempts you to devour it in one greedy gulp and begs you to slow down and savor each page.”—Jenny Jackson, author of Pineapple Street
Once upon a time, the Peacock sisters were little girls who combed each other’s tangled hair. But decades of secrets have led them to separate lives—and to telling lies, to themselves and to one another.
Sylvie is getting married. Again. A librarian and widow who soothes her grief by escaping into books (and shelving them perfectly), Sylvie has caught the attention of an unlikely Simon Rampling, a mysterious, wealthy man from Northern England. Sylvie allows herself to imagine a life beside him—one filled with the written word, kindness, and companionship. She’s ready to love again . . . or is she?
Cleo is the golden child. A successful criminal defense lawyer with the perfect boyfriend, she is immediately suspicious of Simon. Is he really who he says he is? Cleo heads to Mumberton Castle with a case of investigative files, telling herself she will expose Simon and save her sister from more heartbreak . . . but who is she really trying to save?
Emma is living a lie. She can’t afford this fancy trip—and she definitely can’t tell her husband and sons why. She once dreamed of a line of her own perfumes. Fragrances allowed her to speak in silence. Now, that tendency for silence only worsens her situation. Will she emerge with her dignity and family intact?
When their toxic mother shows up, the sisters assume the roles they fell into to survive their childhood . . . but they just might find the courage to make new choices.
Set over a spectacularly dramatic weekend, in the grand halls of a sprawling castle estate—amid floor-to-ceiling libraries, falconry lessons, and medieval meals—Lovers and Liars is the unforgettable story of a family’s ability to forgive and to find joy in one another once again.
“The sort of novel that simultaneously tempts you to devour it in one greedy gulp and begs you to slow down and savor each page.”—Jenny Jackson, author of Pineapple Street
Once upon a time, the Peacock sisters were little girls who combed each other’s tangled hair. But decades of secrets have led them to separate lives—and to telling lies, to themselves and to one another.
Sylvie is getting married. Again. A librarian and widow who soothes her grief by escaping into books (and shelving them perfectly), Sylvie has caught the attention of an unlikely Simon Rampling, a mysterious, wealthy man from Northern England. Sylvie allows herself to imagine a life beside him—one filled with the written word, kindness, and companionship. She’s ready to love again . . . or is she?
Cleo is the golden child. A successful criminal defense lawyer with the perfect boyfriend, she is immediately suspicious of Simon. Is he really who he says he is? Cleo heads to Mumberton Castle with a case of investigative files, telling herself she will expose Simon and save her sister from more heartbreak . . . but who is she really trying to save?
Emma is living a lie. She can’t afford this fancy trip—and she definitely can’t tell her husband and sons why. She once dreamed of a line of her own perfumes. Fragrances allowed her to speak in silence. Now, that tendency for silence only worsens her situation. Will she emerge with her dignity and family intact?
When their toxic mother shows up, the sisters assume the roles they fell into to survive their childhood . . . but they just might find the courage to make new choices.
Set over a spectacularly dramatic weekend, in the grand halls of a sprawling castle estate—amid floor-to-ceiling libraries, falconry lessons, and medieval meals—Lovers and Liars is the unforgettable story of a family’s ability to forgive and to find joy in one another once again.
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First published May 14, 2024
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About the author
Amanda Eyre Ward
16 books1,407 followersAmanda Eyre Ward’s new novel. LOVERS AND LIARS, will be published in May, 2024! It is the story of a librarian in love.
Here is a very long bio: Amanda was born in New York City in 1972. Her family mved to Rye, New York when she was four. Amanda attended Kent School in Kent, CT, where she wrote for the Kent News.
Amanda majored in English and American Studies at Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts. She studied fiction writing with Jim Shepard and spent her junior fall in coastal Kenya. She worked part-time at the Williamstown Public Library. After graduation, Amanda taught at Athens College in Greece for a year, and then moved to Missoula, Montana.
Amanda studied fiction writing at the University of Montana with Bill Kittredge, Dierdre McNamer, Debra Earling, and Kevin Canty, receiving her MFA. After traveling to Egypt, she took a job at the University of Montana Mansfield Library, working in Inter Library Loan.
In 1998, Amanda moved to Austin, Texas where she began working on Sleep Toward Heaven. Amanda finished Sleep Toward Heaven, which was published in 2003. Sleep Toward Heaven won the Violet Crown Book Award and was optioned for film by Sandra Bullock and Fox Searchlight. To promote Sleep Toward Heaven, Amanda, her baby, and her mother Mary-Anne Westley traveled to London and Paris.
Amanda moved to Waterville, Maine, where she wrote in an attic filled with books. Amanda’s second novel, How to Be Lost, was published in 2004. How to Be Lost was selected as a Target Bookmarked pick, and has been published in fifteen countries.
After one year in Maine and two years on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Amanda and her family returned to Austin, Texas.
To research her third novel, Forgive Me, Amanda traveled with her sister, Liza Ward Bennigson, to Cape Town, South Africa. Forgive Me was published in 2007.
Amanda's short story collection, Love Stories in This Town, was published in April, 2009.
Her fourth novel, Close Your Eyes, published in July, 2011, received a four-star reiew in People Magazine, won the Elle Lettres Readers' Prize for September, and inspired the Dallas Morning News to write, "With CLOSE YOUR EYES, Austin novelist Amanda Eyre Ward puts another jewel in her crown as the reigning doyenne of 'dark secrets' literary fiction."
Close Your Eyes was named in Kirkus' Best Books of 2011, and won the Elle Magazine Fiction Book of the Year. It was released in paperback in August, 2012.
Amanda's fifth novel, The Same Sky, was published on January 20, 2015. It was named one of the most anticipated books for 2015 by BookPeople and Book of the Week by People Magazine. Dallas Morning News writes, "Ward has written a novel that brilliantly attaches us to broader perspectives. It is a needed respite from the angry politics surrounding border issues that, instead of dividing us, connects us to our humanity."
The Same Sky was chosen as a Target Bookmarked pick.
Amanda's new novel, The Nearness of You, was published on Valentine's Day, 2017.
Amanda's new novel, THE JETSETTERS, was chosen by Reese's Book Club and Hello Sunshine and became a New York Times bestseller. Her novel THE LIFEGUARDS was published in 2022.
Ask me anything and stay tuned for news about LOVERS AND LIARS and TV and film projects based on Amanda's work!
Here is a very long bio: Amanda was born in New York City in 1972. Her family mved to Rye, New York when she was four. Amanda attended Kent School in Kent, CT, where she wrote for the Kent News.
Amanda majored in English and American Studies at Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts. She studied fiction writing with Jim Shepard and spent her junior fall in coastal Kenya. She worked part-time at the Williamstown Public Library. After graduation, Amanda taught at Athens College in Greece for a year, and then moved to Missoula, Montana.
Amanda studied fiction writing at the University of Montana with Bill Kittredge, Dierdre McNamer, Debra Earling, and Kevin Canty, receiving her MFA. After traveling to Egypt, she took a job at the University of Montana Mansfield Library, working in Inter Library Loan.
In 1998, Amanda moved to Austin, Texas where she began working on Sleep Toward Heaven. Amanda finished Sleep Toward Heaven, which was published in 2003. Sleep Toward Heaven won the Violet Crown Book Award and was optioned for film by Sandra Bullock and Fox Searchlight. To promote Sleep Toward Heaven, Amanda, her baby, and her mother Mary-Anne Westley traveled to London and Paris.
Amanda moved to Waterville, Maine, where she wrote in an attic filled with books. Amanda’s second novel, How to Be Lost, was published in 2004. How to Be Lost was selected as a Target Bookmarked pick, and has been published in fifteen countries.
After one year in Maine and two years on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Amanda and her family returned to Austin, Texas.
To research her third novel, Forgive Me, Amanda traveled with her sister, Liza Ward Bennigson, to Cape Town, South Africa. Forgive Me was published in 2007.
Amanda's short story collection, Love Stories in This Town, was published in April, 2009.
Her fourth novel, Close Your Eyes, published in July, 2011, received a four-star reiew in People Magazine, won the Elle Lettres Readers' Prize for September, and inspired the Dallas Morning News to write, "With CLOSE YOUR EYES, Austin novelist Amanda Eyre Ward puts another jewel in her crown as the reigning doyenne of 'dark secrets' literary fiction."
Close Your Eyes was named in Kirkus' Best Books of 2011, and won the Elle Magazine Fiction Book of the Year. It was released in paperback in August, 2012.
Amanda's fifth novel, The Same Sky, was published on January 20, 2015. It was named one of the most anticipated books for 2015 by BookPeople and Book of the Week by People Magazine. Dallas Morning News writes, "Ward has written a novel that brilliantly attaches us to broader perspectives. It is a needed respite from the angry politics surrounding border issues that, instead of dividing us, connects us to our humanity."
The Same Sky was chosen as a Target Bookmarked pick.
Amanda's new novel, The Nearness of You, was published on Valentine's Day, 2017.
Amanda's new novel, THE JETSETTERS, was chosen by Reese's Book Club and Hello Sunshine and became a New York Times bestseller. Her novel THE LIFEGUARDS was published in 2022.
Ask me anything and stay tuned for news about LOVERS AND LIARS and TV and film projects based on Amanda's work!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 475 reviews
April 14, 2024
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.
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.
September 24, 2024
One of my favorite authors brings a thoughtful story about three somewhat estranged sisters who gather at an English castle for the second wedding of their baby sister, Sylvie.
Each brings their own secrets and surprises to the wedding weekend. This is Sylvie's second marriage, and she's not entirely sure she's over her (late) first husband. Her eldest sister, Cleo, is a workaholic lawyer having second thoughts about her own boyfriend and Sylvie's future husband. Meanwhile, middle sister Emma is the only one who remained in their Montana hometown. She's happily married, but drowning in debt and afraid to tell her husband.
This is an incredibly funny, heartfelt, and enjoyable read. It brings you in the characters' lives and weaves a fascinating spell about a troubled but loyal family.
Each brings their own secrets and surprises to the wedding weekend. This is Sylvie's second marriage, and she's not entirely sure she's over her (late) first husband. Her eldest sister, Cleo, is a workaholic lawyer having second thoughts about her own boyfriend and Sylvie's future husband. Meanwhile, middle sister Emma is the only one who remained in their Montana hometown. She's happily married, but drowning in debt and afraid to tell her husband.
This is an incredibly funny, heartfelt, and enjoyable read. It brings you in the characters' lives and weaves a fascinating spell about a troubled but loyal family.
May 27, 2024
Lovers and Liars was a fun and easy story to read!
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆?
I really enjoyed getting to see the perspectives from all three sisters along with quite a bit of drama in their lives. Each sister was relatable in their own trouble filled ways, and their baggage was quite realistic.
𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲:
Multiple POV
Family Drama
Sisterhood
Endearing Characters
𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲?
Fast
𝗗𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸?
This is one of those quick reads that is ideal for the beach or pool this summer!
Thank you, Ballantine Books, for this gifted copy in exchange for my honest opinions.
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆?
I really enjoyed getting to see the perspectives from all three sisters along with quite a bit of drama in their lives. Each sister was relatable in their own trouble filled ways, and their baggage was quite realistic.
𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲:
Multiple POV
Family Drama
Sisterhood
Endearing Characters
𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲?
Fast
𝗗𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸?
This is one of those quick reads that is ideal for the beach or pool this summer!
Thank you, Ballantine Books, for this gifted copy in exchange for my honest opinions.
May 5, 2024
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!
May 14, 2024
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.
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.
May 9, 2024
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.
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.
May 22, 2025
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 like 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 spouse
CW: absentee parent, death of a spouse
December 17, 2024
I’ve never been more simultaneously frustrated by people and yet happy for them in the end at the same time.
September 20, 2024
this book is a must read for anyone looking to be completely indifferent about everything. the characters? who cares. their problems? don’t matter. the ending? whatever.
February 13, 2024
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 like 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!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!
August 24, 2024
I don’t normally write reviews but I feel obligated to prevent anyone else from enduring this meandering, incoherent, juvenile dribble. It reads as if it was written by a 6th grader. I’m actually appalled at how terrible it was. The characters were unlikeable and never fully developed, and I found myself not caring one bit what happened to them by the end of the story, which I was barely able to finish. Many times I considered not finishing the book, but I wanted to find out the big bad secret Simon was carrying, which ended up not being a huge reveal at all so it was very anticlimactic. In fact, the climax of the book was a random fire that nobody knew how it started, and was just interjected into the book like it didn’t belong. Throughout the entire book, it was told in third person perspective, alternating between the three unlikeable sisters. Then suddenly for the last chapter it switched to a first person perspective from someone that had been a background character in the book. And lo and behold, everything gets wrapped up in a brief but neat little bow in the last pages, including Emma’s money troubles which, I might add, makes zero sense why her debt kept racking up each chapter despite being at an all expense paid destination wedding in a privately owned castle. Just…WHAT?! The whole thing just read very strangely and I honestly don’t recall her other book, The Jetsetters, being so awful. This book should have been titled “Terrible People Who are Also Extremely Dull.” I’d give it zero stars if I could and I would write more but I honestly don’t want to waste anymore time on this.
April 12, 2024
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 like family dramas with toxic relationships and complicated upbringings give this a try.
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 like family dramas with toxic relationships and complicated upbringings give this a try.
April 3, 2024
Absolutely delightful and funny and heartwarming and relatable! This story reads like 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, 2024
February 4, 2024
I’m really confused at the entire premise of this book, a premise that feels both stale and overdone, but previously done much better than I read here. This feels like a mess of a book and I don’t understand what the point of it all was? The development of the characters and their fractured relationships is resolved way too easily and everything in the entire book felt rushed. I especially did not understand how despite Emma being at a castle where no money needed to be spent, why her debt kept going up every second?? A pyramid scheme about sex toys? If this book was funny maybe I’d appreciate that but I couldn’t even understand what the tone was to be. This all just felt messy and confusing to me, really disappointing.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 1, 2024
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 like? I also liked 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 likeable - 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.
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.
May 19, 2024
A story about three sisters raised by a narcissistic mother. Once one gets married in an old English castle, secrets begin to reveal themselves.
I liked the setting and all of the bird watching talk, but the plot fell flat for me. The drama isn’t really that juicy, it’s just annoying how uncommunicative two of these sisters are.
I think a more patient person would enjoy this more 😂
I liked the setting and all of the bird watching talk, but the plot fell flat for me. The drama isn’t really that juicy, it’s just annoying how uncommunicative two of these sisters are.
I think a more patient person would enjoy this more 😂
July 27, 2024
Sweet story about sisters, loved that each chapter was a different sister’s perspective and that each chapter was short! Did not love all the lengthy descriptions, felt like those could have been shortened. Overall sweet story though!
June 30, 2024
A great short summer book that anyone with a sister will enjoy.
August 19, 2024
Fun, fast, easy read. Three sisters, each guarding a secret, come together for the widowed sister’s soon to be second marriage
December 30, 2024
3.5 rounded up because this would’ve been a five star from me two years ago when i was at my peak reading family drama books. also sylvie was a dear.
January 26, 2024
*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.
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.
January 17, 2025
This was a book club pick and upon reading the tile and seeing the cover made an assumption I wouldn’t care for it as it’s not the typical genre that I gravitate to. However, I was pleasantly surprised and upon finishing and gave it a 5 star review. The intertwining stories of three sisters who have grown apart and a distant mother pulled me in immediately. The author did such a wonderful job of describing each character that you came to feel as if you knew them personally. A story of how beauty can come from ashes, broken relationships restored, the gravity of love that forgives the deepest of mistakes and letting go of what seems comfortable in n order to take a chance on what the heart really wants.
June 30, 2024
I loved this story - great storyline and characters and loved the setting. Quick read. My favorite from this author so far.
July 20, 2024
The truth shall set you free...or will it ruin the most wonderful love stories of their lives? Secrets are never meant to come out...or are they? The burden of the keeper, but also for the who in the dark. Does it matter that they were kept because they loved the person? These are the questions posed and answered in this wonderfully funny, rite of late-life passage story about secrets, lies and loves both lost and found Lovers and Liars.
Sylvie is getting married! After a world-wind romance with a wealthy Englishman named Simon Rampling, she had decided to take the plunge again. Her first husband died tragically in a car accident years ago, and Sylvie has never stopped missing him. Even now, she feels guilty as if she is doing something wrong. But they have so much in common with Sylvie being a librarian and Simon an avid reader. Is this too good to be true? Well, if you ask her sisters they would say absolutely yes!
Her sister Cleo, who lives in New York and is an upscale lawyer has her doubts as well as fears about the situation, although she would never tell her sister. She herself has the boyfriend of anyone's dreams, and yet for some reason she doesn't feel very close to him anymore. At least that's what she tells her best friend of many years, a man who she feels the most comfortable with. When she receives the wedding invitation being held at Simon's castle, Mumberton, in England, she decides to do a little digging into his life. As any good sister would do. Except Cleo has kept a terrible secret from Sylvie for years so how good a sister is she really?
Sylvie's other sister Emma has a wonderful husband and two terrific children. She owns a perfume business but carries the burden of a deep secret even her husband does not know. Still living in the small town they grew up in, and unable to forget her miserable childhood as well as being the nearest to their narcissistic mother, puts such a burden on her that all she wants to do is get away from this life! She realizes at some point she cannot hide from her present but also in order to heal stop hiding from her past. This wedding is all too much for her in so many ways. Her secrets will threaten everyone she loves dearly. She's not sure they can afford to go to the wedding for so many reasons...
As they all reach the final destination for the weekend which is supposed to be the start of Sylvie and Simon's life, they know they are supposed to be a family, but unfortunately havoc prevails as each of the women's lives begins to unravel, including Sylvie's. She's not sure she can marry Simon. Now seems unfortunately the best time to sort out their secrets and lies and hope all can be forgiven. Will there even be a wedding?
Come along for the most enjoyable ride as the group tries to sort their lives out and become a family. Lovers And Liars is funny, warm and uplifting. RIP Falco...
Thank you #NetGalley #BallentineBooks #LoversAndLiars #AmandaEyreWard for the advanced copy.
Sylvie is getting married! After a world-wind romance with a wealthy Englishman named Simon Rampling, she had decided to take the plunge again. Her first husband died tragically in a car accident years ago, and Sylvie has never stopped missing him. Even now, she feels guilty as if she is doing something wrong. But they have so much in common with Sylvie being a librarian and Simon an avid reader. Is this too good to be true? Well, if you ask her sisters they would say absolutely yes!
Her sister Cleo, who lives in New York and is an upscale lawyer has her doubts as well as fears about the situation, although she would never tell her sister. She herself has the boyfriend of anyone's dreams, and yet for some reason she doesn't feel very close to him anymore. At least that's what she tells her best friend of many years, a man who she feels the most comfortable with. When she receives the wedding invitation being held at Simon's castle, Mumberton, in England, she decides to do a little digging into his life. As any good sister would do. Except Cleo has kept a terrible secret from Sylvie for years so how good a sister is she really?
Sylvie's other sister Emma has a wonderful husband and two terrific children. She owns a perfume business but carries the burden of a deep secret even her husband does not know. Still living in the small town they grew up in, and unable to forget her miserable childhood as well as being the nearest to their narcissistic mother, puts such a burden on her that all she wants to do is get away from this life! She realizes at some point she cannot hide from her present but also in order to heal stop hiding from her past. This wedding is all too much for her in so many ways. Her secrets will threaten everyone she loves dearly. She's not sure they can afford to go to the wedding for so many reasons...
As they all reach the final destination for the weekend which is supposed to be the start of Sylvie and Simon's life, they know they are supposed to be a family, but unfortunately havoc prevails as each of the women's lives begins to unravel, including Sylvie's. She's not sure she can marry Simon. Now seems unfortunately the best time to sort out their secrets and lies and hope all can be forgiven. Will there even be a wedding?
Come along for the most enjoyable ride as the group tries to sort their lives out and become a family. Lovers And Liars is funny, warm and uplifting. RIP Falco...
Thank you #NetGalley #BallentineBooks #LoversAndLiars #AmandaEyreWard for the advanced copy.
June 21, 2024
Once upon a time, the Peacock sisters were little girls who combed each other’s tangled hair. But decades of secrets have led them to separate lives—and to telling lies, to themselves and to one another.
Sylvie is getting married. Again. A librarian and widow who soothes her grief by escaping into books (and shelving them perfectly), Sylvie has caught the attention of an unlikely match: Simon Rampling, a mysterious, wealthy man from Northern England. Sylvie allows herself to imagine a life beside him—one filled with the written word, kindness, and companionship. She is ready to love again or is she?
Cleo is the golden child. A successful criminal defense lawyer with the perfect boyfriend, she is immediately suspicious of Simon. Is he really who he says he is? Cleo heads to Mumberton Castle with a case of investigative files, telling herself she will expose Simon and save her sister from more heartbreak but who is she really trying to save?
Emma is living a lie. She can not afford this fancy trip—and she definitely can not tell her husband and sons why. She once dreamt of a line of her own perfumes. Fragrances allowed her to speak in silence. Now, that tendency for silence only worsens her situation. Will she emerge with her dignity and family intact?
When their toxic mother shows up, the sisters assume the roles they fell into to survive their childhood but they just might find the courage to make new choices.
Lovers and Liars is the unforgettable story of a family’s ability to forgive and to find joy in one another once again. One of the best part in the story was the setting. Like a wedding set in a castle? I am unsure why the sisters did fall out of touch and maybe if we had some backstory, it would of been nice. And the mother was definitely the most unlikeable character, but I get why she was made out that way. However, I really liked how this book was told in parts and got to see each of the sister's POV. I did feel that due to the short chapters and parts for each characters, they were not fully developed. And I just wanted to know more. Maybe if it was kind of an intro to each character then a series, it would of made more sense. But there was plenty of family drama, romance and humour. If you like reading about a dysfunctional family, this one will be for you. This is also one of those books perfect for the summer or beach read.
Sylvie is getting married. Again. A librarian and widow who soothes her grief by escaping into books (and shelving them perfectly), Sylvie has caught the attention of an unlikely match: Simon Rampling, a mysterious, wealthy man from Northern England. Sylvie allows herself to imagine a life beside him—one filled with the written word, kindness, and companionship. She is ready to love again or is she?
Cleo is the golden child. A successful criminal defense lawyer with the perfect boyfriend, she is immediately suspicious of Simon. Is he really who he says he is? Cleo heads to Mumberton Castle with a case of investigative files, telling herself she will expose Simon and save her sister from more heartbreak but who is she really trying to save?
Emma is living a lie. She can not afford this fancy trip—and she definitely can not tell her husband and sons why. She once dreamt of a line of her own perfumes. Fragrances allowed her to speak in silence. Now, that tendency for silence only worsens her situation. Will she emerge with her dignity and family intact?
When their toxic mother shows up, the sisters assume the roles they fell into to survive their childhood but they just might find the courage to make new choices.
Lovers and Liars is the unforgettable story of a family’s ability to forgive and to find joy in one another once again. One of the best part in the story was the setting. Like a wedding set in a castle? I am unsure why the sisters did fall out of touch and maybe if we had some backstory, it would of been nice. And the mother was definitely the most unlikeable character, but I get why she was made out that way. However, I really liked how this book was told in parts and got to see each of the sister's POV. I did feel that due to the short chapters and parts for each characters, they were not fully developed. And I just wanted to know more. Maybe if it was kind of an intro to each character then a series, it would of made more sense. But there was plenty of family drama, romance and humour. If you like reading about a dysfunctional family, this one will be for you. This is also one of those books perfect for the summer or beach read.
June 13, 2024
Thank you to @AmandaEyreWard and @booksparks for the free copy of this one, and the opportunity to participate as an official ambassador for #SRC2024💖.
✨What it is about:
Three sisters raised by a narcissistic mother, reunite at the destination wedding of the youngest, Sylvie, at a castle in England. Sylvie, a librarian, is marrying for the second time, ten years after her first husband passed away. Emma, the middle daughter is stuck in a really hard financial situation no one, knows anything about. Cleo the oldest and a criminal defense attorney, is dating one person, but is really in love with her best friend Issac. Donna, the girls’ mother, is the worst, and well, she has not changed one bit over the years! All their secrets and lies come out at the castle, and it’s a whole lot more than you’d expect. ✨
💭 My thoughts:
I really enjoy reading about different family dynamics. Sister relationships are interesting to me as I don’t have a sister, so reading about these three who were quite different, was fun for me. I liked that despite their estrangement, they managed to push forward into their individual paths to healing, and becoming more of a unit once again, after reuniting. Their complicated upbringing was hard to read about at times, but this was overall entertaining, and it had heart. I enjoyed Sylvie’s world-wind romance too, and her and her fiancé love of reading and books 💖. Sylvie really deserved her HEA and I loved to see what that looked like. Overall, this is a quick, entertaining read for those who enjoy family drama, and endings that come together in a neat bow.
4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Read if you like:
👰♀️Sister dynamics
👰♀️Dysfunctional families
👰♀️Weddings
👰♀️Worldwind romances
👰♀️ Multiple POVs
👰♀️ Personal growth + forgiveness
⚠️ CW: Mentions of alcoholism, car accident, death of a spouse, parental emotional abuse.
✨What it is about:
Three sisters raised by a narcissistic mother, reunite at the destination wedding of the youngest, Sylvie, at a castle in England. Sylvie, a librarian, is marrying for the second time, ten years after her first husband passed away. Emma, the middle daughter is stuck in a really hard financial situation no one, knows anything about. Cleo the oldest and a criminal defense attorney, is dating one person, but is really in love with her best friend Issac. Donna, the girls’ mother, is the worst, and well, she has not changed one bit over the years! All their secrets and lies come out at the castle, and it’s a whole lot more than you’d expect. ✨
💭 My thoughts:
I really enjoy reading about different family dynamics. Sister relationships are interesting to me as I don’t have a sister, so reading about these three who were quite different, was fun for me. I liked that despite their estrangement, they managed to push forward into their individual paths to healing, and becoming more of a unit once again, after reuniting. Their complicated upbringing was hard to read about at times, but this was overall entertaining, and it had heart. I enjoyed Sylvie’s world-wind romance too, and her and her fiancé love of reading and books 💖. Sylvie really deserved her HEA and I loved to see what that looked like. Overall, this is a quick, entertaining read for those who enjoy family drama, and endings that come together in a neat bow.
4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Read if you like:
👰♀️Sister dynamics
👰♀️Dysfunctional families
👰♀️Weddings
👰♀️Worldwind romances
👰♀️ Multiple POVs
👰♀️ Personal growth + forgiveness
⚠️ CW: Mentions of alcoholism, car accident, death of a spouse, parental emotional abuse.
February 19, 2024
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. Like 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.
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. Like 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.
April 9, 2024
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
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
May 15, 2024
This book will make you want to go to the English countryside and live in a castle.
Lovers and Liars is about an estranged family gathering together for a destination wedding in an English castle. Told in multiple POVs, Ward does a great job of getting you into the head of each character without needing to write in the first person. The story mostly focuses on the three sisters, and you really get a sense of each of their different personalities and unique traumas that they cope with.
This book is out just in time for summer. It is the perfect quick read for when you want to escape into a countryside, cottage-core fantasy. It is a rom-com, but it does touch on a few serious topics, such as grieving the death of a spouse and dealing with an abusive mother. The comedy aspect does help keep things light, especially when it comes to dealings with the mom.
The only drawback for me was the pacing of the climax seemed a bit rushed, at least in relation to all the time spent setting the scene of the castle. But I think the ending is its saving grace, because at first, it seemed like everything is going to be resolved very easily, but then something unexpected happens that makes what could seem like an over-the-top story come back down to Earth.
If you want a summer read that is easy to get through but still touches your heart, give Lovers and Liars a try.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for sharing this digital e-ARC with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Amanda Eyre Ward's "Lovers and Liars" is now available everywhere.
Lovers and Liars is about an estranged family gathering together for a destination wedding in an English castle. Told in multiple POVs, Ward does a great job of getting you into the head of each character without needing to write in the first person. The story mostly focuses on the three sisters, and you really get a sense of each of their different personalities and unique traumas that they cope with.
This book is out just in time for summer. It is the perfect quick read for when you want to escape into a countryside, cottage-core fantasy. It is a rom-com, but it does touch on a few serious topics, such as grieving the death of a spouse and dealing with an abusive mother. The comedy aspect does help keep things light, especially when it comes to dealings with the mom.
The only drawback for me was the pacing of the climax seemed a bit rushed, at least in relation to all the time spent setting the scene of the castle. But I think the ending is its saving grace, because at first, it seemed like everything is going to be resolved very easily, but then something unexpected happens that makes what could seem like an over-the-top story come back down to Earth.
If you want a summer read that is easy to get through but still touches your heart, give Lovers and Liars a try.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for sharing this digital e-ARC with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Amanda Eyre Ward's "Lovers and Liars" is now available everywhere.
April 7, 2025
The Peacock sisters—Sylvie, Cleo, and Emma—were once close, but secrets and lies have pulled them apart. Sylvie is remarrying a mysterious man, Simon. Cleo is determined to expose him. Emma hides money troubles and lost dreams. When their toxic mother shows up, old family dynamics resurface—but this time, the sisters might finally break free and choose their own paths.
If you want a quick read where the setting is the star and the family drama is high then you'd enjoy this one. I really wanted to love this more than I did but something felt off with the timeline and I felt like I only got to know the characters at a surface level. Not sure this one will stick with me but it was still an enjoyable read.
If you want a quick read where the setting is the star and the family drama is high then you'd enjoy this one. I really wanted to love this more than I did but something felt off with the timeline and I felt like I only got to know the characters at a surface level. Not sure this one will stick with me but it was still an enjoyable read.
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