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MacLachlan Family & Friends #3
Two Little Lies
Handsome scoundrel Quin Hewitt has been living a devil-may-care existence in London for years. But when his father dies unexpectedly, he is forced to face up to his family duty and return to the country estate. But who will he marry so he can beget a suitable heir?
320 pages, Paperback
First published December 26, 2005
43 people are currently reading
765 people want to read
About the author
Liz Carlyle
46 books847 followersDear Readers,
The awful truth about novelists is that we are mostly dull, introverted homebodies who only write in order to live our fantasies vicariously. I came to writing rather late in life, and I’m still amazed I can get paid for doing something I love, and that I get to stay home while I do it.
My favorite comedian Steve Martin once said, "I believe entertainment can aspire to be art, and can become art. But if you set out to make art, you’re an idiot." I have never tried to create art, but I do try to tell one heck of a good story. Yes, I try to write with a hot iron, while the heat of the story is in me. And I try, always, to entertain my readers.
Regards,
Liz
The awful truth about novelists is that we are mostly dull, introverted homebodies who only write in order to live our fantasies vicariously. I came to writing rather late in life, and I’m still amazed I can get paid for doing something I love, and that I get to stay home while I do it.
My favorite comedian Steve Martin once said, "I believe entertainment can aspire to be art, and can become art. But if you set out to make art, you’re an idiot." I have never tried to create art, but I do try to tell one heck of a good story. Yes, I try to write with a hot iron, while the heat of the story is in me. And I try, always, to entertain my readers.
Regards,
Liz
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
July 5, 2025
In the prologue we meet a very nauseous Viviana and her beautiful, 20-year-old lover Quinten, three years her junior, who is jealous and controlling and arrogant in the way of brash young men who are heirs to an earldom. Viviana has come to a crossroads and, when Quin refuses to marry her, quietly leaves England for her native Italy and an arranged marriage, placing Quin firmly in her past.
But my, she thinks, when she examines her memories, how she had loved him.
Chapter 1 takes place nine years later. Quinten is now an earl and has just announced his engagement to a girl of good breeding when a widowed Viviana reappears in England with her father and three children to upend Quinten’s world, and the reader finds out just how false the first impressions of Viviana and Quinten really were and how real their feelings still are for each other.
My initial dislike of Quin in the prologue turned to sympathy. He owned up to all his mistakes and deeply regretted his youthful stupidity. My initial sympathy for Viviana turned to active dislike. The titular “Two Little Lies” were actually a mountain of lies that Viviana kept adding to, and some might have been excusable but one of them wasn’t.
An irredeemable heroine prone to diva drama and unapologetic lying, lying, and more lying made this a 3-star book for me.
But my, she thinks, when she examines her memories, how she had loved him.
Chapter 1 takes place nine years later. Quinten is now an earl and has just announced his engagement to a girl of good breeding when a widowed Viviana reappears in England with her father and three children to upend Quinten’s world, and the reader finds out just how false the first impressions of Viviana and Quinten really were and how real their feelings still are for each other.
My initial dislike of Quin in the prologue turned to sympathy. He owned up to all his mistakes and deeply regretted his youthful stupidity. My initial sympathy for Viviana turned to active dislike. The titular “Two Little Lies” were actually a mountain of lies that Viviana kept adding to, and some might have been excusable but one of them wasn’t.
An irredeemable heroine prone to diva drama and unapologetic lying, lying, and more lying made this a 3-star book for me.
June 24, 2021
3.5 stars for an enjoyable second-chance HR. Quin and Viviana met and fell in love when they were too young to understand themselves or the possible consequences of their relationship. Viviana is a talented Italian opera singer and Quin a slightly younger, eager young lord.
Most of the book takes place about eight or nine years after their initial relationship, and clearly, neither ever really got over the other. The book follows their story until they reach their well-deserved HEA. I liked Quin's integrity. He is well aware he made mistakes in the past, due to youth and naivety. Now he's all grown up and ready for a mature relationship. Viviana was caught up in horrible family circumstances as a young woman, but now she wants to put that behind her. I liked this book and intend to go on and read the next in the series.
Most of the book takes place about eight or nine years after their initial relationship, and clearly, neither ever really got over the other. The book follows their story until they reach their well-deserved HEA. I liked Quin's integrity. He is well aware he made mistakes in the past, due to youth and naivety. Now he's all grown up and ready for a mature relationship. Viviana was caught up in horrible family circumstances as a young woman, but now she wants to put that behind her. I liked this book and intend to go on and read the next in the series.
June 7, 2020
The pages sizzle with their turbulent and combustible chemistry
I enjoyed this book better than some other LC books that tend to veer off after a promising beginning.
Many reviewers have (rightfully) pointed out a similarity/appropriation from Mary Balogh's Christmas Belle. And the likeness is uncanny and obvious with minor differences like actress vs opera singer, Italian h vs English h, nice-ex vs bad-ex etc.
Both books have their strengths but MB's book did not wrap up satisfactorily for me. MB's writing may be better and her book has an engrossing first half but I prefer this book as it delivers a better wrap up.
This h is shown/typecast as the proverbial Italian diva with an attitude to match and it seems to rub off the H - so that their meetings are never cordial or calm. MB's h is a calm and sensible English lady and her H is the typical MB cold fish seething with revenge - subterraneanly. So, they come together differently, so say the least.
In this book, the ow situation is wrapped up quickly and the stage is left to the h/H and their immediate family whereas MB's book's big negative is the dragging of the ow saga (in an annoying, bad-taste way) and had a huge family distracting unnecessarily with an amateur drama production. Kids are always adorable but MB scores better there. But then, the over-presence of the ow also helps kill MB's book.
So naturally, this H scores big imo. I love the ring-pendant story.
And the h/H interaction kept me engaged throughout.
I enjoyed this book better than some other LC books that tend to veer off after a promising beginning.
Many reviewers have (rightfully) pointed out a similarity/appropriation from Mary Balogh's Christmas Belle. And the likeness is uncanny and obvious with minor differences like actress vs opera singer, Italian h vs English h, nice-ex vs bad-ex etc.
Both books have their strengths but MB's book did not wrap up satisfactorily for me. MB's writing may be better and her book has an engrossing first half but I prefer this book as it delivers a better wrap up.
This h is shown/typecast as the proverbial Italian diva with an attitude to match and it seems to rub off the H - so that their meetings are never cordial or calm. MB's h is a calm and sensible English lady and her H is the typical MB cold fish seething with revenge - subterraneanly. So, they come together differently, so say the least.
In this book, the ow situation is wrapped up quickly and the stage is left to the h/H and their immediate family whereas MB's book's big negative is the dragging of the ow saga (in an annoying, bad-taste way) and had a huge family distracting unnecessarily with an amateur drama production. Kids are always adorable but MB scores better there. But then, the over-presence of the ow also helps kill MB's book.
So naturally, this H scores big imo. I love the ring-pendant story.
And the h/H interaction kept me engaged throughout.
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April 1, 2022
This was okay, a bit of a letdown.
It's a second-chance romance featuring a vivacious Italian heroine who was the mistress of the hero as a young woman. He didn't offer to marry her, she ran off with his kid and married someone else, then they meet again when he's on the verge of marrying someone else.
Normally I'd stay a million miles away from this sort of scenario, because this level of angst and miscommunication was just UNREAL. But surprisingly I could keep myself relatively detached, because the characters didn't really capture me.
It's a second-chance romance featuring a vivacious Italian heroine who was the mistress of the hero as a young woman. He didn't offer to marry her, she ran off with his kid and married someone else, then they meet again when he's on the verge of marrying someone else.
Normally I'd stay a million miles away from this sort of scenario, because this level of angst and miscommunication was just UNREAL. But surprisingly I could keep myself relatively detached, because the characters didn't really capture me.
August 4, 2019
Reviewed for THC Reviews
"4.5 stars" I don’t know why I keep taking so long between my reading of Liz Carlyle’s novels, because they almost never fail to delight me. Perhaps it’s for the best, though, since the author is now retired and no longer writing. I suppose the upside to my procrastination is that it will draw out my reading pleasure longer. In any case, Two Little Lies was yet another of her books that was a winner for me. In it, we have a famed Italian opera singer and the heir to an earldom who engage in a passionate love affair in their early twenties, but their respective youth and naiveté leads to a failure to communicate. Although they’re in love, both of them are quite stubborn about admitting their feelings. They spend more time making love and arguing than really getting to know one another, so when she realizes she’s pregnant, she isn’t sure if she can trust him to do the right thing. Instead, she, perhaps foolishly, decides to return to Venice and accept the marriage proposal of her father’s patron, but it’s anything but an ideal union. Widowed nearly a decade later, she returns to England at the request of the hero’s uncle, who is another patron. When she and the man she’s never stopped loving see each other again, sparks fly, and they discover that their old chemistry still burns bright. But she’s harboring a huge secret and doesn’t know how she’ll tell him without earning his hatred for keeping him from his child for all those years.
Viviana took the world of opera by storm and rapidly rose to stardom at a young age. Many men pursued her, but perhaps none so doggedly as Quinten Hewitt. He eventually wore her down, and for all intents and purposes, she reluctantly became his mistress. However, despite loving him, his impetuousness and youthful folly prevented her from fully trusting him. So she returned home to Italy pregnant with his child and entered into a loveless marriage for the sake of security. Nearly a decade later, she returns to England widowed and with her three children in tow. When Viviana sees Quin again at his engagement party, all the old feelings for him resurface. They’re still every bit as attracted to one another as they were years ago, so when Quin’s fiancée breaks off their betrothal, things quickly heat up between Quin and Viviana. But she still struggles to accept that Quin actually loves her and isn’t sure how to tell him that she bore his child. Viviana is a very stubborn, proud woman, who tends to fight her feelings for Quin. But to her credit, she’s an incredible mother, who loves her children intensely and would do anything for them. I respected and understood Viviana’s choice to leave Quin all those years before, but once they reconnected and realized that their passion still burned bright, it was a little harder to figure out why she was having trouble really letting him into her life. I know she was afraid that he would hate her if he knew the truth about his daughter, but at the same time, I felt it was a bit selfish on her part to deny both Quin and Cerelia the chance to know one another, especially since her former husband had been particularly cruel to Cerelia. In this respect, she frustrated me a bit, which is why I dropped the half star.
In his youth, Quin was brash but lacking in genuine confidence. He was more taken with the idea of possessing a beautiful mistress like Vivie than attending to her emotional needs. However, he was in love with her, so when she suddenly left England, he was devastated. When she returns after years abroad on the night of Quin’s engagement party, he thinks she’s playing games. But after his engagement ends abruptly and unexpectedly, he finds that he isn’t particularly bothered by it, because Vivie still holds a piece of his heart and is the only woman he really wants. The pull between them is just as irresistible as it was when they were young, but his mother’s snobbery becomes a bit of an issue as he begins to consider marriage to Vivie this time around. Then there’s Vivie’s oldest daughter who presents a different kind of pull. In her, Quin recognizes a familiarity but doesn’t know why. In the opening prologue, when he was young, Quin wasn’t necessarily the ideal hero, but he grew and matured a great deal over the years he and Vivie were separated. Aside from trying to take liberties with her on the day after they saw each other again for the first time – something Vivie gave him hell for – Quinn was everything I expect in a romance hero. He’s passionate and loving, and when Vivie tries to close the door on any kind of relationship, he pursues her with determination, not wanting to let her get away again. I also love how sweet he is with all the children, but he connects in an especially deep way with Cerelia. Even though he’d given little thought to becoming a father, he’s clearly cut out for the job, and I love a man who’s good with kids. He was also smart enough to finally figure out why he felt so connected to Cerelia, and although he was angry about it at first, he eventually cooled off and unselfishly did what was right for everyone.
Overall, Two Little Lies was an intensely emotional and deeply moving story that was hard to put down. I’m not usually a big fan of the secret baby trope, but here it worked beautifully for me. Even though Vivie could be a bit frustrating at times, I was still caught up in all the feelings that passed between her and Quin. I was also dying to find out when Quin would learn the truth and how that would all turn out, and I was definitely not disappointed by it at all. I was more than convinced that Vivie and Quin were right for each other and that they loved each other, even though Vivie seemed to be fighting it tooth and nail. I very much enjoyed the supporting characters as well. Quin’s sister gets a secondary romance that in many ways mirrors Vivie’s story, while the children were delightful and rendered very age-appropriately. I really felt deeply for Cerelia. She was a particularly sweet child, but her sibling could be, too. Aside from Vivie’s stubbornness and the fact that she probably never would have told Quin the truth if he hadn’t figured it out for himself, the only downside I found was a surprising number of typographical errors for a book that was released by a major publisher. Otherwise, this was a near-perfect read for me, which has me excited to read more from Liz Carlyle in this series. I’ll just have to try not to wait so long in between books next time.
"4.5 stars" I don’t know why I keep taking so long between my reading of Liz Carlyle’s novels, because they almost never fail to delight me. Perhaps it’s for the best, though, since the author is now retired and no longer writing. I suppose the upside to my procrastination is that it will draw out my reading pleasure longer. In any case, Two Little Lies was yet another of her books that was a winner for me. In it, we have a famed Italian opera singer and the heir to an earldom who engage in a passionate love affair in their early twenties, but their respective youth and naiveté leads to a failure to communicate. Although they’re in love, both of them are quite stubborn about admitting their feelings. They spend more time making love and arguing than really getting to know one another, so when she realizes she’s pregnant, she isn’t sure if she can trust him to do the right thing. Instead, she, perhaps foolishly, decides to return to Venice and accept the marriage proposal of her father’s patron, but it’s anything but an ideal union. Widowed nearly a decade later, she returns to England at the request of the hero’s uncle, who is another patron. When she and the man she’s never stopped loving see each other again, sparks fly, and they discover that their old chemistry still burns bright. But she’s harboring a huge secret and doesn’t know how she’ll tell him without earning his hatred for keeping him from his child for all those years.
Viviana took the world of opera by storm and rapidly rose to stardom at a young age. Many men pursued her, but perhaps none so doggedly as Quinten Hewitt. He eventually wore her down, and for all intents and purposes, she reluctantly became his mistress. However, despite loving him, his impetuousness and youthful folly prevented her from fully trusting him. So she returned home to Italy pregnant with his child and entered into a loveless marriage for the sake of security. Nearly a decade later, she returns to England widowed and with her three children in tow. When Viviana sees Quin again at his engagement party, all the old feelings for him resurface. They’re still every bit as attracted to one another as they were years ago, so when Quin’s fiancée breaks off their betrothal, things quickly heat up between Quin and Viviana. But she still struggles to accept that Quin actually loves her and isn’t sure how to tell him that she bore his child. Viviana is a very stubborn, proud woman, who tends to fight her feelings for Quin. But to her credit, she’s an incredible mother, who loves her children intensely and would do anything for them. I respected and understood Viviana’s choice to leave Quin all those years before, but once they reconnected and realized that their passion still burned bright, it was a little harder to figure out why she was having trouble really letting him into her life. I know she was afraid that he would hate her if he knew the truth about his daughter, but at the same time, I felt it was a bit selfish on her part to deny both Quin and Cerelia the chance to know one another, especially since her former husband had been particularly cruel to Cerelia. In this respect, she frustrated me a bit, which is why I dropped the half star.
In his youth, Quin was brash but lacking in genuine confidence. He was more taken with the idea of possessing a beautiful mistress like Vivie than attending to her emotional needs. However, he was in love with her, so when she suddenly left England, he was devastated. When she returns after years abroad on the night of Quin’s engagement party, he thinks she’s playing games. But after his engagement ends abruptly and unexpectedly, he finds that he isn’t particularly bothered by it, because Vivie still holds a piece of his heart and is the only woman he really wants. The pull between them is just as irresistible as it was when they were young, but his mother’s snobbery becomes a bit of an issue as he begins to consider marriage to Vivie this time around. Then there’s Vivie’s oldest daughter who presents a different kind of pull. In her, Quin recognizes a familiarity but doesn’t know why. In the opening prologue, when he was young, Quin wasn’t necessarily the ideal hero, but he grew and matured a great deal over the years he and Vivie were separated. Aside from trying to take liberties with her on the day after they saw each other again for the first time – something Vivie gave him hell for – Quinn was everything I expect in a romance hero. He’s passionate and loving, and when Vivie tries to close the door on any kind of relationship, he pursues her with determination, not wanting to let her get away again. I also love how sweet he is with all the children, but he connects in an especially deep way with Cerelia. Even though he’d given little thought to becoming a father, he’s clearly cut out for the job, and I love a man who’s good with kids. He was also smart enough to finally figure out why he felt so connected to Cerelia, and although he was angry about it at first, he eventually cooled off and unselfishly did what was right for everyone.
Overall, Two Little Lies was an intensely emotional and deeply moving story that was hard to put down. I’m not usually a big fan of the secret baby trope, but here it worked beautifully for me. Even though Vivie could be a bit frustrating at times, I was still caught up in all the feelings that passed between her and Quin. I was also dying to find out when Quin would learn the truth and how that would all turn out, and I was definitely not disappointed by it at all. I was more than convinced that Vivie and Quin were right for each other and that they loved each other, even though Vivie seemed to be fighting it tooth and nail. I very much enjoyed the supporting characters as well. Quin’s sister gets a secondary romance that in many ways mirrors Vivie’s story, while the children were delightful and rendered very age-appropriately. I really felt deeply for Cerelia. She was a particularly sweet child, but her sibling could be, too. Aside from Vivie’s stubbornness and the fact that she probably never would have told Quin the truth if he hadn’t figured it out for himself, the only downside I found was a surprising number of typographical errors for a book that was released by a major publisher. Otherwise, this was a near-perfect read for me, which has me excited to read more from Liz Carlyle in this series. I’ll just have to try not to wait so long in between books next time.
May 15, 2023
Reread 2023
————
Re read2021
4 Stars are all for the heroine. Honestly, I reread this book to revisit her, who is one of the strongest and the gutsiest heroine ever in historical romance! The writing was just ok, and the book dragged towards the middle. The book is emotional and angst-filled.
Viviana, Contessa Bergonzi di Vicenza, is a Venetian opera singer with raw talent.
She's a strikingly gorgeous woman with a stunningly voluptuous figure, I'd call someone like this a "maneater" or "femme fatale," when she walks into a room, she stands out.
She's known for her beauty but also for her fiery temper, self-confidence, her exotic accent, and her pride. She's the ultimate anti-doormat, she takes no shit from a man, and she's a realist with a big heart. I absolutely LOVED her, if you cant tell.
Quin Hewitt, the Earl of Wynwood, is a hot and rich rake, a slut. He's 3 years YOUNGER than Vivi, and she's decades older in maturity than him. The book sells simply because the h is so awesome, but him, I wasn't a fan. He is a whore, and never loved any woman- except Vivi, who broke his heart when he was 20, and he's never gotten over her. They had a tumultuous and fiery relationship filled with angry sex, makeup sex, and more jealous fighting/sex. I found it hilarious...and imo this was best part of the book.
When Quin was 20, he fell in love with Vivi at first sight, chased her for 2 months and she became his mistress for a year before she left him without a word. She became preggers (not a spoiler, you'll learn this in the beginning), and when she asked him to marry her, he said he cant marry a mistress, so knowing how immature he was, she left him without telling him about the baby and married someone else back home.
when the story starts, its 9 years later and he's engaged to marry another woman. This is Quin & Vivi's 2nd chance love story.
Safety SPOILERS.
- no cheating.
-they were apart for 9 years, he became a manslut, screwed all over the place. He was always unhappy, even kept a box full of Vivi's momentos which he looked at every week.
- She married another man and had 3 kids. Her marriage was a bad one.
- the h was a virgin when she became his mistress.
————
Re read2021
4 Stars are all for the heroine. Honestly, I reread this book to revisit her, who is one of the strongest and the gutsiest heroine ever in historical romance! The writing was just ok, and the book dragged towards the middle. The book is emotional and angst-filled.
Viviana, Contessa Bergonzi di Vicenza, is a Venetian opera singer with raw talent.
She's a strikingly gorgeous woman with a stunningly voluptuous figure, I'd call someone like this a "maneater" or "femme fatale," when she walks into a room, she stands out.
She's known for her beauty but also for her fiery temper, self-confidence, her exotic accent, and her pride. She's the ultimate anti-doormat, she takes no shit from a man, and she's a realist with a big heart. I absolutely LOVED her, if you cant tell.
Quin Hewitt, the Earl of Wynwood, is a hot and rich rake, a slut. He's 3 years YOUNGER than Vivi, and she's decades older in maturity than him. The book sells simply because the h is so awesome, but him, I wasn't a fan. He is a whore, and never loved any woman- except Vivi, who broke his heart when he was 20, and he's never gotten over her. They had a tumultuous and fiery relationship filled with angry sex, makeup sex, and more jealous fighting/sex. I found it hilarious...and imo this was best part of the book.
When Quin was 20, he fell in love with Vivi at first sight, chased her for 2 months and she became his mistress for a year before she left him without a word. She became preggers (not a spoiler, you'll learn this in the beginning), and when she asked him to marry her, he said he cant marry a mistress, so knowing how immature he was, she left him without telling him about the baby and married someone else back home.
when the story starts, its 9 years later and he's engaged to marry another woman. This is Quin & Vivi's 2nd chance love story.
Safety SPOILERS.
- no cheating.
-they were apart for 9 years, he became a manslut, screwed all over the place. He was always unhappy, even kept a box full of Vivi's momentos which he looked at every week.
- She married another man and had 3 kids. Her marriage was a bad one.
- the h was a virgin when she became his mistress.
December 19, 2011
I cried right through the book. It was just so sad and the writing was brilliant. Viviana and Quin were just the most divine of lovers, unable to speak the truth because of pride and misguided sentiments. Their passion was so absolute, and their feelings so strong. What a combination. I loved this book as can be seen from my 5 stars.
I liked Viviana especially because she made the best choice she could, or what she felt was the best choice. She is a realist, she realises that he is too young, that he can't offer her what she and her baby need. She is willing to sacrifice everything for her father. I liked her - her decisions were wrong, and because of pride she does spend 9 unhappy years [that kind of reminded me of Jane Austen's Persuasion] but she did what she believed in. She held on for love and was willing to marry without love, but not without his.
A really good read, especially if you like weepy stories with a marvellous resolution.
Alice and Herndon are a lovely minor pairing and Esmee is such a wonderful character. I want to read more about her.
I liked Viviana especially because she made the best choice she could, or what she felt was the best choice. She is a realist, she realises that he is too young, that he can't offer her what she and her baby need. She is willing to sacrifice everything for her father. I liked her - her decisions were wrong, and because of pride she does spend 9 unhappy years [that kind of reminded me of Jane Austen's Persuasion] but she did what she believed in. She held on for love and was willing to marry without love, but not without his.
A really good read, especially if you like weepy stories with a marvellous resolution.
Alice and Herndon are a lovely minor pairing and Esmee is such a wonderful character. I want to read more about her.
July 9, 2022
Liz Carlyle’s writing style is fantastic. Unfortunately, this story and the way it played out just didn’t appeal to my preferences.
The horrible communication and lying were frustrating.
I didn’t find myself rooting for the couple, plus I skimmed a lot-and that never bodes well.
2-2.5 stars
The horrible communication and lying were frustrating.
I didn’t find myself rooting for the couple, plus I skimmed a lot-and that never bodes well.
2-2.5 stars
August 12, 2019
Re read from my keeper shelf. I didn't love it as much the second time around. The secret baby build up and tension didn't get the emotional payoff I was expecting. Still, Liz Carlyle wrote true historicals not the contemporaries in corsets we see nowadays.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 13, 2021
This was an incredibly emotional read. Two Little Lies is a book full of emotions. You will laugh along with them, cry with them, get frustrated, angry, and you even feel hot. It’s a roller coaster ride. It was
wonderfully written.
Quin Hewitt a handsome scoundrel, the Earl of Wynwood. At 21, he fell in love with the stunning and sexy Viviana Alessandri and took her as his mistress. He wasn’t able to tell her the truth about his feelings. And because of her not being suitable to be his bride, he kept his feelings bottled up. And that was nine years ago. But now, as the new Earl of Wynwood, he was expected to be responsible and face his family duty, so he decides to find himself a sensible, suitable wife so he can beget a sensible, suitable heir. He has chosen to marry Esmee Hamilton.
Viviana Alessandri or now Contessa Bergonzi di Vicenza is an opera singer, well-known because of her powerful voice. She fell in love with Quinn and accepted his offer to be his mistress. Because of their differences, she was unable to express/tell him her real feelings. And she also believed that he didn’t love her and refused to marry her. So she decided to leave him and pursue her career. She’s willing to marry without love, but not without his.
Because of this simple misunderstanding, they spent nine years apart. Nine unhappy years. Another man had done what Quinn had not the guts to do.
Then she came back with a secret that will forever tear them apart or bring them back again. I won’t tell what it is. You have to read it on your own.
Two Little Lies is a very emotional, heart-breaking, yet enjoyable read that will capture the heart of the readers out there. Quinn and Vivi’s were so vivid. They seemed real.
I also enjoyed the secondary characters, plus it was told from both Quinn and Vivi’s point of view.
If you like your book to be an emotional pack, then Two Little Lies is one for you.
Happy Reading! (:
Quin Hewitt a handsome scoundrel, the Earl of Wynwood. At 21, he fell in love with the stunning and sexy Viviana Alessandri and took her as his mistress. He wasn’t able to tell her the truth about his feelings. And because of her not being suitable to be his bride, he kept his feelings bottled up. And that was nine years ago. But now, as the new Earl of Wynwood, he was expected to be responsible and face his family duty, so he decides to find himself a sensible, suitable wife so he can beget a sensible, suitable heir. He has chosen to marry Esmee Hamilton.
Viviana Alessandri or now Contessa Bergonzi di Vicenza is an opera singer, well-known because of her powerful voice. She fell in love with Quinn and accepted his offer to be his mistress. Because of their differences, she was unable to express/tell him her real feelings. And she also believed that he didn’t love her and refused to marry her. So she decided to leave him and pursue her career. She’s willing to marry without love, but not without his.
Because of this simple misunderstanding, they spent nine years apart. Nine unhappy years. Another man had done what Quinn had not the guts to do.
Then she came back with a secret that will forever tear them apart or bring them back again. I won’t tell what it is. You have to read it on your own.
Two Little Lies is a very emotional, heart-breaking, yet enjoyable read that will capture the heart of the readers out there. Quinn and Vivi’s were so vivid. They seemed real.
I also enjoyed the secondary characters, plus it was told from both Quinn and Vivi’s point of view.
If you like your book to be an emotional pack, then Two Little Lies is one for you.
Happy Reading! (:
February 12, 2013
This is the second book in a row by Carlyle that I've read that has almost *exactly* the same plot as one of Mary Balogh's books (the other one was "Three Little Secrets", the next one in the MacLachlan Family series). The book by Mary Balogh is "Christmas Belle", published in 1994 as a Signet Regency. I'm not sure that copying a plot almost exactly constitutes plagiarism, but it has certainly turned me off Liz Carlyle. Especially when Balogh's book is far, far better than this one.
June 2, 2021
I really didn't care for the hero Quinn.
For all of his youthful mistakes, he didn't do better 10 years later. At every opportunity he chose to believe the worst, do the worst with the heroine. He only does what he has to in order to get what he wants and not a bit more.
He carries too many negative emotions, he's very manipulative. I really wanted to like this book better, but the first in the series was much better.
For all of his youthful mistakes, he didn't do better 10 years later. At every opportunity he chose to believe the worst, do the worst with the heroine. He only does what he has to in order to get what he wants and not a bit more.
He carries too many negative emotions, he's very manipulative. I really wanted to like this book better, but the first in the series was much better.
September 25, 2010
It was a pretty good story, but it was missing the emotional fulfillment I usually desire.
Most romance novels I enjoy have the couple meet, develop a relationship, usually separate due to a crisis or conflict and then get together in the end. This novel starts with the couple together and they separate. Most of the book is spent with the hero and heroine being sad, in pain, unfulfilled and lonely. Only at the very end do they get together again. This was not a fulfilling formula for me. I missed the anticipation and enjoyment of a developing relationship.
Secondly, I generally don’t like stories where lovers lie to each other. Lies are ok before they fall in love, but I don’t like lies after they get together.
CAUTION SPOILERS:
In the beginning, Vivie is pregnant and does not tell Quin. Instead she asks him to marry her. He is only 20 and says no. I understood and found no problem with his reasoning at that time. Besides, he didn’t know that she was pregnant. Then she leaves him and marries another for the sake of the baby. Nine years later, she is a widow, and their paths cross. She continues to lie to him about her feelings, why she ran off to marry another, and continues to not tell him about the child. I could understand her reasons for not telling him she was pregnant the first time, because he had already refused to marry her. I did not like her lies nine years later.
Sexual language: moderate. Number of sex scenes: three. Setting: 1821 and 1830 England. Copyright: 2006. Genre: historical romance.
To date, I’ve read one other book by Liz Carlyle. My 1 star review for her book “A Woman Scorned” copyright 2000 was posted on 8/14/08.
Most romance novels I enjoy have the couple meet, develop a relationship, usually separate due to a crisis or conflict and then get together in the end. This novel starts with the couple together and they separate. Most of the book is spent with the hero and heroine being sad, in pain, unfulfilled and lonely. Only at the very end do they get together again. This was not a fulfilling formula for me. I missed the anticipation and enjoyment of a developing relationship.
Secondly, I generally don’t like stories where lovers lie to each other. Lies are ok before they fall in love, but I don’t like lies after they get together.
CAUTION SPOILERS:
In the beginning, Vivie is pregnant and does not tell Quin. Instead she asks him to marry her. He is only 20 and says no. I understood and found no problem with his reasoning at that time. Besides, he didn’t know that she was pregnant. Then she leaves him and marries another for the sake of the baby. Nine years later, she is a widow, and their paths cross. She continues to lie to him about her feelings, why she ran off to marry another, and continues to not tell him about the child. I could understand her reasons for not telling him she was pregnant the first time, because he had already refused to marry her. I did not like her lies nine years later.
Sexual language: moderate. Number of sex scenes: three. Setting: 1821 and 1830 England. Copyright: 2006. Genre: historical romance.
To date, I’ve read one other book by Liz Carlyle. My 1 star review for her book “A Woman Scorned” copyright 2000 was posted on 8/14/08.
August 11, 2010
3.5 Stars
This was the story of Quin Hewitt, Alasdairs friend from "One Little Secret,", and Viviana Alessandri, an opera singer and his first love and first mistress. When they meet again 9 years later, they both have their secrets that have kept them apart, but will they be able to over come this?
It took me a while to get into this book, but once I did I really enjoyed it, I didn't quite like it as much as "One Little Sin," as it seemed to lack humour, and I found I didn't really warm much to Quin or Vivies character. This also felt a little rushed at the end aswell, the pace of the book became very quick comared to its fairly slow meandering in the rest of the book, and then before you realized it you were reading the epilogue.
However, the writing was excellent, I like how Ms Carlyle had their manner of speaking so correct, how I would imagine people would speak at the time. So although there were some points I found annoying, I mean why do people never talk to one another, and although more serious in tone then I expected I did enjoy this read.
I would definately recommend this series to people, although this wasn't perhaps my favourite historical romance, I found it an entertaining and heart warming read, that has good quality writing and a passionate romance.
This was the story of Quin Hewitt, Alasdairs friend from "One Little Secret,", and Viviana Alessandri, an opera singer and his first love and first mistress. When they meet again 9 years later, they both have their secrets that have kept them apart, but will they be able to over come this?
It took me a while to get into this book, but once I did I really enjoyed it, I didn't quite like it as much as "One Little Sin," as it seemed to lack humour, and I found I didn't really warm much to Quin or Vivies character. This also felt a little rushed at the end aswell, the pace of the book became very quick comared to its fairly slow meandering in the rest of the book, and then before you realized it you were reading the epilogue.
However, the writing was excellent, I like how Ms Carlyle had their manner of speaking so correct, how I would imagine people would speak at the time. So although there were some points I found annoying, I mean why do people never talk to one another, and although more serious in tone then I expected I did enjoy this read.
I would definately recommend this series to people, although this wasn't perhaps my favourite historical romance, I found it an entertaining and heart warming read, that has good quality writing and a passionate romance.
August 20, 2007
30. "Once, he spurned the woman he loved. The Earl of Wynwood was far too reckless to handle a sophisticated woman like Viviana Alessandri. And the beautiful opera singer was far too famous to make a suitable wife for Wynwood.
Twice, she wagered with her heart. Crushed by Wynwood's refusal to marry, Viviana offered her hand to another, a wealthy count. But fate has a way of playing with lovers' hearts — and passion has a way of setting them on fire.
Two little lies tore them apart. But now, at a gala affair celebrating Wynwood's recent betrothal, Viviana will get one last chance to win back his love...again...and again."
Another series I read out of order. Quin wasn't my favorite character of the three friends so I avoided this book. Not my favorite book in the trilogy either. Will readily recomment the first and third books, One Little Sin and Three Little Secrets.
Twice, she wagered with her heart. Crushed by Wynwood's refusal to marry, Viviana offered her hand to another, a wealthy count. But fate has a way of playing with lovers' hearts — and passion has a way of setting them on fire.
Two little lies tore them apart. But now, at a gala affair celebrating Wynwood's recent betrothal, Viviana will get one last chance to win back his love...again...and again."
Another series I read out of order. Quin wasn't my favorite character of the three friends so I avoided this book. Not my favorite book in the trilogy either. Will readily recomment the first and third books, One Little Sin and Three Little Secrets.
May 1, 2013
Liz Carlyle is more hit than miss for me but this was not the best book in her collection. It takes the tropes I really like (estranged lovers who reunite, class differences etc) but doesn't do anything interesting with them.
I am in the minority (it seems) where I really liked the hero but found the heroine incredibly annoying, with her out of control temper and incessant lying.
Three stars for the angst and because I happen to like Carlyle's writing style but you are better off getting one of her other books.
I am in the minority (it seems) where I really liked the hero but found the heroine incredibly annoying, with her out of control temper and incessant lying.
Three stars for the angst and because I happen to like Carlyle's writing style but you are better off getting one of her other books.
April 1, 2009
I hate it when I get a book in the middle of a series. This is a second book of three, now I have to get the first and third ones, maybe. This is a historical romance with a tried and true plot, how many times do we have to read story? The story took some time to develop and get going and didn't garner much empathy with the characters until late in the story. Not a bad read but not the best one either. The teaser for the third book makes it sound like a better story. Hope so!
July 18, 2020
Another excellent book of Carlyle’s! I thoroughly enjoyed Viviana and Quin’s back-and-forth banter. It is the third book in the series, so there is some background involving the first two books; however, you could read most of it without having read the first two (although there will be spoilers). Highly recommend for a good romance with secrets, misunderstandings, and passion (both love and anger)!
November 2, 2010
If you didnt read the first book the start would have given you some history but if you did it was long and drawn out. I think it was not until about page 100 and somthing that it actually got to the new stuff with the characters and this story. I read it despite the beginning lag. I hope the third book doesnt do the same thing.
May 29, 2017
I just could not stop reading this book! I read this in one day, it's almost a record! Its a lovely storyline, but I think the couple in real life would not work (BUT I dont read novels for its reality!). I just had to know what happened to Viviana and why she did what she did! And Quin become a better man at the end, this make me very pleased with the book!
November 4, 2010
3.5 Stars
I didn't enjoy this one quite as much as the first one in the trilogy. The humour was missing and I didn't quite warm up to Quin and Viviana until halfway through the book.
That said, it was still an enjoyable read.
I didn't enjoy this one quite as much as the first one in the trilogy. The humour was missing and I didn't quite warm up to Quin and Viviana until halfway through the book.
That said, it was still an enjoyable read.
April 14, 2009
I really hate long prologues. This one is 21 pages. That is just too long for a prologue.
September 12, 2009
I didn't like the hero much, but the heroine was ok. It's more of a dramatic side, very little to no humor at all.
June 5, 2022
A very good read.
May 23, 2020
This is the third book in the MacLachlan Family & Friends series. It was an absolutely delightful and well crafted book. I loved it and couldn't put it down.
August 2, 2024
In their early twenties, famed Italian opera singer Viviana and Quinten Hewitt, heir to an earldom, engaged in a passionate love affair. Despite their deep feelings for each other, both were too stubborn and inexperienced to communicate effectively. Their relationship was filled with more heated arguments and passionate encounters than meaningful conversations. When Viviana discovered she was pregnant, she couldn't trust Quinten's ability to support her. Fearful of her future, she returned to Venice and accepted a marriage proposal from her father's patron, entering into a loveless union for security.
Viviana's life in Venice was far from ideal. Her husband was indifferent at best and cruel at worst, particularly towards her daughter, Cerelia. Nearly a decade later, now a widow and mother of three, Viviana returned to England at the request of Quinten's uncle, another of her patrons. Upon her return, she found herself at Quinten's engagement party, where all the old feelings resurfaced. Despite the years apart, their chemistry remained undeniable. When Quinten's fiancée broke off their engagement, the flames of passion between Viviana and Quinten rekindled almost instantly.
Viviana was a strong-willed and proud woman, dedicated to her children. She had never stopped loving Quinten but struggled with the guilt of keeping his daughter a secret from him. Her decision to leave him all those years ago was driven by fear and mistrust, and now she grappled with the fear of his potential hatred. This internal conflict made it difficult for her to fully let Quinten back into her life despite the undeniable attraction that still burned between them.
In his youth, Quinten was brash and more enamored with having a beautiful mistress than attending to Viviana's emotional needs. Her sudden departure devastated him, leaving him confused and heartbroken. Quinten initially believed she was playing games when she returned to England, and they met again at his engagement party. However, after his engagement ended, he realized that Viviana was the only woman he wanted. Their connection was as strong as ever, but Quinten faced opposition from his mother, who disapproved of his intention to marry Viviana. Additionally, he felt an inexplicable bond with Viviana's eldest daughter, Cerelia, not yet knowing she was his own.
Quinten's growth over the years was evident. He evolved from a reckless youth to a mature man who understood the importance of love and commitment. His initial attempt to rekindle their romance was met with resistance, but his persistence paid off. Quinten was determined not to lose Viviana again, pursuing her with a newfound maturity and tenderness. He showed a natural aptitude for fatherhood, connecting deeply with Cerelia and winning over Viviana's other children.
Despite her frustrations with Viviana's reluctance to share the truth about Cerelia, the emotional journey of their reunion was compelling. Her deep love for her children balanced Viviana's stubbornness and pride, and Quinten's unwavering determination to be a part of their lives was heartwarming. Their story was a poignant exploration of second chances, forgiveness, and the enduring power of love.
Supporting characters added depth to the narrative. Quinten's sister experienced a secondary romance that mirrored Viviana's journey, and the children were portrayed with authenticity and charm. Cerelia, in particular, was a sweet and endearing character whose relationship with Quinten provided some of the story's most touching moments.
While profoundly moving and hard to put down, the novel had flaws. Viviana's reluctance to fully embrace Quinten after their reunion was sometimes frustrating, as was her decision to keep Cerelia's paternity a secret for so long. While understandable given her past, these choices seemed selfish at times, denying both Quinten and Cerelia the chance to know each other sooner. Additionally, the book contained many significant typographical errors for publication, which slightly detracted from the reading experience.
Overall, "Two Little Lies" was an intensely emotional and profoundly moving story of second chances. It effectively portrayed the complexities of love, trust, and forgiveness. Viviana and Quinten's journey from youthful lovers to mature partners was both satisfying and heart-wrenching, culminating in a well-deserved happily ever after. Despite frustrations with character decisions and minor editing issues, the story's emotional depth and engaging characters made it a compelling read.
This novel captured the essence of a second-chance romance, highlighting the growth and change that come with time and experience. Viviana and Quinten's story is a testament to the idea that true love can endure even the most challenging obstacles and that forgiveness and understanding are critical to any lasting relationship. Their journey was a romantic adventure and a poignant reminder of the power of love to heal and transform.
Viviana's life in Venice was far from ideal. Her husband was indifferent at best and cruel at worst, particularly towards her daughter, Cerelia. Nearly a decade later, now a widow and mother of three, Viviana returned to England at the request of Quinten's uncle, another of her patrons. Upon her return, she found herself at Quinten's engagement party, where all the old feelings resurfaced. Despite the years apart, their chemistry remained undeniable. When Quinten's fiancée broke off their engagement, the flames of passion between Viviana and Quinten rekindled almost instantly.
Viviana was a strong-willed and proud woman, dedicated to her children. She had never stopped loving Quinten but struggled with the guilt of keeping his daughter a secret from him. Her decision to leave him all those years ago was driven by fear and mistrust, and now she grappled with the fear of his potential hatred. This internal conflict made it difficult for her to fully let Quinten back into her life despite the undeniable attraction that still burned between them.
In his youth, Quinten was brash and more enamored with having a beautiful mistress than attending to Viviana's emotional needs. Her sudden departure devastated him, leaving him confused and heartbroken. Quinten initially believed she was playing games when she returned to England, and they met again at his engagement party. However, after his engagement ended, he realized that Viviana was the only woman he wanted. Their connection was as strong as ever, but Quinten faced opposition from his mother, who disapproved of his intention to marry Viviana. Additionally, he felt an inexplicable bond with Viviana's eldest daughter, Cerelia, not yet knowing she was his own.
Quinten's growth over the years was evident. He evolved from a reckless youth to a mature man who understood the importance of love and commitment. His initial attempt to rekindle their romance was met with resistance, but his persistence paid off. Quinten was determined not to lose Viviana again, pursuing her with a newfound maturity and tenderness. He showed a natural aptitude for fatherhood, connecting deeply with Cerelia and winning over Viviana's other children.
Despite her frustrations with Viviana's reluctance to share the truth about Cerelia, the emotional journey of their reunion was compelling. Her deep love for her children balanced Viviana's stubbornness and pride, and Quinten's unwavering determination to be a part of their lives was heartwarming. Their story was a poignant exploration of second chances, forgiveness, and the enduring power of love.
Supporting characters added depth to the narrative. Quinten's sister experienced a secondary romance that mirrored Viviana's journey, and the children were portrayed with authenticity and charm. Cerelia, in particular, was a sweet and endearing character whose relationship with Quinten provided some of the story's most touching moments.
While profoundly moving and hard to put down, the novel had flaws. Viviana's reluctance to fully embrace Quinten after their reunion was sometimes frustrating, as was her decision to keep Cerelia's paternity a secret for so long. While understandable given her past, these choices seemed selfish at times, denying both Quinten and Cerelia the chance to know each other sooner. Additionally, the book contained many significant typographical errors for publication, which slightly detracted from the reading experience.
Overall, "Two Little Lies" was an intensely emotional and profoundly moving story of second chances. It effectively portrayed the complexities of love, trust, and forgiveness. Viviana and Quinten's journey from youthful lovers to mature partners was both satisfying and heart-wrenching, culminating in a well-deserved happily ever after. Despite frustrations with character decisions and minor editing issues, the story's emotional depth and engaging characters made it a compelling read.
This novel captured the essence of a second-chance romance, highlighting the growth and change that come with time and experience. Viviana and Quinten's story is a testament to the idea that true love can endure even the most challenging obstacles and that forgiveness and understanding are critical to any lasting relationship. Their journey was a romantic adventure and a poignant reminder of the power of love to heal and transform.
January 12, 2025
2,5/3
Se proprio devo collegare un sentimento predominante alla lettura di questo volume, è il fastidio che ho provato per Quin, un personaggio borioso e detestabile da pagina 1 a pagina 298.
Conosciamo Viviana, poco più che ventenne, cantante d'opera italiana, giunta a Londra per farsi conoscere: sono tempi duri e il fatto di essere un'artista, per di più "italiana", la conducono a iniziare una relazione con il nipote del suo mecenate.
Viviana, di poco più vecchia, vive il tutto con spensieratezza; Quinn, al contrario, la ritiene una cosa sua, sempre pronta alle sue esigenze, e che, al massimo della sua generosità, potrà elevare, semmai, a protetta da mantenere in parallelo al matrimonio ufficiale.
Non è un bel rapporto, fin dall'inizio; per quanto immaturo, Quin è prevaricatore e tossico (le compra rubini, ma solo affinché lei li indossi per il suo piacere; ne svilisce la carriera, perché il futuro dovrà essere in funzione di lui; la condanna come una mera sgualdrina quando lei osa abbandonarlo, anche se non ne conosce i motivi).
In tutto questo, non lo sfiora mai, neppure per un istante, che lei sia sua pari, e questo sottofondo di superiorità e condiscendenza me lo ha reso non perdonabile.
Certo, passato un decennio, la Carlyle si affanna a dirci che la vita altrove di Viviana non è stata granché, quasi che Quinn sia comunque il male minore.
Sinceramente, io me sarei tenuta ben lontana.
Invece la nostra ritorna a Londra, vedova, madre e contessa (sebbene, il suo titolo non possa certo competere con la superiorità altezzosa dei lord inglesi) e finisce di nuovo nella rete del predatore.
Che la tratta sostanzialmente come prima, in più indignato per non poter riprendersela con facilità (dovendosi sposare a breve con un'altra). Il fatto che talvolta venga usato per lui il verbo "latrare" rendono bene l'idea di tanta arroganza e di scarsa sincerità nel presunto amore rinato.
Che nervi: questa trilogia richiede un Malox ad ogni volume, per riuscire a digerire la lettura. 😏
Se proprio devo collegare un sentimento predominante alla lettura di questo volume, è il fastidio che ho provato per Quin, un personaggio borioso e detestabile da pagina 1 a pagina 298.
Conosciamo Viviana, poco più che ventenne, cantante d'opera italiana, giunta a Londra per farsi conoscere: sono tempi duri e il fatto di essere un'artista, per di più "italiana", la conducono a iniziare una relazione con il nipote del suo mecenate.
Viviana, di poco più vecchia, vive il tutto con spensieratezza; Quinn, al contrario, la ritiene una cosa sua, sempre pronta alle sue esigenze, e che, al massimo della sua generosità, potrà elevare, semmai, a protetta da mantenere in parallelo al matrimonio ufficiale.
Non è un bel rapporto, fin dall'inizio; per quanto immaturo, Quin è prevaricatore e tossico (le compra rubini, ma solo affinché lei li indossi per il suo piacere; ne svilisce la carriera, perché il futuro dovrà essere in funzione di lui; la condanna come una mera sgualdrina quando lei osa abbandonarlo, anche se non ne conosce i motivi).
In tutto questo, non lo sfiora mai, neppure per un istante, che lei sia sua pari, e questo sottofondo di superiorità e condiscendenza me lo ha reso non perdonabile.
Certo, passato un decennio, la Carlyle si affanna a dirci che la vita altrove di Viviana non è stata granché, quasi che Quinn sia comunque il male minore.
Sinceramente, io me sarei tenuta ben lontana.
Invece la nostra ritorna a Londra, vedova, madre e contessa (sebbene, il suo titolo non possa certo competere con la superiorità altezzosa dei lord inglesi) e finisce di nuovo nella rete del predatore.
Che la tratta sostanzialmente come prima, in più indignato per non poter riprendersela con facilità (dovendosi sposare a breve con un'altra). Il fatto che talvolta venga usato per lui il verbo "latrare" rendono bene l'idea di tanta arroganza e di scarsa sincerità nel presunto amore rinato.
Che nervi: questa trilogia richiede un Malox ad ogni volume, per riuscire a digerire la lettura. 😏
April 5, 2017
As you might guess from the title, this book revolves entirely around a Big Misunderstanding. It's one of those stories where the entire plot could have been avoided if the two main characters would have simply taken two seconds to have an honest conversation with each other.
I tend to find these kinds of books to be frustrating because most of the time there's literally nothing preventing the happy ending besides the main characters' stupid pride. In essence, my hero and heroine are also the antagonists of the story, and that prevents me from really sympathizing with them.
Our story begins with our hero and heroine engaged in a relationship that straddles the line between an affair and a wealthy man-mistress arrangement. Viviana is a rising star in the opera world and Quin is a rich and immature 19-year-old heir to a fortune and title. Quin, accustomed to being able to have whatever he wants, is obsessed with Viviana from the moment he sees her and pursues her for months with the sole purpose of making her his mistress. When she finally gives in, wooed by his enthusiasm and good looks, his obsession only grows. He's desperate to keep her for himself alone and is pathologically jealous of any man who even looks at her. Since she performs on stage every night, men look at her all the time, and Quin repeatedly accuses her of cheating on him. They fight constantly because of this and he makes several comments about how he alone has "the right" to bed her because he pays for the apartment she lives in (that he insisted she get).
Although Viviana has fallen in love with Quin (goodness knows why...) his constant accusations and derogatory comments make her feel like a bought and paid for whore rather than his lover. And Quin's immature obsession and possessiveness make it seem like he views her as nothing more than a pretty a toy he owns. So when she turns up pregnant, she is understandably nervous about broaching the subject with him. She doesn't want to stay his mistress because she has her own career and mistresses are cast off when the patron gets bored. With a child to provide for, she'll need a permanent solution. So she asks Quin to marry her.
His response is basically to laugh in her face. He callously describes how his future bride will be some flaxen-haired English woman of good breeding selected by his parents, not a foreign opera singer with dark hair and an olive complexion. But he helpfully assures her that his marriage days will be at least a decade off anyway, so there's no reason he can't keep sleeping with her in their current arrangement in the mean time. After a cutting response like that, Viviana's heart is crushed and she doesn't want to tell him about the baby because she doesn't want Quin to marry her just because of that. Just before leaving her, he turns and asks if she loves him. I found it hard to believe that he'd ask her that after just telling her to her face that she wasn't good enough to be his wife. What sort of woman would confess love after an emotional beating like that? But it's Quin who gets his feelings hurt when Viviana lies and says that she does not love him. He, in turn, agrees that he doesn't love her either. (These are the titular "two little lies")
Viviana goes back home to Venice and a marriage to a rich Count arranged by her father. I was pretty interested in the story up to this point. I understood Viviana's motivations for doing what she did, and even understood that it was Quin's youth and immaturity that made him behave as he did. When the story picked up 9 years later, I was looking forward to seeing how they'd both matured and pined for each other over the years.
Unfortunately, neither of them really matured at all. Quin was still the immature jerk he'd been in his youth and Viviana was still pathologically lying about everything. Quin apparently spent the whole 9 years since they parted working his way through one brothel after another. Keeping multiple mistresses and drinking and carousing wherever he pleased. He'd convinced himself that Viviana had left him because she was a heartless witch who cared about nothing but money, hence why she'd married the much wealthier count. It has never, in all those years, occurred to him to consider that it might have been his own callous treatment of her that sent her away. That he'd had the opportunity to be her husband and he'd not just thrown it away, but tossed it on the ground, stomped it to pieces and purged the area with fire and salt.
Meanwhile, Viviana has survived an emotionally and physically abusive marriage but apparently has come out the other side without learning any lessons about life. Her poor treatment at her husband's hands didn't make her look back on her time with Quin more favorably. The extra years haven't given her additional wisdom about how impetuous and foolish people are in their youth. So when she and Quin inevitably bump into each other when she returns to England, she deliberately lies to him on virtually every subject. Even about things that don't matter, like whether or not she'd kept the gift he'd given her the last day they were together.
The whole story from that point on was just a series of unnecessary fights. Every time they're together one or the other of them decides to start spitting venom and they hurl lies and hate-filled accusations at each other. There's just no reason for it. If either one of them had just been honest with the other about what happened 9 years ago the whole book could have been avoided. And that was the only thing going on in the story. There was no side-mystery or villain to deal with in between the angst. Once the hero and heroine took their heads out of their butts long enough to admit they liked each other, the book ended.
Literally all the conflict in the story was completely self-inflicted so it just didn't feel satisfying to me when they got together in the end. That's like watching a someone run a marathon while dragging a 200 pound rock behind him and expecting me to get excited when he finally drops the unnecessary weight. It was his own stupid fault he was dragging it in the first place!
But if you like books based on the Big Misunderstanding then you'll probably like this one.
I tend to find these kinds of books to be frustrating because most of the time there's literally nothing preventing the happy ending besides the main characters' stupid pride. In essence, my hero and heroine are also the antagonists of the story, and that prevents me from really sympathizing with them.
Our story begins with our hero and heroine engaged in a relationship that straddles the line between an affair and a wealthy man-mistress arrangement. Viviana is a rising star in the opera world and Quin is a rich and immature 19-year-old heir to a fortune and title. Quin, accustomed to being able to have whatever he wants, is obsessed with Viviana from the moment he sees her and pursues her for months with the sole purpose of making her his mistress. When she finally gives in, wooed by his enthusiasm and good looks, his obsession only grows. He's desperate to keep her for himself alone and is pathologically jealous of any man who even looks at her. Since she performs on stage every night, men look at her all the time, and Quin repeatedly accuses her of cheating on him. They fight constantly because of this and he makes several comments about how he alone has "the right" to bed her because he pays for the apartment she lives in (that he insisted she get).
Although Viviana has fallen in love with Quin (goodness knows why...) his constant accusations and derogatory comments make her feel like a bought and paid for whore rather than his lover. And Quin's immature obsession and possessiveness make it seem like he views her as nothing more than a pretty a toy he owns. So when she turns up pregnant, she is understandably nervous about broaching the subject with him. She doesn't want to stay his mistress because she has her own career and mistresses are cast off when the patron gets bored. With a child to provide for, she'll need a permanent solution. So she asks Quin to marry her.
His response is basically to laugh in her face. He callously describes how his future bride will be some flaxen-haired English woman of good breeding selected by his parents, not a foreign opera singer with dark hair and an olive complexion. But he helpfully assures her that his marriage days will be at least a decade off anyway, so there's no reason he can't keep sleeping with her in their current arrangement in the mean time. After a cutting response like that, Viviana's heart is crushed and she doesn't want to tell him about the baby because she doesn't want Quin to marry her just because of that. Just before leaving her, he turns and asks if she loves him. I found it hard to believe that he'd ask her that after just telling her to her face that she wasn't good enough to be his wife. What sort of woman would confess love after an emotional beating like that? But it's Quin who gets his feelings hurt when Viviana lies and says that she does not love him. He, in turn, agrees that he doesn't love her either. (These are the titular "two little lies")
Viviana goes back home to Venice and a marriage to a rich Count arranged by her father. I was pretty interested in the story up to this point. I understood Viviana's motivations for doing what she did, and even understood that it was Quin's youth and immaturity that made him behave as he did. When the story picked up 9 years later, I was looking forward to seeing how they'd both matured and pined for each other over the years.
Unfortunately, neither of them really matured at all. Quin was still the immature jerk he'd been in his youth and Viviana was still pathologically lying about everything. Quin apparently spent the whole 9 years since they parted working his way through one brothel after another. Keeping multiple mistresses and drinking and carousing wherever he pleased. He'd convinced himself that Viviana had left him because she was a heartless witch who cared about nothing but money, hence why she'd married the much wealthier count. It has never, in all those years, occurred to him to consider that it might have been his own callous treatment of her that sent her away. That he'd had the opportunity to be her husband and he'd not just thrown it away, but tossed it on the ground, stomped it to pieces and purged the area with fire and salt.
Meanwhile, Viviana has survived an emotionally and physically abusive marriage but apparently has come out the other side without learning any lessons about life. Her poor treatment at her husband's hands didn't make her look back on her time with Quin more favorably. The extra years haven't given her additional wisdom about how impetuous and foolish people are in their youth. So when she and Quin inevitably bump into each other when she returns to England, she deliberately lies to him on virtually every subject. Even about things that don't matter, like whether or not she'd kept the gift he'd given her the last day they were together.
The whole story from that point on was just a series of unnecessary fights. Every time they're together one or the other of them decides to start spitting venom and they hurl lies and hate-filled accusations at each other. There's just no reason for it. If either one of them had just been honest with the other about what happened 9 years ago the whole book could have been avoided. And that was the only thing going on in the story. There was no side-mystery or villain to deal with in between the angst. Once the hero and heroine took their heads out of their butts long enough to admit they liked each other, the book ended.
Literally all the conflict in the story was completely self-inflicted so it just didn't feel satisfying to me when they got together in the end. That's like watching a someone run a marathon while dragging a 200 pound rock behind him and expecting me to get excited when he finally drops the unnecessary weight. It was his own stupid fault he was dragging it in the first place!
But if you like books based on the Big Misunderstanding then you'll probably like this one.
March 18, 2024
I appreciate the skill that an author uses to construct and reveal layers. For part of the book I was impatient with the behaviour and choices of both main characters. Then the peeling began. It's not only that the h's beautiful face had changed, the nose had been broken, her husband had done it in a rage, in front of . . . . and it affected her passion for . . . These layers are revealed throughout the book so that the reader's thinking and understanding evolve. The characters view of their relationship when they were young is revisited and develops demonstrating changes in their maturity. The opera singer h, and the young lord H's relationship comes to a head when she suspects that she is pregnant and she asks him to marry her without revealing the pregnancy. Too aware of family expectations he declines without careful consideration of the idea. She quickly returns to Venice and marries her father's powerful, rich patron. A decade later the widowed h returns to England with her aging father and children just as the H is becoming betrothed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 11, 2025
ด้วยความผิดหวังจากเล่มแรก ก็เป็นครั้งแรกเหมือนกันในเวลาหลายปีนับจากเริ่มอ่านงานของลิซ ที่แม็กซ์ไม่ตื่นเต้น ดีใจที่เรื่อง Two Little Lies (90) ออกขายในเดือน มกราคม 2006 แม็กซ์เป็นพวกเจ็บแล้วจำค่ะ แต่ในครั้งนี้ใช้กันไม่ได้เลย เพราะ TLL เป็นหนังสือที่ดีที่สุดอีกเล่มหนึ่งของลิซ เรื่องราวของคู่รักวัยเยาว์ที่ปล่อยให้ทิฐิ ความโง่ และการอยากเอาชนะมาทำลายความสัมพันธ์ ต้องใช้เวลาเกือบสิบปี การแต่งงานกับคนผิด การหมั้นที่ไม่น่าจะเกิดขึ้นก่อนที่จะบรรจบเรื่องราวของควิน และวิเวียนน่าลงได้ ในวัยเยาว์ควินตามตื้อจนชนะใจนักร้องโอเปร่าสาว เขามีความสัมพันธ์กับเธอ และทิ้งเธอไปในยามที่เธอต้องการเขามากที่สุด แต่นั่นก็ไม่ได้ทำให้วิเวียนน่าปราศจากความผิด ทิฐิของเธอทำให้เธอไม่ยอมเล่าความจริงที่เกิด คำโกหกเล็ก ๆ สองครั้ง กับชีวิตที่แห้งแล้งตลอดเกือบสิบปี จนกระทั่งทั้งคู่ได้พบกันอีกครั้ง นี่เป็นอีกเล่มที่แม็กซ์เรียกว่า Emotion Books ของลิซ แนวเรื่องที่เธอเขียนได้ดีที่สุด หนังสือที่อ่านไปแล้วเกิดอาการน้ำตาไหลออกมาโดยไม่รู้ตัว ไม่ใช่จากความเศร้าหรอกนะคะแต่เป็นอารมณ์ที่ถูกสร้างขึ้นจากแต่ละตัวอักษรที่อ่านไป
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