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Lies
For new and old fans of the Reflections universe, bestselling author A.L. Woods brings you an angsty second-chance married couple romance...
Dougie
Rich girl, poor boy.
It was the oldest story.
Yet it was ours.
I knew Penelope was different the moment I laid eyes on her.
But all she wanted was to be friends-with-benefits.
My best friend told me not to f*ck the new girl.
He didn’t say anything about marrying her.
Or what might happen if we broke our vows.
Penelope
I was the rebellious trust fund baby.
The one who threw the finger to her parents.
I designed a life I loved.
No rules, no expectations.
Something easy.
Dougie didn’t want easy, he wanted commitment.
Babies, marriage, the postcard perfect house in the ‘burbs.
The life. It was all ours.
Until it wasn’t.
All we had now were lies and betrayal.
Lies that might just cost us everything.
Dougie
Rich girl, poor boy.
It was the oldest story.
Yet it was ours.
I knew Penelope was different the moment I laid eyes on her.
But all she wanted was to be friends-with-benefits.
My best friend told me not to f*ck the new girl.
He didn’t say anything about marrying her.
Or what might happen if we broke our vows.
Penelope
I was the rebellious trust fund baby.
The one who threw the finger to her parents.
I designed a life I loved.
No rules, no expectations.
Something easy.
Dougie didn’t want easy, he wanted commitment.
Babies, marriage, the postcard perfect house in the ‘burbs.
The life. It was all ours.
Until it wasn’t.
All we had now were lies and betrayal.
Lies that might just cost us everything.
538 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 6, 2022
534 people are currently reading
886 people want to read
About the author
A.L. Woods
12 books519 followersA.L. Woods is an international bestselling author of dark and contemporary rollercoaster romances, caffeine aficionado, and collector of Sailor Moon paraphernalia.
She lives outside of Toronto, Ontario with her 9lb larger-than-life miniature dachshund, Maia.
She believes that burritos should be in their own food group, loves the fall, winged liner, and listening to metalcore at an offensive level.
Website: https://amandawrites.ca/
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/a-l-w...
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/AmandaLWrites
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandalwrites/
Reader Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/22739...
She lives outside of Toronto, Ontario with her 9lb larger-than-life miniature dachshund, Maia.
She believes that burritos should be in their own food group, loves the fall, winged liner, and listening to metalcore at an offensive level.
Website: https://amandawrites.ca/
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/a-l-w...
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/AmandaLWrites
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandalwrites/
Reader Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/22739...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 155 reviews
January 29, 2022
buddy read with Alka 🖤
💍This book was too long. 500 pages of nothing. My big problem was that the chapters switched between past and present and it was difficult to connect with their story. It would have been better idk, if 15 chapters were about the past of their relationship and then their present.
💍Penelope/Penny's lie was that she didn't tell Douglas about her miscarriage. She was constantly pushing Dougie, she didn't really trust him (and this was before he almost cheated on her) and I understood her but at the same time her attitude was childish.
💍I hated her family. Penny's mom was a bitch -her father too-. They needed therapy :)
and her mother constantly talked about how inferior Dougie was. If I were her, I would have cut any kind of relationship with that shitty family.
💍Douglas almost cheated on her. I mean, he had the desire to cross that line but nothing happened and i really liked him (i wish he cheated tho🤡)
and his feelings for Maria (OW) were more like a teenage crush or fantasy...?
but the problem here was that the author didn't put the whole scene about what really happened. I think that in Veritas, you can understand more about that "night" and Douglas/Maria relationship.
💍I didn't like that the OW (Maria) is the sister of Douglas's best friend and idk, she will always be present in their lives, weird 🤠
💍Penelope and Douglas didn't have a real conversation until the 70/80% of the book. Also since Dougie "almost cheated” i was expecting for his redemption, more groveling, therapy, hate sex etcccc.
💍Anyway, this book wasn't as angsty as I thought it would be
💍This book was too long. 500 pages of nothing. My big problem was that the chapters switched between past and present and it was difficult to connect with their story. It would have been better idk, if 15 chapters were about the past of their relationship and then their present.
💍Penelope/Penny's lie was that she didn't tell Douglas about her miscarriage. She was constantly pushing Dougie, she didn't really trust him (and this was before he almost cheated on her) and I understood her but at the same time her attitude was childish.
💍I hated her family. Penny's mom was a bitch -her father too-. They needed therapy :)
“I knew you were a tart, but this is simply unacceptable!”
and her mother constantly talked about how inferior Dougie was. If I were her, I would have cut any kind of relationship with that shitty family.
“This is not natural. This is a deviation from the plan!” Mother erupted, malice polluting her eyes. “He is an inferior, unsatisfactory choice.”
💍Douglas almost cheated on her. I mean, he had the desire to cross that line but nothing happened and i really liked him (i wish he cheated tho🤡)
No problem, ’cause I wasn’t going to just fuck the new girl.😭
I was going to marry her.
and his feelings for Maria (OW) were more like a teenage crush or fantasy...?
but the problem here was that the author didn't put the whole scene about what really happened. I think that in Veritas, you can understand more about that "night" and Douglas/Maria relationship.
💍I didn't like that the OW (Maria) is the sister of Douglas's best friend and idk, she will always be present in their lives, weird 🤠
💍Penelope and Douglas didn't have a real conversation until the 70/80% of the book. Also since Dougie "almost cheated” i was expecting for his redemption, more groveling, therapy, hate sex etcccc.
💍Anyway, this book wasn't as angsty as I thought it would be
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
ashes-of-dnf
January 27, 2022EdiT ;
Don't read the comment section, if you don't want the spoilers
Okay i am officially done i can't stand this bullshit... the angst is too high and I don't like hero at all and heroine isn't a piece of cake too. They deserve each other for all I care.
And I hate the back and forth between past and present. This type of content annoys the hell outta me because all the time I am reading a certain chapter i am thinking about the last chapter and it's problem.
Not for me
Ciao
××
Don't tell me he cheated 😒 😤 🙄 pls I will personally kill him
The first chapter was so beautiful I could have cried...
So when you slap me with that all that angst in the next chapter..its fair to say I am beyond scared to continue and now I have to sleep ...ugh
What i didn't see was " second chance romance with marriage troupe
And now i am angry with myself ...remind me to always double check and not just add stuff after reading the first line of the blurb pls.
Help and spoilers will be greatly appreciated.
Don't read the comment section, if you don't want the spoilers
Okay i am officially done i can't stand this bullshit... the angst is too high and I don't like hero at all and heroine isn't a piece of cake too. They deserve each other for all I care.
And I hate the back and forth between past and present. This type of content annoys the hell outta me because all the time I am reading a certain chapter i am thinking about the last chapter and it's problem.
Not for me
Ciao
××
Don't tell me he cheated 😒 😤 🙄 pls I will personally kill him
The first chapter was so beautiful I could have cried...
So when you slap me with that all that angst in the next chapter..its fair to say I am beyond scared to continue and now I have to sleep ...ugh
What i didn't see was " second chance romance with marriage troupe
And now i am angry with myself ...remind me to always double check and not just add stuff after reading the first line of the blurb pls.
Help and spoilers will be greatly appreciated.
characters-who-cheated-ugh
May 27, 2022HARD PASS
~He felt like cheating.
~Went to ex-f buddy that he had feelings for earlier.
~Ex-f buddy turned him down cause she has a bf now.
~He felt like cheating.
~Went to ex-f buddy that he had feelings for earlier.
~Ex-f buddy turned him down cause she has a bf now.
January 30, 2022
br with flor 😘
my brain feels throughly fried.
dnf @61%
my brain feels throughly fried.
dnf @61%
January 28, 2022
This was such a great concept.
So, you know there has to be a but with that, right?
Way too long, 624 pages could easily been cut in half. This needed serious editing. The flashback chapters were ridiculously long and added very little to the story.
Their inability to communicate, their immaturity, their aggressive behavior was repeated over and over.
My opinion? I think the author has amazing talent, but desperately needs an editor to help tighten up the storytelling and cut the word count.
So, you know there has to be a but with that, right?
Way too long, 624 pages could easily been cut in half. This needed serious editing. The flashback chapters were ridiculously long and added very little to the story.
Their inability to communicate, their immaturity, their aggressive behavior was repeated over and over.
My opinion? I think the author has amazing talent, but desperately needs an editor to help tighten up the storytelling and cut the word count.
November 9, 2022
Jesus Christ.
Why didn’t just they had the divorce. They deserved it.
One doesn’t know how to communicate. One wants to cheat.
It was very draining to read this one.
Why didn’t just they had the divorce. They deserved it.
One doesn’t know how to communicate. One wants to cheat.
It was very draining to read this one.
January 7, 2025
The book gave me headache.
So, let’s reframe it because it’s all wrong, and about very important and sensitive topics.
Lies.
No, it’s not lies that caused the mess that is their marriage.
Lies are the consequence.
Trauma is what made it crumble, and let me say. These two are not mad to be together.
She’s better than him in every way. She’s richer, more beautiful, stronger, more faithful.
He’s nothing.
He’s hung on an ex that is a cold bitch and used him for sex making him sign an agreement nda. Oh and she was a childhood friend. Good to know what his tastes are.
He meets the heroine, they have a kid, they’re about 30 so no teenagers anymore. But since he’s the kind of guy with a chip on his shoulder he hates her parents because they’re too snob, rich, he feels inferior, he hates the wedding they’re organizing so instead of sucking it up because his girlfriend, the mother of his son, wants a big wedding, he gets cold feet and makes calf eyes to his ex during his own wedding. Because you know, now she has a boyfriend and oh had he waited it could have been him.
And because, his bride is moody while his ex was always herself, outspoken, free….yeah guy, and a royal bitch that used you for sex signing and nda.
All the book I have the impression that he’s not over his ex and he always compares her with his own wife.
The heroine was pregnant again before the wedding so she was tired, moody, nervous, and sadly before they could go to their honeymoon she lost it.
She didn’t tell her husband. Which was bad, ok, but since she was feeling insecure about his reaction she felt it was her fault for the miscarriage. So she closes herself off.
And what that prize of man do?
He goes to his ex to have sex, because you know, his tiny puny ego couldn’t stand his wife’s rejection.
His ex rejected him too, either he would have cheated.
Not recognizing that his wife had changed before his eyes.
Not wondering why she had changed and become depressed.
Because she was, depressed.
She had closed off the world, excluding her bff, her parents, her in-laws.
He didn’t think she could have something wrong. No, he simply went to have sex with another woman and not any woman, his ex. His first love.
Had it been a woman with a bit of self respect, the heroine would have divorced him then and there.
But she’s not.
She stays.
And when he asks for divorce, because he doesn’t care about her no matter what the author would like us to believe, this is no man, this is one of the many worthless human beings that if they don’t have things as they like, they leave.
So it’s up to the heroine to go to him and make the first move.
Which I hated.
Did I care that they are together in the end. No.
What I hated, beside the hero.
The generalizations.
The author excuses the hero’s behavior, proclaiming that it’s normal for people to need human comfort, so it was ok for him, not being able to find it at home, to try to find it with his ex. wtf are you saying? Are you crazy mad.
No, this is a false and stupid generalization.
There are many human beings who, even in marriages with harder times than this one, would always keep their vows even after years, not months, as in this case.
So no, what the hero did was not a normal reaction of all human beings. It was a coward, low, weak and selfish move. He was cheating on his wife after just a few months of hardship. Life is not always easy. What if she has a relapse, another depression, some kind of sickness? What if things get hard again? He will go cheat again, because booohoo he needs to be wanted, boohooo.
FY.
And comparing what she did, that is not telling him about her trauma, to what he did that is cheating, is wrong and ridiculous. She went through trauma and was battling depression and couldn’t talk about her trauma, which, for those who had traumatic experiences, is very very common.
He made a choice dictated by his selfishness and narcissistic personality.
I so wished she found another better man.
I understand he didn’t know what was wrong in his marriage but he should have tried to mend their marriage not breaking it. Even if it lasted years and not months, he should have acted differently. The author writes it as if it was the heroine who pushed him into another woman’s arms. Really? Are we still blaming the victim here? I am not the ultimate feminist but here we have a regression to one century and maybe more. We are blaming the woman for not putting out so the man cheats.
Just saying, priests in church admonished women to give it to their husbands or else they would stray, but this happened not less than 60 years ago in a very sexist and chauvinist mentality.
Now with the new woke culture are we still preaching that?
And no, the lies were not the reasons of their issues, they were the consequences. She lied to him because she didn’t feel in a safe place with him so she could tell him the truth about her pregnancy and her miscarriage since he was acting difficult and prickly with her family. She wanted to protect him and to defend him from the further stress so she bore it all by herself. What kind of man is he? 33 yo acting like a sensitive teenager.
I wouldn’t have liked him either for my daughter.
The book has undoubtedly an high angst level but I hated most of it.
The victim blaming, the continuous minimizing the hero’s choices and comparing his mistakes and his betrayals to the heroine actions that came from trauma and not from ego, well, this is what I call low psychological insight and unfair dealing with sensitive issues.
So, one star despite being angsty and well written.
So, let’s reframe it because it’s all wrong, and about very important and sensitive topics.
Lies.
No, it’s not lies that caused the mess that is their marriage.
Lies are the consequence.
Trauma is what made it crumble, and let me say. These two are not mad to be together.
She’s better than him in every way. She’s richer, more beautiful, stronger, more faithful.
He’s nothing.
He’s hung on an ex that is a cold bitch and used him for sex making him sign an agreement nda. Oh and she was a childhood friend. Good to know what his tastes are.
He meets the heroine, they have a kid, they’re about 30 so no teenagers anymore. But since he’s the kind of guy with a chip on his shoulder he hates her parents because they’re too snob, rich, he feels inferior, he hates the wedding they’re organizing so instead of sucking it up because his girlfriend, the mother of his son, wants a big wedding, he gets cold feet and makes calf eyes to his ex during his own wedding. Because you know, now she has a boyfriend and oh had he waited it could have been him.
And because, his bride is moody while his ex was always herself, outspoken, free….yeah guy, and a royal bitch that used you for sex signing and nda.
All the book I have the impression that he’s not over his ex and he always compares her with his own wife.
The heroine was pregnant again before the wedding so she was tired, moody, nervous, and sadly before they could go to their honeymoon she lost it.
She didn’t tell her husband. Which was bad, ok, but since she was feeling insecure about his reaction she felt it was her fault for the miscarriage. So she closes herself off.
And what that prize of man do?
He goes to his ex to have sex, because you know, his tiny puny ego couldn’t stand his wife’s rejection.
His ex rejected him too, either he would have cheated.
Not recognizing that his wife had changed before his eyes.
Not wondering why she had changed and become depressed.
Because she was, depressed.
She had closed off the world, excluding her bff, her parents, her in-laws.
He didn’t think she could have something wrong. No, he simply went to have sex with another woman and not any woman, his ex. His first love.
Had it been a woman with a bit of self respect, the heroine would have divorced him then and there.
But she’s not.
She stays.
And when he asks for divorce, because he doesn’t care about her no matter what the author would like us to believe, this is no man, this is one of the many worthless human beings that if they don’t have things as they like, they leave.
So it’s up to the heroine to go to him and make the first move.
Which I hated.
Did I care that they are together in the end. No.
What I hated, beside the hero.
The generalizations.
The author excuses the hero’s behavior, proclaiming that it’s normal for people to need human comfort, so it was ok for him, not being able to find it at home, to try to find it with his ex. wtf are you saying? Are you crazy mad.
No, this is a false and stupid generalization.
There are many human beings who, even in marriages with harder times than this one, would always keep their vows even after years, not months, as in this case.
So no, what the hero did was not a normal reaction of all human beings. It was a coward, low, weak and selfish move. He was cheating on his wife after just a few months of hardship. Life is not always easy. What if she has a relapse, another depression, some kind of sickness? What if things get hard again? He will go cheat again, because booohoo he needs to be wanted, boohooo.
FY.
And comparing what she did, that is not telling him about her trauma, to what he did that is cheating, is wrong and ridiculous. She went through trauma and was battling depression and couldn’t talk about her trauma, which, for those who had traumatic experiences, is very very common.
He made a choice dictated by his selfishness and narcissistic personality.
I so wished she found another better man.
I understand he didn’t know what was wrong in his marriage but he should have tried to mend their marriage not breaking it. Even if it lasted years and not months, he should have acted differently. The author writes it as if it was the heroine who pushed him into another woman’s arms. Really? Are we still blaming the victim here? I am not the ultimate feminist but here we have a regression to one century and maybe more. We are blaming the woman for not putting out so the man cheats.
Just saying, priests in church admonished women to give it to their husbands or else they would stray, but this happened not less than 60 years ago in a very sexist and chauvinist mentality.
Now with the new woke culture are we still preaching that?
And no, the lies were not the reasons of their issues, they were the consequences. She lied to him because she didn’t feel in a safe place with him so she could tell him the truth about her pregnancy and her miscarriage since he was acting difficult and prickly with her family. She wanted to protect him and to defend him from the further stress so she bore it all by herself. What kind of man is he? 33 yo acting like a sensitive teenager.
I wouldn’t have liked him either for my daughter.
The book has undoubtedly an high angst level but I hated most of it.
The victim blaming, the continuous minimizing the hero’s choices and comparing his mistakes and his betrayals to the heroine actions that came from trauma and not from ego, well, this is what I call low psychological insight and unfair dealing with sensitive issues.
So, one star despite being angsty and well written.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 1, 2022
3 stars for the angst and the emotional grip that this story has, but this book irritated me to no end. Firstly, there is one rule for marriage in trouble plot for me to work and it is GROVEL. Dougie cheats on Penelope with Maria, a family friend that he had the hots before meeting the heroine. She caught them together in his truck at 88% of the book and afterwards, we don’t see shit, not groveling, not marital therapy sessions, nothing. The author spends a whole chunk of the book talking about their past and their Lies that she forgot to bring a primordial part of the story, the character redemption (specially for Dougie). Penelope, her lie is based that she had a miscarriage and didn’t tell her husband about it. Instead, she lashes towards him during her grieving period. I get why she was reacting like she that; grief presents itself in so many aspects that it is believable. However, excluding her husband from this it seems rather childish, a marriage is based on trust and communication (you know good times and bad). And lastly, the book is 560 pages long, the author rehashed so many scenes from her previous books that at some point felt redundant, like plot filler. Anyway, I’m writing this review for those who might consider this book but aren’t sure about it. Proceed with caution.✌️
January 27, 2022
5 HARD BEAUTIFUL STARS!! Wow, this story was hard, but so real and beautifully told. Dougie and Pen story was truly rough with sensitive topics, but so worth the time. This author words are beautiful and so truthful.
January 26, 2022
-marriage in trouble
-emotional
-second chance
-dual point of view
-past and present chapters
TW: infertility(miscarriage)
Ok where do I start with this amazing book! This story tore at my heart and had me an emotional mess from start to finish.
Dougie is your average working class guy, while Penelope came from a rich family.
They had an instant connection when they met. Dougie knew she was the one.
Penelope wasn’t looking for anything serious and he was aware but as time went on she had a change of heart and took a chance.
Their relationship moved faster than I think it would have due to some circumstances and I think some of that set them up for the problems they encountered in their relationship.
In this book you will see them struggle with the secrets and lies, the self doubt and feelings of being unwanted by the other. There was so miscommunications that I felt could have cut half of their issues in half if they just talked to each other but I know that traumas and fears can make it difficult to communicate.
Despite the problems they were having you could see that they were very much in love but they were drowning and all of the unsaid things just built up until it got out of hand.
I sympathized the most with Penelope as she went through a traumatic event and while I’ve never been through something like that I could only imagine how hard it can be to talk about even with the love of your life. It was quite emotional to read when everything came to light and they started to pick up the pieces and fix their marriage, they each made sacrifices and changes to bring that spark they had in the beginning. I loved everything about this book and that it shed light on things that are realistic and that can happen in a marriage. Dougie and Penelope story will be one that stays with me forever.
-emotional
-second chance
-dual point of view
-past and present chapters
TW: infertility(miscarriage)
Ok where do I start with this amazing book! This story tore at my heart and had me an emotional mess from start to finish.
Dougie is your average working class guy, while Penelope came from a rich family.
They had an instant connection when they met. Dougie knew she was the one.
Penelope wasn’t looking for anything serious and he was aware but as time went on she had a change of heart and took a chance.
Their relationship moved faster than I think it would have due to some circumstances and I think some of that set them up for the problems they encountered in their relationship.
In this book you will see them struggle with the secrets and lies, the self doubt and feelings of being unwanted by the other. There was so miscommunications that I felt could have cut half of their issues in half if they just talked to each other but I know that traumas and fears can make it difficult to communicate.
Despite the problems they were having you could see that they were very much in love but they were drowning and all of the unsaid things just built up until it got out of hand.
I sympathized the most with Penelope as she went through a traumatic event and while I’ve never been through something like that I could only imagine how hard it can be to talk about even with the love of your life. It was quite emotional to read when everything came to light and they started to pick up the pieces and fix their marriage, they each made sacrifices and changes to bring that spark they had in the beginning. I loved everything about this book and that it shed light on things that are realistic and that can happen in a marriage. Dougie and Penelope story will be one that stays with me forever.
January 24, 2022
BINGED THIS BABY. 5/5 ⭐️
i read Veritas last year. that’s the only other book by AL Woods that I have read, and I LOVED IT. I was extremely nervous going into Lies though, because the introduction to Dougie in that book made me HATE him.
I also wasn’t the greatest fan of Penelope because of that book. Of course, she’s the new wife and I was seeing her in a bad light from another character’s POV, but I did hesitate when picking this book up because of it.
I was totally wrong. I LOVE Dougie and Penelope so much, especially together. The way that they first met and got together, how they loved each other, how they fought, and how they continue to love each other.
This book was so freaking emotional. I cried. I loved. I still think about it now that it’s over. Please read trigger warnings before reading this. I don’t want to mention anything because I don’t want to spoil any parts of the plot (I went in totally blind). But this is definitely a second chance romance and marriage in crisis amongst other tropes that are included within the overall trope.
Penelope is a strong willed woman. Dougie is Dougie, and although I thought I hated him, he’s a man who loves his wife. I love them. I don’t know how else to put it. Also, this book is somehow so spicy without meaning to be, and it’s totally because of Penelope. She’s so freaking hot! SO HOT.
I’m totally going to pick up the other books in this world. I’ll also be reading anything else AL Woods releases, because I love her writing so much.
I got an arc for honest review, and I’m totally honest here. Pick this book up. 5/5 ✨
i read Veritas last year. that’s the only other book by AL Woods that I have read, and I LOVED IT. I was extremely nervous going into Lies though, because the introduction to Dougie in that book made me HATE him.
I also wasn’t the greatest fan of Penelope because of that book. Of course, she’s the new wife and I was seeing her in a bad light from another character’s POV, but I did hesitate when picking this book up because of it.
I was totally wrong. I LOVE Dougie and Penelope so much, especially together. The way that they first met and got together, how they loved each other, how they fought, and how they continue to love each other.
This book was so freaking emotional. I cried. I loved. I still think about it now that it’s over. Please read trigger warnings before reading this. I don’t want to mention anything because I don’t want to spoil any parts of the plot (I went in totally blind). But this is definitely a second chance romance and marriage in crisis amongst other tropes that are included within the overall trope.
Penelope is a strong willed woman. Dougie is Dougie, and although I thought I hated him, he’s a man who loves his wife. I love them. I don’t know how else to put it. Also, this book is somehow so spicy without meaning to be, and it’s totally because of Penelope. She’s so freaking hot! SO HOT.
I’m totally going to pick up the other books in this world. I’ll also be reading anything else AL Woods releases, because I love her writing so much.
I got an arc for honest review, and I’m totally honest here. Pick this book up. 5/5 ✨
January 25, 2022
Feels 5
Steam 2
Storyline 4
Overall Rating 4
Kindle eArc provided by Author
Reviewed by Stephanie
The truth doesn’t cost anything. But a lie could cost you everything. This is the story of a bright eyed girl that was born with a silver spoon in her mouth and a poor hard working guy from the other side of the tracks. How they met, how they fell in love and how ultimately the lies they both told could destroy everything.
“I was tired of telling lies.”
Penelope and Dougie meet on a job site where she's the designer and he’s working construction with his best friend. They are the total opposites of one another. But they are immediately drawn to each other and their chemistry is sizzling. Penelope doesn’t do relationships. She's just looking for some fun...but Dougie? Dougie is all in right away.
“I wasn’t going to just fuck the new girl. I was going to marry her.”
Dougie doesn’t care that Pen is rich and she does care that he doesn’t have two dimes to rub together. They both fall for each other...head over heels and super quick. They have this great connection and wonderful story of two people who just belong together. Everything was so good. Staying up late and talking until the sun came up turned into avoiding going home. Secrets, lies and betrayals. The perfect life they had built together was slowly falling apart. What happens when you tell a lie to the person you’ve vowed to spend the rest of your life with? Or when you feel betrayed by the person you love? For two people who loved each other so much and built a life together over the past several years, is this really the end or can they find their way back to each other?
“Our unlikely love story - and our unexpected destruction.”
This was a very emotional story full of love and unbearable loss. There are definitely some tough topics in this book but I really think the author did a great job with the way they were written. Loss and grief can reshape who we are. But sometimes we find people who will fight along with you and ensure you come out the other side. I really enjoyed this book. It definitely will pull at your heart strings. This is a standalone book but it does interconnect with Veritas. These characters are in that book quite a bit. I think that’s where this one was a little hard for me. I hate to admit I didn’t like Pen in Verity at all. I did grow to like her more in this book and my heart hurt for her. I wasn’t sure about Dougie. I liked him...I hated him. But in this story I loved him. You could feel the pain and love they were both going through. I know this says it can be read as a standalone but I feel like reading Verity first definitely helped me understand these characters better. They kind of went hand in hand for me. Very well written, emotional read with characters you will love.
“Penelope had given me a destination, a place to be. She’d given me a home in her heart.”
Steam 2
Storyline 4
Overall Rating 4
Kindle eArc provided by Author
Reviewed by Stephanie
The truth doesn’t cost anything. But a lie could cost you everything. This is the story of a bright eyed girl that was born with a silver spoon in her mouth and a poor hard working guy from the other side of the tracks. How they met, how they fell in love and how ultimately the lies they both told could destroy everything.
“I was tired of telling lies.”
Penelope and Dougie meet on a job site where she's the designer and he’s working construction with his best friend. They are the total opposites of one another. But they are immediately drawn to each other and their chemistry is sizzling. Penelope doesn’t do relationships. She's just looking for some fun...but Dougie? Dougie is all in right away.
“I wasn’t going to just fuck the new girl. I was going to marry her.”
Dougie doesn’t care that Pen is rich and she does care that he doesn’t have two dimes to rub together. They both fall for each other...head over heels and super quick. They have this great connection and wonderful story of two people who just belong together. Everything was so good. Staying up late and talking until the sun came up turned into avoiding going home. Secrets, lies and betrayals. The perfect life they had built together was slowly falling apart. What happens when you tell a lie to the person you’ve vowed to spend the rest of your life with? Or when you feel betrayed by the person you love? For two people who loved each other so much and built a life together over the past several years, is this really the end or can they find their way back to each other?
“Our unlikely love story - and our unexpected destruction.”
This was a very emotional story full of love and unbearable loss. There are definitely some tough topics in this book but I really think the author did a great job with the way they were written. Loss and grief can reshape who we are. But sometimes we find people who will fight along with you and ensure you come out the other side. I really enjoyed this book. It definitely will pull at your heart strings. This is a standalone book but it does interconnect with Veritas. These characters are in that book quite a bit. I think that’s where this one was a little hard for me. I hate to admit I didn’t like Pen in Verity at all. I did grow to like her more in this book and my heart hurt for her. I wasn’t sure about Dougie. I liked him...I hated him. But in this story I loved him. You could feel the pain and love they were both going through. I know this says it can be read as a standalone but I feel like reading Verity first definitely helped me understand these characters better. They kind of went hand in hand for me. Very well written, emotional read with characters you will love.
“Penelope had given me a destination, a place to be. She’d given me a home in her heart.”
January 23, 2022
Rating: 4.25/5
Smut: 2.75/5
I just want to start of by saying I liked this book a lot. though I can understand why people may be confused by that. because this book is utterly heart breaking. I spent most of the book crying for both characters.
the writing in this book is much better in my opinion than that of the Reflections series and Veritas. though there were instances where I thought the hard English was unnecessary. I think it's just the way the author writes. she seems like a really cleaver and well articulated person from what ive seen. so it's understandable where it stems from. it doesn't seem like her books are edited later on to fit a certain standard of English.
I knew exactly what I was getting myself into going into the book. but it still took me a while to get into it. though, after around chapter 8 I was hooked and just needed to know how the story turned out for the two characters.
I loved the layout of the way the author went from present and past. it was very well done in my opinion.
as for the characters themselves, though I feel like we see them at their lowest points in this book. they were up there in my favourite characters I've read written by the author. I loved Dougie from Veritas irrespective of the role he plays in that book which is very surprising for me. and I loved him even more here. and in Veritas nor in the reflections series did I have any specific feelings toward Pen. but I loved her after truly getting to know her in this book.
in most romance books we see the books end at the wedding or just after, seeing the characters live their hea. but this book really begins its gritty story right after their wedding.
I loved seeing how humanly flawed these characters were yet how much they loved each other regardless. seeing their past and how they started out to the present and then seeing them grow in themselves and toward each other. it was brutally emotional yet sooo beautiful. it was a rollercoaster of emotions.
I would say the book is emotionally taxing, and I can understand why the themes of the book may not appeal to all. though I would say if you read the reflections series and veritas, or even just Veritas, reading lies becomes almost a need. it did for me anyway. because I just really wanted to see Dougie get his HEA. he's such a sweet and kindhearted person, he deserves the world!
the only negatives I would say about this book is, I wish the chapters were smaller but more in number frequency if that makes sense. I just find it easier to read books when the chapters are smaller in size, regardless of if there's a 100 chapters or more. but that's just a personal preference for me. and the last thing is that while I liked the epilogue, it didn't completely meet my expectations considering how much the characters suffer in this book. I would have loved to have seen them renew their wedding vows in the way they wanted their wedding to be. also in the epilogue the sex scene just didn't make sense to me. the place and they did it in, I was soo confused it just didn't make sense to me.
but besides that, it was a emotionally beautiful book to read. I would highly recommend this book after having read Veritas to any of the new readers to this author.
Smut: 2.75/5
I just want to start of by saying I liked this book a lot. though I can understand why people may be confused by that. because this book is utterly heart breaking. I spent most of the book crying for both characters.
the writing in this book is much better in my opinion than that of the Reflections series and Veritas. though there were instances where I thought the hard English was unnecessary. I think it's just the way the author writes. she seems like a really cleaver and well articulated person from what ive seen. so it's understandable where it stems from. it doesn't seem like her books are edited later on to fit a certain standard of English.
I knew exactly what I was getting myself into going into the book. but it still took me a while to get into it. though, after around chapter 8 I was hooked and just needed to know how the story turned out for the two characters.
I loved the layout of the way the author went from present and past. it was very well done in my opinion.
as for the characters themselves, though I feel like we see them at their lowest points in this book. they were up there in my favourite characters I've read written by the author. I loved Dougie from Veritas irrespective of the role he plays in that book which is very surprising for me. and I loved him even more here. and in Veritas nor in the reflections series did I have any specific feelings toward Pen. but I loved her after truly getting to know her in this book.
in most romance books we see the books end at the wedding or just after, seeing the characters live their hea. but this book really begins its gritty story right after their wedding.
I loved seeing how humanly flawed these characters were yet how much they loved each other regardless. seeing their past and how they started out to the present and then seeing them grow in themselves and toward each other. it was brutally emotional yet sooo beautiful. it was a rollercoaster of emotions.
I would say the book is emotionally taxing, and I can understand why the themes of the book may not appeal to all. though I would say if you read the reflections series and veritas, or even just Veritas, reading lies becomes almost a need. it did for me anyway. because I just really wanted to see Dougie get his HEA. he's such a sweet and kindhearted person, he deserves the world!
the only negatives I would say about this book is, I wish the chapters were smaller but more in number frequency if that makes sense. I just find it easier to read books when the chapters are smaller in size, regardless of if there's a 100 chapters or more. but that's just a personal preference for me. and the last thing is that while I liked the epilogue, it didn't completely meet my expectations considering how much the characters suffer in this book. I would have loved to have seen them renew their wedding vows in the way they wanted their wedding to be. also in the epilogue the sex scene just didn't make sense to me. the place and they did it in, I was soo confused it just didn't make sense to me.
but besides that, it was a emotionally beautiful book to read. I would highly recommend this book after having read Veritas to any of the new readers to this author.
January 23, 2022
From the moment they met Dougie and Penelope had a spark that couldn't be extinguished. She thought it would be a one night kind of thing, but he wanted more, and eventually convinced her to take a chance. They found something special that carried them through the last three years, but as of late that spark they thought would never dim has started to loose it's luster.
They've become people they don't recognize, they've told lies and kept secrets, and pushed each other away. They've given up on their dreams, and made mistakes that they wonder if they will ever recover from. Their left to wonder if this is the end...
Lies is a heartbreaking story of two people that are on the verge of losing everything that they've worked so hard to build. Personal losses, secrets, lies, and outside interferences have caused them to come to a place in their lives where they no longer recognize the person looking back at them in the mirror. Their weathering guilt, unimaginable pain, and second guessing themselves at every turn. As you follow them through this journey your heart will break for them, you will shed tears for their losses and endured pain, and pray they find a way back to one another.
I think it is impossible to read this compelling love story and not walk away without feeling something. Each sentence you read has the power to effect you in ways that you never expected, and will take every bit of you emotionally. I finished it a couple days ago and I am still having trouble finding the right words to do it justice. I can only encourage you to take a chance on it and go into it blindly so you can fully appreciate the words on the page.
I have always thought the best stories are the ones that have the power to completely break you, and by the time the last page comes put you all back together good as new,... and this one does that! Highly recommend!
I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher, and I am voluntarily leaving my honest and unbiased opinion.
They've become people they don't recognize, they've told lies and kept secrets, and pushed each other away. They've given up on their dreams, and made mistakes that they wonder if they will ever recover from. Their left to wonder if this is the end...
Lies is a heartbreaking story of two people that are on the verge of losing everything that they've worked so hard to build. Personal losses, secrets, lies, and outside interferences have caused them to come to a place in their lives where they no longer recognize the person looking back at them in the mirror. Their weathering guilt, unimaginable pain, and second guessing themselves at every turn. As you follow them through this journey your heart will break for them, you will shed tears for their losses and endured pain, and pray they find a way back to one another.
I think it is impossible to read this compelling love story and not walk away without feeling something. Each sentence you read has the power to effect you in ways that you never expected, and will take every bit of you emotionally. I finished it a couple days ago and I am still having trouble finding the right words to do it justice. I can only encourage you to take a chance on it and go into it blindly so you can fully appreciate the words on the page.
I have always thought the best stories are the ones that have the power to completely break you, and by the time the last page comes put you all back together good as new,... and this one does that! Highly recommend!
I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher, and I am voluntarily leaving my honest and unbiased opinion.
January 11, 2022
'Bring those bookish tissues with you, folks. This is going to be a wringer with you as it is with the characters within. An emotionally powerful read if ever there was one.'
Thank you to Grey's Promotions for sending me an ebook Advanced Reader's Copy for me to read and review.
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This book wasn't lying when it said when signing up, that there would be hard-to-swallow topics and distressing issues some readers may find hard to read about. Discretion was heavily implied when signing up so naturally, I signed up to see why there was a content warning. And because of what the story promised in the blurb. Both combined, I was looking forward to this read dropping onto my Kindle app.
Without spoiling anything that lays within the book--as you all deserve to experience and read about them as you go along--I'm deeply impressed that A.L.Woods was able to make me feel and invoke an emotional response from me about and from topics and situations that I have not/have not yet experienced within my own life. I should have no response--especially a teary one--, to these extremely hard and personal events but yet, there I sat sobbing my eyes out as if I were the main character, Penelope (Aka Pen, Penny, Pearl). I'm not a crier at books, so for writing to be so powerful as to make me cry, I can be nothing if but impressed. Deeply so.
What earned 'Lies' and A.L.Woods the five stars I'm handing out this time around, is the captivating nature that Lies has you in. It has its claws firmly in you from the outset and even when you think about laying it down at the end of a chapter or wherever you want to press 'pause' for a moment, it makes you think twice about doing so. It was simply impossible to set it down at a point where you would be okay wondering what on earth had happened, would happen, or what went down in the past to cause an event or a physical statement from the characters.
It took me three days to get to the end and when I did, oh boy, I have all the words and none at all at the same time. I can't even remember the last time I've read a book so emotionally powerful, it's been more than years, possibly.
If you're looking for more of this world and the characters within it, please go back and read Sean & Raquel's story. I've not read it myself but after reading Lies, I'm strongly thinking about it. What a ride!
Thank you to Grey's Promotions for sending me an ebook Advanced Reader's Copy for me to read and review.
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This book wasn't lying when it said when signing up, that there would be hard-to-swallow topics and distressing issues some readers may find hard to read about. Discretion was heavily implied when signing up so naturally, I signed up to see why there was a content warning. And because of what the story promised in the blurb. Both combined, I was looking forward to this read dropping onto my Kindle app.
Without spoiling anything that lays within the book--as you all deserve to experience and read about them as you go along--I'm deeply impressed that A.L.Woods was able to make me feel and invoke an emotional response from me about and from topics and situations that I have not/have not yet experienced within my own life. I should have no response--especially a teary one--, to these extremely hard and personal events but yet, there I sat sobbing my eyes out as if I were the main character, Penelope (Aka Pen, Penny, Pearl). I'm not a crier at books, so for writing to be so powerful as to make me cry, I can be nothing if but impressed. Deeply so.
What earned 'Lies' and A.L.Woods the five stars I'm handing out this time around, is the captivating nature that Lies has you in. It has its claws firmly in you from the outset and even when you think about laying it down at the end of a chapter or wherever you want to press 'pause' for a moment, it makes you think twice about doing so. It was simply impossible to set it down at a point where you would be okay wondering what on earth had happened, would happen, or what went down in the past to cause an event or a physical statement from the characters.
It took me three days to get to the end and when I did, oh boy, I have all the words and none at all at the same time. I can't even remember the last time I've read a book so emotionally powerful, it's been more than years, possibly.
If you're looking for more of this world and the characters within it, please go back and read Sean & Raquel's story. I've not read it myself but after reading Lies, I'm strongly thinking about it. What a ride!
March 2, 2022
Happy release day!! Thank you to Grey’s Promotion for sending me an eARC in return for an honest review.
This book was a ride… The author really knows how to pull at your heart strings. Let me just start by saying the writing was stunning; I felt everything Pen and Dougie were feeling towards each other.
This is a deep, slow-burn, marriage-in-trouble story packed with an enormous amount of emotion and heartbreak. I loved getting to know these characters and their broken love. Even through all of their hurt, confusion, loss, and heartache, they still held so much love for each other and for their marriage.
This book might have been the longest I’ve read, but I flew through this because I couldn’t wait to see how their story unfolded. Looking forward to reading more from this author in the future!
This book was a ride… The author really knows how to pull at your heart strings. Let me just start by saying the writing was stunning; I felt everything Pen and Dougie were feeling towards each other.
This is a deep, slow-burn, marriage-in-trouble story packed with an enormous amount of emotion and heartbreak. I loved getting to know these characters and their broken love. Even through all of their hurt, confusion, loss, and heartache, they still held so much love for each other and for their marriage.
This book might have been the longest I’ve read, but I flew through this because I couldn’t wait to see how their story unfolded. Looking forward to reading more from this author in the future!
April 22, 2023
Omg, this book hits hard. It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of A.L Woods, her books are just insane. But this one hits on a new level. It’s so deep, raw, and emotional. I never cry at books however there are a few chapters where I was reaching for the tissues as I couldn’t keep the tears at bay. The journey Pen and Dougie go on is told so well and really reflects what some people have to go through in life, it’s not all rainbows and sunshine. Don’t let the length put you off, it’s so worth every word. I cannot wait to see what A.L Woods releases next😍.
Second read was the audiobook and wow, Lily and Logan brought the book to life amazingly well. I’m so ready for all of Amanda’s books to be turned into audio🤩
Second read was the audiobook and wow, Lily and Logan brought the book to life amazingly well. I’m so ready for all of Amanda’s books to be turned into audio🤩
January 21, 2022
5 Stars for this heart-wrenching story!
Make sure you have tissues handy for this one. This is an emotional journey through Penelope and Dougie's life together. My heart broke for them ... even though there were lies and secrets that they keep from one another. Penelope had this fire in her spirit that made her the person she was ,.. so not like her uptight parents. Dougie was a good man who just wanted a family of his own because his whole life it was just him and his mother. This is a powerful story that shouldn't be missed!
Penelope is a trust fund baby who likes to defy her parents at every chance she gets. When she meets Dougie on a jobsite where she is the designer and he is the construction worker, she knows that he is just the distraction she needs. But Dougie isn't a one-night-stand kind of guy ... he wants more with her. He wants the kids, dog and the white picket fence. He doesn't care about her money, in fact he would rather she not even be wealthy. But from the time they meet till three years later ... they go from can't keeping their hands off each other to not even be able to look at one another.
This is a standalone and can be read as such. But it interconnects with the "Reflections Trilogy" (Sean - Dougie's best friend and Raquel - Penelope's best friend) and "Veritas" (Sean's sister and Dougie's ex-friends with benefits).
I received an early copy courtesy of Grey's Promotion in exchange for a honest review.
Make sure you have tissues handy for this one. This is an emotional journey through Penelope and Dougie's life together. My heart broke for them ... even though there were lies and secrets that they keep from one another. Penelope had this fire in her spirit that made her the person she was ,.. so not like her uptight parents. Dougie was a good man who just wanted a family of his own because his whole life it was just him and his mother. This is a powerful story that shouldn't be missed!
Penelope is a trust fund baby who likes to defy her parents at every chance she gets. When she meets Dougie on a jobsite where she is the designer and he is the construction worker, she knows that he is just the distraction she needs. But Dougie isn't a one-night-stand kind of guy ... he wants more with her. He wants the kids, dog and the white picket fence. He doesn't care about her money, in fact he would rather she not even be wealthy. But from the time they meet till three years later ... they go from can't keeping their hands off each other to not even be able to look at one another.
This is a standalone and can be read as such. But it interconnects with the "Reflections Trilogy" (Sean - Dougie's best friend and Raquel - Penelope's best friend) and "Veritas" (Sean's sister and Dougie's ex-friends with benefits).
I received an early copy courtesy of Grey's Promotion in exchange for a honest review.
February 20, 2024
“I don’t want to live a lie anymore.”
I'll be blunt. I hated Dougie going into this story. I had read the Reflections series, didn't love him in that, and then I read Veritas, and hated him even more, and when it all came down to it, I realized he just wasn't that great of a guy. I knew going into his book it was unlikely Dougie would be able to redeem himself. I was right.
“Outside of this house, two strangers fell in love. And inside of this house, they’d destroyed each other.”
“At the wedding, our wedding… there was this moment where you looked at her like you should have looked at me.”
I am not sure where to start but sometimes a relationship is so fractured and beyond damaged that it is irreparable. Dougie and Penelope's relationship is there. I understand relationships take two, and Penelope is not blameless, but wow there isn't a single thing Dougie did that showed Pen any kind of respect. He is selfish and a coward. He was a coward when he played Pen's rules despite wanting more from her...he was a coward when he let his soon to be in-laws plan an over the top wedding that was nothing like what he and Pen wanted....he was a coward when he saw his wife changing, pulling away and didn't find her worth the effort to talk to or fight for...he was a coward when he wasn't honest that his feelings for Maria weren't over...he was a coward when a few months after his wedding he showed up at Maria's apartment because his wife wasn't having sex with him and he needed to feel wanted...he was a coward when in the aftermath of Maria he pushed away all his friends...he was a coward when he watched his wife become a shell of herself and he did nothing...he was a coward when he was cruel to his wife and wanted to punish her for not wanting him, their marriage, after what he did...he was a coward to his wife, and son, when she admitted she had a miscarriage and he left them. I don't really know what else to say other than Dougie is not a good man and his fears of not being worthy of Pen are true.
“Can you handle that when the sun sets and doesn’t rise again for some time, when the clouds roll in, and the novelty of forbidden love has worn off… can you accept that what you have left is the basis of your marriage?”
As shitty as Pen's parents are, her dad hit the nail on the head with their relationship (see above quote). Their relationship has always been juvenile and immature. They were the fun couple fighting against the big bad parents who never felt Dougie was worthy of their daughter. Except they were right and when the allure and honey moon ends, you do need something more to hold a relationship together. In the first moment it got hard, they both bailed. Despite Dougie's promises to never not fight for Pen, he didn't fight for her. Instead he betrayed her, over and over. He didn't become everything he feared (his father), he already was.
“Consciously choose her. Choose her when she yells, when she acts in a way you don’t understand. Choose her when she’s crumbling and needs you to hold her up. Choose her when she can’t choose herself.”
“I love you, but I love you enough to know that our story as we once knew it is now over and we need to let those versions of ourselves… die.”
Honestly, I have nothing bad to say about AL Wood's writing. The book kept me captivated, brought up a ton of emotions but at the end of the day she failed to convince me that Pen and Dougie should be end game. Dougie was never redeemable. I actually felt physically nauseous reading those last few chapters of them starting again because I wanted Pen to respect herself and put herself, and Christopher, first.
“I’d always wanted him. I’d always loved him. My husband was never second best. He was always number one. My first pick. My ultimate choice. But I’d never been his.”
Some parting quotes that highlight why Dougie is irredeemable in my eyes:
“You were going to fuck her, and then you got caught by her boyfriend.”
“Night after night, I lay wide awake next to her, listening to the evenness of her breathing, fighting with the desperation to just crawl into her mind—to nudge her awake and beg her to tell me what I’d done.”
“Or at least, I hoped she was still in there—but I wasn’t sure of what remained of my fight to keep her anymore.”
“That woman was the one Dougie had looked at with repentance in his eyes on our wedding day, his hand firmly wrapped around her bicep as they exchanged a moment in silence.”
“I may have hurt him in my dismissal, but Dougie’s actions ensured we’d never be the same again.”
“And I might have done it had Maria reciprocated when I’d put my hands on her waist and drew her close to me. I touched the ends of her hair like I did with Pen, and for a split second, I almost convinced myself that it was my wife standing in front of me and not her.”
“She’d needed me, desperately, and I hadn’t fucking realized it because I was in my head, focused on what I needed from her.”
“Then the brute force of the repulsion twisted my stomach and raced up my throat. She’d been grieving, and I’d been thinking with my cock the entire fucking time.”
“And I’d destroyed her. I’d made her fearful of me, and that fear had mutated and twisted us into something unrecognizable.”
“He’d walked right out on Christopher and me without any hesitation.”
I'll be blunt. I hated Dougie going into this story. I had read the Reflections series, didn't love him in that, and then I read Veritas, and hated him even more, and when it all came down to it, I realized he just wasn't that great of a guy. I knew going into his book it was unlikely Dougie would be able to redeem himself. I was right.
“Outside of this house, two strangers fell in love. And inside of this house, they’d destroyed each other.”
“At the wedding, our wedding… there was this moment where you looked at her like you should have looked at me.”
I am not sure where to start but sometimes a relationship is so fractured and beyond damaged that it is irreparable. Dougie and Penelope's relationship is there. I understand relationships take two, and Penelope is not blameless, but wow there isn't a single thing Dougie did that showed Pen any kind of respect. He is selfish and a coward. He was a coward when he played Pen's rules despite wanting more from her...he was a coward when he let his soon to be in-laws plan an over the top wedding that was nothing like what he and Pen wanted....he was a coward when he saw his wife changing, pulling away and didn't find her worth the effort to talk to or fight for...he was a coward when he wasn't honest that his feelings for Maria weren't over...he was a coward when a few months after his wedding he showed up at Maria's apartment because his wife wasn't having sex with him and he needed to feel wanted...he was a coward when in the aftermath of Maria he pushed away all his friends...he was a coward when he watched his wife become a shell of herself and he did nothing...he was a coward when he was cruel to his wife and wanted to punish her for not wanting him, their marriage, after what he did...he was a coward to his wife, and son, when she admitted she had a miscarriage and he left them. I don't really know what else to say other than Dougie is not a good man and his fears of not being worthy of Pen are true.
“Can you handle that when the sun sets and doesn’t rise again for some time, when the clouds roll in, and the novelty of forbidden love has worn off… can you accept that what you have left is the basis of your marriage?”
As shitty as Pen's parents are, her dad hit the nail on the head with their relationship (see above quote). Their relationship has always been juvenile and immature. They were the fun couple fighting against the big bad parents who never felt Dougie was worthy of their daughter. Except they were right and when the allure and honey moon ends, you do need something more to hold a relationship together. In the first moment it got hard, they both bailed. Despite Dougie's promises to never not fight for Pen, he didn't fight for her. Instead he betrayed her, over and over. He didn't become everything he feared (his father), he already was.
“Consciously choose her. Choose her when she yells, when she acts in a way you don’t understand. Choose her when she’s crumbling and needs you to hold her up. Choose her when she can’t choose herself.”
“I love you, but I love you enough to know that our story as we once knew it is now over and we need to let those versions of ourselves… die.”
Honestly, I have nothing bad to say about AL Wood's writing. The book kept me captivated, brought up a ton of emotions but at the end of the day she failed to convince me that Pen and Dougie should be end game. Dougie was never redeemable. I actually felt physically nauseous reading those last few chapters of them starting again because I wanted Pen to respect herself and put herself, and Christopher, first.
“I’d always wanted him. I’d always loved him. My husband was never second best. He was always number one. My first pick. My ultimate choice. But I’d never been his.”
Some parting quotes that highlight why Dougie is irredeemable in my eyes:
“You were going to fuck her, and then you got caught by her boyfriend.”
“Night after night, I lay wide awake next to her, listening to the evenness of her breathing, fighting with the desperation to just crawl into her mind—to nudge her awake and beg her to tell me what I’d done.”
“Or at least, I hoped she was still in there—but I wasn’t sure of what remained of my fight to keep her anymore.”
“That woman was the one Dougie had looked at with repentance in his eyes on our wedding day, his hand firmly wrapped around her bicep as they exchanged a moment in silence.”
“I may have hurt him in my dismissal, but Dougie’s actions ensured we’d never be the same again.”
“And I might have done it had Maria reciprocated when I’d put my hands on her waist and drew her close to me. I touched the ends of her hair like I did with Pen, and for a split second, I almost convinced myself that it was my wife standing in front of me and not her.”
“She’d needed me, desperately, and I hadn’t fucking realized it because I was in my head, focused on what I needed from her.”
“Then the brute force of the repulsion twisted my stomach and raced up my throat. She’d been grieving, and I’d been thinking with my cock the entire fucking time.”
“And I’d destroyed her. I’d made her fearful of me, and that fear had mutated and twisted us into something unrecognizable.”
“He’d walked right out on Christopher and me without any hesitation.”
Read
January 3, 2023DNF. I was really liking this but it was waaay too long
January 23, 2022
I was provided an ARC and this is my honest review.
I won't spoil anything. You will have to read this for yourself. Read it with a box of tissues! This is a heart-wrenching story. You will feel a lot of things. I feel like I've been on a rollercoaster and now I feel like I need to regroup. I loved this book. I have nothing negative to say. Bravo A.L Woods!
I won't spoil anything. You will have to read this for yourself. Read it with a box of tissues! This is a heart-wrenching story. You will feel a lot of things. I feel like I've been on a rollercoaster and now I feel like I need to regroup. I loved this book. I have nothing negative to say. Bravo A.L Woods!
January 12, 2022
Powerful, heart-wrenching storyline that despite the warning, I was not prepared for the emotions that this story unearthed. This is a first of A.L. Woods works for me, but will not be the last. Communication is key to any relationship and without it, we end up with exactly what is portrayed in this book -- confusion, hurt, pain, heartache/break, broken promises, and as titled, LIES. Small, big, or even white, lies have such a cascading effect on multiple lives. I found myself in full-on, gut-aching cry fests throughout this book, having a personal connection to miscarriages. Don't get me wrong, they were tough, but it was something I believe helped bring some of the pain to the surface so it could escape. I spend so much time burying it -- just as Dougie and Penelope do. We think that we have to hide the mistakes, the faults, the imperfect of our lives from those who are meant to see us, guide us, help us, through the ugly.
I received an ARC from Grey's Promo without the expectation of my review being positive. All opinions are my own!
I received an ARC from Grey's Promo without the expectation of my review being positive. All opinions are my own!
December 13, 2025
This story is heartbreaking and frustrating and beautifully written. The narrators were phenomenal at portraying the emotions and pulling you in. Tip with this story: remember that people grieve and process hurt differently. You don’t have to agree with it.
January 26, 2022
Oh this story is everything, these charaters are so well written. Highly recommended
January 27, 2023
My heart will take quite a while to recover from this deeply emotional book. Pen and Dougie's story is full of unfulfilled potential, a marriage cracking under the weight of lies of omission and the loss of any true communication between two people whose lives are on parallel tracks rather than converging ones. They really have never truly communicated in truth. They have thought the things they should have said, but not uttered them, something many of us can totally relate to.
This is definitely not your run of the mill romance hitting hard times. It delves much deeper, carrying the reader along and taking you into the hearts and minds of two good people who are messing up. My own heart hurt for both of them. This book has left its mark on me and I will be thinking about its honesty, and the emotions it pulled out of me, for quite some time. I hope I am not spoiling anything by saying that the end also gave a great big dose of healing.💖💖💖💖💖
This is definitely not your run of the mill romance hitting hard times. It delves much deeper, carrying the reader along and taking you into the hearts and minds of two good people who are messing up. My own heart hurt for both of them. This book has left its mark on me and I will be thinking about its honesty, and the emotions it pulled out of me, for quite some time. I hope I am not spoiling anything by saying that the end also gave a great big dose of healing.💖💖💖💖💖
August 15, 2022
So I have to give a shout out to Amanda once more for 'Lies', which as you can see I finally have in paperback.
This book will make you feel a variety of emotions. I sobbed, smiled, and wanted to hurl the book across the room as I fell in love with these characters.
This book walks you through Dougie and Penelope's relationship from the beginning to the present-day angst and explains how they got there. Their marital crisis is heartbreaking to read, and once you discover the root of the problem, it tears your heart out. This is, without a doubt, one of my favourite books. These characters are fantastic.
Even though they were both broken and thought that ending the marriage would be the best way to move forward, they both loved each other too much to go through it. There's a lot more to this book, but I don't want to give too many spoilers, so please read the trigger warnings before you start it.
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
This book will make you feel a variety of emotions. I sobbed, smiled, and wanted to hurl the book across the room as I fell in love with these characters.
This book walks you through Dougie and Penelope's relationship from the beginning to the present-day angst and explains how they got there. Their marital crisis is heartbreaking to read, and once you discover the root of the problem, it tears your heart out. This is, without a doubt, one of my favourite books. These characters are fantastic.
Even though they were both broken and thought that ending the marriage would be the best way to move forward, they both loved each other too much to go through it. There's a lot more to this book, but I don't want to give too many spoilers, so please read the trigger warnings before you start it.
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
February 26, 2023
From the moment that these two locked eyes on one another they were meant to be together. Penelope loves to defy her parents at every turn that she gets. When she meets a handsome construction worker at her designer job, she thinks that he is going to be the perfect distraction. Dougie isn’t the kind of guy that likes to have a one-night stand, so will he be able to convince her that it’s all worth it?
I knew going into this that I would going be getting an emotional read because I have read previous books by this author, and this was everything and more. I loved the raw/realistic love they had and how Woods was able to convey that in this wonderful read.
Top 2022 read
I knew going into this that I would going be getting an emotional read because I have read previous books by this author, and this was everything and more. I loved the raw/realistic love they had and how Woods was able to convey that in this wonderful read.
Top 2022 read
January 29, 2023
They honestly should’ve gotten that divorce 😀💀
February 24, 2023
Honestly he cheated and they should have gotten a divorce
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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