Fern is glaring thirty in the face and can't ignore the love lies any longer. Life with Adam was amazing once - although these days swinging from the chandeliers means D.I.Y not S.E.X. She believes a romantic wedding should be the next step but Adam just won't go down on one knee.
Then a chance meeting with Scottie Taylor - the UK's sexiest pop star - lights fireworks in Fern that won't stop exploding. It's mind-expanding love at first sight for them both so when he proposes in front of a sell-out crowd at Wembley Stadium, there's only one answer. Yes, yes, yes!
Before you know it, Fern is living the celebrity dream in LA and a wedding planner is arranging designer shoe fittings. But isn't it all happening a little too fast? Why is this modern day Cinderella homesick for a rented two-bedroom flat in Clapham?
How do you know whether love is telling the truth? Fern must choose which version of this fairy tale is hers ...
Adele Parks MBE is one of the most-loved and biggest-selling women's fiction writers in the UK. She has sold over 4 million books and her work has been translated into 30 different languages.
She has published 21 novels, all of which have been London Times bestsellers.
Adele has written 19 contemporary novels and 2 historical ones, Spare Brides and If You Go Away, which are set during and after WW1. Her latest novels, Both of You, Just My Luck, Lies Lies Lies, I Invited Her In, The Image of You and The Stranger in My Home are twisty, domestic noirs. Adele likes to scrutinize our concepts of family, our theories on love, parenting and fidelity.
During her career Adele has lived in Italy, Botswana and London. Now she lives happily in Surrey, UK with her husband, son and cat.
If you want to stay in touch you can find Adele on Twitter @AdeleParks, Instagram @Adele_Parks or Facebook @OfficialAdeleParks. You can sign up to her newsletter at eepurl.com/cI0l and there’s lots more info about Adele and her books on www.adeleparks.com.
2) NO LIES #2. I am baffled by this book's abysmal 3.38 GR rating.
Did I read the same book as 1,704 GR readers????
And why is the book's GR blurb posted in French???? (Huh?)
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1) FULL DISCLOSURE #1: Adele Parks is one of my favorite UK writers.
The fact that Adele Parks writes ultra-compelling thrillers AND rom-coms (two very, very different genres) is a true testament to her brilliant talent.
2) FULL DISCLOSURE #2: I have been on "Outlier Island" before but never on this part of the Island!
Usually, my review is the dissenting 1-star or 2-star review amidst the glowing 5-star raves.
It's nice to be on this part of the Island. 😍😀😍
I listened to the audiobook read by Saffron Coomber and Adonis Jenieco.
The plot in this one was decidedly improved over the last book of Parks' I read, Game Over. Fern isn't happy with her boyfriend of four years, issues an ultimatum that if he doesn't propose in a week, they were done (bad idea #1). On said birthday, she wakes up without getting a ring and hangs out with British uber-rock star Scottie Taylor (bad idea #2). They fall madly in love and she runs off to L.A with him to plan the most lavish wedding ceremony ever. After some ups and downs, betrayals, and overly-expensive plans, she realizes what makes her happy and gets it. Yippee, the end.
Fern was impatient and all-around clueless. She just did what made her happy. At least give your boyfriend the benefit of a doubt. So you didn't immediately wake up with a ring in your face - why not give him the whole day. He gave you tickets, albeit free ones, to one of your favorite rock stars. I don't understand that. But maybe I'm not as demanding and my-way-or-the-highway as Fern is. Which is weird, because eventually she lets herself get swept away by everything Scottie does for her,and while she disagrees, she's too happy being pampered and spoiled to say something. When something does make her upset, she sulks for while, then almost immediately gives in. You threw a four year relationship down the drain over one day, lady, you have a backbone. Find it again.
Scottie...ugh. I'm not even going to bother explaining what was wrong with him. Doing what he did, and having the support of everybody around him, is sick. Do they not realize Fern is a real person? Yeah, in the beginning she would be distracted by the shiny and new, but eventually, she would realize what was going on, and I don't think she would be all that happy then.
I don't like the ending. I don't think she deserved that ending, and if he was smart, he would keep her at a distance until he knew she wanted him, and not just because she wanted him because he was her only option. He was an idiot for doing that.
So, not a fan of this author's works. I've read two of them, didn't like either one, and I don't think it makes sense to keep reading an author like that when there's so many books and authors out there.
Adele Parks is a pretty new author to me. I have previously read one of her books which I enjoyed. I think it is the front covers of her book which stand out on the shelf and draw you in, as most of them are of long legs in grey and white with a bold bright pair os shoes! Not your usual chick lit front cover so they are hard to miss. I was recommended to read Love Lies by a friend who doesn't usually read but had been lent it and couldn't believe how good it was, so it was passed my way.
Plot Fern, who is a passionate florist, is finding her 30th birthday creeping up on her. This gets her thinking about where she feels she should be in life and the one thing she is not happy about is her relationship with long term boyfriend Adam. She feels their relationship is stuck and needs to move forward she wants to move out and have their own house and most of all she wants him to POP the question!! She gives Adam an ultimatum, propose on her birthday or she is off!
Adam's gift for Fern was tickets to see her favourite rock star but the thing is once she meets him she cant stop thinking about him. What will she do fall for the man who can give her everything she wants or stay with long term love Adam?
My Opinion
I found this book as captivating as her previous book that I read. Adele Parks has a way of pulling you into the story in the first chapter which makes it hard for you to put the book down. It is your typical chick lit style read, easy, warm but a little farfetched in places but I think it is these parts that makes the book as good as it is.
I found the book similar in places to Paige Toons Chasing Daisy but instead of the love interest being a racing driver it was a heart throb rockstar. Any of you who was a fan of Chasing Daisy I am sure that you would also enjoy this book.
The book was split between England and LA. I found that the parts that were in England seemed more realistic compared to the parts in LA but I think this was done on purpose to show that it was like a dream living in LA.
The only thing I could say about the book on a lower note is that it would have been good to have got to know Adams character a little more as the book is written from Ferns point of you so we only read what she feels about Adam at the time.
I would defiantly recommend this book to any chick lit lovers out there and also this would make a superb holiday read. I will defiantly be looking out for more Adele Parks books after reading this one.
I suppose marrying one`s idol, who has been the subject of one`s crush/love for years (who seemingly loves you too) would be a dream. Not to mention getting adoration, attention, fame, money etc would be a bonus. But... So I could possibly relate to the plot. I mean if *my celebrity crush* would ask me to marry him, oh, I don`t know, in my dream world I would supposedly really consider khm *take the offer* khm. Love Lies was just so boring. I really hate long (oh, so very long in this case) inner monologues, explanations of past events and feelings, thoughts etc. Without them I would perhaps have a higher opinion of the book. Perhaps. Fern. Irritated me as hell. I mean, purpose of her life was to get married? I get people want to settle down and start a family but the way she handled things, brr. Ultimatum, really? A way to get what you want? She could have simply talked to Adam (who would have commited to her if he would have wanted to). Right after not getting what she wanted she rushed off to be with Scott. Without as much as an expanation to Adam. She did not get why her friends or family were not happy for her decision to marry a guy she knew nothing about. She accepted fame without actually doing anything to achieve it. And the day before her wedding to discover she has made a mistake after all. Asking Adam to take her back after finding out , come on! Scott. I actually have nearly nothing to blame him for. Yes, he used Fern to get ahead in charts and slept with someone else but he warned Fern he was bad news. That he was an addict. That his attention would shift fast. Adam. A man who was not ready to commit. If he would have wanted to marry Fern he would have asked her without an ultimatum. And taking her back? Brr.. Not to mention it was obvious who would end up with whom.
Worst chick lit ever. I thought it would be a light and modern romance set in the ambience of the music industry... Instead it was the ramblings of a low self esteem, self absorbed, inmature young woman, who has no respect for herself, not to mention friends and family, and who has no personal interests or inclinations that she persues other than secure a guy (any of two possible guys).
Nice easy read , Fern has lived with Adam for 4 years and with her 30th birthday just around the corner she decides Adam should propose, life is a little boring now the initial flush of love and romance is over and Fern wants more. She goves Adam an ultimatum that there had better be an engagement ring among her birthday presents and is gutted when she discovers tickets to see Scottie her idol in concert. What is worse is Adam being on the production crew for Scottie's concerts has got these tickets free and Fern gives up.
Meanwhile at the first concert she has a chance meeting with Scottie and discovers he makes her laugh and they fall in love so when he proposes Fern has no hesitation in saying yes. Life changes dramatically and suddenly she doesn't need to lift a hand in her new extravagant lifestyle but things do not always go to plan and Fern misses her independence and perhaps Adam a little too.
Three quarters of the way through the book Fern realises a decision has to be made but can she make the right one, is a lifestyle of glamour , money and the high life for her or should she go back to being just " Fern". Lots of giggles throughout with the help of Fern's friends Jess, Lisa and Ben but in the end a moral decision to make....what will she do?
I enjoyed this read, light hearted chick lit, the ending disappointed me, I needed to know more and felt it was rather abrupt however it was cleverly tidied up, just not to my satisfaction! 7/10
This story is one we can all sympathise with as wanting something more from life. As Fern reveals though sometimes stardom and money is not all it is actually portrayed to be. This was a good light hearted book to fill the gap before getting into something a little more serious again. It was definitely worth the read and I never tire of Adele Parks. The Plot Fern has been dating Adam for years and has decided that it is time her mundane life as a florist in Clapham moved up a notch to something a little more exciting. After setting her boyfriend Adam an ultimatum leading up to her 30th birthday, things don’t turn out exactly as she thought. At a concert Adam had got her tickets for as a birthday present Fern bumps into the star of the show, Scottie. From then on her life takes a dramatic turn and she is suddenly living in LA living a life with wedding planners, Hollywood mansions and glamour galore. It isn’t all Fern thought it was and she suddenly realises she has made an awful mistake.
Okay, so I'd like to start off by saying I did buy this book because the front cover really stood out to me and instantly I wanted to buy it. I'd never read an Adele Parks book before and therefore I was a bit sceptical about parks as an author. Within the first couple of chapters I was instantly hooked and loved fern as a character due to how normal she seemed to be. This book was constantly interesting and I loved the main characters as they developed throughout the whole book. I felt as if I was living the lives off the characters and the ending was one I didn't expect. After reading other reviews I can see people saying that this wasn't one of her best books and therefore I couldn't wait to read another. As this was the first book I read from parks I gave it 5 stars as I loved it and read it extremely quick! I would definitely recommend it to anyone who loves a romance book with constant comedy and after recommending it to my mum she loved it as much as I did!
Another book from Adele Parks that 'does what It says on the tin'. It was a quick, easy read which I like and I did get hooked to the story even when the characters or the plot were annoying me. I often found myself wavering between liking the characters and despairing at them! Ultimately, I think Fern made the right decision although it took her a long time to see what the others could see straightaway. It was also annoying how Adam & her family/friends never really fought for her even when they disapproved. It was a fun read which you have to take a face value.
Good story, even if a bit far fetched. Very frustrating as you can see the heartbreak coming but I was surprised at the end. I agree that Adam's perspective would of been good as you question his actions and read Fern going crazy.
Probably one of her worst...or perhaps I have just outgrown her having read some of her other books in my early twenties. I didn't like the plot, the characters were weak and fickle and the spoilt little brat who is the lead character has her cake and gets to eat it too.
unlike her previous books, this was very easy to put down. that may have been due to reading it during the holidays when there was so much going on but not what i've normally thought of her books.
I really enjoyed this book. It was fresh, and gosh, can't really think of the word to describe it. Fern's thoughts seemed realistic. I don't want to say too much about it, but I really liked this book, and found it easy to get into.
I liked the short chapters too. I actually find that I read more that way, than if I see a long chapter, I think, oh I don't have time to read that.
I think I read a review for this book where the reader didn't like it - but I noticed she was an American. It is typically British. The language is British. I'm not sure if you'll understand how/what I mean by this unless you read it. It's definitely a sharp British sense of humour required type book. I was giggling all the way through it.
Definitely intend to dig out the other books from this author.
Adele Parks is a staple of every British Library. She is on numerous bookseller lists. I'm not a fan. At least of this book.
Fern came across very self-interested. If Scottie had asked her to drop her knickers - no problem! She'd have banged him sixteen ways to Sunday. It's only him saying no, that makes her keep her knickers on. To be frank - she doesn't deserve Adam. I'm all about self-motivated/selfish/unlikable characters taking the lead - but I want to see the comeuppance. I want to see character growth.
How can there be character growth, if a rock star says no to a woman and she rethinks her impulsive engagement to him, also finds out he's gay - and only THEN runs back to her former love interest and HE'S WAITING FOR HER! Where's the justice?
The story is told mostly from Ferns perspective but occasionally jumps to her new fiance Scott.
I liked neither character.
I started to dislike Fern from the get go. She is just so whingey and ungrateful, constantly moaning about her current boyfriend Adam and her friends. Then throughout the story she is naive, needy and stroppy! 😩 Scottie isn't likable either and in fact the only characters I did seem to like were Ferns friends and family, who only have minor roles.
The story was boring. Nothing exciting at all seemed to happen until the last 60 pages😑 and in my opinion Fern did not deserve the happy-ish ending she got.
I have most of Adele Parks books, which I haven't read and I really hope they are not all like this one. 🤞
I was a little torn between one and two stars, but ended up giving it too, because I felt some aspects of the book was alright. The story did have potential in some way, but mostly it was quite hard to get through.
I didn’t really like the main characters most of the time. They weren’t very rational and the decisions and their reasons for doing different things were just too impulsive, selfish and not really thought through at all.
A lot of things were lacking in the story. Though there was still parts of the story that I did enjoy, but it was the more rational and real moments, not all the extravaganza and over the top things that went on in this book.
I got right into this book with no problem. It's easy to read, and easy to get started. It's not what I'd pictured this book to be. Nor what I'd consider a GREAT piece of chic-lit. I don't like stories where the girl leaves the guy for someone else, then tries to go back to the guy she left in the first place. Maybe it's just me being old fashioned or just upset that a girl could do that!! It was an easy read though. Not bad, but not good either...just OK. It is a VERY British book. If I read this 2 years ago then I wouldn't have understood it....there is a bunch of British slang.
Perfect chick-lit set in glitzy L.A. Never read Adele Parks before and now excited for the other books of hers I have in my tbr pile. I thought Fern was abit naive with Scott but then I suppose lots of people would be seduced by that sort of lifestyle. At times she got on my nerves, like at her wedding she wasn't sure if her parents would turn up or not. That would not be something I'd be happy to wonder about. I would have to find out! I did feel sorry for Adam at the end but at the start I did think he was a bit of a dick. It's all alright tho, happy endings all round in this one.
really really a huge disappointment compared to Game Over, the first book of Adele Parks' that i read. was hoping to get back into the world of chicklit but this book was just weird and the main character made some really stupid decisions. i would have stopped halfway through but i wanted to see how she got herself out of her horrible mistakes
Didn’t really enjoy this one. Too long winded and unbelievable. I don’t think any of this would happen in real life.
Adam would never have taken her back after what she did with Scott.
Didn’t enjoy how many words were used to describe the same thing. I got that he was rich and she was in awe. But did we need it described in every chapter.
Having really enjoyed another Adele Parks book i must say i was a little dissapointed! I listened to this in audio....and didntnenjoy the "voices" (cringe) I found the plot very predictable and the lead charector unlikeable and totally unrealistic.... it was all a bit far fetched... Shame, as i was really looking forward to reading another by this author.
its a fun book..tell us abt how she left adam just cause she was too eager to get married as she hit 30 and thought the famous rocksta scott actually loved her but he was just marrying her for his own benefit in the sales of his album "the wedding"
I love Adele's books usually but this was awful. I hated all the characters and wish I could stop guessing the endings in her books! I do believe her plots have improved a lot since these earlier books though - Stolen Brides and If You Go Away were both fantastic.
This is good fun. Fern is about to turn 30 and feeling dissatisfied with her life. Things are somewhat hum drum for her. Her relationship with her boyfriend is in a rut. Her job as a florist is enjoyable but she is tired of living on the modest income, living in a flat share and unable to afford many luxuries. She fixates on getting married as being the answer to everything but her boyfriend of 4 years seems in no rush to propose. Then she meets pop superstar Scott. They have an instant connection. Not only is he handsome, famous and a millionaire but he appears able to offer even the commitment she craves. It seems like a dream come true and Fern quickly drops her old life for a new one in Scott's LA mansion. If things appear too good to be true though they usually are... This is a fun fantasy with a few twists. The characters are all gender clichés (apart from the one gay cliche) but this actually didn't spoil it for me just added to the escapism and unreality.
Began reading this because I really enjoy this author's writing. I don't normally like chick flick, as find the particular genre a bit of an eyeroll. After the first chapter or so, I wasn't altogether enamored so came here for reviews to see whether it was worth persevering. There was a mixed bag. It seems readers either love it or hate it. I decided to keep going, and I'm so glad I did.
In my opinion it was a nice easy read, and although a bit far fetched, a lovely escape novel that I read in two days, staying up until 2am because it was impossible to put down.
Don't be deterred by the negative reviews, give it a go. Superb!
This was a fun read about what would happen if the famous man of your dreams decided to turn his attention to you, would you stay with your man or run off? Unfortunately, I felt this book was slightly too long for the will she wont she at 500 pages, especially as most of the first half of the book was shown in the summary on the back. It was amusing and I liked some of the characters, but our main character Fern was just that tad bit too annoying and oblivious. I enjoyed the flower aspect, I loved seeing the LA side of things and it did while away some time whilst on holiday.