My To-Be Read List is a meme hosted by Because Reading is Better Than Real Life where at the beginning of the month visitors can choose which book I’ll be reading this month. On the first saturday of a month the poll will be up, then on the second saturday of the month I’ll announce the book that won and on the last saturday of the month I’ll post my review of the book.
Sweet Little Lies (Heartbreaker Bay #1)
by Jill Shalvis
Rating: 4 stars
Blurb:
Choose the one guy you can’t have . . .As captain of a San Francisco Bay tour boat, Pru can handle rough seas—the hard part is life on dry land. Pru loves her new apartment and her neighbors; problem is, she’s in danger of stumbling into love with Mr. Right for Anybody But Her.
Fall for him—hard . . .
Pub owner Finn O’Riley is six-foot-plus of hard-working hottie who always makes time for his friends. When Pru becomes one of them, she discovers how amazing it feels to be on the receiving end of that deep green gaze. But when a freak accident involving darts (don’t ask) leads to shirtless first aid, things rush way past the friend zone. Fast.
And then tell him the truth.
Pru only wants Finn to be happy; it’s what she wishes for at the historic fountain that’s supposed to grant her heart’s desire. But wanting him for herself is a different story—because Pru’s been keeping a secret that could change everything. . . .
My Review:
I received a free copy from the publisher through edelweiss and voluntarily reviewed it.
Sweet Little Lies was a great read. I like how Jill Shalvis writes romances as they are both sweet and hot and feel realistic. They also have a great group of characters and this book had all of those elements as well. Sweet Little Lies is about Pru and Finn. Something bad happened in Pru her past and she’s feeling guilt about this and doing her best to help others. One day she meets Finn who runs it’s own pub and had a rough youth where he had to grow up fast. Sparks fly the moment they meet, they have an instant attraction that slowly grows into more.
Pru and Finn were so fun to read about. There are a lot of great scenes involving these two and I liked seeing them fall more and more for each other as the book progressed. Pru made sure Finn had a bit more fun in his live and a life besides the pub he ran. Finn eventually helps Pru deal with her guilt and fills a gap in her heart. There are funny scenes, some heartwarming ones and some hot scenes as well. These two were good for each other.
This book is set in a bigger city instead of a small town, but it still managed to create that smart town feel by focusing on a group of close friends who lived in and around a building. This still created a bit of the cozy small town feel as these friends where very close and stick their nose in each other business. I quickly figured out who the two main characters for the next books would be and I can’t wait to read their stories. There are a lot of interesting side characters, everyone had enough depth and personality to easily remember who was who. I liked the whole group of Finns friends. And Edie was one of my favorite characters. I also liked Jake who was always there for Pru, Pru her adorable dog Thor and Pru her nosy neighbor.
The only issue I had with this book was the big secret Pru doesn’t tell Finn. I am not a big fan fo the secret keeping trope. Besides that I also felt Pru made it a bigger issue than it was, it just sort of got blown up and every time it got mentioned how she still hadn’t told him and how she had to tell him soon, but she didn’t want to and was afraid how he would react. She felt all this guilt about what happened and then about the secret as well. I rather would’ve liked to see them talk about that guilt and have Finn try and convince her she didn’t have to feel guilty for what happened. And I just knew this would be The Conflict that would shake things up and lead to an obligatory break-up scene at the end. Then when the secrets comes out there is some miscommunication and then it gets solved almost too easily for how big of a deal it was the whole book. Just didn’t quite work for me.
To summarize: this was a fun start of a new series. I really like how Jill Shalvis writes romances and this book was no exception. I liked Pru and Finn as main characters and I enjoyed seeing them fall in love. There are a lot of fun scenes, some hot scenes and it was a read that kept my attention. I did have a bit of trouble with the conflict, which involves a secret Pru didn’t tell Finn. I felt like it got blown a bit out of proportion and then at the end it got resolved way too easily for how big of an issue it seemed before that. Luckily the romance and the great group of characters more than made up for my issues with the conflict. The side characters all have enough personality and it make me look forward to see more of them. I already have book 2, so I hope to start that one soon.
Links:
– Goodreads
– Amazon
– B&N
– Kobo
You can also read my review on Goodreads
Oh I hate when the conflict is a big secret that doesn’t seem as big of a deal as they are making it to be. Glad everything else worked in the book though. Great review!
Grace @ Rebel Mommy Book Blog recently posted…Review ~ Tell Me Three Things
It was a great read, but that big conflict just bothered me a bit as it didn’t seem as big of a deal to me as they were making of it.
Oh fun! Glad you enjoyed this one with the setting and the characters. Groan…big secret that gets bigger the longer it festers. I get frustrated with those, too, especially when its not something I think is worth the fuss. I do want to eventually read this series.
I’ve only read one Jill Shalvis story as part of anthology, but I loved it. I have two of her books on the shelf from an older series that I want to read. Everyone speaks well of her writing.
Sophia Rose recently posted…Pets In Space Anthology
Yeah i am not a fan of the big secrets that just gets bigger plot line. It just didn’t seem worth all the fuss she made over it. But besides that it was a great book and I definitely would recommend her books.
I am currently reading book 2. I only have read her more recent books, I finished the Cedar Ridge series and am now reading this one. I hope to go back and read her older books eventually as well. I think I own the first Lucky Harbor book, but haven’t read it yet.
I’m glad you enjoyed Sweet Little Lies, even if there were some things that made it less than perfect for you. The secrets are seldom working for me, so I completely understand what you mean. And you’re right about the kind of cozy feel we get because the characters live close to each other, and meet up at Finn’s bar, and definitely keep sticking their noses in each other’s business.
Great review, Lola.
Lexxie @ (un)Conventional Bookviews recently posted…Bought Bagged and Wrapping it Up #161 – Busy and Thankful
The secrets plot line seldom works for me as well, but besides that it was a great book. I really liked how even with the setting in a big setting it still got a bit of that cozy feel due to the characters living close together.
It’s always good when romance in books is realistic. And a mixture of funny and heart-warming and hot is nice too! And you know I like that cozy feeling in books.
The secret-keeping does sound like it could be frustrating if it got blown out of proportion. And then to have it be resolved super quickly would probably annoy me a bit too. But at least the rest was good and it was still an overall great read!
Kristen @ Metaphors and Moonlight recently posted…Book Review: Darkchylde: The Ariel Chylde Saga by R. Queen
This author really seems to have a good mixture of all those elements in her books and they are pretty realistic too which is always a good thing.
the secret keeping was my biggest issue with this book, first it seemed to get all blown up and then I got solved so easily. Just felt like it was a bit out of proportion.
I really want to read this one. Oh those conflicts! They always seem to be so huge but end so quickly lol. I am actually very glad you enjoyed this, makes me want to read it sooner now!
Michelle @Because Reading recently posted…#Review ~ Vengeance Road (Vengeance Road) by Erin Bowman
I hope you can get around to reading this soon, it was a fun read and I am curious to hear what you think of it. I am currently reading the second book in the series.
I didn’t really get the secret keeping on this one either or why she thought he’d be mean to her over the secret. I’m glad you enjoyed the book overall 😀 It really is a fun series 🙂
anna @ herding cats & burning soup recently posted…Crafting with Kitties– Christmas Ornament Wreath
The secret keeping didn’t really work for me, I also didn’t get why she thought he would be mean to her about it, as in my opinion it wasn’t even her fault. But besides that it was a great read. I am currently reading the second book, I am not too far yet, but so far it’s good.
It sucks when you can see the conflict and resolution coming, but YAY for the other goodness saving it. She’s quite a brilliant author sin’t she?
verushka recently posted…#CBCA review: Three mini book reviews for the price of one blog post!
Yes she is, I’ve quite enjoyed the books by this author that I’ve read so far.
I’ve never read a Jill Shavis book, but I keep seeing positive reviews for her books lately. So maybe I need to try one already. Terrific review Lola! 😀
AngelErin recently posted…Music Monday- The Weeknd (Explicit Language)
If you like contemporary romances you might enjoy her books. I’ve read a few of her books and so far enjoyed them all.
my biggest issue with this story was the secret as well….everything else was quite wonderful!! Not my favorite book from her, but still quite enjoyable. Glad you liked this one. Great review.
loverofromance recently posted…Tea and Biscuits Book Discussion: Books I Am Thankful For
Same here, the secret was my biggest issue with this book, but besides that it was a great read. I haven’t read too may books by her so far, this is the second series by her that I am reading. I’ve only read her Cedar Ridge series and this one.
I keep saying that I’m going to try this author. I even have the first book in the Animal Magnetism series on audio. I need to move this up the list soon. 🙂
Melanie Simmons @mlsimmons recently posted…A Tale of Two Demon Slayers Audiobook by Angie Fox (REVIEW)
Neat to hear you have one of her books on audio already, I hope you have time to listen to it soon. I mostly have read her more recent books, but I hope to go back and read her Lucky Harbor and Animal Magnetism series eventually as well.