Member Reviews
This book was completely different from what I was expecting from the blurb. I enjoyed reading it so I'm going to rate it based on this instead of my expectations from the description.
The book is mostly told from Jo's POV and to me personally the story is about parenting, Jo's relationship with her teenage daughter, and managing her own anxiety around keeping her children safe. Most of the action and dialogue revolves around Jo and her parenting choices. There's A LOT of dialogue involving teenagers. I wouldn't go as far as saying this is a YA book, but the mystery and thriller aspects take second place, in my opinion.
Three Little Lies starts with the police visiting Jo and her husband Everett's house. Some sort of emergency has happened and the police find blood in the garage. The story the moves back to their day-to-day lives. Everett has a demanding job as CTO and is always going on business trips he can't talk about because it's all classified. Jo is left alone to raise two children, Megan and Ashton, who went through anaphylactic shock as a todler. As a result, she's become ridiculously rigid and strict. She has a lot of rules around the house, such as not letting anyone else open the mail before her. We soon discover that Jo does this because she receives anonymous letters threatening to uncover a huge secret of her past.
Megan is going through a rebelious teenage phase and Everett does nothing to help (and even sides with Megan most of the time) so Jo is always the bad cop. One day Jo announces they'll be hosting an exchange student from England, Eden. Eden can't find a host family because she suffers from severe food allergies, so her friend Eloise from school has reached out to Jo knowing she will be able to offer a safe home since she's used to managing Ashton's allergies. Although Eden is four years older than 12-year-old Megan, they both instantly connect. Jo is happy that Megan has finally found something akin to a big sister, but problems start to arise when Megan and Eden go against Jo's rules behind her back. Jo tries to be understanding and lets it go for the sake of keeping peace.
Soon enough things start getting worse when Eden gives Ashton a chocolate bar that causes a severe allergic reaction. Doubts start to plague Jo's mind. Eden suffers from food allergies herself. She knows first hand how dangerous the wrong food could be. Was it another innocent mistake or is Eden trying to harm her family? Can a 16-year-old really be that calculated and why would she do that?
Friction continues as Eden is a bit too independent for Jo's liking. She goes out to the mall with her friend Trisha, is always late and doesn't answer Jo's calls. Jo tells her she can always call them and count on them. One day Eden finally calls asking them to pick her up. Everett drives there but she isn't where she said she would be, which enrages him. He finally starts to understand Jo and steps up. He becomes more involved in the kids lives, regularly picks Eden up from the mall, and even takes her to his workplace as she has an interest in technology.
The book described in the blurb kind of kicks in halfway the story. Everett takes Jo out for dinner but -unless I read wrong- there's no suggestion of their marriage ending or anything like that, it's more like he wants to invest in their family. Megan calls saying Eden is missing. Even though Eden's gone missing before, this time everyone is in hysterics and Megan calls the police.
When Jo and Everett return home, the police arrest him immediately, suggesting he's responsible for Eden's disappearance and possibly something more sinister. Suddenly Jo realises she doesn't know her husband at all. She starts to think that Eden may not be who she claims to be. The second half of the book is a bit more twisty and involves the police investigation which thankfully means less focus on parenting teenagers. There's a few interesting red herrings which keep the story moving and then towards the end of the book, we get to read Eden's POV.
To me the 'twist' is rather easy to guess but that didn't take away from enjoying it. The ending was not bad, but again more about parenting and family-based storylines rather than a shocking twist. The book was incredibly easy to read and the story flows very well. I'd describe this as a page-turner. To me this is a solid 5-star book, just not the same book as the description.
This read was a page turner . Finished in 48 hours. The plot was intriguing and the storyline was paced well. I had an appreciation for Jo’s love of her family and safety in general. This is a story of how the ripple effect of secrets, betrayal, and survival. can impact your life
And those around you.
I am looking forward to reading other stories from this author.
Thank you NetGalley and BooksonTour for the opportunity to review this book and the introduction to a new author.
Little lies turn into big ones!!
This book kept me engaged from the beginning. I knew the exchange student was trouble from the outset.
Jo, being the helicopter Mom that she was, only did that out of love. I can understand her anxiety, especially with the allergies.
Twisty, original and emotional as well. This book will touch the heart of the reader and surely give you whiplash with the twists and turns.
I recommend.
Wow, this book was pure drama in the best way possible! From page one, I was hooked like I accidentally stumbled into someone else’s juicy family secrets. The lies, the twists, the "wait, WHAT just happened?!" moments—I couldn’t put it down! Every time I thought I had things figured out, another bombshell dropped, and let me tell you, my jaw was basically on the floor the entire time. 😱
The characters were just so real—like, I wanted to shake some of them and hug others. The story had me gasping, laughing nervously, and honestly, I might have yelled at the book a couple of times. It’s just that kind of ride. And the ending? Don’t even get me started! I’m still recovering. If you love thrillers that keep you guessing and give you all the drama, you NEED this one in your life.
Huge thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest (and very excited) opinion! 💕
One hell of a thriller! When you think everything has finally come together and every secret has been revealed, just keep reading, because there's more. If you're a thriller fan in any capacity, I would recommend grabbing this one immediately.
This book masterfully weaves suspense, intrigue, and complex characters into a story that keeps you guessing until the very end! I’d highly recommended.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ stars
Three little lies... Well, yes if you only count the ones one person tol and whether they could be considered as being little... I guess it depends from which point of view you look at them. The person telling them might feel like they are only little ones, but for the person on the receiving end... I guess they might not agree with that.
When I started reading this book, I thought I knew exactly where the author would take me. I could have not been more wrong though. If you have the same feeling, please be patient for a while, because you will be flabbergasted by what is to follow.
I really could not get enough of this and I read it in one day. I was swept away by all the rapids and eddies I encountered on my journey.
Wonderful storytelling, perfect characters and amazing twists. A perfect read. 5 stars
Thank you
Oh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive. This book is all about lies. Sit back and enjoy the ride.