All The Lies We Tell
Quarry Road #1
ARC was provided by the publisher to facilitate this review / I purchased the companion audio
This sexy romantic drama from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Megan Hart explores the tangled lives—and loves—of childhood friends.
Everyone knew Alicia Harrison’s marriage to Ilya Stern wouldn’t last. They’d grown up on a remote stretch of Quarry Street, where there were two houses, two sets of siblings, and eventually, a tangled mess of betrayal, longing, and loss. Tragedy catapulted Allie and Ilya together, but divorce—even as neighbors—has been relatively uncomplicated.
Then Ilya’s brother, Nikolai, comes home for their grandmother’s last days. He’s the guy who teased and fought with Allie, infuriated her, then fled town without a good-bye. Now Niko makes her feel something else entirely—a rush of connection and pure desire that she’s been trying to quench since one secret kiss years ago. Niko’s not sticking around. She’s not going to leave. And after all that’s happened between their families, this can’t be anything more than brief pleasure and a bad idea.
But the lies we tell ourselves can’t compete with the truths our hearts refuse to let go…
All The Lies We Tell is a complicated and intense family drama from Megan Hart. Hart has a special skill for writing stories that run such a complex gamut of emotions, sometimes it’s hard to keep up, and this book was no different.
While the romance was a large part of this book, it wasn’t the sole focus. This book depicts two families with a long history, a history of love, guilt, tragedy, and broken relationships. I was drawn into this story quite easily, eager to learn the backstory of these flawed people, and I was constantly waiting for something. I’m not sure what, but I knew something was simmering just underneath the surface of this story.
Megan Hart is a fabulous story teller, and the way she blends together the past and the present is remarkable. She wove a tangled web, and the reader can’t help but get trapped in it. There is a lot of drama, a lot of tension, and nervous energy that is pervasive throughout this book.
For me, this book has an almost voyeuristic quality to it. I felt like a fly on the wall on Quarry Street, seeing things I wasn’t necessarily supposed to see. Yet I couldn’t look away.
I don’t feel that all my questions have been answered, and I have suspicions about the turns this story can take. I’m glad that the sequel, All The Secrets We Keep, is available for me to get right into.
As for the narration for this book, I felt it was fantastic! Kate Rudd did a stellar job bringing this story to life. Her portrayal of each character kept me engaged and made for truly vibrant characters. She truly gave each player in this story their own unique voice, making the listening experience all the more real. I’ll definitely be looking up more of her work.
Megan Hart delivered a story that is outside of my usual box with All The Lies We Tell, and I’m glad I picked this one up. I’m anxious to know more about these families and the secrets they keep.
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