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nikki52010's review
5.0
"She's slowly undoing me, thread by thread. I stare at her in near awe, this wondrous creature who wants to spend time with me. This rare and beautiful being who says I make her happy, maybe as happy as she makes me."
I realized after I wrote this review, how I started it the exact same way as I started my review for They Play. Word for word; that every time I finish a book by Karina, I am left in awe. How can each of her books be just as fantastic as the next? I don't know how she does it, but I hope she never stops!
The Lie is the newest edition to the McGregor boys. We first meet Brigs in The Play, introduced as Lachlan's brother. She gave just enough background that I knew as soon as the book was over, I had to have more of Brigs! So glad she was able to give him a story of his own. Once again though, this is a standalone, so knowledge of the previous books is not necessary at all. You wont miss anything, especially since characters from the first two books are not even mentioned in this one. And Lachlan and Kayla are background characters and Karina will tell you everything you need to know about them in this one.
Now, where to start? Brigs and Natasha's story is sad. It hurts and no one should have to experience the pain that these two went through. This story is about second chances. Getting to fix what was broken the first time.
The prologue starts off in the past, where there is an incident so horrific, it sets the tone for the rest of the story. If the prologue doesn't gut you and suck you in where you can't stop then I don't know what to say. But don't worry, it's not all sad and tears. There is fun times to be had between the two. We get their story alternated between POV's as well as past/present. I love that I got to see their relationship form simultaneously as them trying to rekindle their love in the later years.
It. Can't. Be. Him.
It can't.
And yes it is.
I look back over my shoulder and meet his stunned gaze once more.
Brigs McGregor.
The love of my life.
The love that ruined lives.
One step forward and five million steps back.
I just can't help but to love these two, and I hope that you give Professor Blue Eyes a chance. Oh you didn't know? He's a professor!
I realized after I wrote this review, how I started it the exact same way as I started my review for They Play. Word for word; that every time I finish a book by Karina, I am left in awe. How can each of her books be just as fantastic as the next? I don't know how she does it, but I hope she never stops!
The Lie is the newest edition to the McGregor boys. We first meet Brigs in The Play, introduced as Lachlan's brother. She gave just enough background that I knew as soon as the book was over, I had to have more of Brigs! So glad she was able to give him a story of his own. Once again though, this is a standalone, so knowledge of the previous books is not necessary at all. You wont miss anything, especially since characters from the first two books are not even mentioned in this one. And Lachlan and Kayla are background characters and Karina will tell you everything you need to know about them in this one.
Now, where to start? Brigs and Natasha's story is sad. It hurts and no one should have to experience the pain that these two went through. This story is about second chances. Getting to fix what was broken the first time.
The prologue starts off in the past, where there is an incident so horrific, it sets the tone for the rest of the story. If the prologue doesn't gut you and suck you in where you can't stop then I don't know what to say. But don't worry, it's not all sad and tears. There is fun times to be had between the two. We get their story alternated between POV's as well as past/present. I love that I got to see their relationship form simultaneously as them trying to rekindle their love in the later years.
It. Can't. Be. Him.
It can't.
And yes it is.
I look back over my shoulder and meet his stunned gaze once more.
Brigs McGregor.
The love of my life.
The love that ruined lives.
One step forward and five million steps back.
I just can't help but to love these two, and I hope that you give Professor Blue Eyes a chance. Oh you didn't know? He's a professor!
j_the_bookworm's review
5.0
Wow....I finished The Lie, wow.....what a story of how enduring love can be no matter the circumstances, hurtful and true it is. This story of Brigs and Natasha is wonderful, raw, sexy, truthful and sad. I love how you showed us his relationship with is wife and how she treated him, and I love how we saw how true his emotional relationship was with Natasha, then and now. You truly made me feel the way he felt after losing his family and the way Natasha felt when finding out what happened. I felt how much both were suffering. Melissa...wow, I do not think I have ever met a character of yours that I did not like as much as I did not like her. I love how Brigs family is always there for him, love his parents. I love how welcoming Lachlan is and that particular moment he remembers years ago, I love how welcoming the whole family is of his relationship with Natasha. Thank you for another wonderful book. I would love a book of updates on all of the McGregor's and their women and babies that are coming.
caseroo7's review
5.0
Find this review and more at Ramblings From This Chick
I absolutely loved The Lie by Karina Halle! I am a huge fan of hers, and of course I love all of her sexy McGregor men. The Lie was such an emotional read though, and I was instantly captivated by this story. While I have loved each of her books centering around this group of characters (they are all standalones), The Lie is probably the one I felt the most invested in. Fans of The Play will recognize Brigs as being Lachlan's brother, but you do not need to have read that before reading The Lie. I recommend reading any of these books because they are amazing, but if there is any one book that I would suggest the most before The Lie it would be The Play.
Brigs McGregor's entire world changed when he lost his wife and son. Though things hadn't been happy between him and his wife, the guilt he has carried since has kept him from really living life. Taking a new teaching position, Brigs heads to London to start over. Things are going well until he sees her. Natasha Trudeau is also trying to move on with her life after years of loving a man she shouldn't have. That love cost both her and him everything, and she is finally ready to move forward and get back to living the life she had planned for herself. Back in school in London, she is starting to make progress until she sees him. Both Natasha and Brigs know that sometimes love can destroy everything, yet they also know that sometimes it is more than either of them can fight.
I really loved these two. They had been through so much, and each of them had a ton of guilt that they were struggling with. They definitely didn't have an easy path, and my heart broke for both of them and all they had been through. Brigs was sexy and smart, and I loved him instantly. He was a good guy and had denied his own happiness to try and provide a great life for his son. I was glad that he was able to finally realize that he couldn't sacrifice his own happiness though, and I hated that when he finally did something about it that tragedy struck. Natasha was so easy to like and relate to. I really felt for her from the start as well. She also hadn't had it easy, and you could tell just how hard she had taken things when she could not deny her feelings. She knew that the situation she was in wasn't right, and yet she also couldn't stop the connection that she felt. While these two had been through so much, they were able to find an undeniable connection in each other, and I really felt like they were perfect for one another. They connected on every level, and I really loved that it was more than just chemistry between them. They were super steamy together, but they also had such a natural ease to them that was impossible to ignore. They really fit together, and you could clearly see how happy they made one another.
I know that some readers shy away from some of Karina's books because of her tendency to tackle some really tough and controversial topics. I personally love that she always stays true to herself and writes the stories that she feels. I might not always agree with the choices that her characters make, but I love that her books make me think and feel so emotionally invested that they stay with me. Each of her characters are unique and different, and I love that they are so real and have flaws. I have been hooked on Karina's books since the first story I read of hers, and every time I see her name on something I know that I am going to enjoy it. I highly recommend her books, and I think The Lie is one of her best to date! It is really hard for me to pick a favorite, but The Lie is definitely one of mine from her. I honestly can't wait to get more from her, and I think that The Lie is a book that a lot of readers will love just like I did.
**ARC Provided by Inkslinger PR**
I absolutely loved The Lie by Karina Halle! I am a huge fan of hers, and of course I love all of her sexy McGregor men. The Lie was such an emotional read though, and I was instantly captivated by this story. While I have loved each of her books centering around this group of characters (they are all standalones), The Lie is probably the one I felt the most invested in. Fans of The Play will recognize Brigs as being Lachlan's brother, but you do not need to have read that before reading The Lie. I recommend reading any of these books because they are amazing, but if there is any one book that I would suggest the most before The Lie it would be The Play.
Brigs McGregor's entire world changed when he lost his wife and son. Though things hadn't been happy between him and his wife, the guilt he has carried since has kept him from really living life. Taking a new teaching position, Brigs heads to London to start over. Things are going well until he sees her. Natasha Trudeau is also trying to move on with her life after years of loving a man she shouldn't have. That love cost both her and him everything, and she is finally ready to move forward and get back to living the life she had planned for herself. Back in school in London, she is starting to make progress until she sees him. Both Natasha and Brigs know that sometimes love can destroy everything, yet they also know that sometimes it is more than either of them can fight.
I really loved these two. They had been through so much, and each of them had a ton of guilt that they were struggling with. They definitely didn't have an easy path, and my heart broke for both of them and all they had been through. Brigs was sexy and smart, and I loved him instantly. He was a good guy and had denied his own happiness to try and provide a great life for his son. I was glad that he was able to finally realize that he couldn't sacrifice his own happiness though, and I hated that when he finally did something about it that tragedy struck. Natasha was so easy to like and relate to. I really felt for her from the start as well. She also hadn't had it easy, and you could tell just how hard she had taken things when she could not deny her feelings. She knew that the situation she was in wasn't right, and yet she also couldn't stop the connection that she felt. While these two had been through so much, they were able to find an undeniable connection in each other, and I really felt like they were perfect for one another. They connected on every level, and I really loved that it was more than just chemistry between them. They were super steamy together, but they also had such a natural ease to them that was impossible to ignore. They really fit together, and you could clearly see how happy they made one another.
I know that some readers shy away from some of Karina's books because of her tendency to tackle some really tough and controversial topics. I personally love that she always stays true to herself and writes the stories that she feels. I might not always agree with the choices that her characters make, but I love that her books make me think and feel so emotionally invested that they stay with me. Each of her characters are unique and different, and I love that they are so real and have flaws. I have been hooked on Karina's books since the first story I read of hers, and every time I see her name on something I know that I am going to enjoy it. I highly recommend her books, and I think The Lie is one of her best to date! It is really hard for me to pick a favorite, but The Lie is definitely one of mine from her. I honestly can't wait to get more from her, and I think that The Lie is a book that a lot of readers will love just like I did.
**ARC Provided by Inkslinger PR**
elisabeth_julia's review against another edition
3.0
Brigs and Natasha are a couple that stayed with me. Their relationships dynamic is just so intense and wonderful. Even individually they both are interesting characters that make reading this book worthwhile. “The Lie” is another beautiful romance in Halle’s MacGregor men book series. It is also quite emotional and heartbreaking. At times I felt gutted while reading this. The story makes you keep turning the pages and I finished this within a day.
Although I loved “The Lie”, this is not a perfect book and I had some issues with it. The book starts with Brigs’ wife and son dying in a car crash after a fight between this couple in which Brigs reveals that he has been cheating on her. (This is no spoiler, it happens in the first chapter). Now, cheating in itself is already super problematic in romance novels especially when it gets justified somehow. Surprisingly, the author tackles this challenge quite well for the most part and I love her for making risky moves in her books! However, one particular thing was entirely unnecessary: Brig’s wife was portrayed as a completely irrational and cold-hearted person who chose to drive off with her little son at night in terrible weather conditions, without a kids-car seat (!!!) after several high alcohol percentage drinks (!!!). In short: Karina Halle was overdoing it with that one. It makes the accident clearly the wife’s fault and makes Brigs guilt seem like an overreaction. It would have been a more interesting book if his wife was likeable to some degree and didn’t drive off drunk, without car seat, at night, in a storm (I mean could you invent any more hazardous and irrational decisions?). It just cheapens the book in an unnecessary way.
Secondly, I didn’t like Brigs as much as Lachlan or Keir from the other books in the series, sorry!
Although I loved “The Lie”, this is not a perfect book and I had some issues with it. The book starts with Brigs’ wife and son dying in a car crash after a fight between this couple in which Brigs reveals that he has been cheating on her. (This is no spoiler, it happens in the first chapter). Now, cheating in itself is already super problematic in romance novels especially when it gets justified somehow. Surprisingly, the author tackles this challenge quite well for the most part and I love her for making risky moves in her books! However, one particular thing was entirely unnecessary: Brig’s wife was portrayed as a completely irrational and cold-hearted person who chose to drive off with her little son at night in terrible weather conditions, without a kids-car seat (!!!) after several high alcohol percentage drinks (!!!). In short: Karina Halle was overdoing it with that one. It makes the accident clearly the wife’s fault and makes Brigs guilt seem like an overreaction. It would have been a more interesting book if his wife was likeable to some degree and didn’t drive off drunk, without car seat, at night, in a storm (I mean could you invent any more hazardous and irrational decisions?). It just cheapens the book in an unnecessary way.
Secondly, I didn’t like Brigs as much as Lachlan or Keir from the other books in the series, sorry!
bergamotandbooks's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars.
Page turner for sure, read it in a couple sittings. That being said, I didn't connect to the characters as strongly as I did in the previous instalments. Still looking forward to the next!
Page turner for sure, read it in a couple sittings. That being said, I didn't connect to the characters as strongly as I did in the previous instalments. Still looking forward to the next!
georgilvsbooks's review against another edition
4.0
Poor Brigs 3 to stuffer the way he has is too much for anyone to handle!
I loved reading about Edinburgh.. (Where I live) :)
I kinda had a love hate relationship with Natasha. Every now and then she got on my nerves.
Melissa? Don't get me started on that Bitch haha!
When it's meant to be... It's meant to be.
Nice wee romantic read.
Really enjoy this series by Karina Halle and hope there is more to come.
4****
I loved reading about Edinburgh.. (Where I live) :)
I kinda had a love hate relationship with Natasha. Every now and then she got on my nerves.
Melissa? Don't get me started on that Bitch haha!
When it's meant to be... It's meant to be.
Nice wee romantic read.
Really enjoy this series by Karina Halle and hope there is more to come.
4****
bookspaced's review against another edition
3.0
Brigs McGregor hat die schlimmste Zeit seines Lebens hinter sich. Doch seine neue Stelle am King´s College in London ermöglicht ihm vielleicht einen Neuanfang. Gäbe es da nicht ein Problem: Natasha, die Frau, die er über alles geliebt und verloren hat, taucht wieder in seinem Leben auf. Das Band zwischen ihnen ist so stark wie immer, doch das Geheimnis, das sie verbindet, könnte beide auf ewig brechen …
Vorweg möchte ich sagen dass der Schreibstil wie auch in den Vorgängern wieder perfekt war. Man konnte das Buch wirklich schnell lesen. Jedoch muss man erstmal in das Buch hineinkommen.
Man lernt Brigs schon ein bisschen in The Play kennen und weiß somit schon ein bisschen über den Hintergrund, der auch oft in diesem Teil vorkommt. Brigs finde ich einen wirklich tollen Charakter, aber mit Natasha konnte ich leider nicht warm werden. Am Anfang vom Buch waren leider einige Schwierigkeiten bezüglich der Timeline die nicht wirklich gestimmt bzw. in den Kapiteln vorher/nachher doch anders waren. Leider war es für mich der schwächste Teil der Reihe und konnte mich nicht voll und ganz überzeugen wie seine Vorgänger. Ich finde es jedoch sehr schade dass diese Reihe vorbei ist, es wird aber sicher nicht die letzte dieser Autorin sein die ich lesen werde.
Vorweg möchte ich sagen dass der Schreibstil wie auch in den Vorgängern wieder perfekt war. Man konnte das Buch wirklich schnell lesen. Jedoch muss man erstmal in das Buch hineinkommen.
Man lernt Brigs schon ein bisschen in The Play kennen und weiß somit schon ein bisschen über den Hintergrund, der auch oft in diesem Teil vorkommt. Brigs finde ich einen wirklich tollen Charakter, aber mit Natasha konnte ich leider nicht warm werden. Am Anfang vom Buch waren leider einige Schwierigkeiten bezüglich der Timeline die nicht wirklich gestimmt bzw. in den Kapiteln vorher/nachher doch anders waren. Leider war es für mich der schwächste Teil der Reihe und konnte mich nicht voll und ganz überzeugen wie seine Vorgänger. Ich finde es jedoch sehr schade dass diese Reihe vorbei ist, es wird aber sicher nicht die letzte dieser Autorin sein die ich lesen werde.
bibliophile90's review against another edition
4.0
"Our love was wrong. A lie we told ourseleves. And it cost us the world."
I was intrigued by Brigs when I met him in The Play. I couldn't wait to get to read his story. I knew it wouldn't be an easy one. For four years Brigs has put a pause on his life and couldn't LIVE because of guilt. I get where he is coming from, I think I would've felt the same way if I went through what he did.
"Just breathing the same air she breathes hurts me."
The first reunion between Brigs and Natasha was painful. Natasha has tried to get over Brigs and start a new life. But seeing him again makes all her feelings come to surface. We get to see their story in present and flashbacks. I normally don't like flashbacks that much but I really enjoyed them in The Lie. The flashbacks were necessary to get the full experience of their love. It was obvious that Natasha and Brigs are meant to be a.k.a. soulmates!
"You've done something to me, awakened a heart in my soul. You have completely enchanted me, my girl, and I am powerless against you. You've taken me from the start."
Some parts were heartbreaking to read, especially when Brigs has a dream (you'll know when you read it!). I shed a few tears during that scene. I loved how Tasha and Brigs healed eachother and realised that they still loved each other. However both were feeling guilty, especially Natasha, and she resisted at first. But that thankfully didn't take too long (Brigs can be very convincing!!)
"The human heart isn't meant to be caged by someone who doesn't feed it."
I love Brigs, and he is so sexy! I LOVED the sex scenes a LOT. It was like Brigs transformed and became something else, something more primal. I need a Brigs in my life: a gentleman on the streets but a freak in the sheets! I also loved Natasha's character because she was so full of life and just perfect for Brigs. They really completed each other. Kayla and Lachlan made an appearance in this book which I really liked, I miss them a lot!
"We are forever surrounded by ashes. But we are fire. And fire rises."
I am really looking forward to Karina's next books. She keeps on surprising us readers and giving us such great stories!
juliregen's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
owlshelle's review against another edition
5.0
I've been looking forward to this book so much and if it were possible to give this book more than 5 stars then I so would!! Karina is an amazing author and knows just the right amount of feels to put in to her work without making it too much. The steamy scenes are amazingly written and I just love all of the MacGregor guys (I know I've said that before but it is so true).