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A review by lololovesthings
When We Lied by Claire Contreras
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
4.25 stars!
If Claire Contreras writes it, I will read it. "When We Lied" is excellent: scandalous, surprising, deliciously spicy, and it blurs the lines between what's appropriate and what's not appropriate. Let's just say: I wouldn't want to have a boyfriend or husband who does the things that Finn does (staking, jealousy, etc), but in this book, Contreras made me a fan (in fiction, LOL). We've got Finn, a grumpy hockey player MMC, and a sunshine basketball player FMC, who dislike each other at first, but quickly become obsessed with each other. They have both experienced severe amounts of trauma and bond in their shared misery. At first, their pairing is purely physical, driven by jealousy and need and the thrill of the unattainable. Slowly but surely, they both begin to fall in love. There are a surprising amount of tender moments between Finn and Jocelyn sprinkled between the spice, too. Around the romance aspect is a thrilling mystery full of suspense and intrigue that I did not see coming. I read this book in a day and a half because I just couldn't put it down! Claire Contreras sure knows how to hook her readers with the drama! I loooooved the dual audiobook narration by Stephen Dexter and Janine Granda. They were *perfect* for this book. They bring the characters to life in such a salacious, wonderful way! I absolutely recommend this book!
Thank you to NetGalley, Claire Contreras, Dreamscape Select, and The Wicked Pen for the complimentary ALC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.
If Claire Contreras writes it, I will read it. "When We Lied" is excellent: scandalous, surprising, deliciously spicy, and it blurs the lines between what's appropriate and what's not appropriate. Let's just say: I wouldn't want to have a boyfriend or husband who does the things that Finn does (staking, jealousy, etc), but in this book, Contreras made me a fan (in fiction, LOL). We've got Finn, a grumpy hockey player MMC, and a sunshine basketball player FMC, who dislike each other at first, but quickly become obsessed with each other. They have both experienced severe amounts of trauma and bond in their shared misery. At first, their pairing is purely physical, driven by jealousy and need and the thrill of the unattainable. Slowly but surely, they both begin to fall in love. There are a surprising amount of tender moments between Finn and Jocelyn sprinkled between the spice, too. Around the romance aspect is a thrilling mystery full of suspense and intrigue that I did not see coming. I read this book in a day and a half because I just couldn't put it down! Claire Contreras sure knows how to hook her readers with the drama! I loooooved the dual audiobook narration by Stephen Dexter and Janine Granda. They were *perfect* for this book. They bring the characters to life in such a salacious, wonderful way! I absolutely recommend this book!
Thank you to NetGalley, Claire Contreras, Dreamscape Select, and The Wicked Pen for the complimentary ALC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Death of parent, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Drug use, Sexual assault, and Alcohol