Review: Love, Hate, and Other Lies We Told by Deirdre Riordan Hall

Love, Hate, and Other Lies We Told

by Deirdre Riordan Hall

January 17, 2017

364 pages

Goodreads  Amazon

Goodreads Summary:

Let go from her job and feeling lost, Navy Carrington takes a position as coffee-girl at a publicity firm. Their newest client is Carrick Kennely, the former love of her life and her fiercest adversary. She thought she'd let go of the past by playing it safe with book boyfriends—and avoiding frustratingly sexy guys like Carrick.

When Navy's roommate finds the Boyfriend Book, a silly relic leftover from Navy's teens, it prompts a dare; Navy is to go on five dates and pick one to be her Valentine. Despite her reservations, she can't say no, especially if it means proving to herself and Carrick that she can move on.

Navy chronicles her brief romantic entanglements with the Hottie in 7G, the Man-Bun-Barista, the Gym Stud, and the Book Boyfriend who turns out to be a toad—not the kind that when kissed turns into a prince—, on The Boyfriend Book Blog. She doesn't want to let her readers or herself down, but as Valentine's Day nears, none of the guys comes close to being her one true love.

Except Carrick. He’s infuriating, attractive, confusing, catnip…and it turns out he has a secret.

With a love letter and a plane ticket in hand, Navy leaves her baggage behind and must decide between love, hate, and the lies she told to protect her fragile heart.

Told with humor and heart, Love, Hate, and Other Lies We Told may appeal to readers who enjoy Alice Clayton, Sally Thorne, and Emily Giffin's work.

Review

I decided to read Love, Hate, and Other Lies We Told because the synopsis sounded like fun. I enjoyed the book though I think the same synopsis that got me to read the book also gave away too much. The story didn't exactly stand out but I appreciate the character growth.

I had a lot of laughs reading about Navy's dating experiences. They were all so different yet very realistic and likely to happen to any person dating. The way Navy chronicles them on her blog was brilliant. Whether it was the easygoing Hottie in 7G or the ideal Gym Stud, each guy brought a little something out of her. Along with the inspiring UBoss program Navy was able to break out of her past.
 

Throughout the story Navy carried a lot of guilt for something that happened between her and Carrick years ago. It was the foundation of her hatred for him. I thought the thing that plagued her was truthfully underwhelming. I can understand why Navy felt so guilty and betrayed but given all the drama and build up, I expected it to be something more serious than what was revealed. Under the circumstance it was morally questionable but it was one hundred percent consensual so I thought Navy's reactions were a little too extreme.

 

One other thing I didn't quite like was how Navy compared herself to her best friend Katya. Somewhat unnecessary but I guess it did allow us to see her transformation. She went through a lot of stages- recounting her dates on The Boyfriend Book Blog, (more or less) following the Uboss program and discovering Carrick's messages to her. I'm genuinely happy for how she managed to emerge on the other side successful.

 

Katya is an amazing bestie to Navy. She pushed her friend out of her shell and never let her put herself down. I'm excited for Katya's novella! I'm sure she has her share of secrets and insecurities even if she seems to be happily floating through life. I can't wait to see her have some sexy fun ;)

Readers looking for some romance and fun should give Love, Hate, and Other Lies We Told a try. It's a light read but one that leaves you thinking.

*I received an ecopy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinion are my own and not affected in any way.