I received a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
After a chance encounter when Ryder, a starving artist, rescues a drunk Lily at her cousin's wedding, he can't get her face out of his mind. She becomes his muse in everything from his own personal paintings to magazine and billboard advertisements.
Lily, an auto mechanic, has become a celebrity without even knowing it and everyone is clamoring to find out who the woman in the paintings really is. When she finds out, she tracks Ryder down to confront him but ends up falling in love with him. She only wants to be the glamorous woman he's created on canvas. One little white lie about her job won't hurt. But when the truth hits the tabloids, everything falls apart.
I thought this was a different twist on the Cinderella story. Like the Prince in the fairy tale only having a shoe to find his true love, Ryder has only a first name and the memory of her face. Cute story.

Mona Lisas and White Lies almost felt like two books to me. The first was before Lily and Ryder actually met and got to know one another and the other was after they started to spend time together. I really enjoyed the first part of the book and couldn’t put it down or wait to find out what would happen next but once Lily and Ryder got together my interest began to wane. I’m not sure what it was but I just didn’t feel the chemistry between the two and it left me wanting a bit more. I will say that I would definitely try reading another book by this author because the writing style was easy to read, funny and had well rounded characters. I just lost interest in the story as it went along based on the relationship between these two characters.

This book has taken longer to finish than I expected, and at times it did seem to drag. I started with lots of high expectations (an interesting title, is it ‘love at first sight’, a wise cracking female character...) but found that as the story progressed, it didn’t travel the extra mile I was expecting.
There are two main characters and they meet fleetingly at a hotel, by chance. It has a lasting impact on Ryder, an artist, who then puts pictures of the mysterious Lily into his work. The plot revolves around whether they can reunite and have a happy ever after.
There are a number of themes in the book, which for me seem to be covered in a tick box style: character who has not come out, previous relationship involving domestic violence, honest best friend (to one character), alternative love interest, best friend (who tries to help). There were too many things in the mix and as a result none of it was covered in depth.

Sorry, for me this is not ‘a keeper’.

This was a light-hearted easy, romantic read, perfect for a summer holiday break. Lily and Ryder’s ‘meet cute’ is original, and their story enduringly sweet and tender. Really recommend this for a bit of escapism.

I loved the first half, but then I felt the drama and Lily’s insecurities really dampened my enjoyment of the second half. It was ok, but I wish I had enjoyed it more. I liked the writing and the whole idea thou.
For me it was good, it just wasn’t great.
Fab cover.

Hmm... this was interesting. I'm not so sure how I feel about this book.
I liked the writing style and how how the story developed and how Ryder the artist used Lilly's image in his work over the years. When Lilly & Ryder meet she tries to live up to the image of her in his paintings.
It was okay I guess, I mean I liked the story overall, but I didn't really like Lily...
Looking forward to reading more from this author though.

Ryder is a struggling artist. He's trying to break into the art world with his paintings but not making a dent in his progress...until he sees Lily Machara. From a distance, Lily and her beautiful auburn hair make a remarkable impression on Ryder. He watches her from afar and can't help but wonder more about her. Lily has no idea who he is and is only in the same place as part of a bridal party in a wedding.

Lily is from St. Louis and works at an auto shop as a mechanic. Perhaps not the girliest of jobs but she loves every second of it. It's been six years since the chance encounter with Ryder at a hotel in Cleveland -- an encounter she doesn't even remember -- when she starts being recognized by customers as the girl in the paintings. In a quirky twist of fate, Ryder has blown up as an artist and hasn't been able to get Lily out of his mind all this time, now turning her into his muse for his success.

Will they be together and be the real life couple that Ryder's paintings depict? I couldn't tell you. To be perfectly honest. I only read about 75% of this book. I wanted to like it, I wanted to love it but found myself unable to finish it. The story in itself has potential. It may be a little far fetched but the general idea is there. However, I couldn't quite make sense of what the author was trying to accomplish with his descriptions of the characters. Lily's personality almost seems too wholesome to be working as a mechanic. It was awesome to read about a girl character being placed in that setting but it's almost as if the author wasn't quite sure what to do with her in it. The dialogues between Lily and Brooke, Lily's roommate, didn't seem completely real. I give the author some credit for attempting to write about women's interactions but it just wasn't quite there. It's as if I was reading what a guy thinks happens when two women are talking about a guy they like. It just didn't feel honest.

There were also some parts of the book that didn't make sense. For example, there's a part of the book where Lily goes out to dinner to what is described as a Mediterranean restaurant but the food options are not Mediterranean at all! Paella is a dish from Spain and Gnocchi is an Italian dish. Doesn't make sense and it completely threw me off.

Lily's character also seems hyper-focused on her weight when she's already described as being slender, which was off-putting at best. Finally, the thing that really made me put this book down was a comment that Brooke makes before Lily's goes on a trip. Brooke is helping Lily pack and she says: "I can teach you makeup. Let me make you beautiful, just this once." Whoa. What is that supposed to mean? That even though Lily's character is described as slender and having beautiful auburn hair (and let's not forget how infatuated Ryder is with the first sight of her), that she's not beautiful unless she wears make up? Maybe I'm just being hyper-sensitive but the comment really rubbed me the wrong way.

Ugh, I do not like giving out bad reviews. I'm sure there are plenty of readers that enjoyed this. Unfortunately, I wasn't one of them. Better luck next time.

This was a cute 'romance' type book that held my attention fairly well. :Lily is a mechanic who sees herself as plain and 'one of the guys'. Ryder is an artist who appears to be living a very exciting, Hollywood type life. Neither of the characters are what they appear on the surface, but in a really good way. Lily starts seeing her face in multiple places and is furious yet intrigued as she ponders why this is happening.
Ryder saw Lily once years ago and she became a sort of muse to him. He put her in many of his art pieces and this is how their faces became well known.
I really enjoyed reading their back stories and watching what happens as they get to know each other. It was a little predictable and I didn't love that Lily's face was used without her consent, even for art. However, it was overall a good, quick read that I enjoyed.

I received an advance digital copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Not generally a romance reader, but I liked the description of this one and I'm glad I picked it up! It was a fun, quick read for me. I was a bit annoyed with Lily's insecurity, but I was able to look past that to enjoy Lily and Ryder getting to know each other so sweetly.

What a fun and light romantic read!!

Ryder, an artist, sees Lily from a distance and is fascinated with her to the point that he begins painting her likeness into everything he does for years. His works of art become quite popular and therefore, her face starts to appear everywhere as Lily is now his unknowing "muse." In reality, Lily works in an auto garage and isn't the elegant and put together woman portrayed in many of Ryder's artistic renderings.

Eventually, people start telling Lily they are seeing her face everywhere and it leads to her meeting Ryder and ultimately falling "in love." Lily and Ryder's characters were both a little insecure but they seemed to fit well together. Everything is going well but there are some issues that are unresolved waiting to surface at some point and cause some drama. Lily and Ryder will have to figure out how to overcome their trust issues and acknowledge how they truly feel about one another. To see how it all plays out, you'll have to read the book.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Mona Lisa’s and Little White Lies is the first book I’ve read about a muse. This book is atypical for me, that’s what drew me in to start with. It’s prose is in nice 3rd person, that is easy to follow.

The book began on a good note, when Ryder Flynn a up and coming artist sees his “muse” in a smart auto mechanic after one brief encounter. The story really begins six years into the future wheres Ryder has become a famous artist for his beautiful portrayal of a mystery woman, Lily the witty mechanic, who is essentially clueless.

The public wants to know who the woman behind the modern Mona Lisa paintings is. When Fate has the two cross paths again, urges are given in to, making Lily prime suspect numero uno to any reporter wanting to cash in on their love. Their world begins to spiral when little white lies, insecurities and the public want this couple to fail.

Unaware of her true beauty, Lily feels alien to Ryder’s fancy lifestyle. While Ryder is an kind and confident artist who captures the quintessence of anything around him. It comes down to them dealing with self-esteem, self image and face the validity of their feelings.

I wish there was more of a backstory into Lily’s relationship with Aaron. What happened between them? The ending was a little cliché and predictable. Since this is somewhat of a romantic comedy, I do recommend it.

I received this ARC for my unbiased opinion. Thank you to the authors, publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity.

Enjoyed this book very much. Loved the characters of Ryder and Lily... The romance and the twists were great. I applaud John Herrick for this delightful book and hope to read more soon.

I enjoyed this book. It quickly drew me in, and kept me wanting more. I enjoyed the shorter chapters being as I am a busy mom of 4 who often times gets pulled away from my books. This made it easy to tell the kiddos let me finish the chapter and I could help them.

The characters were developed, and I enjoyed seeing how the story moved from start to finish. I didn't feel that the story was rushed nor did it drag at any part. It's nice to see a woman in a manly job role for a change, and not chasing after some mega hunk who was rich and powerful. I will be looking for more books from this author.

The blurb on this book intrigued me, a lady who is a mechanic has a chance meeting with an artist, who then goes on to include her in his work like his muse.

The writing style at the beginning is lovely and I liked how the story developed and how Ryder the artist used Lilly's image in his work over the years. When Lilly & Ryder meet she tries to live up to the image of her in his paintings.

It started well and towards the end I was a little bit confused and it felt a bit rushed in some parts for me,
The omission she makes during the story I just didn't believe would happen in real life and I just couldn't buy into this part at all. I was also confused about how her friend was impacted by it all coming out to. Same for Evan how he quickly disappeared during the story.


Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this advanced copy in exchange for a honest review.

The reason I requested Mona Lisas and Little White Lies by John Herrick on Netgalley was because of the cover. The vibrant colours just drew me in, and I wanted to know what it was about. It turned out to be a run of the mill rom com, which is always nice for some light reading. The story focuses on the lives of two people: Lily the car mechanic and Ryder the painter. Short chapters show alternating perspectives and keep the story fast-paced and interesting. It did, however, almost feel like two separate books: the part before Lily and Ryder met, and the part after.

One of my favourite things about the book was the descriptive language. Especially when it focused on brining a painting alive. The way the scene is described, as well as the use of colour and texture were mesmerising. There was one sentence somewhere in the beginning that I just had to read several times because I found it so beautiful. This was the first time Ryder painted Lily and it left a lasting memory throughout the book.

A point of annoyance for me, though, was Lily’s character. I wanted to yell at her a lot for being so insecure. She came across as a self-conscious sixteen year-old, when in fact she’s a thirty-something year-old woman. It was hard for me to match those things up and actually see her as an adult. Additionally, the story contained some over the top reactions to seemingly small occurrences. It gave it a bit of a ‘drama queen effect’, which I disliked.

For lovers of rom coms, I would definitely recommend this book. It’s predictable but sweet. If you’re not a fan of that sort of thing, I don’t think you’ll enjoy it much.

Lily is an auto mechanic with some serious confidence issues. She's never seen herself as beautiful before. That is until she sees a piece of art by Ryder Flynn, featuring her look alike. She's never been one to take a chance and step out of her comfort zone. But what if it were for a chance at love?

I'm giving this book four stars simply because I wasn't in love with the characters. The characters did not relate to me as some of my favorite books have. Besides the lack of connection I had with the characters, this book was delightful. It's a story about love and waiting and finding your passion. It's a classic romantic comedy and a feel-good book. It's slow at times, but picks up quite quickly.

Unbeknownst to her, Lily Machara, a witty auto mechanic, becomes the muse of an upcoming artist named Ryder Flynn after an encounter they had at a hotel. Fast forward six years, Ryder has become a famous artist for his beautiful depictions of a mystery woman. Everyone wants to know who is the modern Mona Lisa in his paintings. Lily’s and Ryder’s paths collide again. While they give in to an electrifying romance, reporters are set on finding who is the real Lily Machara who has captured the handsome artist’s heart. Insecurities, little white lies, and public scrutiny could bring this celebrity couple down.

Written by John Herrick, the author of Beautiful Mess, Mona Lisas and Little White Lies is a romantic comedy novel consisting of 338 pages. It is an ideal pick to read during a lazy Sunday and spring or summer break.

The forte of the story is the development of the romantic relationship between Lily and Ryder. Lily is a woman with insecurities and a sarcastic sense of humor. She is not aware of her beauty and feels like an outsider in a fancy environment. Meanwhile, Ryder is a kind and confident man who possesses the artistic ability to capture the essence of things. For their relationship to work, they need to deal with issues of image, self-esteem, and reality.

My favorite character was Ryder Flynn. His sensibility makes him is a rarity among men. Reading about his paintings and the meaning behind them was pleasant. I was not a fan of Lily’s character. Her constant insecurities were a bit annoying. After I read about the root cause of her self-esteem problems, I understood her better. However, I expected more confidence from a woman who works as a mechanic at an auto shop.

The downside of the story is that the reader is left wanting to know more about what happened between Lily and Aaron. Why their relationship did not work? What was his secret? Also, I thought that the climax of the novel was predictable and the ending was somewhat clichéd.

I would recommend this book to those readers who enjoy romantic comedy, romance, and chick-lit novels. Segue Blue will publish Mona Lisas and Little White Lies on March 19, 2019.

Thanks to NetGalley for sending me a copy of this book so I could write an honest review. All the opinions are my own.

Thanks to BooksGoSocial for the ARC!

I'm not so sure how I feel about this book. Some moments are funny and sweet, but I just couldn't ignore the fact that Ryder used her as his "muse" without her consent, and that brought drastic changes to her life. Maybe people won't see that as problem, because she wasn't being completely honest with him either, but... I don't know. I didn't enjoy it as much as I was hoping to.

Despite her beauty, Lily is deeply insecure due to an event that happened in her early twenties. I found it frustrating that she was played as more of a immature person in the beginning when she was wary of a "nice" restaurant, a successful man talking to her, and her job. It is only when she began to see herself in the way Ryder painted her that she truly evolved and loved. As a St. Louisian, the author accurately portrayed the city.

I'm sorry, I tried really hard to like this book. The first half was sweet and promising, especially the way Ryder and Lily get to know each other. But everything beyond became annoying. I am not a avid romance reader but once in a while I really enjoy them.

Here are the main topics that bothered me: First, the plottwist was nearly non-existend. It was such a weak argument that I couldn't take it seriously. Since it was first mentioned I knew what would happen in the end. And even the car race couldn't fix it.
I do understand why Lily did what she did, because I can relate to her as a physicist. But her insecurity got on my nerves. Especially because Ryder is such a sweet person! From the beginning I belived that all his intensions were truly honest.
And thirdly: Why had there to be so much talking about Thailand? That felt so random and inappropiate. In general the dialogues were really weak. When Lily and Ryder talked, it felt like an interview. Lily asked a question and Ryder talked for a page until Lily asked the next thing. And when Ryder starts telling about Thailand it's like he is the only one who knows everything about Thailand and has to explain the whole culture to her. There is nothing wrong with wanting to teach someone else about a different country but the way Ryder did was just weird.

My best friend did some research why the name Ryder Flynn sounds so familiar: Flynn Rider from Disney's Tangled