Cecily Gardner leaves her Manhattan apartment late one night in order to prevent herself from calling her boyfriend Matthew. She recently broke up with him; she was ready to take the next step in their relationship, but Matthew was not.. Sitting beside her in the bar is a handsome stranger who encourages her not to make the phone call, and Cecily listens to him, as they sit, silently, side-by-side, both feeling a strange bond growing between them. Grant and she embark on a new, surreal relationship which comes to a screeching halt as the terror of 9/11 falls upon New York City. In the months that follow, Cecily grapples with the fallout of both the terrorist attack and her personal life, and the lies that formed the basis of she and Grant's relationship. This is all experienced alongside her relationship with Matthew and all of their friends and family, and the friendship she formed in the wake of the tragedy.

Twisted, dark, cynical, yet full of hope, The Lies That Bind explores what lies of omission can bring about, and how sometimes the only way out is to face the truth. The exploration of different levels of life and how we are all rolled along by the tides of friendship, love, family ties is really the heart of this story. Emily Giffin wrotes stories of women and what it means to grow, to learn, and to live.

When Cecily meets Grant in a bar she never expects it to be anything more than a chance encounter. But it grows into an unforgettable summer even though he is dealing with a family crisis. He visits her on September 10, 2001 and then he stops responding. As Cecily tries to figure out what happened she discovers he was keeping secrets from her. This is a story of finding unexpected love and being left to figure out what was real and what was a lie.

This book had just about everything I want in a book . A number of emotions , happy, sad, angry and shocked. It was definitely a page turner and one I won’t forget .

As a long time fan, of the author, I was prepared to love this book. Indeed, I did. The story was well written, with such great detail. The kind where you can visualize the characters and the scenes. So many different emotions, while you read this. Only took me a few days to read because it really captivated me. I needed to see where it was going and was pleased with where it did!

The Lies That Bind is an intense and engrossing read. I stayed up very late to finish it because I had to know what happened. Time had no meaning and I was completely absorbed. I actually gasped out loud at one point in the story. I anticipated one of the major twists in the plot, but not some of the others. Reading about 2001 references was amusing. Reliving 911 through the eyes was Cecily was chilling. I felt sorry for Matthew and knew Cecily was settling. My feelings toward Grant were all over the place. Griffin has delivered an excellent read that is compelling and provactive.

This was everything I needed. E V E R Y T H I N G. This was totally like old school Emily Giffin. It had the personal growth dynamic, it had love, it had betrayal.... I finished it in one night. I never do that. This book was that good. Everyone needs to add this to your TBR list! Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this ARC!

I was disappointed with this story line, it seemed very cliche and all the events were very obvious. I found the characters unlikeable, they each were stuck in selfish choices that they didn't seem to care to fix. I didn't like that the big twist was centered around 9-11, it felt too easy.
Grant and Cecily were blah. Dispite what she built up in her head as passion and flames, as a reader their emails and in person interactions fell short for me.
Cecily was able to come into her own passions and what was right for her toward to end of the book after having the same conversations and fights over and over.
Cecily's saving grace was Scottie (the stereotypical gay best friend). He was honest with her and stood up for her infront of others. He was what a best friend should be.
I enjoyed the throwback descriptions and objects from the early 2000s, they are still vivid in my memories.
I am usually a fan of Giffin books, but this one was not for me.
I would recommend this to fans of easy reads with lots of character inner struggles and a romance triangle.

I was given this ebook free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Once again, Emily Giffin truly delivers! I was drawn in from the first page. I really related to the characters, and really rooting for Grant and Ce ily. The story was suspenseful and intriguing,
. I highly recommend this book.

I always look forward to a new Emily Giffin title, and this one did not disappoint. Her last few books have been more emotional and covered more serious topics than the fun beach reads she is known for, but I really like the subtle change. Her writing is still very engaging and easy to read, but this was her most emotional story yet. I really enjoyed the main character and was invested in finding out what happened. This is a slightly more serious book than the likes of Something Borrowed, but will still make a perfect summer read.

Emily Giffin is a captivating writer. This was impossible to put down, and one of the best books I have read this year.

I actually finished this more than a week ago but haven't reviewed it yet because I couldn't even begin to articulate how insane this book is. I have loved some of Giffin's past work, most notably Something Borrowed and My One and Only but this was awful. I actually liked Cecily as a character and could've been interested in a story about a woman worried about settling and fantasizing about the one who got away but I found almost every element of the plot to be ludicrous. The relationship between Grant and his brother and his wife was nuts and I love a soap opera but I just found it to be eye rollingly ridiculous and every relevation about Grant's character was more and more stupid.

I’m not sure I’ve ever frantically turned the pages of a book with a plot as utterly ridiculous as I found this one to be. I’m blaming it on the intermittent bouts of insomnia I’m experiencing at the moment and the shock of Cecily’s immature antics that wouldn’t let me look away. I vacillated between intrigue and eye-rolling for the entirety of my read through. But, who am I kidding, mostly eye-rolling.

Truth be told, I consider myself a pretty big fan when it comes to Emily Giffin’s early work. I’m talking Something Borrowed and Something Blue early. I remember being so enamored with those pastel pretties I happily shared them with anyone who would listen. Unfortunately, I’ve found Giffin’s last few releases to be a hodgepodge, leading me to second-guess those giddy feelings from long ago. Talk about all over the place in regards to plot, feel, and emotional depth. No doubt, The Lies That Bind takes the cake for being the most underdeveloped and ludicrous of the bunch. And depending on how you look at it, maybe even a tad distasteful.

Readers meet Cecily on a pivotal night. A month after breaking up with the guy she assumed would one day be her husband, she ventures out in the wee hours of the night and lands herself a stool at a dive bar. A few drinks in, she’s ready to drunk dial said ex. Lucky for Cecily, the stranger sitting on the next stool over warns her off and plies her with shots and a little conversation instead. A conversation that ultimately leads to a walk home and a spontaneous overnight invitation. It isn’t until the next morning that the new friends exchange names.

Given there are a considerable number of spoilers, I’ll stop here and defer from sharing any specific plot points. What I will say, there’s a hefty dose of insta-love, some Jerry Springer-esc happenings, coincidences galore, eye-roll-inducing twists, and an overload of unneeded 2001 references to wade through. The one bright spot among the muck, readers get a glimpse of Darcy, Rachel, and level-headed Ethan from Something Borrowed and Something Blue .

New York provides the backdrop for Cecily’s story, with 9/11 playing a crucial part in one of the plot points. Using that tragic day in such a crass way just didn’t sit well with me.

What rankled my feathers—even more than the myriad of things I’ve mentioned thus far— was the blatant lack of nuance. There is little to no emotion or finesse behind Giffin’s words, translating to a surface level experience. In all honesty, I expect more from an author of this caliber. And I can’t say this experience bodes well for me picking up her next release.

I always look forward to Emily Giffin books. After reading this description, I was really looking forward to this one. The story was very well-told, with intense connection to the characters. It took me back to that time in history, and even though I was basically a child during that time, I saw it through the eyes of an adult living where it happened. I would definitely recommend this to my audience.

I couldn't put this one down!

Cecily was dumped and she's drinking her sorrows away when she meets someone new at the bar. They hit it off, and her life is changed forever as they continue to see each other and quickly fall in love. As Cecily gets deeply involved in her new romance, her life becomes full of surprises she never saw coming.

The Lies That Bind is an interesting novel that includes email texts and post cards within the story. The heroine is caught between a long term steady relationship and a passionate summer affair with a mysterious stranger who is fervently searching to find a cure for his dying twin brother. She feels she loves them both. Her quest is to discover which type of love is the right one for her. Before she can make much sense of the pros and cons for both men, September 11th happens. As a newspaper reporter in New York City, she takes us through the shock, panic, and sadness, And there among the photos of those missing is the picture of her summer fling. As a journalist, she follows through, contacting the phone number listed, sick and desperate enough for information about him to interview the wife she did not know he had. Complex layers are added as the two women become friends, and at her urging in the aftermath of such tremendous 9/11 loss, she reunites with her former steady boyfriend who happens to be family friends with the new widow! As she tries to untangle truth from lies, she discovers she is pregnant, and due to the bizarre circumstances of 9/11 reactions, she is uncertain which man is the father. The ensuing storyline depicts a realistic search for a woman searching for the right decision for her and the new life created within her. Throughout her journey for truth, she encounters many more unexpected twists. All in all, the varied relationships are examined, keeping the reader engaged in the plot twists, waiting to see what the ultimate resolution or choice will be. A great read!

SPOILER: As always, I am such a big fan of Emily Giffin's writing style - her books are digestible, easy to read, and I always feel attached to the characters. I found myself really feeling for Cecily during this time. However, this was definitely not one of my all time favorite Emily Giffin novels.

At the start, I found myself enamored by Grant & Cecily, then I started to feel more and more confused by Cecily's actions throughout the book. In the very end, when she ends up with Grant after he FAKED HIS OWN DEATH AFTER 9/11, I couldn't believe it. There's lots of forgiving when it comes to reading a book - I never know how I would act in a cheating situation, etc., BUT this just felt kind of out of this world crazy. It kept me from really getting into the book and enjoying it when I was guessing that ending. 3 stars for me.

Cecily has recently broken up with her long-time boyfriend Matthew as he cannot seem to make a commitment. She is having a drink in a local bar, trying to decide whether or not to call Matthew, when a handsome man starts to talk to her and persuades her not to make the call. She feels an instant attraction to him and they end up together before they even know each other's names.
Later they meet again and he tells her his name is Grant and some details about his life. Cecily is really falling for him and then tragically 911 happens and he is missing. One day Cecily sees a missing poster for Grant and calls the number on the poster.
This is basically a romance with some mystery included. I guessed the ending and though it was a good fast read, it was predictable.
I do thank the publisher for my ARC through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review

Wow! I love, adore, and devour anything by Emily Giffin. While The Lies That Bind felt a little different than her usual, I was still hooked from the start. This was set during 9/11 in New York City but was handled delicately and factually, in my opinion. And talk about plot twists! I couldn’t put it down! Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC!

Wow!!!! I am so proud of Emily Griffin for this book. I love that she really explores the idea of these “grey areas” and things not being perfect. Love the twists in this book too!! Really great work by EG!!

As a longtime fan of Emily Giffin's books, I was excited to have the chance to read The Lies That Bind. This newest release has her trademark compulsively readable style and has some thematic elements that will feel reminiscent to readers of Something Borrowed.

When Cecily meets Grant, she's fresh off of a breakup, and she doesn't expect to fall so hard, so fast. When 9/11 happens, the connection she had is severed when her world (and all those around her) is turned upside down.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.