Wow. Just wow. This book adds an element not normally explored. The ordinary lives of New Yorkers, 9/11, and the tragic aftermath, this book holds little back! Add in some romance and a lot of lies and it is a perfect trifecta!

This story takes place about the time of 9/11. However , I had issues with that story.line. It was an issue of lying through the book-the the title. The characters had little redeeming qualities and seem to jump from one relationship to another. Secrets secrets secrets...the reader wonders what is true and what isn’t. It is not a sit by the fire with hot hocolate type of read. It is not a book that one wonders what will happen next. It is in reality let’s finish. Sorry but I just did not live this book. This is a good author, and other readers might like this story more. Give it a try.

I enjoyed this novel a lot. Very well written and spellbinding, with an engaging cast of characters. Highly recommended - Emily Giffin never disappoints!

Pretty much read this in one sitting. I LOVE HER BOOKS. Period. End of story.

Ok so this is definitely NOT the dark and twisty deep kind of literary book I usually enjoy, but Emily Giffin and also Elin Hilderbrand can get away with it. They both have the ability to make romance and the so-called chick-lit smart and good and compulsively readable. This story begins in May of 2001. Girl meets boy in NYC, boy works in the WTC, yea you know where this is going...except you don’t. You don’t know shit. I really liked the narrator (Cecily) and I LOVED her bff, Scottie. One of the men in this story was so lovable-even with his complications, and one was detestable-even with his generosity and do-good acts. I loved how she wrote the morning of 9/11. I remember that morning and will for the rest of my life-as most readers will, I imagine. The descriptions and the feelings were so well done. There were many twists and reveals and while some of it was a bit of a stretch, it really is a small world and six degrees of separation is real. Also, if you’re a fan of Something Borrowed/Something Blue, you will recognize some cameos that preceded those books :) To conclude, I really enjoyed this, as I always do with Emily’s books. I expect this to be a very popular 2020 read and I’m so grateful to have had the chance to read and review before the release date of June 2, 2020. Thanks, Net Galley & Ballantine Books for the approval.

I have been a fan of Emily's since the very first book. That being said, this was not my favorite of her works. The overall concept (girl meets boy, finds out he is married, befriends the wife, etc.) I had just literally read in another upcoming book so it just wasn't something new and exciting.
It is 2001, Cecily is a late 20 something who has just ended her relationship with Matthew. Rather than sit and home and drown in her sorrows in pints of Ben and Jerry's, she decides to venture out of her NY apartment and ends up at a local bar. After a few drinks, she goes to pickup the phone and call Matthew, but hears a voice behind her saying "don't do it." That voice belongs to Grant Smith. Cecily and Grant begin a friendship that slowly evolves into something more. They finally consummate their relationship on the evening of September 10th. Grant, a trading partner, works in the World Trade Center. He goes "missing" on September 11th in the terrorist attacks. While near the site, Cecily and her best friend Jasmine spot a missing poster with his name and a strange phone number on it. They call the number only to find out that Grant has been lying. His "ex" Amy is actually his WIFE! Cecily befriends Amy, first by writing an article about him for her newspaper. The friendship blossoms and they become good friends. Amy has assumed by now that Grant is dead.
Meanwhile Cecily and Matthew end up hooking back up. A few weeks later, Cecily discovers she is pregnant. She and Matthew plan to wed and raise the baby, even though she is not 100% certain whether the baby belongs to Grant or Matthew. At the 11th hour, Grant mysteriously shows up, having faked his death to avoid being charged for trading fraud. From here the book skips a few years and ends (no spoilers!) with the resolution of the Cecily/Matt/Grant situation.
Don't get me wrong, it is a good book, just would have liked to see a little different storyline twist!

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC. I’ve always loved Emily Giffin’s books, and this one did not disappoint! It’s both a love story and a love story to 9/11 era NYC.

I was only able to read about 100 pages of this book and really enjoyed it. I do not remember reading in the initial synopsis that it had anything to do with 9/11 and that is a trigger for me. I was not personally involved in 9/11, nevertheless I am unable to read or watch anything about it, still, without having overwhelming anxiety so I will not be able to finish this book. HOWEVER, I do plan to recommend it to many customers as her writing is always impressive. Thank you for sending me this copy.

I generally enjoy Griffin’s novels, so. I was excited about reading this. But, I was sorely disappointed to read this hodgepodge of coincidences and miscommunication that the author chose to set around 9/11 as a way to try to glue the pieces together.

The plot smacked of immaturity and downright silliness. The BIG plot twist was imagined by many before and really doesn’t work. Though Cecily is a perfectly lovely protagonist, everything around her is just too convenient and senseless.

Sorry, but for the first time, I cannot recommend a Griffin novel.

Thank you Netgalley for this book.

Emily Giffin has done it again! The story of Cecily, Matthew, Grant, Amy, Scottie, and Byron was so beautifully interwoven and well-written. I was entranced by this tale of love, loyalty, and lies. Big lies. Very big lies. Lies that lead to heartbreak, a possible shot-gun wedding, and even prison. The ending was a little abrupt but overall, it was a great story.

I love all books by Emily Giffin and this one was one of her best. Loved the story and the writing was excellent. Can't recommend this book enough!!!!

I felt a bit ridiculous trying to explain the plot of this book to someone else. It seems like the author threw together every soap opera plot element (unhappy relationships, proposals, extra marital affair, tragic death, tragic illness, a faked death, white collar crime, twin swap), mixed them up, and came up with this book. That being said, if you are in the mood for that kind of escapist read, you probably will enjoy this book. It is well plotted and you probably won't see the twists coming because they are that outlandish.

I've been a huge fan of Emily Giffin since her debut novel "Something Borrowed" 15 years ago, so I was thrilled to get an advanced copy of her latest book, coming out this June. And I think it's one of her best books ever! It's about a 28 year old woman named Cecily and her romantic travails over the course of a year or so - I will say no more about the plot because I think it's best to just let it unfold without any spoilers. Interestingly, instead of being set in the present, it's set back in 2001, and she did such a good job with the setting that it really brought me back to my own 20s living in Manhattan at the turn of the century. Adding that to Giffin's characteristically great writing, I really felt like Cecily was a real person and I was very invested in her story. I seriously couldn't put this book down - I read it all in one day including staying up way too late last night to finish it. I'm not sure I'm 100% sold on the ending, but I'd love to discuss it with someone - I think this would make a great book club selection as there is definitely a lot to discuss about various choices Cecily and other characters make during the book and what you would do in that situation. 4.5 stars.

Nearly 20 years after 9/11 I still get a lump in my throat reading about that horrible day. Impossible to believe almost two decades have passed. The Lies That Bind begins in May 2001, and the tragedy looms large-especially difficult because the characters obviously have no idea what's coming. Cecily is whallowing in sorrow after breaking up with her longtime boyfriend Matthew. Sitting alone in a dive bar on the Lower East Side of Manhattan Cecily is about to call Matthew when she hears a voice behind her say "Don't do it. Don't call him." When Cecily turns to the handsome stranger who uttered those words she finds Grant-another lonely soul also nursing a broken heart. Cecily and Grant spend the rest of the night talking, ending at Cecily's apartment where she and Grant go to bed and sleep- but nothing else. Cecily is smitten with Grant and he appears to feel the same about her so Matthew is soon forgotten. Although their physical relationship takes awhile to develop, the chemistry and passion between Grant and Cecily is undeniable. Sounds like the perfect opening to an Emily Giffin book, and it is-except for one very large detail-Grant and Cecily's relationship is built on lies from the get go. Cecily thinks it's sweet Grant doesn't want to rush into sex, not bothering to look deeper for the reason. The Lies That Bind is a hard book to like- every charcter except for supporting ones (Miss Giffin fans will recogonize several from her earlier novel Something Borrowed) are among the most selfish and shallow you'll find. Cecily gets over Matthew with warp speed, and Grant has more baggage than Southwest Airlines. Even so, in Emily Giffin's masterful hands The Lies That Bind is heartbreaking and stunningly poignant. It's only flaw-besides the deeply flawed characters-is Miss Giffin goes overboard in trying to explain away Grant's awful behavior. Still, The Lies That Bind is a lovely read-amazing considering the horror surrounding it.

A wild roller coaster ride of a story.
Love, lies, illness and tragedy and still
a happy ending. So many twists and turns my head was spinning yet I loved it. A challenge to the definition of love.
Age old questions of loyalty, honesty and respect. A rare tapestry of real life.

I have read all of Emily Giffin's books and especially enjoyed this one. Very different from her prior books, I really liked the setting of this book back in 2001. As someone who was flying on September 11th, reading this book really brought about so many memories of 19 years ago. Overall, a quick read and one I really enjoyed and will recommend. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.

Can't wait to give a heads-up to all our Emily Giffin fans to let them know that a new book is coming out soon, and it is great! Giffin has such a talent for getting us into the minds of relatable, appealing characters -- characters who always follow their hearts, even when it isn't practical or wise. Don't want to give anything away, because the element of surprise is important to readers of this book, but it is basically the story of a young woman who falls in love just before 9/11 in New York City. Her guy, an employee of one of the companies based in the Twin Towers, is presumed dead. She starts to pick up the pieces and begins to make some very interesting discoveries. This is a terrific read, filled with romance and intrigue. As the main character discovers, be careful about the secrets you keep.

Thank you so much to #NetGalley and Ballantine books for the Arc in exchange for my honest review.

I have been hooked on Emily Griffin since I first red Something Borrowed. Since then I've devoured all her books, however, her last book had fallen a little flat for me. Don't get me wrong, it was a great book, but different from her other books. This one, brought it all back to what I love about her. Raw emotions, awesome friends and a good if what somewhat unbelievable story all wrapped up into one. If you loved Something Borrowed, this is a read for you! In fact there is even some throwback to Something Borrowed and I WISH there was a little more to that, but The Lies that Bind is its own story.
The hardest part to read however, was the 9-11 part. However, it was a vital part to the story and it was done in such a great way that the day didn't become the vocal point of the story. This was not a 9-11 story and I was so happy to see that the book continued on after the event. It was just hard reliving that day.
All in all this was a great read!

I am a huge Emily Giffin fan, and I'm..not going to deny that. I've read all 10 of her novels now and she's one of my favorite writers. But this book has some major flaws. And I feel like she is going to get a lot of flack for it. I loved the first 47% of it. And the the rest just went downhill with the main characters making some bad decisions and telling lies. Its called The Lies That Bind for a reason I guess ...but there's some controversial lies. And I don't know. I wanted to love it so much. The quality of her writing is still amazing, and Emily Giffin knows how to suck her readers in with a sweeping romance. But I just hated the story she ended up telling especially with the reveals at the end and I wasn't satisfied with how naive her main character seemed to be. I'm gonna give it 3 stars. People will still enjoy it. Especially fans of Something Borrowed. The first 47% is classic Emily Giffin. But wow. Those lies. They're gonna stick with me. To say the least, this book will get people talking. I can envision the book club discussions already.

I’ve been a fan of Emily Giffin for a long time but for some reason haven’t read her last few books: this book was a reminder of why I enjoy her work so much.

I enjoyed the main character, Cecily and found her relatable as she is a young woman in her 20’s that is trying to figure out all of the marriage and soul mate type stuff that many young women are confused by also. Watching her struggle through the end of a relationship, quickly find new love, and quickly lose it again was easy because of her. Walking with Cecily through both her relationship with Matthew and Grant was interesting because she was able to change my perspective on each character almost every time. I was convinced I wasn’t going to like Matthew because of how he was portrayed in the beginning of the book but I ended the book believing he’s a good guy, just maybe not the right one.

The one part of the book I struggled with was the ending. The beginning of Grant and Cecily’s relationship was understandably rushed but in the ending it was also. The main character ends up with someone we barely know and she’s leaving someone we spent all this time getting to know and care for.

That being said, I really enjoyed my time with Cecily and hope she and her family are doing well.

I have been a long time fan of Emily Giffin. I follow her on instagram and knew she was writing a book about 9/11 and I knew that it would be a page turner. I had no idea how much of one until I was given the opportunity by Net Galley to read an advanced copy. Emily said on instagram that she made more changes so this is not the final copy but let me tell you... it was an amazing read. The book starts out as many do. A woman in her 20s, who has just broken up with her boyfriend of three years, is at a bar where she meets this guy she has an instant attraction to. They end up going home together that night but just sleep. She finds out the next day his name is Grant, he is a twin, and he does something with finances. A whirlwind relationship happens over a summer (with Grant traveling with his brother and Cecily working at the Mercury newspaper in NYC). Grant returns from Europe where he was trying to find a cure for his brothers ALS on September 10. He spends the night with Cecily and is gone in the morning. 9/11 changes everyone, including Cecily, who discovers a lost poster for Grant. This is where the book becomes so beyond interesting. I don't want to give any spoilers beyond what I have but I did not see the ending coming at all. With lots of great supporting characters (don't we all want a best friend like Scotti?) This book gives lots of examples of whether we should love those for what we see or what we feel.