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.

Cecily a writer in NYC heads to a bar late at night after ending her long term relationship with her boyfriend. Sitting alone she ponders if she made a mistake and whether to drunk call her ex when a handsome stranger comes up to the bar and tells her “Don’t do it. Don’t call him.”

Instantly drawn to each other, Cecily and Grant begin and epic and world wind romance. But thinking you’ve found your soulmate in just a couple weeks can’t just be that easy can it? Every thing comes to a crashing halt when Grant is presumed dead after the Twin Towers are hit on 9/11.

Without giving too much away, this story is a rollercoaster ride from beginning to end filled with love, secrets, lies and heartbreak.

I absolutely, completely loved the first half of this book. It was everything I wanted. Unfortunately the second half until just before the ending wasn’t as strong and fell a little flat. I still adored this book and would highly recommend, I just wish the middle half had the punch that the beginning and ending gave.

Huge thank you to NetGalley for gifting me with this wonderful ARC.

I’ve always felt that if something or someone seems “too good to be true” than it or they probably aren’t showing us all their cards!

Cecily, a young woman working as a journalist in NYC has just ended a long term relationship with Matthew. It’s only a short time later that she is feeling down while in her apartment, alone, and she decides to grab a drink in a local bar. She ends up bringing home a total stranger, Grant, and they apparently fall head over heels in love. This inauspicious beginning did not bode well for a good outcome. There are many hints that things aren’t right with this guy, he doesn’t take her to his home, he is away a lot and shows up at times in the middle of the night, uninvited. Cecily is a late 20’s woman and I felt that she was portrayed as being very naive, most women I think would have caught the signs that something wasn’t right with Grant. He does tell her about his twin brother who is very ill, and that is another part of the story I’ll leave you to discover.

The first half of the book I felt was entertaining enough and I did turn the pages quickly to find out what our heroine was going to do next. Unfortunately, for me, I felt that the plot was predictable, and I pretty much knew what was going to happen.

I thought the time spent in the novel about 9/11 was very good. It demonstrated just how horrible things were for the people in NYC and the grief that surrounded the city.

I enjoyed the character of Scottie, her gay, best friend whom she calls frequently for advice although she seldom follows it. Grant’s twin brother was a difficult character to understand, but we don’t really know much about him except for his battle with illness. There is another character, Amy, who comes across as very unrealistic particularly when she is supposed to be grieving for her dead husband.

This was still possibly a 4 star book for me until the ending! After all that Cecily has been through with Grant she still seems to hold out hope that their love will somehow last. “The Lies That Bind” definitely have Cecily tied into a relationship which doesn’t seem sustainable.

I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through NetGalley. This book will publish on June 2, 2020.

Will post to Amazon upon publication

I was thrilled to receive an ARC of this book on NetGalley. I love all of Emily Griffin’s work and this book did not let me down. I was extremely invested in these characters and I was unable to put this book down.
Cecily is struggling after a break up with a long term boyfriend when she meets Grant at a bar. What ensues is a rocky passionate relationship complicated by the 9/11 terrorist attacked and his ill twin brother.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will be recommending it to my books clubs as well as friends and family. Thanks again to NetGalley.

Eh. The entire plot -- and the way it wrapped up so neatly -- was a little far-fetched for me. The narration, though in the first person, seemed to keep me at a distance. For the most part it kept my interest, but overall, I just didn't buy it -- the emotions or the ending.

*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

Always a fan of Emily Giffin and she did not disappoint in this book! I loved how the book took place in 2011, and i loved how all the characters were well written and ones that you liked. I enjoyed the plot twists, but I will admit I kept waiting... and waiting for the lies (you know referenced in the title). I thought the ending was just perfect and I could not wait to get my hands on this book.

There are too many secrets that I do not want to give up, but if you are a fan of Giffin, this book will not disappoint!

I should start by saying I really like Emily Giffin, I have read literally ALL of her previous novels, and have enjoyed them all to varying degrees. At first, with this one, I found myself rolling my eyes many, many times, thinking the concept of meeting someone and practically falling in love instantly was absolutely ridiculous. (Says the woman who met her current husband in March, found out we were expecting in June, and married him in November. Hypocrisy at its finest). I just thought it was silly. I kept with it though, and somehow, someway.... it started to come together for me, to make more sense. I didn't agree with a lot of our narrator's decisions, but again, they all made sense in the end. So the end justified the means, I suppose. There were several twists and turns- nothing scary or really even suspenseful; just life throwing wrenches in spokes, so to speak. I got really into this book about halfway through, and ended up devouring the second half in one sitting. When all is said and done, I'd have to say that this is one of my favorite books by Giffin, if not THE favorite. A delightful, heartwarming "women's fiction " novel that will leave you smiling and hoping for the best for ALL the characters, long after the last page. She long ago cemented her status as a "must read" author for me; this just cemented it even further.

Is there such a thing as love at first sight? Maybe it is for Cecily. She met Grant in a bar after her break up with Matthew. They took it slow and then 9/11 happened. Suddenly, Grant was gone, and Cecily is engaged to Matthew with a baby on the way. However, not all love stories can be wrapped up in a nice bow. This was a quick read about a beautiful twisted love story. The characters were well rounded and nicely thought out. I can't stand Matthew and his 'holier than thou' attitude. I don't have any negative comment on this story. It was almost perfect, with the exception that I don't really see Cecily in real life going back to Matthew even after Grant's death.


Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me read this fabulous ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am a big Emily Griffin fan and I loved the first half of this book (writing style, characters, twist, etc). The second half? I found myself screaming, “What? No!” as the twists and the characters’ idiocy just went off the rails. No willful suspension of disbelief can save this novel.

If you enjoyed Something Borrowed, you'll love The Lies That Bind.

They're essentially the same story, only one is set against the heartbreaking backdrop of the 9/11 attacks. In fact, Rachel, Darcy, and Ethan even make an appearance in this story, which was fun...and a little nostalgic. I couldn't help but picture them as they looked in the film.

Anyway...

In the spring of 2001, following a devastating break-up with her boyfriend, Cecily meets Grant in a random NYC bar. What follows is a roller-coaster of a relationship which ends abruptly on 9/11, when Grant presumably dies in the World Trade Center's south tower.

Like all Emily Giffin's novels, I could hardly put my Kindle down...girlfriend can suck her readers in like a Dyson sucks in St. Bernard hair. Her secret? Her intensely likable and relatable characters--Cecily with her big family and Midwestern values; Grant with his unconditional dedication to his twin brother; and although stereotypical, even closeted Scottie, who is funny and fabulous.

My one and only complaint, and it's a small one, was Cecily's wishy-washy decision-making. Otherwise, all my reading buddies should grab a copy of this novel for themselves when it's published on June 2, 2020.

Many thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

*Thanks to Random House/Ballantine Books + NetGalley for the ARC!*

I love Emily's other books, so when I got this ARC, I dropped what I was doing to read it immediately. This is a book that pulls you in right off the bat and then doesn't let go!

Hiding the remainder of my thoughts to avoid spoilers.

First of all, I was pleased with myself for noticing the date the story began - May 2001 - and immediately realizing that 9/11 would play some part in this story. I wasn't sure if we would see characters living through it or a time jump around it (because admittedly, I didn't even read the blurb, it's just a must read based on author alone!), but in the past I don't feel like I've been super observant of these things, so I was pleased that I noticed that detail.

Okay on to the book itself! I enjoyed all the references - AIM! Answering machines! Throwback songs! - I tend to be on the side of less pop culture references because they often feel forced, but in this case, they worked. I also loved the chemistry between Cecily and Grant. I've always been a when you know, you know person, so their fast pace felt weirdly realistic to me.

That said, the reveal to Amy (where Amy basically says she knew already what was going on and has very little reaction to the whole thing) alongside the reveal that Grant is still alive felt very WTF to me. And then that Cecily takes him back after everything felt really UGH. Like let's leave aside that he's a white collar criminal, leave out that he faked his death and didn't contact you, let's consider *only* that he cheated on his wife - that's enough. Don't take that man back!

5/5 readability - it's a page turner! - 4/5 for the ending. Will recommend!

Wow, this book was a roller coaster! So many times, I thought I know what was going to happen... and then BAM, another twist or surprise. This was really well written and a joy to read. The characters were all special and fun to follow. Thank you for the opportunity!

I really enjoyed reading The Lies that Bind. I’ve read many of Emily Griffin’s books over the years and haven’t been disappointed yet.
Cecily was a strong character by the end of the book, much stronger than she started out as.
I really enjoyed the twist that the story took. A definite must read.

Thank you to Emily Giffin, Random House Ballantine Books and NetGalley for this ARC.

I love all of Emily Giffin's books, and I really enjoyed this one. The ONLY issue I had with this book was the ending. It was just...meh to me, and I felt like it should've gone in another direction. The writing and descriptions of what happened during the 9/11 attacks were so intense that I felt I was right there in NYC. I loved how she snuck in Ethan, Darcy and Rachel as Something Borrowed/Something Blue are my favorites of her books.

Another winner from the amazing Emily Giffin!

The Lies That Bind
Emily Giffin
Publication date 6/2/20

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Lies that Bind is a 5 star book that will make you want to cancel all plans and stay home and finish up this book. It grabbed my attention immediately talking about Dido and many other nostalgic favorites from my life in mid 2001. Cecily Gardner becomes a character I root for, possibly someone I could become friends with.... I wasn’t sure exactly where this story was headed because I went in blind. Loving all of Emily Griffin’s books I had a feeling I wouldn’t be disappointed and when I was approved for an ARC for her newest book I was elated. This story was fast paced and kept me guessing. I felt myself often thinking where this story would end up. I wanted to put my life on hold so I could finish the book. I savored the last 1/3 of the book and didn’t want it to end. This is a thought provoking book as most people remember where they were during the attacks on 9/11. I loved the prior character tie in and will keep this story close to my heart! A wonderful masterpiece!!! Put this on your summer to read list!!

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