This was a fun and lighthearted read with a twist of magical reality.

On the Eve of her 30th birthday, Lucy makes a wish that changes the course of her life. For the next 24 hours, Lucy is unable to lie about anything in her life, including how much she feels pressured by beauty standard set up by society and how she really feels about her corporate job.

I truly enjoyed this book and thought the story was well written and enjoyable. Lucy, as a main character, is a young woman who starts out as someone who has fit the mold imposed to her by society, but as the story progresses, she learns that she is unhappy with that role. Her growth is incredible, even though it happens in the span of 24 hours, and she learns more about herself and what she expects out of life in one day than she had in her 20s.

Overall, I liked the book and the characters, This was not a love story, which I enjoyed, It was more of a personal journey type of book and it was a great story.

Lucy makes a wish on the eve of her 30th birthday and wakes up not being able to tell a lie. At first, she thinks of this power as a curse but throughout the course of the day she learns a lot about herself and how she's been living her life. In the end it might just be the best gift she's ever been given.

This was a delightful read! I'll admit at first I was a little hesitant, publicist in LA trying to stick it to the man by not wearing makeup or high heels felt fine but not really the story I wanted. However as Lucy's day went on you just kept rooting for her. This book made you *want to stick it the man* because some of the stuff women do is just silly. Eat the hamburger. Wear the dress you want. Say how you feel (you can still be kind about it).

There was some romance but also fierce friendships and strong women sticking up for each other in ways that matter. It was a great read!

content warning: sexual harassment

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I. Loved. This. Book. I went into it totally blind and didn’t even realize that it was Holly James’ debut novel! 4.5 stars

👯‍♀️I related so much to the FMC, as most women I believe will. On her 30th birthday, she suddenly had a revelation about all of the expectations that women must succumb to, expectations enforced by society and even themselves, and basically says, “forget ALL of this nonsense.” All in the span of 24 hours. 😂 While my growth has been more gradual as I’ve reached my 30s, she realizes things that I have also just started to realize over the last few months of my 20s and the first few months of my 30s: That I don’t need to meet anyone’s expectations but my own and I should be doing things because IIII want to do them, not because I think it’s what’s expected of me.

<b>What I loved <b/>
🍹 the FMC
this book definitely has swoon-worthy romance (no spice 🧼 ) but is mainly about Lucy Green and her HUGE amount of self growth.
🍹the magical realism aspect
curses and spells
🍹the side characters
Oliver is one of my favorite side characters ever. Plus soo many others!!
🍹the love interest
though he doesn’t have a huge role at the beginning, he is just swoony and perfect and 🫠
🍹the social justice/feminist elements
This book takes all the pent up aggravations that women feel on a day to day basis and dumps them into one book. It was nice to be seen.
🍹the writing style
this book was SO easy to read and it was just nonstop
🍹the audiobook narrator
I listened to some of it as an audiobook and the narrator was fantastic!
🍹wit and humor
I was laughing out loud at a lot of this!
🍹 “Good For Her” moments
check TW if you want to see what this relates to (spoilers!!)
🍹HEA
the end had me smiling so hard. Loved it!!

<b>Why not 5 stars? <b/>
🏍️the feminist elements
I know this was in the above list but it’s also the main reason I can’t give it five stars.
These social justice issues were a bit overdone at times and it almost felt like reading statistics on things that women find troublesome. Like it was nonstop, especially towards the beginning. I’m glad the author had an outlet to get out all of her feminist ranting but I think she should’ve spread it out between books instead of dumping it all into one 😂
But seriously, push through because it’s all worth it.

✨Last note:
As someone who often bends the truth to make others more comfortable, Lucy’s story was a bit anxiety producting but also inspiring. Imagine if you couldn’t lie and were forced to tell people exactly how you felt?? It would be nerve wracking at first but honestly would be so freeing after a while! I loved the perspective that, even if it makes people uncomfortable, the truth needs to be told. I’ll be keeping this story close to my heart.

I cannot WAIT to read more from this author! Maybe a story for Oliver next? 👀

⚠️ Trigger Warnings
(Spoilers)
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⚠️ Workplace harassment (on page)
+Reporting of harassment and having to remember details
⚠️Victim blaming/shaming
⚠️ Racism in movie castings (mentioned)

This book had a lot of heart in it, and just a touch of magic. Just before Lucy's 30th birthday, she's stood up by her boyfriend (who she was sure would propose). Alone at a bar, she makes a wish and, well, it comes true. The next day, she can't bring herself to do any of the things she normally does, and the book paints a picture of the lives women are told they must lead and the liberation that comes from defying it.

Many have compared this to Liar Liar, a movie I never saw, but I enjoyed the concept without seeing the movie. I liked the way this encouraged women to stand up for themselves and question the way things are done. It did drag a bit for me and at times come across a bit preachy. However, it did a great job leaning into humor and finding ways to handle even hard topics. I think this is a fun read for women, especially in their 20s and 30s, as a reminder of how t0 be themselves.

Read if you like: A bit of magic, Liar Liar movie vibes, well established characters

Lucy Green is about to turn 30. It's a day she hopes will bring the promotion at her PR job and a proposal from her boyfriend. He stands her up for a date, not for the first time, leaving Lucy alone at the bar. She makes a wish over her cocktail for a perfect birthday. When Lucy’s wish is granted in the most unexpected way, things go terribly awry, as things often do when wishes come true.

When Lucy wakes up on her big day, she can’t seem to force herself to go through her rigorous fitness and beauty routines, things she usually tells herself she likes. She has no desire to eat only a spoonful of yogurt for breakfast and she simply can’t bear to put on the uncomfortable shapewear needed for the power outfit she had planned for work. When Lucy arrives at the office, she realizes that not only can she no longer lie to herself, she can’t lie to anyone else, either.

This was very cute. It's reminiscent of the Liar Liar movie. Lucy has made a wish and now she can't lie. She has to be truthful with what she actually wants for her life. This was charming, witty, and I really enjoyed it. The writing is so engaging and well done. The characters drew me right in. Highly recommend this read!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Penguin Group for the gifted e-book! ❤️

I loved this book so much! Her writing is always spot on and this was no different! Such a great story and strong characters

I really enjoyed this story. There are so many amazing quotes about being a woman and and things that are expected of us. This was a great story of a woman taking back her power and making her life one that she loves.
Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

This book was fun to listen to on audio. It was inspiring, modern and witty. This is one of those books that you kind of have to let go of reality to enjoy. The concept of not being able to lie was clever, but also a little out there for me. I’m also all for a good feminist novel, but this one felt a bit over the top. The romantic storyline was very sweet and overall I enjoyed seeing Lucy’s character grow throughout this book!

Thank you Penguin Random House Audio for my gifted review copy of Nothing But the Truth by Holly James.

There is so much to love about Nothing But the Truth by Holly James. First, it has an element of magic. Now, I know this isn't everyone's cup of tea, but it's so dang fun. Lucy is a Hollywood publicist and she drinks a cocktail on the eve of her thirtieth birthday for her life to be perfect The next day, she cannot tell a lie. Can you imagine?

As you can imagine this leads to some very interesting conversations. The first is a frank and honest discussion with her colleagues about menstruation. I tell you, I was cheering while barreling down the highway with my audio blasting. LOVE IT!

Based on the cover and the synopsis, I thought this would be a fun jaunt into the world of celebrity management and young adulthood. While it is that, it is so much more. Holly brings real issues to the forefront including sexual harassment in the workplace.

The Verdict

I am Really Into This book. It's fun, clever, and enjoyable and the audio is fantastic.

A super cute take on LIAR LIAR, this book is fun and delightful. It has a romance-esque cover, but is it more so straight magic realism meets adult fiction. It's a fantastic debut, and I'm so glad I saved it to devour during the holidays!

In NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH, Lucy wakes up on her 30th birthday realizing she is unable to lie. We follow her throughout the day, as this inability to lie affects her relationship with her boyfriend, her parents, and most importantly, her work. She is a celebrity publicist (basically lying to the media, and to her clients themselves, is her whole job), so you can imagine antics ensue! However, there is also an unexpected Me Too plot woven within the fun, which does give this book a bit of gravity.

It's a smart read, and I can't wait to see what else Holly James has up her sleeves. The writing could have used some paring down, but I still very much enjoyed the ride and the romance.

This such a fun and adorable quick read for me with such an important lesson behind the story!
Lucy Green is sitting at the bar on the eve of her 30th birthday. Her boyfriend she hopes will some day propose cancels their date, so the handsome bartender makes her a drink and she raises her glass and makes a wish. When she wakes up on her birthday the next morning, she realizes she lost the ability to lie and she can only tell the truth no matter what. Lucy soon realizes how much she actually lies in a day, especially since her job is a Hollywood publicist. When she meets with her creep of a boss and he crosses the line, Lucy finds herself not lying but standing up for herself and fighting against inequality at work space, and even facing the truth in her own relationships in her life which include her boyfriend and mom, she faces all the dilemmas head on and soon sees that the truth will set her free and also discovering her own happiness in the process. I loved this book! I was reading it while standing in the lake and soaking up the sun on the beach I couldn’t put it down!

I really enjoyed this book! It’s witty and looks at an issue women have, we feel we need to lie about ourselves to the world lest we be judged unacceptable. Is her hair really blonde? What about those spanx? When it comes to the workplace women lie to keep up with the men.
I love Lucy can’t lie anymore and realizes how much she’s giving up.
Great book with an outstanding message, 4 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed as in this review are completely my own.

I thought this was such a good book! I thought it was witty and fun. I haven’t read a book like this one before, and it was so refreshing. The main character is only able to tell the truth, she’s not able to lie. Would you be able to do it? This book was so well written, I recommend checking it out!!

One of the nest and most real books about birthdays. 13 going on 30 meets Liar Liar. Thank you Dutton for the ARC for my honest review.

good book and really enjoyed the characters and their journey. I liked the romance.. I enjoyed how the characters grew in the book and what happened.

Imagine being able to say whatever comes to mind....no little white lies or even minor falsehoods possible. That's exactly what happens to the main character in Nothing But the Truth! This book had me laughing out loud several times and is a great feel-good story.

This was a quick read with a great premise. It fell a little short for me though. At times the message came across as a little preachy and even semi "scorned women going to burn it all down."

Lucy was relatable at times: not wanting to wear shape wear, disliking all the fitness and beauty standards forced at women, workplace drama. I just didn't feel fully connected with her though. I wanted so much to like her but found myself more annoyed than I would have liked.

For me, this was not a romcom as I was expecting it to be but rather "chick lit."

This was just what I needed to get out of my heavy nonfiction slump. It has the feel
of Jim Carey’s Liar Liar with a bit of Bridget Jones diary. It was fun. Lucy can’t lie after making a wish on a 30th birthday drink. She can’t lie even to herself. I liked that detail. It was crazy to quantify how often we lie to ourselves especially as women. Sometimes it did feel repetitive with the ah ha moments like oh I don’t want to do this because society tells me to. Read if you are looking for something empowering with very low key romance. I was given an advanced reader's copy via NetGalley, thank you to them. All thoughts and opinions are my own

Loveeedd this one.

I was also prepared to go into this one knowing it’s more women’s fiction than romance. It’s got all the elements of a great women’s fiction story
-main character journey/arc
-banter
-supportive besties
-foe turned friend
-hunky love interest
-dash of magic

4 stars!

What an absolutely surprise DELIGHT this book was!

This was a super cute take on the movie Liar Liar with a dash of something magical. Loved the messaging of bucking societal conventions and freely speaking your mind and doing what you want and believe in.