What an absolutely surprise DELIGHT this debut book was!! Lucy Green is a Hollywood publicist turning 30 and when her boyfriend stands her up she makes a wish for a perfect birthday. What follows is a story told over one day in which Lucy is unable to tell a lie and it is gloriously freeing!

If you like books with a touch of inexplicable magic and a strong feminist bent this one is for you! Part women's fiction, part romance but 100% fun!! I LOVED watching Lucy's journey to stop going along with all the B.S. women have to deal with and stand up for what she wants.

I seriously CAN'T recommend this book enough!! Be prepared to laugh and cheer as Lucy calls out her boss for sexual harassment in the workplace, stands up to her baby-pushing mother and dumps her neglectful boyfriend. Much thanks to NetGalley and Penguin for a digital copy in exchange for an honest review!

When You Can’t Lie

Lucy Green, a celebrity publicist, thinks she has a good life. She’s turning thirty the next day, but she’s hoping for a job promotion and a proposal from her boyfriend. The night before in a bar waiting for her boyfriend, who again doesn’t show up, she asks the bartender to mix her a special drink, and she wishes for a perfect birthday. 

When she wakes up on her birthday morning, she finds she can’t lie: not about her fitness routine, or the power clothes she hates, or the problems with her boss. Facing the truth can be life-changing, and it could result in a disastrous day for Lucy, but in the end telling the truth can make life better. 

This is a fun read. Lucy is an engaging character that many people can relate to. Too many of us are caught in situations that are not right for us, but we lie to ourselves to keep going. I cheered for Lucy. 
Not only is Lucy a good character, but her quirky friends add to the enjoyable atmosphere of the book. 

The only problem I had with the book was that it became a little too preachy for my taste at the end. We know life isn’t fair and hostile work environments are a fact of office life for some. I thought the author showed this in a lighthearted way with the story we didn’t need extra reminder at the end. 

I received this book from Dutton for this review.

Hollywood publicist Lucy Green is about to turn 30! As a gift, she’s hoping for a job promotion and her boyfriend to propose. The night before her birthday, she gets stood up at the bar and after a cocktail from a handsome bartender; she wishes for the perfect day! When she wakes up, she discovers the wish has gone awry, and she can not tell any lies! What she thinks is a curse actually ends up being exactly what she needs. So, she prepares to tell the truth and nothing but the truth to anyone and everyone!

Nothing But the Truth is a refreshing read! It tackles important issues, such as workplace harassment, sexual harassment, patriarchy, racism, and abuse of power by the wealthy. I thoroughly enjoyed how this book covers genuine issues and is so relatable. The author really paints a picture of each scene and even includes humor that will keep you chuckling, but it doesn’t undermine the serious content. 

I could really see myself in Lucy. She’s a strong and admirable woman. I loved how this book covers how there is this idea if a woman is not married or has children by 30; they are behind. It creates unnecessary pressure, and every woman will not follow the same path. It’s completely fine to put your career and financial stability first, or even not know what you want at 30. However, you don’t have to settle. It was wonderful to see Lucy learn to love herself, speak up for what she wants and deserves, and ensure she’s not disrespected or taken advantage of. I highly recommend this read, and I cannot wait to add a copy to my shelf. 5 stars all the way around! 

Thank you to Net Galley and PENGUIN GROUP Dutton for the ARC!

A simple wish for the perfect birthday comes true -- complete with disastrous inability for Lucy Green to lie to herself and anyone else on her thirtieth birthday. No longer able to ignore, put up with, or talk herself past the  large and small untruths that support her good-enough life, Green ultimately gets what she truly wants after blowing up the precarious balances and relationships she put up with until that magical day. With NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH, Holly James has created a relatable situation. While the storyline was fascinating (I enjoyed the twists, turns, and complications), I stumbled over how the story was told, feeling the pace dragged and too much was dashed off or assumed rather than crafted into gripping prose. I received an early copy of this novel and these opinions are my own, unbiased thoughts.

A woman of her own truth is a trailblazer! And that’s exactly who you meet in Holly James’ debut novel. 

Potential Triggers: misogyny, sexism, gender inequality, sexual harassment 

If “be careful what you wish for” was a person, it’d be fireball, Lucy Green. Lucy is not to be played with, okay?! After being setup by her boyfriend on the eve of her 30th birthday, Lucy wishes that the day of her birthday is perfect. This very wish sets in motion one of the craziest days she’s ever had, but one filled with self awakening, self love, the longing to be one’s truest self, and truth no matter how the cookie crumbles. Pretty perfect to Lucy, in the end!

I love the message of not having to settle for societal norms and the ceilings created. As a woman of color, this was such a refreshing reminder that I am who I am, and I don’t have to live up to who or what society says I should be; I can dress how I please and wear my hair as I want!

I also love the message of honesty in this novel. I couldn’t help but think of the many situations I didn’t have to endure and/or suffer through if only I had simply been  honest with myself. Lucy didn’t get it right at first, but when she finally did it changed her life, and I think in a good way. 

While the plot is a bit slow (reason for rating) in the beginning, in my opinion, it does not take away from the overall message. Lucy is a badass and her and Annie’s experience is one that is so relatable to in 2022. The Jonathans of the world need to be brought out and down!

I thought this book was more of a romance story, but it definitely focuses a lot on just the main character and women empowerment. It still had good elements that made it a good book, but i went into it with a different mindset when the genre for this is more just womens fiction not romance

This book was not what I was expecting but in a good way! It was like a modern day, feminist-ish "Liar, Liar" in book form.

Lucy was a really likeable character, and it was great to see her grow into herself with this story. As a 30-something woman I related to a lot of the sentiments of how we uphold ridiculous standards for women, so I appreciated seeing this play out.

The story was somewhat predictable, but still cute. As I was expecting a bit more romance, I did feel like this book left me wanting for more in that area, but had I not been expecting that I don't think I would have felt this way. Overall this is a really quick and fun summer read.

Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Randomhouse for the Advanced Reader Copy of this book!

This book is obviously going to generate tons of comps to Liar Liar, but it's without any of the innate obnoxiousness of a Jim Carrey vehicle. I actually really enjoyed this one. Lucy Green's wish for a perfect day results in her being unable to lie- even to herself, a challenge in an industry where bending the truth is par for the course. I loved the inside look into her job, and Lucy's strength and determination when she realizes she can't stand back and ignore the harassment she's been enduring anymore. I laughed, I smiled, I contemplated the role of truth. A great debut.

This fun, female-empowering debut by Holly James is a good one! James takes all the sad truths that women still have to deal with in today's society and spins it in a fun and entertaining way. 
On Lucy Green's 30th birthday she discovers that she can no longer tell or live out any lies. This is not only eye-opening for her but always a bit of a problem since she is a celebrity publicist in LA who tells little white lies for living. Through out the day, thanks to her ability to only tell the truth, Lucy blows up her whole world. However, she not only discovers some truths about herself, she makes things right for others. 
I enjoyed reading this. I like the way James brought up all the ridiculous "rules" women are expected to live by but still kept a positive vibe to the book.  While reading it you will get nothing but feelings of empowerment. This whole novel is entertaining and thought-provoking. It's like they say...the truth will set you free!

Nothing But The Truth comes out July 12th! Thank you to Netgalley and Dutton books for this ARC!!

What if you one day woke up and found you could no longer lie? Not a single fib or half-truth. Just frank, unfiltered honesty. 

Holly James’s debut novel Nothing But the Truth follows Lucy Green, a Hollywood publicist, who wakes up on her 30th birthday unable to lie, which for a person whose whole job revolves around spinning the truth, presents quite the challenge for her in the wake of a potential big promotion.  

Lucy is entirely relatable, and her journey strongly resonates, especially in the current climate. Tonally, Holly James expertly balances the humorous and more serious moments. The story has good pacing and makes for a quick read. 

There is a splash of romance, but it’s not the focus of this story. This story is about female empowerment and Lucy’s transformation into being unapologetically herself. By embracing what she wants and no longer holding back, Lucy sets herself free to go after what makes her happy not what is expected of her.  

I highly recommend it to anyone looking for an inspiring, uplifting, and entertaining story. 

A huge thank you to Penguin Group Dutton Books and NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Read/Listen If You Like:
❤️ Subtle Romance
❤️ F*ck the Patriarchy Vibes  
❤️ Liar, Liar 
❤️ Questioning all the little lies we tell daily 

Book Review:
On the eve of Lucy Green’s 30th birthday her long-term boyfriend stands her up for drinks and because of that she meets a HOT bartender who switches out her aspirational drink she hates with one that is more enjoyable and she makes a wish for the perfect birthday. 

The next day it seems as though Lucy is on a f*ck the patriarchy rampage as she is switching up many of her norms tied to cultural expectations of women. Wear the uncomfortable clothes, pimp yourselves to be acceptable for public consumption, wear the uncomfortable shoes, plaster yourself with make-up, and most importantly do not say anything to the creep at work about their behavior that crosses the line. 

But when Lucy figures out that her wish was misinterpreted and she can’t live dishonestly or tell lies, and she does all of the above, what will come of her big day when she was hoping to land a client of her dreams and through that, a big promotion at work? 

I loved the mortality check that Lucy had as she examined all the little lies that she had told herself mostly, and others that added up to her unhappiness that this day forced her to abandon while living in truth.  I also enjoyed the character growth she made through her day of being unable to live dishonestly. 

I also loved the subtle romance that also played out cause who doesn’t love a hunky tattooed bartender? 

Thank you NetGalley and Dutton Books for the ARC of this book! I am so grateful to  obtain a copy to read in advance of its release in exchange for my honest feedback!

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley! This book was a cute yet serious one about Lucy who wakes up on her 30th with the inability to tell a lie. I think it could have used a little more humor as once it got serious, the way it was marketed kind of took a backseat but it definitely highlights an important message in today’s world!

There is absolutely no way Holly James could have known that her book would be published right after a life-altering political decision, but the universe must have, because this is the book that every woman needs right now. 
.....
On the eve of Lucy's 30th birthday, she makes a wish to have the perfect day. She wakes up the next morning unable to tell a life, and what commences is only the best work of contemporary feminist literature I've ever read.
.....
This book makes me want to cuss out sleazy men, boycott thongs, and go to a protest. Lucy's truths are just the truths that women have been keeping inside for years, for centuries even, and she was such a breath of fresh air after this last week of heartbreak and hate. 
....
Thank you, Holly James, for giving women just the bada** female character we needed, right when we needed her the most.

Book Review:
2.5 ⭐️’s

I want to start by saying the overall writing of this book wasn’t terrible and I’d be so inclined to possibly read another book by this author in the future as they hone their skill. That being said, this book just didn’t hit it for me. 

The book takes place over 24 hours and I think that made this feel so much longer than it was. It was as if the day didn’t end. There was a lot of redundancy and the ratio of dialogue and inner thoughts was off. We were inundated with never ending monologues from the lead as well as never ending internal thoughts. It also felt like a book that should be labeled as “chick lit” (I hate that name) but threw in a romance as an after thought. 

Additionally, while I understand the theme of this book was about feminism in a world of the MeToo movement, it was so hard to hear a white woman complain the entire time. 

I just couldn’t connect with Lucy. Weirdly enough, I felt more connected to Chase - her arch nemesis. 

This book started out as a 4 ⭐️ for me and as much as I wanted to settle it into a 3 ⭐️, I just couldn’t. 

Thank you to the publisher for an arc.

3.5 stars

I requested to read this book because I loved the cover, so I went into it blind, not really knowing what would happen or what the plot was. I'm really happy I picked this one up though because I did end up enjoying it!

I will be honest, there were times when I felt like putting this one down. Throughout the book there was some really long dialogue pieces, and it made it a little difficult to read for me. 

Despite this, it was such a powerful read with underlying plots of friendship, romance, and female empowerment. I think it's a really empowering read for all women and discusses some important topics. The more I read, the more I enjoyed the discussion of these topics. I felt that I could relate a lot to Lucy and really wish I could speak my truth at times as well. Overall, a great and empowering read!

On the eve of her thirtieth birthday, celebrity publicist Lucy Green is being stood up by her boyfriend (again), hoping for a promotion, and not enjoying her martini. When Lucy tells the hot bartender to make her "something else" he gives her a life-changing drink, and she makes a wish for her birthday to be the perfect day. When Lucy shows up at her office the next day she soon realizes that she can't tell a lie. From the clothes she chose NOT to wear because they made her uncomfortable, to the burger she ordered at a high powered meeting because she's tired of being made to think she should order a salad instead, she can't not express her truth. Taking a good long look at her relationship, her job and her inappropriate boss she has a day where she says what she means, and means what she says. Even if it causes waves, and sparks controversy.

There were moments where I couldn't help but cheer Lucy on! And then there were moments where I wish she'd stop rushing around LA and let me get to know the other characters better. Overall, a fun female empowering read.

3.5 stars
What starts out to be a curse could actually be a blessing in disguise in this fun romance. But don’t let this cute cover fool you, this also a story about friendship, female empowerment and doing what you want instead of what you’re suppose to,
I liked this one but struggled with a lot of the long winded dialogue. All and all a great read.

The book started out being humorous as Lucy gets far more than she ever bargained for on her 30th birthday. It’s a day of ups and downs. I applauded Lucy, initially, for standing up for herself, but then it was as if she had to slay every demonic dragon of society in one day. I quickly tired of the thinly disguised rants wrapped up in dialogue about certain contemporary topics; they went on for pages.
Hot Bartender Adam who rides a motorcycle was the one saving grace of the book and I was bowled over by him at the first introduction.

Nothing But The Truth
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Format: Kindle eBook 
Date Published: 7/12/22
Author: Holly James
Publisher: Dutton 
Pages: 304
Goodreads Rating: 3.86

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Dutton and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: It’s the eve of Hollywood publicist Lucy Green’s thirtieth birthday, so she makes a rueful wish over her cocktail for a perfect birthday. But 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 arrives at the office, she realizes that not only can she no longer lie to herself, she can’t lie to anyone else, either. Now that she can’t hide how she feels, Lucy must confront all the injustices—small and large—she’s faced on a daily basis at work, in her relationship, and in every other aspect of her life...and the truth is going to come out in a big way.

My Thoughts: This reminded me of the movie, Liar Liar, starring Jim Carey. Imagine a publicist, who makes their career by telling white lies, cannot lie anymore, brilliant! The characters are well developed, have depth, passionate, charismatic, and keeps you engaged throughout the story. I absolutely adored Lucy and how she was written, the perfect heroine, that I absolutely rooted for throughout the story, she is both likable and relatable. The author’s writing style is complex, thought provoking, creative, and just brilliant! While there is a romantic element to the story, it is more of Lucy standing in her truth, discovering who she really is, connecting with the people around her, and no longer a doormat for anyone. What I most loved is that Lucy followed what she believed and not what society expects. The story has an amazing message and I absolutely adored it. Even though I was fortunate enough to read an early ARC of this book, I have also preordered the audiobook to listen to. With this being James debut novel, I can only imagine what she will write in the future, I will definitely be buying future novels from James.

this is was unexpectedly amazing. i love a woman-empowering story and this is what it was. it was heartwarming but also sad to follow the FMC's journey as she remove the society's pink glasses and see her reality and everything that was not okay with herself. this was a good story if you need reflexion on your own life it's a good book to choice