This was such an exhilarating, painfully truthful read. This book captured the excruciating hurdles and pitfalls that women are put through, especially in the business world, all wrapped up into one singular day.
This was a pretty quick read, mostly because I was unable to put it down. The pacing was great and never dragged. The ending was perfect for this story and hopeful and optimistic for both the characters and the reader.

Thank you to Netgalley and Dutton publishing for this #gifted copy! When Lucy makes a wish to have her 30th birthday go perfect, she wakes up to find she can only tell the truth-which leads to lots of unexpected surprises both in her personal and professional life. This book was magical, feminist and our MC, Lucy, was such a badass when it came to dismantling the patriarchy and shattering the glass ceiling both in society and in the workplace! I loved every supporting character, the humor and wit, the romance and the overall message of not settling for less than what you deserve. What a fantastic debut and I can’t recommend it enough!

Nothing but the Truth
On the day of her 30th birthday, Lucy’s life is supposed to change. She wakes up that morning with an ambition list of things she knows will happen including getting a promotion at work and getting engaged. But when she realizes she woke up unable to tell a lie, everything is off - she can’t even convince herself to go through her daily beauty routine, take her usual morning spin class, eat her healthy breakfast…because she can no longer lie to herself that she likes those things. And that’s just the beginning. When she’s around people she can’t lie to them either leading her to share all of her most honest thoughts, for better or for worse.

First of all, huge trigger warning: a large part of the plot deals with sexual harrassment - in this case Lucy’s boss propositioning her as a way to get the promotion she wants. Lucy, along with another coworker, end up standing up for themselves, and all of the other women in the office. Without giving anything away, this ultimately ended up being one of my favorite aspects of the book. This particular storyline was so empowering and really well done.

I thought this book had a lot of great messaging, not only about sexual harrassment and inequality in the workplace, but also about societal pressures vs. being true to yourself. While this book felt light and entertaining, I also truly found the ideas behind it so empowering and inspiring. And in addition to some more difficult topics, there was a light romance aspect that I adored. The romance subplot was unique and so fun!

This is a book that will stick with me for a while and might even end up as a top book of 2022. I read this one in one sitting and was so engaged, I flew through it in record time. I loved so much about this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton Books for the advance copy.

i enjoyed what the book worked to achieve, but this liar liar re-imagining fell short for me when it came to representation and character voice. lucy is the main character and on the eve of her birthday, makes a wish while having a cocktail that evolves to her being unable to tell a lie the next day. the premise is great and as the story unfolds, as does the harassment the character had to navigate through in order to do her job.

my attention and enthusiasm began to falter as the story went on, however. the lack of voice for woc within the tail was a very hard pill to swallow and the small nods weren’t enough to erase that taste in my mouth. atop of that, when lucy is wrong at times, she never seems to admit to it. however, she expects those who are wrong or have wronged her, to be remorseful. tonally, it just felt off by the end of he book.

On the eve of her 30th birthday, Lucy’s boyfriend stands her up…yet again. A handsome bartender makes her a “life changing” birthday drink and she wishes for the perfect birthday. She should have known to be careful what you wish for because she wakes up the next morning and is unable to lie! She can’t lie to herself or to anyone else. That complicates things a bit seeing as this is a very important day for Lucy. Not only is it a milestone birthday, she’s in the running for a major promotion, expecting a proposal from her boyfriend, and hoping to land a major client. Forced to speak her mind, suddenly she’s not willing to pretend anymore.

This book was such a cute and surprisingly empowering read!! This is kind of like romcom meets Liar Liar! A publicist suddenly unable to bend the truth and tell lies? Seems like a recipe for disaster. And maybe it would have been if Lucy was not such a genuine, smart, and kind person. She was so likable and I was rooting for her the whole time. Not only was this book well written and fun to read, it was also thought provoking! It’s packed with female empowerment while touching on important issues, like sexual misconduct in the workplace, in a thoughtful way. I was also living for the sprinkle of romance we got throughout the book too!! It left me wanting a whole book dedicated to Lucy and our handsome bartender, Adam!

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Group and Holly James for this eARC! I enjoyed it so much!

I love how so many things happened in the book. I could not keep myself from the book because it was so good

A light read with a message about being our true selves and letting go of all the preconceived notions that seem to be applied to women.

3.5 stars! This book had a lot of heart and I had a lot of fun reading it! However, this didn't end up being the new favorite that I felt like it could have been. While I love love loved how feminist this was, it did feel a smidge heavy handed at times. I felt like the author was hitting us over the head with things that were easy to infer from the characters actions alone so it did up end feeling a bit repetitive at time. With all that being said though, this was definitely still a fun read and I would definitely be willing to read more from Holly James in the future. I could definitely see this developing into a series because James really flushed out a lot of the side characters and I would be super intrigued to see where their love lives might end up in future installments!

CW: sexual harassment, disordered eating, food/body shaming

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!