Kevin Kwan's Lies and Weddings is a great summer beach read. You can get lost in the over-the-top lives of some wealthy (whether really wealthy or just presumed wealthy) families. Rufus has to decide whether he wants to try to marry for money, and to whom, to save the family fortune or marry for love. We see huge social events. I especially enjoyed the footnotes in each chapter.

⭐️: 4.25 / 5

Publication Date: May 21, 2024

I want to thank Doubleday and Net Galley for allowing me to get an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

The prelude does such a fantastic job at hooking you into where this story may go from here. The end of the chapter made me audibly gasp.

Some of the coolest aspects of this story, were the vivid descriptions of all the exotic locations that we get to visit during this book. The author does a masterful job transporting you from the lush beauty of Hawaii to the markets of Marrakech and beyond. I loved Eden and her relationship with her father. I also thought the way he wove the mystery into the drama kept me turning the pages waiting to find the final reveal.

As for my reservations, I wish some of the side characters had more of a chance to be developed. As a fair warning, if you’re going into this hoping for a plot line that’ll knock your socks off this might not be for you. Some reveals were predictable but others still left me surprised in the end. The plot is mostly light and fluffy with more serious tops sprinkled in as well.

Overall I absolutely enjoyed this book! I loved the crazy Rich Asians series and couldn’t wait to get my hands on this ARC. This is a perfect beach read with delicious drama that left me gasping in shock and laughing at the crazy antics.

Would recommend for those who are fans of
- Nonlinear timelines
- Multiple settings
- Lives of the rich and famous
- Soap opera style drama

⚠️ violence, drug abuse, mentions of eating disorders, overdose

If you loved Crazy Rich Asians, this story has a similar feel and level of drama. However instead of being only set in Asia, this story explores a bit of high society in Europe as well.

This story has a romantic plot but the drama and intrigue is the focus. I would say drama TV show is the best category though that doesn’t usually apply to books.

I was immediately hooked and enjoyed the twists and turns of the story. Kevin Kwan has an amazing ability to make you understand and sympathize with all the characters even the ones who are supposed to be unlikable.

There are a lot of characters so there were times when I had to go back to figure out who was who. I do think some of the plotlines were a bit predictable but I still really enjoyed the story!

This was one of my most anticipated reads but unfortunately, it just didn't do it for me. 10-15% into the book, I just constantly found my mind drifting elsewhere and found the writing extremely hard to follow. This wasn't a complete surprise because that's Kevin Kwan's writing style, but I just couldn't find it in me to keep pushing through with this one. I'm also a mood reader through and through, so I will likely give this another shot this Summer. I think this is more of a personal take though because all in all, I can see how a lot of people could thoroughly enjoy this. The descriptions, albeit beautiful, distracted from the main storyline and I had a hard time grasping who the main characters/main love interests really were because the group building and the wedding took over the main plot.

I will report back if/when I give this another try!

TITLE: LIES AND WEDDINGS
AUTHOR: Kevin Kwan
NARRATOR: Jing Lusi
PUB DATE: 05.21.2024
LENGTH: 15h 8m

Crazier
Richer
Twistier

Kevin Kwan is back and I could not be happier reading Lies and Weddings - it was everything I expected but more. The story is centered on Eden Tong, who has lived most of her life next door to the Gresham family children - Augie, Bea and Rufus (the future Earl of Greshambury) who are half Chinese from their mother Arabella, a former Hong Kong supermodel. Eden now a physician just like her father has always vied for Arabella’s favor - but was always treated nothing more than hired help around their family. Unbeknownst to Arabella and the rest of society, their family coffers have been long depleted and their estate mortgaged to the hilt. Rufus is at the crossroads of following his heart with Eden or saving his family legacy by marrying for money.

In typical Kevin Kwan, over the top characters are what shines - there are meddling Asian mothers, misbehaving children, gazillionaire bad boys, and twists you will never see coming. The story is so satisfying and I loved globetrotting from London to Los Angeles, and Marrakech to Venice in private jets and yachts. There is no shortage of drama and laughs, but it’s also a very poignant story about sacrifices for family and love.

🎧Audiobook Review: Jing Lusi narrated the multitude of characters in the book and I thought she did a fantastic job keeping the voices distinct and the accents on point. Her voice was lively and kept me engaged throughout. I highly recommend it

Rufus Gresham is the future Earl of Greshambury and as such, his mother, the Countess, is obsessed with finding him the perfect wife; one who has the appropriate breeding, but also one who can help pull the Greshams out of their mountain of debt. They have spent so much money that even their estate has a letter of credit on it and can be taken at any time which would leave them out on the street (I mean I’m sure it would be a lovely street). Rufus however does not want to marry a princess, he wants to marry the love of his life, Eden Tong, who grew up in a cottage on the estate but lacks the lineage or funds that the countess requires of a bride. Rufus has a choice to make - save his family or choose love, and there are a lot of private islands, fancy resorts and exclusive clubs along the way.

I view Kevin Kwan’s books as chocolate chip cookies for the brain, delicious and necessary. This one did not disappoint - written in Kwan’s over the top style it was so much fun to read and I hated when I had to put it down when my real (non caviar) life inserted itself. He’s created a 21st century over-the-top Jane Austenesque novel. I enjoy peeking into these crazy worlds that Kwan gives us access to and it’s the perfect summer read; throw in your bag and enjoy the wild private jet ride!

4.25 Stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Doubleday for the ARC

Kevin Kwan always knows how to turn a history lesson into a salacious and delicious gossip magazine, in the best way! And oh my gosh, what a way to start a story!! I finished this book in two days, couldn’t put it down, just like it was with his other ones. Eden was absolutely my favorite character, very reminiscent of Astrid Leung, minus the extravagant spending lol. I was surprised by how much I ended up liking Freddy, which I’m sure was intentional. I kept finding myself trying to link all the names to the older books’ storylines, but man was there a lot of characters to keep up with! I really loved getting to see how all the twists and turns wrapped up, though I definitely foresaw one of them pretty early on. Can’t wait to see the TV series haha Mother Nature really pulled some main character energy!

Lies and Weddings by Kevin Kwan
I adore Kevin Kwan’s books! They are intricate, complex, hilarious, emotional, and full of stories from the other side. Lies and Weddings is a wonderful addition to his catalog.

This is my 21st book for #24for24

I received an advance review copy for free from NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Is this a new favorite? No, but I like a Kevin Kwan book.

If you've never picked up anything by Kwan you need to know a few things. 1) There will be footnotes and while you may think the footnotes are expendable if you are not reading them you are only getting half the story 2) if you cannot stomach the idea of hearing names of brands you have heard of and those you will never be able to afford let alone know exist you probably shouldn't pick it up 3) in addition to those brands you'll get various pop culture and historical references and 4) the school history of every named character is likely to be included and while you may not know these schools it's definitely an important facet of the character and how others in the narrative are going to view them. These books aren't so much about plot as they are about character. Though this might actually be Kwan's best attempt at writing a straightforward romance while also including all of the Kwan-isms.

I had an A+ time reading this book even though I definitely didn't care for the core romantic story being told.

Lies and Wedddings features plenty of lies and three destination weddings. The story is tied together by Rufus' extended family and the girl that has captured his heart, Eden. They aren't necessarily a match that Rufus' family would approve of and the book isn't so much them trying to prove that they can be together as it is them separated by various circumstances until they are able to finally be on the same page at the same time. I would expect nothing less than the twists and turns that Kwan takes the reader on, though I can say that some where objectively more foolish than other; particularly as the narrative starts to get close to the end and some of the things that were happening just felt almost eye roll worthy.

Lastly I'll just say that I was team Arabella the whole book. Yeah her children, and even her bestie, were right that she had some internalized anti Asian hate she had been harboring as being an Asian woman in the world of British aristocracy and wealth for as long as she had; but them kids were not cut out to be regular degular people. Let alone Rufus, so sure she was a meddler, but I was riding for her.

nother fun one by KevinKwan. He has an incredible talent for writing books that capture your attention and drag you into the story. The characters and their interactions were entertaining , frustrating and wonderful. There was drama, there was love, there was over the top wealth. I enjoyed the surprises to the story line and the way that the characters handled different situations. Honestly, I felt like I was watching a tv show and became very invested in the lives of the characters. You will laugh, you will cry and you will scream at the book. An overall fun and enjoyable read!

Thank you NetGalley for my advanced reader copy.

We get all the family drama from different POVs and timelines. Very entertaining and fun to read. Beautifully written book that made me forget I was reading.

I tried reading Mr. Kwan’s Crazy Rich Asians and was just not able to connect with the story. Fast forward to his new book, Lies and Weddings, and I found myself in a different headspace. I thought this was funny and often found myself shaking my head over the antics of the ultra rich. I’ll admit to not recognizing 99.9% of the brand names dropped throughout the story, but that’s okay with me.

At its heart, this is a love story. I liked the two main characters and that alone made the story enjoyable. I think this is a perfect summer read.

Lies and Weddings is DAMN DELIGHTFUL. Kevin Kwan is in a category of his own. There’s not one author that makes me crack up while reading as much as he does. And Lies and Weddings is no exception—the variety of characters, the drama, the fashion and little side notes sprinkled throughout. I’m always so impressed with how he touches on class, race, and privilege and the complexities of family and what it means to belong. With a large cast of characters, I love how each one intertwines. It amazes me how he always crafts these wildly entertaining plots yet conveys such meaning to every person’s story throughout. Lies and Weddings was also extra fun with the tropical setting combined with Kwan’s signature writing style.

Although I received an e-galley courtesy of @doubledaybooks , I also paired this with a complimentary audiobook thanks to @prhaudio –the narrator is VERY talented! She, alone, narrates each character so uniquely and with flair! She really brought these people to life and made my reading experience that much better.

I’m so thankful for my gifted egalley and ALC in exchange for an honest review!

4 Stars!
Rufus Gresham is the Viscount St. Ives, and an international playboy photographer living in Hawaii. He's a gorgeous bachelor that loves to surf and doesn't care about the lavish lifestyle he grew up with. Unfortunately he has a lot of pressure on him to deliver and live up to the family name. He comes from a noble family that embody modern day aristocrats. As the prodigal heir, his former supermodel mother has high expectations. Since one of his sister's is getting married soon to a prince, and made a magnificent match, he's next to step up and marry and have children. When he finds out his family isn't wealthy anymore, but actually drowning in debt, will he be the one to save them from ruin? In their world reputation is everything, and Rufus's scheming mother has big plans for him to meet and seduce a woman with money. Will he let others decide his future, or will he follow his heart that's always belonged to his childhood best friend, Eden Tong?

Lies and Weddings by Kevin Kwan is a friends to lovers romance full of twists and turns, drama, humor, secrets and lies. It's about family, friendship and forbidden love. I really enjoyed this story and love this authors writing! <333

Thank you to Kevin Kwan and Doubleday Books for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

For all of you who like a steaming hot cup of British tea, but wish it wasn’t so bland, here is your next read.

Honestly, this was everything Crazy Rich Asians wasn’t, in all the good ways. The scandals were one after another bring great comical relief. As well, Kevin Kwan has this wild imagination for creating the most elaborate, outrageous, romantic weddings that seem to grande to even be possible but you can’t help be dream could be.

If Pride and Prejudice and Crazy Rich Asians had a perfect little half British half Asian baby, this would be it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

This was another win for Kevin Kwan - his writing style was wonderful and created a story that I couldn’t put down!

QUICK THOUGHTS 💭
💰This book was so funny! I was cracking up in every chapter. The endnotes provided in each chapter were enlightening and hilarious.
💰I love seeing a “normal” person thrust into uber-wealthy situations. Brand names, jewels, over-the-top wealth… Watching Eden experience this was relatable.
💰 This story is about the whole family, so we get multiple POVs (which I loved!).

You don’t want to miss this book!

Thanks so much to Kevin Kwan, Double Day Books, and NetGalley for the ARC of this book!

Complex, Entertaining and Beautiful!!

Wow. My first read from this author, though I am a fan of the movie Crazy Rich Asians (I’m sure the book is even better). I love the writing style. It is detailed without being flowery. There are brilliant footnotes, which are well worth the read. It is a story of titles, wealth and heritage. From private jets, designer clothes, to surf shacks in Hawaii.

A dichotomy of haves, have nots, and have enough. And each category is not always who you think they are. Pele makes an appearance with lava fissures, and it seems not much goes as planned.

Entertaining, romantic, well-traveled, and a pure delight. I definitely recommend this story.

I absolutely adored this book. I loved Crazy Rich Asians(the movie) and knew I wanted to read this as soon as I saw it available. I was hooked from the very beginning. The first chapter is complete chaos and I was so here for it. The rest of the book lived up to what I was expecting and now I need more! I fell in love with the wide cast of characters. You have the docile Eden and Rufus who are so easy to love and you go all the way up to Arabella who is completely insane but you love to hate her. It was such a quirky, funny, and often at times infuriating story that I really wish I could read again. Also can we talk about how gorgeous the cover is??

Thank you @netgalley and @doubledaybooks for the Arc.

I wanted to love this book.
If i'm honest it was hard for me to even like?

Its Classic Kevin Kwan with the lives of the rich and famous, but i had such a hard time getting into the book. I wanted to care, but i just couldn't. It was frothy and over the top just like i feel like one of his novels should be. But in the end, the only interesting thing WAS the rich lifestyle. Not the characters or the actual story.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC all opinions are my own.

📚 #BOOKREVIEW 📚
Lies and Weddings by Kevin Kwan
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / Pages: 432 / Genre: Romcom

Rufus Gresham has always known that he would someday be the Earl of Greshambury, something he absolutely dreads. He’d rather live a simple life in Hawaii as an artist. But his mother, a former Hong Kong supermodel, who came from nothing and faced racism growing up Chinese in England, is hellbent on marrying off all her children to the wealthy elite. And when tragedy strikes and Rufus is pressured to marry for money as soon as possible, he’s torn between doing what’s right for his family and his legacy, or go after the only girl he’s ever loved.

Bridgerton is back and all the rage right now, and whether you’re all about it or, if you’re like me, and just not into it, this book will give you all that aristocratic drama and decadence but in modern times with an Asian twist. Those snooty British mothers have nothing on Chinese tiger moms!

Like all of his books, I loved this new one by Kevin Kwan. This new cast of characters has some over-the-top crazies but also ones with huge hearts that you just fall in love with.

Thank you, @NetGalley, @DoubleDayBooks, and KevinKwanBooks for my gifted copy. I loved it!