Opulence on steroids! Kevin Kwan’s writing style is in a category of its own -descriptive writing, humour, cultural/historical facts and random trivia with some drama mixed in. I liked it more than Crazy Rich Asians …..and I loved that book! Lies and Marriages is another Kevin Kwan must read!
Thank You to NetGalley, Penguin Random House Canada and Kevin Kwan for the opportunity to read and thoroughly enjoy this ARC.

Delighted to include this title in the May edition of Novel Encounters, my column highlighting the month’s most anticipated fiction for the Books section of Zoomer, Canada’s national lifestyle and culture magazine. (see column and mini-review at link)

I absolutely love Kevin Kwan and the Crazy Rich Asians series....the best! So I was so excited to get the ARC of his new book. This one did not disappoint. It was amazing - I loved the main characters - Eden and Rufus were great - though I would've liked more character development and some of the 'twists' felt forced but otherwise a great read. Cannot wait to read his next book!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

Traditional format (digital). Kevin Kwan is back with another book filled with crazy antics and a cast of equally crazy characters. In thinking about how to best describe this book in a synopsis it is difficult because there are so many characters and so many sub plots. But what Kwan does is tie together all these complexities into a fun filled wild ride of a book with the title of Lies and Weddings perfectly summarizing the overall gist of the narrative.

What I liked
- Kwan's use of footnotes throughout the book (though in digital format it doesn't work as well as a paper book)
- How the author brackets to describe the educational backgrounds of his characters
- Pacing of the book was great - even though the book is on the longer side it never dragged
- I'm a sucker for any books with many different locations and this one did not disappoint
- Some laugh out loud moments

If you liked Kevin Kwan's Crazy Rich Asian's books, you will likely enjoy this book. This was a fun and entertaining read for me that I enjoyed overall. I give this one a 4/5

Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada | Doubleday Canada and Net Galley for a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

“Lies and Weddings” by Kevin Kwan is a globetrotting tale of love, money, and scandal. Readers are taken on a whirlwind journey across continents, with a juicy, hilarious, and sophisticated story that will keep you turning pages until the very end.

Meet Rufus Leung Gresham. He is the future Earl of Greshambury who faces a daunting challenge. The legendary Gresham Trust, once flush with wealth, now lies buried under a mountain of debt. Behind the glossy magazine covers and Instagram stories, the Gresham family's grandeur conceals a financial disaster. Rufus's scheming mother devises a desperate plan: he must attend his sister's wedding at a luxury eco-resort, where the world's wealthiest sultans, barons, and oligarchs gather. His mission? To seduce a woman with money.

As the volcanic eruption of forbidden affairs, secret trysts, and family secrets unfolds, the Gresham family's reputation goes up in flames. Can the once-great dukedom rise from the ashes? Or will a shocking twist, like one hidden for two decades, forever alter their fate?

From the black sand beaches of Hawaii to the skies of Marrakech, Kwan paints vivid landscapes that transport readers. Glitzy bachelor pads in Los Angeles and England's oldest family estates serve as backdrops for scandalous encounters and clandestine affairs.

Kwan's characters leap off the page. Rufus grapples with duty versus desire, torn between love and legacy. Solène de Courcy, the French hotel heiress, exudes elegance and mystery. Martha Dung, the tattooed venture capital genius, is a force to be reckoned with. And then there's Eden Tong, the humble doctor's daughter—the girl next door who captures Rufus's heart.

Kwan masterfully explores themes of love, money, and deception. The lies we tell ourselves and others intertwine with the pursuit of wealth and passion. As readers, we're left questioning our own choices and the secrets we harbour.

Kwan's prose sparkles with wit and charm. His humour infuses every page, making even the most scandalous moments delightful. The pacing keeps you engaged, and the plot twists are as unexpected as they are satisfying.

“Lies and Weddings” is a sumptuous feast for the senses. It’s a literary cocktail of romance, intrigue, and scandal. Kwan's storytelling prowess shines once again, proving that he's a master of the genre. This book is a must-read, so prepare to be swept away!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for a temporary e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I had a really hard time with this one. It is not his best i think. Crazy rich asian was better. There where ALOT of characters to keep in line and alot of titles.

Thanks netgalley for this ARC.

So much fun! Kevin Kwan offers another glimpse at money-hungry and prestige-loving characters, and the reasonable people who surround them and are victim to their conniving ways. If you loved the Crazy Rich Asians trilogy, you’ll probably love this new offering, which follows similar narratives and yet, includes a matriarch who surpasses Eleanor Young, from CRA, in her contempt for the middle-class and is intent on choosing the right suitors for her children, constantly plotting and ignoring her son and daughters’ wishes.

Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada and NetGalley for the ARC!

Kevin Kwan’s back at it again with a globetrotting novel with luxurious backdrops, a cast of characters, stunning fashion and also hidden secrets. This book had it all!

Lies and Weddings is filled with hilarious dialogue, matchmaking, and the ostentatious displays of wealth. But there is underlining commentary on classism, prejudice, and internalized racism. All woven seamlessly by Kwan, we’re fully invested in a romance but also on a wild ride trying to understand the motives of many characters.

While reading I kept thinking ‘Lies and Weddings’ has great potential for a TV Series. Another stellar inclusion to Kevin Kwan’s literary career. Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for providing an ARC.

This was such a fun read! Perfect for summer.

Full of interesting characters (some very likeable, some despicable). Lots of jet-setting. And, of course, lies and weddings.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Penguin Random House Canada through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you, Penguin Random House Canada.

What an indulgent book! I’ve read Kevin Kwan before so had expectations and knew what to expect - fantastical locations, ridiculous wealth and dysfunctional family dynamics on steroids. This book provided all that but unfortunately felt a bit formulaic. The twists and turns weren’t well developed IMHO and neither were the characters. Thanks goodness Rufus was basically described as a “god” otherwise I wouldn’t have understood Eden’s attraction to him! If you want a mindless and mildly entertaining read in fabulous decadence - indulge yourself. You’ll probably forget this book as soon as you put it down but you might have enjoyed yourself too.

Ok. I mean. I LOVED Crazy Rich Asians so I JUMPED on this ARC and it absolutely did not disappoint. I loved Eden and Rufus, so cute and the vibes were immaculate and the weddings extravagant and the lies, so many lies and twists and surprises. Loved this book. Will read again.

The Earl of Greshambury is keeping a big secret from his family - after decades of extravagant spending, the legendary Gresham Trust has been depleted he has already taken on a lot of debt.
Meanwhile his wife, the Countess Arabella is using the upcoming wedding of her daughter to manipulate her only son Rufus into falling in love with someone with the right social standing and wealth. And once Arabella finds out about the family’s financial situation, it is more important than ever for Rufus to marry someone with money.
The only problem is Rufus isn’t interested in any of the women his mother tries to set him up with. There has always been only one person that Rufus has any interest in marrying - the girl next door.

Kevin Kwan does it again with another fun read. Lies and Weddings is filled with secrets, lies and betrayals that leads to tons of family drama and some juicy gossip. With a bit of romance and humour thrown into the mix, this is a perfect quick read to make you smile.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for my advanced digital copy

Rufus Leung Gresham's whirlwind journey from a pampered dilettante to the potential savior of his family's legacy had me absolutely hooked, whether I was basking on my beach towel or perched on the edge of my seat, utterly engrossed in the unfolding drama.

Let's start with the setting—it's pure indulgence! Picture a luxury eco-resort bustling with the crème de la crème of society, all set against the thrilling backdrop of a volcanic eruption. It's as if Kwan handpicked the most lavish and extravagant locations to make us green with envy, and trust me, I was swooning!

And oh, the characters! They're like something out of a fantastical dream, or maybe a slightly wacky dream depending on your perspective. Rufus, torn between duty and desire, had me cheering him on even when he stumbled. And the ladies vying for his affection? Solène with her regal lineage, Martha with her bottomless pockets, and sweet, unsuspecting Eden—each brought their own delightful chaos to the mix.

But what really makes "Lies and Weddings" shine is Kwan's knack for spinning a tale that's as juicy as it is hilarious. The secrets, the scandals, the betrayals—every twist and turn had me gasping with excitement and giggling with delight. And let's not forget the sizzling romance, because amidst all the chaos, there's still enough heat to keep those pages turning!

For anyone in need of a sparkling escape from reality, sprinkled with a generous dose of romance to sweeten the deal, this book is an absolute gem. It's the ultimate pick-me-up for those days when you crave nothing but glamour, drama, and a whole lot of fun!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed Crazy Rich Asians, however, now having read a few of his books, I found this plot line very predictable and felt frustrated for a majority of this novel. It bordered on wondering if there really a really was a here on the social commentary of the elite and the discrimination faced by some of our characters. So much time was spent on status, branding, and location that it took away from the story as it was just so beyond belief. The same thing can be said when the characters experience really challenging and difficult situations and they seem to be unfazed. As such I found the characters underdeveloped as they stay pretty much the same from beginning to end. There is not any growth. Annabella was the most developed character, yet we have seen the same versions of her in each of his novels.

In the end, I don’t know if I felt anything for any of the characters asides from outrage at Annabella. There is very little romance between Rufus and Eden, and the relationships with Rufus’s two sisters becomes stagnant.

There are moments when some big ticket items are touched upon and this family goes through a lot. There was so much potential to dig deeper.: found family, lost family, identity,… and it didn’t get there. This one missed the mark for me.

I love Kevin Kwan, he writes the most juicy, opulent and fun books that basically revolve around a bunch of rich people behaving badly. These are all themes I love and Kwan always does justice.

I do however feel like I am still chasing that same feeling I got when I read Crazy Rich Asians and unfortunately his other books haven’t quite been as good.

Lots of antics and characters nonetheless, though a bit too long.

Kwan fans will still love all the same.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the eARC all opinions are my own.

I was excited to read this book because I flew through the Crazy Rich Asians series, it was my go-to book birthday gift for my girlfriends one year. I had high hopes for Lies and Weddings and while I don't think it quite lived up to the Crazy Rich Asians series, it was a fun, dramatic, escapist read. I liked the alternating points of view and I LOVED the short chapters. Nothing makes me more compelled to keep going in a book more than short chapters so I can say to myself "oh just one more chapter!". The writing was good, the footnotes were hilarious, and I can't wait to recommend it to my friends when it comes out!

The Duke of Greshambury shook things up when he married a model from Hong Kong. His wife, Arabella, spent years climbing to the top of British aristocracy’s social ladder, while also building an exclusive hotel empire, and raising her three children to be the kind of desirable match any of the European royalty would be happy to marry their children to. Her daughters upcoming wedding to one such prince, in Hawaii, at her newest and grandest hotel is supposed to be her triumph. But her son won’t chase the heiress she has picked out for him and is spending a bit too much time with the doctors daughter. Her other daughter has yet to make a match. And the volcano she built her hotel beside might have something to say about its new neighbour. Her kids have all had enough of her meddling and impossible standards. And her husband has been keeping some critical information from her. As things spiral out of her control years of secrets will come undone for everyone involved.
This was such a fun book! @kevinkwanbooks covers so many themes in this book, from race, class, addiction, family, love, trust, loyalty while also creating a cast of unforgettable characters. I was not board for a second reading this book. I absolutely recommend you check it out when it hits shelves May 21 2024.
Thank you to @netgalley and @doubledaybooks for letting me review #liesandweddings
#bookstagram #bookrecommendations #bookreview #booklover #booknerd #readallthebooks #readeveryday #readmorebooks #bookcommunity #readmore #readersofinstagram #readersofig

▪️And so, with a mind at war with itself, she came forth armed to do battle against the world's prejudices, those prejudices she herself loved so well.
-Anthony Trollope's Doctor Thorne

If anyone knew the pulse of the movers and shakers of Victorian England, it was Anthony Trollope. And the same could be said of Kevin Kwan. He truly knows today's incredibly wealthy international rich. Both come to their insight from the viewpoint of a social satirist observing from the sidelines.

Kevin Kwan is a huge Trollope fan and his latest novel, Lies and Weddings, is a modern-day retelling of Doctor Thorne. It follows the plot of Doctor Thorne quite closely - Mary Thorne is Eden Tong and lives with her father in a cottage on the Greshambury Estate. Both are doctors. Eden grew up in the shadow of the Greshams, accepted by the Duke of Greshambury and his three children but never by his wife Arabella.

Doctor Thorne is a novel with hidden truths, extravagance, debt, class prejudice, addiction and debauchery along with some humour and plenty of heart. Kwan has taken all of this and turned it up to 11,000,000. Of course, the modern-day uber-rich (and uber-debt-ridden rich) are now more extravagant than Trollope could ever have imagined.

Kwan changes the class prejudice to racism for Lies and Weddings. Arabella Gresham is from Hong Kong and is proud of the life she has created with her British husband and her three mixed-race children. She's internalized the racism she's experienced and will do anything to marry her children off to European wealthy families. Arabella is probably the worst character in Doctor Thorne and she is in Lies and Weddings too. But, like Anthony Trollope, Kevin Kwan allows us to see why she is like this and although he never condones her actions, this knowledge at least lets us understand her better.

I really enjoyed this book - it's a very wild ride. Like with all his books, I spent my time googling the art, fashion and places that Kwan mentions and laughing at the ridiculousness of it all. I was also chortling with every Trollope Easter Egg Kwan hid in the story - not just from Thorne but also some Palliser nods as well!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for this ARC.

Thanks for the ARC but I couldn't finish this book. The author felt it necessary to include small bios about where each character went to school and it was distracting. I couldn't know if I would need that information later in the story and I attempted to make connections between characters which ultimately took me away from the scene. By the time the story started to move forward, I felt disconnected and I couldn't make up that ground.

I can understand why the author thought that school resumes would be important to the characters in the story but it didn't play for me and I couldn't continue.

I really enjoyed his previous books and was really excited for this one. I hope to try again with his next one.

Lies and Weddings is exactly the glossy, gossipy, insider-style book you’d expect from Kevin Kwan. From an English village, to Hawaii, Texas, California, Italy and Africa, his take on the lives of the obscenely wealthy, and those in their orbit is a fast-paced, fun read that would make a great film. A friends-to-lovers story between a young viscount, and the actual girl-next-door, with intriguing characters, overbearing mothers and international jet setting billionaires.

Thanks to Doubleday & NetGalley for the ARC!