The Peacock Sisters were once so close. They shared secrets and now they keep secrets from each other. After years a wedding is bringing them together and they must figure out how to be together, again. It isn’t easy but they all know they have to be on their best behavior. Sylvie is getting married again. She is a widow and has been hiding in the books she reads. She is a librarian and she has taken solace in that safe space. She meets Simon Rampling, a wealthy English man who offers to take her away from her life. She feels like this could be a new start for her, her chance again for love. Cleo is the sister who has it all. A defense attorney with an amazing boyfriend, life is so good. She is there to support her sister and doesn’t want to make waves. It’s been years since they have been together and she doesn’t want to make a wrong step. But she doesn’t think Simon is the right man for Sylvie. She has a case building against Simon but will she have to use it. Emma is living a lie. She can’t afford this trip to her sister’s wedding. She made a huge investment mistake and is losing money daily. She has so many secrets and she doesn’t know how to get herself out of the mess. She is trying to make the best of everything and not crack. Things are getting harder to keep normal and then the girls mom shows up. The antics that ensue are funny and honest. This weekend can make or break this family. Each person is trying to do their best, the only question is it enough. Can they make the tough choices to change? Can they come out of this as family? Lovers and Liars is a story about a a family that cares deeply and is deeply flawed. The author did an excellent job telling an honest story of family. I want to thank Netgalley, Amanda Eyre Ward & Random House Publishing Group/ Ballantine for my copy of Lovers and Liars, for an honest review. It was my pleasure to read and review the book.

This dysfunctional family novel is about three sisters, Sylvie, Cleo, and Emma, who are not very close but all reunite for Sylvie’s wedding in a British castle. The book rotates through each of their perspectives, and we see that each of them also have their own problems and issues.

Like Amanda Eyre Ward’s last two books, this one is not quite as light or fun as the cover would make you think. It’s written with a light tone, but there’s still a fair amount of kinda downbeat stuff for all of them. It was an entertaining enough book, but not one that will stick with me. The narration of the audiobook by Sarah Beth Goer was quite good.

3.5 stars

This baffled me - and I'm not easily surprised. How did this book receive so many good praises, when everything about this story is very bland?
The only thing I truly enjoyed were the scenery descriptions, and this Amanda Eyre Ward did very well.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review an advanced copy of this novel. I highly enjoyed it and will be recommending it.

Three estranged sisters reunite at a castle in England when one of them gets married. Secrets are revealed (so many secrets!) and relationships are tested. not only amongst the sisters but also with each of their significant others. Throw in a horrible mother and you've got yourself one heck of a family drama. I enjoyed the scene setting...great descriptions of the castle, surrounding grounds, nearby towns, and wedding meal menus. I felt like I was there. The backstory for each of the sisters was solid and helpful but didn't drag you back in time too much. Overall an easy fun read all tied up nicely with an epilogue at the end.

I had a tough time getting into this one. (Maybe it was because I was bristling at the librarian stereotypes...) It's a concept that feels overdone, and Amanda Eyre Ward isn't doing much new with it. The plot also requires a decent amount of suspension of disbelief to work. Overall, it's a quick and fairly enjoyable read that could be stronger.

What I liked about this book:

1. It is a good beach read!
2. I love a good sibling story, and this does not disappoint as three sisters are reunited after a long separation.
3. Book lovers are always favorite characters for me!

What I wished was different:
1. The broken relationships seem over the top for a beach read!
2. I think there was supposed to be more humor found in the situations, but I didn't really laugh out loud - they fell flat.


Thank you to Ballantine Books and Net Galley for the opportunity to read.

ward writes such complex characters. they are so flawed which honestly makes me love them even more. this was a great read but it did take me a while to get into it. because of the complex characters it takes a while for her to set everything but but once I got into it I couldn't put it down.

AEW books always seem like they will be "lighthearted" with her colorful covers but they always bring a bit of edge and realistic emotions that readers can relate to. I did enjoy this story of 3 sisters and their differences as well as the secrets they kept. It began a bit slow but i found it picked up and i flew through it.

I really enjoyed this story. Told in multi-POV, we get the perspectives of all 3 sisters throughout the book. The entire story is over the course of the wedding weekend too. There is lots of things going on and secrets you watch the sisters try to keep from each other. It was heartwarming in you see these sisters who used to be so close be forced together and start building that closeness again. And you simultaneously are cringing about mistakes they are making and lies they are telling. But all of it kept you engaged to what was going to happen next.

I feel like I've outgrown this genre. I used to really like rom com novels, but they just don't do it for me anymore. The characters were cute and funny, but there wasn't much depth and substance.

Heartbreak, humor and an English castle? What more could you ask from a great summer read, in Amanda Eyre Ward's latest release, Lovers and Liars. When librarian Sylvie, a widow, announces her engagement to dashing Englishman Simon, friends and family are a little skeptical on how quick their romance has moved., especially Sylvie's sisters, Cleo and Emma. Growing up as the Peacock sisters, the girls bonded over their rough childhood due to their narcissistic mother, Donna. Now adults, they have drifted away-Emma and Cleo both keeping secrets. Cleo, the oldest, has always felt like she has to save Sylvie from herself, even though she personally is miserable with her boyfriend Danny. Emma, the only sister who remained in Montanna, has amassed a sizeable debt due to a multilevel marketing scheme-and is hiding the fact that she blew through their savings from her husband, Rich Over the course of what is supposed to be Sylvie's wedding weekend at the castle, drama and humor run rampant as secrets are exposed and the sisters are forced to confront their emotions and each other. Pick this one up if you're looking for something that has depth, a little spice and memorable characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

Trauma - what bonds you can break you. These sisters, once everything to one another through the damage made by their mother and loss of their father, have drifted far apart. Now in England for Sylvia’s wedding, Cleo and Emma decide to create their own new starts.

Told through different lens, I enjoyed the perspectives and bits of each of their stories woven together into a shared experience. It truly embodied the idea that w everyone brings their own experiences into something, even if experiencing it at the same time. The book felt a little slow at points and jumped too much to allow you to connect with any of the characters.

Such a good read that I enjoyed! I'm so glad that I got the chance to read it early and will definitely be recommending it to multiple people who enjoy these types of novels. I enjoyed the characters and especially enjoyed the writing by this author. I'm excited to see what the author comes out with next as I'll definitely be reading it! Thank you to the publisher for my early copy of this book!

I really enjoyed reading this book and its themes of family, love, and forgiveness. It was an entertaining read and I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for an entertaining, quick paced read.

More enjoyable than I was expecting, though ultimately a bit forgettable. I liked exploring the different struggles of the three sisters through the multiple perspectives but I didn't really find myself emotionally invested in the characters. Overall a quick and inoffensive read - my biggest gripe is that I wish it hadn't wrapped up quite so neatly.

While I have liked Amanda Eyre Ward's books, this was not my favorite. Maybe it was the character development, but it left me wanting more. I will still look forward to her next effort.

This was a quick read set over a weekend at a family wedding. It really is about the dynamics between the three sisters and their mother. As the weekend unfolds, the family tries to overcome the secrets and lies that have kept them apart over the years. While it is a family drama, it is also a quick read that is somewhat predictable but still enjoyable.

Lovers and Liars is a binge-worthy story of family, love and oh so many secrets. It is unique in that at the outset of the novel, the female main character tells her fiancé it is over. Then you travel back in time to get the full story. So as you watch their love develop there is an air of mystery, a curiosity of where will this go wrong? Why? And it had me hooked! The book centers on three sisters, who used to be best friends and are now estranged. And again, I couldn't help but wonder, how did this go wrong?

Lovers and Liars had me intrigued from start to finish and I very much enjoyed the book. It is a great summer read.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for the ARC.

Lovers and Liars is out now!

Lovers and Liars follows the lives of the three Peacock sisters as they navigate their personal secrets amidst the backdrop of Sylvie's wedding at a castle in England, owned by her fiancé's family. As the weekend unfolds, revealing calamities and long-held truths, the novel intricately explores each sister's character and the paths that led them to this moment. Despite their flaws, the story provides a deep insight into their personalities, amplified by the arrival of their mother, which sheds light on their formative years. While some scenarios may stretch believability, they are woven with humor, ensuring the reader remains engaged until the satisfying conclusion in the epilogue. Perfect for a leisurely read, particularly fitting for a beach getaway.