Title: Sweet Little Lies
Author: Jill Shalvis
Series: Heartbreaker Bay #1
Source: Received from Headline Eternal in exchange for honest review
Pages: 384
Rating: 4.5/5
Blurb: Choose the one guy you can't have... As captain of a San Francisco Bay tour boat, Pru can handle rough seas - the hard part is life on dry land. Pru loves her new apartment and her neighbors; problem is, she's in danger of stumbling into love with Mr. Right for Anybody But Her.
Fall for him - hard... Pub owner Finn O'Riley is six-foot-plus of hard-working hottie who always makes time for his friends. When Pru becomes one of them, she discovers how amazing it feels to be on the receiving end of that deep green gaze. But when a freak accident involving darts (don't ask) leads to shirtless first aid, things rush way past the friend zone. Fast.
And then tell him the truth. Pru only wants Finn to be happy; it's what she wishes for at the historic fountain that's supposed to grant her heart's desire. But wanting him for herself is a different story-because Pru's been keeping a secret that could change everything...
It took me just 30 pages to fall in love with this book and these characters. A few pages after that I was lost to the world. Jill Shalvis has written characters that are compelling and likable and a plot that was engaging. Even the side characters were interesting, fully developed people.
The book follows Pru and Finn. Pru is the captain of a tour boat. She is also strong and intelligent and selfless - but haunted by some secrets (the lies of the title). Finn owns a pub and managed to be, pretty much the perfect guy (despite his reaction to her telling the truth). They were a great and believable couple from the beginning and I was rooting for their happiness all the way.
There were times when I wanted to shake Pru and, towards the end, Finn. I just wanted her to tell him the truth but the suspense kept things interesting and drove the story forward. I really liked the way in which their relationship developed. It felt like a natural development and it made both the characters and their romance more believable. I also liked that both characters were fairy honest about their feelings. There was very little miscommunication (aside from Pru's omissions) which I always prefer.
I really liked that, whilst the main focus of the story was Finn and Pru's developing relationship, friendships were never neglected and instead played a big role in the story. There was a really strong friendship group and I appreciated the way in which they supported each other as well as Finn and Pru. Both Pru and Finn had quite difficult back stories, they had both seen their share of tragedy and hurt but they were dealt with well and realistically. I would have liked Pru to come to terms with her past more successfully but complete resolution wouldn't have been as realistic and overall I liked the way it was handled.
I already know that I will be reading the next book in the series (The Trouble with Mistletoe) as soon as I can get my hands on it. I am also keen to discover more of her books because if they are as good as Sweet Little Lies I know I will love them. If you enjoy contemporaries with great characters and a seriously sappy ending (in the best way possible) - then read this. You wont be disappointed.
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