haechans's review
3.0
other than the excessive sunshine-hotshot calling, this was a good book! i loved reading about allieluke's relationship with faith and lydia's relationship with faith. i can't wait for lydia's book! although
Spoiler
i really thought it was going to be emmettlydia because of that line when emmett saw lydia! it would be the perfect opportunity for allie and paige to be in-laws.kfriend's review
5.0
Washington Wolves fans rejoice! Karla Sorensen has gifted us with some second generation magic. The Lie is a delightful opposites attract romance- where the sunshiney philanthropist crosses paths with the capricious footballer and sparks fly. And it is everything I love about KS’s story telling- nuanced characters, a focused storyline, swoony moments, captivating chemistry, and lots of feels. Yet another delicious consumptive treat!
Ever since my much beloved Faked, I’ve come to realize that my very favorite stories of Karla Sorensen are the bad boy-good girl/jaded and sunshine contrasts. She delivers them with a practiced ease- stories with intense chemistry, complicated character dynamics, but so much swoon. The Lie is everything I love about Karla’s writing- and everything I love about this trope.
Fans of Bombshell will recognize the extremely endearing Faith- daughter of Wolves owner Allie and Luke, now all grown up and running the team’s charity, Team Sutton. A role that puts her directly in the line of fire with the wolves’s new wild child- Dominic, a notoriously hot headed and off putting baller. This tatted bad boy is already treading thin ice with team leadership, and his antics soon land him in mandatory community service with Faith’s charity. Dominic immediately lashes out at Faith, assuming she’s only in her role because of her privilege and nepotism, and Faith is less than impressed by the arrogant, bitter, and bad tempered player that’s been thrown in her path. But their thinly veiled hostility is challenged by a burgeoning respect when they start to see….and learn….unexpected things about the other, and after a highly serendipitous occurrence.
Faith is everything I love about Karla Sorsensen leading lady. She’s smart, capable, strong, and driven. And she’s also humble, generous, loving, and oh so kind. I loved her quirky charm and her brightness. After a less than palpable beginning, she somehow finds a way to be open to Dominic, because she sees the best in others. She’s the kind of person we should all aspire to be- one full of empathy, love, and joy. Dominic is perhaps the surliest of any Sorensen hero I’ve read to date, but we find his gummy bear squishy center pretty quickly. This is a man that has been consumed by grief for so long, he’s learned to cope solely through isolation and hostility. His arrogance and broody armor cause him to be misunderstood, and he’s cared little about challenging anyone's perceptions. Until Faith unleashes the breadth of his long suppressed heart, until he wants someone to see the good in him again. He’s deliciously complicated and imperfect, but also epically swoony when he wants to be. Dominic more than makes up for his misdeeds and mistakes, with some ovary exploding romancing.
While some of the aspects of their connection require a smidge of disbelief (fate really got this one on the head, amirite?!), ultimately their story is just adorable. These two have a sweet, tenuous at first but every strengthening connection that stems from a place of care and respect. We’ve got ample heat and tension between them, but even more swoon and charm. Banter, some heat, a bit of angst, and a lot of heart. And, like so many Sorenson stories, there’s a subtle but meaningful message around the power of authentic connection to catalyze compassion and healing. And these two have that authentic connection indeed- two seeming opposites that somehow end up being the one person who understands each other the most.
Karla Sorensen is quickly becoming my go to for heartwarming, feel good, swoony romance- and I just can't get enough of this Washington Wolves family. Looking forward for more second generation charm to come!
Ever since my much beloved Faked, I’ve come to realize that my very favorite stories of Karla Sorensen are the bad boy-good girl/jaded and sunshine contrasts. She delivers them with a practiced ease- stories with intense chemistry, complicated character dynamics, but so much swoon. The Lie is everything I love about Karla’s writing- and everything I love about this trope.
Fans of Bombshell will recognize the extremely endearing Faith- daughter of Wolves owner Allie and Luke, now all grown up and running the team’s charity, Team Sutton. A role that puts her directly in the line of fire with the wolves’s new wild child- Dominic, a notoriously hot headed and off putting baller. This tatted bad boy is already treading thin ice with team leadership, and his antics soon land him in mandatory community service with Faith’s charity. Dominic immediately lashes out at Faith, assuming she’s only in her role because of her privilege and nepotism, and Faith is less than impressed by the arrogant, bitter, and bad tempered player that’s been thrown in her path. But their thinly veiled hostility is challenged by a burgeoning respect when they start to see….and learn….unexpected things about the other, and after a highly serendipitous occurrence.
Faith is everything I love about Karla Sorsensen leading lady. She’s smart, capable, strong, and driven. And she’s also humble, generous, loving, and oh so kind. I loved her quirky charm and her brightness. After a less than palpable beginning, she somehow finds a way to be open to Dominic, because she sees the best in others. She’s the kind of person we should all aspire to be- one full of empathy, love, and joy. Dominic is perhaps the surliest of any Sorensen hero I’ve read to date, but we find his gummy bear squishy center pretty quickly. This is a man that has been consumed by grief for so long, he’s learned to cope solely through isolation and hostility. His arrogance and broody armor cause him to be misunderstood, and he’s cared little about challenging anyone's perceptions. Until Faith unleashes the breadth of his long suppressed heart, until he wants someone to see the good in him again. He’s deliciously complicated and imperfect, but also epically swoony when he wants to be. Dominic more than makes up for his misdeeds and mistakes, with some ovary exploding romancing.
While some of the aspects of their connection require a smidge of disbelief (fate really got this one on the head, amirite?!), ultimately their story is just adorable. These two have a sweet, tenuous at first but every strengthening connection that stems from a place of care and respect. We’ve got ample heat and tension between them, but even more swoon and charm. Banter, some heat, a bit of angst, and a lot of heart. And, like so many Sorenson stories, there’s a subtle but meaningful message around the power of authentic connection to catalyze compassion and healing. And these two have that authentic connection indeed- two seeming opposites that somehow end up being the one person who understands each other the most.
Karla Sorensen is quickly becoming my go to for heartwarming, feel good, swoony romance- and I just can't get enough of this Washington Wolves family. Looking forward for more second generation charm to come!
endlesslytraveling's review
4.0
4 stars ✨ I really enjoyed this book. I loved Dominic’s characterization so much and I loved watching him grow at the end. Faith is just a little angel.
I had fun. (:
I had fun. (:
aliciadlr_'s review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
sydney_09's review against another edition
3.0
Super cute. PG-13 NA sports romance. Level 2 of 5 for spice. I remember reading other books related to this series and liked them. This just didn't have enough spice and the plot was just ok for me, but a very sweet read.
farisainherfeels's review
5.0
Gorgeous story
I'm all sorts of weepy and emotional. The way these two find their way to a HEALTHY relationship. My hearttt. Karla Sorensen is one of the few authors I've read whose characters know to want better for themselves and actually put in the work to get there. Her books are beautiful and her writing is a gift ❤️
I know the tagline of the book is "a bad boy sports romance" but the book is so much more than that. Faith and Dominic have my heart. Their story is soft and beautiful, and at times gut wrenching in Dominic's portrayal of his grief & the way he chooses to honor his sister. I'm not usually a crier when reading but I definitely teared up reading this. Whether it's because of the mood I'm in, idk, but the book definitely released when I was most ready to feel its impact.
Tw: death of sibling from c*ncer
I'm all sorts of weepy and emotional. The way these two find their way to a HEALTHY relationship. My hearttt. Karla Sorensen is one of the few authors I've read whose characters know to want better for themselves and actually put in the work to get there. Her books are beautiful and her writing is a gift ❤️
I know the tagline of the book is "a bad boy sports romance" but the book is so much more than that. Faith and Dominic have my heart. Their story is soft and beautiful, and at times gut wrenching in Dominic's portrayal of his grief & the way he chooses to honor his sister. I'm not usually a crier when reading but I definitely teared up reading this. Whether it's because of the mood I'm in, idk, but the book definitely released when I was most ready to feel its impact.
Tw: death of sibling from c*ncer
elle_review's review
4.0
Dominic, an American Football player with a bad attitude and a history of impulse problems, finds himself in trouble on his first day at his new team. His punishment is to volunteer with a charity for kids organised by the owner of the teams stepdaughter Faith. Immediately the two clash and Dominic decides he despises her sunshine attitude but feelings soon begin to change when he realises that she may be the only person who can ever truly understand and accept his grumpy ways.
Tropes:
Grumpy/Sunshine
Insta love ish
A brief enemies to lovers phase
The “we’ve been emailing each other under different names for years and didn’t know” trope
Forced Proximity
I loved this. It’s no secret that any book that promises a Grumpy/Sunshine trope will immediately take priority on my tbr and this did not disappoint. Once Dominic realised Faith was it for him he did not hesitate to pursue her. The dates he came up with were so sweet and romantic it made my heart melt.
If you want a low angst, emotional, romance book with a great story and a tiny bit of spice please read this!
Tropes:
Grumpy/Sunshine
Insta love ish
A brief enemies to lovers phase
The “we’ve been emailing each other under different names for years and didn’t know” trope
Forced Proximity
I loved this. It’s no secret that any book that promises a Grumpy/Sunshine trope will immediately take priority on my tbr and this did not disappoint. Once Dominic realised Faith was it for him he did not hesitate to pursue her. The dates he came up with were so sweet and romantic it made my heart melt.
If you want a low angst, emotional, romance book with a great story and a tiny bit of spice please read this!
martinah_'s review
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
3.5