A review by amy_alwaysreading
Tell Me Lies by Carola Lovering

4.5

Gritty and addictive.   A completely juicy read!

 

I’ve been a fan of Lovering’s work since I first read Can’t Look Away and added her entire backlist to my TBR.  So when Tell Me Lies was recently in the spotlight as season 2 of the series premiered, I knew it was time.  

 

College should be a time for exploration and growth.  But after Lucy met Stephen, her experience became a spiral of toxicity and obsession.

 

This was one disturbing and gritty storyline.  Drama filled and full of angst, this book made me feel deeply and kept me swiftly turning page after page.  

 

With chapters alternating between Stephen and Lucy’s POV, character development was rich and layered, and it also gave perspective to both sides of the relationship.  

 

Stephen, master manipulator and profuse liar, was so easy to hate.  But the juxtaposition between Lucy’s intelligence and naivete had me vacillating between frustration and empathy for her.  

 

This was a stark look at toxic love.  The on and off relationship was steeped in intensity.  And while it made for a very entertaining read, it also felt scarily plausible.   

 

🎧 The dual narration from Corey Brill and Rebekkah Ross brought both characters to life and accentuated the depth of emotion and tension that built throughout the relationship.  Such an easy binge listen!