About the Book:
In the irresistible new novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of All We Ever Wanted and Something Borrowed, a young woman falls hard for an impossibly perfect man before he disappears without a trace. . . .
It’s 2 A.M. on a Saturday night in the spring of 2001, and twenty-eight-year-old Cecily Gardner sits alone in a dive bar in New York’s East Village, questioning her life. Feeling lonesome and homesick for the Midwest, she wonders if she’ll ever make it as a reporter in the big city–and whether she made a terrible mistake in breaking up with her longtime boyfriend, Matthew.
As Cecily reaches for the phone to call him, she hears a guy on the barstool next to her say, “Don’t do it–you’ll regret it.” Something tells her to listen, and over the next several hours–and shots of tequila–the two forge an unlikely connection. That should be it, they both decide the next morning, as Cecily reminds herself of the perils of a rebound relationship. Moreover, their timing couldn’t be worse–Grant is preparing to quit his job and move overseas. Yet despite all their obstacles, they can’t seem to say goodbye, and for the first time in her carefully constructed life, Cecily follows her heart instead of her head.
Then Grant disappears in the chaos of 9/11. Fearing the worst, Cecily spots his face on a missing-person poster, and realizes she is not the only one searching for him. Her investigative reporting instincts kick into action as she vows to discover the truth. But the questions pile up fast: How well did she really know Grant? Did he ever really love her? And is it possible to love a man who wasn’t who he seemed to be?
The Lies That Bind is a mesmerizing and emotionally resonant exploration of the never-ending search for love and truth–in our relationships, our careers, and deep within our own hearts.
My Review:
I have been hearing about Emily Giffin’s books for years so when I read the summary for her newest one, I jumped right on it! I have found myself needing fast-paced women’s fiction/romance stories during these stressful times of the pandemic and before I knew it, I had read over half this book in just one sitting!
I found the writing to be smart, witty and the story line to be VERY surprising! Wow, I did not see that ending coming! The book opens with Cecily in 2001 in New York City. The timeline should give you an idea of where this book is going. I personally love reading about love stories set during this time and how the tragic events of that day impacted lives forever. Cecily is about to drunk dial her ex-boyfriend Matthew when she is stopped by a handsome guy named Grant. They strike up a fun conversation and although he is quite mysterious, he seems as taken with Cecily as she is with him.
They begin a beautiful yet somewhat distant relationship. Is Grant the love of her life, or is he hiding something from Cecily? She wants to believe him when he professes his love for her, but the horrible events of September 11, 2001 change everything.
“So you believe in God?” he asks me.
“Yes. Definitely. Do you?”
“I’m not sure,” he says with an expression I can’t quite read. “Ask me again in a few months.”
Suddenly what I though I knew about the main characters shifted and the result was a thoroughly surprising and very insightful book about love, loyalty and honesty. There are lots of plot twists and I love how Emily Giffin resolved all of the conflicts and the tangled relationships.
“If I’ve learned anything, it’s that secrets always turn into lies when they’re kept from the people we love.”
I very much enjoyed this book and could not put it down. Although there is a tragic tone to the story due to the setting around the events of 9/11, it has a wonderful ending! I definitely want to read some of Ms. Giffin’s earlier books because I connected with her style of writing. Apparently a few side characters make an appearance here from an earlier book. I sympathized with Cecily and the hard choices she had to make. If you love romance stories set in New York City, and love a good plot twist or two, then you will love this book.
(ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.)
