The Liar in 2015 Snagged @ The Library Challenge

Apr 23, 2015 Mary rated it really liked it

As usual Ms. Roberts has written a book you just can't put down. I would say this is a 4&1/2 star book. I like the dialog and the characters. Shelby, Callie and Griffen make for quite a trio. The book is set mostly in Tennessee and NR got the southern women thing right on. As I was reading the book I kept thinking of the movie Steel Magnolias (this book has a happier ending.)I would highly recommend this book! ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Mar 09, 2015 Elizabeth (Thoughts From an Evil Overlord) rated it really liked it

Shelves: library, contemporary-fiction

I have been reading Nora Roberts’ books for twenty years, but I enjoyed The Liar more than most in a long time. The story of a twenty-four-year-old widow discovering that her husband has left her buried in millions of dollars of enormous debt is endearing and inspiring. After dropping out of college and taking off with a man who she thought was her Prince Charming, Shelby has returned to her childhood home in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee with her three year old daughter, Callie, one of the c I have been reading Nora Roberts’ books for twenty years, but I enjoyed The Liar more than most in a long time. The story of a twenty-four-year-old widow discovering that her husband has left her buried in millions of dollars of enormous debt is endearing and inspiring. After dropping out of college and taking off with a man who she thought was her Prince Charming, Shelby has returned to her childhood home in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee with her three year old daughter, Callie, one of the cutest child characters I have met lately, mostly because she isn’t too perfect, she whines and gets tired or is just annoying like a real child is sometimes. Shelby has rarely been home in the last five years, being under the financial and emotional control of her husband, unbeknownst to her family. While she had all the latest designer fashions and traveled the world, Shelby has been nothing but an unknowing pawn to her husband as he tricked people out of their savings and committed burglaries of jewels, collectible coins, and other high-end items. Shelby is embarrassed for family and friends to learn that she, once the spunkiest girl in town, had become an emotionally cowering, unsure woman.

Like all of Roberts’ books, The Liar has some mystery/thriller elements, although they were pretty weak. I figured out how it would end by page fifty. One mystery element are the people who have followed Shelby to Tennessee, first a man claiming to be a private investigator looking for two million dollars in jewels her husband stole, and next a woman claiming that Shelby must be hiding money that rightfully belongs to her, because she was a partner in one of her husband’s crimes and is owed her share. With all of this going on, Shelby has also met a great guy, Griff, a general contractor, who is doing work on her mother’s house and is a huge hit with Callie, who wants to go on pizza dates with him all the time.

The element that made me enjoy The Liar so much was the small southern town vibe and the wacky characters in the form of Shelby’s large family and neighbors. Because Griff is a contractor and is also renovating a very old house, there is also a lot of home improvement that I really liked, being a big HGTV gal.

I can strongly recommend The Liar to anyone who enjoys contemporary romance that has realistic characters dealing with crazy situations. It won’t wear you out with scary stalkers or heavy emotional scenes. For me, this is another easy, enjoyable read from Nora Roberts, something to enjoy on the beach or airplane. ...more

Like · see review

Apr 01, 2015 BJ rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2015, womens-fiction, mys-susp-thrillers, local-library

I truly enjoyed this book. I think it has to be in the top 5 of all the Nora Roberts books I've read. I loved the main character, Shelby, and the story of this smart, sassy woman who loses her way for awhile, gets the smart and the sassy kind of beat down out of her by an uncaring husband. Husband dies, woman takes her 4-year-old daughter and goes back home to family in the Smoky Mountains and finds her way back to herself, reconnects with her family and old friends, finds work she enjoys, finds ...more

Like · see review