Book 31, 2023

[chez_jae]

Liars by Lucy Lennox

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Earlier today I finished reading Liars by Lucy Lennox and May Archer. It's the second installment in their "Licking Thicket" series of male/male romance. Narrative is in alternating, first person point of view of the main characters, Parrish Partridge and Diesel Church.

When Parrish encounters tough, tattooed Diesel trying to comfort a sweet baby girl, Parrish's heart melts. And when Diesel asks Parrish to pretend to be his fiancé in order to give him a better chance to win custody of his niece, Parrish knows he should refuse. When Parrish fails in that, he's soon all-in and falling in love, not just with Diesel, but with adorable Marigold as well.

Diesel can't believe that charming, successful, oh-so-put-together Parrish would agree to his impulsive scheme, but he's damned grateful for the support. Diesel also can't believe how well Parrish fits into his life, but he also knows that Parrish deserves better. The longer Diesel and Parrish spend in one another's company, the more their lies become their truth.

What a sweet, fun, poignant story. You couldn't help but cheer for Diesel in the custody battle, not just because he truly loved Marigold, but because his sister's adoptive parents are aloof and reserved. They may be wealthy and able to give Marigold every advantage in life, but children need love. Of course, the entire, ridiculous town of Licking Thicket manages to get involved. It was great to reconnect with familiar characters, and I laughed out loud when Paul trotted out Brooks' "Big Daddy" nickname again. Characters were remarkable, even the odious Payne, and the authors' stellar characterizations included Diesel's chickens. LOL! Only one thing bothered me... When Diesel and Parrish met with the high-powered attorneys that Parrish's wealthy uncle retained for them, they ended up married. It doesn't work like that. I worked adjacent to a county clerk's office once upon a time. Both persons getting married must show up, together, to apply for their marriage license, which is followed by a 24-hour waiting period before they can get married. No law firm can draft paperwork, go through the motions, and send the couple on their merry, married way with them only vaguely aware they've gotten married at all. Please do your research.

Favorite lines:
♦ "No one's ever gone wrong with an apology casserole."
♦ "Oh my God, my apology casserole visit is going to need an apology casserole," he whispered in shock. "This is unprecedented."
♦ "Oh dear God on a golf ball."
♦ I winced, remembering how I'd interrogated him like a graduate of the Dunn Johnson school of interrogation.
♦ "If it were any peachier, it'd be pie!"
♦ "He's all sauce and no wings."
♦ "Oh, sweet blessed corn niblets!" I yelled, like the most idiotic idiot to ever accidentally have sex.
♦ "Who donated a new washer and dryer set to the firehouse last year when theirs succumbed to the most ironic lint fire in history?"
♦ "We planned an apology surprise for you." // "An apology surprise?" // "It's like an apology casserole but with 100 percent less cream of mushroom soup."
♦ "My character was unassailable, right? So boring and basic, I didn't even have a parking ticket to my name."
♦ "You're telling me that our whole relationship was a lie, based on an apology casserole you never even ate?"

A wonderful story, full of all the feels. Five stars!

Comments

[oracne]

That sounds sweet!

[chez_jae]

Utterly adorable!