The Lies That Bind
A Novel
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4.2 • 1.9K Ratings
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- $7.99
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- $7.99
Publisher Description
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • In this irresistible novel from the 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.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
You may not expect intrigue and romance to bloom as one of the darkest days in American history plays out in the background. But with this page-turning beach read, Emily Giffin proves that love indeed works in mysterious ways. Recently single twentysomething Cecily Gardner is heartbroken and homesick when she meets a handsome stranger at a Manhattan bar in the late spring of 2001. But as their tequila-soaked meet-cute turns into something more over time, Cecily discovers that this mysterious man’s irresistible charm is matched by his total evasiveness about who he really is. Part heart-racing romance and part twisty psychological mystery, the suspense in The Lies That Bind never lets up—especially when the horrors of 9/11 become shockingly integral to the story. Longtime Giffin fans may spot a few cameos by characters from her most beloved books, but even if you’re new to her work, get ready to strap in and enjoy the ride.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Giffin's suspenseful but sometimes unconvincing latest (after All We Ever Wanted) opens in May 2001, a week after 28-year-old reporter Cecily Gardner breaks up with her commitment-averse boyfriend. Lonely and sleepless, she makes a late-night visit to a bar, where she feels a sudden connection with an attractive stranger. They spend the night in Cecily's apartment, agreeing not even to kiss. The stranger, Grant Smith, tells Cecily that he's a Wall Street trader whose twin brother is dying of ALS, and she trusts him enough not to ask further questions about his life. Soon deeply in love, they spend nights and a weekend together, still holding off on sex, before Grant leaves for London, where his brother is enrolled in a clinical trial. Cecily sees Grant on September 10, the night he returns, but can't reach him after the towers fall. When she sees his face on a "missing" poster and calls the number listed there, her certainty about him and their bond is thrown into doubt. Though the bizarre decisions made by Cecily and Grant stretch plausibility, and the use of 9/11 reads as a plot contrivance, Giffin holds the reader's interest with solid pacing and fine style. Compared to Giffin's past work, this disappoints.
Customer Reviews
The BEST
Read this book so fast!!!!
Here’s a better story that won’t cost you.
I was shopping in Chanel when I saw my idol in the store as well. We were both by the entrance; when we saw and heard an obsessed fan waving hysterically and screaming, “OMG its Meghan Markle. I want to be you Meghan. I wish upon a star that I was you everyday.” The crazed fan was thankfully dragged by her spilt ends out of sight. Meghan and I shared a good laugh. Later someone told us the fan was Emily Giffin. To which we responded, “Who?”
Great Story
Very well written and unexpected twists and turns.