I used to be the one who saved her.
But I don’t want to save her anymore.

 

 

From New York Times bestselling author Helena Hunting writing as H. Hunting, comes a beautifully written and emotional new adult romance, Little Lies, available now!

 

Released – 16 November 2020

 

AVAILABLE NOW!
Amazon  |  Amazon Worldwide  |  iBooks  |  Nook  |  Kobo  |  Google Play  |  Paperback

 

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Blurb

I don’t want you.
You mean nothing to me.

I never loved you.

I turned my words into swords.

And I cut her down.

Shoved the blade in and watched her fall.

I said I’d never hurt her, and I did.

Years later, I’m faced with all the little lies, the untruths, the false realities, the damage I inflicted, when all I wanted was to indulge my obsession.

Lavender Waters is the princess in the tower. Even her name is the thing fairy tales are made of.

I used to be the one who saved her.
Over and over again.

But I don’t want to save her anymore.

I just want to pretend the lies are still the truth.

Find Little Lies on GOODREADS

 

 

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Review

5 stars!

Little Lies is NA angst at its finest. It is different than Helena Hunting’s usual stories, and though it still has the humor we have come to love from her rom coms, this story is more dramatic and heavy. The storyline is original, the feels are all over the place, and the characters easily earn a special place in my heart. It’s my newest 5 star fave and a must read for angst lovers!

Lavender (daughter of Alex and Violet from Pucked) and Kodiak (son of Rook and Lainey from A Lie for a Lie) were best friends as children but things changed in an instant and years later they are no longer close. They don’t even want to be around each other. They were able to keep their distance over the years but now that Lavender is attending the same college as Kody, they run into each other all the time much to their dismay. Eventually though, they must face the past and along with it comes the anger, frustration, betrayal, pain, and love that was always there but was never able to grow.

Lavender and Kody are fantastic. They are wonderfully broken and their imperfections and vulnerabilities make them real and relatable. I was rooting so hard for them both as individuals and as a couple.

Lavender feels so much. My heart broke with her fear but soared with her strength. She grows throughout the story and I loved that she really made people hear her voice when it used to be so quiet and shy. She does not back down and she shows her worth. I loved every moment she challenges Kody and stands her ground.

“Shut it, Kodiak. I don’t need this dadbro bullshit. You want me? Then do something proactive about it that isn’t being an asshole or pounding on your chest like some Neanderthal. You’re a damn genius. Use your brain and figure out how to manage the situation…”
“What do you think you’re doing?”
“Being proactive.”
“By doing what, exactly?”
“Uh…I was going to start by kissing you.”
“You think you deserve to kiss me after the hell you’ve put me through? That’s a fuck no, big boy. You want to know what my mouth tastes like, you need to earn it, and everything else.”

Kody was Lavender’s rock, her protector, her everything. He was always there for her but it wasn’t just for her benefit. He needed it too in ways that no one understood. Kody has his own battles that tore me up inside and I really loved him.

I can’t think, I can’t focus . . . All these years of holding this in have eaten away at me, turning me into someone I don’t even recognize.

The chemistry between Lavender and Kody is electric and the fighting just cranked up the heat. The banter is fantastic and even though there were a lot of lighter moments, it was the darker ones that made this story stand out. They have an intricate connection that makes any relationship complicated but essential. The history they share and the inevitable ruin they face is so emotional.

“Sometimes we have to break so we can recreate a stronger version of ourselves.”

Their story is a roller coaster of feels. From besties to enemies to a forever love they cannot deny, it tugs on your heart strings at every turn. Though it is not an easy read, there is so much truth in why they couldn’t be together in the beginning that the heartbreak you experience while reading their love story is worth it. They had to experience the break so that in the end they could fight for a love that was always meant to be. I believed in their connection, their love, and their forever.

I love that we get the Pucked gang in the story. Everyone is so important in both Lavender and Kody’s lives and I loved getting more of the characters I fell in love with years ago. They are a tight group and it made me giddy to see them again.

*Note: Little Lies is a standalone and even though you do not need to read Pucked and A Lie for a Lie before diving into it, I do recommend reading both of those as well. They are so good!

*ARC generously provided by the author and Social Butterfly PR*

 

Lies, Hearts and Truths

 

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Excerpt

The front door swings open, and the never-ending nightmare that is this day smacks me in the face like a long-expired sausage. Kodiak stands in the doorway wearing only a pair of swim shorts, wet hair sticking out all over the place, water dripping on the damn floor. But God, is he ever glorious. Muscle layered over muscle, thick biceps flexing as he holds the doorjamb, a mischievous grin popping the dimple in his left cheek.

My heart seizes and gallops. I miss this version of him: the one that smiles and doesn’t hate me.

He ruins everything a moment later by bellowing, “Who’s fucking in the driveway?”

His gaze moves to Dylan, who looks as horrified as I feel, but as it shifts to me, his smile drops and my stomach tightens.

“You should really go,” I tell Dylan.

“I’ll see you around.” He disappears into his car and barely has the door closed before he’s backing out of the driveway and screeching down the street.

I adjust my backpack on my shoulder and head for the house, steeling my spine and my nerves because Kodiak is still standing in the middle of the doorway, his face a mask of indifference. I try to brush by him, but he stays where he is, making it impossible.

I sigh, exhausted beyond belief. I just want to go upstairs and have a good, cathartic cry. I try to mirror his apathy. “Can you move so I can get into my house?”

His brow furrows as his eyes move over my face. He lifts his hand, like maybe he’s thinking about touching me. There’s no way I can handle that. I jerk back and swat his hand away. “What are you doing?”

“Your lip is bleeding.”

“Don’t act like you actually give a shit, Kodiak.”

“Tell me what happened.” His voice is low and soft, and for whatever reason, that makes me even angrier, so I lash out, wanting to wound him the way he keeps wounding me.

“You, Kodiak. You happened, and you ruined my goddamn life. Now get the hell out of my way.” I elbow past him, almost tripping over several sets of running shoes.

I head straight for my bedroom and lock the door behind me. I slide down the wall until my butt hits the floor and close my eyes, taking deep breaths.

I imagined the concern in his voice.

I imagined the pain that sat heavy behind his eyes.

We see what we want to, not the truth, especially when it hurts.

 

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About the Author

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the PUCKED series, Helena Hunting lives on the outskirts of Toronto with her incredibly tolerant family and two moderately intolerant cats. She’s writes contemporary romance ranging from new adult angst to romantic sports comedy.

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