Book Review: Tempting Lies by Sara Whitney

Tempting Lies (Tempt Me #4) by Sara Whitney

Pages: 290
Publish date: September 10th 2020
Publisher: LoveSpark Press
ASIN: 085W7KWF9
Purchase: Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU

Thea needs help renovating her house. Aiden needs help renovating his reputation. A fake engagement could solve both of their problems—or it could create a whole set of new ones.

After her widowed mother rushed into a marriage they both regretted, Thea Blackwell vowed never to commit to anything. Not jobs, Not hairstyles. Not men. Still, part of her wishes she had enough money—and enough courage—to buy her dream home and have it renovated by the gorgeous former neighbor who never spared her a second glance.

Aiden Murdoch put his playboy ways behind him to help his ailing father run the family business, but he can’t seem to escape his scandalous past. Then his childhood friend Thea shows him the listing for a tumbledown fixer-upper, and he stumbles on the perfect solution: he’ll provide the labor on her new house, and she’ll make him look happily domesticated in front of his father’s nervous clients.

But fake kisses can lead to real feelings, and their simple arrangement gets complicated fast, leaving Thea unsure if her pretend fiancé has truly given up his wild ways and Aiden aching to prove he’s worth a lifelong commitment. Are they brave enough to tear down the lies they’ve told each other, or will the future they’re building turn to sawdust?

Tempting Lies:

I received a free earc of Tempting Lies by Sara Whitney via Inkslinger PR in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way influenced my thoughts and feelings about the book.

I didn’t know too much about this book when I picked it up. However, I’m always looking for second chance romances and this one was something that sparked my interest. And I ended up enjoying it quite a bit.

Tempting Lies follows Thea Blackwell as she tries to navigate her life not committing to anything including love. But when her dream home goes on the market she would do anything to have it. It’s her princess home after all. But the one person that can help her is her former neighbour who has never spared her a second glance. Aiden Murdoch would do anything for his family, including putting aside his playboy ways. And when an old childhood friend needs some help he thinks of the perfect solution. It starts with fake kisses and then it turns into something much more. But both Thea and Aiden have their concerns and commitment issues and things start to get complicated very fast.

Photo by Jorge Salvador on Unsplash

Thea is such a pleasure of a character and while at times I just wanted to give her a little shake to wake her up, I still enjoyed reading her. At a young age, Thea lost her father and her mother quickly moved her away from her home and married her stepfather. Because of all this Thea doesn’t like the idea of committing to anything. From her job to the way that she looks, let alone her love life. But something about Aiden changes her and it’s not something that she likes at first. I loved that Thea would dive headfirst into things. That she would help where it’s needed and not even second guess the situation.

I also enjoyed Aiden as a protagonist in Tempting Lies. On the outside, he looks like this very rough. But Aiden is sweet. He cares what people think of them and he only wants to be the best for this family. I felt for him throughout the novel when those around him judged him and he just wanted to do some good and be seen that way. The reader can see Aiden grow throughout the novel and not only get to understand Thea more but himself as well.

The romance in Tempting Lies is both adorable and sexy. I loved the build-up between the two of them. From the start, the reader can see there is a heap of chemistry between Aiden and Thea. One of my favourite things about reading Tempting Lies was seeing these two fall for one another. It’s slow at first, and then it picks up the pace and it’s fantastic. I liked what they did with each other. They made the other better and that was nice to see.

Photo by KJ Styles on Unsplash

I adore the fake dating trope. It’s a trope that is not only fun but plays with the characters and their arcs. One of my favourite things about Tempting Lies is that it was Aiden that wanted more first and admitted it. We rarely get to see a male own up to his feelings first, the way that Aiden did and I loved it.

Family is a complicated thing throughout this book. I felt that for the most part, Aiden had a great support system. He and his brother had some unsaid things, but it was nice to see them talk through it and come to terms with it. Their parents were also fantastic. I wish that Thea had more of a support system though. Her stepfather was a dickhead and her mother didn’t support her in the way that I wish she would have. I also felt that though she had friends, there were times when I felt that she was alone and I wanted her to have someone at least to talk about anything with.

Photo by Lauren Richmond on Unsplash

Overall, Tempting Lies by Sara Whitney was a lovely book. It had all the right elements and I had a great time reading. Thea and Aiden had a heap of chemistry and I loved seeing them fall for one another. Tempting Lies explores fake dating, friends to lovers as well as family, friendship and believing in yourself. It’s a great romance that has all the right elements. I might pick up the rest of the series in the future and hear their stories.

Have you read Tempting Lies by Sara Whitney? What did you think of it? Have you read anything from Sara Witney? Let’s Chat!

Author Bio

Sara Whitney writes sassy, sexy contemporary romance novels packed with wit, heat, and heart. A 2019 Romance Writers of America Golden Heart award finalist, Sara worked as a newspaper reporter and film critic before she earned her Ph.D. and landed in academia. She’s a good pinball player, a so-so karaoke singer, and an expert TV opinion-haver.

In a funny twist of fate, Sara’s married to a divorce attorney, and she likes to think that her happily-ever-afters help keep their household in balance. She and her husband live in the Midwest surrounded by books, cats, and half-empty coffee cups. Keep up with Sara by subscribing to her mailing list here.