Never Tell a Lie, by Gail Schimmel {Book Review}

Am I the only person who avoids high school reunions at all costs? I’ve never been to one…which after the 2yrs we’ve had, seems really silly now in hindsight! I Never Tell A Lie….so, you can bet money on me being at the next reunion that comes along;)

What is Never Tell a Lie about?

After a tumultuous marriage, Mary Wilson is happy in her uncomplicated life, focusing on her twelve-year-old son. She has always been content with her little family – but then she finds an old postcard that throws her past into question …

When her high school reunion comes along, Mary jumps at the chance of a distraction from the shock discovery, and meeting her old classmate, April, feels like a gift. Despite barely remembering April, Mary throws herself into the new friendship and finds her previously quiet social life reinvigorated.

But as the bonds between them are forged, Mary finds herself drawn further and further into April’s life and marriage, increasingly fearing that everything is not as perfect as it seems. Is her own painful past clouding her judgement, or is Mary right to suspect that the people she trusts most are the ones with the most to hide?

My thoughts

I’m quite a fan of Gail’s writing and this is the 3rd book that I have read from her. Every single book has been completely different from the last, so I love that she always has a fresh plot for us.

Never Tell a Lie has an interesting plot and I found many of the characters enjoyable as well. The story stars Mary as its protagonist, who is a single mother and widow. She was raised by a single father, after her mother died when she was quite young. While cleaning some shelves one day, she finds something that makes no sense to her. She then also attends her school reunion and new friendships are formed…. These 2 events form the backdrop for this book.

I felt like I knew where this book was heading, because Gail kind of throws out these red herrings. Then I’d question my prediction, and take another direction. I enjoyed that about the book….was she, wasn’t she? Did she….didn’t she? I was definitely invested in this story and the outcome, BUT I felt like Mary wasn’t true to who her character was close to the end, so that threw me a bit.

My Rating

Never Tell A Lie has a 4.02 rating on Goodreads. I felt a bit frustrated by some of the decisions made and also how more information wasn’t demanded at times. However, this was an enjoyable read, with a storyline that had me guessing and turning the pages, so it gets a solid 3 stars from me. If you enjoy a good domestic drama, then you’d probably enjoy this one. If you enjoy something a bit more twisted, definitely check out my review of Gail Schimmels’ ‘Two Months’ over HERE.

Disclaimer: Never Tell A Lie was sent to me by Pan Macmillan SA in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.