Sweet Little Lies: A Heartbreaker Bay Novel (Heartbreaker Bay, #1)

by Jill Shalvis

Choose the one guy you can't have ...As captain of a San Francisco Bay tour boat, Pru can handle rough seas-the hard part is life on dry land. Pru loves her new apartment and her neighbors; problem is, she's in danger of stumbling into love with Mr. Right for Anybody But Her. Fall for him-hard ...Pub owner Finn O'Riley is six-foot-plus of hard-working hottie who always makes time for his friends. When Pru becomes one of them, she discovers how amazing it feels to be on the receiving end of that deep green gaze. But when a freak accident involving darts (don't ask) leads to shirtless first aid, things rush way past the friend zone. Fast. And then tell him the truth. Pru only wants Finn to be happy; it's what she wishes for at the historic fountain that's supposed to grant her heart's desire. But wanting him for herself is a different story-because Pru's been keeping a secret that could change everything...

• ISBN10: 0062448021
• ISBN13: 9780062448026
• Publish Date: 28 June 2016
• Publish Status: Active
• Out of Print: 15 October 2021
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Avon Books
• Format: Paperback (US Mass Market)
• Pages: 384
• Language: English

Reviews

[FranJessca @ A Book Lovin' Mama's Blog]

I must have been underneath a rock since I started reading romance books, but I finally picked up a Jill Shalvis book. I’m glad I did. The reason why I finally put aside other books to read a Jill Shalvis book is due to the fact she has a book turning into a movie thanks to Passionflix. It’s her second book in her Heartbreaker Bay series and of course I wanted to read her series in order, so I finished the first book in the series Sweet Little Lies in 2 1/2 days. I’m so glad I decided to read in order because I really enjoyed Sweet Little Lies. I wouldn’t of gotten to know Pru and Finn. They were such a adorable couple, when they weren’t fighting their feelings for each other.

What made Sweet Little Lies an enjoyable sweet story:

*The cute main characters together – Pru and Finn.

*The secondary characters – Willa, Sean, Spence, Jake, Archer, Elle, Eddie, and so much more.

*Pru’s personality. She’s really funny and caring. She also has a VERY big heart. I adored her.

*Finn’s determination and sexiness. Oh, he’s sexiness.

*The storyline that Jill created for the characters. LOVED it!

Jill Shalvis brings together two characters that both had a tragedy in their lives. Although, the tragedy that hit Pru really affected Finn and a lot more people because the tragedy that happened was caused by her parents years ago. Pru is trying to right the wrongs to those people that her parents affected and she is determine for Finn to have happiness in his life. She doesn’t expect to really fall for him though. Even her best friend Jake warns her to not get close unless she tells Finn the truth, but it’s hard to tell Finn the truth. How could she not fall for Finn? He’s such a sweet guy and I really couldn’t get enough of him. Although, at the end of the story I almost wanted to slap him silly.

Jill did an amazing job with this story and I look forward to diving into the second book. I hope Sweet Little Lies also gets made into a movie because I would love to watch Pru and Finn’s story come to life. Now I look to diving into the second book after reading Pru and Finn’s story. Oh, and let me not forget the ending was perfect too. I could go on and on, but don’t want to give up too many details on such a sweet caring story. I will say Pru is such a sweet character in the story and she deserved happiness too.

Jill Shalvis definitely is an author I’ve added to my to-my-auto-buy list.

I give this book 4.5 stars and highly recommend it to Contemporary Romance readers out there.

[Liz (Bent Bookworm)]

DNF. Predictable and boring.

[Berls]

DNF
As much as I enjoy Jill Shalvis, I just couldn't get into this book :( I really liked it at first - the whole concept was fun. But the secrets didn't work for me, nor did some of the relationships. And then one day I put my bookmark in the book and just never picked it back up.

[kimbacaffeinate]

Coffee Dates with Sweet Little Lies

First Date: We meet Pru, and her ugly pooch as Shalvis fills us in on this San Francisco Bay tour boat captain. Right away, I like Pru. She has recently moved into an apartment located near the O’Riley’s Pub owned by brothers Finn and Sean. She has befriended an old homeless man and is keeping secrets. I loved the first flirting between Finn and Pru. You could feel the chemistry sizzling. From the setting to the characters, I have settled right in and feel at home.

Second date: Pru has a secret, a big one that involves Finn and his brother, but that doesn’t stop her from lusting after him, even as she tosses coins in the town fountain and wishes for Finn to find his true love. A scary and ok hilarious accident involving darts soon has them playing doctor and sharing a curl your toes give me more kiss.We slowly meet others in this community, play softball and get to know Jake, the owner of the tour boat company, and Pru’s best friend. We also interact with Sean and the O’Riley’s friends. We see Pru become a part of their circle and it was good seeing her girlfriends. I am not sure about the glitter on Karaoke night, but I am looking forward to getting to know all of them. We also meet Pru’s elderly neighbor, and the woman was a hoot. I think if she could nibble on Finn she would. Shalvis provides some serious laugh aloud moments that had me snorting. All of the interactions felt genuine from the snark to teasing.

Third Date: We have gone from curl your toe kisses to deliciously heated moments that melted my Kindle. Did I mention how swoon-worthy Finn is? Pru is in over her head and afraid to reveal her secret, but we all know that spell trouble. Thankfully, Shalvis kept the drama to a minimum but not before causing me to reach for truffles and shed a tear. I loved how emotionally invested she had me not to mention how much I loved all the friendly interference from their circle of friends. This review was originally posted on Caffeinated Book Reviewer

[Nadz@Totally Addicted to Reading]

Received a complimentary from the publisher via Edelweiss.

First of all, I must confess, I have never read anything written by Jill Shalvis prior to this. I heard about her but was never inclined to read her work. But then I was offered an ARC of her latest release, Sweet Little Lies, and I thought why not give it a try. This is book one in the Heartbreaker Bay series.  In my opinion, it is a great start to the series.
 
Sweet Little Lies is a story about selflessness, sacrifices, and love. Although this was fiction, reading this story reminded me that there are people like Pru living in the real world. I have had the privilege to meet a few persons with similar characteristics. My initial reaction was that her actions were solely motivated by guilt. However, as I got deeper into the story I realise that by nature, she is a selfless person. She had no reason to be guilty, but she felt responsible for the lives were destroyed because of her parents’ carelessness. Her actions were genuine, and she helped expecting nothing in return.  Currently, she works as a boat captain for a San Francisco tour boat company. It so happened that it was in this same area that one of the victims of her parents’ mistake, Finn O’Riley, resided. Pru was on a mission to help him find happiness, what she never expected was her growing feelings for him.
 
Finn O’Riley is the co-owner of O’Riley’s pub.  He did not have loving memories of his childhood. He was abandoned by his mother and abused by his father.  When his father died in a motor vehicle accident, he was left with the responsibility of caring for his younger brother. This meant giving up his dreams of a career in baseball and forcing him to grow up real fast. He poured himself into fending for his brother and himself, leaving no time for him to have fun. For Finn, life was about work and nothing else. However, all this would change, the day Pru walked into his life.  From that moment he would come to realise that there was more to life than work. 
 
Jill Shalvis’ characters were authentic. I had no problem relating to them. I felt all that they went through, especially Pru. She has been shouldering the guilt of her parents’ actions for eight years. That is indeed a heavy burden for anyone to bear. In spite of this, she was strong and compassionate. She is the kind of person that will give up her happiness if it means that someone else will be happy. As such I wanted her to experience her own happiness and to find someone who would treat her as she deserved. The secondary characters were a riot. They were a close circle of friends who did not have a problem telling you like it is. They were funny and they helped to make the story that more enjoyable.  I can’t wait to read their stories.  
 
The story, although predictable, was well written. From the moment I started, I knew I was going to enjoy this book.  The secret that Pru was keeping was evident from early.  I knew based on how the story was progressing that this secret would come out, but not in the way that she would have wanted.  I knew that when it was revealed the effects would have been devastating, therefore I was not surprised when it happened. What I did not expect was the effect it would have on me. My heart instantly went out to Pru when Finn reacted so negatively.
 
The story had all the feels. It was funny, warm and tender. There were certain aspects that left me feeling warm and tingly inside.
 
Verdict: 
This was a beautiful and heartwarming story, and I would recommend it to fans of contemporary romance. I have found another author that I will be adding to my must read list.

[Linda]

This review was originally posted on (un)Conventional Bookviews
Sweet Little Lies is a fantastic start to Shalvis' new series. There is romance galore, as well as friendship, humor and loyalty as well.



As soon as I started reading Sweet Little Lies, I knew I was going to fall in love with it! First of all, the romantic interest's name is Finn *sighs* and he owns an Irish bar *double-sighs* and he's loyal to a fault, strong and hardworking. Plus, he's very easy on the eyes. The way Pru described him to me showed me I was going to love her as well. She's been through a lot, none of it her won fault, and because she's felt so much guilt over her parents' mistakes, she's made it her life mission to make it up to the people affected. And a lot of her hard work was put to use for other people, rather than for herself.

Once she met Finn, though, a lot of things started to change for Pru. And those changes were both very fast and very necessary. She finally realized that there was more to life than fixing a mistake that couldn't be fixed, and that wasn't even her mistake to begin with. Sweet Little Lies is the kind of romance that made my toes curl, and I both smiled and fanned myself several times - sometimes at the same moment, even. Shalvis is a master at contemporary romances with enough hotness to make me feel it, and characters with substance who have a real story to tell.

Written in third person point of view, from Pru and Finn's perspectives, and in past tense, I felt like I got a good grasp on them both. There were plenty of sassy dialogues, as well as some very funny incidents including a dumb waiter... Sweet Little Lies introduced me to several characters I want to know more about - of course, I got to know Pru and Finn quite well, but they both had friends and neighbors I need to meet again. I'm very happy to know it's the beginning of a new series, and I can't wait to get my hands on The Trouble with Mistletoe which is scheduled for release in the fall.



Without the lure of cable to make her evening, she needed chicken wings. And nobody made chicken wings like O'Riley's. It's not the chicken wings you're wanting, a small voice inside her head said. And that was fact. Nope, what drew her into O'Riley's like a bee to hone was the six-foot, broad-shouldered, dark eyes, dark smile of Finn O'Riley himself.

"Huh," Willa said.
"No," Pru said. "There's no huh."
"Oh, honey, there's a huge huh," Willa said. "I work with dogs and cats all day long, I'm fluent in eye-speak. And there's some serious eye-speak going on here. It's saying you to want to f-"

Ignoring her wobbly knees, she left the lock in place, shaking her head at herself. Apparently it'd been too long since her last social orgasm and while she handled her own business just fine, her business was clearly getting bored with herself.

[Cocktails and Books]

It's been a while since I've read a Jill Shalvis book and SWEET LITTLE LIES reminded me of exactly why I love the books she writes.

Finn was the perfect mix of sweet, romantic and alpha male, while Pru was that every day girl who manages to snag the perfect guy.

Full review to come.

[whisperingchapters]

This review was originally posted on Latte Nights Reviews.


I had never heard of Jill Shalvis until I saw an Instagram picture with stacks of books by Jill Shalvis. That's when I became interested in her work. I noticed Nick (she's the reason I'm requesting too much and spending money on books) gave it a great rating. Since an eARC had already been sent to me, I immediately started it.

Pru went through a tragic event in her life where her parents died and many others suffered as well. Pru decides to give back to all who were affected by this accident. While doing that, she moved to a new neighborhood where she officially meets Finn, the owner of a pub. Pru tells herself she should stay away, but she cannot resist the incredible man that is Finn.

Let me get out of the way what I didn't like so we can focus on all the good things this book has. I had problems with Pru and the way she would talk to Thor, her little and lazy dog. I know we treat dogs like any loved one, but Pru took it to another level that had me a little worried for her sanity. Besides that, Pru is a great character. I love that she is very selfless, always putting others before herself.

Finn has carried a lot of responsibility on his shoulders. He had to grow up quickly when his father passed away in an accident and his mother took off. When that happened, Finn was already 21, but his brother was only 14 years old. Finn did everything he could to help out his brother and continue raising him while trying to keep them alive. Just knowing this information, I knew Finn would be a character I would love. He could have taken the easy route and give his brother to the system, yet he didn't He manned up and took care of both of them, struggling to do so. His life is finally stable, but he still doesn't have time to get into a serious relationship, but maybe a certain woman could change his mind when a dart literally pierces his chest.

"You going to teach me how to have fun, Pru?"

I loved the connection and obvious chemistry that Pru and Finn had from the start. Some of their interaction had me laughing, while others had me swooning. Their romance and witty banter is so believable and adorable. I loved when Pru named herself "fun-whisperer", which had me laughing so hard and it's where everything started for this beautiful couple.

I'm so in love with the secondary characters and I can't wait for each one of them to have their own book. Finn's and Pru's friends felt more like family than anything. I loved how close they are and how they are there for each other no matter what.

Overall, Sweet Little Lies is a very romantic and fun-filled story, a great start to a new series! The sneak peek for the second book has me so giddy!

I received an eARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.This review was originally posted on Latte Nights Reviews.

[stacey_is_sassy]

Omissions and lies…have the power to hurt

***4.5 Stars***

I read Sweet Little Lies in a day. Unfortunately, it was because I woke up at 4:00am. I am not one of those people who gets lulled to sleep with the sound of the rain outside the window. I'm the poor sucker who hears a few drops...and I'm done, with no hopes of getting back to sleep. Luckily, this was a really great story so I was actually grateful for the extra reading time.

Jill Shalvis is by far one of my favourite contemporary romance authors. Her writing has the power to suck you in, make you laugh, bring a tear to your eye and set your heart pounding. I’ve said this a few times before about Jill Shalvis’s work…but THIS time I mean it…Sweet Little Lies is exactly what a great contemporary romance should be. I know I shouldn’t compare but as of this moment Sweet Little Lies is my favourite of all her books.

Sweet Little Lies starts with an introduction to Pru Harris and her mutt Thor. When I first met Pru I wasn’t sure what I was getting. She came across a little sad, a bit down on herself and kind of lonely. Yes, she had Thor, but you can still have a dog and be a little lonely too. In dribs and drabs, we get to hear a little bit about her history and what had got her to this point in her life. She’s a 26-year-old tour boat captain with only one living relative, her Grandfather who lives in a retirement home. The one thing that has driven her up until now, is righting the wrongs that were the consequence of her parents getting in a car to pick her up from a friends house. The repercussions are far-reaching and have ruined a few lives. Pru’s guilt has ruled her life but what she doesn’t realise is that her deeds were exceptional and not needed or expected. Pru does these things at a sacrifice to herself. Next good deed for Pru is to become the Fun Whisperer for Finn O’Riley.

Finn O’Riley is a busy man. He owns and runs a pub with his younger brother Sean. Sean is a bit of a handful. He’s a flirting, wise-arsed 22 years old with a love em and leaves em attitude that gets him into a spot of trouble. Finn is also fixing up the family home to sell because the memories the house contains are not all pleasant. Finn has been Sean’s carer/parent since his father died when Sean was 14 and Finn was 21. Their father wasn’t a good one, but he was still there to parent up till then. The brothers are close because of this but Finn has had to parent Sean for so long that now Sean’s older, they’re both struggling to step away from the parent/child relationship to sibling relationship. Finn is coming to realise that he’s dedicated enough time to Sean’s comfort and happiness and wants some fun for himself. Time to bring in the Fun Whisperer.

Pru and Finn are attracted to each other from the very beginning. It’s been a while for Finn, and Pru has only had very limited experience with men. While they are both very keen to take their relationship further, both of them are holding themselves back. Pru has omitted to tell Finn that she had a connection to him before they even met and Finn was holding himself back because he’s been hurt by love before. Her omission hurts Finn just as much as if she'd lied and his first reaction is to hurt her back. Their journey is at time bumpy, extremely funny and sexy as all heck.

Sweet Little Lies introduces us to a great bunch of people. Finn’s best friends are funny, quirky and a little different. I’m hoping we get to see stories for each of them. We also get to meet Pru’s boss Jake and I REALLY want to know his story. I won’t tell you why, but he is SERIOUSLY intriguing. Some of the scenes had me busting a gut laughing, especially the homeless guy who likes to burn off his pot seedlings in the courtyard of Pru’s apartment building. It’s amazing how hungry everyone gets after that.

Sweet Little Lies is one of my favourite contemporary romances this year. I definitely recommend it if you like a sweet story, with a decent amount of heat, enough angst to keep the story interesting, but not too much to send you screaming. I finished this story with a big smile on my face.

To buy Sweet Little Lies from Amazon - http://amzn.to/1QuYgWm




I’m an Aussie chick who loves to read and review romance, drink coffee, be a Style Setter and stalk David Gandy. To see more of my reviews, fashion, food and pervathons -

[Sam@WLABB]

**I was lucky enough to meet Jill Shalvis at BEA and get a copy of this book

Please understand, I am a Shalvis fan, and was so excited to hear she was writing a new series. Sweet Little Lies is a fantastic start to a new series, which may (I said "may") surpass Lucky Harbor in my Shalvis series love.

This series centers around the inhabitants of a San Francisco building. They are quite entertaining, and I am very excited to get each of their stories, but this one centers on Pru, a new comer to the building, and Finn, a dead sexy bar owner.

Pru lost her parents in an accident, that was unfortunately their fault, and worse, they injured others in the process. She has spent many years trying to atone for her parents' mistake by secretly helping the victims and the family of the victims.

Finn falls into the category of family of the victims, and Pru wants to give him back a piece of his life. She sells herself as "the fun whisperer", and sets her heart on just making him happy. She even makes a wish in the fountain for him to find true love. You see, Finn had to sort of give up his life to raise his younger brother, Sean, after the accident. He had to quite college and baseball in order to keep Sean out of trouble. He also put all his time and energy into building a business to support him and Sean. No time for fun or love. Pru hopes to help him find both.

Where do I start.
1. Pru - she is so awesome. I would totally be best friends with her. Pru is funny and sarcastic, but she is also kind hearted, generous, loving, and daring. She gives herself whole-heartedly to those she loves, and sacrifices her own needs for those of others.

2. Finn - he is all man. The heat from Finn just about burned the pages of the book. And again, he is funny and witty, and so dedicated to his brother and his friends. I just loved him too!

3. The rest of the buildings inhabitants - what a cast of characters Shalvis has assembled. They are all so fun and wonderful in their own way, and I am so eager to get to know each and every one of them better. I loved the banter, and the antics, but most of all, I loved the way they were there for each other.

4. The story - this story was a lot of fun. I love that Shalvis leans towards the rom-com side (at least in my opinion). I get laughs, but she also gives us plenty of heartfelt moments.

This was like Melrose Place without all the drama, and the people were actually friends. Loved it! Love Shalvis! Cannot wait for the next book in this series.