Review: The (Half) Truth by Leddy Harper

Release: February 19, 2019
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Dual POV - 1st person
Heat: 2
Type: Standalone
Format: eARC provided by publisher (Netgalley)

Tatum Alexander is so close to realizing her dream of becoming a sous chef she can taste it, but working at her ex-fiancé’s restaurant with his new girlfriend was never in her career plan. To save face and prove she’s moved on, Tatum cooks up a lie that she’s in a relationship with her best friend’s superhot cousin. There’s just one problem: Jason only recently moved to town, and he has no idea they’re already “dating.”

Jason’s a recovering ladies’ man who shouldn’t be on the menu, but that doesn’t mean he’s immune to Tatum’s quirky charm. Giving her lie a kernel of truth, they decide some no-strings-attached fun between the sheets can’t hurt. But as Tatum’s forced to keep making up stories to cover her original fib, she has a hard time separating what’s real and what’s fake—including her feelings for Jason.

With too many tales spun, Tatum can only watch in horror as her collection of yarns begins to unravel, leaving everyone she cares about feeling betrayed. After so many lies, will it be too late to set the record straight? And more importantly, will she be able to convince Jason there’s truth in their love?

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My Review

★★★½

Tatum is broken hearted. After dating her boyfriend for two years, he proposes and she couldn't be happier. However, on her birthday of all days, he back pedals with lame excuses. Unfortunately, he's also her boss and rather than give up all that she's worked for, she decides to tough it out. Who cares that he's hired his new girlfriend? Tater doesn't mind having a front row seat to their romance. Obviously. But she also doesn't want to seem like a loser. So what does she do? Tell a lie. And that lie just keeps getting bigger and bigger and bigger. And do you know what happens to liars? THEY GET CAUGHT!!

So now you know the gist, right? But there is so much more to this tale. Tatum is as awkward as can be, which makes for some laughs. This girl says and does the wrong things at the very worst of times, but her heart is solid. And the hero... Jason... reformed manwhore y'all!

So my thoughts
🤥 easy and enjoyable read
🤥 likeable characters
🤥 slow build romance, although the fling part started quickly
🤥 low on angst - the conflict was pretty tame
🤥 no muss, no fuss
🤥 I found it hard to buy into these characters actually loving each other because they shared virtually no screen time as a couple beyond their fling. I barely felt the chemistry, which was necessary because... fling!
🤥 Is it bad that I was more interested in Jason's cousin, Kelsey, than the main characters themselves? I wonder if she'll get a book. She definitely drove this story, even if she was only supposed to be a sounding board and advice giver.

Like I said, it was an easy read and I liked it. Between Tatum's antics and Jason turning out to be a really great guy, this story took on a life of its own. I recommend it to anyone looking for a book that will leave them with warm fuzzies