Lies and Lullabies

Sweetness, I’m in love!

Lies & Lullabies by Sarina Bowen is the first book in the Hush Note series. One Band. Three love stories. Three authors. Rifts & Refrains and Muses & Melodies, by Devney Perry and Rebecca Yarros, are the second and third books in the series.

I loved this audiobook. It’s something else. Tim Paige and Erin Mallon rocked it from the first minute. The story is amazing, and they took it to another level of awesomeness. And the song! Dear lord, the song! Tim Paige sings! And it’s so good! The truth is that Tim And Erin delivered outstanding performances to bring Jonas and Kira to life. This is one of those stories that you could listen on a loop. It is perfection.

Lies & Lullabies is everything you’d expect from Sarina Bowen. A colorful small town in New England, a wonderful storyline, and an amazing cast of characters that will make you swoon, laugh and curse (at least a bit).

Lies & Lullabies is a second chance romance about a small-town-girl and an undercover rock star that spent a special summer together and then went their separate ways. He was left with the sweetest memories, while she was left with their child. Five years later, a fluke encounter brings them together again, but things are way more complicated than either of them ever realized.

I loved Lies & Lullabies. I loved everything about it. Sarina Bowen is a skilled storyteller, there’s no doubt about that. She has a way with words that leaves you in awe of her talent every single time. The story flows, the characters are well-rounded and lovable, and the settings come alive to give this book her magic touch. It’s a delightful story about regrets and second chances, true love, the importance of family, and forgiveness.

Jonas and Kira both have regrets. When they first met five years ago, they were going through a hard time in their lives, and the connection they found in each other helped them heal. But sometimes feelings can get scary and overwhelming, and people don’t necessarily make the right choices. Right and wrong are never black and white, and the beauty of this story, if you take the time to understand where both Jonas and Kira were coming from, is that it’s never too late to be brave enough to put the past behind you and look forward to what the future might hold.

I loved Jonas and Kira together. Their chemistry is off the charts. You can feel the intensity between them, the emotional energy that goes beyond attraction and lust they forged five years ago, when they first became friends and then more. I really loved the slow burn of their reunion, how they dealt with the secrets and lies and old wounds, in order to move forward and forgive themselves and each other. Lies & Lullabies is definitely an emotional roller coaster. And definitely the best kind.

Vivi, Jonas and Kira’s four-year-old, is a delight. You can’t help but fall in love with her, just as Jonas did. It will take less than five minutes. She’s such a fun kid! So smart and witty. I also loved her relationship with her uncle Adam, and whenever she and Jonas were together. And Adam simply steals the show. He’s such a great guy. He’s the best brother ever, and he even got some action with Ethan, Jonas’s friend and tour manager. Let’s just say that everyone will end up begging for these two to get their own story. I can guarantee it. We also get glimpses of Quinn and Nixon that will make everyone yearn for the next books in the series.

I would give Lies & Lullabies enough stars to fill up the sky, but I guess Five will have to do. I can’t recommend it enough, it’s truly a wonderful story that will make your heart smile and fill you with joy.

7 people found this helpful

WORST LISTEN, READ OF 2020

I was so disappointed in this book on so many levels. Poor writing for a rape victim having sex for the first time after the rape. And on top of the rape, the language used for body parts was not indicative of nurturing or creating a safe environment. This book was either written over a weekend or poorly thought out. Flat characters, poor choice of terms for body parts, lots of objectification...How did this get stars???

3 people found this helpful

Awesome!!

Sarina Bowen that was beautiful!! Erin was perfect as usual, swear I have not heard anything other than perfect from here. OHHH Tim! you stole my heart with your voice and and you can singi! what the heck! you have a beautiful voice! thank you for the special treat!

3 people found this helpful

A great second chance romance, with talented narration and that rockstar grit.

“Real love wasn’t set to a four-four drum beat in a recording studio. Real love was accomplished this way—by caring for the people who needed you.”

A small town summer love story with a rockstar twist, this audiobook was a such a fun listen. It had the perfect amount of angst, along with a whole lot of sweetness with the beautiful songs and added laughter from their daughter Vivi. I loved the whole cast of characters especially Kira’s brother Adam, he sacrificed so much to make sure everyone around him was taken care of. The way Sarina transports me to a location while listening is always magical, I felt like I was on the front porch of the general store in Maine, soaking up the last of the summer with Kira and Jonas. I rooted for their love and hoped that they could come to terms with the secrets they kept from each other and the beautiful daughter they created. Overall this was a great second chance romance, with talented narration and that rockstar grit.

“This is a song about meeting the right person at the wrong time. It’s a song about regrets. And I hope the girl in the song knows that I mean every word. Because I’m really hoping the story isn’t over yet.”

I am reading these books out of order, I started with Quinn and then Jonas and can’t wait to read Nixon next! Such a fun rockstar series, I am addicted to Hush Note!

1 person found this helpful

This was REALLY good!

Just get this book. It has actual music and the steam factor is off the charts. It’s a keeper. This is the book that will fix any book hangover.

Good story line but so-so exwcution

The female narrator's "male" voice is grating beyond belief. Duet style would have helped.

Jonah and Kira - Excellent Start to a Series!

I love this new series, great start! Excellent narration - Erin Mallon is awesome, as well as Tim Paige. They had excellent chemistry - Kira and Jonah had great chemistry and I loved Adam and Ethan too - I love the humor injected here and there - it is perfect! looking forward to the next books in the series!!!!! Thanks Sarina - Love All the Brooklyn Bruisers and loving this one too. Thanks for the Entertainment! You are an author i couldn't do without!

❤❤❤❤❤

I loved it so much!! It was so worth a credit no question! Get it!!❤

Great Story

Sweet love story. I didn’t understand why previous reviews talked about “The Rape” it was barley mentioned. Maybe 2 lines about a past incident.
Well worth the credit. Starting the second book in series.

Swoon!

Jonas is...well, everything. He is so incredibly amazing and sweet and SWOOON. Gah. I want one.
He's so fantastic.

And Kira is sweet and strong and so lovely.

This is such a sweet, loving story.

When Sarina writes it, I want it.
I don't even know why the awesomeness surprises me anymore.
She does romance like no other.