A Lie for a Lie

All In, Book 1

By: Helena Hunting

Narrated by: Stella Bloom, Jason Clarke

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Pucked series comes a romantic comedy about instant attraction, second chances, and not-so-little white lies.

Sometimes I need an escape from the demands, the puck bunnies, and the notoriety that come with being an NHL team captain. I just want to be a normal guy for a few weeks. So when I leave Chicago for some peace and quiet, the last thing I expect is for a gorgeous woman to literally fall into my lap on a flight to Alaska. Even better, she has absolutely no idea who I am.

Lainey is the perfect escape from my life. My plan for seclusion becomes a monthlong sex fest punctuated with domestic bliss. But it ends just as abruptly as it began. When I’m called away on a family emergency, I realize too late that I have no way to contact Lainey.

A year later, a chance encounter throws Lainey and me together again. But I still have a lie hanging over my head, and Lainey’s keeping secrets of her own. With more than lust at stake, the truth may be our game changer.

©2019 Helena Hunting/Ink & Cupcakes Inc. (P)2019 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

"Helena Hunting takes readers on an emotional journey in A Lie for a Lie. A sexy, heartwarming read!" --New York Times bestselling author Elle Kennedy

"This beautiful romance is true perfection. RJ is the ultimate book boyfriend. I loved this story beginning to end." --New York Times bestselling author Kendall Ryan

"A heartfelt second chance romance with Helena’s signature humor and plenty of sizzling heat. Nothing hits me in the feels like a Helena Hunting romance!" --USA Today bestselling author Melanie Harlow

Great start to a new series

I'm a big fan of Helena Hunting. She can write just about anything, and I will read it and enjoy it. A Life For A Lie is a great romance novel, and it does not disappoint.

Rook/RJ meets Lainey when he winds up taking his family's annual fishing trip as a solo trip. Lainey is a quirky, fun, smart woman, and RJ is instantly smitten with her. They kindle a friendship that quickly blossoms into more over the 6 weeks that they spend in the Alaskan wilderness, but then RJ needs to leave suddenly for a family emergency, and they are separated. They don't have any way to contact each other, so they are separated for a year before they meet again by chance.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. RJ and Lainey were both well-crafted individuals. I enjoy characters that have depth and that have flaws that they embrace and acknowledge. RJ owned his mistakes and was fully committed to making up his absence to Lainey the second he saw her again. He was all-in, but realized that he needed to take things slow and make sure that Lainey knew he was not just committed "for now" but committed forever. Plus I got to catch up with some of my Pucked series favorites, and it's always fun to see familiar characters and see the next steps for them.

The narration of this book is incredible. I can honestly listen to Jason Clarke read just about anything - he's a favorite narrator of mine. And Stella Bloom is fantastic at capturing Lainey's quirky personality.

Judging the Book...

You know what they say about judging the book by its cover... well there's a reason authors take the covers of their books so seriously. Otherwise all bookcovers would be blank with simply the title printed across the front. In this case, the cover got me to pick up a book from an author I thought I was through with, and I'm really glad it did. You see, I voraciously read most of the "Pucked" series until some where near the end of the series I was just completely sick of the characters. It seemed like they weren't evolving at all. They were starting to have families, but they weren't growing up themselves. They were still the same self-absorbed (some of them), unfiltered, totally partying teenager-wannabees they had been when the series started. I was tired of their rants, didn't want to hear about "Area 51" ever again, and so I moved on. Unfairly, I decided that although this author writes a fabulously funny book with great quirky characters, I was done reading any more of her books because she must not allow them grow. *sigh*

Back to that great book cover... I had no idea when I picked up this book that this series was spinning off the Pucked series. The covers are completely different. There's a reason for that. All those quirky characters from Pucked are around in this book, like satellites circling the Space Station. They're not the main focus, but they make random appearances because the main character is the captain of the team. But here's the cool part: they're actually showing signs of growth. Don't panic, they're not driving Volvos and wearing Dad sweaters. They're still sucking down suds, telling inappropriate jokes and trying to get with their partner at every conceivable moment. But they're just not so over the top.

As for the main characters, Rook (RJ) is a slice of heaven with his calm demeanor (most of the time) and his ability to read people. Lainey is a stone cold mess, but she's adorable, and RJ knows it. If only he could convince Lainey of that. He also needs to convince her that he's actually a good guy. That's gonna' be tough. But what they've got going for them is supreme chemistry.

I fell hard for this story, mainly because of the man that RJ was. He may be an alpha male, but he knows when to take his lumps and submit to a higher authority, AKA: the ticked off parents, when he should. I'm excited to see how this series continues.

Great Performances! Great Story!

RJ Bowman heads to Alaska to get away for some much needed down time. A chance to get away from the madness and pressure of being a NHL professional hockey player and team Captain. He was banking on the quiet and relaxation of Kodiak Island but he wasn’t banking on Lainey, the woman who would spark a peace he never knew he was missing. Not wanting to ruin this bubble he doesn’t tell Lainey who he really is. When he is forced to leave Kodiak for a family emergency, he does so without telling her the truth.
Fast forward a full year. Year of him never finding Lainey. He is not himself until a chance encounter when attending his teammates’s children’s birthday party and sees the woman he thought he had lost forever. Finally a second chance to be with her, finally a chance to come clean. Little does he know she is holding secrets of her own.
I loved this book! Wonderfully performed. They brought out all the feels. RJ or Rook was nothing but swoon worthy. And Lainey was adorably awkward and is plagued with something I am all to familiar with. It was nice to see this portrayed in such a real way. This one is definitely going on my reread and listen again list.

A Lie for a Lie

I Always enjoy Helena Hunting’s books!
Can’t wait for A Favor for a Favor to be released!

ITS AMAZING

Omg. I never ever ever ever leave reviews. Never. But this book. Wow. Just wow. It’s amazing 10000 percent recommend. You won’t be disappointed