Review: One Tiny Lie by K.A. Tucker

One Tiny Lie

Author: K.A. Tucker

Publisher: Atria Books

Publication Date: June 11, 2013

~Synopsis~

Livie has always been the stable one of the two Cleary sisters, handling her parents' tragic death and Kacey's self-destructive phase with strength and maturity. But underneath that exterior is a little girl hanging onto the last words her father ever spoke to her. “Make me proud,” he had said. She promised she would...and she’s done her best over the past seven years with every choice, with every word, with every action.

Livie walks into Princeton with a solid plan, and she’s dead set on delivering on it: Rock her classes, set herself up for medical school, and meet a good, respectable guy that she’s going to someday marry. What isn’t part of her plan are Jell-O shots, a lovable, party animal roommate she can’t say ‘no’ to, and Ashton, the gorgeous captain of the men’s rowing team. Definitely him. He’s an arrogant ass who makes Livie’s usually non-existent temper flare and everything she doesn’t want in a guy. Worse, he’s best friends and roommates with Connor, who happens to fits Livie’s criteria perfectly. So why does she keep thinking about Ashton?

Source: Goodreads

~Prelude~

A few months ago, I heard about this book called Ten Tiny Breathes that was supposed to be really good. I decided to pick it up and give it a shot. I was left breathless after that book and when I saw that the author was going to have a second book released in June I could hardly wait. While One Tiny Lie didn't affect me as strongly as Ten Tiny Breaths, it still got to me deeply. Here is how I felt.

~Review~

There are hardly words to express how I felt about this novel. I loved everything about it; from the characters to the writing to the plot to the ending. I was left satisfied with the ending but still wanting so much more that I could not get this book out of my head.

Livie is introduced to us in Ten Tiny Breaths so we get to know her a little but it is 3 years later, she is now 18 and she is getting ready to go to Princeton. She is shy, reserved and very naive. While at Princeton, she meets 2 guys; Ashton and Connor. Connor is sweet, charming, and perfect. He is everything that Livie always imagined she wanted. Then there is Ashton, who is a man whore and a little broken. However, as perfect as Connor is for her, she can't help but feel pulled towards Ashton. This causes a lot of turmoil for her.

I really liked Livie and I loved how her and Kacey are so different. While Kacey is confident and outspoken, Livie is shy and inexperienced. She really grew in this book and started to experience life. In the beginning, she has everything planned out and the idea of a perfect life in her head. As she grows, she really learns who she is and who she wants to be. Her picture perfect life in her head starts to unravel in real life but she realizes that it was never who she really was. More importantly, she is trying to find herself and where she fits in. She has spent her whole life focused on going to Princeton and becoming a doctor for her parents but she has never really stopped to think if that is what SHE wants or is right for her. She made mistakes and bad decisions but that is part of life and learning. In the end, she made the right choices and I was really happy with the person she became.

“I walk away from the voices, the shouts, the disappointment. I walk away from my deceptions, my mistakes, my regrets. I walk away from all that I am supposed to be and all that I cannot be. For all of it is a lie.”

I liked both Connor and Ashton but we didn’t really get to know Connor as well as Ashton. Connor was the perfect guy; sweet, smart, grounded. However, he didn’t really take Livie’s problems seriously and he kind of held her on a pedestal. When she was really unsure of things, he brushed her off and failed to support her. On the opposite side is Ashton, who is far from perfect; harsh, player, broken. He and Livie have an instant connection after one night of drunken behavior. He makes it clear that he wants her but won’t let her get close. I loved Ashton but he pissed me off when he constantly led Livie on and really confused her. He definitely screwed with her head at a time when she was more confused than ever. Though I couldn’t stay mad at him and he redeemed himself in the end.

“I know I shouldn’t’ take anything Connor says or does seriously right now because he’s drunk, but that was a typical Connor answer, alcohol or not. You’ll be fine. You’re sweet. You’re smart. You’re strong. You’re blah, blah, blah. Such generic and dismissive responses.”

While Livie thought becoming a doctor and having the perfect husband and life was what she wanted, her projects and phone calls with Dr. Staynor and her time spend with Ashton really opened her mind and her world. It made her realize that her parents, especially her father, would be proud of her no matter what she chose so long as she was happy. Even though Connor was Mr. Perfect, she had so much more in common with Ashton because they both had been through so much and were both fighting inner demons. I was shocked by the revelations involving Ashton’s life and his past but it helped me understand who he was and the decisions he made.

“I stare wide-eyed at my phone, processing his reaction—or nonreaction—to my night of scarring debauchery.”

While this book wasn’t as emotional and intense as Ten Tiny Breathes, it was still a fabulous book and it really tugged on the heartstrings. The writing was fantastic and I was held captive from the beginning to the end.  I loved the storyline and the direction that it took and I was satisfied with the ending. I can’t wait to see what K.A. Tucker has for us next.

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