The Lies That Bind

A Novel

By: Emily Giffin

Narrated by: Brittany Pressley, Will Damron, Vikas Adam

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • In this irresistible novel from the author of All We Ever Wanted and Something Borrowed, a young woman falls hard for an impossibly perfect man before he disappears without a trace. . . .

It’s 2 A.M. on a Saturday night in the spring of 2001, and twenty-eight-year-old Cecily Gardner sits alone in a dive bar in New York’s East Village, questioning her life. Feeling lonesome and homesick for the Midwest, she wonders if she’ll ever make it as a reporter in the big city—and whether she made a terrible mistake in breaking up with her longtime boyfriend, Matthew.

As Cecily reaches for the phone to call him, she hears a guy on the barstool next to her say, “Don’t do it—you’ll regret it.” Something tells her to listen, and over the next several hours—and shots of tequila—the two forge an unlikely connection. That should be it, they both decide the next morning, as Cecily reminds herself of the perils of a rebound relationship. Moreover, their timing couldn’t be worse—Grant is preparing to quit his job and move overseas. Yet despite all their obstacles, they can’t seem to say goodbye, and for the first time in her carefully constructed life, Cecily follows her heart instead of her head.

Then Grant disappears in the chaos of 9/11. Fearing the worst, Cecily spots his face on a missing-person poster, and realizes she is not the only one searching for him. Her investigative reporting instincts kick into action as she vows to discover the truth. But the questions pile up fast: How well did she really know Grant? Did he ever really love her? And is it possible to love a man who wasn’t who heseemed to be?

The Lies That Bind is a mesmerizing and emotionally resonant exploration of the never-ending search for love and truth—in our relationships, our careers, and deep within our own hearts.

Critic reviews

Praise for Emily Giffin

“Giffin is a worldwide best-selling author because she gets under your skin—by creating relatable characters wrestling within believable situations.”—The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

“Giffin [has a] trademark ability to capture the complexities of human emotions while telling a rip-roaring tale.”—The Washington Post

“Giffin’s talent is pretty much unparalleled when it comes to the modern woman’s story about life, love and family.”—Redbook

The male voices...so irritating

If I have to listen to one more book where the female reader does a male voice for dialogue, I think I’ll scream. I give up on Audible. Just too painful to listen to. Why use the male voice actors to read emails in one chapter, and then not use them for the rest of the book?

Almost 5 stars

Soooo close to 5 stars. I won’t give specifics as to not spoil anything but I’ll say that the romantic side of me and the realist side of me were at odds on this one.

The story had so many elements of Something Borrowed, Baby Proof, and Love The One You’re With. It FELT like an Emily Giffin story. And I love how a few of the characters from her older books make a cameo and how their social circle overlap. And a strong friendship theme is always a win for me.

Pretty predictable in places but also surprising. A lot of the happenings seemed unrealistic or just overly convenient but all in all, very entertaining. The timing around 9/11 had me feeling a lot, and I had a strong emotional connection to many of the characters. Overall, if you like Giffin’s older novels, I recommend.

Very Good

Enjoyed this fast read and for the mos part kept me hanging on. If you like Emily Giffin books, you will enjoy this.

So good!

I love Emily Giffin‘s books and this is another excellent read. Narration was perfect. Definitely recommend!

Incredible story

Absolutely loved it. Cried, laughed and had chills multiple times. One of my new favorites