A lifetime of lies, and a truth too painful to tell. When Suzanna Duff was ten years old, she lost her mama, and that’s when the lies began. At first, they were just harmless little fibs, a way to hide her unbearable loneliness and the truth about a daddy who came home rip-roaring drunk every night. But in time, the lies grew bigger and now, when she is a grown woman with a daughter of her own, … woman with a daughter of her own, they threaten to destroy everything she loves.
The irony of this situation is that Suzanna never planned to stay in Georgia, she was simply passing through, looking for a fresh start in New Jersey. Attending that wake with her daughter Annie, was a fluke. An opportunity to enjoy a free meal. It should have entailed nothing more than a solemn nod and a brief expression of sympathy but, Ida Parker, the grieving widow mistook her for her the granddaughter who was carried off as an infant. Too embarrassed to do anything else, Suzanna played along. What harm was there in pretending to be someone else for a few hours? Hours turned into days and days into weeks; strangers became friends, love happened, and before long a year had flown by.
Now the past is standing on her doorstep and Suzanna must decide to leave here and disappear as she has done before, or tell the truth and break the hearts of those she loves most.
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The story of Suzanna Duff is a tale of a woman who feels the need to lie in order to survive in life. She lost her mom when she was ten, her dad was an awful example of love, so on her own she decides to make her way in the world. Along the way, she got pregnant as a teen and had baby Annie to take care of, again without any support system. Hooking up with a drunk named Earl meant years of hopeless abuse, but Suzanna escaped and was determined to start a new life. At a bus stop in Georgia, she meets her destiny in the form of Ida, a widow who is seeking family and chooses to believe that Suzanna and Annie are family. Not meaning to continue to lie, Suzanna decides to harmlessly go along with Ida’s belief that she is Darla Jean, her long-lost step-granddaughter. I loved the way Suzanna was a strong female character with gumption and independence. Of course, I didn’t like her continued lies, but the author presented her dilemmas in such a way that they were understandable and fascinating. I was totally absorbed in “Darla Jean’s” story and how Annie kept making wishes that she saw fulfilled, one after another. The author does a great job of tying up all of the loose ends in Suzanna’s life and giving her reason to hope for a better future. I love happy endings, and Suzanna’s was particularly appreciated since she suffered so much to get there. That’s not to say that everyone in the book had a happy ending; you will have to read it to find out who does and who doesn’t end up with happy endings. Fans of women’s fiction will really enjoy this book that offers a laugh or two, a happy ending and a hope for more wishes come true for little Annie. This is the first book that I have read by this author, but I will look for more by her since this was a perfect book to read during this current pandemic…offering hope and healing and second chances at love and happiness.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
Back To A Simpler Yet Still Complicated Time. As a Georgia native currently sharing the Atlantic Coast of Florida with the author (she is several hours away from me), this brings back feels of a simpler time, before Interstate travel was really a thing and before the Net made it possible to see the news from anywhere, anywhere. When it was possible to simply leave a bad situation and have a reasonable assumption that it almost couldn’t follow you. When you could stumble into crashing a funeral for a free meal and wind up being confused for a long lost relative. When travelling 80 miles from Atlanta took a few hours. And it was a great walk down historic paths that were long gone before I was born as one of the oldest Millenials, two years into Reagan’s first term as President. It was a great tale of how a million little lies can come back to haunt someone, and how family isn’t always who shares our blood, but who shares our bonds. Very much recommended.
Thank you Netgalley, the author and publisher for allowing me to read an ARC of this new book by Bette Lee Crosby. I am a huge fan and once again she has not disappointed ! This is a great story about lying to try to have a better life. Her intentions are good but is it right to lie ? How many lies will she tell ? Suzanna is about to embark on an adventure to change her life. And in doing so she changes the life of her daughter and her ” grandmother”. Beautifully written and entertaining as well.
Bette Lee Crosby has knocked it out of the ballpark again with A Million Little Lies. It is powerful story about trust, truth, lies, and possibly even forgiveness. It is a book about family and how family isn’t always by blood, but can also be by choice. This was a powerful book that was full of surprises that literally will have you on the edge of your seat. I literally gasped when I thought the book was coming together and the author threw yet another curve at me! But come together it did. A great five star book! I highly recommend it! #AMillionLittleLies #NetGalley
WOW!! What a beautiful story that pulled me in from the beginning. Suzanne has lost her mother at ten years old. Her father is an irresponsible parent with all his drinking, so she learns to lie to hide the truth growing .
When she finds herself pregnant and kicked out by her father she ends up living with an older man. Who is no better than her father.
Suzanne takes her daughter Annie and leaves Florida.
A story that shows real family is not always made up of blood relatives. True love, moving forward with your life and truth. An emotional and heartwarming book.
Loved this book!!
Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read this book.
Very touching story about finding yourself, the meaning of family and love. Bette Lee Cosby knows how to write very well and in a way to tug at your heart strings! I lived this story. Her characters were endearing and the plot well thought out. 4 stars! A must read!