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 … 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.
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A Lie for a Lie was sweet, sexy second chance romance with a twist…
This is quite a fast and enjoyable read. No unnecessary angst or drama.
Rook and Lainey are complete opposites but you know what they say..
They come from two totally different worlds but click completely.
Obviously there’s some lies told but love prevails.
You can’t go wrong with a Helena Hunting book.
~BREAKDOWN OF RATINGS~
Plot~ 5/5
Main Characters (hero/heroine)~ 5/5
Secondary Characters~ 5/5
The Feels~ 5/5
Pacing~ 5/5
Addictiveness~5/5
Angst~ 5/5
Steam/Hotness/Chemisty ~ 5/5
Theme or Tone~ 5/5
Flow (Writing Style)~ 5/5
Backdrop (World Building)~ 5/5
Originality~ 5/5
Ending~ 5/5
Book Cover~ Sexy
Series~ stand-alone
Source~ Kindle eBook -ARC for honest review
Would I read more from the author? Yes
Would I recommend this book? Yes
This is a delightful second chance romance. RJ is one of the best hockey players in the NHL, and captain of his team in Chicago. He has a reputation as a player, but is finding the puck bunny scene old. RJ is going to his annual guys trip with his brother to Alaska, but his brother has to cancel at the last minute to stay home with his pregnant wife. While on the small plane to the Kodak island, he is seated next to Lainey. She is beautiful, but very sheltered and fearful. They bond on the plane, then realize that there are staying close to each other so they drive together. RJ really likes that Lainey has no idea who he is, and likes him for himself. After playing house for six weeks, RJ has to leave due to a family emergency. Of course, neither of them told the other their last names, and they didn’t have each other’s phone numbers. A year has passed, and fate brings them together in Chicago. Will they be able to get past the lies and secrets to get to their happily ever after? This is a really nice spin-off of the Pucked series by Helena Hunting. I received an ARC of this book from the author and publisher for my honest review.
A couple of random encounters and he is smitten with this girl. She is unlike all the puck bunnies he is used to. She is innocent and slightly awkward. It was fun to watch them go from acquaintances to friends to more. We get to see his sweet side. (Quite the contrast from his previous years as an NHL star with the reputation of being a manwhore.) She may not be as ‘worldly’ as he, but she is smart and intuitive and despite being a little on the shy side, she isn’t afraid to speak the truth. If you are familiar with the Pucked series by this author, you will recognize a good many of the side characters. (That was a nice bonus.) There is some humor and some more solemn moments. This is a second chance romance with a surprise twist or two. The two never really had a falling out. per se, but they lost touch and found each other in an unsuspecting way, but if they still had that same connection they once had is remained to be seen. It’s a well written/crafted story that reads easily and quickly. It was hard to put down. There is some sexual content suitable for 18+. It alternates POVs.
*I received an ARC of this book.
Another super cute story from Helena Hunting. I have missed being in her hockey world, and this was a great way to get back.
Lainey and RJ’s story is full of attraction, dripping with lust – and halted by lies.
I didn’t even read the blurb before I started reading this one – didn’t need to lol. However, if you do read the blurb, you could have a pretty good guess at what one of the lies is. Or like me, you will guess some of it as you are reading along. However that did not take away anything from my enjoyment.
Their story is a wonderful second-chance romance, with a few hurdles along the way. There was a bit of drama for drama’s sake, however nothing was really OTT.
Were they lies? Were they lies of omission? Does it really matter at the end of the day. Someone gets hurt either way. It is the way that the hurt is dealt with that matters, right?
I liked that when things get found out, there was some serious grovelling, and our guy shows the man he really is, not what the world shows him as.
I loved seeing the Pucked boys and their families – Vi is still as funny AF as she every was, and I love every scene she is in.
I did miss the actually hockey in this one though – but that is just me!
I am really looking forward to the next book now.
Run out and grab yourself a copy of A Lie for A Lie – RJ is worth it!
Another fantastic read by Helena Hunting! I loved this second chance storyline. When what you don’t realize you need literally drops in your lap. This story has the right mixture of sweet, sexy and humor. You’ll be drawn in from the beginning and hooked on RJ and Lainey until the end. A great beginning to a Pucked spin off series and can’t wait for more! I highly recommend this must read!
I’m so in love with A Lie for a Lie. First we get this fantastic second chance hockey romance. You are just going to love Rook (RJ) and Lainey. There is just something special about these two that just makes you giddy. They are sexy and sweet. I giggled many times over with RJ and Lainey. As you read you get why Lainey is so hesitant to giving RJ another chance. But let me tell you this you will just love it. Okay now for the second thing you will just love, hello you get a little bit of our favorite Pucked series couples too. Yes you heard me right. I feel in love with A Lie for a Lie from the very start. I love all the giggles and the feels that Helena Hunting gives us. Lainey is so amazing and RJ just has this way about him. So be prepared for a lot of laughs and awe moments throughout this one. This is a ONE-CLICKER right here. I can’t wait for RJ’s sister Stevie’s story.
From the woman who brought us the Pucked Series, once again she brings us a new stand-alone series, All In. Of course, it’s about a hockey player! This outstanding story will have you wanting more, more about characters that have us so enthralled and invested in their story that you feel like a participant in their lives rather than just a reader. Hope you enjoy this story as much as I did!
OMG I love Helena’s books so much. As usual she gives us the right amount of sass with Lainey. Rook is the right amount of Alpha in this hockey world. I love how we get pieces of Violet & Alex and everyone else in this book.
Rook and Lainey meet on a chance encounter on the way to Alaska. They lose touch for a year until they run into each other. Problem is their relationship was built on omission. Lainey doesn’t know if she can trust him, & all Rook wants is a chance. Of course theirs much more to their story, but no spoilers!
I can’t wait to read the next book in this series. As usual, this book can be read as a standalone, but some of the references make it more hilarious if you’ve read the series!
From the highly loved Pucked series comes a new generation of hockey players to fall in love with. A Lie For A Lie is everything wonderful that Helena Hunting creates with her writing!!
We meet Rook Bowman, the captain now of the Chicago hockey team, for those of you familiar with the Pucked series, yes we have moved ahead a few years, but I assure this is a complete standalone. So while Alex has retired and most of the beloved players have families that you will meet, catch up with, and laugh right along with, you do not have to have read any of the prior books in order to enjoy this story.
We really begin the story of Rook, or RJ as we get to know him throughout the story, and Lainey in Alaska. Lainey is headed there to finish her third master’s degree, she’s a total brainiac and not into sports whatsoever. RJ is headed there on his yearly fishing trip away from the media, paparazzi, puck bunnies, and most of civilization. He finds Lainey freshing that she doesn’t know a thing about him so he leaves out the teeny tiny fact that he works for the NHL. It’s not really a lie, but more of an omission, and blatant steer of conversation when she asks what he does for work, but aside from that….he can’t help but be enamoured by her and their chemistry is off the charts. When he has to suddenly leave, he hates the fact he never hears from her again. Could he have misread the signs? When destiny places her in his path once more he knows he can’t lose her again, but he’s floored to discover she may have been keeping an omission of her own.
Lainey is away from pretty much everyone she knows for the first time in her life and the gorgeous man who has graciously helped her more times than really should be necessary, well she can’t seem to want to stay away when he offers to let her stay in his luxurious cabin vs. her rodent infested one. For six weeks they spend pretty much every moment together, until it comes to a heartbreaking end. With no way to contact one another once they leave their bubble of bliss they completely lose touch. Thankfully fate has another idea in mind. When Lainey takes a job in Chicago she runs into RJ again, she just didn’t realize he was a hockey player named Rook.
Can they both forgive and forget their past mistakes? Only time, healing, and a lot of trust will bring them back to where they were in Alaska, but the big question is, do they both want the same thing now that so much time has passed.
This new series is going to rock your world and give you all the feels…I’m serious….ALL THE FEELS!!! The direction that Helena is taking everything is absolutely amazing. Lainey and RJ are incredible together and rank pretty high up in standings to my favorite hockey couple. I can hardly wait for more stories to arrive in this new series!! The ride is going to be fantastic!!
Rook tells a not so little white lie. Lainey is one smart woman. They say opposite’s attract it sure is true in the amazing story. This was a fun entertaining sexy story. Could not wait to see where Rook and Lainey would take this story. Amazing loved it.
This is a great read for the start of this new series as well as a great connector since it is a spin-off from the Pucked series as well!! This book had me hooked from the first page that I started reading and I was sorry that I had real life responsibilities that got in the way of me just immersing myself until I could get it finished! RJ (Rook) and Lainey’s story was a sweet read as the pair explore their feelings and navigate through the deceptions that they told each other. The pair had amazing chemistry even when they were fighting against it that started from their very first encounter. RJ’s deception to Lainey was large but understandable once thought about in the big picture of life. He truly worked had to show her that he was indeed the same person that she fell for at first but he had a long road to tow to get to his HEA with her. Lainey’s deception was not really a true deception as more of a protective action (and a little predictable in the big picture) but understandable in the events that occurred between her and RJ. I enjoyed watching Lainey become a stronger person that what she was at the start of this book as she really came into herself. I experienced several ‘ovary explosions’ with RJ and his tenderness and caring attitude for Lainey. I enjoyed the cameo appearances from some of the characters from the Pucked series even though they were brief. This book was the perfect start for the spin off series and I look forward to the next books in the series.
*5 Stars*
ARC kindly received in exchange for an honest review.
I fell right into this book immediately. I shouldn’t be surprised, because that always seems to be the case with Helena Hunting books for me. This is a bit of a spin-off from the Pucked series, so I’d like to point that out from the start. I haven’t actually finished the Pucked books myself, so this was a glimpse into the future for some of the characters I haven’t met yet properly. I really want to go back and finish that series when I get time, even more now. I love the hockey world Helena has created, and A Lie for a Lie lends into that really well.
I liked the way that RJ and Lainey met, and struck up their initial relationship, I guess you could call it. I totally understand RJ’s reasons for some things as well. He really is genuinely sweet guy, and Lainey was a bunch of fun. Whilst she is quite a nervous person, she’s really smart, and when she lets her guard down and gets to know RJ its amazing.
Fast forward to the year later after their initial time together, and we really get thrown into a whirlwind of a situation. I kind of expected was going to happen, but it was only an initial thought that got swept to the back of my mind.
I could completely understand Lainey’s lack of trust and her wariness about getting to know RJ again and involve him in her life. He sure pulls out all the stops and really uses his true personality to start getting back into her goods books, and getting to know her.
There were secondary characters I loved (see our hockey friends and Eden), and others that I really wasn’t too fond of (see Lainey’s family), so we have a nice mix of personality types thrown in as well.
This story was so much fun to read. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I won’t say much more than that, because it’s fun to go in blind like I did, and enjoy these characters for who they are. I can’t wait for more from this series, and to see where Helena takes us next!
Mother Pucker!
The following ratings are out of 5:
Narration:
Romance:
Heat/Steam:
Story/Plot:
World building:
Character development:
The heroine: Lainey (a.k.a. Alaska Girl) – the youngest of seven kids, she grew up on a farm and was homeschooled. Since then she has gotten 3 PHD’s and is on her way to Alaska to study whales and dolphins. Her mother worries about her and she suffers from anxiety attacks.
The Hero(s): R.J. (a.k.a Rook) – NHL standout and team captain. When he was a rookie, he went through a period where he was a playboy and took full advantage of all the puck bunnies following after his team. He now sees how empty that life is and isn’t looking for anything like that.
The Story: Lainey and R.J. meet on the plane to Alaska. He is in the off season and is going on a yearly fishing trip he took with his father and brother. Though his father died and his brother can’t make it this year so he is taking the trip alone. Lainey literally falls into his lap on the plane and he helps her through some anxiety along the way.
This series was an offshoot of the Pucked Series and I was happy to see Rook’s teammates were the guys we know from that series. This book was a bit more serious than the Pucked books but was just as good. I was glad that though the book was centered around a Lie, it didn’t go over the top like some books.
Sometimes characters in books seem to kind of make a mountain out of a mole hill when it comes to lies. Sure being honest and being able to trust someone is important but everyone lies, and one lie doesn’t necessarily make a dishonest person. Especially when the reasons behind the lie can be easily explained and understood.
The narration was done by Jason Clarke and Stella Bloom and they did a bang up job. I really enjoy Jason Clarke as the Hero and Stella Bloom sounded age appropriate for Lainey. Helena Hunting does very well with the Sports Romance trope and I could read her books every day!
4.5 stars
ARC provided by Montlake Romance through NetGalley for honest review
I enjoyed this so much! I’m always here for second chance romance and Hunting did such a wonderful job with it. Also loved the little snippets we got from other Pucked characters in this book. Can’t wait to read the next one in this series.
**SPOILERS**
I am tired of the surprise pregnancy plotline. I avoid these books at all cost. The book summary never hinted at this, so I gave it a shot. The first 1/3 of the book is great but once the baby comes into play the story is over. It’s just 200 pages of a weak and boring heroine deciding if she should trust a guy who simply lied about his job. The story never goes anywhere and there is no conflict to overcome. 2 stars because, like I said, the first 1/3 if alright for a love story.
A Lie for a Lie
(All in #1)
Written by: Helena Hunting
Shh, don’t tell anyone but this is my first Helena Hunting book. Oh they’ve been sitting there in my Kindle app waiting to be read. I’ve been waiting for some time to get to them and it finally happened and yes, I’m so glad I stopped in the H authors on my way through my list!
I tend to stay away from sports books, ok I read the odd baseball book but hockey isn’t usually one I would pick up. A Lie for a Lie though, it was not what I expected and everything I could have asked for.
Full of emotions, characters that you want to be a part of your life and humor that just solidifies that this is a book you needed to read.
Lainey and RJ are easy to love. Lainey for her quirky thoughts, the way she talks to herself, her pushing through all that she is faced with in Alaska; you can’t help but want to see her happy. RJ is the type of guy you want your daughter to marry. When he becomes her safety bear on the plane, his need to check on her and the way he listens to her talk about dolphins and whales. Of course their instant connection and heat that is always simmering between them makes these two an instant match.
Then all communication stops, until they accidently meet again and her wish is to get away from him as quickly as she can. His wish however, is to get closer to her and apologize. There is a secret there that needs to be revealed but until Lainey is ready no one is going to find out what it is.
From excited kids at an aquarium to the dolphins getting it on, this book was an enjoyable read and I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series. Helena Hunting welcome to my one click list. Glad to have you aboard.
Life absolutely caught up to me and got in the way of reading this book.
Helena is a one-click Wonder for me.
No matter what she writes is always swoon-worthy, adorable, romantic and easy read.
Always leaves you feeling good.
RJ and Lainey are absolutely adorable. Their insta love/second chance romance was so heart warming and just what I needed.
These hockey romance novels are literally the best and easiest things to submerge yourself in and completely enjoy.
Considering that I just recently discovered the Pucked series and absolutely adore it, I couldn’t wait to get started on Hunting’s spin-off All In series. This is the perfect time to start it too, because the next installment, A Kiss For A Kiss, will be released May 27. I’m a sucker for a good series and I hate waiting for the next book so this is perfect timing.
This book follows Rook “RJ” Bowman, current captain of the Chicago Hawks NHL team. He was a minor character in the later Pucked books but didn’t play a big enough role to really matter to me, so I wasn’t dying to read this but the reviews are excellent so I wanted to give it a try. Of course, I wasn’t disappointed because it’s Helena Hunting, y’all and she’s awesome.
Despite my love for Alex Waters and Lance Romero, Rook has found a place in my heart. He’s a reformed playa who dipped out after one too many crazy puck bunnies, including an obsessive stalker type who faked a pregnancy for two months. That was the final straw after a few close calls so our former playboy is rather tame now. At least until he meets Lainey. Rook’s and his brother honor their late father’s memory by keeping up the tradition of annual fishing trips to the family’s Alaskan cabin but this year he’s on his own. His sister-in-law starts to experience pregnancy complications so his brother cancels, but he’s happy to go alone. He’s looking forward to retreating from his high-profile lifestyle for a few weeks until Lainey crosses his path.
Rook couldn’t be happier to discover Lainey has no idea who he is and he loves being just a regular guy with her. Lainey’s a home-schooled farm girl venturing out into the world on her own for the first time. She’s taken a plane for the first time, travelling to Alaska to study marine biology for her third Master’s degree. Her over-protective parents were completely against the trip but she’s determined to start becoming independent. Her enthusiasm is dampened when she arrives at the dilapidated, leaky, rodent-infested cabin that’s nothing like she was promised but she’s determined to tough it out, no matter how bad it seems.
He was loveable from the start because he was so concerned about Lainey and genuinely wanted to help her. As the situation in the cabin worsened, Rook was happy to take care of her without expecting anything in return. She’s nervous by nature so anxiety easily takes over and she frets that he could be a serial killer. Yes, she’s a woman after my own heart so I liked her immediately. Rook is determined to keep her safe and just happy to have her company, even if it goes no further. Luckily for him, it goes a lot further and they quickly fall for each other.
A family emergency requires him to leave a day early and he’s a mess. Despondent about leaving Lainey and worried about his family, Rook never gives her his cell number and Lainey doesn’t have one. He calls her at the cabin as soon as he arrives but a storm knocked out the power and it doesn’t come back on before she leaves the next day. He never reaches her and they have no way to find one another again. They’re both heartbroken and it’s worsened by the fact that Lainey left a note but Rook never got it. She’s devastated that he never called and he’s crushed that she didn’t care enough to leave contact information.
They both believe their love is unrequited and go about their lives wondering what if until fate intervenes, bringing them together once more. I was expecting a happy reunion but there was one little problem: Rook never told her he was a famous athlete, in fact he said he was an alpaca farmer so Lainey’s shocked and angry. He lied. This man isn’t who she thought he was and it only gets worse as she learns more about him. The gossip rags are full of Rook Bowman and his hockey hookers. Lainey’s so disgusted, she won’t even talk to him.
Luckily for them, her best friend intervenes and eventually convinces her to at least hear him out. The pictures and rumors are years old after all, so Lainey finally relents but she’s got an even bigger secret to reveal, one that will change everything. I’ll admit that I saw this twist coming a mile away, but despite expecting it, I still thoroughly enjoyed the story, rooting for these two the entire time. Lainey’s grown up a lot since moving to Chicago and distancing herself from her smothering family but she carries a lot of guilt for needing her own life. Rook wants nothing more than to prove that she met the real him in Alaska and can be the man she needs.
I can’t say much about his course of action without spoiling the whole plot but it’s a sweet, funny, heartwarming story, one I very much enjoyed. We get to know their families and I’m looking forward to the next installment, featuring Rook’s sister Stevie. She has a minor role in this book but is a fun, likable character. While I’d love more Rook and Lainey, I know that’s not happening so I’ll move on, but having this insight into the characters makes me want to re-read Little Lies, which is a next-generation standalone about the children of the Pucked and All In characters. I think it will tell a different story now that I have the background on everyone so I’m putting it on my list again for a second run. A Lie For A Lie was a fun read and I highly recommend it.
I really enjoyed this one. There were a couple of things that bothered me about Lavender and Kodiak’s relationship, namely Kodiak being such a jerk.
Their past closeness was awesome. However, how the parents handled it was terrible.
Still an enjoyable read.
First warning, listening to this book at work will likely cause your coworkers to think you are crazy due to apparent spontaneous bursts of hysterical laughter. As with many of Helena Hunting’s books, there are some absolutely hilarious moments that will result with you completely loosing it.
I love the support we see from Rook for Lainey. Their journey together many not be the easiest, but the story is so good. I love the characters that Helena has created with these too & seeing some of our favorites from the Pucked series was amazing.
Another great book! I also want to say that the narrators for the audiobook do an amazing job of bringing this story to life.