A Love Song for Liars (Rivals, #1)

Schooled from the Travesty series is a favorite, so I’m a fan. I haven’t read outside the Travesty series, though, so I’m an ill-educated one. And this series, Rivals, is a spin-off from a previous one entitled Wicked–now you’re caught up.

There is nothing more fickle than a musician’s heart. They write love songs about everything from loving lovers to adoring jams and jellies, and at the end of the day, they have the flagrant disregard for tossing out hearts and empty jars without thought for the vessels. Annie knows this despite a rocker dad with a happily-ever-after. Musicians can’t be trusted, and the most untrustworthy is the owner of her heart and keeper of her secrets, ex-bestie and current-worstie, Tyler Adams. He tossed her aside, and she is determined to stay there.

But rockers and former besties, protectors, and kiss-stealers all have one thing in common: a wrap sheet for stringing Annie along and leaving her heartbroken.

A Love Song For Liars suffers a pacing issue. The prologue is aces. The first chapter bogs down in exposition so much that it gags on itself. There would be these incredible, synergistic dialogue parts that would fall apart by adjacent inner monologue. I had this repetitive stop and go feeling when I wanted things to flow better. It wasn’t a dealbreaker, but it was disappointing.

While I had a problem with the connectivity of some of the events and narrative, I was blown away with some of the more gentle and beautiful prose written into Annie’s POV. The character is a sensitive, heart-on-her-sleeve type who is okay taking the blows if they keep it real. And while it sounds a little like a punching bag, it makes sense in the story as she is a sheltered girl who is protected by her father–and not trusted to live through making her own mistakes. He’s a former rockstar, after all. But her vulnerability is often breathtakingly expressed.

“Our lives are the stories we tell about them. The stories we sing about them. And our hearts don’t belong in cages. We’re meant to be fragile. We’re born to bleed.”

Now I’m sure book boyfriend awards are going out, and Tyler is getting one. I will nominate him for one, but this is book one of a trilogy. He’s a repeat offender of douchery, so let’s hold off on giving him the certificate until he shows a more excellent aptitude for holding up the title.

Schooled

You know I never thought Jax Jameison would make me throw my kindle again or that I would have this extreme urge to junk punch him but here we are . Tyler & Annie…. GAH! ALL THE FEELS! A Love Song for Liars is their beginning… a series of angst filled…emotionally driven life changing choices. These two have always had this connection… this friendship and maybe the start of something more… but like I said alot of life changing choices are made and now we wait to see what will happen next. My heart breaks/is broken for these two but I know this is just the beginning of their journey…. and I cannot wait to find out where their story will take us next

Hold the bus! I need book two now!

Tyler Adams is Oakwood Prep’s rebel prince and the protégée of rock musician Jax Jamieson, Annie is Jax’s daughter and at one time the best friend of Tyler’s. Things went downhill for both of them when Tyler moved into the pool house.

Feelings of self-doubt about being good enough for Annie on Tyler’s behalf plague him. His past haunts him, but gradually we gain snippets of what his life was like with his father. Annie herself has an interesting past and she too forged ahead trying to make the most of things. Both characters seem older than their years, possibly a situation caused by their circumstances but written well and believable too.

Annie and Tyler have definite chemistry and are like magnets that attract with no possibility of anything else. The fun banter between them and their quick repartee is amusing and adds a light element to the story.

This story highlights the catty and at times disgusting behavior of this age group, and their issues. There certainly is angst and an emotional tsunami between Annie and Tyler but also developing between other characters as well.

I look forward to the next part of this story.

Reviewer: Robyn

A Love Song For Liars is a NA romance that fills you with angst, has you feeling like you are experiencing your first kiss and first love all over again. A teenage romance between two former friends that is packed with high school drama and bad choices. Tyler and Annie’s story will have you captivated and at times frustrated. These two have a bond that is hard to break even when it appears they are miles apart. As family, self doubt and school bullies play a part in decisions that are made you will be left craving part 2 of their story.

I received an ARC of this book and this is my voluntarily, honest review of it.

‘A love song for liars’ is the first book of the ‘Rivals’ trilogy, but I would really recommend that you read the prequel ‘Love notes’ before reading this story. If not, you will miss the beginning of their story and the reason why their friendship is a thing of the past.

For the readers who have read the ‘Wicked’ trilogy by this writer, they will be happy to know that this story is about Jax’s daughter Annie and her friend Tyler (who we also met in the Wicked series). For the readers who haven’t read the ‘Wicked’ trilogy, I think that you best start with those books, that will give you a better understanding of Annie and Tyler’s background. But if you just want to read this trilogy without reading the other trilogy first, that’s possible too.
You get both POV’s in this story.

The main characters may still be on high school and therefore be young of age, but their characters felt older, more mature. The story had more a new adult vibe to it than a young adult one. I think that has something to do with Tyler’s and Annie’s difficult or special upbringing, that made that they had to mature quicker. (Tyler and his difficult home situation and Annie being the secret daughter of a famous rock star and being raised by her aunt first before living by her father).

‘A love song for liars’ is an emotional story about friendship, first love and heartbreak, trust, secrets and about searching for your own path in life (despite expectations of parents or other people). What a beginning of a trilogy, the story made me emotional and as expected it ended with a cliffhanger. Annie and Tyler were great characters and throughout the story you could really feel the chemistry between them building and building. But be warned, don’t expect steamy sex scenes yet but I’m sure that we will get them in the following books. I liked Annie very much, she was a positive and strong character and she wasn’t afraid to open her heart and show her vulnerability to the outside world. I admired that about her. And then you have Tyler, someone who is just made to become a hot rock star or at least, a hot musician. I can totally understand why Annie is falling for him and he for her but of course that would be too easy. To just fall in love and be happy. No, they will have to fight for their love and prove it to the outside world and themselves. Annie and Tyler are young so it’s understandable that they are easily influence by the people around them. But this, it broke my heart because you just felt that they were so right for each other.

Annie is such a wonderful daughter and I felt sorry that Jax didn’t appreciated her and her feelings for Tyler more. That he tried to come between her friendship with Tyler. But then I think that in this case he acted more like a musician then a father. He recognized the great talent in Tyler and he focussed on that and not how his meddling would hurt his daughter. He only saw Tyler the musician, not Tyler the best friend of his daughter.

I look forward to reading the continuing story of Annie and Tyler’s journey.

Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy at no cost from the publisher/author. All opinions in my review are my own.

OMG, this had all the feels. I was so invested in this story. I just couldn’t put it down. This is a story that you will absolutely fall in love with.

This is the first full-length book that I have read by Piper Lawson and I really have been missing out. I absolutely loved her storytelling. The writing flowed seamlessly and with such a natural flair. It made it so easy to fall completely into the story. The plot of the story was very well crafted. I really loved the premise and how the story elicited all the feels. Putting this book down was just not an option. I was so compelled to read it.

Tyler and Annie were characters that warmed my heart. They were both very resilient characters. They were both either running from things or hiding from things in their lives. All while still trying to move forward and reach for their dreams. They were both very likable and relatable characters that I found very endearing. The kind of characters that you can’t help but root for. I liked the secondary characters as well and I wish that we could have seen more of Tyler and Annie’s friends.

The romance is one that I loved because Tyler and Annie started out as childhood friends. Though they met only a handful of years before the start of the book, they solidified a meaningful and intimate friendship. When Tyler comes back into Annie’s life, there is all this history between them. They definitely have chemistry with one another and what’s more, is that their childhood friendship makes it that much more meaningful.

Overall, this was a very emotional story with a very poignant ending that left me wanting more. I cannot wait for the next book in this series. I am waiting with bated breath.

The young girl with a sensitive heart has blossomed into a strong-willed woman. Annie is most definitely her father’s daughter. She does not suffer fools easily and she keeps her emotions close to the vest. A Love Song for Liars is a tale of firsts. First love has become a first heartache that has quickly blossomed into haunting regrets. For Annie, Tyler is her greatest mistake. For Tyler, Annie is the one that got away. Lawson introduced us to the dream. Young love at it’s most fragile has become a painful reminder of what was. Can two lost souls begin again to find out if what was is worth risking forever after? Sweet and sinful explode into a heartache that lingers like a perfume on the air.

Oh, Annie and Tyler. Already my heart aches so badly for each of you. I have been so eager to enjoy this couple’s story after meeting them in this author’s Wicked series. While these character were introduced in that series, you do not need to worry if you haven’t read it. This series stands on its own beautifully. I loved this book so much. To start it is well written and paced. The story and the characters very easily capture your interest and heart. The engaging storyline will quickly captivate you and have you fully invested with its compelling blend of intense emotions, drama, angst, what seems like constantly increasing tension, sweetness, simmering chemistry, poignancy, heartache, and some big questions that will have you desperate for answers and yet scared of what the answers might be. The three things that made the biggest impression on me were: 1. At first look, you are inclined to think that Tyler and Annie are polar opposites of each other. However, once you get to know them and get a much clearer picture, you truly begin to realize the similarities that they share and you are given cause to wonder whether those similarities will be their ruination or their ultimate saving grace, 2. The Little Mermaid. This fairy tale plays a major role in this part of this couple’s story and I thought that it was terribly clever how Annie’s own feelings and story seemed to mimic that of that of Ariel’s and 3. Love & Family. These are dual-edged swords that can be a blessing, a curse or even both at the same time and this book gives us a taste of that and heavily foreshadows that there is plenty more to come on that front in future books in this series. Just in case you are not aware, this YA/NA read does end on a cliffhanger as this is only the first of the three books in the trilogy. So be prepared for a cliffhanger. In my opinion book two cannot release soon enough!! This is my sincere review that I am posting of my own accord.

I just finished this book and I’m completely gutted! The ending took me for a loop. I need the next books stat!

Wow This book plays with your heart strings just like a guitar I had me wanting to beat those nasty jealous girls and kicking Tyler’s butt I was siting actually talking to book like the characters could actually here me ….. my heart broke Annie is a talented young lady with a big heart beautiful but not just on the outside Tyler and her belong together but will they want they …..????? You will jus have to read it and find out