“A sizzling, chemistry-filled enemies-to-lovers romance, which is both crackaliciously addictive and angst-central. I couldn’t get enough of Nash and Em. One of my favorite books of the year.” – L.J. Shen, USA Today Bestselling AuthorFrom USA Today bestselling author Parker S. Huntington comes an enemies-to-lovers, slow-burn romance full of revenge and a dash of fate.“She could enjoy her pretty, … fate.
“She could enjoy her pretty, perfect world a little longer. Soon enough, everything she owned would be mine.”
I had a plan to escape the friend zone.
Step one: sneak into Reed’s room.
Step two: sleep with him.
But when the lights turned on, it wasn’t familiar blue eyes I saw.
These were dark, angry, and full of demons.
And they belonged to Reed’s much older brother.
Four years later, Nash Prescott is no longer the help’s angry son.
I’m no longer the town’s prized princess.
At twenty-two, I’m broke, in need of a job.
At thirty-two, he’s a billionaire, in need of revenge.
Who cares if my family ruined his?
Who cares if he looks at me with pure loathing?
Who cares if every task he assigns me is designed to torture?
I need the money.
Simple as that.
I’ll suffer his cruelty in silence, knowing there’s one thing he wants more than revenge…
Me.
Note: Devious Lies is a 145,000-word standalone in the Cruel Crown series. If you love banter and angst, this book is for you! Welcome to Eastridge. Enter if you dare.
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Devious Lies by Parker S. Huntington
5
I cannot express in words what this book means to me. I think that the part that spoke to my soul it is that we all atone for something, we are imperfect, sinners, broken, and that is what makes us human. The story is very well written and enchanting.it hooks you with the wittiness, sarcasms, ironies, the playfulness of the characters, and evolves you with the sensations and emotions that each of them goes through. the book also touches deep subject as death, deceptions, misunderstanding, age difference, and power abuse; hence, the book’s title. Nash and Emery go from enemy to loves is such a smooth way 9meaning it was organic and not force). Don’t get me wrong they fight their attraction with tooth and nail, but whatever feelings they had for each other was stronger than the heaters they professed. I wholeheartedly recommend this book.
PS I’m still obsessed with the clever use of words through the book.
Devious Lies is very different to my usual reading, but I’m trying to branch out. It’s a longer romance novel at 700 pages, and I expected to have a hard time getting through it, but I was enthralled from the beginning through to the end. It was melodramatic and dark and a little over the top at times, but I actually found it quite compelling for those very reasons. I also enjoyed the characters’ wordplay and obsession with unusual and forgotten words. I learned a few new ones myself. Recommend for people who enjoy a darker, intense read.
Loved this book. Once I started reading this book, I did not want to put it down til the end. Loved this story of Nash and Emery. Highly recommend.
Wow. I’ve found another auto buy author. Parker S Huntington delivers in Devious Lies which is an enemies to lovers romance that will have you cheering for the characters long after the book ends. Emery grew up with a silver spoon in her mouth She never had to try for anything but things have changed for her now and she needs his help. Nash did not grow up with a silver spoon, instead he was the rebel from the wrong side of the tracks but now he’ll have his revenge.
The kink in his plan is that he and Emery share a past and she knows the one thing he wants more than revenge is her. She tolerates the conditions and comes back with just as good as she gets. Very slow burn, bad boy with a weakness and a good girl who stands up for herself.
While I love Parker’s other books (yes I’ve read them all–well worth the read), I was a little concerned about the length of this book. I wasn’t sure the story or characters could hold up to that much ‘stuff’ but never fear, probably the longest book I’ve read this year but I blew through it and when I hit the end, I wanted MORE! Always the sign of a good book for me.
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– OH.MY.GOD… ya’ll… this book brought me out of my reading slump like NOOOOO other!!! So first off let me start by confessing… I don’t listen to audiobooks. I have no idea why but I just prefer reading. I feel like when I try listening to books I miss important parts or zone out. With that being said, I recently purchased Audible because I wanted to TRY to start listening more… THAT is how I came across Devious Lies by Parker S. Huntington. I was completely enthralled you guys! I don’t even know what the male narrator’s name is (I’ll figure it out and add it here later) but SHEESH! He sounded EXACTLY how I pictured Nash sounding in my head. I absolutely devoured Devious Lies, if I wasn’t listening to it, then I was switching over and reading it! I HIGHLY recommend checking this one out!
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– O.M.G… SMOKING HOT! Between the “Ben” scenes and the Nash scenes… ya might wanna bring a change of panties for this one ya’ll!
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ℂ – Nope, no cliffhanger. It was an absolutely PERFECT ending to Nash and Emery’s story.
. . .
4.5 Fanfreakingtastic Stars!!
I almost crazy loved it if it wasn’t for the confused back and forth between past and present mixed with special wording and their individual meanings (that’s just my personal opinion).
The incredibly and delightful performance by Sebastian York and Desireé Ketchum brought this story to life brilliantly!
Both narrators are absolutely fantastic!
wonderful and deep story!
This is the first (and definitely not the last) book I’ve read by this author, and I loved it.
I know some people thought it was to wordy, but I thought it was amazing.
I love words and their meanings and how sometimes one word can describe so much of you’re experiecing and feeling, while others feel incomplete. I love when you find that word or expression that can touch you in such a deep way that no other word, not even a person, can do.
What can I say, I’m a word nerd.
And I loved how these characters did the same to me as those different words. They were so full of feelings, some good, some bad, all of them real, some of the misdirected.
It was a story about penance, regret, revenge, mistakes, grief, forgiveness, lies people tell, truths we can’t admit, love, so much love.
And both Nash and Emery had all of these feelings in spades. Some of them they didn’t even know what to do about, some others were based on the right reasons, but the wrong truths, and yet others were spoken only to themselves, because admiting it was being way too vulnerable.
Nash and Emery were so complex and so full of flaws and amazing qualities, even if they didn’t see them. They were deep, mixing torment and funny, lust and rage, love and fear.
The secondary characters were important in the whole plot, but they didn’t ofuscated the main characters. They themselves were fundamental and totally lived up to the challenge of bringing so many emotions.
I’m glad I read this book!
This is my first time reading anything by this author, and I found this book to be enjoyable, and entertaining. This is the story of Nash, and Emery, having know each other from young, they both grew up in much different ways. Years later the tides, have turned, and Emery find herself down on her luck, and in need of a job, and she turns to Nash. Nash has made something of himself, and when he find Emery in need of help, he think he might find a way to get his revenge. This was a great read, the characters are well written, and have great chemistry, I loved reading their story, it was emotional, intense, steamy, and fun.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
An angsty, addictive enemies to lovers story. The chemistry between these two are explosive. The story goes from the past to the present so you can get a feel of how things were when they were younger and the events that led them to where they are now and why they feel the way they do. This book is full of deceit, lies, revenge, misunderstanding and love. This book captured my attention right from the start.
I won an ARC and volunteered to leave a review.
5 Stars
Review by Elizabeth
Late Night Reviewer
Up All Night w/ Books Blog
Best. Book. Ever.
Holy batman! Parker S. Huntington has delivered the best book I have read this past year. Parker has let us into her talented mind and delivered a book like no other. I am excited to see what comes next in the series.
Emery’s family may have been rich and she may have gotten everything her heart desired but did she really? Emery is nothing like her mom who is as snobbish as you can get. Emery is very down to earth and feels horrible about the scandal that rocked their town at the fault of her family. Emery felt she had no choice but to run, leave her best friend and the second family that she loved more than anything.
Nash’s family has worked for Emery’s family for as long as he can remember. Nash was protective of Emery because she was his brother’s best friend. Not to mention he had a little crush but she was younger, much younger, and totally off-limits. Now things have changed and she is the poor girl while he is rolling in the dough. Plus, he is out for revenge. Revenge from the scandal. Revenge for the death of his father. Revenge for everything. The only thing that he thinks about is shattering Emery and making her pay for her family’s wrongdoings. However, not all is as it seems.
Emery and Nash are each others own worst enemy. Emery blames herself and Nash blames Emery. They have amazing chemistry, the chemistry that has followed them from a young age. I loved that Nash did not try to excuse his actions. He clearly stated why he was doing what he was doing and made not one excuse for it. Nash comes off as ruthless but deep down he is a lonely man that misses his father. I hated that Emery felt responsible for what transpired in their little town. Emery gained my support from the very beginning because she was very easy to connect with. Not to mention as the story unfolded, she reminded me a lot of myself. It is a good feeling when I can connect with a character because it does not happen that often.
I can write a very detailed review or I can leave it at, one-click Parker’s newest wordy creation. If I were to write a more in-depth review, I will give away the entire book and I refuse to do that. You will not be disappointed and you will be begging for more.
Oh my gosh. This books is amazing. I like to clarify to my friends (who know I basically only read romances nowadays) when I tell them about the latest book I’ve fallen in love with that it isn’t just a good romance book, it’s a good Book book. These characters are so real. I wish I knew them. And Nash. Oh my goodness… Nash. Please read this book. Support this author. You’ll love it. I promise. Oh, and I also went back and bought the audiobook because I love revisiting my favorite books in the car. Can’t wait to hear Sebastian York as Nash. Mmmmmmm. Go read the book now.
The plot, characters and angst were all well done but lacking any heartfelt steam, especially at the end, to make all the angst worthwhile. First time reading this author. I’m not interested in mafia stories, but if she were to write another non-mafia story, I would check it out.
***Audio Review***
This was my first book by this author. I did enjoy the book, but I felt that it dragged on for far longer than it needed to. Nash seemed like a top of the line a-hole. Unfiltered, and jaded. Emery was a take no BS heroine that enjoyed spewing unique words. Despite the steamy sexual tension throughout the story, I didn’t feel the attraction until the end of the book. Jaded Nash does have a heart, and the ability to love Emery.
I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this story! Both characters I found to be quite likable with good core values at heart. But most of all I loved their steamy chemistry…lol. Emery seemed caught up in paying for her parents’ crime. She was so self sacrificing that sometimes it made me cringe. Nash was like an avenging angel who wanted revenge for all of the people harmed. He wasn’t completely innocent himself but that didn’t quite stop him. I loved the fate/destiny play in the book and how they couldn’t deny how they were drawn together. Very addictive. I couldn’t stop turning the pages.
There’s no way this book has all 5 star reviews. This book was all over the place and full of plot holes. This author would benefit from a creative writing class. The idea is there but she just can’t write it. Don’t waste your money.
It was a great story. There is so much I can say but there are no words to do them justice. I really liked Nash after we got to know him. It seemed there was two sides. The guy with the big heart and the a**hole with the potty mouth and rude behavior. I actually liked them both. Emery was a puzzle. She loved words and did quirky things. She was a times adorable and then annoying. Her stubbornness and pride got in the way most times. Their romance was deeper than most we read about. It went beyond physical. They fell in love under their pseudonyms Ben and Durga. That allowed them to not deal with the issues they had and get to know the person beneath.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Enthralling and complicated, the plot of this story has revenge as its central plot. A man bases his career on obtaining revenge for the misfortune of his family but ends up falling in love with the daughter of his enemy.
In the town of Eastridge, North Carolina, Gideon Winthrop was the richest man, the owner of Winthrop Textiles. Pretty much everyone in town, the working class, that is, either worked for the Winthrops or had their money invested in their textile company. When the company folded due to fraud, the whole town went broke.
Gideon was not charged for lack of evidence and he fled the town. As a consequence, Betty and Hank Prescott, housekeeper and groundkeeper, respectively, lost their jobs, lost their house and lost their medical insurance. Hank had a heart condition and didn’t survive.
Emery Winthrop was the princess of the castle, except she wasn’t. Raised by her mother to be her mini-me, she endured but longed to be free. Her best friend was Reed, the Prescott’s youngest son and her partner in crime and studies. She was secretly in love with him but he was clueless and in love with another of the society girls in this very snobby town.
Two things happened. Emery decided to take matters in hand and decided to climb into Reed’s bed and seduce him. Except the lights were out and after a very hot sexy episode, the lights are turned on and she finds she screwed Nash, Reed’s older brother.
Soon after, the collapse of Winthrop Textiles happens and Emery flees town, goes to college away from home under a new name.
Four years later, Nash is a millionaire, owns a hotel chain, and Emery is dirt poor and needs a job. Reed finds her a job, but what she didn’t expect was to work under Nash’s supervision.
Nash is vindictive and cruel, but can’t help the attraction he feels for Emery. I think he’s been attracted to her all this time, since they were kids. Emery is dirt poor, homeless and hungry all the time. Nothing makes sense, and he feels the compulsion to feed her, but pride keeps her from accepting his offers. They are embroiled in this vicious circle of feelings against their wishes, a slow burn of desire that drives them to each other. Nash wants Gideon’s new address but Emery withholds the information.
It’s all a maelstrom of confusion, desire, anger and revenge. They have a history that ties them together and secrets that tear them apart.
The story is very passionate and riveting. Emery has a fascination with rare, unusual words, very rarely used. She calms herself mumbling these strange words, calls them magic words and the author insidiously worms the usage of these words into the plot. I liked that I learned new vocabulary but at the same time, find that the complicated wording and the obtuseness of the characters made for bumpy reading. There’s a lot of verbiage about mythological creatures and historical figures that left me glassy eyed, but once past the highbrow paragraphs and into the mainstream parts of the prose, the going got good and hot and yummy.
Although I didn’t love the complicated wording, I did love these complicated and angsty characters, loved how the good vanquished evil and loved how nothing was how it seemed. It all turned over and sideways. The only thing I didn’t like was that I never got a real comprehension over who Reed was and why he was so in love with Basil, who was such an empty character. She was colorless all the time and it felt like a void. Apart from this, I loved Nash and Emery’s love story.
***5 “Come back to me?” / “Lagom” / “Ya’aburnee…” stars***
“Don’t succumb to the fire. Be the bigger flame.”
I’m impressed!!! I really am!!!
My friends already know how a big mafia books obsessed I am and the funny thing is that I’ve read the only book of Parker that is non mafia related!!! Funny, ugh???
Well, this book was huge!!! Literally huge, but in a weird way, it didn’t bore me at all!!!!
I just loved and enjoyed every second of it, and i have this strange thought that Parker S. Huntington will be added in my most favorite authors!!!! And of course, I will read and all her mafia books!!!
But let me stick to this book, even though i don’t know from where to start or what to say!!!
“Touching her once was a mistake.
Touching her again would be sinful.”
“He looked like he felt- a nightmare disguised as a dream.”
Nash and Emery had a strange connection from the beginning even though they didn’t realize it!!!
The age gap between them was big… a decade, but still something was working very good between them… In love and hate matters!!!
These two knew each other for many years!!!
Emery was Nash’s younger brother’s best friend and his parents were working for her parents…
So, they were many encounters between them through the years.
And then one day, everything changed!!!
“He was always Reed Prescott’s older brother to me. Unattainable. Forbidden. Something I’d never even considered.”
Four years ago, Emery sneaked out in Reed’s bedroom to profess her love to him and to do other things with him, but it turned out that Nash was in his place…
And then all hell broke loose!!!
“He’d tranformed from the older brother Reed had once idolized to this monster neither of us could recognize.
It hurt more than I’d thought it would.
I buried his jab beside my pride.”
Now, after four years, the tables had turned…
Nash is big and wealthy and he never stopped seeking revenge from everyone in Emery’s family…
Emery is not the princess that once everyone thought she were… She is poor and homeless and in serious need of money!!!
So, she is walking on the lion’s den because she needs money and a job…
And Nash and Emery are meeting for once again after all these years in different circumstances…
A war has begun… A war of hate and love… Which one will win after all???
“I was a princess, and I had traded in my ballgowns for battlefields.
He had started the battle, but I would win the war.”
“I wanted to fuck with her.
I wanted to fuck her.
I couldn’t do one, so I settled for the other.”
“Soon enough, everything she owned would be mine.
Her hopes.
Her dreams.
Her future in the palm of my hands.
I was hard at the idea of revenge.”
I love both Nash and Emery and i loved how fateful this relationship was…
Nash was strongheaded and he had done some shady things, but he was good at heart, even though he was keeping it to himself…
Emery was so proud and strongwilled…I loved her for what she were doing, even though i was feeling sorry for her situation many times!!!
These two were a match from hell, but they were fitting so good together…
“I was Sisyphus.
Crafty.
Deceitful.
A thief.”
“He looked like a god, descending upon Earth.
An angel seconds before becoming a demon.”
“Nash was so broken, it was almost beutiful how he had erected walls of thorns and poison ivy around himself.
A haunted castle armed with insults as cannons; two staggering, hate-filled eyes as guards; and a lonely king who never abandoned his throne for fear it would collapse.
And me? I was the fallen princess destined to never stap inside his fortress.”
Yep, this story was a slow burn one and it was burning me all the damn time, but i loved it!!!
I loved Emery’s weird fixation with strange and unique words…
I loved Nash’s notes on lunch bags…
I loved how they were fighting, even though their body languages and actions were screaming that they were caring…
I loved Burga and her Ben… Fate for once again!!!
I loved how Nash was protecting her all the time, even though he was proclaiming that he wanted to destroy her…
I loved everything… Period.
“I wanted to inhale his smoke, coat my tongue with his ashes, and bury myself in his lies.
But smoke ruined lungs.
Ashes tasted like death.
And lies blinded dreamers.
I was a dreamer.
He was a nightmare.”
“With Nash… It’s a vicious love, the kind that beats me down and robs me of all my possessions until I feel bloodied, worn, and bruised, stolen of everything that makes me… me.”
“Nash consumed me like the heart of a storm. I was trapped outside with no shelter, forced to endure the relentless battering with no control over when it would stop.”
“What are you asking from me?”
“Break me… Then put me back together, mismatched, scarred and chaotic as this storm.”
And now, I can’t wait for the second book!!! I don’t care for whom it will be!!! I just want it!!!
I want to read everything but Parker!!!
I told you… I am impressed!!!
I have never read more than 600 pages so pleasantly…
Oh, and to not forget to tell you that this book was a standalone… Go, read it!!!
“Ya’aburnee is Arabic for you bury me.
It is the hope that you will die before your one true love because you cannot bear to live without them…”
I have no idea what to write right now,I am totally lost for words,in moments like this I wish I was like Emery the Heroine in this book who is a total magician with words.But I don’t think even she could conjure up the words to describe the feelings I have for this book,or express the magnitude of BRILLIANCE That is Devious Lies.
I LOVED IT SO MUCH..
Nash has my Heart,I disturbingly Love him more than any fictional character is supposed to be loved ..lol.
Emery has my total respect,she was a warrior and had the will power and strength of any super hero their love was like a raging storm that could not be tamed,
Their Sparring ,their chemistry and their romance had me hooked I latched onto every single hypnotic word that was dangled in front of me each one drawing me in further and further with every chapter.
Parker S Huntington has written one of THE BEST books I have read intelligent,Smart sexy and breathtakingly Beautiful,I did not want it to end.It is Out of this world for Angst and Emotion,I feel like I will never get over it.
This book will rein Supreme for a very long time in my world as one of my favourite stories of 2019..
EXCELLENT READ,
It has my HIGHEST recommendation
Oh my God!! This book was everything! One of the absolute best books/ Audiobooks I have ever listened to!. Parker Huntington brought everything to the table! Thrilling, Passionate, devastating , pure and utter Bliss and shocking events that will have your head spinning! Between this story line and these narrators it was absolute perfection in every way!