Everyone has their secrets. Last year Digi walked out on Webcon, on his fans, and on Gram. Now he’s back determined to give what they had a real shot, but Gram is more prickly than ever, not willing to risk his heart again. Despite trying to stay out of the spotlight, the anonymous Public Service Announcements draw Digi back in. As the secrets of the internet’s top celebrities are leaked to the … top celebrities are leaked to the world, it’s only a matter of time before Digi and Gram are next.
To get through it, they have to set their rivalry aside.
Will Digi handle the pressure of the bright lights long enough to find who is tearing their world apart? Or will the threat of full exposure be too much for him to handle?
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5 stars
Heat Level: PG-13 rating
Amazing, poignant, relevant and real! A fantastic second-chance YA love story!
This story pulled at my heart-strings and is so raw and wonderful I felt like I was falling in love for the first time, all over again. Definitely generates all the feels! It is also very truthful, realistic and even confronting about real-world issues teens face today, with themselves, body image and the dangers that can be linked with social media.
S.M.’s writing is so compelling and easy to read, it draws you into the world of Digi and Gram and challenges of being a teen and their experiences in today’s digital world. It’s been a while since I was a teen and while I had my issues I didn’t have to contend with social media. Digi and Gram are living in it. They are both such wonderful characters, each with their own story we get to discover. Now I would preface a warning as Digi’s story and struggles with Bulimia Nervosa are so raw, real, terrifying and honest that it could be confronting for some readers (it was for me) but S.M. takes such great care of Digi and his journey is all the more powerful because of it. Due to similar issues, I felt very connected to Digi and his journey just about broke my heart. When a writer can create characters so real, you can feel and connect with them, you know you’re onto talent and that’s what S.M. James is. This is the first couple of the #lovehim series I’ve read but it won’t be the last. Their characters and writing are the perfect combination of feelings, authenticity, and reality that is so relatable you can’t help but feel hope and the romance of young love!
I felt for Digi and Gram as they struggled through their feelings for each other, their families, their fans and the world of vlogging and Webcon. I laughed, cried, raged and sympathized with both characters and felt highly vindicated at the stories conclusion. I can’t articulate what this story meant to me and I am now a huge fan of S.M. James! Easily 5 stars and highly recommended read!!!!
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Every time I read one of S.M. James’ books,I’m overwhelmed by the intensity of the emotions coming out of the pages. The writing style is so brilliant that each of these emotions become my own and I couldn’t help but be strongly involved in what Digi and Gram are going through. They’re both just so irresistible, with their insecurities and fears,their quirks, banter and humor.
Not Gonna Lie is beautiful and sweet, sad and hilarious, touching and entertaining. I love this book so much and I can’t recommend it enough.
Swoon…Where to even start? This was just such an amazing story! I’m totally in love with this entire series and I’m at a loss to comprehend how it can keep getting better with every new title but it so does!
Each book tackles different issues and diverse characters in the most amazing, sensitive, moving way, always keeping the perfect balance between humor and genuine emotion, lighthearted scenes and angst-filled ones. There are a couple of surprising plot twists and I really liked how the tension built with every new secret that got leaked.
Digi and Gram’s feelings for each other are so intense, even when they’re still “frenemies” so to speak. My heart ached for them throughout the book. Digi is struggling so much with his low self-esteem and his eating disorder, and he remains completely unaware of Gram’s feelings for him for a long time. Gram is so endearing, even hiding as he as behind his snarky attitude and angry outbursts, all the while secretly pining for Digi.
I adore Digi and Gram and I was over the moon to get little glimpses of Archie and Yarran as well as Brooks and Darien. I love how all the characters of the different books in the series are connected somehow and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that some of the secondary characters will get their own book in the hopefully near future.
Oh, I really enjoyed this. I loved Digi and Gram in their prequel novella, To Be Continued, and with the way they left things, I was honestly worried that this novel was going to be uber hatey.
Thankfully, that’s not what I got. What I got instead was Gram trying to stick to his guns of attempting to get over Digi, and Digi being honest and adorable and endearing to the point where he shoots past all of Gram’s defences.
Gram and Digi were two fully-fleshed out characters with real fears and desires, and their journey to their happily-ever-after isn’t an easy one throughout the book: fame, an eating disorder, anxiety, and spilled secrets threaten to get between them. But at the end of the day, they’re there for each other, which includes making hard decisions the other might not like. I loved how Gram made the toughest decision of all at Digi’s low point; he really came through for Digi even though he knew it might cost him their relationship. I can’t fault S.M. James’s character development; both Gram and Digi changed and became better people through the course of the book, for themselves and for each other.
I adored Gram and Digi together; they were simply adorable in their own messed up, teenage ways and their chemistry jumped off the page. I look forward to them possibly having cameos in future books!
Not Gonna Lie is the seventh booth in S.M. James’ #lovehim series and is an absolutely amazing continuation of Digi and Gram’s story from To Be Continued. I definitely recommend reading that story first to get a fuller grasp of their dynamic leading up to Not Gonna Lie.
It’s been a year since those events and lots has changed… but one thing that hasn’t is the pull between these two characters towards each other. I absolutely love them together. And this story is entertaining,, kept my interest entirely with humor, drama, adorable moments and characters I felt drawn in by. Definitely worth the read.
I received an advanced reader’s copy of the book and I am voluntarily leaving my honest review and recommendation.