“The Sinclairs are athletic, tall, and handsome. We are old-money Democrats. Our smiles are wide, our chins square, and our tennis serves aggressive.”

The Sinclair family are privileged. Wealthy. There's the head of the family, Harris and Tipper Sinclair, the grandparents with the actual money and their 3 daughters. It is from Penelope's daughter that the story is told, Cadence.

Johnny is Carrie's eldest.
Mirren is Bess's.

And Gat Patil is Johnny's best friend who joins them.

Cadence, Johnny, Mirren, Gat. The Liars, as they called themselves.

In this story, the cousins and Gat would meet up with their families on their Beechwood island every Summer. It was the four of them in their own world. It was bliss and there was Gat.

“Always do what you're afraid to do.”

Cadence is the first grandchild of Harris and Tipper Sinclair. She does well at school, is involved in sport, loves her family until her father up and leaves her and her mother.

“You remind us that we’re selfish bastards. You’re not one of us, that way.”

Gat Patil is coloured and not exactly liked by the head of the all white powerful and rich Sinclair family. He is not of the same background as the Sinclairs and is quite passionate about bringing good to the world where there is evil. He sees the world outside of the Sinclairs.

Gat has been coming to the island ever since they were eight.

The summer at 15, Cadence and Gat fall for each other. For her, he is her first and only love.

And then, there was the accident.

“Silence is a protective coating over pain.”

The summer she is 17, Cadence returns to the island for the first time since then.

Due to injury to her brain, she still doesn't know what happened. Any of it. Before or after.

Her mother won't tell her. The family won't talk about it. The island is different. Something has happened. And she was a part of it.

Gat never called.

Being back with the Liars, Cadence doesn't find any of her answers but piece by piece, she learns the truth. The consequences of her actions. And what is real and what is not.

“I suffer migraines. I do not suffer fools. I like a twist of meaning. I endure.”

This book was not your typical book, and therefore this review is not my typical review. This book wasn't a regular romance novel. It was the story of lies. It was a beautiful story with mesmerizing writing, stunning quotes and striking metaphors.

“If you want to live where people aren't afraid of mice, you have to leave the palace.”

This is a romance novel but it is not a love story. Exactly.

“What if we could stop being different colors, different backgrounds, and just be in love?”

I loved this book. Had my emotions running high. I couldn't put it down, I just fell in love with the way it was written.
I can definitely see why this book won the Choice Awards, and comparing it to other books in the category that I voted for, this book goes so much deeper.

“The universe is seeming really huge right now. I need something to hold on to.”

The story of how Cadence pieces together that summer, the family, the secrets, the desperation of the situation happening in the family, and the will in the Liars hearts to make a change. And the consequences. The awful realisation of the truth which hits you so hard, you wonder what has been going on this whole time. And then there's the goodbyes. And then you cry so hard for what really happened and all that was lost but perhaps gained.

“Be sad, be sorry-but don't shoulder it.”

There is so much to this story but you have to read it to find out!

“We are liars. We are beautiful and privileged. We are cracked and broken.”