Three wildly different sisters reunite for a destination wedding at an English castle in this heartfelt and rollicking novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Jetsetters.
Once upon a time, the Peacock sisters were little girls who combed each other’s tangled hair. But decades of secrets have led them to separate lives—and to telling lies, to themselves and to one another.
Sylvie is getting married. Again. A librarian and widow who soothes her grief by escaping into books (and shelving them perfectly), Sylvie has caught the attention of an unlikely match: Simon Rampling, a mysterious, wealthy man from Northern England. Sylvie allows herself to imagine a life beside him—one filled with the written word, kindness, and companionship. She’s ready to love again . . . or is she?
Cleo is the golden child. A successful criminal defense lawyer with the perfect boyfriend, she is immediately suspicious of Simon. Is he really who he says he is? Cleo heads to Mumberton Castle with a case of investigative files, telling herself she will expose Simon and save her sister from more heartbreak . . . but who is she really trying to save?
Emma is living a lie. She can’t afford this fancy trip—and she definitely can’t tell her husband and sons why. She once dreamed of a line of her own perfumes. Fragrances allowed her to speak in silence. Now, that tendency for silence only worsens her situation. Will she emerge with her dignity and family intact?
When their toxic mother shows up, the sisters assume the roles they fell into to survive their childhood . . . but they just might find the courage to make new choices.
Set over a spectacularly dramatic weekend, in the grand halls of a sprawling castle estate—amid floor-to-ceiling libraries, falconry lessons, and medieval meals—Lovers and Liars is the unforgettable story of a family’s ability to forgive and to find joy in one another once again.
Don't just take our word for it...
“Lovers and Liars is the sort of novel that simultaneously tempts you to devour it in one greedy gulp and begs you to slow down and savor each page. Come for the fabulous English estate and the rollicking plot, but stay for the genuine warmth and humanity infused in every page.”
– Jenny Jackson, New York Times bestselling author of Pineapple Street
“I love sibling stories for their shared histories, secrets, and loving, messy, honest, funny portrayals of a unique and unbreakable bond. The Peacock sisters share all of that and more. Add a destination wedding (in an English castle, no less) and you will RSVP YES to Lovers and Liars.”
– Steven Rowley, New York Times bestselling author of The Celebrants
“Amanda Eyre Ward’s knack for unpacking messy family baggage with humor and heart is at its finest in Lovers and Liars. At once a propulsive unraveling of secrets and a sensitive examination of how old scars can shape futures, it hooked me from the start. The delightfully dysfunctional Peacock sisters are an unforgettable trio.”
– Shelby Van Pelt, New York Times bestselling author of Remarkably Bright Creatures
Taste the very first page
On the night before her wedding, Sylvie Peacock could not sleep. She walked toward her window, where she could see the outline of Mumberton Castle. Moonlit treetops were a silvery ocean. The dawn songs of goldcrest and thrush would begin soon, but in the deep of the night: only silence. What was she doing in Northern England on the grounds of a crumbling castle? How had the last glowing embers of hope led her here, of all places, preparing to marry again?
Despite the castle’s grandeur, Sylvie missed the Coconut Grove Elementary School library where she worked, missed the thrum of a second-grade class choosing their weekly books, missed the smells of peanut butter and paper. Another chance at love had been intoxicating, but now Sylvie just wanted to go home to her rescue greyhound, Willie, and her bungalow on Hibiscus Street.
Sylvie moved toward an ornate armoire and touched her wed- ding dress, which she had picked out with the help of her best friend, Florence. They had spent a humid morning in bridal boutiques—Grace Loves Lace, Ever After Miami—before ordering Cuban sandwiches and strong coffee at their favorite café an…
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