Lies My Girlfriend Told Me

Julie Anne Peters

Swanee has unexpectedly died. She leaves behind her more than her girlfriend, Alix, thinks. When text messages keep coming in that say ‘I love you’, Alix has to get to the bottom of it, even if it could cause more hurt than she thought imaginable.

I remember being in love the same way – where you want to buy the person you are interested in everything. An engagement ring is going a bit far though! And Swanee, I really don’t understand you. And the thing is, no one will anyone else. And it’s not even her fault. She frustrated me.

Liana, oh Liana. I felt most sorry for her out of all of this. If there is someone who is the real victim, it’s her. Alix at least got some truths from Swanee! At least in the end, things work out a bit better for them, even if it’s just as complicated as everything else.

There’s more here than just lies that people tell. I mean, there are so many lies here that they get mixed up – and that adds interest to the storyline. But there’s also deeper issues, like Alix and Ethan’s strained relationship, and her relationship with her parents. It builds a character that isn’t just focused on being gay or being in a relationship.

In line with that, there is the complex relationship Alix has with Swanee’s family, particularly Joss. Joss and her parents all have their own issues with drugs and alcohol, but Peters doesn’t make an attempt to deal with that – too much going on elsewhere. I’m not blaming for it though, and Joss did provide a hard counterpoint.

Is this Peter’s best work? No. Is it one of her best? Hmm, jury is still out. But it’s her last novel she’s said she would publish (although I’m still hoping she will finish Grl2Grl), and so I treasure it for that.