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Things We Wish Were True
Things We Wish Were True | Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
In an idyllic small-town neighborhood, a near tragedy triggers a series of dark revelations.From the outside, Sycamore Glen, North Carolina, might look like the perfect all-American neighborhood. But behind the white picket fences lies a web of secrets that reach from house to house.Up and down the streets, neighbors quietly bear the weight of their own pasts until an accident at the community pool upsets the delicate equilibrium. And when tragic circumstances compel a woman to return to Sycamore Glen after years of self-imposed banishment, the tangle of the neighbors intertwined lives begins to unravel.During the course of a sweltering summer, long-buried secrets are revealed, and the neighbors learn that it s impossible to really know those closest to us. But is it impossible to love and forgive them?"
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DebinHawaii
Things We Wish Were True | Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
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#SummerSouls

I read this one a while ago but I remember it centered around an accident at a community #pool 🏊‍♀️

Eggs Excellent 👌🏼 7mo
46 likes1 stack add1 comment
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nem2988
Things We Wish Were True | Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
Mehso-so

Decent read, not super memorable.

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DLQBOOKNERD
Things We Wish Were True | Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
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Mehso-so

⭐️⭐️⭐️

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TamTracy
Things We Wish Were True | Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
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Pickpick

This book was just ok for me. Not great but I enjoyed the last third of the book pretty well. There were too many characters and the story is told from too many points of view for me. I wasn‘t super invested in any of the characters. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

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hes7
Things We Wish Were True | Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
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Mehso-so

“In an idyllic small-town neighborhood, a near tragedy triggers a series of dark revelations.”

The story moves very slowly with almost nothing happening—except everyone has secrets, which were interesting enough.

Book 1 of #24b4Monday finished. (#25inFive, too.)
Current time: 1h21m

Next up: Hometown Girl #PopJarGame

Andrew65 Well done. 👏 6y
BeansPage Yahz!!! 💪🤓📖 6y
tammysue 👍🏻🙌🏻 6y
74 likes1 stack add3 comments
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hes7
Things We Wish Were True | Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
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I‘ll (hopefully) be finishing the tagged book and Ink and Bone this weekend, but everything else I read is up to #PopJarGame. #24b4Monday #25inFive

Andrew65 Good luck with the Jar! 😊👍 6y
BeansPage Ooooo 😗 what kind of jar is that? It looks very interesting. 6y
hes7 @TheReadingMermaid It was a candle—I just cleaned out the wax when I finished burning it. I‘ve been meaning to find something to do with it. 6y
BeansPage Love it! ❤️ 6y
86 likes4 comments
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Kappadeemom
Things We Wish Were True | Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
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Pretty good dinner tonight. The best part of work travel

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Kappadeemom
Things We Wish Were True | Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
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Waiting on the color to set on my hairball...

CoverToCoverGirl Ha! 🤣😂 6y
52 likes1 comment
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jenreads7
Things We Wish Were True | Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
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Pickpick

This was a quick read. There‘s the story, and the stories behind the story. Each character has a secret that‘s festering. There‘s a lot of hope and redemption in how the author wraps things up. This was my first book by Whalen. I‘m definitely interested in reading a second one!

CarolynM Welcome to Litsy 🌼 6y
jenreads7 @CarolynM Thank you! 6y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Welcome to Litsy!! 6y
40 likes1 stack add4 comments
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jenreads7
Things We Wish Were True | Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
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I took a break to watch Christmas movies with the family. I think it‘s time to get back to it. Can I finish this one before I fall asleep? I‘m going to try! #24B4MONDAY #readathon #readinglife

Andrew65 Hope you managed, if not it will be waiting for you today. Good luck on her final lap. 😊👏 6y
jenreads7 @Andrew65 I did it! 🎉📚🎉📚🎉 6y
Andrew65 @jenniferajanes Yey! 🍾🥂🤗😊👍👏 Well done! 6y
jenreads7 @Andrew65 Thank you! 😊 6y
44 likes4 comments
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jenreads7
Things We Wish Were True | Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
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Starting this one next! I don‘t think I‘m going to hit #24B4MONDAY, but this is the most I‘ve read in a long time. So happy to be jumping back in with both feet! #readinglife

BookNerd9906 Yay! 👏📚🥂 6y
Andrew65 Key thing with #24B4Monday is to enjoy some dedicated reading with fellow Littens no matter what total you get to. 😊 6y
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jenreads7 Thanks, @Andrew65 ! By that standard, I‘m winning! 😊 Happy reading! 6y
Andrew65 @jenniferajanes And the winner is .... 😊 6y
jenreads7 @Andrew65 🏆🎉 6y
47 likes6 comments
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Michellesibs
Things We Wish Were True | Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
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Pickpick

I really enjoyed this, it's very easy to read, the characters are well thought out and all the tangled secrets kept me turning the pages. This is about how one incident can change a whole neighbourhood, draw out the secrets and unite a community. A book that leaves you smiling.

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BoldCityBooks
Things We Wish Were True | Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
Mehso-so

Another Kindle First selection for me, this book was decent but not great. The writing was a bit slow but the characters were enjoyable. Unfortunately, I just don‘t see me remembering much about this book in six months.

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Eggs
Things We Wish Were True | Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
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In Sycamore Glen, North Carolina, a near tragedy at the community pool incites a succession of dark revelations and the unraveling of multiple secrets

JoScho I really enjoyed this one. 7y
Eggs Me too @JoScho 💜❤️😊👏🏻 7y
77 likes1 stack add2 comments
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ABrakes85
Things We Wish Were True | Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
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Perfect end to a perfect day 💕

silentrequiem That mug! 😍 7y
ABrakes85 Haha @silentrequiem fab isn‘t it? 7y
32 likes2 comments
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danibolahood
Things We Wish Were True | Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
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Mehso-so

On the positive side this was a quick read. On the negative side I just didn't really buy a lot of it. The wanting to find out everyone's secrets kept me reading and I liked the ending.

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danibolahood
Things We Wish Were True | Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
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Late start on my book for the girly book club meeting on Wednesday. Looking forward to this one and hopefully it's a quick read.

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BookDragonNotWorm
Things We Wish Were True | Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
Pickpick

I really enjoyed this book. No great mystery, nothing spectacular, but a book that felt genuine, characters that felt real, emotions that read true. Not my usual cup of tea, more mainstream than my usual genre fiction, but I liked this book more than anything I've read lately. It was refreshing.

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Jessnoice
Things We Wish Were True | Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
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Mehso-so

This is pretty much pure beach read material. An almost tragedy brings out everyone's dirty laundry. Not bad for a quick read. Nothing earth shattering here.

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LDuffN
Things We Wish Were True | Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
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What I'm readin' now!! #whatchareadin📚📖📰📜

7 likes1 stack add
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AmyJ
Things We Wish Were True | Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
Pickpick

Good light read, that's not a bodice ripper. It was nice to read something that was so grounded in reality and not fantasy. Book reflects the title very well.

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Juani19
Things We Wish Were True | Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
Mehso-so

Overall the book was an okay read. I think would have been better served with fewer storylines and more focus on one or two of them, not that they didn't work or tie in, but it was a bit lighthearted for my tastes; although could have been darker given the number of secrets being harbored by nearly all the characters. Quick, easy read with mostly likable characters..

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beagle.mama
Things We Wish Were True | Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
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Mehso-so

Thought about a thumbs up but couldn't. The author focused on certain aspects, but then barely touched on horrible and creepy things, making it seem like they didn't matter. And she took one of the most horrible, painful things a couple could endure and turned it into what seemed tabloid fodder. There are things that should only be written about if you've experienced it. And if she had, she never would have chosen that particular story line. Grrr.

12 likes1 comment
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ptkpepe98
Things We Wish Were True | Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
Pickpick

#AtoZLitsyReadingChallenge #T

Just finished this. I truly enjoyed it. I didn't expect some of what happened, which is great. We do all have things we wish were true, and keeping secrets from those we say we love is destructive, even if only to ourselves. It was a quuck, easy read, and free with Amazon prime (no coins were earned with the plug; just thrilled with the access).

So if you want a quick, easy read that has you wondering, this is one.

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ptkpepe98
Things We Wish Were True | Marybeth Mayhew Whalen

And yet, Jencey understood, there were the things she wished were true, and there was what was actually true. She was learning that there was usually a great distance between the two.

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Mccall0113
Things We Wish Were True | Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
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When your toddler steals your kindle... you wait. Never mind the photo bombers in the background!

Bloomingjen love the photobomber. and the toddler too, of course 8y
101 likes1 comment
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ptkpepe98
Things We Wish Were True | Marybeth Mayhew Whalen

Started this yesterday...free with my Amazon Prime. Really enjoying it so far. Why did Jencey have to flee? What happened to the missing kid? Just two of the many questions I want answered, and want answered now! Not sure where we're going, but I'm in for the duration.

1 like1 stack add
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EmilysHollow
Things We Wish Were True | Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
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The kids are playing "quietly" before bed. I am doing this and pretending to listen to "mom, watch this!"

ErinBumG Couch parenting 💯 8y
4 likes1 comment
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EmilysHollow
Things We Wish Were True | Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
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I don't know if I can get past the names.

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Mdargusch
Things We Wish Were True | Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
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Pickpick

This book started off as slow as a languid summer afternoon in the south. It's a story of a neighborhood that seems innocent until one by one, the secrets of each neighbor is revealed and unraveled. I listened to the audio version of this and it was a great way to pass the time while driving.

Mccall0113 We are reading this for my real life book club 8y
Reviewsbylola This one is new to me. 8y
Mdargusch @Mccall0113 I hope it's as good in print as it was on audiobooks. 8y
Mdargusch Finally I found a book you hadn't heard of @Reviewsbylola 😂🤣😂🤣 8y
Reviewsbylola 😂😂😂 8y
69 likes5 stack adds5 comments
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Jerdencon
Things We Wish Were True | Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
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Pickpick

I really enjoyed this book I got through #netgalley I know part of it is that I belong to a community pool and can relate to so much of that world and the drama that goes on. And the sentiment above is something I feel every August especially since I work in a school and it means the end of my summer vacation. This was a quick, interesting read.

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Kimkay
Things We Wish Were True | Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
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Pickpick

Very good book, I like guessing clear to the end!

tpixie Welcome to Litsy! 8y
23 likes1 stack add1 comment
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WendyL
Things We Wish Were True | Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
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Mehso-so

The plot was a little predictable, but the characters were likable. It took 3/4 of the book to really build up. I kept waiting for something to happen and then BAM!!

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WendyL
Things We Wish Were True | Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
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Multi-tasking at its finest. I feel like I can't get enough reading in on the weekends sometimes. Lol

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BookishDevices
Things We Wish Were True | Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
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Pickpick
1 like1 stack add
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SouthernGrlReads
Things We Wish Were True | Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
Mehso-so

There is a lot going on in this book and though there were parts I enjoyed and that drew me in, there were others that didn't. I have to say, there were times I got irritated with the author because I felt she was pulling me around by the nose, dropping hints but not wanting to reveal what was going on. I enjoy suspense in novels but this did not come across as suspense to me. That being said, I did like the book but I didn't love it.

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AprilRose86
Things We Wish Were True | Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
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Just starting this today, I'm excited!

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Judybskt
Things We Wish Were True | Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
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Pickpick

Loved it!

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Soozanne
Things We Wish Were True | Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
Pickpick

I am a sucker for Southern Fiction, but this was more than that. There was mystery/suspense, romance, a few unsavory characters to wade through and I enjoyed every bit of it. The characters were imperfect, but I found myself growing fond of most of them. The story is a slice of life during one summer in a southern town. The setting was pure Americana, but the individual stories broke my heart and inspired me. I'll recommend this one to friends!

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ValerieAndBooks
Things We Wish Were True | Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
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Mehso-so

This novel, about characters in a present-day small town, got a so-so rating b/c although I did read to the end, it wasn't very deep. Not only did most of the characters have unusual names making it difficult to keep track of who was who, they weren't developed enough. However, the author provided very real portrayals of how it feels to be a parent trying to navigate their kids' social lives along with their own. (Pic b/c there's gardening).

38 likes1 stack add
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Soozanne
Things We Wish Were True | Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
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A new release for $1.99 on Audible? And my next road trip begins tomorrow? Sold!

MelodyJones I recently finished this book. Haven't been able to formulate my words into a review 😣 but I certainly was intrigued. 8y
Soozanne Hmmmm... And now, Melody _Jones, you have intrigued *me*! 😎 8y
2 likes1 stack add2 comments
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ValerieAndBooks
Things We Wish Were True | Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
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The e-book that I'm reading at the fitness center. Working out my brain as well as my body because I'm still trying to sort out who is who -- at one point I even thought, it's as if the author used a list of her favorite baby names for her characters. Then this comes up in the book! 🤔

Judybskt I'm reading this too! My first thought was "WTF is up with these names?!" 8y
Zelma Maybe the author is just really into names. It seems like she couldn't decide and used them all! 😂 8y
36 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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Judybskt
Things We Wish Were True | Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
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New book

KellyKate I'm reading this now on my #kindle #Paperwhite!! 8y
5 likes1 comment
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CallMeIshmael
Things We Wish Were True | Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
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Pickpick

Finished this in one sitting. Predictable but still very interesting. Thoroughly enjoyed my Sunday evening reading

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suvata
Things We Wish Were True | Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
Panpan

The book was so confusing. Every single character had an unusual name. Seriously, here are just a few of the major characters: Cailey, Jencey, Zell, Bryte, Zara, Pilar .... I was so distracted identifying the characters with their names that I lost focus on the storyline. Too bad because it may have been a good book otherwise.

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suvata
Things We Wish Were True | Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
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Each chapter is named after one of the characters. What the heck kind of names are these? I am having a hard time keeping everybody straight because of the unusual names. Maybe one or two but everyone's name is odd in this book.

LauraBrook WTF is right! 8y
13 likes1 comment
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suvata
Things We Wish Were True | Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
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After reading the thousand page Voyager and then trying to get through Foxlowe, I decided I would try a little lighter fare. This was my pick.

13 likes1 stack add