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A Lie for a Lie (All In Book 1) Kindle Edition

4.3 out of 5 stars 19,885 ratings

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Pucked series comes a romantic comedy about instant attraction, second chances, and not-so-little white lies.

Sometimes I need an escape from the demands, the puck bunnies, and the notoriety that come with being an NHL team captain. I just want to be a normal guy for a few weeks. So when I leave Chicago for some peace and quiet, the last thing I expect is for a gorgeous woman to literally fall into my lap on a flight to Alaska. Even better, she has absolutely no idea who I am.

Lainey is the perfect escape from my life. My plan for seclusion becomes a monthlong sex fest punctuated with domestic bliss. But it ends just as abruptly as it began. When I’m called away on a family emergency, I realize too late that I have no way to contact Lainey.

A year later, a chance encounter throws Lainey and me together again. But I still have a lie hanging over my head, and Lainey’s keeping secrets of her own. With more than lust at stake, the truth may be our game changer.

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Editorial Reviews

Review

“Addictive…A Lie for a Lie is a marvelous read.” Kindle Friends Forever

A Lie for a Lie is a story of second chances, of secrets and lies, of love and happily ever after. The premise is sweet yet spicy; the romance is sensitive and sexy; the characters are animated, colorful, and charismatic.” The Reading Café

“[T]he romance, humor, and emotions blended into the perfect story.” Smitten by Books

“I absolutely love Helena Hunting’s hockey books! She is a master at writing amazingly delicious heroes and sassy heroines.” Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews

“This is an epic second chance romance and I loved every word.” Two Book Pushers

A Lie for a Lie is funny, sexy, and romantic…Ms. Hunting developed an entertaining cast of characters with banter, humor, conflict, and heat.” Harlequin Junkie

“Helena Hunting takes readers on an emotional journey in A Lie for a Lie. A sexy, heartwarming read!” New York Times bestselling author Elle Kennedy

“This beautiful romance is true perfection. RJ is the ultimate book boyfriend. I loved this story beginning to end.” New York Times bestselling author Kendall Ryan

“A heartfelt second chance romance with Helena’s signature humor and plenty of sizzling heat. Nothing hits me in the feels like a Helena Hunting romance!” USA Today bestselling author Melanie Harlow

“Helena Hunting delivers a smart, funny, emotional story that grabs you from page one. Plain meet cute? GIVE ME.” —WSJ bestselling author Ilsa Madden-Mills

“Rook and Lainey’s story is sweet, hilarious, fun and unputdownable. If you love a heroine with a heart of gold and balls of steel, and a hero who puts all others to shame, buy this book now. If you like your heroines whiny and your heroes mediocre—then don’t buy this book, because it is filled with greatness.” —LJ Shen, USA Today bestselling author

About the Author

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Helena Hunting lives on the outskirts of Toronto with her incredibly tolerant family and two moderately intolerant cats. Helena writes everything from contemporary romance with all the feels to romantic comedies that will have you laughing until you cry.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07Q5TL7KM
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Montlake Romance
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 15, 2019
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2.6 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 289 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1542015349
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Book 1 of 4 ‏ : ‎ All In
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 out of 5 stars 19,885 ratings

About the author

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H Hunting
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NYT bestselling author Helena Hunting writing angsty new adult romance as H. Hunting.

You can find me at www.helenahunting.com

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
19,885 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this book to be a beautiful love story with a realistic storyline, and they appreciate how quickly they connect with the characters, with one review noting the chemistry between them is off the chart. The writing is well-executed, making it an amazing spinoff from the previous series, and customers enjoy its humor, with several mentioning it makes them laugh out loud. While some customers find the angst level perfect, others note there's no excitement or drama.

358 customers mention "Story quality"331 positive27 negative

Customers enjoy the book's story, describing it as sweet and realistic, with one customer noting its compelling journey to forever.

"A must read, RJ and Lainey are cute. Anxiety is real especially when you grow up sheltered and have some trauma in your life...." Read more

"...I liked that there wasn’t too much angst. It could’ve had some in it to make it a more profound read, but I still enjoyed it a lot...." Read more

"...The hockey element is Very small In comparison To the fabulous imagery of the relationship and the love and care of these people. I really enjoyed it" Read more

"...I loved how Helena Hunting brought us this interesting and beautiful love story and the way she weaved in all the details...." Read more

233 customers mention "Readability"233 positive0 negative

Customers find the book enjoyable and relaxing to read, with one customer particularly appreciating the cabin chapters.

"...Their banter was great as well." Read more

"This was a really fun book...." Read more

"...I loved how Helena Hunting brought us this interesting and beautiful love story and the way she weaved in all the details...." Read more

"...The birthday party scene was so funny it had me laughing out loud especially when the kids see what the dophins were doing...." Read more

149 customers mention "Character development"144 positive5 negative

Customers love the character development in the book, finding them sweet and well-written, with one customer noting the chemistry between them is off the chart.

"...And RJ and Lainey were a special pair!" Read more

"...and truthfully fascinated by this seemingly naive yet courageous young woman. Lainey is working on her master’s thesis, focusing on aquatic animals...." Read more

"...Blackhawks with the Pucked guys, but because RJ and Lainey were an amazing couple that I couldn't help but root for!!..." Read more

"...It’s got plenty of humor but focuses on the emotional aspects of the story...." Read more

87 customers mention "Cuteness"87 positive0 negative

Customers find the book cute, describing it as an awesome meet-cute with genuinely lovable characters.

"A must read, RJ and Lainey are cute. Anxiety is real especially when you grow up sheltered and have some trauma in your life...." Read more

"Sexy, sweet, and sensual, this is a love story in two parts...." Read more

"...Their love story was so sweet and beyond sexy! The chemistry sizzles right off the pages. I adored Lainey in her naivety...." Read more

"I loved this sweet & sexy, second chance romance! Lainey has lead a sheltered life and is looking to break out and be on her own...." Read more

75 customers mention "Pacing"75 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the pacing of the book, appreciating it as a great start to a new series and an amazing spinoff from previous works.

"What a great integration from the Pucked series. It made leaving them behind a bit more bearable. And RJ and Lainey were a special pair!" Read more

"...She recognizes a changed man when she sees one. They go so well together. Sweet Scale: 4/5 Spicy Scale: 3/5" Read more

"Loved Rook and Lainey! They definitely have quite the journey to their HEA, but it so worth it! Their banter was great as well." Read more

"...It was good to catch up. 😍..." Read more

71 customers mention "Writing quality"68 positive3 negative

Customers praise the writing quality of the book, describing it as a lovely easy read that kept them wanting more, with one customer noting the author's ability to handle both romantic comedy and angst equally well.

"...us this interesting and beautiful love story and the way she weaved in all the details...." Read more

"...It’s a testament to how great the writing is that I enjoyed this so much, because it contains a few tropes that are not my favorite...." Read more

"...The book also has sex and intimate scenes. They are descriptive, but not as much as some books...." Read more

"...It was a simple, sweet read. No 3rd act breakup. Enjoy!" Read more

69 customers mention "Humor"66 positive3 negative

Customers find the book humorous, with multiple reviews noting it makes them laugh out loud and has just the right amount of cheesy moments.

"I liked this one because it was still cheesy and predictable but it was different than how most of this trope is played out...." Read more

"...It’s got plenty of humor but focuses on the emotional aspects of the story...." Read more

"...long reading slump and true to Helena Hunting fashion, the humor and story was top tier...." Read more

"...I loved it plain and simple. It’s sweet, romantic and funny in all the right places. The angst factor is pretty low which in this book I liked...." Read more

30 customers mention "Angst level"20 positive10 negative

Customers have mixed reactions to the book's emotional content, with some finding the angst level perfect and appreciating the realistic portrayal of anxiety struggles, while others report a lack of excitement and drama.

"A must read, RJ and Lainey are cute. Anxiety is real especially when you grow up sheltered and have some trauma in your life...." Read more

"...I did not like this book, there really wasn’t any drama, the dialogue didn’t feel believable or relatable at all...." Read more

"...It’s sweet, romantic and funny in all the right places. The angst factor is pretty low which in this book I liked...." Read more

"Absolutely loved this book. The “misunderstandings” actually make sense and I love being able to see into the future of other characters I’ve read..." Read more

Helena Hunting seduces me yet again - 4 1/2 stars
5 out of 5 stars
Helena Hunting seduces me yet again - 4 1/2 stars
I never was and I am still not a fan of sports romances, but Helena Hunting manages to seduce me anew with each book. I love her signature combination of humor, emotion, sexiness and a dash of nerdiness. The heroine, Lainey, is neuroatypical, which manifests mostly in her difficulties in social interactions. In order to finish her studies, she is going to the Kodiak Island to do research for her thesis paper. On the way there she literally falls into the lap of gorgeous RJ and despite the awkwardness of their first meeting they instantly connect and spend some very passionate weeks together. RJ goes to the Island to get away from his demanding public life as hockey star. When he meets Laney and she seems completely oblivious to who he is, he sort of pretends to be just a regular dude. After their time together, he has to leave unexpectedly because of a family emergency, and though they have both developed feelings for each other - due to circumstances - they fail to exchange contact details and thus lose sight of each other. A year later they meet again by chance, but they have both been hiding secrets. Does their relationship have a chance despite of that?
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on May 30, 2025
    What a great integration from the Pucked series. It made leaving them behind a bit more bearable. And RJ and Lainey were a special pair!
  • Reviewed in the United States on January 17, 2025
    RJ is a professional hockey player for Chicago. Lainey is the youngest of 8, from a dairy farming family, very intelligent with multiple degrees, and tired of her family being overprotective after a dangerous event that happened when she was first away at college.

    RJ is spending 6 weeks at the family cabin in Kodiak, Alaska. Reminiscing about the times he and brother spent up there every summer with their father before he passed away. Lainey is spending several weeks at a cabin nearby, working on her thesis on marine mammals.

    He withholds his *true* identity as an NHL player since he's enjoying spending time with Lainey and just being a normal guy. When he has to leave due to a family emergency, they lose contact - having never exchanged last names or cell phone numbers.

    A sad lonely year later, fate brings them back together again. Lainey has a souvenir of their time together but RJ first needs to get forgiveness for not having been 100% honest during their time together in AK.

    He brings out the best in her. She recognizes a changed man when she sees one. They go so well together.

    Sweet Scale: 4/5
    Spicy Scale: 3/5
  • Reviewed in the United States on May 28, 2025
    Loved Rook and Lainey! They definitely have quite the journey to their HEA, but it so worth it! Their banter was great as well.
  • Reviewed in the United States on September 29, 2023
    I've read a couple of other books by this author and enjoyed them but I found this book a bit too over the top in a cheesy way as well as being predictable and repetitive at times. The book starts with Rook reconnecting with Lainey at a child's birthday party of one of his former team mates. There'd been brief references to a girl he'd met and fell for on a trip to Alaska and, you guessed it, Lainey was the Alaskan girl who's now working at the aquarium where the party was. The story then goes back a year or so previously to where they first met, their brief but hot and heavy romance and their ridiculous separation - more on the latter in a bit.

    * Spoiler of the lies, etc. below *
    Rook meets Lainey on the plane when her crazily long scarf gets caught where he's sitting and she lands on him and almost chokes. They then share a small plane trip together and find out their cabins are beside each other. He gives his name as RJ because he's enamoured with the fact that she doesn't know he's a hotshot hockey captain. Lie one. Rook is mostly a sweetheart, helping her out, until things steam up and they end up in each other's pants in a big way. Rook's brother is about to have a baby and when there are complications he has to unexpectedly leave. Long story short, he forgets to leave his number and she leaves a note that gets lost, moving straight into Ridiculous Town. They'd been hot and heavy for weeks...but had never exchanged details and of course the bits she did know about Rook were a crock.

    They're unexpectedly reunited when she turns up in Chicago working. He chases her to the max, she shuts him down then gives in and when they have coffee, she reveals she's had his child. Lie 2 (and then she told him to walk away after dropping that bomb on him because she was getting upset). The rest of the book is them getting to know each other and Lainey hopefully taking a chance on him as he relentlessly pursues her. If you've read other hockey books from this author, you get to visit with a few characters from her other books several times which was nice. They make up most of the secondary characters apart from the main characters' families. I found Lainey's annoying, but I'm not sure if that's because she was so immature from being sheltered by them (she was 25!) or just because they were annoying. Tough call.

    There's the typical, unoriginal references to puck bunnies and how much of a player Rook was in the past. Lainey is the naive, clueless girl that we're supposed to believe is some kind of academic that does silly things - not just in regards to commonsense, but academically as well. I mean, she's studying a masters in dolphin and whale mating but rocks up at a run down, borderline dangerous cabin to observe dolphins and whales that might not even be there (and didn't appear to be there). Surely someone choosing this as their field of interest would at least have a small clue of the best way to conduct their research. And surely someone who turns up to find the cabin she's rented is uninhabitable and has vermin, alive and dead, isn't so stupid that she doesn't even bother to call the rental managers to get it sorted or at least get her money back. Rook was constantly smiling to himself or laughing about the cute and quirky things she would do and say. I use those terms lately because, again, it made me question her intelligence because she came across as almost too stupid to live. Yeah, I get she was sheltered but her being adorably clueless, introverted and socially awkward got real old, real quick. She had verbal diarrhea that was probably meant to be cute. Spoiler alert, it wasn't. Rook just wanted to protect her *insert eye roll here*. Talking about sea mammal's mating habits upon just meeting someone isn't cute, it's unrealistic if she's to be the love interest. Then there was her constantly grabbing him and snuggling into him because she was sick, scared, blah. And let's not forget she also has massive anxiety about pretty much everything. Yeah, Lainey was a load of work. And one for the road - even though she's naive and clueless, one of her other masters, because she's a constant studier, is in sex therapy with most of her knowledge being theory and text based. Just ridiculous.

    The humour, while appealing to other readers I'm sure, was clumsy, cheesy and way too over the top for me since you could see the jokes coming from a mile away. From the dolphins mating in front of the children at the aquarium, to Lainey vomiting and gushing milk, the punch lines had me rolling my eyes. There was also the absolutely ridiculous run in with a past fling he couldn't really remember. Oh, that's right! She was the woman who sold her story and tried to say she was pregnant with his baby by trying to inseminate herself. She then semi-stalked him so as you can see, she'd be super easy to forget. And then she cons her way into sitting beside him on the plane and he just lets it happen. OMG. Because that's what you do, especially after you had to get legal support to stop her obsession. I know when I meet someone who's tried to ruin my life and take my money, I'd have a smile for them and save them a seat. Far out. Oh, and she asked him to come in a cup for her so she could try again even though he said he was with someone, because it would last a couple of days as long as it didn't dry out. I wish I was making this nonsense up because the humour fell really flat.

    Overall, it was a light read with a happy ending and including some tropes I enjoy, however it was too unrealistic and ridiculous for me to rate it any higher and Lainey was far more annoying than endearing. The fact that it was a hockey romance with a secret baby just got it up to the 3 stars because the apparent humour, quirkiness and over the top writing almost tanked it for me.
    38 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on May 14, 2025
    A must read, RJ and Lainey are cute. Anxiety is real especially when you grow up sheltered and have some trauma in your life. Hockey star who just wants to be a normal guy . Wonderful story.
  • Reviewed in the United States on July 29, 2022
    It’s been a while since I read a Helena Hunting book, and I really enjoyed this one. I wanted to read it because I looooved Little Lies and the parents of the MCs of Little Lies are Alex and Violent from Pucked (Lavender’s parents) and these two, Rook/RJ and Lainey (Kody’s parents).

    RJ/Rook, NHL team captain, goes away to Alaska every summer. Normally, he would go with his dad (RIP) and his brother, but his brother’s wife’s pregnancy is complicated, and his brother feels the need to stay with her instead. RJ understands, so he goes anyway. He needs to get away from the fame, drama and puck bunnies that have not only given him STDs but fake pregnancy scares.

    Enter awkward, aerophobic Lainey (25), who not only falls onto him on the first plane they ride on, but ends up puking when they get on their next flight, coincidentally, while sitting next to each other. They get to know each other and he volunteers to drive her to her rental space.

    As they get to know each other, he doesn’t tell her what he really does for a living. Because she doesn’t recognize him or watch sports, he decides to pretend his day job is something else… meanwhile, she’s working on her third thesis and doesn’t show any signs of slowing down.

    Their connection begins to sizzle the more they get to know each other, which is fine with RJ since he’s been celibate for a while now. He’s been a manhooooar before and he knows the ramifications of what it means. He’s not about that life anymore, thank goodness 👏🏻.

    We get some steamy times. Some were FTB ish or just told that it happened. But the ones we get are 🔥🔥🔥. The ones that mattered were the longer ones 😉. Good thing too since they were 🥵😅🔥💦. I wouldn’t have minded if they were more detailed (aka raunchy 🤣), but I felt satiated lol.

    SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS
    I did NOT see the secret baby/pregnancy coming 😅🤣. Honestly, I was at the gym, minding my business, when I heard Lainey tell RJ she had a baby… and ITS HIS🤯😱. THE GASP that came out of me was EMBARRASSING 🤣🫣. I had to pretend I was coughing 😅😂. I was shocked, but also wanted to forgo stretching to keep reading 😅👀.

    I liked that there wasn’t too much angst. It could’ve had some in it to make it a more profound read, but I still enjoyed it a lot. Basically, RJ and Lainey need to navigate their lives now that they found each other again, including what it’s like to live a life of someone that’s famous.

    I also loved that we get some JP ness out of RJ. Good. Gotta keep him on his toes 💁🏻‍♀️. Lainey will have to deal with women wanting her man, he needs to know what it’s like to be in her shoes lol 💅.

    Overall, I enjoyed it a lot.
    4 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • SMAM
    5.0 out of 5 stars Lo devoré
    Reviewed in Mexico on June 12, 2020
    Este libro está súper tierno y bonito.
    Es bastante digerible así que rápidamente lo quedrás terminar. Me encanto la historia
    Report
  • Ana Clara Pereira
    5.0 out of 5 stars AMEI
    Reviewed in Brazil on September 27, 2021
    Li esse livro sem muita vontade pois estava interessada em outro da série, mas me encontrei totalmente envolvida na história! Foi muito fofa, meu coração não aguenta toda essa fofura! Amei o livro!
  • MJ Symmonds
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic second chance
    Reviewed in Canada on April 12, 2020
    A second chance romance and it's a spin off from the Pucked series; I'm all in.

    I absolutely loved Rook aka RJ and Lainey. He's a famous hockey captain and she's a marine biologist. When they meet the connection is instantaneous, he really doesn't mean to keep his true identity a secret it just never seems to be the right time. Due to unforeseen circumstances he has to leave Alaska unexpectedly without revealing his secret.

    A year later and the fates intervene now Lainey knows who he really is and can't believe he lied the whole time. Now she has her own lie and doesn't know what ramifications it will have when everything is out in the open.

    "I should tell him my own truth. But for now we’re tied: a lie for a lie."

    Fabulous crossover. Loved getting peeks at characters from the Pucked series.
  • raya_reads_love & Gypsy
    5.0 out of 5 stars Second chances
    Reviewed in Germany on November 27, 2024
    I love the writing, it's easy to follow even for an non native english reader, and I'm instantly in the story. I also like the fact, that the story is written from both POV's, so that I could understand both protagonists on a deeper level and get emotionally involved. And I did get emotionally involved.
    Rook and Lainey are kind of a match. First I wasn't sure what I was reading - because I'm a cover and author buyer - but all in all I'm still in this feeling of absolt bliss. And this book turned out to be one of my comfort reads.
    But back to the story because it started in the past, when Rook and Lainey get to know each other but sadly they parted ways because of an emergency and because of some missunderstandings or unfortune they lost track of each other till one day and all is on a card because he lied and she's lying to him and the moment they realize that they could really have a chance with one another.

    Conclusion:
    It is a comfort read about second chances and that lies have short legs (do you say that?)

    Info:
    It's the first book of the All-in-series. All can be read as a standalone but for a better reading experience you should read them acordingly to their order.
    Book 1: A lie for a lie
    Book 2: A favor for a favor
    Book 3: A secret for a secret
    Book 4: A kiss for a kiss

    About the book:
    Sometimes I need an escape from the demands, the puck bunnies, and the notoriety that come with being an NHL team captain. I just want to be a normal guy for a few weeks. So when I leave Chicago for some peace and quiet, the last thing I expect is for a gorgeous woman to literally fall into my lap on a flight to Alaska. Even better, she has absolutely no idea who I am.

    Lainey is the perfect escape from my life. My plan for seclusion becomes a monthlong sex fest punctuated with domestic bliss. But it ends just as abruptly as it began. When I’m called away on a family emergency, I realize too late that I have no way to contact Lainey.

    A year later, a chance encounter throws Lainey and me together again. But I still have a lie hanging over my head, and Lainey’s keeping secrets of her own. With more than lust at stake, the truth may be our game changer.
  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Cute love story
    Reviewed in Australia on November 15, 2024
    Cute love story with amazing scenes thrown in throughout. Nice easy read to make you believe in love. Really enjoy this series by Helena.

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