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Lies and Weddings

A Novel

Audiobook
3 of 6 copies available
3 of 6 copies available
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A TIME MUST-READ BOOK OF THE YEARFrom the iconic internationally bestselling author of the Crazy Rich Asians trilogy: A forbidden affair erupts volcanically amid a decadent tropical wedding in this outrageous comedy of manners.

A MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK: The New York Times, The Washington Post, TIME, Entertainment Weekly, Cosmopolitan, CNN, Lit Hub, Minneapolis Star Tribune, Reader's Digest, BookRiot, SheReads, PureWow, Publishers Weekly

"Imagine Crazy Rich Asians mated with Saltburn and you've got Lies and Weddings—a heavenly summertime read!"—Plum Sykes, New York Times best-selling author of Bergdorf Blondes

 
Rufus Leung Gresham, future Earl of Greshambury and son of a former Hong Kong supermodel has a problem: the legendary Gresham Trust has been depleted by decades of profligate spending, and behind all the magazine covers and Instagram stories manors and yachts lies nothing more than a gargantuan mountain of debt. The only solution, put forth by Rufus’s scheming mother, is for Rufus to attend his sister’s wedding at a luxury eco-resort, a veritable who’s-who of sultans, barons, and oligarchs, and seduce a woman with money.
Should he marry Solène de Courcy, a French hotel heiress with honey blond tresses and a royal bloodline? Should he pursue Martha Dung, the tattooed venture capital genius who passes out billions like lollipops? Or should he follow his heart, betray his family, squander his legacy, and finally confess his love to the literal girl next door, the humble daughter of a doctor, Eden Tong? When a volcanic eruption burns through the nuptials and a hot mic exposes a secret tryst, the Gresham family plans—and their reputation—go up in flames.
Can the once-great dukedom rise from the ashes? Or will a secret tragedy, hidden for two decades, reveal a shocking twist?
In a globetrotting tale that takes us from the black sand beaches of Hawaii to the skies of Marrakech, from the glitzy bachelor pads of Los Angeles to the inner sanctums of England’s oldest family estates, Kevin Kwan unfurls a juicy, hilarious, sophisticated and thrillingly plotted story of love, money, murder, sex, and the lies we tell about them all.
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    • Publisher's Weekly

      February 5, 2024
      Kwan (Sex and Vanity) returns with another irresistible comedy of manners driven by marriage plots. Lady Augusta Gresham, daughter of the “self-absorbed” Arabella Gresham, is slated to marry Prince Maximillian zu Liechtenburg at a luxe Hawaiian resort. The ceremony is briefly delayed by a volcano eruption, then marred by each family’s discovery of the other’s mountainous debt. Most distressing to Arabella, however, is the unwelcome news that her son, Rufus, has fallen in love with the comparatively modest Eden Tong, a doctor, rather than wealthy Solène de Courcy, whom Arabella had invited to her daughter’s wedding in hopes of matching Rufus with Solène and thus securing her family’s welfare. The various festivities allow Kwan to indulge in his flair for vivid party scenes, such as a ball staged in an ice palace built with “frozen blocks filled with flowers and hauntingly lit so that the petals seemed suspended in space.” Kwan also delivers on his reputation for breezy prose, encyclopedic references to art and haute couture, and quick-witted dialogue laced with Cantonese. The author’s fans will devour this.

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Jing Lusi's first-rate facility with accents highlights Kevin Kwan's latest globe-hopping tale of the excesses of the super-rich. Lusi portrays the large cast of men and women of differing classes from all around the world, keeping them distinguished from one another. Once again, Kwan takes us on a wild ride while chronicling racism, classism, poverty, and environmental destruction. Lusi is memorable as the Countess of Greshamsbury, a Chinese woman married to a British Earl, as she tries desperately to upstage her snooty, wealthy, upper-class counterparts, who will always view her as inferior. It's too bad Lusi's choppy cadence diminishes some of the humor of the many footnotes and parenthetical asides. Those who enjoyed CRAZY RICH ASIANS should consider giving this a listen. S.G. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
    • Library Journal

      September 1, 2024

      Kwan (Sex and Vanity) returns with another gossipy tale of riches, privilege, and racism. On the surface, this is the classic story of a titled family seeking to snag nouveau riche money through strategic marriage--even though the high-society heir loves the unwealthy girl next door. The deeper story examines how classism mixes with racism to create a potent self-loathing that can destroy generations. Kwan's sprawling cast is often ridiculously over the top, but they are shown to be products of their circumstances. Jing Lusi narrates the whole thing, from the omniscient narrator to each side character and even the footnotes in between. Many of Lusi's voices enhance Kwan's characterizations and break stereotypes, allowing listeners to glimpse layered personalities beyond the facades. Together, Kwan and Lusi demonstrate the humanizing side of even the petty or villainous characters, ensuring that the novel's lesson isn't just that prejudice is harmful but that it's a trap that limits the world of both perpetrator and victim. VERDICT A delicious story of excess and glamor, mixed with snappy dialogue, witty asides, glitzy galas, and, yes, true love.--Matthew Galloway

      Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

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