What's Not True by Valerie Taylor

What’s Not True by Valerie Taylor

Release: August 24th 2021
Format: Paperback
Publisher: She Writes Press
Source: Suzyapproved Book Tours
Find it at: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, B&N, Kobo

With the court date set for her divorce and the future she’d planned with a younger man presumably kaput, Kassie O’Callaghan shifts attention to reviving her stalled marketing career. But that goal gets complicated when she unexpectedly rendezvous with her former lover in Paris. After a chance meeting with a colleague and a stroll along Pont Neuf, Kassie receives two compelling proposals. Can she possibly accept them both?

Kassie’s decision process screeches to a halt when her soon-to-be ex-husband has a heart attack, forcing her to fly home to Boston. There, she confronts his conniving and deceitful fiancée—a woman who wants not just a ring on her finger but everything that belongs to Kassie. In the ensuing battle to protect what’s legally and rightfully hers, Kassie discovers that sometimes it’s what’s not true that can set you free.

About the Author:

In What’s Not True (She Writes Press), the sequel to What’s Not Said (She Writes Press) published last September, Valerie Taylor continues Kassie O’Callaghan’s complicated midlife shenanigans.

Enthusiasm for What’s Not Said has validated Valerie’s belief that women are looking for stories with characters they can relate to, even if those characters are flawed. Several reviewers remarked that her witty and honest storytelling kept them turning the pages late into the night and touched their souls.

Besides being a novelist, Valerie is a continuing contributor and book reviewer for BookTrib.com. She enjoys practicing tai chi and being an expert sports spectator.

Valerie was born and raised in Stamford, Connecticut; earned a B.S. Marketing degree and an MBA from Sacred Heart University; and a graduate certificate in health care administration from Simmons University (formerly Simmons College).

She had a thirty-year career in the financial services industry as a marketer and writer. After her divorce, she spread her wings and relocated her career to Boston and then to Seattle. When she retired, she resettled in CT to be near her children and granddaughter, who is now learning how to write her own stories.

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What’s Not True Review:

Last year, I read “What’s Not Said” (the first book in the series) and was very interested to see how the story progressed in “What’s Not True.” Similar to the first book, there is a lot of drama, romance, and shocking twists and turns, that made this soap-opera story so entertaining.

What I liked about the author’s style is how she gives all the characters various shades. None of the characters are good or bad (well, except maybe one or two), are your feelings towards them change as you read the book. Initially, I wouldn’t say I liked Mike and felt bad for Karen. But as the story progressed, I felt sorry for Mike and disliked Karen with a passion. Similarly, I enjoyed Kassie’s complex relationship with Chris as they tour Paris and spend time together. It was interesting to see their dynamics play out, considering the considerable age difference. Moreover, the author makes the story interesting with surprising twists and turns. There is a shocking death in the story, which I did not see coming at all!

Probably the only downside to the story is the pop culture references. Kassie mentions people like Laurel and Hardy and Doris Day to show that she is older than Chris. While I liked the age gap, I thought some of these references missed the spot because I felt they predated even Kassie’s growing-up era. There were also a few moments that the author could have trimmed down, like Kassie’s problem with the customs.

Nevertheless, the story is very entertaining, and the author ends it in a cliffhanger that makes me eagerly anticipate the next book. I can’t wait to see how the story continues with a new character in Kassie’s life.