If I Lie by Corrine Jackson

I've been waiting for a while to tell you about this book by Corrine Jackson.  It comes out August 28 and it's one of my favorite books of the year, so I finally get to talk about it.

Here is the summary from Goodreads:

A powerful debut novel about the gray space between truth and perception.

Quinn’s done the unthinkable: she kissed a guy who is not Carey, her boyfriend. And she got caught. Being branded a cheater would be bad enough, but Quinn is deemed a traitor, and shunned by all of her friends. Because Carey’s not just any guy—he’s serving in Afghanistan and revered by everyone in their small, military town.

Quinn could clear her name, but that would mean revealing secrets that she’s vowed to keep—secrets that aren’t hers to share. And when Carey goes MIA, Quinn must decide how far she’ll go to protect her boyfriend…and her promise.

This book! I read this book in one sitting. This is the kind of book that takes hold of your emotions and won't let go. I cried, I laughed, I cried some more, and in the end, I was just in awe.

Sophie Topper Quinn is easy to love. Branded the town slut after she is caught cheating on her war hero boyfriend, Sophie can clear her name, but doing so would mean betraying her boyfriend whose secret is not hers to tell. Doing the honorable thing comes at a huge price, as Sophie is bullied, ostracized and made to suffer alone.

The relationships in this book are complex, believable and completely real. Sophie and Carey- the love between these too is so genuine, and even when you want to bean Carey over the head for putting Sophie in the position he does, you feel the genuine affection between them. Sophie and Blake- These two love each other in a way that is both warm and heartbreaking. There is a true triangle here, as Blake and Sophie's mutual love for Carey always hangs above them. Sophie's relationships with her former friends, her single father, the mother who abandoned her and a grizzled veteran who gives her the unconditional love she craves are layered, and you really care what happens between them.

The writing is gorgeous.  There were times I wanted to pause and just soak it in, but the story wouldn't let me pause for long, compelling me to keep turning the page until I knew whether Sophie was going to be okay. LOVE!