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Truth in Lies #2
A Family Affair: Spring
A Family Affair: Spring is a story of betrayal, forgiveness, and redemption, all wrapped up in the lives of the people we love to love, and even a few we love to hate.
Harry Blacksworth is rich, handsome, the ultimate playboy with a killer smile and a clever wit. He’s fought it, denied it, ignored it, but the damn truth won’t go away: He’s fallen in love. And just when he’s accepted that fact, Greta Servensen, the only woman he’s ever trusted, breaks his heart.
Christine Blacksworth and Nate Desantro beat the odds when they fell in love and married. But staying married is threatened when the foundation behind every good relationship—trust—is challenged.
Gloria Blacksworth descends upon Magdalena in all of her designer-clad arrogance, determined to make Christine change her course and return to Chicago and her old life. It may take a well-planted lie or two, but Gloria doesn’t plan to fail. When she finally confronts Miriam Desantro, the “other woman”, Gloria discovers more than she ever wanted to know… or admit.
Angelo “Pop” Benito is The Godfather of Magdalena. Nothing happens in that town without his knowledge or approval. And Pop doesn’t do anything without a long sit-down with his dead wife, Lucy, and a half dozen pizzelles by his side. He’ll need a lot of lung power and a tray of his favorite treat to help Nate and Christine out of a real mess. And he may need the help of his checkers buddy and Magdalena’s shining star, Lily Desantro.
Harry Blacksworth is rich, handsome, the ultimate playboy with a killer smile and a clever wit. He’s fought it, denied it, ignored it, but the damn truth won’t go away: He’s fallen in love. And just when he’s accepted that fact, Greta Servensen, the only woman he’s ever trusted, breaks his heart.
Christine Blacksworth and Nate Desantro beat the odds when they fell in love and married. But staying married is threatened when the foundation behind every good relationship—trust—is challenged.
Gloria Blacksworth descends upon Magdalena in all of her designer-clad arrogance, determined to make Christine change her course and return to Chicago and her old life. It may take a well-planted lie or two, but Gloria doesn’t plan to fail. When she finally confronts Miriam Desantro, the “other woman”, Gloria discovers more than she ever wanted to know… or admit.
Angelo “Pop” Benito is The Godfather of Magdalena. Nothing happens in that town without his knowledge or approval. And Pop doesn’t do anything without a long sit-down with his dead wife, Lucy, and a half dozen pizzelles by his side. He’ll need a lot of lung power and a tray of his favorite treat to help Nate and Christine out of a real mess. And he may need the help of his checkers buddy and Magdalena’s shining star, Lily Desantro.
217 pages, ebook
First published August 26, 2013
856 people are currently reading
853 people want to read
About the author
Mary Campisi
80 books420 followersMary Campisi is the author of over 40 emotion-packed novels that center around hope, redemption, and second chances.
Mary should have known she'd become a writer when at age thirteen she began changing the ending to all the books she read. It took several years and a number of jobs, including registered nurse, receptionist in a swanky hair salon, accounts payable clerk, and practice manager in an OB/GYN office, for her to rediscover writing. Enter a mouse-less computer, a floppy disk, and a dream large enough to fill a zip drive. The rest of the story lives on in every book she writes.
When she's not working on her craft or following the lives of five adult children, Mary's digging in the dirt with her flowers and herbs, cooking, reading, walking her rescue lab, Henry, or, on the perfect day, riding off into the sunset with her very own hero/husband on his Ultra Limited aka Harley.
If you would like to be notified when Mary has a new release, please sign up at http://www.marycampisi.com/book/book-...
website: marycampisi.com
e-mail: mary@marycampisi.com
blog: marycampisi.com/blog/
twitter: twitter.com/MaryCampisi
facebook: facebook.com/marycampisibooks
Instagram: instagram.com/marycampisiauthor/
Mary should have known she'd become a writer when at age thirteen she began changing the ending to all the books she read. It took several years and a number of jobs, including registered nurse, receptionist in a swanky hair salon, accounts payable clerk, and practice manager in an OB/GYN office, for her to rediscover writing. Enter a mouse-less computer, a floppy disk, and a dream large enough to fill a zip drive. The rest of the story lives on in every book she writes.
When she's not working on her craft or following the lives of five adult children, Mary's digging in the dirt with her flowers and herbs, cooking, reading, walking her rescue lab, Henry, or, on the perfect day, riding off into the sunset with her very own hero/husband on his Ultra Limited aka Harley.
If you would like to be notified when Mary has a new release, please sign up at http://www.marycampisi.com/book/book-...
website: marycampisi.com
e-mail: mary@marycampisi.com
blog: marycampisi.com/blog/
twitter: twitter.com/MaryCampisi
facebook: facebook.com/marycampisibooks
Instagram: instagram.com/marycampisiauthor/
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
December 23, 2013
I am really enjoying this delightful and witty series! I finished Book 1 and immediately purchased Book 2 and look forward to Book 3 (Family Affair: Summer) coming in 2014 and Book 4 thereafter.
You will fall I in love with all the characters, which are so realistic in this charming small New York (Magdalena) town and parts in Chicago. Harry is my favorite character and Mary does a fantastic job of humorous one liners throughout the book which keep you laughing!
This book continues with the characters from book one: Christine/Nate/Miriam/Lilly Desantro family, and centers on Harry/Gretta’s new relationship (Mr. Playboy), more from the bitchy Gloria and the addition of funny character Pop Angelo “Pop” Benito, the Godfather of Magdalena.
I am excited I found this author, as really like her writing style and will certainly be reading more of her other books and series, and of course the continuation of the Truth in Lies Series. A novel of betrayal, forgiveness, and redemption (some we love and some we despise).. I highly recommend!
You will fall I in love with all the characters, which are so realistic in this charming small New York (Magdalena) town and parts in Chicago. Harry is my favorite character and Mary does a fantastic job of humorous one liners throughout the book which keep you laughing!
This book continues with the characters from book one: Christine/Nate/Miriam/Lilly Desantro family, and centers on Harry/Gretta’s new relationship (Mr. Playboy), more from the bitchy Gloria and the addition of funny character Pop Angelo “Pop” Benito, the Godfather of Magdalena.
I am excited I found this author, as really like her writing style and will certainly be reading more of her other books and series, and of course the continuation of the Truth in Lies Series. A novel of betrayal, forgiveness, and redemption (some we love and some we despise).. I highly recommend!
October 1, 2013
This is the second installment in the Truth in Lies series...There are more characters here than in the first one, so it's now more like a "small town affair". I still love Lily the most; she is really the one that binds them all... Pop is also very likeable, and so does Jack. I just couldn't believe how insensitive and sinister the characters of Gloria and Connor are! In the case of Gloria, is there really such kind of a mother?
I enjoyed the story and most readers who like romantic reads will. I also find the bits and pieces of life lessons scattered all throughout as worthy of a couple of minutes of pondering.
The next installment is not due until 2014. I guess we'll see there what will eventually happen between Christine and Gloria...Can't wait.
I enjoyed the story and most readers who like romantic reads will. I also find the bits and pieces of life lessons scattered all throughout as worthy of a couple of minutes of pondering.
The next installment is not due until 2014. I guess we'll see there what will eventually happen between Christine and Gloria...Can't wait.
October 23, 2013
I had the pleasure of reading the first book in this series. I fell in love with the characters and family as a whole, so I was very excited when I learned that the story would continue. The sequel did not disappoint. A FAMILY AFFAIR: SPRING felt like a reunion with old friends. I enjoyed becoming reacquainted with these characters and catching up with their story. I was most impressed by how Campisi successfully draws the reader back into the lives of the Desantro and Blacksworth families as they face new challenges and trials. Once again, Campisi delivers a heartwarming story about the power of love, forgiveness and family. I highly recommend this series and I look forward to reading the next two books, A FAMILY AFFAIR: SUMMER and A FAMILY AFFAIR: FALL.
June 16, 2018
My Musings
Love,love, this story. It's another look at the engaging characters in Magdelena. Lily is such a breath of fresh air. Can't wait to read the next one in this wonderful series. The narrator is excellent as well. Happy ☺reading 📚 and listening!
Love,love, this story. It's another look at the engaging characters in Magdelena. Lily is such a breath of fresh air. Can't wait to read the next one in this wonderful series. The narrator is excellent as well. Happy ☺reading 📚 and listening!
January 15, 2024
Another great book & introduction of different characters. Can't wait to dive into Cash & Tess' story in the next book.
August 13, 2020
Second book out of five
I'm a person who reads not only for the pure pleasure, but also as a means for a temporary vacation from a very hectic life. That said, I absolutely love reading books that provide the continuity of a series, a trilogy or any kind of sequel or prequel. In order to do so, you need to fall in love with the characters portrayed enough to create the desire to follow their stories in following books. The truth in lies series, so far, after reading the second installment, I'm very much looking forward to the third book! I usually hate the skipping around to where each chapter changes to a different character, but MARY Campisi does it in a way that flows smoothly and doesn't leave me with the urge to skip pages in order to just read the one storyline! This is my first time reading this author, but she’s already been elevated to my list of favorites! A GREAT SERIES THAT HOLDS MY ATTENTION AND DROWNS OUT THE ONGOING DRAMA MY LIFE CONSISTS OF!!
I'm a person who reads not only for the pure pleasure, but also as a means for a temporary vacation from a very hectic life. That said, I absolutely love reading books that provide the continuity of a series, a trilogy or any kind of sequel or prequel. In order to do so, you need to fall in love with the characters portrayed enough to create the desire to follow their stories in following books. The truth in lies series, so far, after reading the second installment, I'm very much looking forward to the third book! I usually hate the skipping around to where each chapter changes to a different character, but MARY Campisi does it in a way that flows smoothly and doesn't leave me with the urge to skip pages in order to just read the one storyline! This is my first time reading this author, but she’s already been elevated to my list of favorites! A GREAT SERIES THAT HOLDS MY ATTENTION AND DROWNS OUT THE ONGOING DRAMA MY LIFE CONSISTS OF!!
May 28, 2016
Good follow up to the first book but a bit forced, and it ended too abruptly as if the author couldn't wait to end it and get on with book 3 of the series. The natural flow wasn't there, and I found the story chopped up.
Gloria Blacksworth was one of my favorite characters in the the first book of this Truth in Lies series but quickly became the person to loathe the most in this book. Thankfully, she redeemed herself in the end, thereby salvaging my own judge of character abilities! Phew!
I will not continue to read book 3, etc. my curiosity has been satisfied with book 2.
I give this book an "I liked it" three star rating.
Gloria Blacksworth was one of my favorite characters in the the first book of this Truth in Lies series but quickly became the person to loathe the most in this book. Thankfully, she redeemed herself in the end, thereby salvaging my own judge of character abilities! Phew!
I will not continue to read book 3, etc. my curiosity has been satisfied with book 2.
I give this book an "I liked it" three star rating.
November 6, 2019
Gloria Blacksworth needs a leash, a tyrannical battle axe lacking compassion. Commandeering everyone.
December 8, 2021
Welcome to Magdelena Harry Blacksworth!!! And the story continues. There's so much hurt, passion, warmth, love, and wisdom...and Pop is at the center of it all. He is Ms. Lucy rusn the town. While reading this book, you'll just want to sit at the table with them and share some pizzelles.
The characters of this story are so captivating and so loveable. They bring right into the story and you feel as though you are there with them, walking the streets of Magdelena, and peeking into windows catching a glimpse of their lives, with bated breath, as you wait to see what will happen next. And Lily, she's a breath of fresh air. You can't help but love her!!
The twists, the turns, the lies; the pain, the hurt, and oh my goodness the making up!!! You'll be hooked from the first page. I assure you!!! I know I am..and I'm headed back to Magdelena for the next part of the story, or journey I should say. Maybe I'll see you over there. :-)
The characters of this story are so captivating and so loveable. They bring right into the story and you feel as though you are there with them, walking the streets of Magdelena, and peeking into windows catching a glimpse of their lives, with bated breath, as you wait to see what will happen next. And Lily, she's a breath of fresh air. You can't help but love her!!
The twists, the turns, the lies; the pain, the hurt, and oh my goodness the making up!!! You'll be hooked from the first page. I assure you!!! I know I am..and I'm headed back to Magdelena for the next part of the story, or journey I should say. Maybe I'll see you over there. :-)
June 23, 2023
I had two major problems with this book. The first one is that it is told in third person POV. There are multiple storylines going on at the same time so I do understand the reasoning behind it, however, it makes it very difficult to get invested in the characters or to feel any kind of connection in the relationships.
The biggest issue I had however was with the narration. The narrator had an odd way of pronouncing words that ended in "ed" or "t", almost as if it were another syllable like park-ed instead of parked. It got to the point where I couldn't focus on the story because of the pronunciation of these words (and there were a lot of them). Thankfully the rest of the series is not narrated by her so hopefully the next one will be better. I really think I would have enjoyed it more with a different narrator.
The biggest issue I had however was with the narration. The narrator had an odd way of pronouncing words that ended in "ed" or "t", almost as if it were another syllable like park-ed instead of parked. It got to the point where I couldn't focus on the story because of the pronunciation of these words (and there were a lot of them). Thankfully the rest of the series is not narrated by her so hopefully the next one will be better. I really think I would have enjoyed it more with a different narrator.
May 6, 2018
Spring, a time of renewal...
When Christine Blacksworth discovers her father's secret, everything she believed about her father is thrown to the w wind. Then she discovers that she has a sister, with Downs syndrome. Lily Desantro is pure love and acceptance. Christine learns things from Lily that she never learned from anyone else. How else can she grow to love the one man who hated her father with such passion? And is their love strong enough to withstand the onslaught of venom from her own mother? Can her Uncle Harry learn how to love and trust another human being, namely Greta Servensen? Does Gloria Blacksworth get her comeuppance or do things swing in her favor? A wonderful second story in this series!
When Christine Blacksworth discovers her father's secret, everything she believed about her father is thrown to the w wind. Then she discovers that she has a sister, with Downs syndrome. Lily Desantro is pure love and acceptance. Christine learns things from Lily that she never learned from anyone else. How else can she grow to love the one man who hated her father with such passion? And is their love strong enough to withstand the onslaught of venom from her own mother? Can her Uncle Harry learn how to love and trust another human being, namely Greta Servensen? Does Gloria Blacksworth get her comeuppance or do things swing in her favor? A wonderful second story in this series!
February 11, 2019
“Family Affair: Spring” (Truth in Lies #2) by Mary Campisi
Truly an excellent read
Once again, Mary Campisi has brought to life the town of Magdalena and it's residents. With a strong storyline that mixes love, despair, betrayal, amends, forgiveness, truth, lies, birth and rebirth together for one incredible novel. With endings and beginning and restarts, it will be interesting to see what is to come in the next novel.
Rating: 4.8
✳✳✳✳✳
Truly an excellent read
Once again, Mary Campisi has brought to life the town of Magdalena and it's residents. With a strong storyline that mixes love, despair, betrayal, amends, forgiveness, truth, lies, birth and rebirth together for one incredible novel. With endings and beginning and restarts, it will be interesting to see what is to come in the next novel.
Rating: 4.8
✳✳✳✳✳
June 28, 2017
A Family Affair Spring
Magdalena is a great little town of good people and so much going on in this second book. Two babies have been born and looks like some people that have been gone for a while might be coming home. Mary Campisi, is good writer I wonder what surprises will be in book 3. Guess we will shaft to read to find out.
Magdalena is a great little town of good people and so much going on in this second book. Two babies have been born and looks like some people that have been gone for a while might be coming home. Mary Campisi, is good writer I wonder what surprises will be in book 3. Guess we will shaft to read to find out.
August 5, 2017
In this book, Christine and Nate have fallen in love and married. Staying married is the tough part. Christine's mother, Gloria, manages to nearly end the marriage when it has hardly begun. Bad boy Uncle Harry to the rescue.
This is the second in a series. I don't plan to read any more.
This is the second in a series. I don't plan to read any more.
December 9, 2017
This is book 2 in Mary Campisi’s, Truth In Lies Series, and it’s every bit as good as the first book. It’s so good I’ve given it a 5 Star rating and Ive already bought book 3. Don’t miss this series.
July 23, 2018
It had been four years since I read Bok 1 of this series so it took me about 20% to get back into the story. Once I got back into it, I loved it. Mary Campisi goes into such detail about the characters' thoughts.
February 17, 2021
Great series!
I love that the series begins incorporating other characters into big plot lines!!! I’ll definitely continue reading and am looking forward to the other characters juicy stories!
I love that the series begins incorporating other characters into big plot lines!!! I’ll definitely continue reading and am looking forward to the other characters juicy stories!
June 1, 2017
Good book -- I am interested in following this family. The writing seems honest and well done. I read more historical works than contemporary, but it is easy to get wrapped up in this story.
August 14, 2017
Predictable.
Why do women authors have to describe sex in detail? The best is using ones own imagination.
I will not be reading any more of Mary Campisi's books.
Why do women authors have to describe sex in detail? The best is using ones own imagination.
I will not be reading any more of Mary Campisi's books.
October 28, 2017
A good family story.
A really good book. I don't think I liked it as well as the first book, bit it kept me reading until late at night. Now, on to number three.
A really good book. I don't think I liked it as well as the first book, bit it kept me reading until late at night. Now, on to number three.
December 16, 2018
Good Series
January 5, 2019
Second book I have by Mary Campisi. I love this series and will continue to read all the other books in this series. Great characters- I read to relax and this fits the bill. Love this author!
January 25, 2019
A Family Affair
When I started reading the first book I was hooked than the more I found out there was more books to follow I was excited just bought book three
When I started reading the first book I was hooked than the more I found out there was more books to follow I was excited just bought book three
April 26, 2019
I love this continuing story....have read books 1 and 2 and am looking forward to book 3!
May 4, 2019
Meet the people of Montgomery. Every couple falls in love, has a trust issue that separates them and finds their way back together.
June 23, 2019
Well worth a read
Fabulous story gripping from the start. Recommend for readers of 1960’s books. You can visualise what’s happening as you read it.
Fabulous story gripping from the start. Recommend for readers of 1960’s books. You can visualise what’s happening as you read it.
September 5, 2020
Good story of its kind. I find it a bit "folksy" but not too bland for all that. A warm blanket of a story with just enough jeopardy to give interest.
December 18, 2021
I didn't enjoy this second installment of the series as much as the first. It was nice to catch up with the characters though.
July 1, 2022
Good story, good characters.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews