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Lee Winter
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The Awkward Truth Kindle Edition

by Lee Winter (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.6 out of 5 stars 709 ratings

This funny opposites-attract lesbian romance digs up the awkward truth about what really matters in life.

Ambitious ice queen and corporate lawyer Felicity Simmons has spent her life focused on one thing: scuttling up the career ladder. She’s achingly close to taking charge of a media empire for her boss when she’s sent to investigate a South Bronx charity that helps homeless people’s pets.

Has the charity made off with her boss’s generous donation? And who on earth is that gorgeous soft-butch veterinarian who looks as if she could toss a Shetland pony over one shoulder? Not that Felicity has any interest in some opinionated Amazon or her adorable fleabag of a dog.

Felicity is quite sure she will not be distracted, thank you very much. She has a minor mystery to solve, a mentor to impress, and her life’s dream to fulfil. Even if a distraction might be exactly what she needs.

The Awkward Truth takes place during the last half of Lee Winter’s The Brutal Truth but can easily be read as a standalone story.

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  1. Print length
    369 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Accessibility
    Learn more
  4. Publication date
    December 6, 2021
  5. File size
    1.9 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09N7KCX7H
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Ylva Publishing
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 6, 2021
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ 1st
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.9 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 369 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-3963245848
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Best Sellers Rank: #309,279 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 out of 5 stars 709 ratings

About the author

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Lee Winter

Lee Winter

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Lee Winter is an award-winning veteran newspaper journalist who has lived in almost every Australian state, covering courts, crime, news, features, and humour writing. She is now a full-time author and part-time editor.

Lee is a 2015 Lambda Literary Award finalist for The Red Files in 2015, and Requiem for Immortals in 2016, the latter also winning bronze in the mainstream 2017 Independent Publisher Book Awards for E-book Mystery/Thriller.

Golden Crown Literary Society Awards also followed for: The Red Files and Requiem for Immortals (Mystery in 2015 and 2016), Shattered in 2018 (sci-fi/fantasy), Hotel Queens in 2021 (Romantic Blend), Chaos Agent in 2024 (Romantic Blend and the highest award, the Ann Bannon Popular Choice - Gold).

Lee lives in Australia with her long-time girlfriend, where she spends much time ruminating on her garden, cute native wildlife, and shiny, new gadgets.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
709 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book well-written and engaging, with one mentioning it's fun to read after "The Brutal Truth." They appreciate the character development, with one noting the introspective portrayal of the aggressive main character. Customers praise the storytelling, with one highlighting how the author skillfully weaves two narratives together. The book receives positive feedback for its humor, warmth, and art direction, with one review noting how it provides a warm, fuzzy feel. Customers value the empathy in the story, with one describing how it bleeds empathy throughout.

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ReadabilityCharacter developmentWriting qualityHumorStory tellingWarmthArt directionEmpathy
15 customers mention "Readability"15 positive0 negative

Customers find the book highly readable, with one mentioning it's fun to read after "The Brutal Truth."

"...And as always, Lee Winter adds some light mystery to her books! Great read :)" Read more

"Good read…but some issues..." Read more

"Amazing book!..." Read more

"...This book is certainly no exception, and it’s probably the hardest topic to date in her books, at least for me: homelessness...." Read more

6 customers mention "Character development"6 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, with one noting the introspective portrayal of the aggressive main character.

"...Great rhythm and characters. It was fun to catch up with old friends too." Read more

"...The very many characters that added to the mystery of where 1.4 million $ donated by Elena, helped Felicity unpack her heart...." Read more

"...It was also introspective for the aggressive main character, as many stories of the trope tend to be...." Read more

"...What I liked about this story it was how much her character grew." Read more

6 customers mention "Writing quality"6 positive0 negative

Customers praise the writing quality of the book.

"...Super well done." Read more

"...Like I said before all of that is executed really well, the writing is so solid…but there is also something missing...." Read more

"...It was of the same high quality and standards that we've come to love from this author...." Read more

"I loved this book. It was well written and well edited...." Read more

4 customers mention "Humor"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the book humorous, with one mentioning it has really funny memorable moments.

"...Great rhythm and characters. It was fun to catch up with old friends too." Read more

"...It also made for some really funny memorable moments...." Read more

"...It was a fun, sweet, and a bit of an intriguing story...." Read more

"...So happy I did, it was a wonderful, funny, thought-provoking book." Read more

4 customers mention "Story telling"4 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the storytelling in the book, with one mentioning how well the author weaves two great narratives together.

"...It was a fun, sweet, and a bit of an intriguing story...." Read more

"...This explores social issues with both facts and story telling...." Read more

"...I’ve read 3 in one week. I love them. Great stories, great romance, and great writing. Keep it up." Read more

"Lee Winter nailed it again! An amazing job of entwining two great stories. It was compassionate and kick ass at the same time!!!" Read more

4 customers mention "Warmth"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the book warm and heartwarming, with one customer describing it as sweet and relaxed.

"...snarky uptight deputy and it played beautifully against the sweet and relaxed Maddie. It also made for some really funny memorable moments...." Read more

"...The many animals make the story fun and provide a warm fuzzy feel...." Read more

"...It was a fun, sweet, and a bit of an intriguing story...." Read more

"...A heartwarming and insightful work of art." Read more

3 customers mention "Art direction"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the art direction of the book, with one describing it as an insightful work of art and another noting it provides a deeper look at the character Felicity.

"...I loved the fact that we get a deeper look at Felicity - in the first book she was the snarky uptight deputy and it played beautifully against the..." Read more

"SAPPHIC BOOK BINGO: full-time writer, favorite trope, meet-cute, different sexual orientation (L/B), butch character, coming-out story; UNICORN:..." Read more

"...A heartwarming and insightful work of art." Read more

3 customers mention "Empathy"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's empathetic approach, with one customer noting how the story bleeds with emotional resonance, while another describes it as an astonishing journey of self-awareness.

"...like a balm to read a book where it features stage center, in such a caring and respectful way. Eyes opener, it could happen to anyone...." Read more

"...In the final third my favorite portion of the book, there is real emotional resonance first with her family, her professional goals and what it..." Read more

"...An amazing job of entwining two great stories. It was compassionate and kick ass at the same time!!!" Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great read
    Reviewed in the United States on June 12, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    I enjoyed reading this book and once I started I just keep reading until the end. Great rhythm and characters. It was fun to catch up with old friends too.
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  • Elena
    5.0 out of 5 stars Felicity stole my heart
    Reviewed in the United States on December 8, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    I was a big fan of Felicity in The Brutal Truth, so this book is a dream come true. But I didn’t love this book due to its marginal relationship with TBT, I loved it as a standalone.

    All of this author’s books cover one, or more than one, social injustice, a wrong in the world. This book is certainly no exception, and it’s probably the hardest topic to date in her books, at least for me: homelessness. Not to say that #metoo and women’s abuse as standard practice isn’t a really hard topic, or greed or power hungriness to the expense of other fellow humans, but homelessness? It so very much flies under the radar that it’s like a balm to read a book where it features stage center, in such a caring and respectful way. Eyes opener, it could happen to anyone.

    Through Cooper, and the various clients of the charity, Winter gives voice to a dreadful reality in our world. She does so wonderfully and with so much respect. I just can’t imagine how much research must have gone into this, to express a reality that is out there, and also not to come across as condescending. The whole story bleeds empathy. Even Felicity empathizes :D

    I found this topic to be a wonderful conduit for Felicity to become a ‘full’ character, with deep seeded insecurities, daddy issues and all, which push her to focus on career and career alone. Little by little, she demolishes that concept she’s only got two settings, “brutal or awkward”, and becomes a truly caring and mindful woman, in spite of trying to preserve her uber polished I-don’t-give-a-damn-about-anything-except-my-career external façade. Our good old Felicity, she’s quite astonishing in this trip to self-awareness, which is what eventually gains her the respect of her idolized mentor, Elena. I truly enjoyed the journey.

    I’ve seen a number of reviews mentioning that for fans of The Brutal this book ought to cut it just fine. That wasn’t it for me. I don’t think this book has anything much to do with TBT, except regarding the overlap of characters. Yes, there is something to be said for all those passages in the book where the one and only Elena Bartell gets to speak openly and frankly with Felicity, I definitely gobbled that up, but again, that was not the key thing for me. I truly think I’d enjoyed this book very much even if I hadn’t read The Brutal Truth. Elena would still come across as, well, Elena. And Maddie would still come across as, well, Maddie. But Felicity was a superstar in this story. She deserved to have her story told, and I can’t think of any other narrative that would have brought her around as a full human, instead of as a comic relief in someone else’s story.

    Super well done.
    14 people found this helpful
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  • D Booker
    4.0 out of 5 stars Good read…but some issues
    Reviewed in the United States on December 27, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    I’m a big fan of Lee Winter’s work and so my fingers were tingling at the ready to order “The Awkward Truth” the moment it came out!

    This book does come with some baggage because of expectations based on its predecessor “The Brutal Truth” and while it rocked on many fronts, there were certain parts that could have been better.

    I loved the fact that we get a deeper look at Felicity - in the first book she was the snarky uptight deputy and it played beautifully against the sweet and relaxed Maddie. It also made for some really funny memorable moments.
    In the first third of the “The Awkward Truth” we get more of that with Sandy Cooper being the recipient of her snark. Her interactions with Brittany and pets in general are particularly hilarious. But we also get the why behind it all which is complicated and messy. In the second third we see Felicity flex her intelligence and doggedness in pursuit of resolving the mystery that is a key arc and we get to see her more “humane” side come to the fore. In the final third my favorite portion of the book, there is real emotional resonance first with her family, her professional goals and what it means to her and finally also with her relationship with Sandy. Like I said before all of that is executed really well, the writing is so solid…but there is also something missing.

    One of the things Lee Winter does so well is the slow burn. With “The Awkward Truth”, the MCs get together fairly early (and it feels a little rushed) which means you can predict what the end of book angst is going to be about. And that’s what made this book different from Lee’s other books. There is always a certain amount of tension with the plot line eg Elena firing Maddie multiple times or Catherine Ayers ditching Lauren King for another position, you sort of couldn’t predict where Lee was going to take you and that made the stories so much more compelling. I think the obviousness of the final climax, sort of let me down a bit. Also Felicity’s emotional growth while awesome also ended up watering down her character a bit, she became a bit too soft in my opinion. It would have been great to keep her biting snarkiness alive a little more because that’s what made her memorable and awkwardly lovable at the same time.
    Overall a good read. 4🌟
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Ps58
    5.0 out of 5 stars The Ice Queen melts when the unbearable truth is clearly the key to success.
    Reviewed in the United States on February 23, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    Felicity has been an absolute treasure. The attraction between her and Dr Cooper the veterinarian of the homeless animal she is sent to investigate is from first meet. Together they open Felicity to a new world, different way to see the truth that is life. I loved learning more about her life because you can see how the ice queen was born. The deliciously brilliant gift was to watch one week utterly change her as she searched for the awkward truths she has trouble facing. The very many characters that added to the mystery of where 1.4 million $ donated by Elena, helped Felicity unpack her heart. I love that she did not loose her sharp business mind that makes her a good COO but searches heart to Choose happy over work. The many animals make the story fun and provide a warm fuzzy feel. The mystery of the missing money unfolds in a magnificent way and Harvey and Rosalind brought such a deep love my heart melted. This story is Lee Winter at her Ice Queen loving best. I loved it and With Angela Dawe providing the most perfect voices for the many characters made is so wonderful. It is another reread/listen to often kind of story.
    One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Fish Sticks
    5.0 out of 5 stars A breath of fresh air
    Reviewed in Canada on December 22, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Have been reading all of Lee Winter's novels ever since I was introduced to them by the lovely Kindle algorithm, and while the ice queen-CEO untouchable MC can be a bit repetitive, this novel is quite the breath of fresh air.

    Lovely book, well rounded characters, greatly executed plot and doesn't dwell on one topic for too long making a reader fall asleep.
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  • AV
    5.0 out of 5 stars Romantic love, social justice, and mystery all find a place in this book
    Reviewed in India on January 27, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    Romantic love, social justice, and mystery all find a place in this book.

    Many of Lee Winter's books (well all except the Hollywood ones) are structured around crimes and mysteries and deal with issues of social justice. And that make these books among my favourites in non-speculative (fantasy/sci-fi) fiction.

    I had liked Felicity in Brutal Truth, perhaps because Maggie liked her, and it was delightful to have her as the protagonist in this one. The mystery that she needs to solve is interesting, and the charity and its employees, including Cooper, remarkable. Elena's kindness to Felicity endeared her to me (and I think I did like her already).

    I specially enjoyed all the discussions about homelessness in New York and the issues that affect them (though I think the numbers mentioned are rather low? I am pretty sure it ranged on 350000 when I read about it a few years ago. And it is appalling for rich countries to have so many homeless. Well, any country, but the settler-colonial and former imperial states, esp. What have they done with all their wealth looting others?

    A friend of mine in San Francisco once showed me small horseshoe shaped metal bands that were inserted into the side of the road to ensure the homeless cannot sleep in those streets. It is really horrifying that a city's response is not to provide for the homeless, but to ensure they are even more deprived. On the other hand, that is the West's approach to immigration and other sorts of lacks in the Rest too. So, perhaps, not surprising. It is still shocking.

    An absolutely well written and well-crafted book.
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  • Patrícia S.P.
    5.0 out of 5 stars What's not to like?
    Reviewed in Brazil on February 5, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    3rd time trying to comment is a charm

    This was another book I was stalling because I'm afraid to read and the fun is gone too soon but they always make great delayed gratifications.

    So, what a truly pleasant journey to witness! It was such an amazing thing to see Felicity blossoming and growing. But I'm gonna be honest and say I wasn't sure if I'd LOVE a story centred on Felicity; like yes, but love idk. Because for me, all Ms. Winter's Ice Queens are all very untouchable, very classy, regal even and very "ready", do you see what I mean? And Felicity were bossy, icy and all that jazz before, but still felt like a rough diamond, still in the making.

    But you see, I'm yet to read a novel from Lee Winter that doesn't live up to her name, so as my reading progressed I confirmed my hesitation was uncalled. Felicity has lots of hang ups and is more flawed than I'm used to see for an IQ, but nonetheless she shined bright like the diamond she is, I just had the privilege to witness the lapidation of a gem and even though she is still has a lot to learn in life (don't we all?), I LOVED it.

    I guess I had a lot to say about Felicity LOL [actually I could go hours discussing everyone because they are so rich]

    Cooper, oh Copper! I loooved her kindness, her down to earth and sure of herself vibe. Confidence and even cockiness in the right doses are s3xy as hell and that she is. A beautiful tough quartz, can be overlooked by some as simple, but for those who know better it's one of the prettiest, precious gems out there. [Seems like my geology classes resurfaced on my brain today].

    On a more sombre note. I'm not a US citizen, I live in a effed up country in South America, you may know it as Brazil and we have a lot of homeless people [not as much as the US] especially in big cities, but I'm always stunned when I read about the US homeless situation. To think you'd be on the streets because you can't pay your health bills is just so unfathomable in my head. We have lots to improve here, but that I'm sure won't ever be the reason someone lost their home here. So Besides the escapism romances always give me, they teach me a great deal of things not that close to my reality and this time was no different. I'm grateful for that.

    And finally, the whole investigation got me so engrossed that if the romance got dumped somewhere I wouldn't even mind much LOL, but thank the gods it was there!!!!! and the last chapters got me cackling silly, oh Felicity... you should know better!!! And How can you be so dense?!?!?!

    10/10 recommend :P
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  • Skippy
    5.0 out of 5 stars A sidequel to "The Brutal Truth"
    Reviewed in Germany on January 19, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    I love "The Brutal Truth", I love Elena and Maddie and I enjoyed Felicity and her irritation about basic social communication. Now she got her own book, a sidequel to "The Brutal Truth" and it's great. Yes, Elena and Maddie do appear in the book briefly, but most of the time it's about Felicity, what made her tick and how does she cope when she is forced to think with her heart and not only with her head. Cooper is just the right woman for that. She is a vet and works in a veterinary for pets of the homeless. Felicity joins her on her rounds and learns, not everybody, who lives on the street, is there by their own fault. But has happened to the 1.4 million Dollar Elena donated to the veterinary. Why does it claim to be out of money when it should be fine for three years? Has anybody stolen the money? Or was it a marketing prank? To prove she is worth following Elena's footsteps, Felicity has to solve this mystery and prove, she can make decisions not only by her head.
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  • Bookgirrl
    5.0 out of 5 stars just buy this authors book🤷‍♀️ she awesome
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 20, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    just buy this authors book🤷‍♀️ she awesome

    Amazing language and characters it’s one of the best language interactions ever. This author is amazing
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