Ambar Cordova’s 'The Lies Always Told' is a Tender Story about Love, Illness, and Healing

By Andreina Rodriguez

Some say romance isn’t “real” reading — but what would you call a book about grief, mental health, chronic illness, the broken education system, and finding love along the way? That’s not fluff. That’s a journey.

The Lies Always Told is the fourth installment in Ambar Cordova’s self-published Baker Oaks series, but it easily stands on its own.  This deeply heartfelt book explores the intense and sometimes messy layers of connection between people who are doing their best — just barely — under the weight of personal and systemic pain.

Nellie Thompson never imagined she’d fall for Gus Zabana.  He is a family friend, a few years older, and a Dominican successful bachelor dealing quietly with a chronic illness. But after a steamy, secret relationship begins between them, things get even more tangled when Nellie’s sister starts dating Gus’s twin. Nellie, a white woman working as a middle school counselor, is also dealing with her own mental health struggles while trying to show up for kids who desperately need her.

This book is heavy, but never hopeless. Gus’s illness isn’t just a plot point — it’s a real part of his identity, one that shapes his daily decisions and relationships. Nellie, meanwhile, holds a deep well of empathy, shaped by her own mental health journey and the emotional demands of her job. You feel the toll that takes on her, but also the strength it gives her.

While there is a cultural divide between them, it’s never used for drama. Instead, Cordova writes their relationship with care, showing the quiet sensitivity, respect, and effort that goes into loving across differences. Their dynamic feels real, thoughtful, and rooted in understanding, not stereotypes.

There’s a moment in the book when Nellie snaps after being judged for choosing a low-paying, high-impact career. 

“Yes, I should think about money, but right now, I want to think about impact. I want to think about what seed I want to plant in society. I’m twenty-one, I have my whole life to make money if I want. Right now, I want to make children’s lives better.”

And let’s be clear — this is still a romance novel that delivers all the swoon-worthy elements you crave. Gus’s yearning for Nellie is palpable. The way he calls her “baby girl,” notices the smallest details about her, and tries to show up even when he feels like he’s falling apart — it’s the kind of quiet love that wrecks you in the best way. Nellie battles her own hesitation, knowing she wants him but terrified of what it might cost.

What makes their love story so compelling isn’t just the chemistry. It’s the way their relationship is always bumping up against life. Chronic illness, family ties, grief, and professional burnout are real barriers here. Their love doesn’t exist in a bubble but is rather shaped by the world around them, and that makes the stakes feel even more real.

Even though this was my first time with the Baker Oaks series, I never felt lost. The world Cordova builds is warm, complicated, and rich with emotional texture. But now? I need to go back and read the other books. I want more of this world—more of these messy, healing, imperfect people.

If you’re someone who loves romance with heart, substance, and social commentary woven in seamlessly, The Lies Always Told is one to add to your list. It’s tender, raw, and full of aching truths — just like real love often is.

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Visit our BookShop to preorder a copy of The Lies Always Told.

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About the Author: Ambar Cordova is a romance author of heartfelt multicultural stories. With a focus on raw, emotional storytelling, she creates relatable  worlds with flawed characters that feel real. She grew up in the Dominican Republic and brings the diversity as inspiration to her stories. Ambar writes books that readers not only escape into, but also find themselves in.

Her debut series, Baker Oaks, features a cozy small town in Florida showing multicultural stories that bring butterflies and sometimes tears to her readers. When Ambar is not writing she’s teaching, spending time with her family and reading. Ambar enjoys boat rides, traveling, and spending time outside.

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Andreina Rodriguez is a journalist from Queens, New York. Her work appears on all 12 NBC local websites, Refinery29, CNBC, Latino Rebels, The Mujerista, #WeAllGrow Latina, and Modern Brown Girl.

You can follow her on Instagram @andreina_rod or @readwithandreina, and follow her work through andreinarodriguez.com.