The Winning Lie by Elsa Wolfhart

 

Published June 24 2026

Read June 29th-July 3rd 2026

The Winning Lie by Elsa Wolfhart

Characters – 7/10

Wolfhart builds her story around two central characters whose lives become unexpectedly intertwined. 

Everette, a disciplined and calculating Buffalo hockey player, stumbles into Sage’s probability seminar almost by accident. What begins as an innocent evening quickly becomes something much larger, setting him on a path he never anticipated. 

Sage, a doctor of probability and the heart of Buffalo’s beloved Community Rink, is the glue holding an important piece of the community together. Her dedication to preserving the rink gives the story much of its emotional core. 

Their first meeting on a snowy Buffalo night feels like a simple coincidence, but circumstances soon ensure that their futures become permanently linked. While the characters are likable enough, they occasionally feel limited by the novel’s execution. 

Atmosphere – 7/10

One of the book’s stronger elements is its sense of place. Wolfhart captures the feel of a Buffalo winter surprisingly well, making the harsh weather, snowstorms, and bitter cold tangible throughout the story. 

The Community Rink is also vividly portrayed. Its importance to the town and the ongoing struggle to fund and repair it provide a solid backdrop for the romance and help ground the novel in a larger purpose. Readers who enjoy small-community settings will likely appreciate this aspect of the story. 

Writing – 4/10

Unfortunately, the writing proved to be the novel’s biggest weakness for me. 

The prose often feels extremely stilted and clipped, making conversations and transitions read unnaturally. Rather than flowing smoothly from scene to scene, the narrative frequently feels abrupt and disjointed. Reading became a chore at times, and the awkward sentence structure occasionally pulled me completely out of the story. 

There are also several continuity issues that further undermine the reading experience. One notable example occurs during the championship series, where Buffalo appears to be leading three games to two and on the verge of victory, only for the next section to indicate they somehow lost the series four games to two. Similar issues arise with travel logistics, as a game played out west is followed by Everette appearing back at the community center almost immediately afterward. These inconsistencies make it difficult to stay immersed in the story. 

Simply put, readers should not pick up The Winning Lie expecting polished prose. 

Plot – 6/10

At its core, The Winning Lie relies on the familiar fake-girlfriend trope, a romance staple that many readers enjoy. While the premise itself isn’t particularly groundbreaking, Wolfhart adds a layer of heart by tying the relationship to efforts to save the Community Rink. 

That emotional motivation gives the story a wholesome quality and raises the stakes beyond the romance itself. The plot contains enough charm to keep interest alive, even when the execution struggles. 

Intrigue – 6/10

The novel required an adjustment period. The writing style is so clipped and unconventional that it took considerable effort to find the rhythm of the story. 

Once I adapted, I was able to follow the narrative more easily, but the experience never became effortless. Instead of being drawn into the story, I often felt as though I was pushing my way through it. When a reader feels they must trudge through a book rather than eagerly turn the pages, that's rarely a positive sign. 

Logic & Consistency – 5/10

Story logic is another area where the novel falters. 

The conflicting championship-series results create confusion regarding the timeline and outcome of key events. Combined with questionable travel logistics and other continuity lapses, the narrative frequently asks readers to overlook details that should have been caught during editing. 

These may seem like small issues individually, but together they weaken the story’s credibility and make it difficult to remain fully invested. 

Enjoyment – 6/10

This was a difficult category to score. 

I genuinely wanted to enjoy The Winning Lie. The premise has potential, the setting is appealing, and the Community Rink storyline gives the novel a warm, feel-good foundation. However, the awkward writing and consistency problems continually interrupted the experience. 

By the end, I found myself finishing the book more out of determination than enthusiasm. 

Final Verdict – 6.28/10 (⭐⭐⭐)

The Winning Lie was my first experience with Elsa Wolfhart’s work, and I came away feeling conflicted. Beneath the surface is a story with genuine potential—a sweet romance, a community worth rooting for, and characters whose goals are easy to understand. 

Unfortunately, the novel is hampered by stiff prose, uneven pacing, and several noticeable continuity errors that distract from the story rather than enhance it. While the heart of the book is evident, the execution ultimately fell short for me. 

As a result, I cannot wholeheartedly recommend The Winning Lie. Readers who highly enjoy fake-dating romances may still find something to appreciate, but for me, the writing style and lack of narrative consistency significantly diminished what could have been a much stronger read.