Don't Let Him In by Lisa Jewell

 

[Synopsis] Nina Swann is intrigued when she meets Nick, a man claiming to be an old friend of her late husband. But her adult daughter is suspicious and begins digging into Nick’s past. Meanwhile, Martha is a florist living in a neighboring town with her infant daughter and her seemingly devoted husband, Alistair. Soon, Nina and Martha are on a collision course with the shocking truth about both Nick and Alistair that is far darker than anyone could have imagined.

*May contain spoilers.

[*Review] Lisa Jewell has been a favorite author of mine for the last few years and I was excited to get an early opportunity to read this one. While it has alot going for it, I found myself confused and annoyed with the alternating time lines. I think it would have helped to at least identify Nick/Alistair/Damien/Andre in each chapter heading. Jumping back and forth between the present and four years ago is difficult enough, but I couldn't think of a single other Jewell book where I was lost for the first quarter and couldn't find the plot. The final confrontation where the women all found each other through a facebook page also seemed rushed and a bit too simplistic, not to mention unsafe, given that they were confronting a person they knew had violent tendencies. This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2025 and it just didn't grip me in the same way that most of Lisa Jewell's books have, although it has plenty of good moments and some decent twists. Thanks to Atria and Netgalley for this early review copy.

Jill is Not Happy By Kaira Rouda

 

[Synopsis] If you ask Jill Tingley, she’ll tell you she and her husband Jack are college sweethearts living the dream in Southern California. Wealthy, popular and genetically blessed, theirs is an enviable life, though they’ve grown distant in recent years. Newly empty nesting with their daughter Maggie away at college, Jill suggests a road trip to reconnect.

Jack would rather do anything else than drive to Utah with his wife. He’s only stayed in this marriage because of a shared secret, a tragedy in the past he wanted to keep buried. And for his daughter’s sake. But Jack is finished with the charade of his marriage. He’s filing for divorce as soon as they return, no matter what. 
But he doesn’t realize what else Jill is hiding.

[Review] I think I'm in the minority here but I didn't enjoy this and did not finish it. I have read two other books by this author and liked them, but the writing here seemed amateurish and the whole story just did not work for me. My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing the e-ARC for review.

Murder in Covent Garden by Anita Davison

 

[Review] This book was alot of fun, especially since I read it while visiting London. It is part of a series but I hadn't read any of the prior books and had no problem jumping right in. This is sort of a period cozy, set in 1917 amid WWI. I enjoyed the relationship between the main character Hannah and her aunt Violet, who owns a bookshop, drives her own car, and is juggling two romantic interests. It had me stumped nearly until the end when the killer was revealed. Thanks to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for this advanced copy.