Ooooo Weee! This was a spicy, sexy, intense, story. The actors (characters), in this book will stop at nothing short of giving their all in their quest to put everything into their performance of the play, Temper. Kira, Spencer, Malcom, and Joanna, have intertwining relationships, and none have boundaries in terms of their sexual preferences. This choice that the author made when writing Temper leads to intriguing twists in the friendships, relationships and ever shifting loyalties to one another. The cast of characters is interesting and intense. They each have their own motivations, and will not let anyone stand in the way of achieving their goals. The contents of this hot story boil over in the end with insane repercussions...

I was very excited to finally read a thriller that was not in the format of the current domestic type craze. This wasn’t a married couple where one is murdered, most likely the husband. It wasn’t a story with an unreliable narrator, most likely a woman with a drinking problem, mental instability, etc. Temper was unique. And while I had an idea as to what would happen in the end, I really enjoyed the ride the story took me on. The only times I didn’t feel like the story was believable was when two of the characters who had been close for over a decade seemed to have a massive falling out over what didn’t seem to be a huge deal. Don’t get me wrong. It was bad, but not as bad as they made it out to be. I think the author may have needed to add a few more details about the tension building up between them for some time in order to establish the intense anger the two felt towards each other. It felt slightly false to me when reading it.

I highly recommend this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced readers edition of Temper in exchange for an honest review. :)

A fiendish premise, surrounding a story line fraught with jealousy, bitterness and unbridled ambition. The suspense was palpable, with enough surprises -- even for jaded readers like me -- to keep me on my virtual toes. The ending, too, was not what I anticipated it to be, which is always a pleasant occurrence. Recommended to anyone looking for something just a bit different to keep them up at night.

** I thank the publisher and/or author for allowing me to read this novel as an ARC, without recompense, in exchange for my honest review. **

Twisty, sexy, and so believable it's scary, the pages of Temper bleed an irresistible blend of voice, subculture, and character. Compulsive reading for fans of Black Swan, Mozart in the Jungle, or (dare I say it?) real-life backstage theatrics.

This book gripped me with a death hook and did not let go until the end. It was so intriguing from the first chapter and kept that riveting flow going to the very last page. I loved the different glimpses of the same thing from the different characters, really showed how differently we can perceive the same thing. Also, shows just what wanting to be the best performer can do! I highly recommend to my fellow thriller lovers!
Will be using in a challenge and highly recommending to those members of Chapter Chatter Pub!

I’m kind of torn about this book- I liked it, found it unique and thrilling in parts but kind of dragged for me. The ending, however, was spectacular. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for review.

3.5/5 stars

TEMPER is a dark and sexy ride, its characters’ passion and rage snowballing in equal measure as the story builds to its shocking conclusion. This is the Black Swan psychological suspense novel we’ve all been waiting for.

When Kira takes the starring role in Temper, she knows she'll be working closely with Malcolm, a director and actor known to enjoy manipulating people, driving them past their absolute limits both on stage and off. With an overtly sensual, bold character like Kira, you might expect a tumultuous affair as the primary storyline. What you get is a dark psychological ride with sexy, dangerous characters in a constant power struggle. It's as hot as it is disturbing, with Kira's reality blurring with the play that threatens to consume her.

Joanna is another compelling character, and I felt Fargo was contrasting these two disparate, sharp-edged, and vulnerable women against each other with great intentionality, asking questions about femininity that the reader mulls over throughout the story.

I'm still wondering--who was the puppet master and who was the puppet?

I highly recommend this book. I can't wait for July 2019 so I can buy it for all my thriller-reading friends!

Temper by Layne Fargo start out pretty well, but became impossible to read with an irritating cast of characters. Could not finish.

Started out decently enough, but just kept getting more and more unbelievable with every page. Not recommended.

Wow, Temper is a book you will want to put on your summer reading list! This thriller had me truly stumped on how it would end! Usually by half way through you know exactly what’s going to happen, but Layne Fargo did a fantastic with throwing in some unexpected curve balls! There were many moving parts to keep you glued to your kindle- trust me, you won’t be able to get these characters out of your head! Temper is a novel that will have you in knots until the very last page—love that! I am so excited to see what Layne Fargo comes out with next!

While the novel wasn't not mysterious or thrilling, it kept a quick pace and the drama high. I loved that the characters were sexually fluid and non-binary, and that they were all deeply flawed.

Let me start by saying I LOVE David Mamet. Not a non sequitur; this felt like an homage to the nth degree. And that's what endeared me to it early on, despite the generally unlikeable characters and distasteful power struggles/personality clashes that felt like the opening skirmishes in what promised to be (and was) a full-on war... I saw the ending coming a mile away (again, Mamet fan), but still found myself rapidly turning pages because there was always that tiny seed of doubt about what was real and what was all in the alternating narrators' minds (Mamet again). It was an interesting sojourn through the dark. Fargo writes a compelling story and I'll be on the lookout for more...

TEMPER is a standout debut. A heart-pounding dive into the darker side of the arts, with vibrant, complex characters and a twisted plot that will stick with you for weeks after turning that final page. I physically could not stop reading until I finished this one. Get ready, because Layne Fargo is about to become one of your new favorite thriller writers.

Temper by Layne Fargo is an unusual story about psycho-sexual manipulation, power and control, predators and victims, set in a tiny storefront theater in Chicago. The artistic director, Malcom Mercer, Mal for short, (a clever play on the words malignant, malign, malfeasance), is a sociopath who specializes in emotionally abusing the young actors he casts, under the guise of craft.

Though Mal has a well-known reputation for driving actors beyond their breaking point, young hopefuls continue to line up for his auditions like lambs to slaughter, prostrating themselves before him for the chance to appear on stage. Their need for attention is so great they’ll submit to his cruel manipulations merely to gain his approval and a role in the spotlight. (As the mother of Millennials, with a background in theater, I felt protective of the characters and outraged on their behalf.) Temper is well-written and slow paced, with an absolutely perfect ending. Received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

I really, really wanted to like this book. Just the title alone was what drew me in initially, because I adore a great thriller. Plus I saw so many requests for this title by other thriller lovers, so I was sure it would be a winner. Admittedly, I have not finished the book, but I became turned off because of my dislike for the characters. The woman/actress is completely hedonistic, and the man/director is more of the same. I did not care what happened to either one of them, so I left this for another day.

I hope others were more engaged and actually found something thrilling about this. Unfortunately I did not.

I am definitely in the minority when it comes to my review of Temper. I read only glowing critical evaluations about this book by members of Netgalley and Goodreads. Though I thought the novel was exceptionally written, my dislike for the characters colored my opinion negatively. I realize, the liking or disliking of the characters, should have no bearing on my formal assessment of the read. The cognitive component should supersede the emotional component. I failed to separate the two and therefore did not enjoy this book. Thank you Netgalley and Gallery/ Scout Press for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

“What she’s describing sounds exactly like something Mal would do. Fuck the venue, fuck the audience, fuck what’s appropriate - all that matters to him is making the best, boldest, most authentic choices. No wonder he’s so certain about her.”

This IS A CAN’T PUT DOWN, READ IN ONE SITTING, HOLY >%*$ SO GOOD read. It’s a snow day, stay in bed, do nothing else until you plow through it read. SERIOUSLY! There’s nothing like a book that just grabs you from the first page, and it’s extra special when it’s not something you identify with (I have no drama/theater background, and that didn’t stop me at all from loving it!).

On that note! This is a story told from two perspectives - Kira and Joanna - set in the theater world. Kira’s hired to star in a production opposite Joanna’s business partner, Malcom. Malcom has a reputation for being a genius... but also dark, cruel, and manipulative.

I LOVED the pacing, language, and imagery in this story. It’s well done in a way that makes you want to read slowly and savor it, but it’s got the plot of a book you have to rush through because of the plot. SO SO SO GOOD. Add it to you to be read list now!

This was WICKED and sexy and so so so good. I was consumed by Kira, Joanna and Max and their dynamic. Just when I thought the book was going in one direction, it took an unexpected turn and I became addicted and obsessed with finishing this book in one sitting. That ending had me SHOOK. Even though we're only 2 weeks into the new year, this will definitely be on the top of my favorites list for 2019.

Holy worth the wait! I was as consumed by this book as the characters themselves are consumed by the play. There is this constant power struggle between the characters, but also within the reader to try to unfurl this twisted web that is beautifully woven by Fargo’s fiery writing style and attitude. It’s intense, it’s hot, it’s amazing. Really so happy to not have to wait until July to read this book! NetGalley graciously provided an ARC that was flawless and should go straight to press right now. The comparison to Black Swan here is a good one, but not a complete replica by any means. It’s just so powerful that you’re left wondering who had the control over whom throughout this thrilling ride with a pulse-pounding ending!

Where to begin? Malcolm and Joanna co-own a theater company in Chicago. The play, "Temper", has been chosen for the next event for their theater. Although not a front-runner for the female lead - Malcolm chooses Kira for the leading part - opposite himself. Malcolm and Joanna have a long history as do Kira and Spence. Spence works as a "fight coordinator" for Temper, also.

The story is told from various perspectives. Very impressive character writing is evident in this suspenseful, if not a bit twisted, tale of interactions among people. (Particularly those who crave the theater). All four of the main characters (and most of the incidental ones, as well) have personal flaws and hurt that obviously still both haunt and sting them.

You will not be able to put the book down. The need to know the powerful events that center around all of the characters is quite strong (and definitely worth the read) !

A MUST READ and a winner for Lynne Fargo!

Many thanks to Simon & Schuster - Scout Press and NetGalley for an impressive read!

Temper is the perfect example of being the frog in the boiling water. You're reading it, and it feels like nothing much is happening, you're just chilling in this land of fantastic writing and Chicago theater, and then you realize, wait, VERY MUCH is happening, and oh wow, did she really just do that, did HE really just do that, and WHAT is GOING ON WAIT -- and then when you realize what you're in for, it's over, and you're left with the thought: They really Did That.

In other words, this book is a rollercoaster of the best kind. From the very first chapter, I was pulled right into Kira and Joanna's worlds. These two characters are so distinct, and so different. On closer inspection, they are similar in deeper ways, but they each go about getting what they want in different ways. I somehow expected the two of them to become friends, or at least allies, from reading the blurb. But I quickly realized that would not be possible -- and I LOVED that. No petty woman-hating drama here, just two women who so fiercely reach for what they want.

The way Layne Fargo weaves in events of the past into the narration of the present is so seamless and natural. We learn lots about Joanna's and Kira's pasts, but it never feels like infodumping or excessive flashbacks. And I loved the slow reveals of the things that made these two women become the way they are.

Malcolm is also a perfect villain. I don't want to say too much about him or what he does, because the experience of reading it does more to show how terrible he is than I could ever do by explaining.

All in all, reading Temper was an experience I'm so grateful I got to have. This book releases in July and I can't recommend it enough if you like female characters with agency and dark books that catch you by surprise. I also recommend it for anyone whose heart belongs to Chicago (like mine). There are so many lovely nuggets in here that made me homesick for my city.

I do want to share a TRIGGER WARNING for emotional and physical abuse. Particularly if you've suffered this kind of abuse, I recommend keeping in contact with someone you trust while you read this book. Just in case.