4.5/5

I LOVED this. I've enjoyed each of the books but didn't think anything could top the first book, it's never easy is it?
That remains true here, but I do think this is impressive and just as exciting as the first installment.

Joe Goldberg is the "bad guy" we hate to love, because it's so wrong. So why have I constantly cheered him on and wanted him to win? I'm going to say it's down to excellent story telling, as Kepnes writes strong characters and an immersive plot.

We know that Joe is flawed, I'm not giving spoilers, and yet, I constantly feel for him. I care about his story and his feelings. I want Joe to be happy because he deserves it. If you've read any of the other books you may agree, or you think I'm out of my mind. Both are fine! These books speak to people differently.

All I do know is that I love Joe Goldberg, and Joe deserves true happiness.
Is this the story where he finally finds that happiness?
Or does his past come back to bite him in the butt?

I hate reviews that summarize the plot that is already included, and ones that tell you the entire story. I can't do it.
So, I'll simply share that this was incredible. Joe meets Mary Kay, and she's "the one". There's always obstacles in the way, it's Joe afterall, but can that ever stand in the way of true love? Not for Joe Goldberg! Not even the Quinns can ruin this for him, right?

Joe is sweeter than ever, smarter than ever, and he's on track to get the life he has earned. We are reminded of RIP everyone from the first two books and Joe wants to ensure he gets it right this time. No more mugs of piss. He isn't going to break the rules this time, okay maybe one or two, to push things along organically.
Joe will do what he has to, for Mary Kay to see he is the man of her dreams. And he is, truly.
Based on what we know about Joe's past, is the dream always bound to become a nightmare? Or will Mary Kay see Joe for who he wants to be, instead of who he was?

My only issue with this, and why I didn't give it 5 stars, was the ending.
Everything was so well done, I was audibly gasping several times. It felt a little bit rushed and I wanted more from such a strong story.
Without saying too much, the ending definitely leaves room for another installment (PLEASE?!)
and the PLOT TWIST was like no other. It was like a punch in the gut and just wow.

This book comes out in April 2021, and is so worth the wait!

So this is a mini review and I will post a more comprehensive one when this book comes out in April 2021. 🙌🏻 But I had to post this because if you’re not familiar with Caroline Kepnes’ series then you should be.
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You is the first book, Hidden Bodies the second, and now You Love Me is the third. There is also a Netflix 🎥 version and I am eagerly waiting on the 3rd season to debut.
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Penn Badgley plays the role of Joe Goldberg and he does it so well. I pictured him when reading the second and third book. The story is told from his perspective as if he was thinking out loud. 🤔 He is a sick sick man but you end up wanting to root for him in some odd way. It is true that he surrounds himself with obnoxious people and while that is no reason to defend him, you find yourself being drawn and addicted to his next move.
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Lilly and I are rating this book and all books in the series ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars!

Have you read these books? NO?!?! What are you waiting for?!?!?!?! 😱

This is such an amazing book! I have followed this series from the beginning and am a huge fan! I was lucky enough to have my wish granted and was so excited to receive this. It definitely lived up to my expectations. I thoroughly enjoyed this book as I have the others. The depth of characters is wonderful and I love Leone’s’ amazing writing style. This is one of my all time favorite series, and I would recommend it to anyone! Another amazing book!

Will no doubt please fans of Kepnes' YOU series. Recommended purchase for collections where Kepnes' previous titles are popular.

Thank you, Caroline Kepnes, for bringing back the magic that is the "You" series. Forgetting about the drivel that was "Hidden Bodies", I dove into this installment hoping for more of the magic from "You". No disappointment here!

Joe is back in "You Love Me". Really back. More obsessed than ever. More bookish. And should I just say it? Joe is hot. Yeah, I know he's a murderer and a stalker, but when I picture Penn Badgley lurking around coffee shops and the library on an island town in a soft black sweater, I go all melty.

Joe has hitched himself to another unstable trainwreck of a woman. "Mary Kay" Ugh, really? I'm jealous of a literary character.

If you loved You, even if you hated "Hidden Bodies", this one should be your next read.

I’ve been waiting for this book since I finished the last page of hidden bodies! It did not disappoint! Joe is back at it again, only this time less creepy, still obsessed, and he finally gets a little bit of karma!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book. After reading the first two books in this series I couldn't wait to dive into this one. Joe is back and he doesn't disappoint. The book is twisted with just the right amount of creepiness and suspense. Impossible to put down...you will want to keep reading "one more chapter" until you reach the end.

The only thing I love more than Joe Goldberg is.... MORE Joe Goldberg! In this third installment of Kepnes' You series, Joe is back and more deranged than ever. Following the events of Hidden Bodies, Joe has come into some money and moved to Bainbridge Island in Seattle - certainly a change from New York & LA of former books. Working at the local library, Joe instantly latches on to librarian Mary Kay from the minute she describes her Gilmore Girls-esque life. Since this is a Joe Goldberg story, nothing goes to plan and murderous stalkery antics ensue - this may seem repetitive to some, but Kepnes brings such a fresh take to each of the books that they never feel stale or overdone to me. My biggest regret is that I finished in one day and now need to wait for more Joe. Luckily, the third season of the Netflix show will be here soon!

No matter what happens, I just keep rooting for Joe! I loved this one, I truly believe Joe is changing in his own messed up serial killer way. Joe never ceases to amaze me in his tactics to find what his love interest is doing, thinking or texting. If you are familiar with the books you know that this is Joes third love interest and a brand new city. I loved the small town aspect of the plot, after being in two major busy cities this was perfect. I love that each book is a peek into Joes messed up mind. Caroline Kepnes writing is some of my favorite the jokes, the nicknames for characters and the references to tv shows it creates the perfect picture.

Loved this one! Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for an opportunity to read this highly anticipated next book in the You series!
I recently read the first book in the series, You, but not the second one, Hidden Bodies. I was a little worried I wouldn’t know what was going on when I started this third one, but Caroline Kepnes catches us up in the first chapter and I didn’t feel lost at all.
I really enjoyed this book. Kepnes has a way of presenting the main character, Joe, as a likeable psycho, and I just think that’s fantastic. She is such a good writer. Kepnes builds these characters that are witty, smart, and real. I love how Joe is clearly obsessive and crazy, but he’s so convincing that you find yourself wondering if that’s actually what is happening. He is so unreliable and creepy, but you sometimes feel bad for him at times too. It takes a good writer to do that!
If you like psychological thrillers, you’ll like this book (and this whole series) a lot!

OH MY GAWD! My Joe is back and he's better than ever! I had no clue what I was getting myself into. YOU completely blew me away but Hidden Bodies underwhelmed me so I was nervous.....but Caroline definitely didn't disappoint with You Love Me.

The characters in this book range from, narcissists, to abusers, to man bashing feminist, to psychos.....did I mention none of these are Joe?

I was pulled in from page one and the brilliant writing, amazing pace, and twist and turns kept me glued to the pages!

There were so many plot twist that I didn't expect! Enthralling, suspenseful and addictive as heck, Joe takes you on a crazy ride!

Caroline Kepnes has done it again with You Love Me. This is such a good sequel and it was easy to sink back into Joe's pov. It was interesting to see a more mature/less homicidal version of Joe and his struggles. I highly enjoyed this book and can't wait for the next book in the series!

Oh Joe. The psychopath that readers love to hate is back in Caroline Kepnes' newest installment in the "You" series. I would like to preface this review by saying this: I absolutely loved the original book, You. I thought it was so creepy, and at the time when I read it, I thought it was so unique and refreshing to write a book from the perspective of the stalker, Up until that point, I had only read books from the victims' perspective, so I thought it was great. I didn't really care for Hidden Bodies, and I wasn't the biggest fan of Providence, another one of Caroline Kepnes' books, but a standalone/different story. However, I loved You so much that I have still been reading her writing. When I saw that she had another book coming out, I immediately wished for it on Netgalley, and I would like to say thank you to Random House for granting my wish so that I could read this book. Okay, so now we get to the review of You Love Me. I feel like this will be a very polarizing book for readers, in that readers will either love it or they will hate it. I started reading this book, and I actually put it down and picked something else up around 20% because I felt like I just couldn't get into it. Joe is back, and so are most of his similar antics. The book didn't really feel that much different than You or Hidden Bodies. By the third book in a series, I need something new and refreshing, and what I got was the same stale writing. It's kind of like when filmmakers try to make a sequel but they use all of the original jokes or plots from the first one, hoping to cash in on what fans loved the first time around, or like when all the best parts of the movie are in the preview. I really wanted to like You Love Me, so after putting it down for a week, I picked it back up. In YLM, Joe has once again turned over a new leaf, and he has a new obsession. This time, it is a librarian named Mary Kay, who also just so happens to have a husband and daughter. Mary Kay also has a close friend, Melanda, who also gets Joe into trouble, which leads to him being blackmailed. There were a couple of parts that finally got my attention, but overall, I found the pacing of this one to be too slow. I think its time for me to end my relationship with Joe. Sorry bud, it's not me, it's YOU. 2.5 stars, rounded up to 3 on Goodreads.

I felt like this book was trying to 1) recapture the magic of the first book and 2) make for an easily adaptable addition to the Netflix series. I actually think this will translate really well as a TV show but some of the plot points felt a little like recycled material from the first book. I also didn't like the huge time leap between book #2 and this one... it felt a little like shortchanging the reader. That all being said, I will always read this series because I really love reading from Joe's twisted point of view!

Just finished this sequel to “You” by Caroline Kepnes. Our friend Joe has found a sexy librarian to stalk and he feels like he is really the “good guy”. He wants to have a normal relationship but he can’t because..well, he’s Joe. A great follow-up with lots of creepy moments with some laughs thrown in.

After reading the first book and seeing the Netflix series I wanted more of Joe. His character is so fascinating. Kepnes kept the drama, angst, obsession flowing with each word. I was overjoyed to get this book from Netgalley. Kepnes is one of my favorite authors and I have read many of her books. She never disappoints and will never let you down. You know that when you pick up one of her books that you're in for a wild ride.

Caroline has done it again. She makes you wonder what is Joe up too now. This book had a lot of twists and turns. Just when you think Joe is living a simple life, you’re hit with these twists. Great read and I couldn’t put it down.

Oh wow. Caroline Kepnes has done it again. I am breathless. Every book in this series seems to get better and better.
Joe is at it again. This time, he's got his sights set on Mary Kay, a mother who he soon finds out is also married. Joe is trying to change his life around and be better, but will his love for Mary Kay lead him back to his old ways?
This book sent me on a rollercoaster and I cannot wait for Kepnes to release #You4. Thank you to Netgalley and Random House for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review!

Joe is so sincere: he's a simple guy with simple goals. All he wants is to settle down with his Mary Kay and live in domestic bliss. Unfortunately, people keep on dropping dead around him. Dark, clever and entertaining, the reader can't help root for her favorite psychopath. Thoroughly enjoyed this novel.

#netgalley

Joe Goldberg is back and he’s better (i.e., creepier) than ever. After the events of Hidden Bodies, Joe has moved to a small town outside of Seattle where he is turning over a new leaf. He soon meets Mary Kay, a librarian with a teenage daughter, and he falls hard (but then again when doesn’t he?)... Joe will have to figure out a new way to win Mary Kay’s heart because he has vowed to do NO more stalking and NO more killing. This book is by far the best in the You Series. Joe’s witty and delusional narration is on point and it had me laughing out loud many times. The pacing is excellent and the plot is action-packed. Once again Caroline Kepnes’ brilliant storytelling has left me simultaneously cringing at and rooting for Joe. I’m already anxious for part four! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.