Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy of the book. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I liked it. Book Joe is very different from TV Joe. On the show, while he's still a stalker and murderer, there is just something about him. It's like you're rooting for him to not get caught because he's doing it for love. Book Joe... Well, he seems to be doing it out of lust and doesn't actually about anything but being intimate.

That being said, The books are still great and very entertaining, but if you're a fan of TV Joe... You might be a little disappointed. I'd recommend this series.

I remember not too long ago reading about You the tv show getting renewed for season 3 and thinking oh, wow, they’ve gone off the books now, because of course at the time there were only two Kepnes You books. Well, guess they knew then what Netgalley helped me find out only recently, there is book three. Of course, there is a book three, why wouldn’t there be. Why would Kepnes quit milking a cashcow as lucrative as Joe Goldberg and walk away. I mean, to be fair, she did write an in between book and it was perfectly good, but it just didn’t have that manic unputdownable magnetism of the Goldberg saga, which book one did spectacularly and every subsequent books delivered diminishing results upon. This is the thing with series of any kind, sure they provide a certain comfort of following the same characters, but they trade in freshness and originality to do so, every single time. But then again, there’s just something about Joe, the indefatigably romantic psychopath of Kepnes’ creation. And yes I do agree with her, Penn Badgley has managed to embody him so perfectly that he’s all you can think of while reading the book. I mean, Joe is a singular type of lunatic, all he wants is love. Mind you he’d had it, he’s even found love with Love in book two, but that’s all over now. Book three finds him fresh out of prison, wealthy on Quinn’s walkaway money and determined to be good. To that end he relocates himself away from metropolitan temptations to a small island community near Seattle and start volunteering at a local library, where…of course, he immediately becomes obsessed with a MILFy librarian. Of course, he does, he can’t help himself. And so he pursues his love interest, despite her wishywashiness, her married status, her seventeen year old daughter, her overpowering militantly feminist bestie and all sorts of obstacles, Obstacles are nothing to Joe, he’s an Olympian champion of love, he’ll do whatever it takes to get what he wants, he’ll spy, manipulate, lie, cheat, trick, because for him it’s all worth it and all is fair in love and war and all that, even when love looks like war. So yet another romantic adventure, this time with a milder body count, because Joe really is trying to be good. Is it worth it, this return to the mind of Mr. Goldberg? Well…not sure, to be honest. The books have been steadily reducing in quality, but now it seems that Joe is following the suit, he is cruder, less imaginative, more desperate, altogether creepier and has developed a taste for some genuinely appalling nicknames for female anatomy. The thing about him was this innate likeability in spite of all, because he was in a way an antihero, calling out the zeitgeist, reflecting the darker side of social media and various other aspects of modern culture. A quintessential self made (however questionably put together) self educated through reading man of (again) questionable but defined morals he’s twist and shape to fit his goals. And now he’s a bought and paid for man whose love of books is only showing through snark and a sort of tacky booknerdy superiority and quest for goodness has left him kinda bland. So this is no longer original or fresh or punchy, not like it used to be, but it is still compulsively readable somehow. Kepnes just has that down so well, commendably so. It is still a difficult to put down book. It has a car crash momentum that is possibly wrongly but nevertheless enormously appealing. And you’re likely to still enjoy reading this book. I did. I was thoroughly entertained all the while imagining season 3 of the show and thinking if they’ll stick with the plot or go off script. Time will tell. For now there’s this book. If only Joe would learn to content himself with books. Fun read. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.

Oh wow! The second book in the series wasn’t my favorite, but this third one more than made up for it! I loved the story line and no spoilers but it definitely reminded of the first book in the best way. Joe Goldberg is back and creepier than ever.

Thanks for the ARC #netgalley

You Love Me by Caroline Kepnes is the highly anticipated third installment in her Joe Goldberg "You" series. When we last saw Joe at the end of Hidden Bodies, he was living in L.A. He has since moved to Bainbridge Island, WA, where he is volunteering at the local library and falling in love (of course) with his boss, Mary Kay. Joe now realizes that all the women from his past were nothing compared to this new love. Having learned his lesson, Joe vows to be a better man. But Joe being Joe, it's not long before old feelings and behaviors begin to emerge.

It's always been fun being in Joe's head and it's a bit of a mystery to me how the author has made me like this freaky psychopath so much. And in some ways in the latest book, Joe remains much the same as he's always been -- crazy, obsessive, stalking. However, he shows another side here, one that is tamer -- perhaps in keeping with the "better man" theme. It's just my opinion, but I didn't enjoy my time with this new Joe quite as much. He was frequently cast as a victim and it seemed to undercut his creepy likability. He was less sociopath and more a combo of sad sack and good guy-saves-the-day. In short, I felt like he lost a little bit of his edge.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this book but it's probably my least favorite of the three. Nonetheless I look forward to any future volumes that Caroline Kepnes may gift us in this series.

Thank you so much to Random House and NetGalley for fulfilling my wish and providing me with an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Joe Goldburg is BACK! and he is ready for his true love.
upon the first few pages you discover that Love and her family have paid Joe an enormous sum of money to disappear from their lives. They buy him a house on a tiny island i believe is off the coast of Washington state? They are going to Seattle all the time so i am pretty sure i have that right.
Joe believes himself a "changed man" that is until YOU of course. Mrs Mary Kay DiMarco. a LIBRARIAN of all things. She's older, wiser, and oh yeah....MARRIED! and thats a problem. In classic Joe fashion, he weeds himself into the lives of Mary Kay's closest people, including her bestie, daughter, and old pal from high school and ends up alienating you from everyone who loves you because they are "toxic" Thats when he makes his move.
This book is everyone a YOU sequel should be.
Joe is just as lovably creepy as ever and you just cant help but root for him!
i feel as if there are many loose ends, but I think Caroline Kepnes is planning on book 4? so perhaps all will be revealed!
the last 20% of the book gets so wild! you'd never see it coming!
5 Stars!
Congrats on an enjoyable, true to character 3rd installment!

Another one!! I can’t have enough of Joe, and Caroline Kepnes always delivers! I love that this was written the same way book one was written, with Joe speaking to the reader as if the reader is his current love interest. Without spoiling anything, this is one of the best reads I’ve had in a while. My jaw is on the floor! It will be hard to keep calm until this comes out for others to read. Fans of this series will not be disappointed! This gives us a deeper look into Joe’s mind, and I feel that it was thoughtfully written. Caroline Kepnes is able to do the unthinkable, making readers empathize with a sociopath. He has his own moral compass, and somehow, someway, I feel that many will be able to understand his point of view! That’s one of the most thrilling parts of this series. Joe Goldberg is a character for everyone to love, and I am always looking forward for what’s next for him.

I don’t know how it is possible that 3 books later Joe still manages to surprise me. The fact that he always finds himself in these situations and always will wants me to follow him the rest of his life. Somehow, it never gets boring.

I have never loved a thriller series more.

My life is complete. Fulfilled (well, for now, because I will need another You book soon). As soon as I got my hands on the copy of this advanced reader's copy, I read it in a record time like a maniac. I haven't read the previous two books in the You series but I have just binge watched the entire two seasons of the Netflix show, escaping all responsibilities, so here we are. I'm officially a You addict.

And while I didn't think it was possible after watching the ultra greatness of the Netflix show, this book was actually better than both previous seasons. I KNOW. And the major two reasons were, for one, the crazy, mad plot, and two, the fact that we're beginning to understand Joe even more. While Joe is obviously not a saint, this book illuminated even more hypocrisies, more similarities between Joe and other people who happen to be destructive and broken. What he does sometimes even seems like the better solution to a problem.

Once again, I was shocked at the fact that I was fond of Joe - a monster of a man. Through her genius storytelling, Caroline Kepnes once again told a story of an obsessive man willing to do anything for the woman her currently loves... and there is a new one here yet again.

*Thank you to the Publisher for a free advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was so excited when i was granted this wish!!

It was really good. Not the totally creepy Joe i was expecting but it had some nice twists and turns. I dont know if it was enough for a conclusion to the series or if its open for more. If its the conclusion... i am totally happy with it :)

Good characters, great location and i could not help myself but read it in the Netflix Joe's voice.

Thank you for this ARC !!!

Joe’s back. And he’s as Joe as ever.

In the third installment of the You series, Joe Goldberg has relocated to a sleepy town in the Pacific Northwest where he’s living his dream and pursuing a relaxed, uncomplicated, quiet life as the good man we all know him to be. He’s done with Love and ready for true love. But, as happens with Joe, circumstances – always circumstances – keep getting in his way.

Upon his arrival Joe’s focus lands on local librarian, Mary Kay, and he is quickly immersed into her friend circle and her family in more ways than she may ever know. As he looks toward his future, his past is not far behind, but he intends to break free of all the distraction and finally succeed in securing his one true desire: family life. It’s true that he may have met his match with this complex group of complicated relationships, but Joe is not only willing, but determined to be whoever he needs to be to fit in. With luck on his side, he remains unstoppable in his secret keeping and secret making ways. (Isn’t that what we’re all here for??)

Caroline Kepnes has such a strong and sharp-witted style of bringing her characters to life and it was quickly clear that she was able to carry Joe’s voice through with consistency. It’s been two years since I read Hidden Bodies (You #2) and it felt like yesterday within the first few pages.

A true thriller, as always, You Love Me totally satisfies, but I really think the reader should be familiar with both of the previous Joe books before diving into this one. Fortunately, with a publishing date of April 6th, 2021, they’ll have plenty of time.

I’m so thankful to NetGalley and Random House for providing me with my ARC.

Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/

“It’s a nice ‘antidote to the hell scape reality of the world right now’…” That’s me. You’re quoting me.

^^^I sure am. Rules be damned! This was exactly the escape I needed after eighteen thousand months in lockdown with my family and all of their farts.

It's been 7 hours and 1964 days since you took your love away . . . .

Are y’all superfans enough to get that reference????

Whatever. Worth it! Especially if it might mean I get an advance copy of the next book too : )

When I “wished” for this over on NetGalley, I figured I was doing so along with twelve gazillion others and never expected to get an early shot at this latest release in the You franchise. Then I had one of those seriously first worldy sorts of moments where I wanted to message the powers that be and tell them DON'T YOU KNOW WHO I AM?!?!?!?!? Not because I think I’m important but because I admitted loving Joe back when it was still a taboo thing to do. I mean, unless Kepnes really shit the bed there’s slim to nil chance that I wouldn’t kinda love this. And then?????

Fairy tales can come true, it can happen to you . . . .

I knew this was going to be a winner immediately when the format returned to the second person narration as was found in the original. The first book followed “You” after Joe set his sights on his dreamgirl – culminating in the realization that maybe their relationship wasn’t just meant to be. But then he found “Love” and although there were some bumps in the road, things were going as well as can be expected with our favorite antihero right up until the very end. This time around Joe just wants to find the one. And it appears he has – he just has to be patient and make sure they are on the same page so no more incidents occur. It’s a shame everybody and their brother in the small town of “Cedar Cove” seems to be trying to cockblock him!

Some things you should know about this book. It is not a standalone. You absolutely have to read the others and be willing to commit to the crazy one hundred percent. If that’s not your bag, I get it because I’m not a fan of reading a series either. This one is an exception to the rule and in an even rarer turn of events if you follow me here you’ll have noticed I did a re-read of numbers 1 and 2 to catch up with my old pal because I love him that much. Also note this is a sloooooooooooooooooooooow roller. Good, bad or indifferent - You has become a television series and since I believe things are all caught up now (sorry – not a T.V. watcher – Penn Badgley makes a hot Joe, but hour long fictional programs bore me when I can read an entire book in a few), this definitely gives the impression that it is now being written for an instant morph into weekly episodes with multiple “a ha” and “WTF?!?!?” moments throughout the novel to drive the action. It may not be for everyone, but if you are a freak in the sheets there’s a solid chance that you love being stuck in Joe’s head and don’t mind just meandering along through his days with him until you get to the big reveals. And if you truly “get” Joe, you’ll find yourself continually amused with the dark humor contained within these pages. You’ll also find an ending that leaves you thirrrrrrrrrrrsty for the final installment in the series and once again falling to your knees at the altar of the Kepnes because she is such a delightful weirdo!

Take my rating with a grain – or a bucket – of salt. I could give it 4 rather than 5, but fuck it. I’m here for the long haul and I love every G.D. second of it. From the LOLing at completely inappropriate circumstances to the shouting out loud and startling my children with “I’VE READ THAT!” when he references books such as Last Night at the Lobster or Fashion Victim. Joe is my person and darling yoooooooooou, send me. Darling yoooooooooou, thrill me. Honest you do, honest you do, honest you do . . . . .

Now pardon me while I go check out a shitton of Debbie Macomber books from the library.

ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Joe Goldberg is an amazing protagonist. I absolutely adored the first book in this now-trilogy and was shocked when the sequel had come out; it had done so well that the third will be released next year (I received an early copy thru NetGalley) and I'm certain there will be more. While the debut, You, is my favorite thus far, this is a strong contender and offered a lot to think about. It's been almost two years since the last book, and in between I binge-watched both seasons (it was made into a tv series)... as a result, my memory was a little fuzzy on things that happened in the book vs. tv.

The book has a slightly weird opening: Joe is immediately in 'the hunt' mode again, as he's found another woman he's in love with and must psycho-stalk. I have to admit, the title here is quite apropos given Joe's obsession in the last book was named Love, but she's gone this time... and now MK is his new desire. They work together. She knows a bit of Joe's past, not a lot. He's been in prison for some crimes, now another year older... wiser? Not sure yet! Instead of the glass cage he kept Beck in, he's now built the Whisper Room, a very different type of structure to contain his loves / prisoners. Phew, stay away from this guy; except, he's oddly attractive and really makes you want to love him. If only the victims could truly fall for him and not consider alternative options. They'd be safe, right?

Without giving too much away, the plot is good but a bit too reminiscent the Peach / Beck relationship from book one. The fall-out from the bestie's dislike of Joe is very different, and there is quite a surprise when Joe comes back to his Whisper Room one day. All in all, this is a good follow up to the series. It brings a new level of crazy but the theme is consistent in a nice way. The addition of Joe being a new dad and now a family guy thru his new relationship brings challenges, and I really like how Kepnes incorporated that softer side of Joe. We've seen it before, but this time, it's his own blood on the chopping block.

Writing is solid, but I will admit, it went off in a few tangents which reminded me of other Kepnes books (not in this series) that I struggled with (Providence). But it is minor and keeps pulling you back in. I stayed up late to finish the last half last night... good ending, twists in the last 20 pages, and I'm kinda looking forward to seeing what happens next! Hope you enjoy it...

This is (quite unexpectedly) the best book in the series!

I was so excited that my wish had been granted. I’ve loved Joe since he first debuted. I’ve followed his journeys, even on Netflix. I have wanted more for so long. But I was worried it wouldn’t live up to expectations.

I was wrong.

A new Joe? A seemingly more docile and vulnerable Joe? Shouldn’t work, but oh, it does.

And it’s still filled with shocking twists, especially the ending!!!

Caroline Kepnes did it again. This book is 100% fantastic and I cannot wait for it to come out, so everybody can read in. Utter genius on every page. Fans of Joe will not be disappointed

It's been a few years since I devoured the first two books in the "You" series by Caroline Kepnes and was engrossed by the twisted mind and never-ending schemes of the devilishly delusional Joe Goldberg, so I was thrilled to get my hands on the newest book "You Love Me."
Kepnes wasted no time immediately sweeping the reader back up into Joe's world, this time on a remote island off the coast of Seattle. The book introduces a slew of new characters, including his main love interest (a young mother and Joe's boss at the library where he volunteers), her daughter and friends, for Joe to fantasize about, manipulate, and judge. A few characters from the first two books are mentioned or make appearances, but in this brand new setting, like with the second book, this feels like a whole new chapter for Joe's life, full of seemingly endless opportunities for him to get in trouble, despite how much he tries to "be a good guy." I loved the new setting for "You Love Me," it seems to really fit Joe and the general atmosphere of the story, an improvement over the LA location of book two.
It seemed like this book had a few too many outlandish scenes and it felt like a non-stop rollercoaster for Joe and for the reader. The first two books in the series were certainly dramatic, but I thought this book felt a little relentless and moved from being dramatic to just unbelievable at times. I kept reading though, and I am happy that I did, because Kepnes writing is enthralling and being inside Joe's head is frighteningly addictive. He is a hopeless romantic at heart, twisted and dangerous of course, but he never stop trying and never stays down for long, so Kepnes keeps me wanting more...
"She says hello and I say hello and it defies all logic—I lost everyone I ever loved, everyone—but somehow my heart is intact. It ticks madly, just like hers."
3.5 stars

You Love Me
Caroline Kepnes
Publication date 4/6/21

Joe Goldberg is back and better than before. I was so very excited to receive this early edition of the third installment of the You series. Joe is trying to make a new start he moves to a quiet island and falls hard for Mary Kay, a bit of a cougar to Joe but such a down to earth and likable character. The love story between Joe and Mary Kay is convoluted from the start!! From the first page to the last this book kept me on my toes- shocking, scary and at times insane with twists that I never saw comIng. I enjoyed it all and liked to see Joe trying to be a better man even if he is a complete psychopath! Caroline Kepnes writing is on point and I can’t wait to see what comes next!!

A special thank you to NetGalley, Caroline Kepnes and Random House for providing me an early edition of You Love Me for my honest opinion.

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Oh Joe! I am so happy you are back. To say I was thrilled to get a copy of this book is the understatement of the year, and I wasn’t disappointed. Joe is back in another delicious tale of toxic relationships, love gone awry and a few surprise visits from his past. I think this is the best book in the series. Twisted and full of surprises that you will shock you. This book is an absolute must read for any Joe fan. Excellent psychological thriller!

WHOAAAA. I just finished reading an ARC of this book (Thank you, NetGalley!) and had to come here and write a review because OH MY GOD I HAVE SO MANY FEELS ABOUT IT.

YOU LOVE ME started out a bit slow because it was the same way that YOU and HIDDEN BODIES started--Joe meets a woman and becomes obsessed with her. The first couple of chapters are the same stuff about him getting to know her and convincing himself that she's his soulmate. But I still enjoyed them anyway because Caroline Kepnes's writing is lovely and atmospheric and honestly I could read an entire book of Joe just sitting around watching movies.

Anyway, then WHAM. There's a twist. Mary Kay, Joe's new love interest, isn't like Love or Beck. She's got her own baggage, and it's a big one. And from that revelation, we go into even more twists and turns. I want so badly to share them here, but I think it would spoil the book, so I won't. Suffice to say, I did NOT see alllll the twists coming, oh my gosh. And that final twist was delivered with savage brutality. I was just cringing the entire time I read the final 10% of the book! In a good way, I mean, sort of like how I watch horror movies behind a pillow. And I thought: Oh wow, I should've seen it coming because of course, all the clues were there.

A truly masterful 3rd installment in the twisted world of Joe Goldberg, and by gosh I hope we get a fourth book!

YOU LOVE ME is the third installment in Caroline Kepnes' JOE GOLDBERG series, which has been turned into a smash television series for Netflix.
Of course, after reading YOU back when it was published, and then HIDDEN BODIES, I was impatiently waiting for the next installment and it certainly did not disappoint!
Joe Goldberg is a lovable, if not relatable psychopath. And while this is an achievement in its own class, I think the scathing social commentary and satirical criticism of his voice supersede even THAT.
This book stands apart from the previous two entries, in that Joe is really trying his hardest to be "the good guy." It also features some of the more emotional scenes in the series to date. Of course, if you've read the bizarre and strangely-haunting novel that precedes this one, you know Caroline Kepnes is capable of some magnificent storytelling. (See her novel PROVIDENCE).
I think that the plot twists in this story were a little more obvious to me as a reader, and that almost brought the reading experience to a 4 star-read. But there is a major twist I didn't see coming, and that was also the culmination of this story.
If you are a fan of Joe Goldberg, you will not be disappointed with this latest. The novel also returns to a second-person narration in some parts, and first person narration in others. Part of what made YOU such a thrilling read was the point-of-view.
YOU LOVE ME continues a sparkling series, one that makes you question your relationships, your goals, the people you love most, and the people around you.
As a fan, I only hope we get to see more Joe in the future, because I'm crazy like that!

Big thanks to Random House and Netgalley for granting my wish and giving me early access to this title.

Our old friend Joe Goldberg is still looking for love and this time he thinks he has found it with Mary Kay, a librarian on small Bainbridge Island in Washington.

I absolutely loved “You”. Joe was so unique and his musings were so entertaining. He was such a lovable stalker/murderer/psycho. It was one of my favorite books the year it came out. Then “Hidden Bodies” came along and it was fine, but not the masterpiece that was “You”. Now I am sad to say I enjoyed this one even less than “Hidden Bodies”. I was so excited to start this one once I was approved and it took me
over 2 weeks to finish. I found if overly long and at times boring and repetitive. Somehow Joe just doesn’t entertain me like he once did and I can’t put my finger on why that is. Some of his ramblings were funny and I felt like we might get on track and others were just long winded rambles. It seems like we are set up for another adventure with Joe and I will probably read it only because I still adore “You”, but if Joe doesn’t return to form that could be it for me.