thank you NetGalley and Random House for this arc and all my wishes for it! All opinions are my own.

Welcome back Joe. I shouldn’t love you, and that’s the problem. I love you. Caroline really does it again. Somehow she managed to make this one creepier, yet more emotional? Set in an island off of Seattle, Joe really comes to Bainbridge, determined to change his ways. It helps that Mary Kay is there for him. But, can her truly change his ways?

This whole book was a roller coaster of emotional, thrill, and creepiness. If you loved You and Hidden Bodies, you might just die for You Love Me.

You Love Me hits shelves April 6, 2021!

Ugh. I wanted to like this. I really did. I enjoyed the first two books in this series. But this one seemed so disjointed to me. Too many characters that I didn't care about and the ending? Come ON!

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ /5. Wow. What a ride. I am so happy to catch up with Joe. The feeling of anxiety I get from his decisions is out of this world, in the best way possible. I think this might be the best story in the You-niverse.

OKAY. So I know this book isn't due out until April. but I couldn't help myself. Seeing this beauty sit in my queue was too much temptation, and I had to dive in.

Following the fallout from (You and Hidden Bodies), Joe moves to the small town of Bainbridge where he volunteers at a library and finds his new love interest: Mary Kay. A mother of a high school senior, Joe must overcome several obstacles in order to perfect his pursuit. But in true Joe Goldberg fashion, he'll stop at nothing to prove to his love that they were meant to be together.

The third installment in the series, I couldn't wait to see what happened to Joe, and Kepnes did not disappoint. I'll be raving about this book until it comes out and then some.

First of all, it is a difficult thing to find a balance between stream of consciousness writing and propulsive plot. Joe goes on numerous tangents, but they never feel long-winded and they add depth to his character. I find his voice so interesting: charming yet repulsive, engrossing yet terrifying. Yes, you will root for him to succeed in his manipulations, but you'll also experience this moment of dissonance (several moments, actually) where you'll be thoroughly creeped out by his actions. Kepnes has nailed this depiction of a sociopath, and in her masterful execution of the plot, I found myself questioning perception. Joe's perspective of a seemingly-innocuous detail--the choice of wardrobe, a look, a topic of discussion--is often warped, and it adds an underlying layer of unease. Joe's behavior is disturbing, not romantic, yet he uses his intelligence and harmless persona to lull and attack. Kepnes demonstrates how easy it can be to be coerced, manipulated by someone like Joe, and wow, she does a great job narrowing in on the implicit fear we have of letting our guards down for the sake of love.

On another note, this book is hilarious. I don't know what it says about my sense of humor, but I laughed out loud at several of Joe's internal dialogue moments. Kepnes' structure of conversation with another character interrupted by his own thoughts worked really well for me; it kept things interesting and upbeat in spite of some truly dire situations, and I cannot wait to see if she continues this to a book four.

I will say that if you haven't read books 1 and 2, but you have seen the Netflix series, I think you'll pick up on this one just fine, so don't worry if you're thinking of joining in the middle of the game. Some of the plot requires a willing suspension of disbelief, but I don't think most readers will be deterred by some minor sensationalism. Joe's voice is so distinct, you won't have trouble following along--and it is SO WORTH IT.

Overall, You Love Me is an electric, jump-off-the-page thriller with a chilling protagonist you wouldn't want to meet in real life. Add this book to your TBR immediately, and in the meantime, binge You on Netflix for the third time.

Huge thank you to Random House and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for honest review consideration.

Wow.
To be honest this is the first book of the series I have read. I have watched the television series while on the edge of my seat. I thought we had seen everything Joe can do... boy was I wrong. Joe is the psycho we al love to hate and this book takes him to another level.
A must read !

Good ole Joe makes a comeback and he is just as deranged as ever! Hes living on an island and volunteering at the local library where he just so happens to meet Mary Kay and her daughter Nomi. As always Joe knows everything about Mary Kay or almost everything. The pair hit it off until Joe realizes that shes MARRIED! Joe has been trying to live a quiet life and be as good as possible but Melanda just keeps getting in his way. Alas we all know that Joe is going to get what he wants regardless, right?

I wont say anymore because i dont want to post spoilers but Caroline Kepnes we need more Joe!

I loved "You" so much that i consider it one of my all-time favorite books, and I refused to sully it by watching the TV show... I am one of the minority, I guess who enjoyed "Hidden Bodies" as well. I was THRILLED to see a new installment of Joe Goldberg in print coming out & so excited to be approved for an ARC. And then I read it... it took me almost 5 days to get through (never a good sign)...

I was looking forward to more time with my favorite psychopath - My question is what happened to Joe? He moves to the Pacific Northwest & falls in love with an older Librarian and her kid, and all the wonderful literary phrases I loved have been replaced with Seattle grunge, ugh... It's all just angst and long boring monologues in Joe's head and NOT a lot of action - and that is all I want to say without putting spoilers out. But this is NOT the Joe I loved, and want to read, and it really put me in a very bad place after finishing the book - I needed to wait a day before I could even come here to write anything... and maybe it's just time to let Joe go if he can't be who he used to be anymore, cause we sure don't need this whiny, love-obsessed, kitten-owning version of Joe. RIPJoe
Thank you to Net Galley & the publisher for the ARC & all opinions are of course my own.

I absolutely LOVED this book! Kepnes knocked it out of the park...again!

As fans of her book or the Netflix Adaptation know, Caroline Kepnes has the unique ability to write from the perspective of a bonafide serial killer while making it a voice that compels you to keep reading and even root for him!! Joe Goldberg is the most likeable bad guy you could ever want to meet!!

In this installment of the Joe Goldberg story, Joe finds himself on Bainbridge Island in Washington, with his new love, MK. Joe has started a new life and is determined to be a good guy....but trouble has a way of finding him, and things start to get out of control. Way, way, out of control.

The first half of this story will be familar to fans of the series, as Joe meets and tries to court his new love. The back half, in typical "You" fashion, sees the return of some familair faces and the introduction of some new, even more nefarious ones, and takes you on a wild ride as Joe's life once again devolves into chaos. Wrapping up with some unexpected twists, this book was will hook you from the start and hold your attention to the very last page.

If you've read "You" & "Hidden Bodies" (even if, like me, you were a little disappointed in "Hidden Bodies" and very diappointed in the subsequent Netflix adaptation!) you are ready for "You Love Me"! If you haven't, grab them now and burn through them before this book's release!

Clearly, I've already finished this book....but I pre-ordered it anyway, because I need a copy for the shelf!

Rating: 8.5/10

Thanks to the publisher and author for an advance reading copy of You Love Me (You #3) for review consideration. This did not influence my thoughts or opinions.

You Love Me.

Where do I even start?

You Love Me continues Kepnes’ “Goldberg for President” campaign by giving readers exactly what they ask for: obsession, insanity, and emotional rollercoastering with their favorite psychopath, Joe Goldberg. As infatuated as I am with Joe and how his mind works, what keeps me loving this series is Kepnes’ writing style mixed with the ever-present notion that I have to investigate what the next page has in store.

Really, Caroline? Now you’ve got me empathizing with Joe? Something I never would’ve thought possible through the first two (2) novels. But here I am, wishing I could just give the big fella a hug, tell him everything is going to be alright, and maybe go grab a coffee. I can see myself being friends with Joe, now. Yeah, he still has his obsessive tendencies, but he does a great job keeping those on the inside and at least projecting a “caring individual” exterior.

Maybe it’s because we are both dads. I am fully on his level, though I can’t imagine the feeling of being so withdrawn from your child. But you would do anything for your own flesh and blood, even if it means getting a little dirty along the way. At the same time, Joe did a few things along that same path that, well, put him in this predicament. You know… a little murder here, a little stabby stab there. That’s where the playing field sorta topples.

It’s time for Joe to now start a proper family. TOO BAD NOTHING EVER GOES RIGHT FOR JOE. He has put the killing behind him, Mary Kaye. It’s all about you, and his past will stay in the past.

KIDDING, BECAUSE IT NEVER DOES.

Every single time Joe thinks he is one step ahead, he gets knocked down about 5 rungs. Bad things just always tend to find him, and he has way too many skeletons at this point to have a proper “bright” future. But here he is, trying his best to win you over. Just know that even if the killing stops, he will do NOTHING until you are his, even if his life is put on the line.

By this point, you are either a fan or you aren’t, but if you read the first two (2), pre-ordering should be in your immediate future.

*SPOILERS AHEAD*

So, while I was reading, I couldn’t stop comparing the sort of set-up that Kepnes went with to Stars Hollow, and she even references Gilmore Girls (alongside Cedar Cove) multiple times throughout. Well, while I haven’t seen Cedar Cove, my wife is obsessed with GG and I’ve seen it loads of times. Just a few thoughts below that have definitely spoiler-y content if you can run a side-by-side comparison.

It’s like a Gilmore Girls movie, except in a alternate universe where Luke is a psychopath, Lorelai is married to Gil, and Rory is obsessed with Columbine instead of whether or not she should attend Yale. Oh, and the Gilmore’s are Love’s parents instead of Lorelai’s. Sookie (aka Melanda) also sort of loves/hates Lorelai, and totally has a thing with Gil. Shortus is the one throwing me because he may be a mix of Christopher and Kirk, but I’m probably way off base…… I’m sure there are some other odd similarities, but I’ll stop before I stop making logical sense. I was disappointed that I never came across a Michel dopple, though.

But it’s weird, right? Read it and it’ll make TOTAL SENSE. I SWEAR IT.

Review Copy

Ohhh Joe.....

Here we go. This is one very long slow burn of a novel. Don't even THINK of reading these out of order! If you haven't read read YOU, now is the time to buy all three and jump in. Know that the books are written a little differently than most of the books you've probrtably read before.

So, open the book, and read the first couple of pages and meet Joe Goldberg. If you've already read the first two books, say it with me... Oh, Joe!

Wow! I absolutely was sucked into this book and couldn't put it down. This is my favorite book in this series yet!
Probably because of the librarian and I was one for 20 years but still.
Joe moves to Seattle and now has his eyes on Mary Kay, a sexy Librarian. Perfect for Joe. He plans to make her fall in love with him as she should. No one will get in his way.

Everyone hates Joe but I just love him- he's psychotic yes but what a character. I'm constantly cheering him on. AHHH!
I finished this in mere hours because I had to know what was going to happen next.

Put this on your TBR for April 2021.
Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher Atria for my advanced ebook copy.

Joe Goldeberg is back and better than ever. He's recently moved to a small island off the coast of Washington State, living a quiet life, and trying to be the nice guy that he knows he can be. He decides to volunteer at the local library where he meets Mary Kay the head librarian and total fox. There are some roadblocks for him to navigate in order to win the heart of the woman he deserves but make no mistake about it, he does deserve her. Mary Kay may need some convincing but Joe is a patient man that always gets what he wants.

This book was a hoot and I still love Joe and his hilarious musings. I don't tend to read many *series* but this one is so damn good. This particular installment was nearly as good as the first. I was so happy when I turned the last page and realized that this isn't the last we'll be hearing from Joe. Bring it on, Kepnes, BRING IT ON!!!! 4.5 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House who were kind enough to grant my *wish* to read this ARC.

Hello, hey Joe. You wanna give love another go?

See what I did there?

Anyhoo...

Joe Goldberg is back in written form! In this third installment of the YOU series, we learn that his relationship with Love (the person) didn’t work out. Now, he’s moved on to the outskirts of Seattle, and has his eye on Mary Kay. She’s sexy, and she’s a librarian to boot. She’s perfect for Joe. He prepares to woo her and make her fall in love with him, because he deserves it. All Joe ever wants is to love and be loved, and find his soulmate. He won’t let anything (or anyone) get in the way of pinning down the woman of his dreams.

As anyone who is familiar with the the book series and TV series knows, Joe is a man you hate to love. He’s deeply psychotic, but you can’t help rooting for him. That continues to be the case here, and author Caroline Kepnes does a superb job of making him sympathetic...and making us feel crazy for feeling that way about him. Oh, and the cliffhangers...I forgot how well she utilizes those at the end of chapters. Some of them gave me massive anxiety, and I had no choice but to dive into the next chapter.

It took me a little longer than I expected to get back into the writing style of these books since I read the first two installments years ago...and have gotten used to the flow of the TV series. I love how dark (and darkly humorous) it is inside Joe’s mind. However, some things didn’t sit well with me. For example, repeatedly calling part of a woman’s anatomy a lemonhead made me cringe. I think the long, drawn out climax could’ve benefited from a bigger OMG moment than what is written.

Overall, this is a highly entertaining and welcome return to Joe and the YOU-verse, and I can’t wait to see where the story goes next.

Thank you to Random House, Caroline Kepnes, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

You Love Me (You #3) is exactly what fans of the series have been hoping for.

The charming but delusional Joe Goldberg is back, and he is just as psychotic and Joe Goldberg-y as ever.

As the story opens, Joe's been transported into the suburbs, living in Bainbridge Island in Washington. His child has been born, and he's spent the last few months in jail while on trial from his crimes. He was acquitted thanks to fancy lawyers paid for by the Quinn family, but they also offered him a non-voluntary payoff (as in, take it or get shot) to stay away from Love and his son.

Joe is determined not to kill, but that doesn't mean he doesn't have some twisted ideas up his sleeve. With inventive new mind games to play and deranged schemes to enact, Joe still manages to get himself into plenty of trouble, even as he tries to be a "good guy" and act however he thinks "good guys" act (hint: he's still not a good guy, but he's certainly entertaining).

This time around he's more into psychological mind games, and Joe's relationship with his new love interest deals with more "adult" issues (like raising a child or everyday things like who buys trash bags) compared to his previous romances. And let me tell you, I am so here for all it. With a third book, you want it to have the same feel without being a repeat of everything that's happened before, and I think Caroline Kepnes nailed it by adding just enough new elements to keep things feeling fresh.

I also loved that Kepnes plants subtle hints about her plot twists in the book. Instead of having completely random things occur to shake up the plot, she gives small indications of the nature of her characters if you read carefully. (I hope it's something that gets reflected in the show. )

I should be clear that this book is about a psycho in a ridiculous story with some other psychos mixed in. It's nonstop drama and unapologetically twisted. So, there's a fairly specific audience for this book, but if you're one of those people, Kepnes seems to know exactly what she's doing. She keeps a steady hand on her off-the-rails plotline, and she writes it in a way that is exciting and often clever.

Read it or Skip It?

<strong>You Love Me</strong> is full of the twisted thrills and sticky situations that fans of the series have come to delight in. This is one of the easier (and shorter) reviews I've written because it's pretty easy to identify the audience that would enjoy this book. Simply stated:

If you loved the book series or the show, I have fantastic news for you. You Love Me is probably exactly what you are hoping for it to be, and I think you'll enjoy it. I had plenty of fun reading it. There's lots of surprises, twists and utterly unhinged Joe-Goldberg-ness in store.

If you weren't into the previous books and/or didn't like the show, I have bad news for you. This book is not going to change your mind. You will not like it.

I am a HUGE fan of this series in print and on Netflix and let me tell you this sequel did NOT DISAPPOINT. I literally could not put the book down and sound myself turning from page to page again getting pulled into joe’s web of lies and rooting for him, again. Such a powerfully well written and straight up creepy story. Highly recommend. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Unfortunately, this wasn't a winner for me. This time around, I found it very claustrophobic to be stuck in Joe's brain. I also don't find him a sympathetic character at any point, and without spoiling anything, I must say that suspending my disbelief has become increasingly tougher with each book.

Thank you to Random House for granting my wish and providing this copy for review.

Thankyou to the publisher for granting my wish and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. This is the 3rd installment of the You series. Its been a full year since I read the other two so I was a bit worried. However, it picked right back where the other ended!! Kepnes didnt miss a beat. There are some honorable mentions that were great. Basically Joe is up to his old antics in a new city and finds a new girl. Tune in April 6, 2021 to see how Joe does in his new city!

Did Love change Joe? The third book in the You series seeks to answer this question. (It's worth noting that I actually shrieked "Oh My God!" when I learned I had gotten an early copy of this novel to review. Thanks so much to Random House for this treat! The book releases on April 6, 2021.)

Having moved to the outskirts of Seattle, our favorite love-struck psychopath Joe is smitten again -- with 90s grunge nostalgia, and also with a sexy librarian named Mary Kay. The beginning of the book immediately deals with the cliffhanger of Hidden Bodies in a hilarious and perfect way that I'm not going to spoil for anyone. But suffice it to say, on page 1, Joe is running loose again, and his twisted humor and obsession is still in top form. Joe has fully learned from his past mistakes, he assures us, and he's NEVER going to let love lead him to do such crazy things again. (Yeah, right. Raise your hand if you WANT to read a book about a better Joe?) Nonetheless, Joe diligently works to turn himself into the "Better Man" envisioned by Eddie Vedder in nearby Seattle, and he's just certain that the lovely Mary Kay will be the change he needs to grow into a mature relationship, certainly without murder. After all, the crime rate in his new small town is almost non-existent. What could go wrong?

Hahaha. Of course, when Joe is around, A LOT can go wrong. As always, getting inside Joe's head gives me FEELINGS. Most of these feelings are wickedly fun despite myself, as his narration continues to be hilarious and dark and sprinkled with literary references and charming rationalizations. I felt like the tone of this book changed a bit from the Joe we usually know. The style and theme of the narration this time was more Seattle meets American Psycho with even more stream of consciousness, thoughts on romantic comedies, Seattle grunge, popular culture, and Woody Allen. (Yep, Joe's Woody Allen obsession is still with us and it escalates in this book.)

I was fully entertained by the book, and would place it right behind the first book in the "You" canon — “Hidden Bodies" being my least favorite, "You" being the total classic. However, I promised to be honest in my review so let me say there are a couple of things in the book I didn't love as much as “You”: (1) In this book, Joe is painted more as a victim of circumstance. Some things are maybe "not his fault." Of course the reader will have to decide whether this is true, or just Joe's interpretation, but I felt this Joe was presented much more as the hapless victim at times, rather than an obvious psychopath who is rationalizing, as in the previous books. For me that made this a little less fun. It’s a little more like the TV show in this way. I prefer Joe as a straight up psycho. (2) A few of the new characters in this volume are just bananas with motivations and actions that don’t make logical sense. As an example, it’s not like I come to “You” for feminist theory (and I don’t require it, as a feminist AND a superfan of American Psycho), but the character of the strident feminist best friend in this book was a little on the nose and hard to swallow. Her motivations in a key scene or two were, to me, inexplicable. One or two of the other characters are similar. (3) This book had SO many twists — some of them were just fantastic and mind blowing. But some of them for me had no logic.

BUT (important but!) despite these nitpicks, most importantly, what really made this book a 4 star plus thrill for me, in addition to the always loveable (against all your best judgment!) psychopath Joe? I absolutely loved the character of Mary Kay. A much more complex and interesting gal than either Beck or Love, she is onto some aspects of Joe from the start and is much more difficult prey for him. Their relationship is complex and fun and interesting. Also, several of the twists are just spectacular and you’ll never see them coming. Readers who come to this book for over-the-top psycho fun are going to be absolutely thrilled and entertained by Joe’s latest antics. This is by far the most wild and nutty of all three books, which I think will delight many readers.

Kepnes is a fantastic writer and has created such a unique literary psychopath in Joe. I loved getting back into Joe’s twisted head and meeting his most fascinating and complex object of affection. Solid 4 plus stars for a thrilling, darkly humorous read. I cannot wait to read what Kepnes does next

Does love conquer all? Or does love knock Joe down again? Find out for yourself. This book is a must read for 2021.

Big big thanks to Random House, NetGalley and Caroline Kepnes for this awesome preview. My review is honest and my own.

First, thank you to both NetGalley and Random House for providing me an advance copy of Caroline Kepnes’s new novel, You Love Me, in exchange for an honest review.

You Love Me is the third installment in the Joe Goldberg series. According to an article I read somewhere online (still searching for the source), the author was inspired to write books three and four due to the widespread success of the TV show, “You”, which was adapted from the first two novels. After finishing the latest in the series, it pains me to say that maybe the author should stick to working on the TV show because it seems to have muddied the book material.

Both book one and two immediately suck the reader in with biting sarcasm and hilarious wit. I recall literally laughing out loud while reading the first chapter of book one. Unfortunately, the beginning of book three simply falls flat and the ensuing chapters never quite recapture the sparkling, albeit deranged, comedic and unique tone of the first two. Whether this is done intentionally to demonstrate that doing a stint in prison and losing his son has hardened Joe is debatable.

In this novel, Joe has left Hollywood to pursue a quieter and “good” life in Bainbridge; an island off the coast of Washington state that exudes a small-town vibe despite its population. His new object of obsession is a librarian and single mother named, Mary Kaye DiMarco. He meets her by chance after anonymously donating $100K to the local library to secure a job sans background check. The story dives right in as Joe’s familiar inner monologue supplies the reader with details about her past and the relationship already blossoming between Mary Kaye and Joe.

Early on, the reader is also introduced to her daughter, Nomi, and to her friends, Melanda and Seamus. Melanda is slightly reminiscent of Peach, but is somehow more grating and too overly feminist for my tastes. It is excruciatingly painful to read any conversation that involves Melanda. Even her name annoys me.

By chapter six, the book finally starts to find its rhythm, though it is still the same old story: love interest who is narcissistic and intolerable (check), male characters who get in Joe’s way (check), mounting absurdity (check), and the banalities continue on. The only element that is missing from the third novel is that Joe actually does not directly murder anyone himself.

I think it is officially time to end this series…

You Love Me moves out of the world of the first two books. Now, Joe is really trying to keep his nose clean. He likes a new woman, of course, but he doesn’t stalk her (much, anyway), and he certainly doesn’t kill for her. Instead, he allows her to change her mind about him at least five times. And to be honest, it gets a bit boring. At one point, I was actually feeling sorry for Joe for getting wrapped up with this woman. When that happens, you know that the plot has gone around the bend.

I can’t say much more without spoiling it, but this book just fell a bit flat for me. And the ending was ridiculous.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC. This review contains my honest, unbiased opinion.