This book is the epitome of the word <b>fine</b>.

It was really just fine. I normally write reviews with what I loved about the book and what I didn't, and I'm really struggling to do that for this book. There wasn't anything I really disliked about it, but there also wasn't anything I really loved.

The story follows Phoebe, who is writing a dissertation about true crime. She temporarily moves to FL to pack up her dad's house and ends up meeting the next door neighbor, Sam. At first she thinks he may be a serial killer, but quickly realizes he might just be an actual nice guy.

My main gripe with this book is that it felt really repetitive. Phoebe spends at least 50% of the book writing her dissertation, which is cool! But also, I signed up to read a romance novel, not a PhD candidates dissertation. There were also a few unnecessary plot points that interrupted the flow of the story. It wasn't so bad that I stopped reading altogether, but it definitely slowed down my reading speed and made me put the book down at various times.

But overall, the story was cute and there were some moments of good chemistry between the characters. I thought the plot was fun and original (it was the reason I requested the ARC in the first place). I just didn't think this book was memorable. It was simply fine.

Wow, i am obsessed with this book. I loved all of the commentary on true crime as well as the romance in this book. SAM!!! I am in love with him. Him and Pheobe were seriously the best and i really loved seeing them grow closer as well as seeing her realize that she is able to love and be loved. I also thought that this book covered grief very well. Overall, i loved this book so much. I felt seen as a true crime loving girl. Two of my favorite things, true crime and romance, in one book and it was everything i could have asked for

For someone who is obsessed with true crime and serial killers our mc sure did rule out her neighbor far too quickly (obviously, it's a romance) and it should have left the air of mystery just a bit longer imo because after they start to get friendly it's just more so a romance than the title suggests.

But, the romance was hella good. I mean those smut scenes came outta nowhere and there wasn't even that much drama added in which is always a good thing.

I really enjoyed the writing style which was at times very quirky and also very enjoyable. I read on the authors insta that she modeled her mc after the girl from Two broke Girls and I literally read this whole book in her voice and character after seeing that!

Phoebe is obsessed with true crime and is even writing her dissertation on serial killers. When she moves to Florida to clean out her dad's house after he passes away, she is startled by her neighbor Sam who appears out of nowhere in the middle of the night when she arrives. Then in the middle of the night he moves some of her furniture for her. Alone with her thoughts centering around her dissertation, she finds herself watching Sam and his odd habits. Creepy stalker or friendly neighbor? As she gets to know Sam, he isn't at all who she though he would be like. This felt like a real story, no love at first sight and the story didn't focus solely on Phoebe and Sam's relationship. Phoebe had a complicated relationship with her dad and brother plus she runs into a childhood friend she hasn't seen in years. Phoebe has been focused on finishing graduate school and has been alone for a long time but she realizes she may need people in her life.

Unfortunately, I was super excited to read this book, but it just didn't do it for me. However, this is not a bad book by any means. It was just not my cup of tea since I found it incredibly slow and the main character was a tad annoying. I can see a lot of people liking this book though so I will definitely recommend it to patrons.

This book was a lot of fun as predicted, but also surprisingly poignant. It was great to see a female main character who is a little prickly, and based on her descriptions of her teenage years, she sounds like someone who would have been in my friend group (not something I find much in contemporary romance!). As someone who comes from an academic background but gets stressed out by academia settings in fiction, I enjoyed that Phoebe's work on her dissertation and her hopeful career as a professor are important parts of the narrative without being relied upon for drama. I also appreciated that there was fat representation, even though Phoebe's experiences being a fat woman were quite different from mine. There were some extremely funny moments in Love in the Time of Serial Killers that still make me laugh every time I think about them, but the best of all has to be the way "Tubthumping" was used in this story. Anyway, more elementary school music teacher love interests please!

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

CW: emotional/physical abuse from a parent (past), mention of suicidal ideation (past) (no active killer in this one friends but please check out the author's note for more info)

I would recommend if you're looking for (SPOILERS)

-m/f friends to lovers
-neighbors/close-proximity
-insta attraction
-an adorable cat in need of some rescuing
-library appreciation
-obsession with all things true crime
-nerds falling in love
-appreciation for Tubthumping

Gosh, this book. Love in the Time of Serial Killers is a soft love story and character exploration. The premise is so smart, and honestly I just loved this book. How your childhood can effect you in a million big and small ways. A dork with a love of true crime, that it of course permeates her life. So when a single white male walks up to her in the middle of the night honesty who wouldn't be suspicious (can you tell I relate to Phoebe way too much yet, welcome friends it's great here).

Seriously this was single POV goodness. The romance is a slow burn as Phoebe returns to her childhood home, reconnecting with her brother, her childhood best friend and her neighborhood all while trying to finish her thesis. She takes such a journey through this book. All while rescuing a cat, who rescues her a bit too (I adore Lenore so much and related so much, having a grumpy rescue cat of my very own). I loved all of the secondary characters in this book who just added to the fullness of this story.

But the scene stealers were the moments between Phoebe and Sam. Sam the sweet and quiet neighbor. Close proximity but also each choice Phoebe makes to put herself in Sam's path was so intentional so well done as these two nerds fall for each other. Sam is a Simp with a capital S, wearing his heart on his sleeves, or his coveralls and I just adored how he was all in. Understood Phoebe and all her prickly bits and she saw him too, the adorable music teacher. Both wanting to be loved for exactly who they are, and how scary it can be to trust another person with your heart. I am team Sam all the way and cannot scream enough about how wonderful of a LI he was.

This was an amazing debut and I cannot wait to read whatever Alicia Thompson releases next.

Steam: 3

Disclaimer: The author and I are social media mutuals

Quirky romantic comedy fun! It's not easy to meet new people when you have the profile for hundreds of true crime cases floating around your head. Phoebe is finishing her dissertation on true crime when she returns to Florida to help her brother clean out their dead dad's house. She immediately suspects her cute neighbor Sam of being a serial killer. Getting to know him, and the town she left behind, opens Phoebe up to love. Highly enjoyable, especially for fans who love both true crime & a cute love story.

This was very fun! I loved all of the different characters and plot lines they went through. I thought it was a unique story and I look forward to more books by this author! I do think I would have liked a little more romance, but that's my only critique!

this one goes down as another book that absolutely shattered my heart and put it back together again (and it made me laugh so much :DDD)

All of the characters were perfect (Sam <3) and I loved the plot. Phoebe felt really relatable and I loved how not toxic their relationship was (despite her commitment issues).

5/5 it took me a while to get started with this book but once i got a chunk in, I became obsessed :D

As soon as I saw the deal announcement for this book - a rom-com with a serial killer-obsessed heroine - I knew I had to read it. I'm thrilled that it did not disappoint in the slightest. This book is funny, sweet, occasionally steamy, and heart-warming (yes, really).

Phoebe is the kind of heroine I've always wanted to see in a rom-com. She's super smart, but she's also kinda prickly, a little (maybe more than a little) morbid, and reluctant to trust people. It's also always fabulous to see a plus-sized heroine in a romance. Sam, OTOH, is totally swoony - a longish haired musician who teaches kids to bang on their instruments. What's not to love?

While this book is definitely funny, and filled with pop culture references, it also has a lot of heart. Phoebe needs to heal from her childhood wounds (exacerbated by staying in her recently deceased father's house), and Thompson does a great job of showing how she does, slowly and awkwardly and honestly. Highly recommend!

What a wonderful contemporary romance book! The cover is what drew me in and then the title had me hooked. As someone who has always been fascinated with true crime, I knew this would be so up my alley. I really enjoyed the character of Phoebe and following along with her as she deals with the passing of her estranged father and builds a relationship with her brother and old friend Allison (who is a librarian!). Phoebe is self described as fat and I really loved her confidence in herself and her body. There is a lost and found cat (a black cat, of course) and lots of talk about true crime. The romance was incredibly adorable and the steamy scenes were definitely steamy. It was an absolute delight - I highly recommend!

I was immediately drawn to the cover and title of this book, and I was so excited to read it. I ended up dropping it around 60% in. While the premise sounded really interesting, I did not care for the plot or characters. It just felt like nothing was happening and as a reader, I was expecting more excitement or tension between Phoebe and Sam.

this book was funny ; yet soul crushing at the same time.
phoebe is a very complex character honestly - i resonated with her so much that i felt like that was the reason why i disliked her at the beginning. she really needs therapy like pronto.
shani, connor, sam — all the characters really — absolutely perfection!!! i’d read another book about shani and connor any day. i loved the way each helped phoebe grow in different ways.
i felt like the romance was very rushed, and there wasn’t enough of it. i literally just wanted them together and to be happy sooo bad!!!! sam was so perfect for her, and it was obvious he helped her so much.
the epilogue saved this book for me. it was perfection and everything i want in an epilogue.
i honest did enjoy this story tho. i felt like i was phoebe at times, and hearing the past with her dad really broke my heart. it was obvious why she acted the way she did, and i’m glad she was able to grow and bloom into a bright person
the true crime jargon is perfect for a true crime lover. you’ll find yourself laughing at all the tid bits and mentions of dateline, killers and paranoia from it lol.
i think this author did a great job showing the side of true crime that a lot of people doesn’t
see, the cases that stick with you and really make you think and feel.
over all, it was a cute story!

Ok! So! I liked it! But I didn’t love it :(

I don’t know if this is just the way romance books are written (haven’t read that many) but I want to see the relationship grow more. I want to see WHY they love each other and not just because he’s nice or she’s weird. I guess I’m super into that Sally Rooney emotional shit??? Anyways, the fact that Phoebe is a true crime academic is what got me hooked, to be honest. I love true crime and I loved the way it was used throughout the book. Her personal struggle with grief was also the most interesting part of the book and I enjoyed her relationship with her brother so much. Sam (the love interest) was the typical boy next door pretty standard nothing new whatever. I did like that we got to like Phoebe more and more as the book went on!!! I don’t know!!!!

Overall it was a fun read, but I wanted more…

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

This book is so smart, sexy, and poignant in unexpected ways. I love a prickly main character forced to confront her prickliness when she falls for a man with no sharp edges. Alicia Thompson has become a one-click author for me. 5 enthusiastic stars.

Tremendously fun. Thompson gives us a prickly heroine with love of researching serial killers but a killer aversion to falling in love. Weaving together several plot threads--a lapsed friendship from childhood, a younger brother's public proposal plans, a potential cat adoption, a dissertation to finish, a house to prep for sale, a job hunt to begin, a flirtation with the hot neighbour, and an unaddressed grief for a complicated family member--Thompson takes her heroine on a journey toward accepting that love is within reach if she's willing to do the reaching. The voice is witty throughout, and I loved all the funny little details that crept into the banter. A joyful and unique read that celebrates embracing human connection, and who can't use that these days?

Wow, is this book an absolute treat! A heroine obsessed with true crime? Is her new neighbor a hot man who actually likes her or is he a serial killer trying to lure her into his web? This book is a JOY from start to finish and such a strong debut from Alicia Thompson that she will have a reader in me for life! Absolutely BUY THIS BOOK!

Ugh, if I loved this book less I could talk about it more. But I can't! So I will say that I really _really_ liked it. And what wasn't to love? It hit the right balance between snark & genuine feeling, there was a librarian bff who had cats, was a lesbian, and had an *MLIS* (the holy trifecta), the mc was lovable and the guy was 🔥🔥🔥
10/10 stars, I can't wait to buy my own copy.

Thank you to NetGallery and Penguin Random House for allowing me to read an early arc of Love in the Time of Serial Killers!!

For someone who doesn’t read a lot of romance novels, I really, really, enjoyed this one. The cover and the title are both fantastic and I love Alicia’s writing! All of the characters are written well, I enjoyed them all and the part they had in the story. Phoebe is hilarious, especially how she thinks Sam could be a serial killer at first — comparing nice gestures to infamous serial killers.

I give it 4 stars only because I found the beginning a little slow and wished that it was a little shorter so that we could have been focused on Phoebe and Sam a little more. I also wished there had been more of a story between Phoebe and her childhood friend, but nonetheless it was a fantastic novel and I will be putting my staff pick sticker on it once it releases!!