Wow, just wow! I really thought I was onto the ending with this one. HOLY TWIST WAS I WRONG!!!! I loved this book!!! Jeneva, girl, keep ‘em coming!!!

This was definitely a good read, but the buildup was very slow. It was more of a romance novel for the majority of it with suspicious undertones. First book by this author, I really enjoyed it. I didn’t expect the ending at all and I was very glad I stuck with it. The characters were strong and you kept guessing what was actually going on. I liked the underlying mystery through out. I highly recommend!

I struggled with the beginning of this book. During the first 20%, I thought maybe Jeneva Rose switched genres and wrote a romance novel?!? The narrators' sexual tension rang loud and clear. Then, I read @megs_bookblog review, where she mentioned the narrators are popular romance narrators. Ah Ha! That explains a lot. The thriller part of the book didn’t start until roughly the 75% mark. I did enjoy the twist at the end, but I wish the twist was where the story began.

Overall, this book felt middle of the road for me - I didn’t hate it, didn’t love it.
The highlights for me:
✨Binge-able: addictive listening, finished in 2 days
✨Good storytelling: like the family secrets
✨Ending: the final twist

Recommend this for:
✨Readers who lean heavily into romance and light on thrillers
✨Beach/pool read or vacation read
✨Enjoy unreliable narrators, lock room thrillers, or twisty endings

This book was not it for me. If you like a guilty-pleasure beach read that’s so bad it’s *almost* good, that kinda keeps you vaguely interested -but not so interested you can’t put the book down to enjoy your beach vacation- then I think this is a solid choice.

But if you DO pick it up as your beach read, take a drink every time you read the phrase “blue, blue eyes”. Sorry not sorry for your hangover!! 😝

⚠️ Spoilers Below! ⚠️

✨ My Thoughts: This book was incredibly unrealistic… I can overlook some of that for the sake of the story, but this was too much. Staying in an Airbnb with the owner also staying there, as a single woman with no cell phone reception or Wi-Fi? You’re telling me you wouldn’t high-tail it out of there?? ESPECIALLY after you have car trouble and the dude keeps telling you it’ll get fixed, but it never does. Plus the cops literally show up like every other day, and that’s just fine by you? A missing woman, screams in the night - no big deal?? You fall in a pit of dead animals, you almost get eaten by a mountain lion, and you continue to stay on your vacation?? Does our main character have any survival instincts!?

All of this, and I’m not rooting for you. I know there’s somewhat of a reason for this, but it’s not developed enough to thoroughly understand it at the end. On top of that, the ending was kinda predictable to me, so it wasn’t worth it. 🤷🏻‍♀️

⚠️ End of Spoilers ⚠️

Thank you NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the copy in exchange for my honest review.

Wow. What a thriller! I couldnt put it down and I read it all in one day. I loved every bit. Great characters!!! I was guessing the whole time. What a twist!

This was a book that I had a hard time getting sucked into until about 75% way in. Then oh my cowboy boots! What a ride! It took a hard left. I'm not sure what I can say that won't spoil it but it goes from simmering to explosive all at once. After reading thrillers and domestic noir/grip lit for years, it takes a lot for me to be shocked. This was a stunner and definitely has earned a spot on my bookshelf.

4 Stars! Thanks to NetGalley for the arc of this book! And thanks to Jeneva Rose for a great read! :)

Summary: Grace Evans finds herself on her yearly tradition where she throws a dart at a map and decides to take a vacation. She arrives at her air b&b in Dubois, Wyoming. Where she meets the owner of her air b&b, Calvin. Something is up with this place, and with the owner but she can't seem to put her finger on it right away. Both Calvin and Grace have an instant attraction to one another. However, one of them, or both are hiding something.




Spoilers below***
My takeaway:
This book was a great read. I generally do not have any semblance of romance in any of the books I read. I appreciated the smattering of it throughout. The entire book was predictable. I knew something was different about Grace from the beginning. With her dart to the map story, and then her bullseye at the bar. I immediately knew, that something was off and that she wasn't the most honest narrator. With Calvin, I knew something was off in his first chapter from the lock on the basement door to the line: "but not everything is meant to be free. Some things had to be kept in cages." That being said, none of this was disappointing to me. I enjoyed this book thoroughly and would recommend it. Was a great read. I personally have dyslexia and ADHD, but this book kept my attention and I finished it in 7 hours, only took a break to sleep. :)

I wanted to enjoy this, especially as I have heard good things about Rose. But I just did not. I thought the characters were lacking, the story and plot line was improbable. The main thing it has going for it is the ending. Otherwise, it was just not for me.

Another slow burn, but for some reason this one kept me interested. All of the characters have weird stuff going on and are suspect. I did guess part of the reveal, but I still liked the ending. Would be a great movie!

The thing I love most about jeneva’a books are that they are so easily digestible. I can read her stuff in a day, which is always fun! I did feel like I was confused a bit about the direction she was trying to go with this one. Romance? Suspense? Felt a little all over the place. I also didn’t connect with most of the characters, and felt it was a little too unbelievable.

4.5 rounded to 5

*Hardback

4.5 rounded to 5 for GR

“I’ll treat you, so good, you won’t want to leave. That’s my motto.”

Lesson in this book…always listen to your gut, trust your intuition.

I’m reviewing this book by talking about random things I liked because I’m afraid I’ll give something away if I focus on…well basically anything. So here are my random thoughts…

This book was a bit different than her others. I enjoyed it. If you follow Jeneva Rose on IG you already know she’s a hilarious, sarcastic, smart ass savage. Her personality comes through in her writing more so with this book than her prior work. She even tosses in a “let out a breath that I didn’t know I was holding” for good measure…because what would a thriller/suspense novel be without it!? Then she acknowledges it’s totally cliche

There’s a CoHo shoutout on page 162. Talent recognizes talent.

She also helps to set the creepiness of this weird town and all of it citizens by talking about one of the characters singing “tiptoe through the tulips” gah so unnerving. Insidious anyone!? I would’ve rolled out.

This book is a slow burn until the last approx 15% BUT if you don’t like slow burn, you should still check this one out because I don’t typically like slow burns and I really enjoyed this one. I loved the gradual amped up page turner quality of the story that built up towards the end.

I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if a streaming platform picked up the rights to this one

The beginning felt promising, but the writing style was not my taste. The plot fell into predictability and I didn't enjoy this read as much as I enjoyed the cover. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Review of You Shouldn’t Have Come Here by Jeneva Rose

I was able to listen to this one thanks to @libro.fm. I binge listened in a weekend road trip. I really enjoyed the audio and story a great deal. A lot of reviewers have mentioned that it is essentially a romantic suspense book and I do agree with that for the most part but I still felt the thriller vibes to a point throughout. The ending was crazy. I loved this one.

Quick synopsis: Grace is on her yearly vacation and this year has chosen a remote air bnb in Wyoming. She is thrilled when the owner is a handsome charming man named Calvin. But her joy turns to apprehension when she realizes there is no cell service or internet and there is a missing girl who was set to be a guest at the same air bnb

This one was a little different than what I expected, it was a romantic suspense book. Initially it read more of a romance and it didn’t get suspenseful until over half way through the book. Then it was jam packed with action and twists.

Told via two POV’s of Calvin and Grace. Calvin in my opinion was creepy, and Grace just seemed to be hiding something. Their romance wasn’t believable to me. The ending was surprising but it left me with unanswered questions. I’ve seen a lot of mixed reviews, but if you enjoy quick reads and romantic suspense books then I suggest giving it a try.

You Shouldn't Have Come Here by Jeneva Rose is a thrilling and suspenseful read that kept me captivated from beginning to end. The story follows Grace Evans, a New Yorker seeking to escape her hectic life by booking an Airbnb on a ranch in the middle of Wyoming. Upon arrival, she's welcomed by the charming owner, Calvin Wells. However, the peaceful vacation quickly takes a dark turn when Grace discovers that a woman who was supposed to stay at the ranch went missing and strange things are happenings on the place.

As Grace and Calvin's relationship develops, so does the suspense of the story. I was constantly questioning the motives of each character and the secrets they were hiding. The twists and turns were unexpected and kept me guessing until the very end. I appreciated the author's ability to weave a complex web of lies and deception that kept me engaged throughout the book. The one thing I was very confused about was how fast their relationship developed on each side, but it becomes clear by the end why it happened that way.

One of the strongest aspects of the book is the characterization of Grace and Calvin. Both characters are well-developed and multi-dimensional, and their flaws and insecurities make them feel human and relatable. Rose masterfully portrays the complex emotions and relationships between the characters, which added depth to the story and made me invested in their outcome.

Another aspect that I appreciated about the book was the atmospheric setting of the ranch in Wyoming. The descriptions of the landscape and the isolation of the location added to the tension and sense of foreboding throughout the book. The lack of cell phone service and the remoteness of the location also added a layer of realism to the story, making the events feel more plausible and frightening.

The pacing of the book was well-done, with the tension building slowly but steadily throughout the story. The author's use of foreshadowing and red herrings kept me engaged and constantly on my toes. The resolution of the story was satisfying and tied up all the loose ends in a way that felt believable and satisfying.

Overall, You Shouldn't Have Come Here is a well-written and captivating thriller that kept me hooked until the very end. The characters were realistic and multi-dimensional, the setting was atmospheric and the pacing was well-done. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a suspenseful and thrilling read.

I desperately, desperately wanted to love this book. I’ve loved all of Jeneva Rose’s other books; I still recommend The Perfect Marriage to those in a reading slump. I love her twisty thrillers and find her social media presence — and The Past Tense of Draw — creative and endearing.

That’s why it pains me to say this one just wasn’t for me. I didn’t vibe with the writing, it didn’t feel like her other books — page turners that kept me on the edge of my seat.

I will always give her books a chance, but I can’t recommend this one to my followers.

“There was something both beautiful and terrifying about isolation. It made you feel important and insignificant at the same time.”

Ok so confession time… this was my first Jeneva Rose 😅 but holyyyyy smokes I get it now!!

This was an absolute rollercoaster and while
I didn’t predict the ending I was very very skeptical of some shit going on and knew Jeneva was going to come in hot with a twist at the end!

I love a thriller that just makes you feel uncomfortable the entire time you’re reading. Almost like you’re waiting for that jump scare or creepy ick to set in. This story had me screaming left and right like “what the hell Grace! Open your eyes!!” Or “Calvin I don’t trust you stop being so sweet!!!!”. I do wish the romance was a little more involved & developed because there was certainly the time but it just felt like it either didn’t need to be in the story at all or was missing some depth!

Read if you like:
•Small town
•Family secrets
•Creepy crawly feels
•Locked room vibes
•Dual POV
•Slow burn

Thank you Netgalley, Blackstone Publishing and Libro.fm for advanced copies for this book! I definitely will be reading The Perfect Marriage asap.

You Shouldn't Have Come Here is a phenomenal thriller from start to finish. Filled to the brim with twists and a captivating plot, this one is sure to keep readers hooked. The characters are well-developed. The story is incredibly fast-paced. This is one not to be missed! Highly recommended! Be sure to check out You Shouldn't Have Come Here asap.

Loved this one!! Started off a little like a romance novel BUT you could definitely tell that something just wasn’t right. It kept me guess the whole way through and the twist at the end was amazing!! Definitely another must read from this author.

This was by far Jenova Rose’s best book. I love the thriller and romantic parts of the book. Jenova is the queen of twist in all of her books. Grace Evans is an over worked New Yorker looking for an escape at a ranch in the middle of Wyoming. Grace gets an Airbnb and falls in love with the owner Calvin. She begins to realize some things are off key but continues to stay. In the end the book delivers a great twist and turn of events. This book is a must read.