Why is it with every book I get sucked into the pages and can’t stop turning them. I at least now know that the books in this series mess with my head for a few while reading it. I will never forget how much with that first book. Read it because you have to know…because you wanna know…who can pass up going into Joe’s head for another ride no matter what or who he is with?!?

So. I got into this whole series because I got this ARC. I was intrigued by the story and I’ve heard about the show. So began my journey with Joe, and I think that even if this isn’t the last in the series, it will be for me. I’ve found all the books after the first to be lacking. Maybe the first was just too much to live up to? Maybe it never needed to be a series?

Part of what makes Joe so special is your ability to like him and emphasize with him even though he’s done so many terrible things. I didn’t like him in this book. He is whiny, he is pathetic, he is jealous, and he just hasn’t learned a bit. This was dragged out, boring, and repetitive. Nothing that hadn’t been done in the other three.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Creepy Joe is back and his new obsession is named “Wonder”. They meet at Harvard when they join a writers fellowship, taught by a famous author. Joe is back to his obsessive ways, but he’s not quite as stalker-y as previous novels, which is why they worked. He is a little bit “warm” instead of hot crazy, and I think that makes him less interesting. Also, the RIP before everyone’s name drove me nuts. But still a fun JOE story.

3.5 stars

I have loved following Joe Goldberg throughout the You series! His hilarious and often times dark inner monologue is unmatched and purely genius. While we still get the same Joe we have come to know and love, the storyline this time around fell flat for me.

There has been an underlying purpose to Joe’s journey since the very beginning, one in which he tries to develop a meaningful relationship with a woman he has his sights set on but ultimately it turns into a precarious obsession that triggers his murderous tendencies. This theme is present in For You and Only You, however the story just didn’t grab my attention as much as I’d hoped it would.

Usually I can sense some sort of connection between Joe and his love interests, but in this instance, it felt more forced and juvenile. The over-the-top, romantic narrative that he constantly tries to breathe into existence has never worked out for him, and it was even more apparent this time around; so much so that I found it a bit annoying at times. I also didn’t help that I didn’t like Wonder…at all.

Now, the story did pick up a little towards the end, when we see him reveal his true nature in typical Joe fashion, but it wasn’t enough to redeem the book as a whole. I do hope Ms. Kepnes continues to build on Joe’s story because he’s such a fantastic character, and I would hate for it to end on this note.

*Thank you to NetGalley and AtriaBooks/Emily Bestler Books for providing a copy of this book to review.*

I don't know why I consume Joe's mental ramblings as though I am starving for nourishment. All I do know is that Kepnes created one of the most enticing psychotic characters I have ever read and no book is ever enough. I will always come back for more. I try to read slowly to savor it, but I need to know who we are stalking and how twisted it's going to get!

There were some plots variations this time that I wasn't entirely on board with so at times I did find this one slower on its own than previous books within the series. It was never so bad that I was deterred from continuing on. And there were plenty of juicy bits to keep me interested.

Basically as long as Joe Goldberg is "alive" I'm going to be interested in whatever crazy shit he comes up with next. I am here for it.

Many thanks to Random House and #netgalley for this ARC :)

This was slow and couldn’t connect with Joe in the same way or the characters. Seemed like it as dragging and didn’t grip me as a reader.

I want to start off by saying, overall this book was really great. Caroline Kepnes doesn't disappoint.

This book started really slow. I was probably 100 pages in wondering when anything is going to happen. However, It's like when you watch a season of a show and you're like meh this season is just ok, but then the finale hits and you're like ohhhhh. It was pretty necessary in this iteration of the book to do a lot of world building and background before we got to the meat and potatoes of it. I almost didn't want to keep reading, but because it was an ARC and I read the first 3 books, I felt like I had to.

Joe is unhinged, as per usual, and his antics in this book read a little differently than the last 3, but I think it still holds up just fine. I do think that Joe doesn't have a ton of life left in him story wise.

And as a final note, if you've watched season 4 of the show, this is 110% a TOTALLY DIFFERENT STORY THAT WAS WAY BETTER, so give this one a shot if you're into the YOU series of books.

Four stars for still being great despite a slow start. This book felt like a more intimate look inside Joe.

Thank you to Netgalley & Atria books for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

⭐️⭐️💫 (maybe?)
First of all, I love this series and the character of Joe Goldberg and have thoroughly enjoyed Caroline Kepnes' writing throughout this series.

So I am incredibly sad to say this seemed like a mess. I am a tad over Joe after this book. I LOVE the Joe Goldberg of You and Hidden Bodies but this Joe seemed dull and a bit boring and he definitely picked the wrong love interest. Now don't get me wrong, I don’t mind the You formula of him always picking the "wrong" love interest but his choice in this book made no sense. I literally could not see what made him attracted to her at all. Wonder (ick) - was so incredibly blah and whiny and I just could not get invested in his obsession with her and honestly didn't really care what happened to her which makes me feel bad to say.

I enjoyed that this was a novel that takes place in the literary world - a campus novel where Joe is in a writing fellowship which meant SO many book and author references in this one and also other side forgetful writer characters.

I just think that the characters in this novel were mostly unlikeable - which is great when it's a FUN unlikeable way but here they were just unlikeable and underdeveloped in my opinion - or just boring and for the first time, Joe was a bit unlikeable too. I did recently watch the new season of YOU on Netflix and much preferred that - I still rooted for Joe and the show had some fun twists & turns and side characters that I really enjoyed - so maybe I went in with that too much in my head.

This book was LOOOOONG! I did read an ARC so maybe there will be some editing that happened before the release, but it just felt meandering and way too long and I really had a hard time keeping my interest.

I say all this with a sad heart because I love Joe Goldberg so much and I hope if his story does continue on with more books, that we get back to the sexy, literary, witty, intelligent and crazy Joe of the earlier books. They can't all be winners - so I am hopeful that we will see the Joe we know and love again!

the parts of this book that were classic YOU were as fun as this series always is, but it got bogged down in a ton of writerly and publishing-y stuff that felt very personal and specific. i will still keep reading these books as long as they keep coming!

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of For You and Only You.
Fans of You - this is a MUST READ. Joe's story continues, and it only gets crazier. I don't want to give too much away, but this is one of my favorite books in the series. Highly recommend

Sadly, I think this is where Mr. Goldberg and I will be parting ways. I just couldn’t connect with this installment in the series. I’m having a hard time believing that he can still be behaving this way and not get caught. Maybe it’s me, but I just didn’t connect with any of the new characters enough to care what happened to them. I guess all in all we will just have to see whether there’s another book and what the plot is to see if I will pick it up. I really do enjoy Kepnes’ writing and I think she’s got a unique style that i truly love. This one just wasn’t for me.

This one was a bit of a disappointment. I have enjoyed the You series for what they are—fun, outlandish, a little smutty. I don’t expect profound prose, but I enjoy them nonetheless. This one just felt off. I was quite confused with some of the exposition—I had to go back to my reviews of the old books to see if I missed something. I also didn’t buy that Joe would love Wonder. His girl are always aspirational, and she is not by any means. Joe was still quite witty though, if a little sardonic. All in all, not the worst, but maybe my least favorite of the series. Thanks for the ARC NetGalley, Penguin Random House, and Caroline Keepnes.

Reading Between the Wines book review #64/115 for 2023:
Rating: 2🍷 🍷
Book: For You And Only You
Author: Caroline Kepnes
AVAILABLE NOW!

Sipping thoughts: I was so excited to see the release of a new book in this series. Add the Netflix series and I was on the edge of my seat waiting. Unfortunately, it was a total letdown. I think Kepnes needs to let Joe and his deranged, but yet somehow loving, self just retire. The books are nolonger going anywhere and it's the same stalking story just new people. The series can't get any further away from the actual book. I trudge on through this book hoping it would get better. It did but just ended okay.

Cheers and thank you to @NetGalley and @RandomHousePublishingGroup for an advanced copy of @ForYouAndOnlyYou.

#ForYouAndOnlyYou #CarolineKepnes #RandomHousePublishingGroup #NetGalley #advancedreadercopy #ARC #Kindle #Booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #bookstagram #nicoles_bookcellar #bookworm #bookdragon #booknerd #booklover #bookstagrammer #bookaholic #bookreview #bookreviewer #IHaveNoShelfControl #ReadingBetweenTheWines #fiction #thriller #suspense #mystery #MysteryAndThrillers #GeneralFictionAdult

This was my least favorite of the Joe Goldberg book so far but I'm so invested that I will read them for as long as they come out. We reconnect with Joe in Boston attending a Harvard workshop with esteemed author Glenn Shoddy. As someone who recently moved from Boston and finds herself missing the book community -- there are so many bookstores and coffeeshops and libraries -- it was fun to here's Joe take on the intellectual and historical city including the hard-to-swallow but well-intention liberals.

But man oh man, did Caroline Kepnes come for us Goodreads, bookstagram, and booktok girlies!! Joe flat-out uses Goodreads to stalk his next "You". This book is amusing at least.

At most, it dragged on and I think the author was trying to find a way to flip the plot of the first three books but instead of it being creative, it just read as unorganized. I'm thinking hope is not lost and this can be written off as Joe being off his game for some reason. I don't know, we shall see if there's another one! I know I'll be reading it if there is.

Unfortunately, I think the time has come for me to bid farewell to Joe Goldberg. While I loved the first few books in the series, I was not a fan of the latest and have found that the story has become repetitive. I am looking forward to something new from Kepnes in the future.

Good 'ol Joe. I always enjoy being in his twisted mind. What does that say about me? I can't wait to see what's in store for him.

Are you ready for more Joe Goldberg? This time around, Joe has enrolled in a writing fellowship at Harvard - and he's ready to find love in Beantown.

What more do you need to know? This series is to die for (no! Joe! I didn't mean it!) and I of course devoured this latest installment. Maybe eventually Joe's horrible taste in women and notoriously bad choices will become old and overdone, but today is not that day.

Ever since this series came to Netflix, I have gobbled up the books. It's fascinating to read Joe's journey through a different lens than on the screen, especially after book #2.

There are a few similarities between #4 and the fourth season of You, but this book is quite different than the show.

I'm loyal to the series, but this was probably my least favorite book of them all. You can expect twists and turns like all of Kepnes' books, but it wasn't as climatic as the previous books.

Who doesn't love a good anti-hero? And Joe Goldeberg is absolutely one of the best!

This series really has taken us as readers into Joe's world and this one is no different! While after so many books, the story can get a little drole, I thought there were still some fun and unexpected surprises that keep me coming back for more.

I really enjoy Caroline Kepnes ease in her writing and the really immersive way we are transported into Joe's mind.

I loved the first novel in the You series, but I couldn't get into this novel. I tried hard but it was definitely a DNF for me