As a longtime fan of F. Scott Fitzgerald, when I read the description of this book, I knew that I had to read it. Lila Crayne is a beloved actress engaged to Kurt Royall, a legendary director. They are about to film a remake of the movie of Fitzgerald’s novel, Tender is the Night with a feminist bent. In order to prepare for the role, Lila decides to start therapy sessions with psychiatrist Jonas Gabriel to help her get to the root of some of her past trauma in order to prepare for the role. Lila and Jonas have met before but she doesn’t seem to remember him but he has become obsessed with her. As the therapy sessions continue, Jonas and Lila’s personal lives starts to fall apart and real life begins to mirror the movie with devastating results.

Sweet Fury is a character driven slow burn of a novel of revenge, secrets with a twisty ending. I enjoyed the insider look at filmmaking and the references to Fitzgerald’s novels. If you are a Fitzgerald lover you will really enjoy this book but even those who haven’t read any of his novels will like it. Thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the advanced reading copy.

Reads like Fitzgerald fan fiction, which I didn’t mind. Feels a little overwritten in spots but passed the time just fine. Thanks to Netgalley for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

SWEET FURY ultimately wasn’t for me.

This novel takes a meta approach, intertwining a feminist film production of Tender Is the Night with a plot that loosely mirrors Fitzgerald’s classic. Acclaimed actress Lila and her director husband, Kurt, are at the helm of the project, with Lila set to play Nicole Diver. To prepare for the emotionally demanding role, Lila begins therapy with Dr. Jonah Gabriel, hoping to confront her own painful past. However, as tensions mount both on set and in her personal life, she starts leaning on Jonah in ways that blur professional boundaries. What begins as an intriguing premise escalates into absurdity, with a climax that feels excessive and an epilogue that strains credibility.

The novel builds suspense through alternating perspectives—Lila’s, Jonah’s, therapy transcripts, and excerpts from Lila’s journal—creating an engaging but, at times, disjointed narrative. While the book positions itself as a feminist exploration of power and justice, particularly regarding sexual assault, its execution feels contradictory. The female protagonists are often depicted as cruel, self-absorbed, and indifferent to the struggles of others, which undercuts the novel’s intended themes.

Additionally, readers should be aware of a significant rape trigger warning.

While I appreciated the clever Fitzgerald references woven throughout, the novel’s convoluted execution and frustrating character portrayals left me disappointed.

I had a hard time getting into this book until a twist in the middle. It was much like Silent Patient in that everyone isn’t what they seem. However, the ending was a bit strange and not entirely satisfying.

I really enjoyed Sweet Fury by Sash Bischoff! The Hollywood setting was so fun and glamorous, and the plot kept me hooked from start to finish. I’m a sucker for a slow burn, and this one definitely delivered—I was totally invested in the tension and buildup. That said, the ending felt a bit unrealistic and left me a little confused, which knocked it down a star for me. I had to reread a couple of parts toward the end to fully grasp what was happening. Also, while the characters were interesting, I didn’t find any of them particularly likeable (except for Maggie, but she wasn’t a main), which made it harder to fully root for them. Still, if you’re into juicy, drama-filled stories with a Hollywood twist, this is a great pick! Thank you to Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Hollywood story about toxic relationships and masculinity. I didn’t find it to be paced like a thriller but enjoyed it nonetheless.

My eyes were relentlessly glued to this damn book like no other while I was reading it! It had the perfect amount of drama and intrigue!

Special thanks to @simonandschuster for the review copy of this book!!!

Round up to 3.5 stars.

I really liked the F. Scott Fitzgerald tie-in to this novel and how the focus on Tender is the Night dictated, to a certain extent, how the characters interacted with one another. And, there were a few unexpected twists but, on the whole, I found it to be predictable. Even with that, however, I could have gone along with it, but the ending got very convoluted and went a bit off the rails. I believe the author tried to explain things in the epilogue, but that ended up confusing me even more.

Get this one today! Such a fast read. It was a little slow in the beginning, but I just couldn't put it down. I knew there was going to be a jumping point where this story just rolled, and I'm so glad I stuck with it. This was a one-sit wonder. It's about Hollywood's It couple: the gorgeous actress who has everything going for her and the filmmaker who wows the crowd. Perfect from the outside, but inside? What a mess! The twists this one takes will have you gasping for air and clutching your pearls!

It started strong and gave me a lot of “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” meets “The Silent Patient” energy. The writing is great and I was invested in the story. However towards the end it got very confusing and a lot of plot holes kept popping up. I didn’t understand the ending at all. It bordered completely unrealistic.

A Fitzgerald retelling but a little bit too on the nose for my preferences. Might be best for someone that has not read the source material.

Thank you to the publisher for giving me the chance to read an early digital copy of this book. The thing about this book that initially piqued my interest was the fact that the main character is cast in a feminist adaptation of an F. Scott Fitzgerald book. The Great Gatsby is one of my all time favorite books, and in college, I had the chance to read it several times in a literary criticism class, and one of the lenses we studied it through was a feminist lens. This one did not disappoint. There were many aspects of it that were entertaining and had me wanting to keep reading to find out what was going to happen next. It also made me want to go back and read some of Fitzgerald's other works, as The Great Gatsby is the only one that I have read so far. I feel like this book would be a good one for my book club, as I thought there were many different aspects that could be discussed.

A truly unique premise and a classic thriller! I loved alot about this book. I loved the intersection of classic literature and current psychology and pop culture obsession. The character of Lyla was confusing and interesting and I had to see what she was going to do next.

A feminist retelling of Fitzgerald tender is the night?!? There is Hollywood vibes and an eloquent prose in this thought provoking novel! There was critique to toxic relationships, feminism, and misogyny. There was a slow start at the beginning of this book. With the multiple POVs, I initially had a hard time keeping up with the story. All in all, an enticing thriller with some twisty charms to dangle in front of you!

This book held promise for me and I found myself invested during certain parts of it but I just didn't love it overall. My main gripe has to do with the story as it is told from Jonah's notes and Lila's diary entries. There's just no way in real life these writings would be as detailed as they are in this novel. So much so that I found it distracting to the point of eyerolling. I mean, a therapist is really going to note that his patient made a cup of tea during their session and mention how she shook the tea bag first? Lila's diary entries are just as asbsurdly descriptive.

While I did appreciate the insight into movie making and was entertained by Lila's story, I found the ending messy and the characters largely unlikeable.

This book definitely inspired me to read more Fitzgerald. I enjoyed the storytelling style of this book and its focus on film and Hollywood. I also always enjoy when a narrative is focused on therapy sessions. The first part was particularly engaging, both with the advancement of the movie and the therapy sessions. Some of the reveals really surprised me, but some seemed obvious. Ultimately, by the end I thought the book was good but it did not blow me away or do anything revolutionary. I will pick up this author again and I think this book is perfect for someone in a reading slump or looking for a fun and easy to read mystery.

This book is a psychological thriller that blurs the lines between art, identity, and reality. The story follows Lila Crayne, a celebrated actress cast in a feminist adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Tender Is the Night, directed by her fiancé, Kurt Royall. To fully embody her role, Lila begins therapy with Jonah Gabriel, a charismatic and enigmatic therapist. But as Jonah’s presence starts to bleed into both her personal and professional life, buried traumas emerge, and the boundaries between performance and reality dissolve, leading to a chilling exploration of power, revenge, and self-discovery.

While the novel’s literary references and layered storytelling was good there were times I felt that the story’s themes occasionally felt overly theatrical. I also felt the ending was a bit over the top and needed a suspension of belief. Overall a solid debut.

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

Sweet Fury by Sash Bischoff is a compelling blend of emotion and tension, weaving together themes of revenge, love, and resilience. The writing is vivid and immersive, pulling readers into the protagonist’s world. Bischoff does a great job of balancing fast-paced action with quieter, reflective moments.

That said, some aspects of the plot felt a bit predictable, and a few character decisions stretched believability. While the emotional stakes are high, certain relationships could have used more development to pack a stronger punch.

Overall, Sweet Fury is an engaging and enjoyable read, with just enough twists to keep things interesting. It’s not perfect, but it’s a satisfying story that will appeal to fans of intense, character-driven drama.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing me with an advance e-galley of this book in exchange for an honest review. Look for it now in your local and online bookstores and libraries.

This is the story of the filming of a cinematic reimagining of F. Scott Fitzgerald's <i>Tender is the Night</i> with a feminist twist. Lily Crayne is an up and coming actress slated to star in the movie and she's married to the older and more established Kurt Royall, who will direct. They have the backing and the expectation that it will be a blockbuster. As she prepares for her starring role, Lily begins work with a therapist, who encourages her to reexamine her relationships and her memories. Perhaps something dark lurks behind the glamour.

Novels about wealthy and privileged people begin at a disadvantage with me. Sure, they have some of the same conflicts and sorrows as the rest of us, but there are so many things they never have to worry about. So a book about them is going to have to be better than a book about ordinary people. But while I never managed to care much about any of the characters, Sash Bischoff knows how to tell a story and I was happy enough reading the increasingly dramatic events depicted in this novel. The ways in which Bischoff plays with the Fitzgerald novel are clever and interesting, while the book itself doesn't require the reader to have read the source material.