I got about 45% of the way through the book before I had to call it quits. I wasn't connecting with any of the characters, even though none of them were likeable you would think you can still find something to connect with them over. I just didn't care about them or the stories. I have only read Gatsby so maybe I should read Tender is the Night to gain better aspect of this book? Either way, I am grateful to the publisher for the ARC.

4.5 stars

I liked this very clever book QUITE a bit more than I expected. It feels like a mashup of a few other books – The Silent Patient, Verity, and They Never Learn – with Old Hollywood/old money/Gatsby/Fitzgerald vibes.

An actress and her director husband are filming a supposedly feminist version of Tender is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The actress, Lila, begins seeing a therapist in order to get in touch with past trauma and prepare for the role. At first, the character dialogue is melodramatic and pretentious which was not my favorite, but this gets better as the book becomes more of a psychological thriller.

There are a lot of Fitzgerald references that are important to the plot. I don’t know much about him other than the Great Gatsby, but you don’t need to have knowledge of his work to understand this book. The author explains the plot of Tender is the Night enough for you to discover that life imitates art, as events of the novel start to mimic the movie script.

For this reason, some parts of the second half are a bit predictable, but not everything is. I loved the journey this book took me on. Certainly a unique book I would recommend!

Thank you to Simon and Schuster for my copy of SWEET FURY. This one is out Jan 7.

I hated that this was pitched as a feminist retelling. I can't say that I'm a huge F. Scott Fitzgerald person, and maybe that's why it wasn't for me, but I just couldn't get into it. I hated the characters and it didn't feel in anyway feminist to me. Sorry, I do not recommend this one

I didn't finish this one- found it over the top, predictable, and cringey at times. I probably could have given it a longer chance, because the writing was good, but I just knew this book wouldn't be for me.

Well I wanted to like this one more than I ended up liking it. I’ve never read F. Scott Fitzgerald and maybe if I had it would have helped but this was a case of a convoluted plot, unlikable characters and an attempt to include male privilege, feminism, revenge and obsession. Who the perpetrator and who was the victim changed several times throughout the story and the alternating POV that usually helps to strengthen the story did nothing to help this one unfortunately.
It attempts to show the behind the scenes of Hollywood but because there were so many cliches and stereotypes written in, it just came off as trying too hard to be something it’s not-like twisty as I had hoped.
Thanks to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.

A retelling of Tender is the Night, Lila is preparing for a role and needs to work through some things with her therapist. But the more she goes through things with him, the more they connect. Sweet Fury is dark and gritty.

I was actually able to get my hands on the physical book and I love this story so much. If you love F. Scott Fitzgerald as much as I do then you need to read this wonderful lyrical book! I'd highly recommend it for anyone who loves a re-imagined classic and literary fiction

📚: Sweet Fury by Sash Bischoff
⭐️: 3/5

What could have been an actual feminist rage story done well fell flat for me in this (kind of) retelling of Tender Is The Night. With pretentious characters that I struggled to connect with and a twist that should have been introduced earlier as the actual basis of the book, I found myself eager to finish this read.

To give a bit of credit, one thing that worked well was the different POVs and methods done - therapy notes, diary entries. This made the plot engaging and kept the overall pace going.

Thanks to Simon & Schuster via @netgalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. Sweet Fury is out now.

Thank you to NetGalley, Sarah Bishoff, and Simon & Schuster for providing the ebook. This story is a captivating web of deception, expertly crafted with plenty of intrigue, lies, secrets, and intensity. At its core, it's all about acting—but the real challenge lies in discerning who's playing a part and when. A truly thrilling read.

Sash Bischoff is off to an impressive start with SWEET FURY. I was blown away to learn it was a debut! I LOVED THIS BOOK!

Actress Lila Crayne is America’s sweetheart. At 32, she is set to star in the female adaptation of tender is the night by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Working alongside her filmmaker fiancé Kurt Royall, she begins counselling with Jonah Gabriel as a way of unpacking her own deeply rooted issues and tragedies of the past in order to prepare for the role. She is hoping to gain a deeper understanding and perspective towards the role. As she delves deeper into her past and finally learns the truth about a long ago tragedy. Will Lila and Jonah’s reality repeat Fitzgerald’s art? She also kwatches as her fiancé behaves inappropriately with a supporting actress who is new on the scene. Lila decides to take said actress under her wing and guide her.

But no one is quite who they seem to be. Lila has a very deep connection to the film. And as she goes from the casting couch to the therapist’s couch she completes assignments meant to delve deeper into her psyche and she seems to fall under Jonah’s spell. Jonah, on the other hand, has strong feelings toward Lila which put his own engagement to Maggie in jeopardy. Lila‘s mother never approved of Kurt but the actress and the filmmaker are a team to be reckoned with in the film industry. But what is Kurt really up to?

This story had me hooked from the beginning and I was dancing on the end of the line all the way through, reading long after bedtime.There were misogynistic themes throughout that had my blood boiling at points and cheering Lila on at others. I was very surprised to see that SWEET FURY was a debut. Sash Bischoff will be a wonderful new addition to my ‘authors to watch’ list. I can’t wait to see where she takes me next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for this ARC opportunity. All opinions are my own and given voluntarily.

Thank you Simon & Schuster Audio for the ALC and Simon & Schuster #partner, for the advanced e-copy of Sweet Fury in exchange for my honest review.

When I saw this was being comped to The Silent Patient, I knew I had to read it…that is one of my favorite books! I didn’t even investigate any further into this book, so I had no idea it had so much to do with F. Scott Fitzgerald’s works, particularly Tender is the Night which I have never read. All this to say – it didn’t matter…I still enjoyed it. And maybe because I’m not familiar with that piece of work, I was totally unprepared for what was to come…I’m not sure, but this book kept me on my toes from start to finish and I loved that – especially that ending! I definitely did not expect that! ⁣

I loved that the author narrates this one. She really nailed it, making for such an immersive reading experience. ⁣
⁣
This is such a strong debut, from the story itself to the way it is structured–broken down into different acts, with different types of narratives–and I haven’t stopped thinking about it since I finished. It’s one of those books that just beg discussion, which makes me think it would be amazing great book for bookclubs as there is so much to unpack. It really is quite a thought-provoking read!

A feminist retelling of Fitzgerald? I was SO in. Overall, this was really good. It could have improved in terms of the feminists actually being feminists versus a surface level proclamation. The writing did feel a bit unnatural and a bit like it was trying too hard. Still solid 3.5. I rounded up.

When I started this novel, I couldn't remember why I chose to review it. I usually don't care for the glitz and glam a story with Hollywood stars has. While I liked The Great Gatsby, I'm not a huge F. Scott Fitzgerald fan (I much prefer John Steinbeck). But then the twists and turns of this wild ride started and I was hooked.

I remember when a book about Zelda came out a few years ago and how everyone was going wild over F. Scott Fitzgerald. I didn't get it, but this novel reminds me of that time. And again, I didn't understand the character's obsession with Fitzgerald. If you are a fan, though, you will really love this novel with all its references to Zelda and Fitzgerald and his writing.

It didn't take long for me to get over my aversion to the actor aspect of the story. Partly that is because it wasn't really the Hollywood elite. They are more of an independent film group so there isn't all the gossip and partying and hedonism of previous novels I've read. They are also in New York and not in California and I think the scene in NYC is different than L. A. I actually enjoyed the scenes on the set of them walking through various scenes.

What I truly loved about the novel though was never knowing who to trust. The story is told from Lila's POV mostly and since she is an actress I never quite knew when it was an act. I automatically put her in the unreliable narrator category. Was I right to?

Jonah is another character I wasn't sure if I should trust. In the first act of the book, we get his session notes with Lila. I didn't like the execution of this. His notes are just that notes and so there aren't complete sentences. It was disjointed and difficult to read. I wanted to race through but my brain had trouble with this style and it slowed my reading (evident because I only read a third of the book the first day, but was able to speed through reading the last two-thirds the next day). Thankfully they only occur in the first act. In the second act, we get Lila's diary/journal entries. These were easier to read as they were written more naturally.

I didn't really like Jonah or Lila. The character I liked most was Maggie and I hope she got the cat in the end.

If you are looking for a wild ride, then you need to pick up this book.

My review will be published at Girl Who Reads on Sunday - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2025/01/sweet-fury-by-sash-bischoff-review.html

DNF

I could not get into this book. Starting the book where we don't know much about the characters was not a way to hook me so I was not interested in continuing. Got to 10% mark and put it down unfortunately. I wish the author had given a prologue or an introductory chapter so that we could have learned who Lila and Jonah were before being dropped into a conversation between them from the get go.

Thank you to Sim & Schuster for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

At first the story of Lila Crane, Kurt Royall, Jonah Gabriel, & Maggie, his fiancée, did not really grab me. I wasn’t that interested in Lila, Hollywood mega-star and American sweetheart or her uber successful, producer finance, Kurt. Lila was an abused woman, often afraid to voice her true opinion. She was completely controlled by Kurt, for the most part. The other main character, Jonah was dull, and his girlfriend Maggie came across as a desperate woman, putting up with a subpar life for no reason! I didn’t understand, and still don’t understand how this is touted as a “feminist” novel. It was so far from what I consider feminist, I personally cannot quantify it as such.

I am not a true Fitzgerald fan. Although I read and loved “The Great Gatsby”, I have not read any of his other works. Because I am not familiar with “Tender Is The Night” I am sure I was unable to fully appreciate the whole plot!

Eventually the relationship between Lila and successful therapist Jonah intrigued me. I was compelled to discover their story, which was kept a mystery for most of the book. Leading up to the discovery of their past, I kept hoping Jonah would do the right thing, (I wasn’t surprised when he didn’t).

Unfortunately, I found none of the characters to be very likable, except for Maggie. Maybe my lack of bonding with the main characters made the ending so confusing and uninteresting. I could not understand what Ms. Bischoff was trying to accomplish by having Maggie “help” Jonah, in the end. It seems so wildly unbelievable to have her care enough to try and help his situation after all that happened in this book. Other than the ending, and my personal dislike of the main characters, I found the book very well written and engaging. I rounded up to give it 4 stars. Thank you Net Galley, Simon & Schuster Publishing, and Sash Bischoff for this good ARC. Looking forward to reading the next publish from Ms Bischoff.

Lila Crayne is America’s darling. Engaged to esteemed filmmaker, Kurt Royall, they are about to embark on a career changing film, a feminist remake of Fitzgerald’s Tender Is The Night. In the midst of the filming, Lila schedules therapy to deal with issues from her childhood. As therapy progresses, Lila becomes enamored by Jonah, the charming therapist she’s working with. Jonah, too, is willing to do anything for Lila, including putting his own career and life on the line. The more he talks with Lila the more unsettled he becomes. He’s sure that she’s being abused. Is Lila on the up and up or is there more to the story? Will Jonah be able to save her or does he need to save himself? This book started off at a slow pace, but quickly became a riveting read. Thank you to Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

Sweet Fury is the debut novel from Sash Bischoff.

"Lily Crane is America's sweetheart. She and her filmaker husband have settled into a NYC apartment to begin filming their adapation of F. Scott Fitgerald's book - Tender is the Night. To prepare for her role, Lily begans work with a therapist - Jonah Gabriel. Soon the trauma of her life begins to unravel - but everyone has secrets."

There are strong Silent Patient vibes in this book. According to the author there are several Fitzgerald easter eggs throughout. I am not well-versed in FSF but if you are you may find them. This is a slow burn - mostly people having conversations. There are some flashbacks that explain why characters are the way they are. Not many likable characters around. Jonah is particularly stalkish and will creep out a lot of readers. There are a handful of red herrings but you will probably see which way the story is going even with the partially vague ending.

Interesting debut from Bischoff.

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

This whole premise really blew me away! I’m also a fan of F. Scott Fitzgerald and really loved learning more about his works and time at Princeton! I wasn’t sure where the story was going at first, with unreliable narrators and not being given the full picture. As details came to life all was clear and I love a good revenge story, especially when set to the tune of classic literature! I would recommend to anyone that likes mysteries, psychological thrillers, and classic book history!

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! No spoilers. Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to. Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Maybe even a book club pick.

Pretentious Characters and Story


Reviewed in the United States on January 9, 2025
The book opens in a psychologist/psychiatrist office. The doctor is Jonah and the patient is famous actress, Lila Crayne. In the classic novel, She is preparing to play the leading role in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Tender is the Night. To prepare for this role, Jonah wants Lila to confront and tackle her personal history of distress and possible depression. The author presents a cast of other characters including other self-absorbed players.

The Fitzgerald book has Dick Rider as the psychiatrist, and the patient is Nicole. She is portrayed as a weaker woman in this version. Lila wants to spin it creating a woman as the more resilient character and the psychiatrist as a hunter.

Why rewrite a classic? It is hard to compete with F. Scott Fitzgerald. If Zelda (Fitzgerald’s wife) was used as a base for woman with a psychological problems, that would be a dangerous outreach. Since I didn’t believe the characters were trustworthy, the adaptation did not seem reliable. It was slow and why would the actor be filming the story? I was not convinced.

The writing itself was solid, it is the plot that that was too far-fetched.

My gratitude to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this pre-published books. All opinions expressed are my own.