I really enjoyed reading So Happy Together. It’s a fast-paced mystery with plenty of twists and turns that kept me turning the pages. From the start, there’s a sense of tension and unease that builds steadily as the story unfolds. The author does a solid job of maintaining suspense throughout, and I was definitely entertained. That said, I’m a bit torn on my final rating—it's somewhere between 3.5 and 4 stars for me.

Now, I do have to say that none of the characters were particularly likeable. They all had their flaws, secrets, and motives, which made it difficult to trust anyone—but that also worked in the book’s favor. It added to the mystery, and I genuinely felt like any one of them could have been responsible for what happened. At times, I even suspected they might all be in on it together. That uncertainty kept me intrigued.

However, there were some parts of the story that fell a little flat. Certain scenes felt underdeveloped or rushed, and I think the pacing could have used a bit more variety. There wasn’t a ton of emotional depth, and because the characters weren’t especially relatable or sympathetic, I didn’t feel as invested in their outcomes as I wanted to be. Still, the plot moved quickly enough that I didn’t lose interest.

The ending, while satisfying in terms of tying up the main mystery, didn’t really surprise me. I was hoping for a bigger twist or a more dramatic reveal. It felt a little predictable. I also wish the final scene had more of a definitive close—it left me wanting a bit more resolution, especially after all the buildup.

All in all, though, this was an enjoyable read. It’s the kind of book that’s easy to binge over a weekend, especially if you’re in the mood for a contemporary mystery with a slightly dark edge. It kept me guessing, even if it didn’t blow me away, and I’d be curious to see what Olivia Worley writes next.

Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur for the ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. 4.25/5!!!!!

I really loved this book!! I was hooked from the start and flew through this one! I will definitely be reading more Olivia Worley :)

Jane, a playwright living in NYC, is stuck on her ex, Colin. Although they only dated for a few months, Jane is convinced that he is her soulmate. Overly determined to get him back, Jane hopes for a chance run-in and stalks their first date spot… finally, eight grueling weeks later, there is Colin on a date with the beautiful, luminous Zoe. Only then do things take a turn when Zoe seeks out Jane to tell her that she knows she and Colin are only friends from college… that’s when Jane snakes the opportunity to run with this lie. As Jane and Zoe become more intwined, Colin becomes more mysterious and secrets begin to bubble to the surface.

I wasn’t sure what to expect with this one… I thought it would be a story about a stalker, jealous-ex girlfriend, while it is, it is so much more! Jane, the main character and our unreliable narrator, is somewhat relatable, and a little dark. I had such secondhand cringe, but was also on the edge of my seat, watching her balance her obsession with Colin while forging a friendship with Zoe.

Zoe’s evolution throughout the book was shocking and perfectly executed! All of the characters have a mostly distorted view of reality, which kept me guessing the entire time!

Another fun element… if you’re into Shakespeare, the tragedy that is Jane’s current life situation, is paralleled with Hamlet.

The story moves quick and the ending is wildly shocking.

This felt like 3+ different stories in the same book. It starts off with Jane’s obsession with Colin and that’s what the whole book could have been about. A girls unhealthy obsession with a guy and how deep and dark it can get but then the story takes a turn and introduces Zoe. Enter Zoe and it feels like a different book because now there is a mystery to solve. Then it seems to turn into a girl power / man hating theme towards the end. I kept reading to see where it was going but it wasn’t my favorite. I would have cut out a little of the weirdness, stuck with the obsession and given Colin more character building, he didn’t feel like an important character to this plot but he was essentially everything.

The first 1/2 of the book so good, definitely a 5 star! The last 1/2 of the book was not as good!
Worley crafts a compelling narrative through Jane's unreliable perspective, keeping readers on edge as they navigate the twists and turns of her psyche. The novel's pacing is deliberate, allowing for deep character development and a slow- burn tension that builds toward a shocking ending.

So Happy Together is a thought-provoking exploration of modern relationships and the dangers of unchecked obsession.

"It's a beautiful thing, watching something die. I never understood it until now- except he was wrong, in a way, because no one's dead yet, at least not by my hand, buy still, I think I know what he meant. It's this: the look in those eyes, knowing the line between life and death rests in my palm, a prophecy foretold by branches and ridges that only i can read."

Complex Characters, Obsession, and Control! 3.5 stars!

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy! This book will be released 6/3/25.

What a hoot! I wish this one sustained the dark, DARKKK humor of its first half, but it certainly maintains momentum and goes zipping into some wild spaces. Jane, oh Jane, what a gal. It’s oddly easy to sympathize with her at first — even as we see things so clearly (well, at least we think so) — before she slips down a path that’s bonkers but incredibly fun to read. I’m not totally sold on her backstory, but I enjoyed every page of this.

I enjoyed this thrilling mystery travel alongside Jane and uncovering the identity of the Monster in the Dark!
The story starts at a slower pace, but by page 67, the tension takes a sharp and thrilling turn.
While many want to skip ahead and uncover the resolution, I recommend savoring the journey.
The suspense reminded me of some of my favorite edge-of-your-seat films — Fatal Attraction (“You won’t ignore me, Dan!”), the series You, and Single White Female starring Bridget Fonda — all capturing the intense, gripping tone of this book.
Buckle up, and maybe… keep the lights on!

A heartfelt thank you to St.Martin Press for providing this book for my review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the Advance Reader Copy of So Happy Together by Olivia Worley, releasing June 3, 2025!

This book had me completely hooked at the start. Jane’s messy obsession, the tangled friendships, the uneasy tension — I was flying through the pages, fully invested. Olivia Worley pulls readers into that chaotic headspace so well, and the early setup promised a wild, twisty ride full of toxic friendships and buried secrets.

But somewhere around the halfway point, the momentum slowed down — a lot. While it isn’t quite a slow-burn thriller, the story loses steam once you figure out the bigger picture early on. The characters, especially Jane and Zoe, kept making exhausting decisions, and the plot started feeling repetitive instead of building toward something bigger. I went from tearing through chapters to forcing myself to push through the second half.

And while I won’t spoil anything, the ending left me frustrated. Some toxic ties don't deserve second chances, and it felt like certain characters never fully faced the consequences they should have.

Still, I can’t deny that Olivia Worley nails the emotional messiness at the heart of the story — obsession, insecurity, misplaced loyalty — and even when I was frustrated, I stayed curious enough to see it through.

If you like thrillers with chaotic characters, complicated friendships, and a dark psychological edge, So Happy Together is worth checking out.

Rating: 3.75 stars rounded up to 4 stars.

read if you like:
👁️‍🗨️ stalking
🎭 Shakespeare
🔪 mysterious deaths

summary:
Well this book was not what I expected — in a great way! It follows Jane, a playwriter living in NYC who is struggling to get over her ex, Colin. The two dated for a few months, and after sleeping together, he broke things off, leaving her confused and alone. Determined to get him back, she stalks him on a date with a new woman, hoping for a chance run-in to make him fall back in love with her. However, things take an ironic turn when Colin’s new girl, Zoe, runs into Jane, and says she knows Jane and Colin are friends from college. Despite this being a lie, Jane takes Zoe’s nativity and runs with it, engraining herself in Zoe’s life and world. As Colin becomes darker and more mysterious, Jane finds Zoe as her only ally — and potentially the only person who can help her expose the truth about who he really is.

I thought this would be a story about stalking and creepy ex-girlfriends, and while it is, it is so much more than that. Jane’s character is a little dark but also a little relatable, and I cringed watching her balance her friendship with Zoe with her obsession with Colin. Zoe is another fascinating character and the evolution she has throughout the book is totally unexpected. The dark tragedy parallels between Hamlet and Jane’s story are fortuitous, and for those who love Shakespeare, you’ll get even more out of it than I did.

The story moves quickly the whole time, and I promise you won’t want to put the book down. The ending is somewhat predictable but also wildly shocking — keeping you on your toes!

Thank you to St Martins Press, Minotaur Books and Net Galley for the advanced copy to review. If you love a good NYC-set thriller, check this out when it releases on June 3!

Overall, I enjoyed this book. It was a 3.75/5. At times the main character was a little bit annoying for me, but it was a unique and fresh read and still kept me guessing. I'm glad I got to read it and know friends of mine who will also enjoy it.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for providing me with an eARC of So Happy Together in exchange for my honest review!

As someone who's been inclined towards Olivia Worley's writing, with People to Follow being an especially suspenseful and twisty thriller, I'm glad to say So Happy Together is a winner. I remember the premise hooking me right in when I first picked up this book months ago, and once I dived into Jane's tale, that only enthralled me even more deeply as I witness our antihero engage in behavior that leaves me shaking my head and going, "No, no, Jane... Why?" The stalkery actions, the obsessiveness, the vehement hunger for love and validation from a charming man that she has heart eyes for—these are all things that give me the creeps and the cringe, but I'm also capable of lending sympathy her way because of how sincerely she wants to feel loved and because of her backstory.

This is the type of tale that could have unfolded more predictably, but thankfully, Worley keeps her writing clever enough to subvert my expectations with a series of captivating twists that add nuance to the dynamics that build up between Jane, Zoe, and Colin. Once we reach the conclusion, I'm left exiting the book on a morally conflicted note that provides some mighty complicated material for the audience to chew on. And all of that causes me to officially rate So Happy Together 4.25 out of 5 stars, which I'm rounding down to 4 stars. I'll continue to anticipate more of Worley's novels.

Woah. That last 50% was exhilarating! I couldn’t put it down. We got some of Jane’s backstory, but also the timeline of Colin’s relationships. We get to see who Ben and Zoe are. All these characters were so important and I didn’t expect that outcome at all. A lot of people probably saw the outcome way early on, but I almost never do and I think that makes books extra good to me. It’s so fun to follow this mystery through rich houses, parties, and mysterious people! I loved the connection to Hamlet and Ophelia that Zoe and Jane had at the art show. Then how it correlated to the events after was super cool. Seeing the pieces fit together was fascinating.

This was a work of art, so I definitely recommend folks read it once it’s released!

5/5 stars for love, mystery, and Ophelia!

**Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a free review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This was definitely an interesting read, but also a little cringey. This book follows a girl named Jane who is basically stalking a boy named Colin. Not really sure what made her so obsessed after only 6 dates but that girl is determined. There are some good plot twists that kept me wanting to finish.

This book was a wild ride!

Jane has been on 6 dates with Colin and she swears he is her soulmate. Colin does not feel the same. He breaks up with her and moves in rather swiftly. Jane finds out who Colin’s new girlfriend is and becomes friends with her to stay in his life. Zoe, Colin’s girlfriend, is actually someone that Jane grows to like.

Then the murders start and Jane starts looking at Colin in a new light. Not enough to stop pursuing him, just enough to know that she has to stay on her toes.

I had the twist of this book figured out, I just didn’t know how it would come together. I found Jane to be extremely unstable through the whole book. I also found Colin to be rather boring. So I wasn’t sure what was so great about him to pursue him to this extent. Overall the book was a good read.

Jane meets Colin, and they have six dates, but then he ghosts her. So Jane decides that Colin must be mistaken and sets out to win him back. Enter new girlfriend Zoe. Zoe and Jane become friends, and off the story goes. This is listed as a thriller, but it is the slowest thriller I have ever read. We are more than halfway through the book before we even have a body. I can't say that anything in the book is not to my liking, except that it is so slow with action. But, I also can't say it was a book I would want to read again. Would I recommend the book? Yes, with an explanation that the book is not an edge-of-your-seat thriller.

Why did I waste my time with these demented youngsters? From the beginning, it's unclear why Jane cares about Colin, other than obsession. As things spiral through ever-more-ridiculous events, I kept hoping there was some point... but no. Two stars because I at least made it through the whole thing and didn't completely give up.

While I enjoyed this one as a whole, things prevented it from being a five star read. (1) Similar to another thriller I read recently, the main character was borderline unbearable and completely delusional about a mediocre guy. (2) It felt like there was a lot going on and the reveals throughout felt choppy/uncoordinated. The material was good but the delivery was not fluent. That being said, it was rife with twists (some predictable and some not). I don’t think it’s a fair comparison to Promising Young Woman which was a masterpiece in my opinion but if you are looking for a quick read/popcorn thriller, this one would satisfy. 3.75 stars

Jane and Colin match on a popular dating app, and after six dates Colin breaks it off. However, Jane just knew he was the perfect one for her, and had already built their happy future together in her mind. She's CONVINCED that he's made a grave error and she can make him see that she's the one for him.

Meanwhile, Jane discovers that Colin has begun dating Zoe who is an artist, influencer and quasi-life coach. Not only is Zoe gorgeous, but she exudes a likeable quality Jane discovers after becoming friendly with her. Colin really doesn't appreciate that Zoe has befriended his ex, and even lies about how they know one another. But of course dutiful Jane will do anything for Colin.

Lots of lies, deceptions and sneaking around... this leads to unwanted discoveries that are tied to not one, but two murders! While at times the "single white female" vibe gave me second hand embarrassment for Jane, her background really pulled it all together. I just felt those details came a little late. I'm not counting this author out!

Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books and Olivia Worley for the eARC.
Pub Date Jun 03 2025 #NetGalley #SoHappyTogether #OliviaWorley #BookReview #StMartinsPress #MinotaurBooks

Jane is a little bit adrift. She has gone on six dates with Colin and certain he is "the one". Then they have sex and he unceremoniously dumps her and begins dating perfect Zoe.

Launch the crazy and I was there for it.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for gifting me a copy. It is my pleasure to write an honest review.

I just love books with unhinged and crazy characters. this book really hooked me and that’s honestly what I look for first in a book!!!! loved it. thank you netgalley and the publisher.

Jane is the main character of this story where she seems to be very confused about her "relationship" with Colin after 6 dates. Colin ghosts her after the sixth date and she is heart broken.

The story was hard to follow and I didn't like ANY of the characters and I knew early on "who did it" despite all the attempts to steer me in different directions.