I read this over my trip to Ireland, and it set the scene perfectly.

Eat the Ones We Love is a dark, weird-girl lit-fic horror novel about a woman trapped in the obsession of a sentient plant, and honestly, I had a good time with it. Shell Pine is newly single and unemployed when she takes a job at a struggling flower shop. She’s immediately drawn to Neve, the florist who hires her. But Neve isn’t just running a flower shop—she’s entangled in a strange, all-consuming relationship with Baby, a sentient plant that loves to devour.

A queer retelling of Little Shop of Horrors, this story weaves in millennial anxieties and social themes while unraveling a slow descent into obsession. While I was excited to receive an ARC and thought the concept was strong, a few things brought this one down for me. The pacing dragged, only for the climax to feel a bit anti-climactic. I also would have loved a stronger horror element. The narrative voice—while a bold creative choice—felt a little unclear at times, and the perspective shifts between Shell and Neve were jarring rather than seamless.

Overall, this is a short, intriguing read for fans of eerie, offbeat horror, but it didn’t completely blow me away.

I went into this hopeful, expecting a bit of Little Shop of Horrors, and was delighted by how much we get from “ Baby” the massive, almost overpowered and very sentient orchid plant of unknown origins. He feeds into the story of our two main characters, Shell and Neve, by being an outside but far from far from being unbiased. His perspective is both a little unnerving and entertaining because he is a plant and thus has no morals crumples about whom he devours or absorbs into himself. The rest of the story if mostly character build up of Shell, who is just out of a bad break up and losing her job, taking one as a florist assistant in Neves shop, and Jen, Neve’s ex who suspects Neve may be in over her head with something very unnatural. For the most part, the plot is clever and interesting enough but it drags because the focus stays on Shell coming in as a newbie to the mall, making friends, dodging text from her old friends, moving back in with her parents, and her crush on Neve. Neve with her connection to Baby and her oddly blank way of disposing of bodies for Baby, is more interesting, but gets less focus. All the romantic drama culminated quickly then ended abruptly and the climax of the plot was rather disappointing. Baby goes to all this work to kill off certain individuals, some which he fails at, to spread himself everywhere and the mall collapses and thwarts him rather quickly. No massacre of flesh eating plant madness and I was totally hoping for that after all the build up. I figured all the characters were doomed. That seemed like it would fit better instead of how abruptly it all fell apart.

Series Info/Source: This is a stand alone book. I got a copy of this on ebook from NetGalley.

Thoughts: DNF, I got about 40% of the way through this one and then set it aside. My biggest issue was the constant changing of POV without any indicator you were changing POV. There were no lines or spaces between paragraphs, page breaks, or anything to let you know the point of view was switching. You would just switch POV in the next paragraph in the middle of a page. This was all over the place. Sometimes we were reading from the main character's point of view, sometimes the plant's, sometimes the flower shop's owner (Neve), sometimes Neve's former girlfriend. I had no idea who we were hearing from most of the time, and it was very confusing. Maybe there were formatting issues with the review copy, and that's why this was so confusing? Giving it 3* with that assumption.

The story follows Shell, who has both been laid off from her job and ended her long term relationship with her boyfriend in a very short space of time. She finds herself living with her parents again and drifting as she tries to find a new job and some sort of purpose. Her wandering leads her to a florist shop that is looking for help.

As mentioned above, the biggest issue for me here was how confusing and difficult this was to read, but there were other issues for me as well. The pacing on this is very slow. You know there is a sentient plant pretty quickly, but not a lot actually happens. The characters are hard to engage with and seem to keep you at a distance. This is more of a slow burn horror, I guess? Not sure because I just got so bored with it I couldn't stick with the story.

I did like the old run down shopping mall setting; there is some nostalgia there for me. I think the idea here could be a good one if executed properly; this gives serious Little Shop of Horror vibes. However, I was just dreading sitting down to read this because it was so uneven and confusing, so I decided to stop.

My Summary (3/5): Overall while I appreciated the nostalgic run down mall setting and the premise, I found this confusing to read and slow and ended up putting it down 40% of the way in. I could never tell when the POV was shifting, and it left me re-reading portions of the book over and over again trying to figure out who was talking. That coupled with all the additional viewpoints that get added as the story continued made this feel slow, messy, and confusing. I never got creepy horror vibes from it. I don't plan on checking out any more books by this author.

I quite enjoyed this book! I got pretty much exactly what I anticipated based on the description and my own expectations. The writing in this book is delicious, I really loved the writing style and I was OBSESSED with the narration choice. This book is all about dark, obsessive, hungry desire and love and I think it really nailed all of those themes and conveyed the complexity of them very well. My only drawback about this book is this is very much horror by association and not as much by content. I was waiting the whole book for the moment we would really ramp up on the suspense and horror and that moment never came. This didn’t impede my enjoyment too much, but more made me feel like I was missing something. Will definitely keep an eye on more from this author in the future!

An incredibly weird and twisted read about two women who work in a flower shop and the plant that's got its eye on them.
Shell begins working at a local flower shop where she meets and is instantly intrigued by the woman who owns it, Neve. Meanwhile there's an orchid type of plant that's taken root at the centre of the mall where the flower shop is located.
This story was a quick read that crept up under my skin in the most unsettling way! A unique idea, executed well!

For a more indepth review you can check out my spoiler free youtube review here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZHB2XbsynY&t=8s

Baby, an orchid-like plant, has been cared for by Neve in the mall centre where her flower shop is since he was a seedling. He’s so hungry, though. He wants to consume everything and everyone he can to become as strong as possible, but there’s nothing he wants more than Neve. Enter Shell. Lost her job, left her fiancé, and stuck at home with her whole family, she needs something. Anything. She ducks into Neve’s shop, and Baby decides that she’ll do, the perfect tool to help get Neve.

This is a brilliant story about obsession, creepy and unsettling through the eyes of Baby, and drifting and lonely through the story of Shell. I devoured it like Baby probably would have. It was great.

Actual rating 4.5 stars

A darkly imaginative tale that will leave you both enchanted and unsettled.

Shell is seeking a fresh start, as she becomes entangled with Neve, a captivating florist, and Baby, a carnivorous orchid with an insatiable hunger for Neve (yeah, really). Griffin art fully explores themes of obsession, desire, and the twisted nature of love. I'm here for it. It reminded me a lot of Little Shop of Horrors!

I found myself captivated by the quirky characters and the eerie setting of a dying mall. The LGBTQ+ representation and Irish backdrop were an added bonus. While the horror elements were more suspenseful than outright terrifying, the book’s blend of humor and macabre made for a great read. Overall, it’s a must-read for fans of dark fantasy and horror, though some might find it a bit light on intense moments.

If anyone else worked in a mall during their younger years, this book captures the combination of eerie foreboding and camaraderie to be found there.

Shell has lost her job, her fiancé, and moved back in with her parents during a painfully short time frame. When she sees a 'help needed' sign in a mall florist window, combined with the compellingly attractive shop owner, Neve, Shell thinks she has found a place to rest and recharge her weary heart. What she doesn't know yet is that Neve has some dark and dangerous secrets, including a sentient orchid she calls 'Baby' who has some secrets and hunger of his own.

This was such an enjoyable read: the sexual tension between Shell and Neve, the dark and hungry voice of Baby, the concerned and mildly unhinged correspondence of Neve's ex Jen with another mall employee. I found myself liking the side character Jen so much, wishing she had her own story! The ending was a bit explosive and shocking, but I very much liked how things wrapped up after that.

Thank you so much to Tor Publishing and Netgalley for this ARC!

3.25 Stars

This was a fun, weird, nostalgic little adventure around a crumbling mall in Ireland. I instantly related to Shell and her conflicting feelings of feeling a bit lost and adrift in your 30s. I loved the writing, vibes, atmosphere, and found family vibes of the mall crew. Botanical horror is one of my absolute favorites, and I really loved the characterization of Baby and enjoyed his POVs the most.

I did get a bit confused with the alternating POVs, where one second we are following Shell and then the next sentence we are seeing Shell through Baby’s eyes. I also felt a bit bored a few times while reading, wishing for a little bit more horror or dread. This definitely leans more toward cozy horror/fantasy than what I was expecting, which I was pleasantly surprised to really enjoy, I just wanted a bit more and found myself wanting to skim through some parts. I think this would have worked really really well as a novella.

Overall this was a fun and engaging read, and lovers of botanical/plant horror and fantasy should definitely check it out. I will definitely keep an eye out for other books by this author.

Infinite thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for an early copy!

I just could not get into this book. Overall, the writing was just not for me. The premise was enticing, but could not hold my attention.

In Eat the Ones You Love, Sarah Maria Griffin creates a captivating fusion of existential dread, romance, and gothic horror. The book centers on Shell Pine, a lady at a crossroads who accepts a job in a floral business and becomes attracted to Neve, the mysterious manager. Beneath the shop's fragile flowers, however, is a sentient orchid with its own agenda and a dark appetite.

Griffin creates a story that examines the attraction of desire, the price of belonging, and the uncanny force of nature through luscious, poetic prose and a setting brimming with both beauty and ruin. Eat the Ones You Love is a darkly poetic masterwork that you will continue thinking about long after you put it down.

This book wasn't for me. I wholeheartedly believe I will be in the minority though because I think a lot of people are going to love the 'weird' factor. I also already see a lot of 5 stars for people so that's a good sign!

Cons: I was a bit bored because I found the pacing to be a bit slow. I also had a hard time distinguishing the narration. It was narrated by the plant itself but a lot of the time it didn't feel that way. To me the plant being the narrator was always sort of an after thought. It read like a normal well written book and all of a sudden this creepy plant reminds us that he is the narrator and to me, it didn't click. Perhaps that was the point and I was just not smart enough to appreciate that?

Pros: Loved the atmosphere of the mall and appreciated the depiction of what it is like to work in retail. I am also a sucker for found family and the characters in the book had that sort of feel. Also this cover is magnificent.

Eat the Ones You Love is a beautifully written and compelling horror novel that combines obsessive, unhealthy relationships, human eating plants, and urban decay as epitomized in the mall. Yet, it also has engaging cast of characters who exhibit bravery, growth, and the power of community support and positive relationships.

The primary characters, Neve and Shell, are a joy to follow as their lives entangle, and the ever-present, charismatic Baby whose obsession and hunger are, in some ways, all-too-human, makes a powerful and enticing antagonist.

I highly recommend this work to anyone who enjoys horror, dark fantasy, and obsessive relationships.

Eat the Ones You Love is a wildly inventive horror novel that redefines the idea of carnivorous plants and doomed shopkeepers. Forget Little Shop of Horrors—from now on, this is the definitive plant-based terror story.

Sloane Leong’s novel delivers on multiple fronts: a clueless but endearing new employee, a dangerously charismatic boss, and a decaying shopping mall that serves as the perfect backdrop for a slow-burning horror story. Then there’s Baby, the plant narrator—evil, insatiable, and deeply infatuated with said boss. The result is an irresistibly strange, darkly funny, and unsettlingly tender narrative.

Leong balances creeping dread with biting social commentary, capturing the collapse of both consumer culture and personal boundaries in a world teetering on the edge. The Irish slang adds to the novel’s distinct voice, and the unexpected twists—including a romantic subplot that refuses to conform to expectations—keep readers on edge. If the human relationships feel frustratingly ambiguous at times, it may be because Baby, for all its sinister intelligence, is not the most reliable interpreter of human emotion.

The ending is both shocking and inevitable, and while it refuses easy resolution, it’s a fitting conclusion to a novel that constantly subverts expectations. Eat the Ones You Love is a deliciously bizarre, genre-bending horror novel that lingers long after the final page.

Many thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy.

Entertaining and engaging. A recommended purchase for collections where horror is popular. Different premise, but readers of Delilah Dawson's Bloom will probably dig this.

This was insane in the best way possible?

I went into this book simply looking for a queer little shop of horrors - I was no expecting to walk away in awe in the macbre, obsession that bleeds from the pages.

Shell, looking for a new calling after calling of an engagement and being let go from her job, stumbles across an unsuspecting flower shop in the middle of depilating mall. Founding herself drawn despite knowing nothing about floral arrangements, Shell meets Neve, the owner of the flower shop. Attraction is instant and she finds herself with a new job and open doors. Little does she know there is more than just Neve haunting the walls of the flower shop.

I almost have no words on how to review this book, it is almost best to go in blind? The set up of this book is so well done, mostly following Shell in a third person POV, and then there are excerpts, little insights from another POV that are just unsettling. There's an eeriness in the book that you can't escape - it draws you i wondering just how this story is going to wrap up. I almost wanted more of the eerie bits.

Overall this book was stunning, once I really got into it, I couldn't put it down.

Thank you Netgalley, Tor Books and Sarah Maria Griffin for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I had such a good time with this one. This gave exactly what I thought it would and surprised me in a good way! Can’t wait to talk about this more

There are many different building blocks that go towards creating a healthy relationship. Eat the Ones You Love makes a compelling case for ensuring that there is not a murderous, obsessive, and controlling plant monster-thing anywhere near you or your significant others.

While the book is definitely working in the same space as Little Shop of Horrors, this story more than sets itself apart as its own unique spin on the 'evil plant' tale and will easily win readers over with its great characters, strange and scary antagonist, and surprisingly touching depiction of a decaying mall and the people who have formed a community within it.

Eat the Ones You Love surprised me with its clever blend of humor, heart, and darkly captivating moments. The story balances its absurd premise with meaningful explorations of loyalty, survival, and self-discovery. I found the characters dynamic and compelling, with relationships that grew in unexpected ways. The plot twists kept me engaged, and the world-building felt surprisingly believable despite its wild concept. If you’re looking for something imaginative and thought-provoking with an edge, this book is a fantastic pick.

Little Shop of Horrors but make it sapphic!

We alternate POVs between Shell, a new employee at a floral shop, and Baby, a carnivorous plant. Through both perspectives, we see the shop owner Neve as she tries to keep her business afloat in a dying mall.

This was a fun and creepy tale. It's a bit light on the on-page horror and definitely not as gruesome or bloody as I hoped. It's still a fun time, just a bit cozier than I was expecting.

Personally, I think this would've worked better as a novella, as it did feel a bit dragged out until the finale. Still, I appreciated the overall story and characters and would recommend to the larger horror audience or those looking to dip their toes into the horror genre.

3.5, rounded up

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy.