Not the ending I expected!

This story was bananas in the best way!

I don't want to give too much away, but writing an unreliable POV like Claire's is both challenging and rewarding (when done right), and Kazumi has accomplished just that. I thought I knew what was going on, but when the story reached the midpoint it threw me off completely and I realized something much darker was going on. Considering Claire's background with her mother, which is included as regular flashbacks throughout, her mental state made sense. Having been raised by a narcissistic parent, it's obvious that it took a toll on her mental health.

The story gripped me, but the second half during the court proceedings slowed the pace and I would have enjoyed a few more shocking reveals from her past. I enjoyed how the midpoint tied back to the prologue, filling in all the blanks in between. Kazumi's voice was compelling and I enjoyed reading from Claire's POV, but would have also enjoyed to see from other character's perspectives, even toward the end of the book.

4/5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

For readers who enjoy unreliable narrators, steady paced suspense, and themes of mental health.

Ugh I’m sorry to say I ended up not really loving this one. It’s a relatively easy read and the plot is intriguing, but there were certain parts of the book that seemed to go on for too long. I felt that there were just way too many flashbacks and the trial took up so much of the book and ending up existing for literally no reason (we didn’t need the mother’s testimony for example). I also feel like the twist was a bit of a cop out. I kind of wanted it to end differently! I could see this being good as an intro to thrillers but for someone that has read quite a few, this just wasn’t a stand out to me.

Also just a note there is a reference to “secondment” in chapter 30 - just want to mention as an American I have absolutely no clue what this means and would recommend changing it to something else or removing it altogether!

"Claire, darling, you know that no one could ever possibly love you, right?"

That is not a direct quote from the book but it sure does provide insight into why our main character, Claire, is so emotionally stunted. Let's just say that her mother was not a contender for any mother of the year contests.

Claire and Noah are happy, in love, and recently engaged. Imagine her surprise when she shows up at his work with his lunch only to be told he doesn't want to see her. Imagine her dismay when she spots Noah at a club with another woman leaving her to hurl her engagement ring at him while running away in tears. Imagine her confusion when she is arrested for murdering his actual fiancé?

Claire is alone, afraid, and very angry. Why has Noah done this to her? You'll have to read this to find out.

Okay, so nothing about this book is going to shock and amaze, it's your everyday tale of obsession. The thing is, I love these kinds of books, when they're written well and with an interesting unreliable narrator as their main character. Claire was someone that I felt terrible for. Her mother was monstrous and she openly flayed her daughter daily with her razor sharp observations and insults. So while Claire did provide many a cringe moment I still couldn't help but care about her regardless of her behavior. Her mother convinced her she was an unlovable loser and so she became what she was told she was. It's really very sad.

So we have Claire and Noah, a murdered fiancé, a trial, and a verdict. Then there's the devious little epilogue. Nicely done, Kazumi! 4 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group -Ballantine for my complimentary copy.

I love a good twist in a thriller, I had figured out the main twist early on which I was bummed about but then another one came that I didn't see coming and it left a stupid grin on my face. Overall, I enjoyed the flow of the book. The author did a great job at going from past to present tense. The relationship between Claire and her mom makes you feel a lot of different emotions. Some of the book I felt was dragged out a bit too far, but overall, I enjoyed it and would recommend it!

This wasn't a horrible read, but it wasn't amazing either. It was almost too slow placed for my tastes and I had a feeling that the relationship between Claire and Noah was all in her head. The flashbacks to her childhood seemed a bit misplaced too, until of course you get to the ending where it kind of made sense. It would have been a two star read if not for the very ending and her journal entry. That gave it a boost to three stars.

Claire, Darling was a written debut thriller that kept me guessing up until the end. This had a lot of twists and things I didn't see coming. I'm looking forward to more from Callie Kazumi rating this 3/3.5 stars. I want to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Claire, Darling is a thriller that kept me guessing until the end. Claire believes she and her fiancé have the perfect relationship until she decides to surprise him with lunch one day and is informed that he no longer works there. He completely ghosts her, and poor Claire is left spiraling. She desperately wants her fiancé back. The writing is fast-based and keeps the reader guessing what is really going on. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more from Callie Kazumi. Thanks to NetGalley and Bantam Books for the ARC.

This was so good!
This gave me the weird spine tingles, often, and kept me on my toes for every single page.

I absolutely recommend!

This book was unhinged... in the best way.

One sentence synopsis: Claire is ghosted by her fiance and takes her investigation a little too far.

This one started out VERY strong. I was interested in the storyline and I really could not figure out what was going on. I felt bad for Claire and I felt like I was listening to the song "Mad Woman" by Taylor Swift. Then... things took a turn. The second half turned into a court room drama.

While I was super interested in Claire's actual storyline, I thought the past storyline with the mom took away from the narrative. I don't think there needed to be as many of those. I lost interest a bit in the middle of the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for my ARC.

Claire, Darling well done. You certainly took me by surprise. I thought I had you figured out about three quarters of the way through but then I wasn't so sure because of course there was a surprise twist thrown at me.
For those of you who haven't yet met the Darling Claire, I suggest you introduce yourself on the date of her release, March 11, 2025 and let her tell you her story. It's quite captivating. There were parts of it where my heart just broke for her, the stories she tells of her mom and Noah, that conniving boyfriend of hers, I mean, Claire Darling, let him go! Thankfully she has her friend Sukhi on her side and that ending, oh my!
Claire, Darling is full of surprises, it takes you to her youth, to her meeting Noah, to murder, to trial to a shocking ending. I look forward to seeing more from this author in the future!

Claire’s fiancé Noah suddenly ghosts her after a year of dating. She’s heartbroken and desperate to know why.
She starts stalking him to find out. Secrets are revealed and Claire’s troubled past comes to light. This was a great debut novel by this author and I hope to read more.
Thanks NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for this eARC that will be released March 11, 2025!

This smart suspense novel had me hooked from the premise. This is a page turner with realistic character development, and we are pulling for the protagonist every step of the way. Ghosting / secret life stories can be so gripping, and this one really delivers. I liked how Claire unraveled even as I cringed for her and wanted her to pull herself together. The drama at times can be a bit much (whereas I prefer a more realistic story) but I am sure this novel will be a big success, and rightfully so.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance e-galley; all opinions in my review are 100% my own.

I was completely captivated by Claire, Darling! From the moment Claire decided to surprise her fiancé with a workday lunch, I was hooked on her story. Her excitement quickly turned into a rollercoaster of emotions when she discovered Noah's double life. Claire's unreliable narration had me questioning every detail and kept me eagerly turning the pages to uncover the truth. As Claire delves deeper into the mystery of Noah's lies, I couldn't help but feel a mix of sympathy and frustration for her. Her obsession and the way it leads her into the murky waters of her own past added so much depth to the story. I really appreciated how the author portrayed Claire's struggle with her past, especially her relationship with her manipulative mother. It made her character feel so real and relatable. The twists and turns kept me guessing, and I loved the suspenseful atmosphere that was maintained throughout the book, and I couldn’t believe the ending.

Overall, Claire's Revelation is a thrilling and emotionally charged read that I would highly recommend to anyone who enjoys a good psychological drama. Claire's character is both fascinating and relatable, making her the perfect unreliable narrator to drive this gripping story.

While I feel like the start of this book was really strong, I feel like the narrative kind of lost itself towards the middle and unfortunately didn't have enough time to pick itself up before the ending of the story. Overall, it was a 3.5 star read for me, but I didn't think it was anything too special sadly, as this book had an amazing premise.

A good debut. I love a psychological thriller and this was well written. I can't believe that mother!!
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

Claire, Darling reeled me in from page one and never let go. What starts as a simple case of ghosting turns into a full-blown psychological spiral, and honestly? I was here for the chaos. Claire is not your typical scorned woman—she’s obsessive, unraveling, and carrying a whole lot of baggage from her past. Watching her descent was like witnessing a slow-motion car crash—you know it won’t end well, but you can’t look away.

The writing is sharp, the tension is chef’s kiss, and the unreliable narration keeps you second-guessing everything. My only gripe? A few moments felt a little too over-the-top, but honestly, that just added to the wild ride. I just wish there had been even more crazy and darkness, especially like that epilogue—I wanted the whole book to lean into that level of unhinged! If you love your thrillers dark, psychological, and just a little bit messy, this one’s for you!

First, I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book.
This is one of the best debut novels I've read in a very long time. The author writes with a confident and easy style.
Claire, Darling is a great physiological thriller that pulls you in and doesn't let go!
Claire has put her dreadful childhood behind and is living a wonderful life with her fiance Noah. She has a new job she loves, along with a new friend from work.
All seems to be going in her favor until she decides to surprise her fiance at work for lunch, only to find out things aren't what they seem.
This catapults her into a nightmare she may never recover from. You have to read the book to know why. Now that I've got your curiosity aroused,stop reading my review and get the book. You will not regret it. I happily await the next book from Callie Kazumi!

I was so happy to be granted the opportunity to read this advance copy of the author's debut book! I was so ready for something different and full of suspense. Relationships can be so very complicated, so I needed to know how Claire was going to handle being ghosted by Noah. I liked how this went from current writing to Claire's childhood, and then to her diary entry.

I really felt for Claire's childhood, as many of us grow up experiencing some kind of trauma. I kind of expected some of what was happening to happen, but I was really happy that Claire had a friend in Sukhi- but I think I spelled her name incorrectly. Overall, this is a great debut book that was hard to put down.

This book was really slow to start and hard to get into. The twists were great but I felt like it dragged on to long overall.

This is how you write a debut novel! Disturbing, unhinged characters, plenty of twists, and a fantastic ending! I will definitely recommend this book. Claire Darling I can hear the voice in my head—if you know, you know! #ClaireDarling #NetGalley