Yes, Claire Darling, this is how you write a debut novel! This was such a fast paced read that could easily be read in one sitting (darn norovirus for slowing me down) I did not want to stop reading until I knew the ending. Claire is engaged to, Noah, the man of her dreams, but when she drops lunch off to him she is surprised when she finds out he no longer works there. Now Noah will not answer any of her calls of texts. What is going on? This story grabbed me from the beginning and I am still picking my jaw up off the grab from that ending. Do not sit on this one. I would definitely recommend. Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing for the ARC.

Claire, Claire, Claire, Claire. Sometimes....SOMETIMES, things are just too good to be true.

Claire, Darling by Callie Kazumi is a psychological thriller about a woman scored. Claire is in love with Noah. They are engaged and live together in a small flat while their dream house is renovated. Noah has helped Claire in many, many ways. She's a new job, she's dealing with her negative feelings about her past, she's no longer a virgin....

One day after their one-year anniversary, Claire and her co-worker/friend Sukhi go to Noah's office to drop off lunch. Except Noah no longer works there, and he hasn't in months. Claire frantically tries to contact Noah, but he doesn't respond. She is devastated.

With Sukhi's help, Claire accesses Noah's social media profiles and finds that Noah isn't the man she thought. He's in photos with people she's never met, and his arms are wrapped around a woman who isn't Claire. Who is Noah, and why has he ghosted Claire?

All the while, we, the reader, have access to Claire's diary. From her life with Noah to her past childhood trauma, we learn more and more about dear Claire.

When a tragedy occurs, the truth starts to unravel, and maybe Claire doesn't like the explanation of why Noah left.
---
Callie Kazumi has written a banger of a debut with Claire, Darling. Claire is a prime example of an unreliable narrator, and that's what makes this story so great.

I could not stop reading this one and highly recommend it to anyone who needs a quick-paced thriller.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review.

Callie Kazumi’s Claire, Darling is a gripping psychological thriller that showcases superb writing and a knack for building tension. From the very first page, I was hooked, unable to put the book down as Claire's desperate quest for answers unraveled. The characters were fascinating and deeply flawed, and I was captivated by the way Kazumi explored Claire's inner turmoil and her haunting past.

That said, I was hoping for more depth in the narrative arc. The story leaned heavily into the familiar "the woman is insane" trope, which felt predictable and overused. I wanted Claire’s perspective to ultimately be validated in a way that forced readers to confront their own biases—perhaps even to realize that we had been manipulated by Noah’s lies, reflecting our internalized misogyny. Instead, the conclusion landed exactly where I expected, leaving me longing for a more subversive or nuanced take.

Still, Kazumi's prose and pacing make Claire, Darling an engrossing read. If you’re looking for a fast-paced thriller with complex characters, this book will certainly deliver, even if it treads familiar ground.

This was such a great book! Makes you think about if you know someone or not. It was a page turner for sure. I hope to read more from Callie.

Great debut novel for Callie Kazumi! Trying to surprise her fiance at work with lunch, Claire discovers he no longer works there and hasn't for some time. Is her fiance living a double life she is unaware of? Who can you believe? The ending will blow you away!

Thank you to Netgalley, Random House Publishing- Bantam, and Callie Kazumi for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Publication date for Claire, Darling is March 11, 2025

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
"Claire, Darling" by Callie Kazumi was an unique story that was part mystery & part psychological thriller. There were many twists & turns that I never saw coming & the ending was so unexpected.
This was a solid debut & I can't wait to read what Ms. Kazumi decides to write next.
I highly recommend this book.

Claire, Darling is one of the most physiologically twisted books I've ever read.
I was blown away by the protagonist, Claire, and her mentally twisted mind.
Never did I guess the ending, and I'm usually great at figuring out things out.
Callie Kazumi is brilliant with the unbelievable Claire, Darling. I can't wait to read more from her.
#ClaireDarling
#CallieKazumi
#RandomHouse
#NetGalley

Oh Claire, bless your heart. We start with a dead body and then we find out how we got there. When Claire decides to take her fiancée lunch, it turns her world upside down when she discovers he no longer works there. As she tries to find out answers, she realizes he’s living a whole separate life and she has essentially been ghosted. The first half of the book is Claire spiraling and the second half is a trial where the reader starts to find answers. Interspersed are diary entries and anecdotes about Claire’s childhood with her abusive mother. A little slow at some points, but overall a good psychological thriller.

This was a solid debut and I will look forward to more books from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy and a chance to read this early. All opinions are my own.

This is a very enjoyable debut novel, and I cannot wait to read more from this author in the future. This was a twisty tale and a super quick read. If you are looking for a book to get you out of your reading slump, this is the way to go. Buy this one on publication day. The characters were well developed, and you would find yourself not wanting to put the book down, because it felt like you were also Claire's friend and wanted to know more about this the 'man of her dreams". Enjoyed this a ton. Thanks NetGalley.

Claire, Darling presents a compelling premise right from the start. Claire is determined to surprise her fiancé Noah on their anniversary, only to discover he doesn't even work at his supposed job. The initial setup hooks you, promising a journey filled with suspense and emotional depth. As Claire grapples with the shock of Noah's betrayal, the narrative delves into her past, particularly her tumultuous relationship with her manipulative mother.

However, there are times when the pacing feels off, especially in the second half of the book, where the story lingers too long on Claire's internal struggles without much forward momentum. The plot sometimes dips into predictable territory, with twists that, while engaging, felt somewhat routine.

Overall, Claire, Darling is an intriguing exploration of love, betrayal, and the search for identity. It has its strengths in character exploration but some weaknesses in pacing and predictability.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars for me.

#ClaireDarling #NetGalley @atrandom

A young woman grows up under narcissistic parenting. She is Unaware of her own distorted thinking and ends up facing a trial for murder.

Wow!!! This is a debut novel that will knock your socks off. Callie Kazumi. I can't wait for you to write more. The ending of this book might lead to another making this a series, not sure but maybe? I can't say anything about the storyline because it would give too much away but I will say that the book started me thinking one way and then by the end of the book I was 180 degrees thinking in a different direction. Thinking back on some of the things that happened I guess I should have understood more of what was to come but it is so well written that you just focus on the storyline. If I were to reread it I would know what to look for and maybe see more but what fun is that? I loved this book! Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing for the ARC.

𝘊𝘓𝘈𝘐𝘙𝘌,𝘋𝘈𝘙𝘓𝘐𝘕𝘎
𝘉𝘠 𝘊𝘈𝘓𝘓𝘐𝘌 𝘒𝘈𝘡𝘜𝘔𝘐
𝘙𝘌𝘓𝘌𝘈𝘚𝘌 𝘋𝘈𝘛𝘌 03/11/2025

#clairedarling #calliekazumi #randomhouse #bantambooks #netgalleyreviewer #netgalley #debutauthor2025 #debutthriller #cuckoo🐥#crazyasafootballbat #thrillmemore

Prepare for a thrilling ride with Claire, a young woman whose life is a rollercoaster of heartache and surprises! Haunted by the shadows of her past, Claire emerged from a tumultuous childhood raised by a mother battling bipolar disorder, narcissism, and alcoholism. Now, she’s determined to forge her destiny.

Just when she thinks life is looking up, Claire gets engaged to Noah, the man of her dreams. But post-anniversary bliss takes a shocking turn when Noah leaves for work one fateful day. Driven by love, Claire surprises him with a lunch visit, only to stumble upon a staggering truth: Noah's life is not what he claims. He doesn’t work where he says he does, avoids her calls, mysteriously goes missing, and vanishes from social media—how could this be happening?!

As Claire embarks on a desperate quest to find Noah, she prepares to uncover secrets that will unravel their very world. Buckle up; things are about to get intense! Will Claire's resolve be enough to face the storm that awaits? All hell is about to break loose!

This was an awesome book for a debut novel! It has all the suspense and mystery of a great psychological thriller! There were many twists and turns that I never saw coming. The ending, wow!! I highly recommend this book!

Absolutely fantastic plot, I read it in one day! Could not put the book down once I began reading it. Cannot wait for it to be released. I will recommend it to everyone I know!

This is a pretty good debut novel. The storyline jumped a little bit but wasn't too hard to follow. I guessed the ending about halfway through the book though, so it was pretty predictable in my opinion. Some typos are present so hopefully are cleaned up before publication date. This isn't an on the edge of your seat thriller, but it kept me interested enough to want to keep reading. Thank you too Netgalley the publisher and author for the ARC. I'm leaving this review voluntarily.

I unfortunately did not like this book. Claire was insufferable and something felt off for the entire story. I didn’t want to read her excessive flashbacks or diary entries and I didn’t feel a ton of sympathy for her.

For a debut novel this is outstanding. I'm am truly looking forward to more books by Callie Kazumi. Throughout the book, I sympathized with Claire. She had a horrible childhood and was having an equally horrible adulthood. I had no idea it would end the way it did. But looking back I saw that there were hints. It almost makes me want to reread it with the new perspective.

This psychological thriller is entertaining, fast paced and kind of creepy.

When Claire goes to her boyfriend’s work, she is told that he doesn’t work there. What? Yes, weird right?

Lies, secrets, and relationships, this story takes spirals that will keep you guessing.

I really enjoyed this debut book. Definitely recommend.

Thank you Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine, NetGalley and Callie Kazumi for the eARC, opinions are my own.

I must say that I really liked this book. The times of mental health and real life were so interesting to read about. This author made you believe one thing, even though something different was happening. I like how there were many different views throughout this book to make you believe what was going on. I give this 4.5 stars.