🌟🌟🌟 Review: Claire, Darling by Callie Kazumi

A solid debut that’s perfect for readers just dipping their toes into the thriller genre! Claire, Darling delivers an easy-to-follow story with some compelling diary entries and childhood flashbacks that added welcome depth to the story.

✨ Best enjoyed blind! The official synopsis gives away too much, so skip it if you can.

As a seasoned thriller reader, I found the twists pretty predictable, but that didn’t stop me from staying entertained. It’s a quick, engaging read that shows promise for Kazumi’s future work.

🔍 Content warnings: mental health struggles, parental neglect, emotional abuse.

Would I recommend it? Yes—for newer thriller fans or anyone in the mood for a light suspense read with a touch of nostalgia.

This was a wild ride! I wasn’t really sure what was going on and it kept me entertained the entire time. I couldn’t put it down because I had to know what was happening.

Talk about a psychological thriller! Whew! It had my head spinning at times and I couldn’t get enough!

Claire and Noah appear to be the perfect couple with a picture-perfect life. On their anniversary, Claire decides to surprise Noah by bringing lunch to his workplace — but when she arrives, the receptionist tells her no one named Noah works there. Convinced it’s a mistake, Claire calls and texts him, expecting a simple explanation. Instead, she uncovers a shocking truth: Noah has a completely different life, complete with a beautiful house, a girlfriend, and no trace of the life he shared with Claire. Determined to get answers, Claire sets out on a journey that drags her deep into the mess of her past and the web of Noah’s lies.

The premise of this book really grabbed my attention — it sounded like the setup for a gripping psychological thriller. Unfortunately, the execution fell short for me. From the start, I found Claire frustrating; I kept hoping she’d show more strength or growth. While her broken sense of self stems from years under a controlling, manipulative mother, even that context didn’t help me connect with her emotionally.

The plot was also fairly predictable. I guessed the twist within the first few chapters, which took away much of the suspense. As someone who truly enjoys psychological thrillers, I wanted to be surprised, unsettled, or deeply intrigued — but this story just didn’t deliver on those fronts. While the book had potential, it ultimately wasn’t the right fit for me.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I was drawn to this book by its unreliable character and it kept me reading as I wondered who was telling the truth. However, the ending was a complete letdown and felt like a cop out. I wanted to be shocked, so it was a huge disappointment.

Thank you Ballantine and NetGalley for the complimentary e-ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Claire comes to her fiancé’s work to drop off his lunch when she is told that he no longer works there. When she tried to reach him her phone calls and texts go unanswered. When Claire starts her search for her fiancé she finds that he has a different life with a different fiancée.

This book made my thoughts go in every direction and I still couldn’t predict the end. I liked how the author was throwing little details that made me change my opinions on this situation- was it real, whose fault is it etc.

While I slowly realized where this story was going towards the end, I still really liked this one. This was a tragic, intense read that fans of Freida McFadden will love.The protagonist is highly likable yet unreliable, and we are told her story through the past and present and begin to understand her on a deeper level. Anyone who has ever known a narcissist at some point in their lives will empathize with Claire and what she has endured. This was fast-paced and emotional, and I give it four stars.

Thank you, Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, for this ARC.

Another book I didn't realize I had an ARC and waited for from library. A few hours after I finished, found myself still thinking about it, so skimmed a bit of the beginning and am even more impressed with this book's twists! I kinda guessed it but then didn't expect that last bit. Recommended for those who like psychological thrillers, twists, British courtroom drama, unreliable narrators, and fkd up Moms.

Who amongst us hasn't been ghosted? And like Claire, we don't like ot be forgotten. I'll admit there were a few instances this hit a little too close to home. I feel for Claire and boy was I rooting for her! Full of more twists and turns than a roller-coaster, this book was bananas in the best way!

This book started out slow but picked up speed and intrigue really fast. Twists that I didn't see coming. Nothing is ever what it seems. What a great suspenseful read!
Thank you to Netgalley, Random House and the Author, for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Claire gets ghosted by her fiancé and starts digging into what happened—but the more she tells her story, the more you're not sure if you can trust her. I'm not a fan of the 'unreliable narrator' trope but I liked how this one kept me guessing. I'm very surprised it's a debut, I will definitely look forward to more from this author!

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Ballantine Books for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I loved this book and read it in one day. I loved the characters and the storyline. I thought the characters had great growth. I would definitely recommend this book.

A very interesting story about a woman who is engaged and then finds out her fiance isn't who she thinks he is. It certainly kept you turning pages to see how it ended.

A fun psychological thriller. Claire takes us on a roller coaster with her as she learns of her fiancé’s double life.

I loved the layers of this story. It felt like three books in one but wasn't hard to follow and didn't feel like too much was happening all at once. It had a good flow Claire is an interesting and nuanced character that had me regularly changing my opinion on her. While I guessed the twist it was still an exciting and twisty road to get there. The ending was fun. And that's all I'll say as I think this book is best to go in as blind as can be!

Thank you Bantam for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I was instantly intrigued by the premise of this book -- a woman is ghosted by her finance, only to find out he has an entire second life that does not include her. Despite the tropes that I see a lot in thrillers, this book kept me entertained. It was a solid debut, and I look forward to seeing more from the author

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House—Bantam for providing me with an eARC of Claire, Darling in exchange for my honest review!

This is one of those thrillers where I can have difficulty flowing along with it during parts of the first two acts, but the results that we ultimately wrap up with make the journey all the worth it. This plunges us right into Claire's perspective as she tries to uncover the truth about her fiancé Noah, and these present-day events are things that we have to place within the context of what Claire had to endure under the care of her abusive mother. It's unnerving when the book guides us into those flashbacks, feeling like we're being pushed into exploring vulnerable memories that Claire is doing her best to repress. However, there are some pacing issues as this book jumps back and forth between the present-day timeline and the flashbacks to Claire's younger years, and they can keep the plot from gelling together as smoothly as it could have. I was able to push past those obstacles, though, and I made it all the way to a third act that takes us in an interesting direction. I can definitely understand why the very ending could irritate readers, but personally, it clicks with me and the character arc that we've followed Claire through. She's such a messy and tragic individual that I can't help but feel sorry for, even when her actions make me go, "No, no, no, don't do that!"

Overall, I'm officially rating Claire, Darling 3.75 out of 5 stars, which I'm rounding up to 4 stars. I'll keep an eye out for what Callie Kazumi writes in the future.

I instantly fell in love with this! The character development was something you don’t see this well done in a lot of today’s books!

Oh, Claire Darling, what a mess!
With a touch of Mommy Dearest, this novel was a ride! Having escaped her traumatic childhood with her single mother, Claire is blissfully engaged to her perfect boyfriend Noah....or so she thinks! With the help of her only friend, Sukhi, she discovers an avalanche of lies and deception.
While half way thru I knew where this was going, I still devoured this book. Love me some crazy!
Thank you, Netgalley, publisher, and author for the ARC....a little late!

magine showing up to surprise your fiancé with lunch… only to find out he doesn’t even work there. Yeah. That’s how Claire’s day starts, and things only get messier from there. 😳

What I did enjoy: the unraveling. Claire’s journey into obsession and trauma had me flipping pages, and there’s this eerie tension throughout that I really liked. You can feel her world cracking at the edges... it’s unsettling in the best way.

What didn’t totally work for me? I saw that ending coming. I kept hoping for a big, wild reveal that never really landed. The setup had so much potential for a twistier payoff, so I finished the book wanting a little more. 🫤

Still, if you're into:
🌀 Unreliable narrators
🥀 Family trauma and buried secrets
📱 Spiraling after a breakup (with a few questionable choices)

…it might be worth the read for you! Just go in for the vibes, not the big shock. 😅

Thank you so much to Random House and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was gripping from the beginning. I liked how the main character was noticeably a bit unhinged, but you still felt for her because of her past of abuse from her mother. Claire was someone I could root for because she was honest about her insecurities and feelings of self-doubt. The journal entries that showed her thoughts and feelings in the past were my favorite element of part 1. I love a timeline switch, especially when it provides context for the current timeline.

I also thoroughly enjoyed the trial aspect of part 2. Courtroom scenes are so interesting to me (I was raised on Law & Order) so the witness testimonies brought so much more context to the story.

What fell a little flat for me was the big “twist” that Claire had been delusional and not really in a relationship with Noah. I felt that it was really predictable and I was hoping that something bigger was at play to make Claire look guilty.

Other than the predictability, I did enjoy the ending, especially the final journal entry that showed Claire continued to be unhinged. I would highly recommend this book to beginner thriller readers or fans of Frieda McFadden as I found the story structure to be easy to follow!


3.5 stars rounded up to 4

𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰

𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠
𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐞 𝐊𝐚𝐳𝐮𝐦𝐢
𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐦 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬
𝐀𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐍𝐨𝐰
𝟒.𝟓⭐️

Happy Monday! Spring break is over and I am so sad to be back in reality😑.

I finished up 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 by author @callieuntitled and although it was slightly depressing I truly enjoyed every minute of it. The author did such a great job executing this story and creating such a complex main character. I was so invested in Claire’s story and I was hooked to the pages, it definitely was a quick, addictive, read.

This story is dark, disturbing, and does include many difficult topics, so be sure to check trigger warnings. The conclusion of this story was WILD and 100% unpredictable! I really hope we get more stories from this author in the future!

Thank you to @netgalley and @bantambooksuk for the early copy! This book is now available and I 100% recommend!

𝐒𝐘𝐍𝐎𝐏𝐒𝐈𝐒: “Claire is excited to drop off a surprise workday lunch for her fiancé, Noah. It’s their anniversary, after all. But when the receptionist tells her that no one with Noah’s name works there, Claire thinks there must be a mistake.

Noah isn’t picking up her calls. Her texts go unanswered. It turns out Noah has a different life . . . one with a beautiful girlfriend, a beautiful house. Claire was never really in the picture.

Desperate to unpack all of Noah’s lies, Claire plunges into a nightmarish journey of obsession that submerges her deeper into the murky waters of her own past—a past dominated by a manipulative mother who shattered her sense of self.

Will Claire break free from the ghosts that haunt her? Or will they become more costly than any of Noah’s lies?“
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