Had humor and romance but I could not get into the story. A murder mystery to solve was a fun adventure with twists.

This was a fun read. A bit of romance, a bit of murder mystery, and a bit of rockstar stuff this book had everything.

I had a hard time getting into the story but when I did it was hard to put down. Just has a slow start. Plus I wanted to believe in Rav and Jack’s love but it felt forced in the beginning. Their romantic arc was cute though.

Overall a good read but not memorable.

I loved this! I'm not generally a huge romance reader, and the mystery aspect really helped me stay engaged in the story. While the ending leaned a bit dramatic for my tastes, I think it fit the overall vibe of the story!

Both of the MCs grew on me in different ways - I love how confident Rav is in who he is, and how much he cares about the people he loves. Jack made me feel so seen and his journey throughout the book felt real and raw. Their romance was just so charming and sweet!

A final note: I really appreciated that the author took time to acknowledge some of the problematic elements of a career in law enforcement in America, and the prison industrial complex. Without that, I don’t think that I could have rated a cop romance so highly!

4.5 stars and my thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the eARC!

ACAB still means Rav Trivedi, even if he's charming and sassy.

Rav is a 10 year veteran with the NYPD and he's given a high-profile case about a murdered music executive of some sort, and all the clues point to the cute lead singer of the biggest band in the world.

What I loved: The banter between Rav and Jack. I feel like it was fresh and fun while also being heartbreaking at times. Jack suffers from panic attacks and claustrophobia and it was nice seeing a romantic lead be vulnerable. Despite the insta-love vibes radiating off the two of them, I feel like they made a real connection, especially since the majority of their relationship started with phone calls and Jack being across the world.

What I hated: "It'll take a while to get the footage, and even longer to run it through the NYPD's facial recognition software." Ew?

This was such an unexpectedly amazing novel! Both MMC were so unique but so complex and fun to get to know at the same time. I loved the mystery to this novel and genuinely did not figure it out! It was such a good plot motivator without making the book scary (which is why I avoid thrillers!). A NYC cop with a rockstar is such and unexpected pairing, but feels natural somehow in this novel. I adored the mental health representation and the theme of becoming yourself (without outside/parental influences). I enjoyed the diversity of the cast and all the supporting characters. It really made the mystery throughout this so much more interesting. In reading this, I kept thinking it would make such an excellent movie! This is such a worthwhile read and even though I know the answer to the mystery, I want to go back to catch all the clues along the way now! Absolutely a favorite from this year! 5⭐️, 2🌶

I went into this thinking it would be a great palate cleanser, and it was. It was also so much more than that. I loved the vibes of Brooklyn 99, the humour, and the romance felt organic.
The twist! I got close but did not call it, and thought it was well done.
Rav and Jack feel like real people, and like my favourite characters from a comfort show all at the same time. They have baggage, and it isn’t perfect. It’s designed to feel like real people in these situations and I loved it.
Complaints: I kept forgetting who one of the characters was, could have removed her. The epilogue could have been cut in half and we would not have lost anything.

A perfect blend of all the best things in this amazing mm romance and I just could not put it down. The fact that it was so Brooklyn 99 coded with a south asian character, I was just swooning.

I enjoyed this one! I felt like it did go in a lot of different directions and with a cast that was 20+ characters introduced before 50% in, it was hard to keep track of everyone at times. I'll definitely check out more from this author in the future!

He's to Die For is the m*rder cute between Rav Trivdei, a NYPD homicide detective, and Jack Vale the front man of a wildly popular rock band, The New Knickerbockers...who is also the main suspect in Rav's latest case involving a dead music agent that swiped the masters of The Nicks first two albums out from right under their noses.

Erin Dunn wrote such a charming mystery romance! The romance between Rav and Jack was tender, but I thought He's to Die For's strongest suit was the mystery aspect which truly kept me interested throughout the entire novel. She sets up what seems like a relatively straightforward m*rder plot and spends the remainder of the book keeping the reader on their toes to figure out who done it.

I began reading the ALC with my earballs, but was so invested I had to switch over to eyeball reading which I can do a lot faster. The book is incredibly well written and I thought the audio narrator had genuinely great comedic timing while telling this story, so you really cannot go wrong with either version!

I think will be a great read for the diehard Law & Order folks who love a fun crime procedural.

I received copies of this ARC and ALC from the publisher. All opinions are honest and my own.

He’s to Die For follows Rav, a homicide detective who's smart, polished, and in over his head with a murder case and one very attractive suspect. Think murder mystery meets slow-burn romance, with great banter, plot twists, and a lead character you’ll absolutely root for.

Perfect for fans of queer romance, whodunits with personality, or anyone who loves a detective who can catch a killer and rock a designer suit.

I received a free early copy of this book for review. This is my own opinion. Thank you to Netgalley and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to review!

<b>Genre:</b> contemporary MM romance

<b>Tropes:</b> normal person x celebrity, insta lust

<b>Spice Level:</b> fade to black/time skip

<b>Content Warning:</b> violence, stalking, conspiracy theories

First, I will admit that I was hesitant about a book with a detective as a main character, for a multitude of reasons, but like with Brooklyn 99, the book seems self-aware of those things.

Rav is my favorite kind of character. Smart and attractive--and he knows it, dresses well, with a boatload of family issues and a bit of a chip on his shoulder. Being a gay POC on the police force puts him in a position for a lot of bigotry with his coworkers, and its mostly implied, so we don't see a lot of straight up hate. Anyway, when a hated music exec is murdered, Rav falls pretty quickly for a suspect.

What follows is a whirlwind of accusations and flirtation, and a sweet, earnest love story. Jack Vale being rich doesn't hurt!

Anyway, I really enjoyed this one! It reminded me a lot of Brooklyn 99, which I absolutely loved. I would recommend this for fans of lighter mysteries with significant emphasis on the love story.

4.5/5 stars

I absolutely adored this book! The plot is complex (but not confusing), full of twists and turns that I did not see coming. There's a large, interesting cast with so many potential suspects. Rav is such a great main character - funny, charming, smart, and he knows it! I would love to be friends with him. Being in his head was a real delight. Jack is so dreamy and he delivers some truly swoon-worthy lines. I really enjoyed every moment I was reading this book.

What happens when you develop a crush on your main suspect in a murder? Well we find out in this book in the most adventurous and charming way. Rav is a young detective with the NYPD and he catches a high profile case. The problem? His main suspect is a hot rocker and Rav fights his feelings while trying to catch a killer and a stalker. I loved this book. It was sweet and fun and kept me reading all night long. I couldn’t wait to find out who dunnit and would Rav gets his happily ever after.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martins Press for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest opinion and feedback.

I really wanted to love this! The summary and the cover immediately caught my attention, but something just wasn’t working for me. I’m not sure if it was the story just felt boring to me or if i couldn’t connect to the narration of the audio, but after 6 days of attempting to get past 50% i have decided to soft DNF. I’m hoping to come back to this, but right now I feel pushing through will make me hear the book even if i don’t hate it!

giddy, fun, and well written romance with some awesome vibes. the murder mystery was fun, too. 5 stars. tysm for the arc, would recommend.

Musicians, particularly vocalists and songwriters will enjoy this story of a rock star being investigated for murder. No spoilers here. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep the pages turning as well as a budding yet forbidden romance between suspect and detective. Throw in some high end fashion and a trip to France and you've got a fun, sexy novel that will keep you guessing until the very end.

This romance/murder mystery really worked for me. Detective Rav Trivedi is a 29-year-old gay cop and the youngest member of the NYPD's homicide squad. He's ivy league educated and has a penchant for designer suits. He's also ambitious and brilliant.

When he meets rock star Jack Vale he is instantly smitten. Unfortunately, Jack is the main suspect in the murder of Richard Vanderford. Vanderford is a music executive who bought the company producing Jack's music and contrary to usual practice isn't willing to sell the rights to the songs back to the group.

As Rav gets involved in the complicated life of rock stars including stalkers and all sorts of publicity, he also has to deal with the FBI taking over the case. He begins investigating on his own because things aren't adding up for him.

The romance goes through ups and downs as the two try to juggle two very different lives and schedules. I really thought the two of them worked as a couple. Both men were well-rounded people with sympathetic backstories. The mystery was engaging too. It was filled with twists and turns.

The writing was also excellent. I was pulled right into the story and couldn't put it down until I reached the end.

What is not to love about romance and suspense? Easy read with fun twists. Great character development that helped pull me in and keep me reading until the last word. Would read more from this author based on this book.

I absolutely loved this book Thank I read it in one night it was so good
Thank you NetGalley for letting me read it

He’s to Die For is a new, debut queer romance with a serious dash of mystery thrown in. It’s a fast-paced and compelling story that should satisfy both romance and thriller readers. As someone who loves both genres, this felt like a near-perfect melding of two of my favorite kinds of books.

The story follows Rav, a detective in New York City. Rav is excited when he’s given a high-profile case. This is his chance to finally prove himself to his older co-workers.

The case is the murder of a very famous and very hated music executive who has made enemies of many, including an incredibly popular band. Jack Vale, the lead of that band, is the top suspect. Vale had motive, means, and opportunity. Is the quiet, anxious rock star actually capable of violence?

As Rav and Jack get to know each other, the case grows more and more complicated.

Ravi and Jack are both great characters. Rav is an openly gay man of color working in a job filled with walking embodiments of Toxic Masculinity. He tries not to let their ribbing get to him, but he wants to prove them wrong.

Jack is grieving the loss of a very close friend and struggling with the consequences of fame in the social media age. Both characters are very likable!

There’s also a very large supporting cast. Most of the supporting characters are distinctive and enjoyable, but there are so many that I found it a little confusing at times. I had to start taking notes at one point because I kept confusing some of the side characters.

The romance is a little bit of a slow burn. There are plenty of reasons for Rav and Jack not to get involved with each other, but their growing connection is undeniable. There are ups and downs in their story that provide a lot of drama and excitement. It seemed like every time their relationship moved forward, another complication arose. I really enjoyed this structure; it kept me absolutely hooked the entire time. I really enjoyed their romance, too. My favorite fictional relationships are those in which you can see why they want to be together and how they improve each other’s lives. Jack and Rav make sense together, and I adored them!

The mystery is paced well. I didn’t find it predictable at all, and I was just as invested in finding out “whodunit” as I was in seeing Rav and Jack’s relationship develop. The mystery was a lot more layered and complicated than I expected, too!

Before I started reading this, I was concerned about how the police would be portrayed. If this is something you’re concerned about, too, I will say that I think the author handled this well. This doesn’t glorify the police; in fact, it shows a lot of the flaws in the system. The book actually tackles a couple of interesting and current topics.

I highly recommend this for fans of both romance and mysteries. As someone who loves mystery and thriller books, I enjoyed how fast-paced and twisty the plot was. As a romance lover, it was sweet, spicy, and everything I enjoy in adult romance books.





My Rating: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌘 (4.25/5 stars).

Pages: 320 (Kindle Edition)

Tropes/Tags: Romance, Thriller/Mystery, Queer, Achillean

Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5. This is mildly spicy! There are multiple sex scenes, but they aren’t very descriptive!

Content Warnings: Anxiety/Panic Disorder (including panic attacks), Murder, Death, Gun Violence, Discussion of A Possible Suicide