Single mom Rowan stumbles upon the body of her recent ex-boyfriend in the parking lot of the mansion she is in charge of renovating. Now, she is on a mission to find out what happened to him and how it connects to her boss and her daughter's father.

I loved this one! Here's what I loved:

The setting: I really liked the whole town but the historic mansion was such a cool setting. Between the artwork that was being discovered and the creepy vibe the whole place gave. Having the whole story revolve around the house was a smart move!

The romance of it all: Thrillers that have even the hint of romances are right up my alley. This is the second thriller by Bowen that I've read and both had some romance. This one you have a couple of ways it could have gone. I will say that I loved the way it all resolved.

The plot: The mystery in this was really well laid out. There were some twists I saw coming but some that I didn't! All in all, the story was great.

All in all, a great thriller!

Thank you to the author and publisher for the gifted copy!

3.75 stars

This book wasn't bad but it easily could have been better.

Strong start, with our main character happening upon a murder victim, someone she was intimately familiar with. Then the book just stalls. It took me forever to get to 40%. Really slow pacing, really slow buildup, lots of repetition. We could easily trim 30 pages off this book just in the first 40%. I'm not sure what the author was trying to do here, plant seeds of misdirection, get the reader to know Rowan (spoiler alert, she's not that deep,) just write filler? Natalie, her daughter, has a few chapters and her first chapter, looking back on it, is really confusing, like purposely so. I'm gonna go with misdirection, I think that was the attempt with this section.

I felt like once Harrison was in the picture, the story picked up and was more enjoyable overall. Maybe because we got the barest hint of romance, which I know the author can write.

I didn't predict the killer's identity and while that confrontation was a bit off the rails and a bit out of left field, I did enjoy it.

Overall, I feel like if the author is going to continue to write thrillers/suspense novels she needs to decide which direction to go. Popcorn thrillers are fast paced, entertaining, and kind of far reaching, think Freida McFadden. Your more serious thrillers are entirely plot driven, usually with complicated tangled POV's that create that misdirection that surprises you in the end. I think the author could do well with romantic/erotic suspense, as I think that genre is really under represented. I will give this author another chance on the thriller circuit, but I need to be wowed to keep reading as I have way too many books on my TBR to spend 8 days getting through a book.

Slow burn. I liked the characters, but I felt that the story was moving really slow. The story focused more on the characters than the mystery (so it’s good that these characters are written pretty well). My only complaint is the slow build. I’m also NOT a fan of the last chapter (seriously just stop before the last chapter and you’ll be fine)

Thanks to NetGalley for the copy of this ARC. This will be out in May of 2025!

[arc review]
Thank you to Harper Perennial for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
Dying to Meet You releases May 13, 2025

Rowan is a single mother approaching the age of forty, and works as an architect in Portland, Maine.
Having recently been broken up with by text, Rowan is compelled to track her ex-boyfriend’s whereabouts through his shared location on a FriendFinder app, which leads to her finding his dead body outside of the mansion in which she’s contracted to work on.

<i>Dying to Meet You</I> is told through three character perspectives, and is written in both first and third person.

The history of the Wincott mansion was intriguing, but with the extremely slow pace, it never quite felt like it achieved being the main focal point.
Despite how Coralie’s chapters were such a stark contrast to the rest of the narrative, often making me feel on edge due to what was taking place between Coralie and her boss, her perspective was so sparse to where it didn’t seem significant enough to the plot.

Using vocabulary like “unalived” and “cheugy” really dated this, and made it apparent that it was written during peak TikTok consumption.

Dying to Meet You by Sarina Bowen
Rating: 3 stars
Pub date: 5/13

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Harper Perennial for my advanced copy!

I was really looking forward to Dying to Meet You, especially after loving Bowen’s last thriller, The Five Year Lie. The setup sounded so promising—a creepy mansion, a murder mystery, and a single mom caught in the middle of it all? I was all in.

At first, I was enjoying it. The setting was atmospheric, and I was curious to see how the mystery would play out and how the different POVs would connect. The whole idea of Rowan spying on her ex, only to witness his murder and then find out he had been stalking her—that had some great thriller potential.

But sadly, it just didn’t work for me. I couldn’t really connect with Rowan or any of the other characters. The pacing felt slow, and the writing had a lot of repetitive lines that started to wear on me. There’s also a ghost storyline that caught my attention early on, but it kind of disappeared until the very end, which felt like a missed opportunity.

Overall, it wasn’t my favorite, but it’s getting good reviews and is still worth checking out.

I really loved this book, the characters , the story line just everything!!
Single mom Rowan is an architect whose currently working on restoring a mansion for a very wealthy family. Her ex husband went to prison after a violent episode at a bar and he has not been in her or their teenage daughter Natalie’s life. Rowan meets a sweet and charming guy named Tim at her favorite coffee shop and she decides to give him a chance, it’s been a long time since she has dated anyone. When Tim completely ghosts her with no explanation she’s shocked and confused. Days late she still has his shared location on her phone, one night she decides to see where he is. Shes shocked when she notices he is near her neighborhood, on a whim she decides to take her dog to go and see if there is another woman. When she spots his car parked at the mansion she’s currently working on, she approaches his car and then everything changes. he's dead, shot in the head. When the police arrive she’s traumatized the police start pointing the finger at her! To make matters worse her ex is out of prison and back in town. As she digs for the truth, she discovers Tim was stalking her too, and even gathering intimate details about her job and her past, he was using her!
Struggling to clear her name, Rowan finds herself spiraling into the shadowy plot that killed him.

Fun quick read. I really enjoyed this book. Kinda predictable, but still interesting nonetheless. The characters were great just wish it went into the backgrounds more.

Overall. Great read, nicely written and would definitely recommend

Thanks NetGalley for the copy

This was a fast-paced read that had me flipping the pages and trying to unravel all the threads that were tangled up throughout the story.

I always struggle with reviewing thrillers because I don’t want to inadvertently drops spoilers in the chat. I can say that the way this narrative is told through three different POVs was an interesting way to provide the breadcrumbs and kept me engaged with the story. It made it easier to feel an attachment to each character and become invested in their role in the overall story. It was never confusing for me to figure out who I was following at any given moment, largely because as the main main FMC, Rowan’s part was in first person while Natalie and Coralie’s were in third. I liked it a lot.

Without saying too much, the story was layered and nuanced. There were times it felt like there were a lot of little things included that didn’t ultimately matter to the mystery that had me wondering why they were there at all, but the overall path was one I was happy to keep traveling down to get my answers.

Thank you to Harper Perennial via NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: May 13, 2025
My introduction to Sarina Bowen came through her suspense novel, “The Five Year Lie” so when I was invited to read her new novel, “Dying to Meet You”, I was thrilled.
Rowan Gallagher is an architect who has recently been commissioned to redo a historic mansion that belongs to the infamous and elite Wincott family in Maine. Even though this is the oppourtunity of a lifetime for Rowan, she feels distracted and heartbroken after her most recent boyfriend ghosted her. When Rowan finds the same ex-boyfriend dead by a gunshot wound on the property of the very mansion Rowan is working at, it doesn’t take long before fingers point to Rowan as the suspect. But soon, Rowan uncovers the secret history of the mansion, and the family who owns it. Secrets that they will kill to keep quiet.
“Dying” is sharp, modern and emotionally charged, as Rowan battles her relationship with her recently deceased ex-boyfriend, her hormone-fueled teenage daughter and her daughter’s father, Harrison, who was recently released from jail and is slowly infiltrating his way back into her life. Although the police suspect Rowan almost immediately, it is very apparent to the reader that Rowan is the innocent party, but there are so many other potential suspects to maintain a consistent state of suspense and mystery.
The novel is told from the perspective of Rowan, primarily, but also a young woman by the name of Coralie, who plays a significant role in the novel but it isn’t until the final pages when we see just how important she is.
As the story unfolds, there are twists and turns around every corner. With Rowan’s ex-boyfriend dead, who is responsible? Is it the journalist ex-wife who Rowan didn’t know about? Or Rowan’s ex-partner and the father of Rowan’s daughter? Or is it someone else- anyone from the long list of women that the elite, white men of the Wincott family have harmed in years past?
“Dying to Meet You” is a slow burn, but once it picks up it hooked me. The sordid history of the Wincott mansion was fascinating, and it served the purpose of tying all of the many plot lines together with one focus. Bowen’s writing is engaging, her characters are likable and her plot is relevant and poignant. “Dying” was only Bowen’s second suspense novel and I hope to see more like this from her as she continues her transition to the genre.

I am a huge fan of Sarina Bowen, and will absolutely read whatever she writes, and I have been thoroughly enjoying her thrillers!

Dying to Meet You, is set in Portland, Maine, and has so many layers of characters and twists! The aha at the end of this book was so good.

I definitely enjoyed the multiple POV we see throughout the book, and I personally appreciated that there’s an underlying romantic story.

I was hooked from the beginning of the book, and had a hard time putting it down!

3.5⭐️
i was so excited to read this because one of my favourite books from last year was the five year lie by sarina bowen. unfortunately, this didn't captivate me as much and felt predictable. it also has one of my biggest pet peeves; a main character that makes terrible decisions! it follows rowen, a single mom, who was recently dumped by her boyfriend and starts tracking his location. one night she ends up tracking him to the mansion she works at as an architect and finds he's been murdered. this kicks off an investigation that she's tangled up in. it sounds like it would be interesting, fast-paced, and exciting, but in reality i found it quite slow and it didn't surprise me. not a terrible thriller, but not a new favourite!

cw: child loss, sexual assault

thanks to harper perennial and netgalley for my advance copy of dying to meet you by sarina bowen. all opinions are my own.

Sarina Bowen absolutely delivers in Dying to Meet You! This thriller had me hooked from the very first page, keeping me on the edge of my seat. Just when I thought I had things figured out, the story took another sharp turn, leaving me breathless and frantically flipping pages.

The characters were layered and compelling, especially Rowan, I loved her relationship with her daughter. Bowen’s signature storytelling shines here, seamlessly blending tension, emotion, and just the right amount of psychological depth. The eerie atmosphere and intricate plot kept my heart racing until the final, shocking reveal.

If you love thrillers that keep you guessing, Dying to Meet You is an absolute must-read. Highly recommend!

I received an ARC of this book and voluntarily give my honest review

I loved the five year lie so much so when I saw this on here I just had to request it!

This is one of those books where I didn’t care for the main character but still adored the book. I know she was destined to be a mess but man she really was a lot!

It was predictable, but I don’t care. It was still very suspenseful and very engaging and I really appreciated that when it’s predictable and boring that’s not a good thing. It can be predictable so long as it’s fast paced and engaging.

I definitely recommend this one and will be looking forward to her next book! I love a good domestic thriller

i’m the biggest fan of sarina’s romance books so i was really excited when she ventured into thrillers. i haven’t read the five year lie yet so this was my intro to her thrillers & she didn’t disappoint! i’m a sucker for a mystery & this was such a good one!

there was murder, secrets, family drama, and more!! i can’t wait to see what else sarina does with this genre now that she’s on her second book

Sarina Bowen has penned an intriguing thriller taking the reader on a twisted journey. The story takes place in Maine and tells the story of a wealthy family, The Wincott’s, and some hidden secrets from the past.
Rowen is an architect hired to lead a project on a restoration of a Wincott mansion that was once a home for Wayward girls. Many secrets are uncovered as a murder sets the story off. There are many twists and turns as the police investigate and Rowen’s life is turned upside down.
I enjoyed this new thriller and did not guess the culprit at the center of the mystery until late in the story. The story kept me thinking and trying to uncover the whodunnit just as the characters were.
I think the author did a good job plotting out the backstory and weaving a tale with little clues as the story progressed. Another great book from Sarina Bowen.

I LOVED The Five Year Lie and couldn't wait to get my hands on this. Dying to Meet You is the second thriller book written by Bowen. I'm glad she made the switch from the romance genre to thriller as she's easily become one of my favorites. The beginning starts off a little slow, but then the plot really takes off. I was super invested in what happened to Rowan's ex-boyfriend. There is a lot of depth to the plot and I enjoyed trying to figure out the mystery. I'm definitely hoping for more thrillers from Bowen!

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Perennial and Paperbacks | Harper Paperbacks for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Harper Perennial, NetGalley, and the author for my ARC.

Sarina Bowen's Dying to Meet You is a slow-burn thriller that centers around Rowan Gallagher, a recently dumped architect and single mother. Still reeling from the breakup, she tracks her ex’s whereabouts through an app. One night, she decides to visit the mansion she’s working on for a renovation project, where she discovers her ex’s body in his car—making her the prime suspect in his murder.

The novel takes its time to build tension, but unfortunately, the ending feels abrupt, and none of the twists were particularly shocking, which left me feeling underwhelmed. Rowan is a relatable character, but the plot didn’t quite hit the mark for me in terms of suspense and emotional depth. While it wasn’t a standout read, I think fans of slower-paced thrillers with a mix of mystery and character-driven storytelling might still find it enjoyable.

3 ⭐️

4⭐️

Rowan is a single mother to her daughter Natalie, and she was recently hired as a full-time architect to help restore a local mansion. She meets a gentleman named Tim, and they hit it off and go on out on a few dates. Or at least, she thought they hit it off until Tim cancels a date last minute and goes completely silent. But Rowan isn’t quite ready to let him go, and has been checking his phones location to see if it’s because he’s dating someone new. Except when she went for a walk down the street to see who his new girlfriend was that he was driving around with, she ended up finding his dead body……right in front of the mansion that she works at.

I am normally not a thriller reader, but this one kept me on my toes and I could not stop reading!

THANK YOU!!! to Sarina, her team, happer Collins, and NetGalley for this arc!

I really enjoyed this book! Sarina Bowen is a great thriiller writer. After reading The Five Year Lie, I wanted to check out her next release and it did not disappoint!

Loved that this book took place in my home state Maine and I was instantly hooked from the beginning! I hope the author continues writing so I can read more of her work!