When a single mom finds her ex shot to death just down the street, it opens up a complex mystery surrounding his death. Both her daughter and ex-husband might be involved plus some strange things begin to surface at her job that may also be at play as well.

This was a really fun read! There are a lot of players involved in the plot, but everything connects together pretty well and I was not entirely sure who committed the crimes until the very end.

<i>Dying to Meet You</i> was such a build up type of story. As you continue reading, what you thought you knew gets slowly dismantled and you're left wondering what else is going to come to light. This isn't just a psychological thriller with the main character trying to uncover the mysteries surrounding her. I might argue that the main character is the looming mansion with its dark history.
Rowan is trying to live her life while building her architecture business and raise her teenage daughter when her love life (or ending of it) mixes with her career in the darkest of ways. While trying to uncover the mystery of her ex's murder on the mansion grounds to clear her own name, she uncovers a lot of bad things surrounding the mansion's past. And the people involved may be a lot closer than she seems. She truly doesn't know who to trust and is worried her daughter may have even gotten herself involved as well.
There was a lot of information to keep track of with alternating storylines and different timeframes, but it definitely kept me on my toes and I enjoyed the ride that it took me on.

I devoured this book! It was a quick easy read with a good flowing plot. Plenty of twists throughout. I can’t wait to read more from this author!

Thank you to the Publisher and Netgalley for the eArc in exchange for an honest review!

An interesting read that went on a little too long and had a subpar payoff, this was a decent mystery/thriller. I really liked Rowan, and identified with her type of *slightly* obsessive because she's just an anxious lady.

The story itself was interesting, but there was still a lot that felt rushed and underdeveloped. We could have had more backstory on why her ex was so interested in her in particular (if he's a journalist, wouldn't he have known the perfect person to reach out to?), or why there needed to be such violence in general.

Not my favorite thriller, but still a fun time!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Sarina Bowen is an auto-read author for me. Her thrillers and romances are always page turning and addictive. Her newest, Dying to Meet You, is no exception. The pace is quick and the twists and turns keep you hooked until the very end.

Recommended!

Okay, well this book totally surprised me. I’ve read Sarina Bowen’s romances before and loved them, but this one? A full-on psychological thriller? She nailed it.

The story follows Rowan, a single mom and architect, who’s still reeling from a breakup when she finds out her ex has been murdered… and she’s the one who found the body. From there, things spiral fast. There’s a creepy old mansion, secrets from the past, and a whole lot of “who can you really trust?” vibes.

What I loved most was how real Rowan felt. She’s not perfect—she makes some questionable choices along the way but she’s also smart, strong, and trying her best to protect her daughter. The suspense builds steadily, and there were a few twists I did and also some I didn’t see coming at all. I stayed up way too late finishing it because I wanted to know how it ended. I flew through the last few chapters.

If you’re into thrillers with heart, strong female leads, and a little bit of gothic atmosphere, definitely give this one a shot. It’s different from Bowen’s usual stuff, but in the best way.

This is Sarina's second thriller, I really enjoyed the first, and I think I liked this one even more! I absolutely loved the mystery and story that Rowan is trying to uncover. I was really hooked and kept trying to piece the information together, which was a lot of fun for me. I really loved Rowan and Natalie and seeing them try to figure things out, but also cope and manage it, too. So much is thrown at both of them, and they are really put to the test of what they can handle. So many of the other characters, I was trying to figure out what their motives were, and could I trust them. I definitely did not figure out a lot of what was true and not and really enjoyed the 'aha moment' a few times. This was a fantastic read!

Thrillers are often hit or miss for me. Dying to Meet You was interesting. I was intrigued by the characters and by the plot. The pacing was steady for the most part, but had moments that were a bit slower. The writing was good, but I still felt like there was something missing. Overall this was enjoyable!

3.75-4 stars. This was a good mystery/thriller from one of my favorite romance authors. Dying to Meet You focuses on Rowan, who is a single mother and an architect working on helping to restore an historic mansion in town. The mansion holds secrets and mysteries to discover from it's past. When Rowan's ex-boyfriend is found dead on the property, she becomes a suspect. Rowen must dig to discover the truth of his death and clear her name, without putting herself and her family at risk to be the next victim.

The story was really good and interesting. I'm not great at guessing whodunnits and this was no exception. It kept my attention and kept me guessing until the end. I didn't really connect to Rowan very much, which kept me feeling a little separate from the story. But I still enjoyed the book. The creepy atmosphere was fun and I enjoyed the mystery. As always, I look forward to more from Ms. Bowen in the future!

📚Book Review📚

Huge thanks to @harperperennial #partner for the #gifted copy. #oliveinfluencer

Dying To Meet You by @sarina.bowen
Publisher- @harperperennial
Out Now

Wow! When I started this I just couldn’t put it down! Now I want to go back and read The Five Year Lie!

Rowan Gallagher is a single mother and an architect with a two year contract restoring a high-profile mansion.

She just had a recent breakup that took place via text. She’s devastated. One night, she’s curious to what he’s up to and follows him on an app on her phone. Where is he? Right outside that mansion and he’s been murdered!

She finds out he was hiding something that connects back to her. Her daughter has secrets as well and including the very people and job she is working for. I just love secrets, lies and murder! Who doesn’t?

I highly recommend this one and can’t wait to read her last novel! This is perfect for thriller fans!

4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


#DyingToMeetYou #SarinaBowen #HarperPerrenial #OliveInfluencer #ThrillerBooks

Rowan is a single mother of a sixteen year old daughter and works as an architect. When her boyfriend dumps her, she starts to watch him on her find a friend app. One night he parks at their spot, she goes there only to find him murdered. She quickly becomes a mail suspect. The writing is really fast paced. I was really hooked.
The ending felt flat for me though, still very enjoyable.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book started off a little slow for me but it very quickly picked up! I found myself getting lost in the story and it had me on the edge of my seat!

There were so many twists and turns and just when I thought I knew what was happening I was wrong! This was my first read by this author but it won’t be my last.

Such a great read! Definitely recommend this book I finished within 2 days! Yes I may have stayed up way too late to finish! Such a fantastic author!

Rowen works at a historic mansion in Portland, Maine, when her life suddenly takes a dark turn—the guy who recently broke things off with her is found dead. As the investigation unfolds, Rowen is pulled deeper into the case and the chilling secrets buried within the mansion’s past.

This was a solid, twisty thriller set in one of my favorite places! I loved how the past and present timelines intertwined as it was fun piecing them together. The multiple POVs worked really well on audio, and of course, I was all in for the second chance romance woven into the plot. Rowen was such a great character, and the history with her ex, along with the journey of learning to trust him again, added an extra layer of depth.

Read if you like:
-Domestic suspense
-Mother/ daughter relationships
-Second chance romances
-Family drama
-Portland, ME setting

I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was well written and I really enjoyed the story as well. I will be picking up more from this author.

I absolutely ate up the Five Year Lie so I knew that this one would be just as good. It definitely did not disappoint. This was a really fun who done it. I never had any trouble with the multiple POV's and was able to keep everything straight. The gothic, haunted mansion setting was perfect and really tied into the story and making you feel creeped out by it. It was super atmospheric and it was perfect. This Is everything that you want in a domestic thriller. It was really fast paced with some pleasant twists and turns. I love that Sarina Bowen can write super well in the romance genre as well in the thriller world.

Over all, this was a great read and it would be perfect for an easy weekend read if you just want to escape out of reality for a little bit.

I was feeling in a little bit a slump and looking for a good thriller and here it was! I adored the overall story and characters which allowed me to get past the pace that was somewhat slower than I typically enjoy. Full of mystery, beautiful imagery, likable characters, multiple POVs, and a great twist. I absolutely loved the way it ended! This was my first read by Sarina Bowen and I grabbed up her previous book, The Five Year. Lie, before even finishing this one.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Sarina Bowen, and Harper Perennial for the chance to read this advanced copy.

A must read thriller of 2025. We got spooky old mansions. A family secret and a little second chance romance thrown in the mix.

A good thriller is one that I don’t guess the twist and I left saying WHAAAAAAAT!! And this book did that.

I also loved the main character Rowen. She is a late 30s woman that felt so relatable through out the entire book with the struggles with job, teenage daughter and her ex con ex boyfriend from the past.

I felt engaged in the plot with the dark secrets from the past.

Genre: Thriller
APK: Ebook
Pages: 370
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Spice: .🌶️
Series or Standalone: Stand-alone

Sarina Bowen, a name synonymous with heartwarming romance and compelling contemporary fiction, takes a thrilling detour with Dying to Meet You, a domestic thriller that proves her versatility as a storyteller. This meticulously crafted novel plunges readers into a suburban nightmare, where a seemingly perfect life unravels with each shocking revelation. Bowen masterfully weaves a complex tapestry of secrets, paranoia, and psychological manipulation, leaving readers breathless until the very last page.

The story centers on a protagonist who, in the wake of a traumatic event, finds herself questioning everything she thought she knew about her life, her marriage, and even her own sanity. Bowen excels at building an atmosphere of creeping dread. From the subtle shifts in behavior of those closest to her, to the unsettling discoveries that chip away at her sense of security, the tension escalates with exquisite precision. The domestic setting, often a sanctuary, becomes a cage, and the familiar faces around her transform into potential threats.

One of the books greatest strengths lies in its character development. Bowen delves deep into the protagonist's psyche, allowing readers to experience her confusion, fear, and growing distrust firsthand. The supporting characters are equally well-drawn, each with their own believable motivations and hidden depths that keep the reader guessing. There are no clear-cut heroes or villains, only individuals entangled in a web of their own making, driven by desires, fears, and past mistakes. This nuanced approach adds layers of complexity to the unfolding drama, making the twists and turns all the more impactful.

Bowen's pacing is impeccable. The narrative unfolds at a deliberate yet compelling speed, revealing clues and red herrings with skillful precision. Just when the reader believes they have a grasp on the truth, Bowen introduces another layer of deception, forcing a re-evaluation of every assumption. The suspense is not merely about who did what, but about the insidious ways in which trust can be eroded and reality can be distorted. The domestic thriller genre thrives on the unsettling notion that danger can lurk in the most intimate of spaces, and Dying to Meet You exploits this concept with chilling effectiveness.

Furthermore, Bowen's prose is sharp and engaging, drawing the reader effortlessly into the protagonist's fractured world. Her descriptions are vivid without being overly descriptive, allowing the reader to fill in the unsettling details with their own imagination. The dialogue is authentic and serves to advance both plot and character, revealing personalities and hidden agendas with understated brilliance.

While fans of Bowen's romance novels might be surprised by the shift in genre, they will undoubtedly be impressed by her command of the thriller elements. She demonstrates a keen understanding of the psychological intricacies that make for a truly gripping domestic suspense novel. Dying to Meet You is a testament to her ability to craft compelling narratives regardless of genre.

Dying to Meet You is a highly recommended read for anyone who enjoys a expertly crafted domestic thriller. It is a taut, unsettling, and ultimately satisfying journey into the dark underbelly of suburban life. Sarina Bowen proves herself to be a formidable force in the thriller genre, delivering a novel that will keep you on the edge of your seat, questioning every character, and second-guessing every twist until the very last, shocking revelation. Prepare to be captivated, unnerved, and thoroughly entertained.

What drew me to Dying to Meet You was the setting. I love stories set in New England as the charm and familiarity always resonate with me. However, the plot moved slowly, and I often found my attention slipping. As a result, I didn’t feel invested in whether Rowan, the protagonist, uncovered the truth behind her ex’s death or the secrets of the historic mansion she’s helping restore.