I hadn't read a thriller in awhile and I enjoyed this a lot. It's interesting to bill it as a "domestic thriller" because of the mansion setting and also Rowan's family situation. I've consumed a lot of media over the years that cover Magdalene Laundries, but perhaps none in the US and I had actually thought it only related to the homes in England and Ireland. It was fun, despite tough content, which is why I read thrillers (and romance).

I know Sarina Bowen from her Brooklyn Bruisers series, which is a quintessential hockey romance read—and I was pleasantly surprised to see this title, a thriller (with a side of romance). Another great guilty pleasure read!

This book is fantastic!! It kept me guessing for such a long time, it gave me hives, made me bite my nails, kept me neurotically passing the pages, wanting to know what happens. I was angry for Rowan as the detectives kept trying to pin her, and angry at Rowan when she snipped at Harrison. I hurt for Natalie in her yearning to have her father in her life.

The book grows in crescendo as the evidence keeps on turning up. It was a very thrilling read and totally recommend if you need a book to occupy your head completely. House chores gone out of my mind, I wanted to know whodunit!

📖✨ I’ve been ‘dying to read’ (sorry I had to 🫣) "Dying to Meet You" and wow, what a ride! From the get-go, it had me totally hooked. The story unfolds with just the right amount of mystery and suspense. 😲🔍

I liked that we not only got Rowan but also Natalie’s POVs—it kept things fresh and surprising! And that last chapter 🤯

If you're into mysteries and thrillers, definitely give this one a read.

#BookLovers #MysteryReads #ThrillerTime #DyingToMeetYou #GoodReads

*4 Stars*

ARC kindly received for an honest review.

I've been keen to read this as I loved Sarina's first thriller novel last year. This one took me a little bit to get into (possibly just me not feeling the reading so much lately), but once I did, I was so curious to find out what on earth was going on. There are plenty of characters at play here, and you definitely question many many things. A few different POV's as well which helps add layers to the story without over complicating it. I actually figured out who our mystery killer was, but the reasoning and more depth to who they were had me guessing until the end. I hope Sarina keeps writing thrillers as she's got a great writing style with these and I'll keep coming back for more.

𝑺𝒚𝒏𝒐𝒑𝒔𝒊𝒔
Rowan is an architect and single mom to teenage daughter Natalie, and is currently working to restore an old mansion for a wealthy family in Portland, Maine. Rowan just went through a breakup with recent love interest Tim Kovak, which goes from bad to worse when she finds him shot to death in front of her workplace, a few days after their breakup.

Rowan becomes a suspect in the murder case and is adamant she has no idea what happened to Tim and starts doing some investigating of her own to try to find out what happened him. Things quickly become even more complicated when Natalie’s dad gets out of prison and arrives on the scene.


𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘
I was quickly drawn into this one right away, and it was the perfect read to start 2025 with! This is Bowens second thriller and I sure hope it won’t be her last! Not only was I engrossed in trying to figure out who Tim’s killer was, but I was also super invested in finding out what would happen in Rowen’s personal life once her OTHER ex came back into the picture. This one doesn’t hit the shelves until 5/13/25 but you definitely want to add it to your TBR now!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I was so excited to read Dying To Meet You because it was a different genre for a romance author that I always enjoy and this story was a fun, engaging read. When Rowan’s boyfriend ends their relationship, she finds herself tracking him on a phone app and decides to follow him one night. She finds him dead and what follows is a twisty, whodunit with multiple suspects and surprise connections galore.

In addition to the thrilling suspense in this story, I loved watching the development of Rowan’s relationship with her daughter, Natalie and her daughter’s father, Harrison. The character growth for all three added to the dimension and helped me really connect to the story. There are so many secrets to unravel throughout this captivating mystery and I enjoyed trying to figure out the clues. Dying To Meet You was a satisfying, suspenseful read and once I got into it, I couldn’t put it down.

this is such a good book! It is scary and eerie, makes you wonder if the men in your own life are who they claim to be.... It was chilling and kept me tense while reading. The twists and turns were good, I liked it and it kept me entertained!!

Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complimentary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!

I love when one of my favorite romance authors switches up genres and writes a thriller - AND does it successfully not one but TWO times! Dying to Meet You was a fun and thrilling read. It had my attention from the first page and kept me intrigued the entire I was reading it. I loved how the plot was set up. The mystery unraveled in an entertaining and suspenseful way. The multiple points of view were great and added to the suspense of the story. One even managed to surprise me a bit when it probably shouldn't have. If you enjoy mysteries and thrillers, I recommend Dying to Meet You. It's a lot of fun. I hope Bowen continues the thriller streak after this book.

I will read anything Sarina Bowen writes. While she’s typically a romance author, I’m loving this thriller/mystery era she’s been in! I read her previous book Five Year Lie and loved it and I think she outdid herself with this new book! I loved it even more than the first.

Dying To Meet You kept me on my toes the entire time. I kept trying to figure out the murder and the ending really surprised me. I thought it was so creative and well done! Honestly this would make for such an amazing book club pick.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Perennial and Paperbacks for the free eARC!

Rowan is single mother, and an architect who is working on restoring a mansion in Portland, Maine. She had been dating Tim, an investigative journalist, for a few months when he suddenly broke up with Rowan. A few days after that, Tim winds up murdered outside of the mansion that Rowan is currently working on restoring.

Rowan finds herself becoming a suspect in this murder, and she has to start investigating on her own, because the police insist that she, or her former boyfriend, and ex-con, Harrison may be involved.

This was a very good read! Very likable and relatable characters, and nothing that’s too wild or unbelievable. It’s very grounded, and had a very satisfying ending. Definitely recommended!

Dying to Meet You is a gripping thriller told from multiple POVs that was hard for me to put down. Rowan, an architect juggling a high profile renovation for a powerful Maine family, finds her life unraveling after discovering her ex-boyfriend’s body at her workplace. As if that’s not enough, she struggles to deal with her resurfaced past and the revealed secrets that hit far too close to home. The twists and turns were unexpected, and I especially enjoyed the clever integration of the FriendFinder app. Sarina Bowen’s storytelling is fast paced and immersive and I was totally invested in all of the drama.

4.75 Stars

Rowan is almost 40. Her daughter is a typical 16 year old teenager.
And her boyfriend of ten weeks just broke up with her via text.
At least her professional life is great. Not. She's behind schedule and over budget as the architect of this centuries old billionaire family's mansion.
And then her ex is found dead in front of her workplace. By her. Accidentally. Kinda. Because she still follows his phone's location.
What happened to him? And how will she convince the cops that she didn't do it? And what kinds of secrets is her daughter keeping from her?
Read the book to find out!

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Another Sarina Thriller. Yay!
I loved reading this!
I loved the locations. Maine. The old, slightly creepy, house.
It was mysterious and a bit sad and heartbreaking.
You can't stop reading - you need to know what's what!
We also get a bit of a second chance love story. Loved that!
Plus - we have an amazing dog! So - what's not to love?!

► DYING TO MEET YOU was such a great story! Full of mystery. Secrets. Danger. Architecture. Family. The Past. The Present. Hopes for the future. I loved the dog + the dad!
I just loved reading this! Run to your nearest bookdealer to find out all the things!

Sarina Bowen does it again! This twisty thriller was a great pick for my first book of the new year. Mysterious births and deaths, family drama, ties between unlikely people, and a whodunnit murder make for an excellent, bingeable book.

I absolutely loved this book! It had me turning page after page. The suspense was incredible.
I gave it 4 stars because after all the guessing and twists, the ending felt very rushed.

Thanks Net Gally for the copy!

Sarina Bowen expertly blends mystery and romance in "Dying to Meet You," making it appealing even to those who aren't fans of romance. The story unfolds from two perspectives: Rowan Gallagher, an architect who becomes a suspect in her ex-boyfriend's murder, and her teenage daughter. The old mansion where the mystery takes place adds a chilling atmosphere, while the subplot about pregnant girls forced to give up their babies adds depth to the narrative. Bowen masterfully balances suspense and emotional themes, leading to a satisfying climax. Overall, it's a captivating read that lingers long after finishing.

Your heart is supposed to be pounding like mad when you finish a book, right? Because it was in this case, actually, the last third of the book I barely took time to blink or breath. The set-up, the crossed-lines, the intricate web that was weaved, and even after it all came to light, there was more. You finish and you think, and then you gasp in shock. Rowan was a great lead, had a realistic outlook, with strength to spare, and vulnerability in moderate amounts. She also had an analytical and curious mind, and is the catalyst for our story as well. This kept me on the edge of my seat and constantly twisting with theories before it all came to light!!!

Wow! Dying to Meet You drew me in from the first page; I had to tell myself to slow down as I was trying to read as quickly as I could to see what happened next!

Successful architect and single mom Rowan is working hard on restoring and renovating an historic mansion. She also has a great thing going with journalist Tim. Or so she thought. After he dumps her via text and won’t return her calls, she remembers he shared his location with her on his phone. And he’s right down the street in their spot by the mansion….where she discovers him dead. And becomes the prime suspect. It’s always the jilted girlfriend, right?

To complicate matters, Rowan’s real ex—her teenage daughter Natalie’s father who abandoned them so many years ago—is back in town and looking for a relationship with Natalie. And also appears to be a suspect. But what’s the real story and what’s the deal with the creepy family that owns the mansion?

This book kept me on edge as I absolutely binged it! It’s mostly first person from Rowan’s point of view but mixes in some third-person chapters. The effect is PERFECTION, especially Natalie’s chapters, where the tension and chill emanate. The way the author develops Rowan’s and Natalie’s relationship with Harrison (Natalie’s dad) really works—I really wanted to see where it went and there’s definite chemistry between Rowan and Harrison.

I love the way she built up the suspense and the mystery, dropping just the right amount of hints to make you feel like you’re getting some good nuggets, but also not giving too much away. Overall, a fun, well-written read with multiple storylines that all worked for me. Highly recommend!

Oh my... Bowen is a master at spinning stories with romance at their core. And now, she has just flabbered my gasters with this amazing thriller. There is a lot going on here, with a murder, the jilted lover being a person of interest in the case, a blast form the past, and the protagonist's 16-year-old daughter marching to her own drum.

The suspense had me at the edge of my seat, and so did the way the daughter just didn't want to listen to her mother. Of course, most 16-year-olds are so sure they know better than their parents, right? I loved how Rowan tried to navigate being a murder suspect with also setting firm boundaries when it came to her daughter and what she was allowed to do.

The main plot was so exciting, as was the home for wayward girls that hid more than one secret inside...

I loved The Five Year Lie (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️), so I couldn't wait to read this one. This was a really good suspense, too! Highly recommend her suspense books which are all I've read of hers. It makes me want to read her other books as well.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.