On the surface, Rowan Gallagher has it all. She’s a successful architect specializing in historic renovation and she’s been hired by a wealthy, powerful Maine family to restore their family mansion. But that’s only on the surface. Underneath, Rowan is a single mother to Natalie. She never married the girl’s father and he has been in prison since Natalie was a toddler. Rowan had been seeing journalist Tim Kovak and thought the relationship was becoming serious until he broke up with her by text. Now she’s reduced to stalking him by phone app. And that’s what leads her to discover his body almost immediately after he is murdered. Of course, she’s now the number one suspect. What else could go wrong? Well, her husband is out of prison, on parole and working nearby and he wants to see his daughter. Someone is following her. Her boss is an exacting, angry, lecherous man. Oh, and the mansion may be haunted.

Dying to Meet You is an exciting, twisty thriller! I loved it! Sarina Bowen has created very real characters, especially Rowan, Harrison and the feisty Natalie. The creepy, possibly haunted mansion gives you chills. The plot is convoluted and tricks you at every turn. And how could you not love a dog called Lick Jagger? 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGallley, Harper Perennial and Sarina Bowen for this ARC.

Diabolically twisty ... but in such a down-to-earth way! Sarina Bowen is turning on the angst and is sure to delight her mystery fans with Rowan Gallagher's story. We get a very natural connection with the storyline and characters before things begin to take a turn and we are thrust into a mystery we don't see coming. I really enjoyed Rowan and her story. She's easy to like, her peril is well-developed and we get a story of family in addition to the mystery going on in the forefront. Loved every minute!

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a whodunnit with lots of twists with likable characters and bits of family along the way.

I knew Sarina Bowen can write some of my favourite romance books over the years but her writing thrillers that had me on the edge of my seat wasn’t in my bingo cards and am here for it all. I loved this book so much. It flows from the get go with the first chapter’s opening and never lets go until the last page. I had so many theories made up with each new chapter that my head was spinning and I couldn’t put it down. The mystery surrounding Tim’s death just kept getting deeper and more compelling because that backstory kept getting better and better. And I can’t leave out the second chance romance that I was rooting for right from the moment it made its appearance. It feels like reading an older Nora Roberts book , a story full of secrets , suspense and love, things that I always love so much in my books and everyone should read it.
Very grateful to the publisher for my copy through NetGalley, opinions are my own

Just finished reading an advanced copy of a book that is being released on May 13th called, Dying To Meet You. This was about Rowan, she's an architect who is currently restoring an old mansion for a wealthy family. When her boyfriend abruptly dumps her, she copes by eating all the ice cream in her house and watching his location on an app. When he goes to "their spot" late one night, which also just happens to be her job site, she feels betrayed he would take another girl there. So she goes to check it out, and instead of finding him with someone else, she finds him dead in his car. And now she's just become the prime suspect in his murder. This was a really enjoyable thriller! I enjoyed how it had multiple POVs of characters throughout this story, I liked the way things weaved together, and I loved the twists this story had! I really enjoyed this one! 🩵📚

Thank you to the author and to the publisher for this ARC of Dying To Meet You, in exchange for an honest review.

Phew, this was a wild ride! Rowan Gallagher is an architect working to renovate a historic mansion in Maine. A single mom to a teenage daughter, Rowan is upset and confused by her recent ex, Tim, who suddenly broke up with her without warning a few days ago. A little too hooked to the “find my phone” function of her phone (only occasionally, okay?), Rowan is following Tim one night when she stumbles upon him murdered… now she is enmeshed in a murder investigation in which she is a prime suspect. But who killed Tim, and is Rowan next?

This book kept me guessing the whole way through, and I was wrong 100% of the time. It’s beyond engaging, addictive, and obsessively readable. Rowan is a mother that I so relate to, and her relationship with her daughter, Natalie, really drew me in. I do wish the backstory of Natalie’s father’s imprisonment was explained further (yeah, that’s a twisty side story), but maybe I’m just too nosy. Either way, I was glued to every page.

Dying to Meet You was my first read of Sarina Bowen’s, and it’s safe to say I will be reading her backlist. Looking for your next domestic thriller, or need to get out of a reading slump? Pick this book up!

Big thanks to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for the gifted eARC!

Rowan is an architect working on restoring a historic mansion in Maine. She's a single mother to a teenager, Natalie. Shortly after Rowan's boyfriend Tim dumps her, she finds him dead from a gunshot in front of the mansion. Now she's under suspicion for his murder, but soon finds that there are a lot of people with secrets, including those hidden in the mansion's nefarious history.

This was definitely a character driven mystery with a lot of suspense. I really liked Rowan as a character. There were some shocking twists that I didn't expect, so it really kept me guessing. The pacing picked up at the end as things were slowly revealed and the twists and turns came at you. A fun psychological thriller!

Loved this! It doesn’t matter what genre she writes in, Sarina Bowen continues to write the most engaging, entertaining, compulsively readable novels.

This one is a domestic thriller, about an architect involved in a police investigation after her ex boyfriend ends up dead at her work site. She had recently been tracking him (lightly) after he previously shared his location with her, which makes her the prime suspect.

It kept me flipping through the pages to figure out what the heck was going on and what the heck the history of the house she’s restoring had to do with it all. It also has a tiny bit of romance in it which of course I loved!

This was a nice change of pace for me (reading a domestic thriller) and I really enjoyed my time reading it.

Wow! What a great read!! I am enjoying Sarina Bowen’s journey into the domestic thriller genre. The story was well written, intriguing, interesting, and addictive, with a little side of second chances. It really had me stumped which I love. Did not see that one coming!
The characters are wonderful. I was able to feel their emotions and feel different emotions towards each one of them. Not always good as you will understand as you read.
For as strong as Rowan seems to be, we get to see and feel her vulnerability, frustration, and fear. She is a great FMC. Her life is just a bit messy at the moment.
Her daughter Natalie is awesome and very important to the story and how it progresses at certain points. I love her character! And I do believe I have a bit of a crush on another certain character. You’ll know when you get there.
I loved every moment of this very entertaining story!

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

I enjoyed “The Five Year Lie” and was excited to be approved for an ARC of Sarina Bowen’s newest domestic thriller!

Rowan is a single mother working as an architect for an old mansion full of history and secrets. Her world is turned upside down after she finds her ex boyfriend murdered. From there, she’s determined to find pieces of the puzzle, especially if it means proving her innocence.

This was full of mystery, suspense, and twists. I’m looking forward to more books by this author in the future!

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Perennial for this ARC. This review will be shared on NetGalley and Goodreads.

Pub Date May 13 2025

I loved previous books I have read by Sarina Bowen, this book did not disappoint. Great characters and keeps you guessing.

Dying to Meet You is an exciting thriller. The story plays fair with the facts, while keeping readers guessing with each plot twist and turn. In the end, though, it’s Sarina Bowen’s characters that make this book impossible to put down.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Architect Rowan is upset when her recent boyfriend Tim blows her off and breaks up with her via text. Dating isn’t easy for a single mom pushing 40, and she can’t help herself when she starts stalking Tim’s location on her phone. Only, when she takes her dog Lick Jagger for a walk and intends to confront Tim near the historic home she’s renovating, she finds his body instead. Now the police are counting her as a suspect, and she begins to think she never knew much about Tim at all. Can she figure out what happened to him before the killer decides she’s getting too close?

From the beginning, this story has all the tension of a thriller. Rowan is a relatable character who’s just trying to deal with a breakup and manage her teenage daughter when her life is upended by her ex’s death. Bowen makes it seem natural that Rowan can’t help but be drawn into the mystery, even when looking for clues is clearly outside of her scope as an architect and mom.

The characters make this story engaging. Between Rowan, her daughter Natalie, Natalie’s dad Harrison, plus the house’s conservators and others, readers have a long list of characters worth rooting for. And, if that’s not enough, there is an amazing dog and cat too.

Dying to Meet You has everything I look for when I’m in the mood for a thriller. While the plot kept me guessing, the pieces all fit together into a satisfying conclusion. Add in Sarina Bowen’s fantastic characters, and you have a great mystery to read by the pool this summer.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was quickly drawn into this one right away,. It gripped me like a good thriller does. I loved the journey to find out the killer and was very invested in the plot in general.

Rating: 5 ⭐️
Pub Date: May 13, 2025
How I Read It: 📱

Synopsis
Rowan Gallagher is a single mother and an architect restoring a historic mansion for the most powerful family in Portland, Maine, the Wincott’s. Her ex, Tim, has just broken up with her, and kittle does she know, she would find her ex dead in his car outside of the Wincott’s mansion, and her urge to phone stalk her ex will land her as the primary suspect in his murder.

My Thoughts
I’m so glad Sarina Bowen made the jump into thrillers, as I’ve really enjoyed them! After reading The Five Year Lie, I knew I had to dive into this one, and it did not disappoint. It’s been a while since I’ve wanted to sit down and read a book for hours, but I did with this book! I could not wait to get to the ending, so I was flipping the pages rapidly. I love how SB writes. She makes you feel like you know the characters so well, so you’re invested in them and feel all their emotions. I loved the relationship between Natalie and Rowan, even though it was tough at times, given Natalie was a teenager. Then there’s the relationship with Rowan and her first love, Harrison. There is a lot of secrets, family drama, and mystery surrounding the Wincott’s and you will be guessing and guessing as to where the ending is taking you. The book is told in multiple point of views, which worked really well in this book. By the end of the book, the tension was so high, and I was so scared for Rowan at every corner she turned, which led to a shocking ending I didn’t see coming!

Themes
🫣 Suspense
🔪 Murder
Kidnapping
Multiple POVs

Ratings
Characters: 5 ⭐️
Pace: 5 ⭐️
Enjoyability: 5 ⭐️

Thank you Harper Perennial and Paperbacks | Harper Perennial and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book!

I was a bit hesitant to start this one, but I ended up flying through it in less than 24 hours. Once I got hooked on the story, I simply couldn’t put it down. Told from three alternating points of view—with Rowan as the central voice—the narrative pulled me in fast. Rowan accidentally witnesses the murder of her recent ex, Tim, and quickly becomes entangled in the investigation surrounding his death.

I really enjoyed the shifting POVs; they added an extra layer of depth and kept the suspense building. It was the constant sense of mystery that kept me turning the pages—I had to uncover all the little secrets surrounding Tim’s death.

The setting was another highlight for me. The big, old mansion steeped in horrific history gave the whole story an eerie, atmospheric quality. At times, it felt like I was watching a TV show—I could vividly picture every detail, which made the creepy vibe all the more immersive.

Overall, I was satisfied with how it all wrapped up. I didn’t figure out who the killer was until the very last moment, which I loved. While I think I slightly preferred The Five Year Lie, this was definitely an entertaining read that I’d recommend.

Rowen Gallagher is an architect and is hired by one of the most powerful families in Maine to help restore a historic mansion to its original beauty. She is also a single mother, so when her journalist ex boyfriend seems to be moving on without her, she continues to stalk him using a tracking app on her phone. Rowen is not too happy when she sees he’s parked near where she works one night, is he with someone else? What she finds is his dead body, and she is the one police are looking at as their suspect.

As the story unfolds, many other characters start to take shape as possible suspects, at least to Rowen. And once secrets of the past are exposed, secrets of the Wincott men, this seems to be much bigger than Rowen could have ever imagined. The twists and turns are plentiful, yet they come at slow pace. The characters are like-able, well except for the killer, who is pretty surprising in the end. I’m a little confused by the title, I never really figured out who was dying to meet who.

I would like to thank Netgalley, Harper Perennial Paperback and Sarina Bowen for an advanced reader copy of this over in exchange for an honest review. 3.5 ⭐️

I absolutely love Sarina Bowen's jump into thrillers. The Five Year Lie knocked my socks off and I couldn't wait for more thrillers from her. Dying to Meet You met all my expectations - imperfect characters, secrets, multiple POV's, mysteries (yes, several that eventually get tied together), a twist or two I didn't see coming, and a way of telling the story that allowed some of those twists to happen. Sure, the MC was obsessed with a breakup after a short period of time, but some of us who have been in her shoes could absolutely understand. I loved the growth of some of the characters as well. All in all I thought it was a great story.

This was such a good book! I felt relatable to Rowan at times and loved the storyline. She hasn’t had the best luck in relationships and after the guy she likes ghosts her, she realizes she still has his location. Upon finding him, she expects him to be with someone else. Unfortunately, she ends up him dead. The police then start looking at her and she must get to the bottom of it. It doesn’t just end there, her other ex is out of prison, so she has a lot to worry about. I was at the edge of my seat at times and this book had my full attention.

Wow, this book had me on the edge of my seat several times and feeling closed in and my heart racing. There were times I thought the author was going one way with the story but then she changed the plot and blew my theories out of the water! I love twists, bad boy to good boy, hidden family secrets, and trying to solve crime right along with the characters.
Rowan feels lucky to have landed a two year contract on the renovations of the historic mansion near her home. A steady pay-check , an opportunity to showcase her architectural skills,and close to home so she can be there for her young daughter. Life is pretty normal unless you count her daughter’s father who is in jail for nearly killing a man in a bar fight and currently finding her ex boyfriend murdered outside her work. Police are looking at her and Rowan will have to start her own investigation to prove she’s innocent and find out who the real killer is. As the renovations continue on the mansion secrets are uncovered that lead to a very dark past….and they may have something to do with Rowans ex-boyfriend’s murder.

2.5 rounded up ⭐️

It was.. just okay for me. I didn’t have strong feelings about this book either way. It started really really slow and I almost didn’t want to keep reading. It did pick up around 30-40% but the twists weren’t thrilling to me and I guessed most of the ending (it was also rushed). There were parts I enjoyed but felt they could have been elaborated on more to make this read more enjoyable - example being the ending of the relationship between FMC and her ex. I am glad I finished so I knew the conclusion, but I wasn’t satisfied.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the ebook.

Sarina Bowen’s "Dying to Meet You" is an absolute gem of a mystery-thriller. It’s my first dive into Bowen’s work in this genre, and I was officially hooked. With a twisty, unpredictable plot and a healthy dose of tension, this book had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish.

The story follows Rowan Gallagher, a smart and tough architect who's also navigating the chaos of single motherhood. She’s working on restoring a historic mansion in Portland, Maine, for the influential Wincott family. But underneath it all, Rowan’s heart is still bruised from her sudden breakup with reporter Tim Novak. Her obsession with tracking his every move, using an app to keep tabs on him, spirals out of control when she discovers Tim dead in his car—making her the prime suspect in his murder. What follows is an intricate web of secrets, lies, and clues as Rowan seeks to clear her name and uncover the truth behind Tim’s death.

What really stands out about this novel is the multiple points of view. The alternating perspectives from Rowan, her daughter Natalie, and Hank’s secretary Coralie add so much depth to the narrative. Each POV peeled back another layer of mystery, and the shifting viewpoints really ramped up the tension. It kept me on my toes, wondering what twist would come next.

Rowan is the heart of this book—relatable and fully realized. A little messy at times (in the best possible way), but always tough, smart, and fiercely protective of her daughter. The dynamic between her and Natalie felt incredibly real, adding an emotional layer to the suspense. And as a dog lover, I have to give a shoutout to Rowan’s Belgian Malinois. Truly the cutest bebe (Lickie?? Are you kidding, precious!) in the story—his loyalty and presence added a wonderful touch of warmth.

Bowen’s plotting is masterful. Every clue, every little breadcrumb, felt significant, and the way it all came together by the end was incredibly satisfying. The pacing was spot-on—never rushed, never dragging—and each chapter felt purposeful. I loved how Bowen built tension throughout, without resorting to gimmicks. It was a slow burn that kept me turning pages long past when I should’ve been asleep. I kept telling myself, “just one more chapter,” and then I’d end up flying through five.

The twists in the book were executed flawlessly. They kept me guessing without ever feeling over-the-top or far-fetched. And the ending? Perfect! Nothing was forgotten, no loose ends left dangling. It all tied together seamlessly—our little family is safe and gets a happy ending—and I closed the book feeling completely satisfied.

*Dying to Meet You* is an excellent choice for anyone who loves a tightly woven mystery with strong, complex characters and just the right amount of romance. Highly recommended!