The old saying is: choose your friends wisely.

However, Kayla missed it by a long shot. At a young age in Georgia, she became best buddies with Zorie. She was glued to someone who was reckless and always seemed to make bad decisions.

With a spirited dialogue, the first part had my attention. Kayla and Zorie found jobs as housekeepers for a reputable hotel where everything seemed fine. Yet, Zorie was highly unstable making quick decisions leading to criminal acts.

Then Kayla got bad news. She lost her job which was the sole source of her income. It’s always about money. Zorie tried to convince Kayla that none of these things would be her fault: burglary, hit-and-run and all sorts of other unlawful acts to come. It was a prime example of a toxic friendship.

About half way, the story slowed down. It was too predictable knowing it wasn’t going to end well especially for two Black women on the run in the south. Sadly, it could be viewed as stereotypical to some readers.

My thanks Bantam and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book with an expected release date of July 22, 2025.

Wow. Just, wow. From the very first page, I was completely swept away into the chaotic, hilarious, and utterly thrilling world of Kayla and Zorie. This isn't just a story about two friends crashing weddings for cash; it's a deep dive into the intoxicating and ultimately destructive nature of a toxic friendship, set against a backdrop of non-stop action and razor-sharp wit.

Dotson's writing is simply brilliant. She perfectly balances the high-octane thrills with genuinely laugh-out-loud moments, making you feel every ounce of tension and every surge of adrenaline. The pacing is relentless in the best way possible; I found myself devouring chapters, desperate to know what insane situation Kayla and Zorie would land in next. But beneath the surface of the madcap escapades, there's a compelling exploration of loyalty, desperation, and the fine line between love and obsession.

The characters of Kayla and Zorie are unforgettable. Their dynamic is complex, messy, and painfully real, pulling you into their shared history and the increasingly dangerous cracks appearing in their bond. You'll root for them, gasp at their choices, and probably question your own friendships along the way!

If you're looking for a book that will grab you by the collar and not let go, a unique blend of dark comedy, nail-biting thriller, and a poignant exploration of friendship, then "Love You To Death" is an absolute must-read. It's bold, unforgettable, and destined to be a favorite.

After catching a criminal record due to a prank when they were teens, the only jobs Kayla and Zorie could find were as housekeepers at a local hotel. The friends have developed a bad habit of wedding crashing in order to steal gifts that they later pawn off in order to subsidize their life. After their financial situation hits a new low, they agree to do more job in order to get ahead and start over together. The pair have to flee the wedding after accidentally creating a scene, and a gruesome mishap causes them to have no choice but to run, leaving a trail of bloodshed behind them...

Pals, this one was not for me. I was rolling my eyes at the dialogue within the first couple of pages. There were times that this felt like Thelma and Louise, and I really enjoyed that. But I was unable to suspend disbelief throughout the majority of this book. Kayla's life at times read like a fairytale, evil stepmother and all. At no point does she take accountability at all, and she continues to ask if they're the good guys. She refuses to accept reality, and keeps making the same choice over and over, much to her own detriment. I will say, this was an easy and fast-paced read, and I might have been able to forgive a lot about it if it weren't for the letdown of an ending. Sure, maybe it was the one place that I didn't have to suspend my disbelief, but after all that happened, I was begging for a CRUMB of self-reflection or even for it to continue on the insane trajectory it was heading. Instead, it felt jarring, as it did not match the tone of the rest of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley, Ballantine Books, and Random House for a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Love You to Death takes toxic friendship to a whole new level. This story was absolutely unhinged from start to finish — in the very best way! Think Thelma and Louise vibes where the two MCs, after a theft gone wrong, suddenly find themselves in one disastrous situation after another. I could not put this novel down!

Kayla and Zorie are both incredibly flawed and yet you can’t help rooting for them. The way they both lifted each other up while simultaneously knocking each other back down. I loved the sheer unpredictability of the plot, which kept me hooked from start to finish. This was an exciting debut and I can’t wait to see what Christina Dotson writes next!

Thank you to NetGalley, Ballantine Books, and Random House for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

“Love You to Death” by Christina Dotson
Reviewed by Claire Hamner Matturro
“Love You to Death” (Bantam 2025) by debut author Christina Dotson is an action-packed, smart, genre-blending story of a deep but dysfunctional friendship between two young women, and the novel is superb—and superbly disturbing. While female friendships are the heart and soul of women’s fiction, the toxic relationship in “Love You to Death” is not the cozy, supportive one we might expect from, say, a Mary Kay Andrews novel. Rather, the friendship between protagonists Kayla and Zorie is destructive and often brutal, leading them from one bad situation to ever-worsening ones. Yet this friendship, which drives the story, is vital and darkly fascinating even with its roiling pathologies.

There is a lot packed into these 320 pages of this absorbing, propulsive novel. The book has the breakneck pacing of a well-done thriller, the emotional manipulations and gaslighting of a twisty psychological thriller, and the action of a sharply wrought on-the-road “ride or die” adventure. The part of it set in New Orleans has a haunting Southern Gothic vibe. And Kayla, who narrates the story, gives readers an intriguing dose of the unreliable narrator. Author Christina Dotson combines these various elements and techniques into a unique and compulsively readable novel, with its brush of mordant humor and ever-captivating main characters.

The basic plot sounds simple, but it is anything but once readers get caught up in the downward spiral of Zorie and Kayla. Best friends since first grade, these two bring out the worst in each other. Even as kids and teens, their vows to always be best friends lead them into making outstandingly bad choices. We’re not talking about innocent kid-stuff like skipping school, but things like setting a bed on fire while a person is in it, or breaking into and trashing a wedding venue so badly they end up serving a year in jail.

As convicted felons, their job choices are limited once they are out, and so they find themselves working as hotel maids in Georgia. Because their meager salaries barely pay their rent, they supplement that income by stealing the gift boxes and presents at weddings they crash. At an antebellum-themed wedding, where they stand out as the only Black women, Zorie accidentally runs over a woman when trying to escape the predictable mayhem in her remarkably unique car. Soon they are dubbed the “wedding crasher killers.” Zorie and Kayla flee, going from one tense and dangerous situation to even worse ones while on the road, aiming first for New Orleans and then for Mexico. Their “ride or die” is definitely action-packed with classic page-turner momentum.

At one point, Kayla refers to their desperate attempts at escaping capture as a “bootleg Thelma and Louise.” But unlike Thelma and Louise, who were sympathetic, likeable characters, Zorie and Kayla are neither (at least to this reviewer). One might have some sympathy for their plight given the shadows of sociopathic mental illness and their difficult childhoods. One might even find their devotion to each other to be likable, but fundamentally Zorie and Kayla are not admirable characters. They are, however, darkly fascinating. And that fascination drives the story nearly as much as the “what happens next?” and “how will they get out of this?” qualities.

There’s a good bit of gore in the story and a trail of murdered bodies. Zorie always has an excuse for the violence and neither woman seems capable of accepting that their incredibly bad choices are their responsibility. Yet, Kayla tries to understand both her and Zorie’s behavior, and she tries to straighten up and do right.

Why Kayla stays with the sociopathic Zorie is a central mystery in the story. Even Kayla struggles to understand this. She does try to run off and leave Zorie at one point, fleeing in a stolen pick-up, only to find Zorie, nearly naked and drenched in other people’s blood, rising like a ghoul from under a tarp in the bed of the truck.

Zorie is usually the force behind the bad choices, and Kayla feels an obligation to protect her from herself, yet at an increasingly high cost. But that high cost, Kayla begins to understand, has always been part of the bargain. When Kayla won a scholarship to college, Zorie talked her out of it. When Kayla is in line for a promotion at the hotel where they are maids, Zorie costs Kayla both the promotion and her job.

The evolving nature of Kayla’s awareness is carefully revealed in the story in both a plausible and captivating manner. Kayla initially thinks that Zorie’s “light always shined on me, bold and bright, and mine on her. The truth is, we don’t know how to walk away from each other, and even if we did, I’m not sure I ever could.” Yet, later, Kayla observes that Zorie seems to have been “abducted and replaced by this darker, crueler version who thinks nothing of pulling a gun on a stranger in the name of survival.” Finally, Kayla will wonder: “Had my best friend—my only friend really—been a certifiable psychopath this entire time, and I’ve been too stupid to notice?”

Yet Kayla sticks with Zorie. It reflects the power and talent of author Dotson that she makes readers understand Kayla’s loyalty. The author’s training and experience as a social worker no doubt help her write such a powerful psychological drama in which the pathologies of the two main characters are convincingly and smartly drawn. What is first bewildering about Zorie and Kayla’s relationship becomes believable as readers come to understand them both better.

All in all, a terrific and absorbing read even with its central darkness. Riveting, action-packed as it is, the psychological drama is what makes this novel fascinating.

Christina Dotson is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who lives in Kentucky and holds an MSW from Western Kentucky University and an MS from Murray State University. She is a member of Crime Writers of Color and was a runner-up for the Eleanor Taylor Bland Crime Fiction Writers of Color Award.
(Reviewer’s note: the quotes in this review are taken from an advanced readers copy and could possibly be changed in the final book.)

Thank you Net Galley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.
Two best friends do everything together and one of them is very dangerous but the other doesn’t realize it until they take off together.. Everything is out of control and just gets worse and worse as they try to run away. I think this book had potential but it went off the rails with killing people.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Bantam for allowing me to read this e-arc.This is a twisted tale that jumps from zero to 60 in a second. This is my first read from Christina Dotson but I enjoyed her writing style. The issues grow from bad to worse in a short manner, bad decisions, not thinking of the consequences, and letting someone else direct your life leads to so much strife. The book explores the depth of a toxic friendship, how a sociopath impulsive and erratic behavior can lead to a path of destruction and ultimately how one event can change the course of your life.

Wow, what a ride! So much action and mischief in this book.

Two childhood best friends, Kayla and Zorie, who can never catch a break in life, decide to crash one last wedding (their weekend hobby.) Previously, they've made off well with stealing gifts and money from the wedding receptions to keep them going financially and to fund their modest lifestyle. So, they try their hand one last time, after Kayla gets fired. Only this time, things turn seriously left. Not only were they caught, the bride and groom are determined for them to get the justice they deserve. They make the choice to flee Georgia and head to New Orleans, on the way, they encounter one bad event after another. Their road trip to "freedom" turns into mayhem, burglary and eventually murder. Soon everything catches up with them. Will they get away? What will happen to their chaotic-toxic friendship? Will Kayla and Zorie get the life they deserve? The answer will captivate you.

Overall, I was intrigued! I felt that there was adequate character development. I found myself rooting for Kayla, and I wanted her to have a second chance at making better choices. The premise of the story is original, but it has elements that remind me of the movies Thelma and Louise and Set it Off with a modern day twist. This was a pager turner for me, and I'd definitely read from this author again.

Thank you Net Galley for the ARC!

3.75 stars

In the tradition of _Thelma and Louise_, _Queen and Slim_, and all of the other duos audiences can see speeding toward disaster ever faster as they try to save themselves from it, Kayla and Zorie are on their own lifelong crash course. What transpires in the context of this novel is truly wild and cements their place in the titular 'love you to death' motif.

Kayla and Zorie have been best friends for most of their lives, and some of this is facilitated by their unfortunate family circumstances. Since readers get to know Kayla a bit better at the start of the novel, her situation is more pronounced. After her mother dies, her father copes with a few women, but one constant returns and really brings wicked stepmother vibes to the party. This is exacerbated by the wicked stepsister Kayla gets in the deal, too. Related events unfold, and a situation changes the course of Kayla's and Zorie's outcomes and lives. Though it seems like they are finally moving in a better direction, this falls apart in a new way years later when an accident becomes the impetus for an absolutely bonkers series of events. Wilder than the events themselves are the choices these women make along the way.

The events and decisions are so over the top that readers really need to be in the mindset to suspend disbelief to some degree. If they can, they'll be in for a real treat when it comes to the way the relationship between these two women unfurls. Can they trust each other? Themselves? WHAT will they do next, and how will this all end?

This is my first experience with Dotson's work, and while I wanted to talk some sense into these characters BADLY throughout this entire read, I still enjoyed the journey (and realize that my frustration with them is also a mark of compelling characterization). This was quite a ride, pun intended, and I'll be back for more from Dotson.

This was such a unique read. I only requested this one because I saw the little note from Layne Fargo, and was pleseantly surprised how much i enjoyed. Thanks so much for the copy!

An interesting twist on the wedding crashers theme, and not what I expected! Kayla and Zorie are best friends toiling away at their jobs as hotel maids. They make extra cash by crashing weddings and stealing cash gifts for the wedding couple. I thought this would be a fun heist romp, but it was a lot darker, and explored some heavy themes about friendship and poverty. Some of their decision making seemed pretty irrational, but believable in the sense that one bad decision often leads to another.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was definitely a fun read. If you like a fast-paced, action-packed, almost dizzying plot, and complicated characters who are sometimes hard to love but oh-so-relatable, you’ll likely really enjoy Love You to Death.

I love a good mystery. I’m pretty forgiving when it comes to character flaws. I love the adrenaline rush of a fast-paced story. I will admit that Love You to Death maybe packed a little *too* much in, and that made it feel somewhat unresolved at the end. I also tend to prefer what I have dubbed “substantive” mystery + romance books, so this one didn’t really hit the mark in terms of touching on themes and representation that went beyond a somewhat superficial plot and characters. I don’t think I’d read it again, but if you’re looking for a quick read that is really for pure enjoyment and not super substantive, Love You to Death is totally worth a read! Enjoyable? Definitely. Complex themes and acknowledgement of more substantive undercurrents? Not really.

This was a fun, face paced read. I loved this Bonnie and Clyde style friendship story, and the bizarro road trip through the South that the main characters go on. I loved spending time in seedy gas stations and motels, and one of the strengths of the books is how specifically these are rendered by the author. Does this book require some suspension of disbelief? Sure, but it was a fun ride and I was on the edge of my seating as I was reading, especially during the Confederate cos-player wedding crashing scene.

Kayla and Zorie are best friends who work together as housekeepers at a hotel. They also have a side gig - crashing weddings and stealing the gifts! But when the two black women try to crash an ante-bellum themed wedding, things go tragically wrong, and the two hit the road, trying to stay one step ahead of the police. Love You To Death is the aptly named title of this friends-on-the-run novel, but if you’re thinking Thelma & Louise, forget it. This is a dark story, peppered with witty banter between the friends, that explores a fractured relationship, what got them there, and where it’s heading. The two friends leave a trail of destruction as they traverse the Deep South, their friendship in tatters, but both unable to let go. How they navigate their codependency is the heart of this book, which flows quickly and there’s no lack of action. How the book unfolds may surprise you, as it did me, as this journey is a dangerous one. Well done! I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really loved this book more than I thought it would. The antebellum-style wedding was truly just the beginning. The characters were vibrant and likable and, while the journey was stressful, the novel kept me guessing and hooked until the end.
I really enjoyed the dynamic between Zorie and Kayla and the interspersed memories of their long storied friendship. They are a somewhat unlikely duo, but, as the title says, they love each other so much and that truly does save them at times. The novel vividly played out like a movie and I really enjoyed how many of the solutions didn't seem simple (at least to me) and they were able to resourcefully (if not chaotically) get one another out of trouble, even as the whole nation it seems searched for them.
The ending made sense, but was not my favorite, and leaned into Thema and Louise vibes. Overall, I enjoyed what the novel was trying to do, even if it didn't succeed every time.

I absolutely couldn’t put it down! I started reading it and whenever I looked up I was already at 30%! Kayla and Zorie take us all on a journey 😅 first starts with them being so broke they don’t know how they are gonna make it to the next day. Then they get the bright idea to rob one last wedding 😅 that quickly goes south and once you reach that point buckle up because the perfect way to describe this book is ADDICTING! You’ll want to keep going to find out what these two girls are gonna be up to next. And trust me, they stay BUSY!

Kayla and Zorie are wedding crashers, but they crash the wrong wedding. as the only black women there, they can't blend in. Interesting story.

This book was frustrating because I wanted to root for Kayla but she just kept making dumb decisions. It almost would’ve helped to have some flashbacks or some justification as to why she loved Zorie because from the beginning she’s not very nice and only continues to act impulsively. Without a care for their friendship, the actions just didn’t feel justified throughout.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Love You to Death, the debut novel by Christina Dotson, is a propulsive novel that takes off on the first page and doesn’t stop until the very end.

Kayla and Zorie have been friends forever, tying their lives to one another through childhood mistakes, jail time, working as maids in the hotel, and stealing gifts from other people’s weddings.

When they agree to one last job they find themselves crashing an antebellum wedding and on the run.

This is a novel about friendship, found family, codependency, and trying to outrun your past mistakes and yourself.

Love You to Death is about the friendship between Zorie and Kayla, who are two hotel housekeepers who also crash weddings in their spare time in order to steal the gifts/money. As the story progresses, you begin to see just how toxic this friendship is. Poor decision after poor decision, the two of them find themselves in some harrowing situations. After a while, i was like, come on! Somebody needs to make a better choice here! But this book definitely got me thinking about toxic relationships and how easy it can sometimes be to spiral down so low you can't see the light anymore. I can see long book group discussions coming from this novel. There's a lot to think about here. Thanks to NetGalley and Bantam Books for the ARC.