This book is definitely giving Dirty John (tv show). Actually, the book's whole concept is the whole movie concept. Reading the book gave me the same energy as watching the movie, unsettled. The main reason is because of how the MMC plays all these female characters.

I'm stuck between 3 and a 4 star.

The beginning was a bit confusing with the multiple POVs, characters and all the time jump. I was constantly trying to figure out who was talking.

I really thought the story was gonna take a turn when it was revealed what happened with Ash. I was sooooo ready for everything to go sideways. It was the perfect twist. Then it fell flat until the very end. 😑

The end? I'm a bit confused but I'm assuming the author is letting our imagination run wild as to how he survived? Because it wasn't really clear how he did it. There was also no explanation on how Nina found all his info on who he is. I did like how Ash tied everything together and made the connection at the very end.

Thank you Netgalley for the e-arc.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for this eARC of “Don’t Let Him In” by Lisa Jewell. 💙

I have loved reading Lisa Jewell’s books since I read “The House We Grew Up In” years ago- I would not say this book is one of my favorites but I did overall enjoy this book.
I think the concept was a really intriguing one: conman trying to make a life with multiple families. I found it somewhat difficult to hold on to each family and their story when I didn’t have 30 min or more to sit and read at a time. Overall I’d give this book a 3.5 rounded up (dang Goodreads) because I just really appreciate Jewell as an author. ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️(for Goodreads)

This book was good, Somewhat of a what did I just read feeling at the end. I did find the back and forth stories and the number of characters difficult to follow and confusing which is why I would rate it 4 stars. But the story did come together in the end

As a fan of Lisa Jewell's previous work, I was really looking forward to reading this, but unfortunately, it just didn't hit the mark for me. This book had too many characters and frequent time jumps. It made it tough to keep track of everyone and really get invested in their individual stories.

While I usually love Jewell's suspense and twisty plots. this one lacked the suspense and shocking twists. Honestly, it was a bit boring, and I found myself constantly waiting for something exciting to happen, only to be left waiting.

If you're a devoted Lisa Jewell fan, you might still want to give it a try, but if you're looking for a good mystery or a thrilling page turner, this one might leave you feeling a little underwhelmed.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC of this book I voluntarily read it and gave an honest review.

Started strong with a gripping mystery, but totally lost steam halfway. Too many new characters, not enough payoff. If you're a die-hard Jewell fan, you might still enjoy it—but it just wasn’t for me.

*I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review*

Lisa Jewell never fails to deliver when it comes to unreliable characters and emotional tension, and Don’t Let Him In might be one of her most layered reads yet.

Told primarily through Ash’s point of view, this one centers on her relationship with Nick—a man so smooth and charming that you find yourself begrudgingly impressed… while screaming internally. Watching him slowly unravel the lies he’s built around himself is deeply satisfying. He’s magnetic, cunning, and awful in equal measure.

Ash is a strong narrator, though her identity feels a little consumed by her veganism at times (we get it, girl). Still, her perspective is sharp, observant, and surprisingly vulnerable. The short chapters keep the pacing snappy, and even when the plot feels a bit repetitive in structure, the tension never lets up.

There’s some excellent representation here—BPD is handled with more nuance than I’ve seen in many thrillers, and I loved the gentle support shown for younger characters exploring gender identity. And Emma? Queen behavior all the way.

The final act moves quickly, delivering solid twists and the kind of resolution that doesn’t wrap everything up with a bow—but still lands hard. It’s equal parts satisfying and maddening… which, honestly, is peak Lisa Jewell.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Twisty, tense, and emotionally gripping. Don’t Let Him In dives deep into manipulation and toxic charm, showing how easy it is to get pulled into something dangerous. The short chapters kept me flying through, and the ending left me thinking. Another strong one from Lisa Jewell!

I screamed when I got this as an arc because I love lisa jewell. This was another good one, I enjoyed the storyline, and once I started I couldn't stop. This book releases later on this month, I recommend picking this one up. Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Don’t Let Him In was such a captivating book! I was hooked from the very beginning. I love all the twists and turns that Lisa Jewell writes into this story. They kept me wanting to know what happens next. Highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

Twisty and memorable! Lisa Jewell always has interesting stories. I did feel at times that it was hard to follow with so many characters and side stories, but the ending really came together well.

What is there to say about Lisa Jewell that fans, new and old, don’t already know? She’s a master at crafting these thrillers, building a world and collection of characters you can’t wait to read more about, turning page after page to get to the end and see if your guess (or two) is correct.

You’re in for the same here, “Don’t Let Him In,” her latest from a long line of psychological thrillers. While it doesn’t reach the highs of her last hit, “None of This is True,” it comes close, keeping you on the edge of your seat, though you may not be shocked where you end up.

Jewell has us follow three or so characters here, including Ash, a daughter reeling from the death of her father and left to deal with a world without him. Another issue quickly appears in her life: Her mother is dating a man with a seemingly suspicious background. The other POVs, which I won’t divulge much about (avoiding spoilers, folks!) take place in the past and concurrently, presenting storylines that are both more and less interesting.

My biggest complaint here is that Jewell has forced us to follow a narcissistic, gaslighting and cruel man — as if the world doesn’t have enough of those, with the biggest a shade of orange in a house the color of snow — for parts of the book. You have to suspend your belief here as he rains destruction in the lives of these women, thinking to yourself “you honestly don’t believe this man, do you?” Unfortunately, most of the time they do — leading to some groans and eye rolls.

Unlike the titular, “him,” you will want to let Jewell in your life (and bookcase) with her latest. I don’t think you’ll regret it. Many thanks for this fantastic thriller to Netgalley and Atria Books for this arc.

Wow what a story of an awful man! Such a cautionary tale to women everywhere. Do you really know who you are in love with?

Where to start? For me, this book was the best I’ve read by Lisa Jewell. I absolutely devoured it, couldn’t put it down, was obsessed until I read the last page.

The story winds around:
- A recent widow (Nina) and her daughter (Ash),
- NIck Radcliffe who is a friend of Nina’s deceased husband,
- and Martha who owns a florist shop and lives with second husband Al, their shared baby, and two kids from a prior marriage.

As the story progresses, more details emerge on these characters and how their lives have intertwined. It’s a shocking and dark story that will have your hand at your throat wondering what more could possibly happen? Lisa Jewell is a brilliant writer and has really knocked this one out of the park.

Thank you Atria Books and NetGalley for the ARC

There are intertwining stories in this book, involving three women who are all linked by one man: Nick and/or Alistair, depending on the woman. Nina is a widower, and meets Nick, who seems to check all the proverbial boxes - except Nina's daughter, Ash, feels that something is not right. On the other side of the coin, there is Martha, who is older but recently had a child and has married Alistair - except he continues to disappear for stretches at a time, and Martha wonders where exactly he is going.

The author did a great job of creating such a smarmy character in Nick, but also weaving a really, truly thriller plot with a need for turning the next page to find out what happens next. This is a standout book to read if you are looking for an immersive plotline that sucks you in. This book will definitely make you think twice about that person who seems to be so right in all of the ways!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Atria Books for the advanced copy of this Ebook.

Whenever I think of psychological thrillers/suspense, I always turn to Lisa Jewell and am never disappointed. And this kaleidoscopic suspense was no different. You think you know exactly where the story is going to take you, but there are always one or two surprises along the way.

Don't Let Him In is probably my favorite story that Lisa Jewell has written. This book had me captivated. I wanted to keep reading long after my bedtime and would often read until I just couldn't keep my eyes open any longer. Lisa Jewell is a masterful storyteller, and the way that she wrote this book had me thinking of the characters long after I finished reading. I found myself turning to it in my mind during the day, and discussing the main character with my husband.

I saw where this was based off of the Tinder swindler. It was a fascinating look into the head of one of those despicable scam artist. Someone that you worry about being left alone with your loved ones. With multiple points of view, this story examined all angles, and I found myself completely understanding how someone could get scammed.

But not only is this story written in such a way that you can understand the characters, Lisa Jewell rachets up the tension and suspense chapter by chapter. You can feel the suspense. My heart rate quickened. My breathing sped up. Truly, just a masterful story telling. You are not going to want to miss this one.

I didn’t particularly care for this one as other books by the author. It wasn’t bad but just didn’t do it for me. The story was good, and intriguing but also predictable.

What a WILD ride. I truly hated this man. I hated being in his head and yet it was so necessary for the story and the ending was so so satisfying.

Don't Let Him In has a very appropriate title, given the main antagonist of the book. Lisa Jewell has created one of the most detestable book characters I've read in a long time in 'Nick Radcliffe', a man whose identity is as elusive as his actual name. He glides in and out of the lives of several women in the book, including Martha, his current wife who begins to question his frequent business trips. She has no idea he is really going off the see his girlfriend Nina Swann, a recently widowed woman who enjoys his attentiveness. The tension in the book builds as the reader tries to figure out who Nick really is and how he will finally be taken down. The story keeps building right until the last page. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Lisa Jewell is an auto-buy author for me so I was so excited for her new book. The main character “Al” was incredibly frustrating in this book. Talk about an unlikeable narrator! He has multiple persona’s and multiple women that he is manipulating. He is a sleaze, a con artist and an overall bad guy. You want to strangle him by the 50% mark. I found some parts a little slow. We followed “Al” manipulating various women and moving from location to location, it got a little repetitive. I was wondering how long he was going to be able to keep up his charades and how long these women were going to put up with him. It definitely picked up by the 50% mark and became a real page turner. There are short chapters so you can really fly through this book.

If you are a Lisa Jewell fan then you should pick this up. This is a perfect fast-paced thriller that you need to read this summer!

Thank you Atria Books and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Nina has lost her husband Paddy suddenly. Shortly afterwards, she receives a kindly worded letter from Nick, a friend of Paddy’s and later a sentimental gift that once belonged to Paddy. After her daughter Ash urges her to thank Nick they become interested in each other. It’s awkward for Ash as her father has just died tragically but there’s also something about Nick that’s off. He just seems too perfect and then Ash slowly starts to find small things that just don’t add up.
In a town not far from Nina is a woman named Martha, who owns a flower shop. Martha’s life seems perfect with her succulent business, married to the love of her life, two boys and their infant daughter until Alastair starts disappearing frequently with almost no notice. Money is getting short and the debt is mounting so something has to give. When she starts looking for answers by investigating a little bit Martha realizes it’s a lot worse than she thought.
Ash has continued looking for background on Nick. With A bit of mental health issues and a past breakdown she doesn’t feel confident about approaching Nina with all her concerns. She receives help from an unexpected source from her dad’s past and starts to uncover so much. Nick is a lot more of a threat than he seems and his connections and indiscretions are almost unbelievable. Buckle up for this one.
I enjoyed this one!! Lisa Jewell is a go to for mystery thrillers. I did have a little bit of a hard time with the alternating POV but I was still very much entertained and I adapted because I needed to know what was gonna happen lol and this book was good!
Thank you NetGalley and Lisa Jewell for a chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.