OK it's four stars for a variety of reasons--

Things I liked:
-short chapters
-alternating POVs
-lots of characters
-solid twists
-the descriptions of settings
-that *something* that kept me reading and staying up later than normal to read

Things I didn't really like much:
-repetitive situations
-depictions of women who were strong until they weren't
-lack of tracking technology until close to the end
-some predictable twists
-a few super duh! moments

This book sucked me in very quickly, but it got very frustrating about halfway through it. The ending was solid,but it just felt like it took a little too long to get there.

Lisa Jewell is a fanfav author and I was looking forward to this story. “Don’t Let Him In” fell short for me. This book had a lot of promise but way too many characters and too much time jumping for my liking. I tend to shy away from time jumps and this one proved my decision. This was a slow burn, may POV, and missing something in my opinion. It did start off strong in the beginning getting my attention but lost my attention that I had to put it away and come back to finish. This one just wasn’t for me.

Twisty twisty twisty and then when you think it’s done - nope - more! So good I really enjoyed this book. I’m a Lisa Jewell fan and I love the writing style of this book. I enjoy the back and forth characters as well as glimpses in the past. I didn’t figure out the ending to this one - which to mean says it was a good thriller!

I really wanted to like this one since I loved Jewell’s last book, but unfortunately, it just didn’t do it for me. The idea had a lot of promise, but the story ended up feeling really repetitive. Basically, the plot goes something like this: guy meets woman, marries her, gets bored, cons her out of money, finds someone new, and repeats. Over and over. There’s not much suspense because most of the twists and lies are revealed right away, or they are guessable. 

There are a lot of characters, different POVs, and timeline jumps. I was able to keep up, but I can definitely see how it could get confusing. As for the characters… I found them super frustrating. Your husband keeps disappearing for days and his phone is always off—how is that not a huge red flag?! But somehow, these women keep falling for his lies. Still, it was kind of wild to see how Nick managed to juggle all his different “lives.”

Overall, this one was just okay. Not terrible, but I wouldn’t call it a thriller. I liked how everything came together in the end, but it took way too long to get there. 

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the eARC! All opinions are my own. This one comes out June 24, 2025.

Read if you’re into:
🔥 Slow burns
👓 Multiple POVs
👨 A guy living way too many lives
💰 Women getting scammed

I can always count on Lisa Jewell's books to pull me in and keep me reading through all the twists and turns. Several women are conned by a despicable yet charming man. He can really put a spell on them, and manages to gaslight and deceive them out of money and confidence. I found myself virtually cheering them on as they put together the puzzle pieces of the con and coming together to defeat him. This story felt real to me, and I know there are many tragic times this has happened in reality. This book was addictive, tense, and oh so fun!

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.