Problematic but interesting characters are out in full force with this one. I don't appreciate the advertising of this as a murder mystery, as it certainly isn't. And I think the description gives spoilers, as the supposedly crucial plot point about the dead date doesn't come until pretty far in the story.

This is literary fiction, with the feelings of the dysfunctional characters as a centerpiece. Edie is obsessed with her college friend, and she exhibits all the traits she despises. She finds herself exceptional because she is thoughtful but not pretty enough, but one feels that if she were prettier she wouldn't feel so strongly about her feminism. She is chaotic but relatable, and her insane behaviors somehow all make sense. The toxic relationship with her and Peter was believably pathetic.

I think the author did what she set out to here. Unfortunately, it just isn't the most engaging or uplifting story so it won't be anyone's favorite thing.

Nothing serious by Emily J. Smith is a murder mystery with a fun twist.

Edie's life is not what she thought it would be at 35. Her best friend Peter is basically the successful version of herself and she's hopelessly in love with him. When Peter and his girlfriend of 7 years break up, Edie thinks this might be her chance. Peter will realize that what he has been missing has been right in front of him the whole time.

...except Peter dives into the world of online dating and of course, is successful in that as well. He meets Anaya, a professor and writer. Even Edie can't help but like Anaya too.

Suddenly Anaya is found dead in her apartment, right after a date with Peter. Edie is consumed with figuring out what happened. Between her love for Amaya's work and a desperation to prove Peter's innocence she begins to search for clues on what really happened that night.

When the truth comes out Edie must decide where her loyalties lie.

Thank you to Emily for partnering with NetGalley. I received an advanced audiobook copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

I found the narration in this book to be excellent! I also loved the concept of this book, the only thing that knocked it down a notch for me is that it seemed to go on for a bit longer then I thought. Overall a fun read/listen.

This one surprised me! It wasn’t necessarily groundbreaking, but wow, was it relatable. Edie’s messy thoughts, her spiraling, her frustration with dating apps, and feeling stuck at 35? Felt like reading the inside of my own head at times. I liked how the book tackled the toxic optimism of modern dating and the way you can feel both invisible and obsessive when you’re constantly online.

Peter? Infuriating but realistic. I wanted to scream every time he overlooked Edie. And the twist? Kinda unhinged, but it worked. The writing had this sharp, slightly cynical tone that fit Edie’s vibe perfectly. I wouldn’t call this a thriller or a romance it’s more like a character study of a woman unraveling in a world that keeps handing her the short end of the stick. Definitely not “nothing serious.”

I just finished an enjoyable audiobook. Nothing Serious by Emily J. Smith was very entertaining. It's available now.

Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC read of this book!
DAAAAAAAMN. This book was so much more than I could have prepared myself for - I thought it was maybe a romance, but it is NOT a romance. It's lit-fic, and it was incredible.

It has left me grappling with so many hard truths and is the perfect social commentary on our society and people in society.

to me, the ending was so:
Suprising,
HURTFUL,
Necessary,
and Satisfying!

I haven't read a 5 star book that was this good in a while! -

good might be the wrong word because the subjects are serious and have very hard answers that are highly uncomfortable to talk about or come to terms with for so many.
But it was riveting, UN-PUT-DOWN-ABLE. I finished it in 1 day.
the story was well told. the writing was smooth and conclusions flowed very well!

for women, we want to protect the people we know and love. we want to shield them from bad things happening to them. But what if it is possible, that doing so means that those good men just keep unintentionally hurting women- emotionally, physically.

And sometimes it's minor inconveniences. But sometimes, their selfishness is seen in much bigger ways. Like death. And it's up in the air whether it was directly / indirectly due to that man's careless, selfish, unconsciously problematic interactions with said person.

The good guys in society get to think of themselves as good because they are not actively trying to hurt women. But many times, good men are careless, and hurtful in many ways, and can lead to many very big problems for women that we have to deal with forever. Leaves little tiny tramas in our lives when its not something a man will ever think about again most of the time.

And they say 'its not my fault" because they arent malicious in their intentions. They are just selfish. and careless. And it doesnt matter what their intentions are when they hurt the woman regardless.

Even if the men we know, haven't been bad to us personally, it doesn't mean they aren't bad to others and hurt others. Because most men do not care about women as much as they should. It's a hard truth.

I believe the main character made the right choice in the end. The book is so full of nuance. Everyone should read it!

After being drawn in by the premise of The Library of Lost Dollhouses, I was ready for a haunting, atmospheric read—and for the most part, Elise Hooper delivered. The novel blends historical fiction and quiet mystery, with dual timelines that explore forgotten women, memory, and the spaces we leave behind. It’s a story steeped in secrets, and while not everything worked for me, the overall reading experience was genuinely immersive.

The book opens in a small-town library, where Tildy Barrows stumbles across a hidden door that leads to something utterly unexpected: a room full of old, intricately detailed dollhouses. These aren’t just charming miniatures—they’re emotionally loaded spaces, each telling its own story. As Tildy digs deeper, she becomes increasingly consumed with uncovering the identity of the creator, known only by the initials C.H.

From there, the narrative shifts between Tildy’s perspective and the past, where we meet Cora Hale—the mysterious artist behind the dollhouses. I found the dual POV structure to be one of the book’s biggest strengths. The transitions between timelines are smooth, and the way the stories echo and inform each other adds real emotional depth. Cora’s chapters, in particular, felt layered and deeply felt. Her creativity, her quiet rebellion, and the love and loss she weaves into each miniature home made her arc the standout.

What really kept me turning pages was the mystery itself. The dollhouses are filled with coded messages and visual clues that feel like breadcrumbs leading toward something bigger. There’s a dreamlike quality to the way Hooper describes them—each room a silent witness to a life once lived. I found myself wishing I could see them in real life, just to study all the tiny, meaningful details.

But while Cora’s story is resonant and compelling, the present-day plot didn’t always feel as grounded. Spoiler warning here: The romance between Tildy and Ben felt more like a distraction than a meaningful part of her arc. Unlike the carefully developed relationships in Cora’s chapters, Tildy’s connection with Ben came off as superficial, and I kept wondering why it was included at all. The emotional weight of the novel was already strong—Tildy’s journey of self-discovery and her connection to Cora could have stood on their own without needing a romantic subplot.

That said, the book has some truly lovely moments. There’s a quiet reverence throughout for the idea of art as memory, and for the ways we try to preserve stories when they risk being forgotten. Lines like “Some houses hold more than just furniture—they hold people’s ghosts” struck a chord, hinting at the emotional history tucked behind wallpaper and wood.

By the end, I found myself more invested in the past than the present—but even so, the novel left me with that particular ache I associate with stories about things lost, preserved, and half-remembered. It’s not a perfect book, but it’s one that lingers in the mind.

Ultimately, The Library of Lost Dollhouses is a quiet, melancholy mystery that shines brightest when it leans into its historical heart. If you’re drawn to dual timelines, atmospheric settings, and the idea of memory encoded in objects, this one might just be for you.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this audio ARC.

I think I’m just not a literary fiction fan…

I do have to say though, that this story did grow on me a little. I am conflicted on how to rate it.

The growth that Edie went through was huge. All of the growth was centred around realizing that her best friend was not who she once thought he was. To the reader, I think it is obvious that Peter should not be on the pedestal that Edie has placed him on. Thankfully, she slowly, but surely, comes to this realization as well as she continues to find out more information about him.

The latter half of the book is where things really got interesting. When she started to question Peter and his involvement in that night, the book picked up.

Peter is an entitled, little man child who is manipulative and privileged. Edie is an insecure woman who has unintentionally worshipped Peter since the moment he did one thing that was not terrible. It should not have to take another friend to tell you that he is actually a terrible person, and hey, this is my proof, for you to see the red flags!

This book deals with very serious issues that I wasn’t entirely aware of. Thankfully it wasn’t an issue for me, but it might be for someone else. I do not recommend going into this blind!

CW/TW:
- Eating disorder
- Alcoholism
- Domestic abuse
- Sexual abuse
- Violence
- Drug addiction

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook.
Unfortunately, this book was not for me, I listened to just over 50% of the book but did not finish.
The characters are deeply unlikeable and made it difficult for me to enjoy/ entertain their thoughts and perspective.
Edie the main character is deeply insecure, and projects her insecurities onto every person she comes across.
She faces very real issues and struggles - a woman in tech, finding viable dating options in your 30s and the pains of online dating, fertility and a woman's "body clock", disordered eating and body image issues, ailing/ neglected and alcoholic parents, depression (although somewhat in denial of this). However, she has a victim mentality and an inability to actually address and work to resolve her problems in a healthy manner.
Her "love interest", her college "best friend" Peter who is essentially a person of interest in the death of a woman he was dating is an entitled and manipulative ass hole who she has put on a pedestal.
Her attachment to Peter is only fathomable due to her deep insecurity and some sort of trauma-bond / hero worship scenario that has arisen because he intervened during an assault from an abusive ex 10 years ago while they were in college. He seems to have capitalized on this single moment of moral behaviour as he has not developed a single redeeming quality or done one good thing since.
Edie and Peter have a very unhealthy co-dependency, she believes he is the only person who knows her, and I imagine he enjoys having someone who is enamoured with him and available at his whim.
Edie has an obsessive and somewhat addictive personality and latches onto this girl who has died from an overdose after spending the evening with Peter. Despite suspecting Peter of somehow being involved, inserting herself into the investigation and believing she had some incredible bond with this girl who didn't deserve to die, she is still in love with Peter and desperate for his attention and love.
Edie desperately needs to ditch Peter, actually listen to her one other friend Alex's rational thinking and go to some intensive therapy.
While I am somewhat interested to know whether Peter is actually implicated, I cannot bother to listen to another several hours of Edie's misplaced idolization and delusion.

The way I couldn’t stand a single character in this book….

Everyone was annoying and rich and privileged and it showed. But enjoyed the ride nonetheless.

(Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the audio ARC in exchange for my honest review.)

This book has several trigger warnings and wow she included all of the major ones. This story was more about the characters and their traumas from the past they live with more so than an actual story of how they all interact. Edie and Peter have been the best of friends and know each other better than anyone else. When Edie's life takes a turn Peter, who has plenty of money, decides he should help Edie out. What could go wrong? A murder, that's what. How well do we know those closest to us? Thanks to NetGAlley for the ARC I thought this was a good story line despite all of the triggers. If you're a sensitive reader, you may want to skip this one.

I really enjoyed this one more than I expected. It was really good and I went in blind to it, which I recommend.

I came to reading this blindly. I saw the cover art and thought I'd give it a chance. To my surprise, it was a mystery novel with a mix of toxic friendships. The main character is fighting to believe her billionaire friend wasn't involved in murder. She goes through understanding what their relationship really is and how her infatuation and attraction to him created a toxic dynamic. I liked how she stuck with her gut about her friend. I figured out he was not as nice as he claimed pretty quickly, and the story was really about her realization that their relationship was fraudulent. Sher took way too long for my liking, but in the real world, it sometimes takes that long to really see a person.

I just finished Nothing Serious by Emily J. Smith and here are my thoughts.

Edie is stuck in a rut. In love with her best friend Peter and in a job she doesn’t much care for. When Peter breaks up with his girlfriend, Edie finally feels like they could be more than friends but Peter has other ideas… He starts dating on dating apps. One woman really stands out and Edie finds herself drawn to the woman too until she winds up dead from a drug overdose right after a date with Peter. Unable to let it go, Edie starts her own investigation into what happened that night.

Edie is a stage 5 clinger on everyone she tries to get close to and a stranger danger stalker. I know that's not what we are meant to get from this book but Peter and Edie… they might not 100% be the same but they are both dululu in their own ways. They are well suited really but Peter is a grade A level buttwipe.

I found the story quite fascinating though. I wasn’t really rooting for anyone and I normally need the connection but I kinda like watching this trainwreck play out.

The narration was really well done and I think I liked it more as an audio than I would have had I read it. I always read the reviews after I have read the book and I was quite surprised that people didn’t love it. I thought it was a rather clever way of highlighting the toxic culture of online dating and the tech world we all find ourselves in on a day to day basis.

Yes Edie was obsessive to the point of almost breaking the law but I found the book rather compelling. It was different from my normal reads and I like that it shook me up.

I would need a novella to list all the triggers so maybe check those out before you dive in.

4 stars

Very original and very entertaining. Does have some dark humor and I always enjoy that personally.

Thanks to @netgalley and @harperaudio ( I never thought to tag them before haha) for my gifted ALC

This was an entertaining read, but Edie’s obsession with Peter made her feel like an unreliable narrator. Because of her fixation on him, it was hard to enjoy her journey or root for her growth. I enjoyed her friendship with Alex, but it was frustrating that it took Alex’s painful revelation for Edie to finally see Peter's true character.

Thanks to HarperAudio for the audio!

In some ways, I’m surprised by how polarized the reviews for this book were — in others, after reading the book, I’m not at all. These characters are complicated and do lots of unpleasant and uncomfortable things in the course of deluding themselves. But I thought this was a brilliant, if imperfect, interrogation of tech culture and life as a millennial in a big city. Would love to discuss with any friends who pick this up.

Nothing Serious is a very serious book. It deals with obsession, calloussness, murder and abuse.
This book made me uncomfortable and both Eddie and Philip were a little crazy.

I could not get into this book at all.

Nothing Serious exemplifies the power of narcissism through Edie’s story, a cautionary tale about losing oneself and idolizing others. Throughout Edie’s spiral into obsessiveness with her best friend and wealthy tech investor Peter, we watch as she recognizes and then chooses to ignore every opportunity to course correct in favor of digging in.

Edie’s journey for truth(or more accurately, a truth she is willing to accept) is explored through the death of new friend and twin flame Anaya, who died of a drug overdose under questionable circumstances that all seem to lead back to Peter.

As Edie chases a connection to the missed opportunity of knowing Anaya, and clings to the Peter she once knew, it is difficult to watch how much of herself she compromises and gives away. From her family, to her career, and even her own agency, Edie is on shaky ground through the entire story in a way that echoes a feeling for many readers of her age.

This is a worthwhile and painful read, even if it pushes the boundaries of what any reasonable person would actually do or say.

I found this book to be a nice change. The main character was a bit of a hot mess. All of these characters were varying degrees of unlikable but not in a way that made me want to put the book down - more in a way that they are clearly imperfect and make questionable decisions. This book touches on some women issues specifically getting older and feeling the pressure to get it together that I think will resonate with a lot of readers.

I really enjoyed this audio. I did an immersive read along with the book. It was much more enjoyable that way. This was like a dark comedy. The cover and synopsis really drew me to wanting to read & listen to this.

Oh boy, I am NOT in good company for this one. It wasn't that bad, guys, it's fiction! Live in the fiction! Dare I say... it's not that serious.

Thank you to Netgalley, Emily J. Smith, William Morrow and HarperCollins for the ALC of the audiobook!

Nothing Serious: A Novel by Emily J. Smith

"That man will be the end of you."

You got that right, sis. ick, I hate when men... ESPECIALLY when said men (man) may or may not have led to the death of a completely awesome woman (allegedly) who just so happened to give him a chance (she should've ran when she had the chance)
I'm not really understanding the ick, because it seems like the critics have never been so in love with a friend of theirs, regardless of the level of toxicity present being a claim for a hazmat situation. If you haven't, then godspeed friend, because you've just so happened to dodge one of the greatest bullets know the [wo]man.

"... But the way you've experienced the world, and the way he has, is entirely different. I know you want to believe you're made from the same cloth, or something. But you are not the same."

Yeah, yeah, Edie is a little annoying, but when are we not? In my humble opinion, everyone is annoying and sometimes we, personally, happen to be ground zero for the annoyance. Yes, she may be a little off the deep end, but its not anything that a little (a lot) of psychotherapy can't help! Once again, I must state that it is a work of fiction, so go and live in a little. (This bears repeating)

"... but it was always hard for her to distinguish between wanting to sleep with a woman or wanting to be her. Having never tried the former, she assumed her desire was simply envy or admiration. Edie had never thought she was gay, but never really allowed herself to consider it."

"I feel a little more dead inside after each date."
"Maybe she would always love him, but she hated him, too."

*sigh* same girl, same.



What I walked away with:
- The best character in this story Alex, because everyone needs a best friend who keeps it absolutely real with you. (Bonus points for the lesbian inclusivity)
- Edie only becomes more likable when she explores her sexual identity more (because F. ALL. MEN. especially Peter)
- Loved the not-so-subtle sh*tting on San Francisco
- Not everything in this life is what it seems, or goes to plan, and that's okay.
- If murder (alleged or not) doesn't kill your attraction, you need to see a therapist.
- *schedule therapy appointment*


My favorite note:
"But if Peter had really looked her in the eyes that first night, and hidden so much from her, what else was he capable of hiding?"

DING, DING, DING. Thank god.