omg omg omg this was a total 180° from the last book that Gloria released and she still served, ate and left no crumbs, lol. the range is INSANE.

full rtc

This is my first time reading Gloria Chao and I had a great time. I love a cozy mystery and this one was surprisingly funny and touching. I also love a friendship book! Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and Net Galley for this ARC!

This was an interesting story about 3 women who find out they are dating the same man and plan to get revenge by pranking him, only to find him dead.
This had the potential to be really good, but ultimately fell a bit flat for me. Though the ending was surprising and made me gasp out loud, it dragged quite a bit in the middle. I know the premise itself is unrealistic, but there were too many wacky unbelievable things happening. It also just wasn’t as funny as I expected/it was trying to be, it was quite cringe sometimes, though the friendship between the girls was really sweet.
There was also a podcast section that again I think was supposed to be funny (and I could see how it would be to some people) but I found really annoying.
Having said all that I’m glad I read it because of the interesting premise. If you like cozy mysteries, this is a good book to read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me a copy of this book to review.

This was a fun mystery novel, and I enjoyed it a lot. I am looking forward to reading more by this author.

Great fun, lighthearted, funny, and raw. Female friendships at their best. Didn’t see the twist coming, but knew exactly why it worked when it was revealed. Good summer beach read as it can’t be read in one sitting or chapters over a long week.

This book was a cute and quick read mainly about finding valuable female friendship as an adult. I also appreciated how the Asian parent-daughter relationship dynamic was portrayed. As for the mystery aspect, I guessed who the killer was early on, but I still enjoyed the rest of the book. The book is fairly predictable. However, the humor, the relatability of the characters, and the friendships kept me reading. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC.

3.5 stars

I love that Gloria Chao's writing is not limited to a single audience or genre. Chao has some fantastic YA, great general romance, and now even a cozy mystery series.

Tucker, whose first name rhymes with another word that he's likely often called if his interactions are anything to judge by, is pretty awful. One key indicator? He has three partners, none of whom know about each other let alone have consented to the arrangement. He is lucky to end up dead because with his behavior, that was probably coming for him anyway. Also, what readers KNOW was in store for him in life, had he continued on, was definitely going to be unpleasant to say the least.

The setup for this cozy and the relationships between the central women make this book a lot of fun to read. Some of their antics, which make them seem like they have the imaginative revenge powers of a literal two-year-old, made this a little more challenging at times. Are these smart women really stooping to...this? Ugh.

As has been the case for me with all books I've encountered from this author, I found this engaging and varied from its predecessors, though, as noted, I also experienced some challenges with the details. I'll look forward to continuing to read more from Gloria Chao!

The blurb called this a LOL murder mystery filled with humor and shenanigans and the first few chapters delivered. But once the body was discovered the writing went off the rails. There were still places of humor, especially the sections with Kathryn’s mother, but for the most part the humor did not carry the story through as it does in “Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers,” for example. Instead the writer relied on dropping the F-bomb consistently in every and all circumstances she could think of. Still the mystery did keep me engaged enough that I stayed up late into the night reading. I give it an A for the mystery, but an F for writing style. I will never understand why authors disrespect their readers so much they consistently fill the pages with the F-bomb – especially when it is no more than an unnecessary filler word. 3 stars. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If you’re a fan of the movie 9 to 5 or the Finlay Donovan book series, be sure to add The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club to your shelf. Three women, all thoroughly jaded by the same man, bond over their shared experience and quickly become close friends. But when that man turns up dead, they’re determined to get to the bottom of it, especially since they’re the most obvious suspects (and they swear they didn’t do it!). This story had several laugh out loud moments, and I had a great time reading it. I was especially impressed by how Chao wrapped everything up in the end. I can easily see this novel becoming a fan favorite among readers of all backgrounds when it is published this summer!

Unfortunately, this didn't manage to hold my attention like I thought it would! I enjoyed the setup and the girls' developing friendship, but found the actual mystery to be kind of boring and not very compelling. I'm a big fan of Gloria Chao's YA books, so this was a bit of a bummer.

Oh my gosh this was so darn good! Perfect for fans of cozy mystery and John Tucker Must Die.

I loved these girls. They each had their own personalities and added so much to the story. Seeing them become friends was a real treat. I also liked they they banded together rather than turning on each other once they discovered Tucker's deception (and later dead body). Their friendship is the beating heart of this story.

The plot was a lot of fun and had plenty of mystery. I couldn't put this down.

Plus this was hilarious! I was not expecting this to be as funny as it was but my goodness I was wiping away the tears from laughing so hard.

A true masterpiece in cozy mystery! Highly recommend!

If you're looking for plausibility this isn't the book for you. If you are looking for a wildly entertaining and often times hilarious book with some Asian culture sprinkled in, then this is for you! There is also a fun and unexpected twist at the end. This one has Finlay Donovan vibes. The relationship between Kat and her mom cracked me up. My husband is Asian and I could relate to this so much. Needless to say, I highly enjoyed this book and it's no doubt 5 stars for me!

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing | MIRA for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

So thankful to have received an ARC from Harlequin Trade Publishing!

Four Stars for a silly goofy, popcorn eatin', girl's girl time. This is the cutest book! (Can a murder mystery that describes the corpse multiple times be cute? YES!). I was instantly hooked and found all characters genuinely endearing and quirky without being "not like other girls". The writing is really easy to digest without being overly-simplified. The twist actually got me! I probably should have seen it coming, but I did not and I think it was because I was just along for the ride and having the best time. It's not 5-stars because it's not quite my perfect/elite book, but it's pretty dang close!

My only regret is that I did not have a beach trip to read it on.

A laugh out loud funny mystery. Hilarious and well written with a focus on such a fun friend group. This is a great lighthearted read for readers who love unlikely found families and hilarious slightly out there mysteries.

This was okay, the murder mystery unfortunately didn’t keep me interested. I can’t pinpoint what exactly, but I was just kind of bored and rushing through this. I think the best part was the friendship between the three girls and how they encouraged and uplifted each other.

I don’t want to spoil it, but oh my god the final twist to reveal the murderer!!

The beginning premise of the story is aligned with a similar vibe to “John Tucker Must Die.” Here, Tucker Jones is dating three different girls who all learn about their betrayals within a week long period which culminates with Tucker being murdered.

Kat, Olivia, and Elle make up the heart, brains, and guts of the revenge operation which rapidly transforms into true crime investigation to figure out who actually murdered Tucker. The girls create the “Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club” that not only reflects their frustrations in the moment but also creates a beautiful friendship. When together the three truly reflect the power and strength in girlhood.

At the same time, Kat as our lead protagonist has her own personal transformation as she begins to pursue a romance with the lead detective on the case, figures out how to realign her career with her passion for chemistry, and works on her strained relationship with her immigrant parents. It’s a great coming of age story with a bit of mystery, romance, and friendship to tie it all together.

A hilarious murder mystery. never thought I'd write those words in the same review, but this book was seriously so witty and funny and a great whodunit mystery! Loved the STEM jokes peppered throughout too! A very smart and funny book!

Chao masterfully balances humor with heartfelt moments, crafting a story that celebrates female friendship and resilience. The trio's dynamic is both hilarious and touching, making their journey as endearing as it is suspenseful. It is a laugh-out-loud, twisty romp that blends the chaos of John Tucker Must Die with the sharp wit of Finlay Donovan Is Killing It. Loved it!

Highlights:
Unlikely alliances and ride-or-die friendships.
A murder mystery filled with comedic twists.
Empowered female leads taking charge.
A satirical take on modern dating mishaps.

I wanted to love this book more than I did because the premise was so interesting. John Tucker Must Die was one of my favorite movies so I did jump into this book expecting more. It just felt overly wordy and like it was trying hard to be relatable. The concept itself is super common and engaging but I felt like there didn’t need to be an explanation for everything that was happening. I would try this author again but I don’t think this book was a hit for me.

Thankful to have received an ARC for this book. This book was a hilarious mystery that was also about friendship and self discovery. This book was so ridiculous but in the best way. I loved the three friends and almost wish we could have read their pov too at times!