It took me a while to get into this book. It was just ok, I guessed most of what was going on pretty early on. It was easy to get confused with all the different POVs happening and the timeline jumping back and forth. Over all it was entertaining but not my favorite.

This was a rather fun read!!! I enjoyed it overall, the concept of this book is GOOD. I love the idea of accidentally sending your sister some local “tea” just to accidentally MASS tell the town. and now everyone’s MAD and someone’s dead.

Ya know how there’s some horror movies you just know what’s gonna happen but you live it anyways? That’s what this book felt like to me.

I had a hard time keeping characters straight at some times but overall not too bad. And it was pretty easy to figure out but that’s not a deal breaker for me personally. This was a big page turner. a BIG one. I couldn’t stop when I was able to full start.

Thank you netgalley for this opportunity!

I've been in a little bit of a slump when it came to psychological thrillers. It was just too many of the same plots out there, and too predictable. It Should Have Been You took me right out of that slump, it was thoroughly enjoyable. I couldn't put it down. Most of the chapters are short and it gripped me that I just kept reading when I should of been doing other tasks. I love the different point of view from each character and how they're all entertwined. This is my first read by Andrea Mara. I hope to read more, she'll definitely be on my watch list. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read such a great book.

This was one book that I couldn't put down. A text was accidentally sent to the whole group instead of Susan's sisters. Because of that one text, lives are changed, and secrets are brought to light.

At first, the book was a little hard to follow as you met the different characters and as the chapters jumped back and forth between the different characters. As you get into the book, it all starts to make sense. Make sure that you note the character's name as you start each new chapter.

Wow, the author did a great job of making you want to keep reading because what were you going to learn about the story and the characters

I was beyond excited to find out that this author had a new book coming out and even more excited to be able to read an ARC of it. I knew this would be a page turning type of read since her other book I’ve previously read, Someone in the attic, was so captivating that I finished it in one sitting. This book far exceeds its summary, it’s full of twists and turns, so much mystery and intrigue and the true definition of a great thriller. It was so fast paced that I literally could not stop reading even throughout the late night and early morning. There were so many multiple POVs but the author does an exceptional job of keeping the reader engaged and focused with the plot and it’s so easy to relate to all the characters. I found myself guessing at all the twists that I didn’t know the outcome until the very end. I highly recommend this thriller and will be looking forward to purchasing a physical copy on its expected release date in January 2026.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review and feedback.

As a reader whose primary genre is thriller, this book surprised me but not in a good way. I was surprised to read a book that was simultaneously boring and far-fetched. I’m all for suspension of disbelief, but the plot line here lacked cohesion and logic. The ‘twist ending’ was only something I didn’t see coming because it didn’t make any sense. It pulled from the randomest little seeds and drew them together in a way that I found very hard to believe. Things were not resolved in the end and characters just got killed off without much fanfare. I had so much trouble getting into this book and connecting with the characters. This is a thriller for people who don’t read, and that’s to say that it’s poorly written.

**Thankful to read this as an ARC from NetGalley**
A suspense thriller that is hard to put down.

Haven’t we all been the victim of sending a text to the wrong person? In this book an innocent mistake takes a very wrong turn.

Lots of layers and twists. Always wanted to keep reading to the next chapter. The characters are not super deep , but for me that makes me reading fun without having to think too much about development. I would definitely recommend this for someone wanting an easy thriller read. I look forward to reading more of her books!

This story was twisty and fun to read. Loved the many points of view and the ending was unexpected. A recommended page turner.

The author's use of backstory makes every character feel incredibly real but what truly sets this book apart is its ability to keep you guessing. The intricate plot, combined with the compelling characters, creates a truly unforgettable reading experience. It explores themes of violence and death through a series of killings. If you're looking for a book that will captivate your imagination and keep you guessing until the very end, pick up this book! It's a must-read for fans of suspense and murder mystery enthusiasts.

The suburbs can be murder!

You know what this book needs? One of those opening pages with a family tree with all the characters names. There are a lot of characters. Lovers. Kids. Sisters. Best friends. Easy to mix them up or say “wait who was this again”?

That said, this was a fun popcorn thriller. I enjoyed it. Short chapters and not a lot of character development. It was surprising and multiple “mysteries” being solved at a time. It starts with Susan sending a bitchy text to her entire subdivisions group chat instead of just her sisters. Yikes. This happens right at the beginning. It’s the kind of thing that you can easily see yourself doing.

Ooh, cringe.

But! It sets of a series of events that led to multiple dead bodies!

Fans of Caitlin Weaver and Shari LaPena, this one is for you!

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin/ Pamela Dorman books for the ARC. Book to be published January 16, 2026.

Wow. Another fantastic read of 2025! I could not put this book down. Finished it within 24 hours. I loved the multiple POVs, the different timelines (with everything happening within a 10 day period), the different stories and figuring out how all of these may be connected. A very satisfying ending as well. Two thumbs way up! This is my first Andrea Mara book and it absolutely will not be my last!

I really liked this one! The short chapters that often ended with cliffhangers made this easy to digest in large quantities; I probably could have devoured this one in a couple sittings if I had the chance! There were some great little twists along the way that I didn't see coming. Unfortunately, sometimes they tended to push the overall narrative into coincidence, but honestly, who cares when the punches just keep coming!

There was a large cast of characters - which I love - and it's handled really well. The characters aren't just dumped on the reader at the start, but brought out over the course of the novel. Thankfully, I didn't get confused or marred down by trying to figure out who was who.

This was my first Andrea Mara book, and I'm definitely going to have to start looking at her other books. I guess, just add another author to my TBR list!

I found it really hard to get into this book. I made it 20% through and had to stop, unfortunately I just couldn’t continue reading as there wasn’t anything that had hooked me or fully committed me to the storyline. I liked the premise of the book and I did like the idea of the book, but perhaps it’s just a very slowly developing story, which for me, isn’t my cup of tea.

I absolutely loved this book and was hooked from the very first page! The main character, Susan, accidentally sends a gossip filled message to her entire community that was meant just for her sisters to see. As a result, her community turns on her and bad things begin to happen to her and she receives death threats and then a murder occurs. This novel was so fast paced and it was so hard to put down! The repercussions of her seemingly innocent message were unimaginable. I don't know if my review can do this book justice. It has been a long time since I have read something like this that I could simply not put down. I am looking forward to the publication date so that I can discuss with my friends! Thank you to Viking Penguin and NetGalley for a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed It Should Have Been You and highly recommend it! One of my favorite aspects was Susan—she seemed like one of the least naive and most level-headed characters in this genre. I appreciated her honesty when she accidentally sent the text, owning up to the person it was about. Then, when a woman dies and Susan fears she was the intended recipient, she takes the brave step of going to the police. Even after receiving a threatening text, she continues to seek help, despite being told to stay hushed.

I was hooked from beginning to end. I love books that break up chapters by different perspectives and incorporate both past and present timelines, and this book did a fantastic job of doing just that. The pacing was excellent, and the multiple storylines were woven together seamlessly, making it easy to follow along.

A minor distraction was that a couple of the names used felt a bit out there, and I even looked up how to pronounce them! However, I understand that the book is set in Ireland, and perhaps those are common names there, so I can easily overlook that.

The twists and turns kept me on my toes—I guessed some, but many caught me completely off guard. The author’s ability to juggle multiple characters and storylines impressed me, and the writing was so smooth that I was fully immersed. Toward the end, as the story built to a climax, I found myself on the edge of my seat, reading faster and faster.

This was my first Andrea Mara book, and I will definitely be reading more of her work. She’s gained a new fan for sure!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[2.50 stars]

Well…if I had to describe this book in one word it would be- boring. I am starting to understand that petty suburban drama is really not my cup of tea, especially when it takes up the first 80 % of the book. I felt removed from the story for this very reason, because nothing really happened or progressed until the very end of the book.

The only thing I really liked about this book was the ending, the last ten chapters I couldn’t put down. However, the hundred chapters before that dragged without progressing the story. There was definitely a major pacing issue for me with this book. Also, am I the only one who doesn’t love super short chapters? It felt like a lot of those chapters were just fillers to make the book longer. I’m not one to rate books harshly but this one was just a really challenging book to get through.

And the writing, it reminded me of Freida McFadden’s writing- so simple and not hint of complexity at all. It could have been a popcorn thriller if it didn’t take so long to get to the thrilling part. I think the book could have been a lot shorter and it would have packed a bigger punch.

I don’t think it needs to be said that because of the overly simplistic writing and mediocre storyline, the characterization was severely lacking. I didn’t care about any of the characters mostly because they were very one dimensional.

In conclusion, I would only recommend this book for readers who really enjoy suburban drama in their thrillers, with a tiny bit of actual thrills at the very end. If that’s not you, I wouldn’t bother. I might pick up some of Andrea Mara’s other books because they seem to have better ratings but I’m not dying to.

Susan is just trying to send a mildly bitchy text about her neighbor to her sisters, but in her sleep-deprived new-mom haze she accidentally sends it to the entire neighborhood. She thinks she'll just have to deal with the embarrassment, but next thing she knows three people connected to the message turn up dead.

I did feel like the pacing was slightly off on this book. I think the multiple POVs caused it to feel like it took a long time to where the reader learns anything. I did predict some of the reveals, but a few surprised me.

Tropes:
* Multiple POVs
* Twists and Turns
* Social Media Drama
* Interconnected Murders

3 stars

Thank you so much to Andrea Mara, PENGUIN GROUP Viking Penguin | Pamela Dorman Books, and NetGalley for my ARC of It Should Have Been You.

This was my first read of Mara’s, I’m not sure if this is her debut thriller or if I live under a rock, but WOW this will not be my last. This book captivated my from possibly even Chapter 1 and I’m not sure if that has ever happened to me before. This book was twisty, captivating, and so, so dark.

We’ve all accidentally sent an embarrassing text message to the wrong person. Well, Susan sends a text message that was meant for her sister to an entire neighborhood. No big deal, people will get over it. Until people connected to Susan and that erroneously sent message are murdered.

My one trouble with this book is that there are a lot of characters, given there is an entire neighborhood of people to keep track of. Once you identify the key players it is much easier to keep the story straight without flipping back and forth.

Easily 5/5 stars!

I got a little confused with all the different characters in this book. Overall I liked it but it was hard to keep who did what to whom straight sometimes.

I loved the premise of this book but unfortunately, it fell short for me. The writing was subpar with some odd saying.