This book was one WILD and UNHINGED ride! Each twist left me surprised and shocked. I even gasped at just how insane the main character was. I finished this one in just a few days. I would happily read another book from this author. The writing style is captivating, drawing the reader into a whirlwind of unexpected events and memorable characters. It's a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers and anyone who enjoys a good, mind-bending story.

DNF - I had a hard time reading this book...I noticed I started skipping lines, then paragraphs so at that point I decided to stop reading it. I probably will check it out in audiobook since I would like to know how it ends. I got to 35% of the book.

thanks for the ARC!

For Chris, it’s love at first sight. After their grocery store meet-cute, it’s easy to get her name from a fallen Serena. A quick online search reveals Serena’s status (single mom), address, and workplace. And once he discovers she’s a Realtor, Chris schedules a house showing right away. But he isn’t pushy—he’ll wait to ask her out.

In the meantime, he’ll just watch. And listen in. He wants to learn everything about her, so he can make her happy. It’s not creepy; it’s true love.

From their first date, their relationship is perfect. But Serena’s best friend keeps getting in the way. She thinks he’s just a friend, but Chris knows better. He knows better about a lot of things. Keeping her in line is getting harder, but their love is worth the effort.

The stars aligned when Chris and Serena met in that Winn-Dixie. And they’re going to be happy together . . . even if it kills them.

Loved it. Will recommend to others

This book was one WILD and UNHINGED ride! I think going into this one not knowing much is for the best. Each twist left me surprised and shocked. I even gasped at just how insane the main character was. I finished this one in just a few days because I just had to know what was coming! I would happily read another book from this author hands down.

Thanks to NetGalley & Thomas & Mercer for the chance to read this book!!

This book HAD ME SO HOOKED from the beginning I thought i was being stalked!!! This is def some "You" Vibes by Caroline Kepnes, I even read Chris's lines in my head with Penn's voice and they matched up perfectly!! VERY fast paced VERY VERY entertaining Very chaotic and crazy some of his actions will even make you cringe like "Ooh no you just did not mess that up!" Or "Don't say that!! what are you doing!!?!" haha it was a wild ride!

All Because of You by Lissa Lovik is a chilling psychological ride that had me hooked from the first moment Chris lays eyes on Serena in a grocery store—and stays that intense through the last page. Told entirely from the POV of a truly unhinged narrator, the tension builds with every creeping thought he rationalizes as “true love.”

Chris's actions are unsettling—grabbing Serena’s name from a dropped receipt, tracking down where she works, even orchestrating a house showing just to be near her. Every step he takes feels darker than the last, and the way the story unfolds had me gripping my copy, waiting to see how far he'd go. Serena is smart and aware, and the tension between her instincts and Chris’s delusions is nerve-wracking—in a compelling way.

This isn’t your average suspense; it’s a slow-burn descent into obsession that plays on the thin line between romance and control. If you’re into psychological thrillers that crawl under your skin and don’t let go, this one’s for you.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC—I was completely absorbed, even when I wanted to look away.

"All Because of You" by Lissa Novik is a solid debut that clearly tips its hat to "You" by Caroline Kepnes, though it skips the biting dark humor that made "You" so memorable. At its core, this is the story of Chris, a man who refuses to let anything, or "anyone", stand in the way of his obsession with Serena.

I really wanted to love this book, especially after seeing so many glowing reviews. But for me, it just didn’t land the way I hoped it would. The pacing dragged in the middle, and I found myself zoning out more often than I’d like to admit. The tension that should’ve kept me flipping pages just wasn’t quite there.

One of the biggest challenges, I think, was how hard it was to read this without constantly comparing it to "You". And unfortunately, that comparison didn’t work in this book’s favor. Rather than carving out its own lane, the story felt like it was chasing You's shadow, and never quite catching up.

As for the characters? Definitely in the “unlikable” camp, and that’s usually fine by me! I often enjoy stories with morally gray or difficult characters. But in this case, they felt exaggerated to the point where I somehow ended up sympathizing with the stalker. Which….yikes. I’m guessing that wasn’t the goal, but here we are.

At the end of the day, All Because of You had a lot of potential and an intriguing premise, but it just didn’t meet the high expectations set by early praise. That said, debut novels are often stepping stones, and I’ll definitely be curious to see what Lissa Novik writes next.

𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤 Thomas & Mercer 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙜𝙞𝙛𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝘼𝙍𝘾 𝙫𝙞𝙖 #NetGalley 𝙞𝙣 𝙚𝙭𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙢𝙮 𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙤𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙤𝙣.

Wow! This book gave me the chills from the creepy vibes. This book grabbed my attention from the jump and never let me go no found myself looking over my shoulder a few times while reading it. It’s a book of obsession with stalker vibes. I was riveted. Thank you Netgalley for the arc.

A gripping and unnerving suspense novel that captures the raw truth of obsession. It was a disturbingly addictive psychological thriller that I couldn't put it down!

This thriller explodes out of the gate and never loses momentum. Every scene crackles with danger, making it impossible to look away. The plot is a labyrinth of lies and revelations, each twist more shocking than the last. The author’s pacing is flawless, blending edge-of-your-seat suspense with moments that genuinely chill you. It’s a wild, addictive ride that will keep you up way past midnight.

Wow!!! I’m still in disbelief that this is a debut thriller!!! First of all, the vibe of this book was just perfect. From the first chapter, I was absolutely hooked!!! I loved how you get to “eavesdrop” into the private conversations of the characters.. What a wild ride!! Add to your TBR today!!!

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the advanced copy!!

For me this was the kind of book that pulls you in and makes you forget the outside world around you even exist. Not even kidding, it's a good thing there wasn't some type of major catastrophe while I was reading this because I would have failed to notice... I could have been inside a burning building but would have had no clue, because I just HAD to know what happened next here.

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer via Netgalley for the ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.

I really liked this book. The main character was twisted and it kept me engaged wanting to see what he does. I liked that the book was written from his POV most books are not written from the villains POV so it was fun to be inside his mind. It was a really interesting read. Definitely check the trigger warnings and I did like the fact that the author put an abuse hotline in the author notes and talked about her own experiences.

This book is deeply unsettling—in the best possible way. All Because of You is an intense and disturbing look inside the mind of a stalker, and Lissa Lovik does an excellent job of making that perspective feel alarmingly real.

Chris isn’t just creepy—he’s convinced he's the romantic lead in a love story, and watching that delusion play out is both horrifying and fascinating. The way the story unfolds makes it easy to follow his logic, even as you’re fully aware of how wrong and dangerous it is.

The format works really well for this kind of story, giving you just enough insight into both Chris and Serena to feel the tension tighten with every chapter. I especially appreciated how well Lovik captured Chris’s voice—it’s believable, chilling, and at times even darkly funny in how far removed it is from reality.

If you like thrillers that really get into the psychology of obsession, this one’s worth picking up. It's unsettling from start to finish, and I absolutely loved it.

Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (4.5/5 stars)
All Because of You by Lissa Lovik
This debut thriller just hit the shelves, and I recommend it to anyone who loves delusional villains who think they’re the hero! Or if you need a reminder of how horribly wrong a “meet-cute” can go. And don’t listen to anyone who tells you a grocery store is a good place to meet a date. It’s not.

Meet Serena, a hardworking single mom and Realtor, who is completely unaware that Chris is lurking in the background, convinced he’s being a total gentleman by 'waiting to ask her out' while he’s basically stalking her. It’s creepy in the best way.

Chris acts like he’s the star of a Hallmark movie. He bumps into Serena at the grocery store, grabs her name off a receipt, does some light internet creeping, pops up at her job, and then buys a house for their imaginary future together—before they’ve even had coffee. You know, just the usual romantic stuff. 🤯

Part of the fun (and terror) is getting a front-row seat to Chris’s mind, which is basically a haunted house of dark delusions. He’s already decided that Serena is his soulmate. She doesn’t even know he exists or that his idea of courtship involves surveillance.

“All Because of You” is officially on my list of favorite debuts this year. I can’t wait to see what Lissa Lovik dreams up next.

Thank you to the author and Brilliance Publishing/Thomas & Mercer for providing the #giftedbook via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Stalker books can be hit or miss for me but this was one believable and just so creepy! Now, if you go into this thinking its a typical thriller (or romantic thriller) you will be disappointed. But the tension builds so well throughout you will be hooked. Chris and Serena were excellent MCs. I felt like I was watching a car crash happening in slow motion as Serena ignored every red flag and Chris talked his way out of every problem. The ending was super satisfying.

I thought this was a really interesting glimpse in the mind of an obsessed man, Chris, as he navigates his relationship with Serena. After a chance meeting, Chris will do anything to insert himself into Serena’s life and he will not take no for an answer. I read this book over the course of a day because it was super engaging and fast-paced (not to mention terrifying).

The story is told entirely from Chris’s POV and gives the reader an understanding of the way his mind works as he relentlessly pursues Serena. Oddly enough, I found myself rooting for him at some points in the story, which is actually kind of insane, so kudos to the author for somehow making that happen. The story is tense the entire way through and was hard to put down. The ending was ok- I had an idea about something that was going to happen that never materialized, which felt like a bit of a missed opportunity, but the ending overall made sense for the story.

Overall, this is a fast-paced book that gives the reader a clear view into the mind of someone who is totally obsessed. While not necessarily a unique storyline, it was tense and engaging and is worth the read. Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

“𝐘𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐲, 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫, 𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐲𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚. 𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐞𝐫, 𝐬𝐡𝐞’𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭.”

𝗣𝘂𝗯 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗲: 7/29/25

Audiobook 🎧/ ebook 📖

𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆: Chris Fox has a chance meeting with Serena in a grocery store. For him, it’s love at first sight.. but he has to convince her that she should feel the same. Told from Chris’s POV, we enter the mind of an obsessive man in pursuit of what he wants.

𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀:
🐺Stalker/ “You” vibes
👀Twisted
🐺”If I can’t have you, nobody can.”
👀 Fast paced

𝗠𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀: When I read the first chapter in this book, I was putt off by the vulgarness of the MMC, and how just creepy gross his mind was. But I stuck with it- and this was such a fantastic debut novel. I loved the original POV and the interworkings of a stalkers mind. I was sucked in and couldn’t stop reading. The male narrator (Joe Knezevich) was SUPERB and totally brought Chris’s character to life with his inflection and tone. Lovik does a fantastic job of portraying obsession and control mixing with infatuation. The ending was a bit lackluster, I was hoping for something more explosive- but that aside, this one is a must read!

𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 4.5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫


TW: stalking, vouyerism, strangulation

*Thank you @NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer, and @BrilliancePublishing (audio) for sending this audiobook and ebook for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

#AllBecauseofYou

ARC Review – ★★★★☆

All Because of You by Lissa Lovik is a chilling, obsessive slow-burn that crawls under your skin and refuses to let go. It’s a story of love gone toxic, of blurred boundaries and justified delusions—all told from the mind of a man convinced he’s simply being romantic.

When Chris meets Serena in a grocery store, he instantly knows she’s the one. A bit of online sleuthing later, and he's scheduled a house viewing with the single-mum realtor of his dreams. What follows is a terrifying descent into romantic obsession—stalking masked as affection, control disguised as care, and a disturbing spiral as Chris becomes more possessive, more entitled, and increasingly unstable. But in his mind, it’s all just love.

Told largely from Chris’s perspective, this debut is uncomfortably immersive. Lovik does a brilliant job of making his warped logic both repulsive and gripping. You know he’s dangerous, yet watching how he self-justifies every move feels terrifyingly plausible. His inner monologue is intense—infuriating and believable in the same breath. There’s some levity scattered throughout, but you never forget just how dangerous he is.

The character development is a standout. Serena, with her strength and support network, makes a compelling foil to Chris’s delusions. Rosa, her no-nonsense best friend, shines brightly—I think everyone needs a Rosa in their life. The supporting cast, including Marcus, Derek, Cole, and even the dog Sirius, felt fleshed out and added nuance to the escalating tension. I especially appreciated how the author incorporated their perspectives indirectly, balancing out Chris’s dominating narration.

The pacing is steady—not a breakneck thriller, but a carefully built psychological drama. It gave time for the dread to settle and for red flags to pile up. While I loved the concept and execution, I did feel the ending could’ve hit harder. And Chris, while fascinating, sometimes felt too one-note—his backstory had potential (especially the hints about his grandfather), but I wanted more depth to truly understand how he became this way. Also... when did this guy actually work?

Fans of You by Caroline Kepnes will likely devour this one—but with a more serious, grounded tone and a sharper lens on domestic violence and coercive control. It’s not just a thriller. It’s a reminder of how easily love can be weaponised.

Thank you to Lissa Lovik, Thomas & Mercer, and NetGalley for the ARC.

All Because of You
by Lissa Lovik
Pub Date: Jul 29 2025

I was drawn to this book first by the beautiful cover! All Because of You is a very suspenseful, dark and captivating read which I highly recommend. I can't believe this was a debut novel, author Lisa Lovik did a fantastic job. I can't wait for her next book.

Synopsis: For Chris, it’s love at first sight. After their grocery store meet-cute, it’s easy to get her name from a fallen Serena. A quick online search reveals Serena’s status (single mom), address, and workplace. And once he discovers she’s a Realtor, Chris schedules a house showing right away. But he isn’t pushy—he’ll wait to ask her out.

In the meantime, he’ll just watch. And listen in. He wants to learn everything about her, so he can make her happy. It’s not creepy; it’s true love.

Many thanks to #AllBecauseofYou #NetGalley & #Thomas&Mercer for providing me an E-ARC of this fantastic debut novel!