I've read and enjoyed several Sarina Bowen books so I grabbed this book when I saw it. The cover wasn't only attractive, I knew the exact location of that lighthouse, having lived several years in the Portland, Maine area. I got a special kick out of knowing many of the locations in the book.

Rowan is an architect and she's got a fascinating project. She's working on renovating an historic house that has an interesting history, beautiful lines and hidden paintings on the walls. It had been transformed from the home of a wealthy family to a home for unwed mothers, and now it's being refreshed and brought back to life.

It's still in the hands of the original family and there is so much history within those walls - not all of it wholesome. Rowan had been seeing a new man and although they had been lovers, she wasn't in love with him. But when he dumped her by text, she was hurt. Within a few days, she finds him murdered on the mansion property. She comes under suspicion.

Additionally. the father of her daughter has been released from prison and she wants him to stay away from both of them. Of course, he shows up in Portland.

There are so many interesting turns and hidden secrets exposed in this story. It turns out that I did figure out who dunnit. The book was so much fun to read. I recommend it.

I have both the e-book and the audio book. The three narrators are great.

This is the first Sarina Brown novel I've read, and I loved it! I listened to most of it on a road trip, and finished within a day of coming home because the plot and narrator were so engaging! There are several characters whose POV you get, depending on the chapter, and it took me until the big spoiler at the end to realize the twist to one of them. There were a few disjointed details in the story, but overall this was a wonderful audiobook experience!

TW: SA, forced adoption, infant death, suicide

Told on multiple POV this book really kept your interest. There were a few times the pacing was a tad slow. And some of the secondary characters and plot line fell a little short. Really thought they were going down a history repeating its self. But is just sorta stopped Hmmmm. Overall a fantastic listen.

Thank you Harper Audio and NetGallery for another amazing ARC.

Sarina Bowen, a name synonymous with heartwarming romance and compelling contemporary fiction, takes a thrilling detour with Dying to Meet You, a domestic thriller that proves her versatility as a storyteller. This meticulously crafted novel plunges readers into a suburban nightmare, where a seemingly perfect life unravels with each shocking revelation. Bowen masterfully weaves a complex tapestry of secrets, paranoia, and psychological manipulation, leaving readers breathless until the very last page.

The story centers on a protagonist who, in the wake of a traumatic event, finds herself questioning everything she thought she knew about her life, her marriage, and even her own sanity. Bowen excels at building an atmosphere of creeping dread. From the subtle shifts in behavior of those closest to her, to the unsettling discoveries that chip away at her sense of security, the tension escalates with exquisite precision. The domestic setting, often a sanctuary, becomes a cage, and the familiar faces around her transform into potential threats.

One of the books greatest strengths lies in its character development. Bowen delves deep into the protagonist's psyche, allowing readers to experience her confusion, fear, and growing distrust firsthand. The supporting characters are equally well-drawn, each with their own believable motivations and hidden depths that keep the reader guessing. There are no clear-cut heroes or villains, only individuals entangled in a web of their own making, driven by desires, fears, and past mistakes. This nuanced approach adds layers of complexity to the unfolding drama, making the twists and turns all the more impactful.

Bowen's pacing is impeccable. The narrative unfolds at a deliberate yet compelling speed, revealing clues and red herrings with skillful precision. Just when the reader believes they have a grasp on the truth, Bowen introduces another layer of deception, forcing a re-evaluation of every assumption. The suspense is not merely about who did what, but about the insidious ways in which trust can be eroded and reality can be distorted. The domestic thriller genre thrives on the unsettling notion that danger can lurk in the most intimate of spaces, and Dying to Meet You exploits this concept with chilling effectiveness.

Furthermore, Bowen's prose is sharp and engaging, drawing the reader effortlessly into the protagonist's fractured world. Her descriptions are vivid without being overly descriptive, allowing the reader to fill in the unsettling details with their own imagination. The dialogue is authentic and serves to advance both plot and character, revealing personalities and hidden agendas with understated brilliance.
While fans of Bowen's romance novels might be surprised by the shift in genre, they will undoubtedly be impressed by her command of the thriller elements. She demonstrates a keen understanding of the psychological intricacies that make for a truly gripping domestic suspense novel. Dying to Meet You is a testament to her ability to craft compelling narratives regardless of genre.

Dying to Meet You is a highly recommended read for anyone who enjoys a expertly crafted domestic thriller. It is a taut, unsettling, and ultimately satisfying journey into the dark underbelly of suburban life. Sarina Bowen proves herself to be a formidable force in the thriller genre, delivering a novel that will keep you on the edge of your seat, questioning every character, and second-guessing every twist until the very last, shocking revelation. Prepare to be captivated, unnerved, and thoroughly entertained.

What drew me to Dying to Meet You was the setting. I love stories set in New England as the charm and familiarity always resonate with me. However, the plot moved slowly, and I often found my attention slipping. As a result, I didn’t feel invested in whether Rowan, the protagonist, uncovered the truth behind her ex’s death or the secrets of the historic mansion she’s helping restore.

Rowan Gallagher is a devoted single mother and a talented architect with a high-profile commission restoring an historic mansion for the most powerful family in Maine. But her romantic life is a mess. The man she was seeing just broke up with her unexpectedly and she can't stop tracking his location on her phone--a feature he shared with her and forgot to turn off. When she's that he's in the parking lot of her work after hours, she takes her dog for a walk in the hopes of "running in to him" but when she gets there she finds that he's dead. At first the police think it's a suicide, but when they finally determine it was murder, Rowan seems to be at the top of their list of suspects.

This was a fun thriller that kept me guessing. I really enjoyed the mother daughter relationship in this book. The mystery was compelling, but I was most drawn in by the romantic elements. I don’t want to give anything away but I loved watching the relationship in this book develop.

I love a full cast audiobook and this one has narrators for all three POVs: Rowan, her daughter, and another character who's importance doesn't become clear until later in the book. I really enjoyed listening to this one and would definitely recommend the audio.

4.5 stars!

This book had me on the edge of my seat from the very first page! I found myself neglecting my responsibilities because I simply couldn’t tear myself away from its gripping narrative.

Rowan Gallagher is a single mother and skilled architect working on a major project to restore a historic mansion. However, she's struggling emotionally after her breakup and finds herself obsessively monitoring her ex's activities online. Her curiosity leads her to a confrontation where she unintentionally witnesses his murder and becomes a suspect in the case. As she investigates to clear her name, she uncovers unsettling secrets about the deceased, including that he was stalking her. As Rowan delves deeper into the mystery, she risks becoming the next victim.

The main character, Rowan, is both likable and relatable—a single mom navigating the tumultuous waters of raising a teenage daughter while grappling with a complicated past. Sure, she might come off as a bit of a cliché at times, but who among us isn’t a little stockish? I mean, I keep a watchful eye on my husband, too! In today’s world, we could all use a little help keeping tabs on our loved ones.

The multiple points of view offered a deeper dive into the mother-daughter dynamic, revealing how the past has a pesky habit of resurfacing. I found myself cheering for Rowan and her ex to rekindle their romance—because who doesn’t love a good second-chance story?

The setting was a delightful bonus for me, as I’ve visited Maine countless times. The vivid descriptions painted a picture so real that I could almost smell the salt in the air. I adore books set in familiar places; they add an extra layer of authenticity that makes the story all the more immersive. This book reads like a dark mystery, and I was practically racing to uncover whodunit! The writing is exceptionally well-crafted, so much so that I couldn’t resist grabbing both the eBook and the audiobook.

If you’re in the mood for a suspenseful, atmospheric, and delightfully twisted read with a hint of a happy ending, look no further! I recommend you snag this gem as soon as the rain starts to fall, because trust me—you won’t want to put it down!

Thank you, Harper Audio and Harper Perennial, for the digital ARC copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

A gripping domestic suspense that had me hooked from the very first chapter.
It begins with a smart, complex heroine whose world unravels when she becomes the prime suspect in her ex’s murder.
Full of emotional depth, unexpected twists, buried secrets, and simmering tension, Sarina Bowen delivers a compelling, addictive read that’s impossible to put down.

This was a twisty domestic thriller/murder mystery involving an architect and single mother Rowan whose working on a historical Portland mansion that use to be run as a unwed mother maternity home in the 60s. When the guy she was dating turns up murdered Rowan gets caught up in the dark history of the house, the victim's connection to it and also has to deal with her teenage daughter and the reemergence of her ex-con ex. Layered with great history, a touch of romance and tons of drama. It was also good on audio. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

I am not new to Sarina Bowen's books. I've read a couple of her romance and her most recent thriller Five Year Lie, which I really enjoyed and recommend often. I was excited to read Dying to Meet You. It did not disappoint. It kept me reading and the character depth was on point. Only reason I did not rate this book 5 stars is that it was a little too much of a slow burn for a thriller book. Once the story picked up, it definitely kept me reading into the late hours. I look forward to recommending this book. I'm sure many others will appreciate the slow burn. I tend like that more in romance :) Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read another great book by Sarina Bowen. I look forward to reading many more by her.

Architect Rowan Gallagher is fresh off of a breakup she doesn't understand, she really thought her months-long relationship had potential. Unable to fight off the temptation, she "stalks" her ex with a locator app, finding much more than she bargained for. Instead of catching him out with a mystery woman, she finds him dead in his car. Soon amidst a murder investigation where she is being questioned by police for her unfortunate predicament, Rowan is desperate to clear her name. But as she digs more into who her ex really was, she finds out that she may have really had no idea who he was...and their chance meeting at a coffee shop may have not been chance at all.

A relatively predictable mystery that was saved with a likeable main character in Rowan Gallagher. I loved following Rowan along as she kept getting in her own way. Saddled with the stresses of being a working single mother, dealing with her daughter's father mysteriously back in town after years of estrangement, and balancing her job as she works to restore an old mansion , Rowan starts to realize the old mansion may be the root of all of the trouble she has found herself in,.

This was my second novel by Sarina Bowen, and I thought it was enjoyable. As the story progressed, it became easy to see where this was all heading, but it still kept my interest. The narrators all did a great job of the different viewpoints, including a somewhat dual timeline that took me a bit to get in to.

She is definitely a great writer, and I will recommend this one to my library patrons! Whether or not you like the ending...well, that is something that will be great for discussion! :)

Thank you to HarperAudio Adult | HarperAudio and NetGalley for the advanced digital audio copy of this book!

Nothing was truly surprising in the book, and overall, I thought it was just okay. It wasn't terrible but I wouldn't recommend it to others as a must read.

Moderately paced and balanced between what felt like a romance and a thriller, I enjoyed this one and the 3 POVs we got to see.

I wasn’t really sure what to expect but was maybe thrown a little by the “domestic thriller” tagline here. I kept thinking…so someone is getting killed by their spouse? But (that not being the case) I wonder if they meant it more like “slice of life with a thriller on the side” vibe - but make it for women.

Either way I was moderately happy with it. To be honest, I was most invested in the romance 🤣 and wanted more from the thriller aspect but oh well.

I do feel like the “twist” at the end was confusing - but maybe that was just me? Maybe I missed something along the way.

But overall I enjoyed it and could recomend to those looking for a bit of a different take on a thriller that is creepy but not all out freaky?

Notes: Language and some violence.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this gifted ALC. All opinions are my own.

This was a decent dual timeline romantic suspense novel.
The mystery was tied up nicely by the end.

The narrators did a good job moving the story along.

Thanks to Harper Audio & NetGalley for providing an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I wanted to read some Sarina Bowen since I've been ordering her romances for my library. Mystery is more my wheelhouse, so I gave it a go.

Bowen's writing is competent, and the story was enjoyable. There was some repetition and a bit of a slowdown towards the middle of the book, but overall it was solid. There were 3 perspectives given and it turned out to be a dual timeline, but I didn't realize that for many chapters. Bowen covers a lot of ground in the story, and it all wraps up (mostly) nicely at the end.

If you like a little second-chance romance mixed in with your suspense, this might work for you. The voice acting was well-done, no complaints. I didn't love this, but it was fine and I would try another book by Bowen.

It was weird reading a book where one of the main supporting characters is named after you lol. I have a pretty unusual name so this has never happened to me before.

The mystery was interesting and definitely made you want to know who done it & why.
The history of the house being updated was well thought and brought good world building into the book.
I enjoyed the “wrong place wrong time” trope and how it fit into the storyline. Her and the detective could’ve teamed up and that would be so fun.
I liked all the background characters, they each felt like individual people instead of just fluff to further the story.

It was a fun read and the main cast was likable, making it a quick read.

I also love when I can’t tell how it’s going to end or figure it out along the way. Makes the pay off much sweeter.

Talented architect, Rowan, is restoring a mansion for one of the most powerful families in Maine. However, she is spiraling because of her ex, and when Rowan witnesses his murder, she becomes a suspect. This is just the tip of the iceberg in this twisty, domestic thriller. Rowan stumbles upon long buried information that will potentially ruin this high-profile family, and some members will do anything to keep that from happening. This was a page-turner, with lots of great twists!

I liked this one just ok! I really liked her other book. Thing to Meet You fell a bit flat for me. I still liked it but I wasn’t super engaged.

Title: Dying to Meet You
Author: Sarina Bowen
Format: 🎧
Narrators: Kathleen Early, Catlin Kelly and Sarah Mollo-Christenses
Publisher: HarperAudio Adult/ Harper Audio
Genre: Domestic Psychological Thriller
Pub Date: May 13, 2025
My Rating: 4.5 Stars
Pages: 360

Rowan Gallagher is a talented architect and currently has a 2-year contract to restore the famous Wincott mansion, In Portland, Maine. Her job is very time consuming and slow in order to make sure it is restored to the beautiful place it once was.
She is a single mom, with a sixteen year-old daughter Natalelie. Rowan and Harrison Natalie’s father never married, He went to prison after a violent attack in bar and has not been in their lives.

When Rowan meets Tim who seems like a great guy at her favorite coffee shop she decides to give this relationship a chance/ However, after several dates and having feeling for Tim - he ghosts her. She is upset and confused so decides to follow him via an app and finds he is near her neighborhood. She decided taking her dog for a walk is a good rouse to check out if he is with another woman. (BTW - Her dog actually plays a key role near the end.)
When Rowan sees his car in the lot with what looks like only one in the car she approaches and finds Tim’s car door slightly open. She looks in and touches Tim’s shoulder and finds he is still warm perhaps he isn’t dead until she turns his head - and immediately retches.

I love a good audiobook and the narrator is always key so when there are multiple great narrators it was a sign of a great performance- and it was!

The characters in this story were definitely the good- bad and all were foul mouth. Plus the sex in Coralie‘s situation– was more than I wanted to read. She is a sweet young secretary who really isn’t a good secretary but willing to please her millionaire boss and he, of course, takes advantage of her.

I love the relationship between Natalie and her father. I did like Rowan but wished of all the characters that she had more of filter.

I was curious about who killed Tim. We are given bread crumbs as to why he was killed where it happened.
I liked uncovering the secrets of the mansion - which used to be a home for unwed mothers. I like hints that it was haunted and although the ghost doesn’t play a big part – we feel we know who the ghost was at the end.

For those who struggle with the slowness and me the foul language – trust me the ending is worth it!

Want to thank NetGalley and HarperAudio Adult/Harper for this early audiobook.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for Tuesday, May 13, 2025.

This was a middle of the road book for me. It was good, but already just a week after finishing, I don't really remember it. I did think about DNFing at one point but I LOVE Kathleen Early as a narrator, so I pushed through. 3 stars for me.