This book is so hard for me to rate. I got this book as an ARC after seeing that it was a book of the month pick. I was so excited and intrigued that it was a murder mystery that delt with a swinger society. But then one of my friends told me that there are no quotation marks in the book. I started to read the first few pages, and I couldn't do the format of this book. Therefore, if I was reading this book, it would've been a 1 star because I would've DNF'ed this one.

But I was given the idea to audio it and found that I could pick it as a listen now on NetGalley. Which I got super excited for and dove right into it. The narrator did a good job changing her voice to emphasize the different people talking. This is the only reason why this rating is a 2 star instead of a 1 because the narrator was good at getting me through this book.

Should I have DNF'ed this book or not have even picked it up- absolutely I was given the ick when a male part was called a yogurt cannon. Like EWWWWWWW. I really hate to give bad reviews, but this was not it at all.
A. There were no quotation Marks- my bad for not seeing that or know that was part of the format.
B. The murder mystery didn't happen until 70% into the book.
C. Yogurt cannon.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC and ALC in Exchange for my honest review

I received this audiobook arc from @netgalley!

Basically you have bored rich people, lots of sex, cheating, drugs and betrayal. Some of my favorite books when I was younger were written by James Frey so I figured this couldn't do me wrong. The first 20% book I had no clue what the heck was going on. I was getting information on four couples talking about a party. All the characters were horrible. Honestly only three people were kind of likeable. All the marriages were pretty awful. You had cheaters, liars, drugs, tax fraud and just crappy individuals. About 35% you find out what kind of party. About 73% in their is a murder. Did I enjoy this, actually kind of which surprised the hell out of me. Once the party was done and over things started picking up a bit and the murder is what I enjoyed. Well the who did it. I'm surprised by the person that was murdered, I figured it would be another person which was the worst one for me. I liked how this came together and what some of the people got.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC audiobook.

3-4 stars (wish there was half a star but in this case I rounded up)

I think narrator Gina Gerson really made the difference....she was great. I'm not sure if I'd read the actual book that I'd have given it as many stars.

This book is juicy and portrays rich people getting their kicks at a spicy party in their affluent CT town. What happens after is an unraveling of several relationships and even a murder. And I was here for it! Rich people behaving badly is one of my favorite tropes.

As an aside, some of the chapters (maybe 2 or 3) wouldn't actually play which was weird. But I don't feel like I missed out on too much.

This book was not for me. It was a lot of just people married to each other but hooking up with other people, which fine you do you, but there was no story for the majority of the book. I don't think the writing was that great in this one... Also, it bothered me a LOT as a Fairfield County resident that the author made up New Bethlehem but then used and described all the towns and cities around it and real places. Just say New Canaan at that point I don't understand.

Also, this is not a fault of the author, but the audio book was kind of a hot mess. There were multiple chapters that didn't play (yet I didn't feel like I was missing out even though it was a solid 5 chapters... that should tell you something) and then after the closing credits it went backwards and I don't know if it started over but it continued with the story? Just very jumbled.

Over all this was a big miss for me, but thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

** spoiler alert ** I received an ARC of this audio book from Net galley and was super excited about it at first but I think I had my hopes too high because it was not what I was expecting. I think the idea of the book was fun but the writing itself could have been more engaging. I found myself liking some of the characters but I think it did not actually provide a lot of information on the characters enough for me to make personal connections to them.. and the whole swingers thing barely even happened, it was more of a glimpse over it when I would have thought that was one of the main plots of the book. There just was not enough time on the swinger party when that clearly played a major role in other events that happened in this book. Additionally, the mystery was not suspenseful or engaging enough to keep me interested in that part of the story."

I have always thought that James Frey's "A Million Little Pieces" would have been received entirely differently if it was marketed as the fiction it truly is, and I was willing to accept that mistakes are sometimes made and everyone deserves another chance. This is my first time picking up his books since then, but unfortunately, "Next to Heaven" failed to deliver for me.

This is ultimately a story of the ultra-rich behaving badly, and I'll freely admit that it's always hard for me to appreciate that niche. That, coupled with an aggressive writing style, unlikable characters, and a questionable attitude towards women that seemed to be lurking in the background, and I just couldn't connect to this book. If you enjoy the comeuppance of rich people who have misbehaved, and plot twists with an edge of vulgarity, however, this may just be the perfect book for you — your mileage may vary.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster, NetGalley, and James Frey for an advance copy of this book for review. The audiobook production and narration was well done, and the cover art is certainly eye catching! 2.5 stars.

This is currently leading my worst book I’ve read in 2025 list. I listened to the audiobook and I will admit the narrator did a good job trying to bring life to the story. I thought this book was poorly written. It was full of repetition and not just through the story but literally in a row were repetitive words and sentences. There was an abundance of information that was not necessary for the story and added nothing., For instance I do not need to go back to the 1700’s to understand the setting for the story is an elite town for rich people. This book read like a teenager’s wet dream and the characters acted ridiculously. None of the characters had any depth and most of them were pretty deplorable. Frequently something would catch me off guard and make me wonder if I was missing a joke. As an example I didn’t imagine a socialite would be offended since “no one talked to her like that in her life” when she was called “Miss. Fancy Pants.” And then she was turned on despite being furious at the man for talking to her like that. All of that was ridiculous and the book was full of those moments. I do think there was a glitch and I missed a few chapters near the end, but I honestly didn’t care and it didn’t impact my review. I hadn’t heard of this author and I am wondering if his belief that AI helps his writing is why I found this to be so awkward and unnatural. If it’s accurate he used it, this should be the poster child for authors avoiding using AI. I will be passing on future books by this author.

4.5 stars. I always round up tho. So ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️!

I immersive read this book 📖 🎧 ebook and audiobook.

I really loved the narrators voice, she was captivating, soothing and so fun. She really brought so much life to this, I definitely recommend listening to this one. (Gina Gershon)

Thank you NetGalley and Authors Equity and S&S audio for the opportunity to read/listen to this book before release date. (Publish Date: June 17, 2025)

Make yourself a pitcher of sangria, grab a glass and start reading. This book is everything you’ve been waiting to gossip about. Prepare your girlfriends and your husbands for the gab sessions to come. You will have sooo much to chat about. I know, because I poured myself the drink and dialled all the numbers and talked and talked and talked about this book to everyone on my contact list.

This was slow to start… but then it quickly turned.. interesting? *sips drink* The party idea, the party planning really picked up the pace of this book. Fun. Then a whole lot of what the f*ck, what the f*ck, what the f*ck!!!

This was very much Desperate Housewives (or Bored Housewives of New Bethlehem) meets Wolf on Wall Street.

At first I wasn’t into the writing but it really grew on me as I went along. It was very repetitive and simple at first but didn’t take away from the story, it almost added to it.

Katy’s story, her early years, reminded me so much of Matilda. An instant favourite character. I loved following along with her, even if things went dark.

I also loved Teddy and Grace so much. They were cuties.

This whole book I felt like I was being a nosey Susan peeking through the blinds, watching the neighbours, listening to them, learning about them. I was invested in all their lives.

This whole experience made me feel like a gossipy woman! Every time I read some I’d end up calling my girlfriends and filling them in on all the juicy details! I had way too much fun reading this. It would make such a great book club choice.

And my final tidbit of advice:
Be smart. Don’t drink the drink. 🍷

#NextToHeaven #NetGalley

This book was absolutely WILD. What originally started as one genre QUICKLY switched with the plot change. I was GLUED to this book and couldn't stop listening. The narrator did an amazing job and I want to read more by this author.

This book was exhausting. 45% in and there's 50+ different rhyming names which is throwing me off as theres no consistency. The plot doesnt seem to be there. To add insult to the already insulting story, every "chapter" is nothing more then just descriptive sex scenes and lots of foul language. There's a lot of repetition which may be why the story was way longer then need be. With that said I wanted to DNF it but felt I'd give it a chance since I was already half way done. The story did finally pick up and get interesting. The twist that finally arrived was really good. The ending turned out to be the best part of the story for me.

Thank you Netgalley and Simon & Schuster Audio for the ARC. This review is that of my own opinions.

A Bold, Daring Masterpiece – Frey at His Best

“Next to Heaven” is a breathtaking literary experience that defies convention and expectation. James Frey delivers a novel that is at once lyrical, provocative, and deeply human. With his signature blend of raw emotion and experimental structure, Frey plunges readers into a philosophical exploration of life, death, and everything in between.

The prose is hypnotic—almost poetic—layered with repetition and rhythm that evoke a stream-of-consciousness style reminiscent of Whitman or Kerouac, yet wholly Frey’s own. This is not a traditional narrative, but rather an immersive meditation on the human condition: love, pain, beauty, grief, joy, and our eternal search for meaning. Each page pulses with urgency, inviting the reader to slow down and feel each word, each line.

This is a book to be experienced, not just read. It demands surrender, reflection, and courage. At times deeply spiritual and at others achingly raw, Next to Heaven is a stunning achievement—a genre-defying work that challenges and rewards in equal measure.

This book is listed as a thriller/suspense, but did not even HINT to such atrocities until close to the 75% mark. It was more a very slow lead up to murder with long chapters trying to gain in-depth character development about rich people doing very bad things. The convoluted direction of the storyline had me very frustrated and confused as to what this book’s goal was.

The story takes place in New Bethlehem— a tiny, wealthy small town filled with the societal elite. It was about many dysfunctional marriages and how they intertwine with one another in very problematic ways.

I will not be publicly reviewing this book as I recently found out the author uses generative ai in their writing. I appreciate the opportunity to review. Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the alc.

This book takes you through the life’s of the middle aged elites living in the prestigious town of New Bethlehem, CT. This story begins by setting the background of these eight main characters. As the story continues, it begins to become repetitive and confusing on who is married or sleeping with whom and who is connected to who. It leads up to a swingers party, which did not live up to what I expected it to be based on the description of the book. The big plot was the murder of one of the attendees weeks later. This happened so far into the book, that the bulk of the storyline in my opinion happened in the last one-third of the book. Throughout the book the plot and dialogue became extremely repetitive. The narrator was good and expressive. I believe this book did not live up to my expectations and would not recommend it.

Talk about a lot of privilege, sex, and scandal all wrapped up in a delicious mystery that revolved around an ultra wealthy suburban town! Next To Heaven centered around a gathering at a meticulously planned party, where Devon and Belle, who had it all, sought a dangerous thrill and discovered a dark side to their privileged lives. The night ended in betrayal, chaos, and a murder that exposed the town's carefully constructed facade. I was thoroughly entertained by the endless dark deceit.

Not having read any books by James Frey, I had no expectations going into reading his newest novel, Next To Heaven, and I was aghast, yet satisfied, with all the literary elements embodied in this maniacal murder mystery.

Frey thoroughly drew up a prestigious setting in the town of New Bethlehem. It was a wealthy Connecticut town with a perfect facade. Where appearances were hidden in a world of access and moral decay. I appreciated how Frey brought this town to life with sophisticated and elaborate descriptions for the town and all that occupied it. Similar to the intricate details Frey used to describe the pretentious town, Frey fabricated a cast of deeply flawed but magnetically compelling characters. Among them, some were relatable and some more unlikable than likable. Despite some characters being deplorable as they schemed and destroyed, they were still fascinating through their complexity and humanity. I also appreciated how the story was told through multiple perspectives and all the characters were bound by wealth and secrets. This made for a tense and compelling narrative.

Not only was the setting affluent and the characters complex, the story explored elaborate themes. Frey focused on some interconnected themes related to wealth, privilege and the dark side of society which added more depth and complexity to this already elaborate story. On top of the that, Frey also focused on privilege, the allure of darkness and the consequences of breaking down societal facades. These themes in addition to the characters entanglement in the dark side of the New Bethlehem town including the dramatic climax and revelations built considerable tension.

All in all, I was utterly consumed in James Frey’s compelling story of sex, scandal, revenge and redemption. I highly recommend Next to Heaven for those that enjoy domestic thrillers, gossip, and lots of drama.

Thank you to Net Galley and Simon & Schuster Audio for the advance audiobook copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley, Simon & Schuster Audio and James Frey for this audiobook ARC. My honest review is below.

For something billed a “mystery thriller”, this definitely misses the mark, however I couldn’t stop listening! I thought the character development was brilliant and I felt like I was walking through New Bethlehem with everyone because the scenes were painted so vividly.

There were plenty of laugh out loud moments and I truly enjoyed every single second of this book. The narration from Gina Gershon is awesome, her voice is so soothing. Overall, I loved this book but I think someone needs to rethink its genre.

2.5🌟

For the majority of this title I enjoyed the story, rich people being deplorable, a sort of real housewife’s bonkathon satire. Unfortunately for me nearing the end the audio cut at chapter 54 then jumped to chapter 61 which meant I missed a large section of the lead up to the whodunnit reveal, then the same thing happened in the final chapter and through the q&a session at the end. I had guessed the who, but I completely missed the why it still impacted my reading experience so I’m rating based on what I did hear. I would normally wait to see if the link could be repaired before wrapping up and reviewing but I wasn’t invested enough to wait to jump back in.

Good fun, I enjoy Freys writing style, and have enjoyed his other work. This was definitely different. I struggled a bit to keep track of who was who at times.

The narration was well done.

My thanks to AE Titles/ S&S Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ALC 🎧

Definitely not the book for me. I made myself get to 50% before I DNF. Characters all extremely unlikeable. No moral character to be found.

Premise sounded good and I really wanted to like it but just could not do it!

Narrator was very good at narrating an awful story.

I do not usually write a review if I did not like a book but that’s kind of the point here. I did not like this book. It dragged on, provided details to people and places that were pointless, and was kind of repetitive. The only reason I finished it was because of the narrator.

I loved listening to this book. The reader definitely did it justice. Great tone and inflection. Really enjoyable.