Well it wouldn’t be a James Frey book if there weren’t people clutching their pearls and stirring up controversy. So naturally, I’m here for it!

This is a dark, ripped-from-the-tabloids and humorous story of the rich behaving badly. James Frey is a great story teller and Gina Gershon @ginagershon has the perfect husky, sexy voice to narrate the story. I enjoyed the mystery of who was going to be murdered and I was surprised by who did it. If you only enjoy reading about characters you like or are offended by foul language, give this one a hard pass. Since I love despicable characters and I’ve been know to make grown men blush with my words, I loved it!

Next To Heaven, written by James Frey and narrated by Gina Gershon, is an absolute must read/listen! In a way, it felt like a modern twist on the kinds of novels that turned me on to reading ages ago written by authors like Jacqueline Susann, Jackie Collins, and Sidney Sheldon. Thoroughly escapist and unputdownable. The fictional town of New Bethlehem is really New Canaan, CT—the town right beside mine in Fairfield County, CT. I recognized all the landmarks and his descriptions are spot on. Some characters I loved, some I loved to hate. But I enjoyed every minute!! And Gerson has the perfect sultry voice for this book! Highly recommend!!!

It was a lot to follow and I felt like it was more of giving me information about people's lives than following much of a story line. Alex's murder and Billy being convicted of it was a great story line, but I wish the book followed along that more instead of just focused on the messy lives of the priveleged.

Well well well I had to come back to this to review as I was left a little lost for words if I’m being totally honest!

This gave me an education of sorts maybe I’m naive but I had no idea the amount of drugs out there! I still don’t grasp the concepts of all that were spoken of! On top of this the detail put in to this it was clear the author had done their research and at the end there is a Q & A session that actually answers questions I didn’t realise I had! Also addressed here is something that made me curious as to the fact that although it is stated this particular book based on a real place where these things do happen none of these people are real etc it makes the mind wander naturally… I won’t reveal anymore as to spoiler, you will understand when you get to Q&A if you think of our current world and what is said in this section!

This is a little like desperate housewives meets orange is the new black (en route) 😂 in that the premise is looking in from the outside everything appears to be happy “normal” living life’s everyday circumstances however for all of these characters they are doing anything but that! There is so much betrayal, even abuse etc that the old saying applies you don’t know what goes on behind closed doors and this applies here in the most upper class of areas where the most prestigious people are living.

The most likeable character from my perspective was definitely Anna and probably obviously so the most disgusting was Devon’s husband. I found this to be quite a slow burn with a lot of character building but definitely almost like a tv show which I could very easily envisage this to be!

The writing style for me was more suited to a tv sitcom type and this atm is a different style of genre than what I have generally listened to so I’m still attempting various avenues to expand my own knowledge and understanding of styles to see what preferences I have, this is one I’m on the fence about just now.

With thanks to NetGalley & AE TITLES/ S&S AUDIO for the opportunity to listen to this ELC in return for an honest review. Wishing you all best wishes with publication in June 2025 📚🎧🙏🏽❤️

Next to Heaven is a raw, edgy, and unflinching dive into the lives of the extremely wealthy that left me thinking long after I turned the last page. James Frey doesn't hold back—his writing is bold, fragmented, and electric, perfectly matching the intensity of the themes he explores.

I was given a copy of James Frey's Next to Heaven from NetGalley and Simon & Schuster in exchange for an honest review.

Listening to Gina Gershon's audio narration of Next to Heaven felt particularly inspired and she matched the sexually-charged activity of all the New Bethlehem players with real verve. It was fascinating that in her chat with the author, he referenced Jackie Collins' Hollywood Wives (I know who publishes it) and Danielle Steele as inspiration for this book. There are oceans of differences between the two authors, who I have signed autographs from, but that's a different story.
Also, the chat was illuminating. I don't think Frey and I would be hockey buddies based on what he & GG discussed.

There were two powerful parts of this book. The backdrop to New Bethlehem was excellent - its moral rectitude followed by the sleaze-laced antics of its current cohort of residents- and the story of Katy, which was very much inspired by those exquisitely told backstories that Collins did so well. Its premise of being really trashy inspired me to request it. Collins really was an original - and even though nobody is close to replacing her, I do appreciate those who try.

Perhaps somewhat lacking from this book is that it's sleazy without much charm. It's a selection of characters who don't see much use in sex, who have everything, and who aren't particularly witty. Maybe it's more suited to Americans because American football doesn't translate all that well. Maybe it's the whole swingers party. Maybe it's Belle or Devon, both of which lack any real, fleshed-out characterisation. It could be the unfortunate use of yoghurt cannon as a euphemism. That's like a star lost there and then.

It's quite a long audiobook, 10 hours and some techniques were repeated, unsuccessfully. The gossip, Chinese whispers chapter, and the three very film-noir/pulp interrogation scenes. Everything was thrown at the wall and only some of it stuck. I would have recommended some cuts and some stronger characterisation. That said, I was pleased to receive a copy and listen to it.

Narrated by the talented and flawless Gina Gershon, Next To Heaven is a delicious look into the lives of the 1% living in idyllic New Bethlehem, CT who somehow all have time to carry on many dark extracurricular activities in addition to their busy lives.
Pros:
- Narration kept me sucked in.
- Enough drama for an entire season of Real Housewives.
- An overarching mystery/ murder
- A salacious peek into the lives of the richest of the rich I now have no interest in being a part of

Cons:
- The female characters seemed two dimensional. I sometimes couldn't differentiate between them and couldn't quite believe how ruthless and sex- crazed they were.
- Overly crude, cheesy descriptions of sex and lust that didn't quite land for me.
- Writing style that while clever, fell flat and was choppy at times .

Thanks for the advanced copy!

I read James Frey's controversial first novel, and really enjoyed his snappy writing style and fast-paced writing. Since then, I haven't gotten around to reading any of his other novels, even if they're all fiction, not memoirs.

Anyway, I had high hopes for this novel, and was expecting it to meet the high standards after A Million Tiny Pieces. Alas, it did not. Looking through the ratings, this seems like the kind of book that you either love or don't.

I received an audiobook copy, narrated by Gina Gershon. Her smooth, nuanced, and enticing reading was the highlight of this book for me.

The rich, beautiful, elite group of friends that are featured in this story are among some of the most unlikable characters I've ever seen. There wasn't a single character that I felt any empathy for, and they were all such horrible people. When this happens, I usually tend to tune out a bit, and found myself having to listen to previous chapters two or three times.

Initially, we meet a few couples who live in a very wealthy suburb in Connecticut. To be honest, they all kind of merged together into one awful, stereotypical, wealthy caricature. I struggled to differentiate between the various characters (I think there were 4 or 5 couples, so 8-10 total).

Money doesn't stop you from having problems. As Christopher "Notorious B.I.G." Wallace said, "Mo' money, mo' problems," and these people really demonstrate the type of problems that the rich elite society is rife with. It read more like literary fiction, with 2 bored women deciding to have an exclusive party, where they will swap partners and hopefully add a new level of spice to their intimacy. Naturally, they weren't expecting a swingers party, but were too curious to pass it up.

The party itself is the shortest part of the story, even though the murder that occurs during said party rocks the world of everyone present. It turns out that everyone's dirty secrets come out in the wash. However, I really struggled to stay invested, since there wasn't one single character that I actually liked or felt connected to. While there was a hint of what is in the future for our characters, it happened a little too late for me, with the first half of the book going slowly and the last quarter going fast. Despite this just being an average read for me, I still plan to check out more of Frey's writing if/when a different one or two of his books if it crosses my path.

I kind of thought I'd get a kick out of a totally trashy novel involving swinging and death among wealthy people. But I hated everyone so much that I wish I hadn't listened to it. Writing was fine. Story had its moments. Characters are huge (curse words).

I went in with my eyes open and I believe there are people meant to read this book. I'm not a prude but my values about people being mean, corrupt and cruel as opposed to sexually nuts is what turned me off to this. The narrator was very good n the audio version

Wow. Totally not my genre. Trashy. Full of gossip. Hedonism at its finest. So many reasons to put this one down and walk away.
But it hooks you. Just enough of a mystery to keep going. Barely enough goodness in a character to want things to go their way. So much treachery in another character to yearn for their demise. And a storyline that doesn't bog down even the slightest bit.
This is a REAL book in the trash category. An outlier. One of the rare ones that rise from its peers.

DNF at 30%. normally i eat UP stories about the messy lives of rich families but there were too many characters to keep up with and we spend so much time on their backstories that i'm lost with what the actual plot is. the audiobook narrator did a fantastic job and capturing the different personalities though. overall the writing just wasn't for me.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ // rich people behaving badly? yes please. feeling anything about them? not so much.

Thank you to NetGalley and AE Titles / S&S Audio for an ALC in exchange for an honest review!

The second I saw the premise of Next to Heaven, I was hooked. I’m an absolute sucker for books about super rich people being awful in beautiful places—and this one had the setting down perfectly. An idyllic, small town where only the ultra-elite are allowed to live, dream, and inevitably self-destruct? Delicious.

And while the atmosphere was dreamy in that dark-money, too-perfect way, the rest didn’t quite land for me. The structure felt disjointed and scattered, like I was getting glimpses of something bigger without ever being fully let in. And the characters? Unfortunately, none of them felt real enough for me to root for, hate, or even hold onto. Just vibes. Expensive, empty vibes.

BUT! The audiobook narration was excellent—smooth, immersive, and really well-paced. I might’ve enjoyed this less in print, so if you’re curious, I’d definitely recommend going the audio route.

I was lucky enough to get my hands on the audio ARC of Next to Heaven by James Frey and it had me hooked from the very beginning. Was it perfect? No. But did I ignore my responsibilities and finish the whole thing in a day? Yes. And sometimes, that’s exactly what I want from a whodunnit book.

The story revolves around 4 couples living in New Bethlehem, a town populated by the mega rich. It does a great job of combining thriller elements with social commentary. It explores community, love, deceit, status, and image. Most of all it gives readers a peek behind the curtain of the 1%.

There were a couple storylines that I felt were a bit underdeveloped but overall I really enjoyed it! James Frey has a very unique writing style and I loved the use of repetition throughout. If you’re a fan of Big Little Lies or White Lotus, I think you’ll enjoy this.

This one just wasn’t for me. While the story itself had potential, I struggled with the writing style. The characters were written in a way that felt more nonfiction-like—overly detailed and weighed down by unnecessary background that didn’t serve the plot. Some of the language seemed to exist purely for shock value, which felt more distracting than impactful. It’s clear the book was aiming for gritty and provocative, but it missed the mark for me.

Thank you NetGalley, S&S Audio, and Author’s Equity for the ALC and e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

I was hooked in this book. Such a relaxed and yet intriguing writing. It takes to the world of extremely wealthy couples in the richest, whitest part of Connecticut, and oh boy how fun it was to read about it. I've listened to this book as an audiobook, and the narrator was one of the best narrator I've heard lately. It gave life to the book. So I absolutely recommend giving this book a go, and enjoy the wildness of it.

I did not enjoy this book. I love a good "rich people problems" story, but this one was not my vibe. These people were ALL despicable, and I did not find a single character that I was connected with or enjoyed reading about. The entire story revolves around sexual assault and who is sleeping with who and whose marriage is falling apart due to said infidelity. I just didn't enjoy it. I have never read one of Frey's books before, so I wasn't sure what I was getting into, but I think maybe he's just not the author for me.

Book Review: Next to Heaven by James Frey
Rating: 3.5 stars
Received as an ARC—thank you!

Next to Heaven is a gloriously messy dive into the lives of deeply flawed people orbiting a true monster of a man—Billy. James Frey delivers a character-driven, reality-TV-adjacent drama that feels almost too real at times, with a level of chaos that makes it hard to look away.

First off, Gina Gershon’s narration is a standout. She nails the tone of the book perfectly, capturing both the grit and the glamour of the characters and setting. Her voice adds a slick layer of authenticity that really elevates the experience.

The novel’s biggest strength is also part of its challenge. Frey offers an incredible amount of background detail and interconnected threads between characters, which is impressive and intriguing. However, the way it’s presented leans heavily into exposition—it often tells rather than shows, which can bog down the momentum. At times, the lengthy, almost nonfiction-like descriptions of the neighborhood felt excessive and disrupted the pacing.

That said, there’s something undeniably compelling about how everything unfolds. The web of relationships, the secrets, the betrayals—it all builds to a fun, satisfying conclusion where most of the couples end up in better places. The true killer, while not surprising, is still a gratifying choice.

Billy stands out as a chillingly realistic antagonist. He’s the kind of man who exerts control and leaves wreckage in his wake, and his presence looms over every storyline. He’s terrifying in a way that doesn’t feel fictional, and that’s what makes him so effective.

While the narrative style wasn’t quite my cup of tea, I can appreciate what Frey set out to do. If reality TV gave you a literary high, it might feel a lot like Next to Heaven. It’s not perfect, but it is entertaining, smart in its own chaotic way, and ultimately a solid read.

this was . . . not good. or well written. but it was trash in the same way reality tv is, eg. engaging and hard to look away from.

I was curious to try James Frey’s newest novel, Next to Heaven, given the controversy surrounding his earlier books. Unfortunately, this one didn’t work for me.

The use of shock-value language felt more crude than raw, and the lengthy backstories failed to draw me in. Instead of building connection or tension, the digressions slowed the momentum for me. While the story promises scandal and secrets, I found myself disconnected from both the characters and the chaos unfolding around them.

That said, I can see Next to Heaven appealing to readers looking for a fast, beachy thriller packed with drama and bad behavior. It’s simply not my style — but it will likely find fans among those who enjoy scandal-filled, escapist reads.

Maybe its's the current political climate, butt this novel about the uber wealthy was a real turn off,it actually made me feel a little ill and I could not finish it.