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.

I was able to get the audiobook as an ARC/ALC for Next to Heaven by James Frey. My review will be massively based upon the listening experience of this book.

Sadly this book was not for me. Please do not go into this story expecting a murder mystery, as we get to the murder around the 75% mark. The book takes up about the first 40% of its time describing each of the many characters within it— & we follow the lives, deceit & betrayals of a bunch of different characters within the same, insanely over-the-top rich community in New Bethlehem, CT. Also, they're a bunch of swingers.

The thing that stuck out to me while listening is how many short sentences & repetition James Frey constantly uses, which made me realize that I'm 100% not a fan of that style of writing, which is good to know I guess?

Gina Gershon as a narrator is great however, & I will definitely listen to audiobooks by her again in the future!

🌳 Connecticut setting
💰 the 1%
💃 swingers
😡 betrayal & deceit
👥 multi-POV
🗡️ murder, eventually
😩 unlikeable character/s

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster Audio, Gina Gershon & James Frey for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

“Next to Heaven” is what happens when a town full of aggressively bored billionaires in Connecticut throw a swingers party and accidentally summon the spirit of literary chaos. Not the fun, campy kind with secrets and stilettos. The kind where you start questioning your own reality and Googling “can fiction cause migraines?”

Devon and Belle are rich, hot, and catastrophically dissatisfied. So naturally, they decide to spice things up by inviting the worst people they know to a night of luxury debauchery featuring affairs, bad decisions, Wall Street jawlines, and emotional bankruptcy. One night. Many betrayals. And a murder that doesn’t show up in the book until so far in, I had already transcended my corporeal form, floated above the book like a disillusioned ghost, and only came back to finish out of spite. This thing wants to be “The White Lotus” but got lost in the landscaping budget and never recovered.

Let’s talk writing. Frey said, what if a sentence never ends? What if punctuation is optional? What if we repeated the same emotional beat twelve times in slightly different phrasing until someone screamed into their oat milk latte? I respect the commitment. But at some point it stopped being literary and started feeling like a freshman creative writing assignment titled "Trauma, But Make It Vaguely Horny." There are paragraphs that read like stream-of-consciousness "Mad Libs." And entire chapters that feel like they were written mid-manic episode in a Restoration Hardware showroom.

The murder? Practically a background extra. A side dish. A garnish on this over-seasoned orgy salad. Most of the story is just wealthy sociopaths having existential crises and swapping partners like it's emotionally stunted musical chairs. And somehow, somehow, they all fall in love with their hookups like it’s summer camp and they just made eye contact during a trust fall.

And the repetition. My god, the repetition. Frey doesn’t just love a phrase. He courts it, proposes to it, and then renews his vows every five pages. If I read one more line structured like, “She was scared. So scared. She was so so very scared,” I’m filing a restraining order against syntax. There’s also a full grocery list of town zoning laws, bobcat sightings, and architectural exposition that felt like the literary equivalent of getting trapped in a conversation with your HOA president.

But here’s the twist. I didn’t rage-quit. I should’ve. I wanted to. But I didn’t. Because I listened to the audiobook. Narrated by Gina Gershon. THE Gina Gershon. Of “If it’s at The Cheetah, it’s not dancin’” fame from “Showgirls.” And holy hell, she understood the assignment. Her voice carried me through every overwritten paragraph, every self-important orgy monologue, every fake-deep rumination on Connecticut’s woodland creatures. If this book had been narrated by anyone else, I would’ve yeeted it into the DNF sea. But with Gina? I stayed. I suffered. I kind of vibed.

Three stars. One for the unhinged ambition. One for the occasional funhouse-mirror insight into wealth and rot. And one exclusively for Gina Gershon, patron saint of chaotic narration, who made even the zoning law chapters feel like foreplay.

Whodunity Award: For the Most Delayed Murder Reveal in a Story Where the Only Thing Getting Killed Was My Attention Span

Massive thanks to Simon & Schuster Audio and NetGalley for the early access — your chaos is appreciated, your narrator is iconic, and your book broke my brain just a little.

The voice narrator was solid and did their best to keep the listener engaged, but Next to Heaven was a tough one for me to get through. The writing was repetitive—certain phrases and words were used over and over again—and that really dragged down the experience.

What really didn’t sit right with me, though, was the portrayal of women, especially in the sex scenes. It felt like the author (very clearly a man) didn’t do much research or just assumed it was fine to write from a male perspective in a way that felt off, uncomfortable, and honestly, out of touch. Big no from me on that front.

The pacing was also slow. It took way too long to get to the actual dead person and the partying—which was supposed to be the central hook.

I wouldn’t recommend it to friends, but I’m sure there’s a target audience out there for this kind of story. Just not me.

On the surface, New Bethlehem, Connecticut is a perfect New York suburb. A village atmosphere, tree lined streets, an excellent school system and very little crime. That’s on the surface. Under the surface, there’s…well…a lot. Deception. Adultery. Lust. Bribery. Violence and so much more. Next to Heaven is delicious, gloriously trashy and simply marvelous! I loved it!

Almost all the characters are over the top rich. The men work too hard and the women have too much time to play. When the men are at their jobs, cheating others to make more money, the women are at home, cheating on their husbands and planning a party. Although everyone in town has heard the salacious gossip, it’s a very exclusive party. It’s an old time swingers party although with sushi, Macallen scotch and Pratesi sheets. At this party, people fall madly in love, and others leave shattered. Lives are changed, and the path to tragedy and violence quietly begins.

Next to Heaven should have a warning. Anything that might cause triggers is in this novel. I loved it. It’s a well written character study. It emphasizes societal differences. It’s a mystery and a romance. It’s suspenseful and lascivious. And it’s so readable that you will not be able to put it down. The reader, Gina Gershon is excellent. Enjoy. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, AE Titles / S&S Audio, James Frey and Gina Gershon for this ARC.

I thought this was going to be about a bunch of rich people that have a sex party and somebody winds up dead. While this is technically true, it takes a hell of a long time to get to the dead person part and a whole bunch of boring stuff happens between the sex party and the dead guy. Almost a full chapter about the history and founding of Connecticut, including the town of New Bethlehem. Another describing the history and founding of a park in New Bethlehem. Scene setting was always just an endless list of what kind of expensive stuff was in each location, and sometimes included lists of how much everything cost. So boring.

A really weird plot point is that all of the couples who attend to the sex party are married, but then all of them end up falling in love with their hook up. Like literally, all of them. It almost seemed like the sex party was going to be a setup for one of the women to kill her husband, and I think I just wrote a much more interesting story than the one I read.

It's also desperately clear that the author is a man. He still believes in the laughably tired cliche that women are desperate to find a man with a huge elephant dick. And that women immediately want to suck that huge elephant dick. Like, IMMEDIATELY. And then bang for an hour or longer. This book is a man thinking women's sexual fantasies are the same old boring shit that men have always wanted women's sexual fantasies to be: men being sexual heroes with giant elephant dicks. He literally describes an orgasm as a "coconut cream explosion". He also refers to one character's penis as his "yogurt cannon". BARF.

The author is a HUGE fan of repetition as a literary device, to the point where I stopped listening to the audiobook to go research the names of these particular methods, and discovered that he leans heavily on polysyndeton, anaphora, and epistrophe. What this means is that he thinks it's impactful to repeat the same word or phrase again and again in short succession, but it's super-annoying when you're hearing someone read it out loud.

Lots of time is spent naming every random member of the telephone game when gossip spreads around town. Author finds himself especially clever when he makes all the names rhyme.

Lou spoke. Louise spoke. Devon spoke. Lou smiled. Louise smiled. Devon smiled. Lou spoke. Lou smiled. I scream.

Ha. Ha. Ha. It worked.

I appreciate NetGalley and the publisher for access to a digital ARC. My honest review is my own opinion.

This audiobook adaptation presents an interesting contrast between performance and content. While the novel itself struggles with its execution, the audio production delivers an exceptional listening experience. Gina Gershon's narration stands out as the highlight, infusing each character with distinct personality and elevating even the most awkward lines through her charismatic delivery. Her vocal performance adds layers to characters that otherwise feel shallow on the page.

The included author interview at the end offers valuable insight into James Frey's creative process. This bonus content provides context that enhances appreciation for the work, though it doesn't fundamentally change the book's core issues. The murder plot remains underdeveloped, taking a backseat to repetitive sexual encounters that dominate the narrative.

Gershon's compelling narration makes this audiobook version the preferred way to experience this story. Listeners should still temper expectations regarding the thriller elements promised by the marketing. The performance quality significantly improves upon the source material, creating a more engaging experience than reading the text alone provides.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Audio for providing an ALC in exchange for an honest review.