This was such a fun read to kick off pride month! The entire premise was so interesting and I was hooked from chapter one. I found the characters to be lacking a bit of depth which took me out of the story several times. The main couple was cute, but their relationship felt quite surface-level to me. Regardless, I had a blast and highly recommend it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillian Audio for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Pick this one up if you like:

🎤 British Investigator
🎤 Cozy mystery
🎤 Romcom vibes
🎤 LBGTQ+ 🏳️‍🌈

He's to Die For is a fun mix of a romcom and a cozy mystery. I also love a good British mystery, so I'm sitting at the center for the Venn diagram of this book. Target audience.

The characters are great, the mystery is solid. The narrator is fantastic, this was a great one to listen to.

A taboo romance between a detective, and a suspect. That had me so entertained and intrigued!! The narration was perfect match. The British accent had me giggling lol
If you like queer romance that has drama and crime, this book is definitely a recommendation for you.

It took me a while to finish this book. Not sure but I just had a hard time connecting to the characters and story.

The story itself was SUPER cute (well as cute as a murder mystery can be) and I had a great time watching our two leads fall in love while guessing who dunnit as I went along. My only complaint is that it was written in 3rd person present tense which is arguably my least enjoyed method of story telling. Using present tense in particular takes me out of the story repeatedly, especially when the person whose perspective we're reading has their name spoken like 5 times across 3 sentences. Beyond that I thought the audio was well done, it neither enhanced or distracted from the story for me.

He's to Die For is a mystery Romance following Rav Trivedi, a British son of an Aristocrat, who is working as a Detective at the NYPD. He is assigned to solve the murder of a high-profile music producer that brings him into contact with the frontman of a rock and roll group, who he falls for. The only problem is that he is Rav's number one suspect.

I really wanted to like this novel so much. I love a good mystery and especially one that has an LGBTQ romantic subplot, but this novel did not work for me for many reasons. Let's start with the mystery. The mystery is fine. Like it is not bad at all, but it's also not super memorable. I was satisfied, but it won't stick with me. It was not the issue I had with this novel.

For me, personally, I had two major issues. I really disliked the main character, and I did not enjoy the romance. Rav as a very irritating main character. He just came of as very pretentious and unlikeable, while lacking any good traits or character development. The issue with the romance was that the characters had no chemistry and the romance was dragged out way too long in what felt like a very manufactured way. Also, the love interest came of as really boring. The romance took up way too much of the plot for how lacking it was. Unfortunately, this just really was not the book for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!!!

He's to Die For is a fun and gripping mix of romance and mystery. The story follows Detective Rav Trivedi as he investigates a high-profile murder, only to find himself falling for his main suspect, rock star Jack Vale. Their chemistry is strong, and the romantic tension adds a lot to the suspense of the case.

The writing is smooth and easy to follow, with just the right amount of twists to keep things interesting. I really enjoyed the characters—Rav is smart and likable, and Jack is charming with a mysterious edge.

If you like queer romance mixed with crime and drama, this book is definitely worth reading. It's entertaining, emotional, and hard to put down.

I want to thank NetGalley and @Macmillan.Audio for this early copy of the Audiobook of He’s to Die For. It was honestly such a good book and such good narration.

One thing I have to say is that Romantic thrillers are usually 50/50 for me on whether I like them and that usually has to do with the balance between romance and thriller. This book was the perfect amount of romance and the perfect amount of thriller for me. Just enough mystery to keep my hooked on that part of the story but also just enough romance to keep me entertained in their relationship. It really helped that the narrator for this audiobook was particularly good at keeping the tone of the story going so I could follow along well and was easily entertained by it.

As far as the writing goes – I loved that the characters were both normal types of people. One of my big problems, especially with romantic thrillers, is that the main POV character is super well developed and interesting to read about and the non-POV romantic interest is flat and one dimensional. This was not the case, I loved how both of the main characters felt like real people with real stories to tell. I was actually interested in getting to learn more about them and seeing their relationship develop. I kind of want more books set – if not with these two – then in this world! The spicy level was a level 5.

Overall, I would rate this book a 5 out of 5 star rating. I couldn’t put it down once I started it – I didn’t predict the killer at all – and the whole story was just very well done.

This one was just fun to read/listen to. I started reading it and switched to the audiobook and really enjoyed that more. Rav is assigned the lead on a high-profile case because he will not succumb to the paparazzi or any of the other distractions. When he falls for the lead suspect will he lose his way or will he find the culprit. This one was good and there were humorous times and even a romance.

Thanks Macmillan Audio for granting me this book as an ARC read. It’s such a light hearted romantic book. Well written and fun. Good story line with a great ending. I enjoyed it and I recommend this book.

I am quite torn on this one. I really enjoyed it for about 50% of the book. I loved the vibe and the romance. But honestly, it felt like the rest of the book was drawn out and lacking the purpose of the beginning. It could have been tightened up into a more enjoyable mystery romance.

Rav is an aristocratic Brit who looks like he stepped out a a fashion shoot while working as a detective. When he investigates a murder, he cannot seem to stop his attraction to one of the suspects, a hot rock star. Sparks fly as the two try and solve the crime and prove that they can make it work.

I honestly think that describing this as being like Brooklyn 99 worked against it. While humorous, it lacked the ridiculous slapstick nature of Jake Peralta.

I really did enjoy the first part but I was ready for the book to end. It needed with more will they won't they, or to wrap up sooner.

The narration was excellent as long as one is expecting that the main character is British and therefore, so is the narrator. I was thrown for a loop because I forgot that little detail.

Thank you to Net Galley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

I usually keep my romantic mysteries to historical settings, so this what’s a fun read for me!

He's to Die For follows a young detective, Rav Trivedi in the NYPD homicide squad, who just happens to be the son of a British Lord and a NYC model. Not your typical homicide detective! RAV is on the case of the high profile murder of a record ex executive.

Well, investigating a lead finds him looking into the exact main band, and their extremely hot and adorable front man … who doesn’t have a clear alibi!

This is a taboo romance between a detective, and a suspect that puts both characters in the line of fire!

As a mystery/thriller, I found myself continually guessing and being surprised as to what would happen next in the investigation. I loved the ending and was caught completely off guard. As for the romance, I was really impressed at how much romance came to play in this story. I was expecting it to be a very minor sub plot, but it definitely drove the storyline and made for fun reading.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Sid Sagar, and found that they did an excellent job, capturing the accents and voices of the various characters involved in the story. From the New York rockstar voice of our main suspect to rise cultured British accent the voices were all unique and distinct. I really enjoyed listening to this story and getting caught up in not only the mystery but the love affair as well!

A cop + rockstar romance with lots of action and intrigue. I listened to the audio version and the narration was excellent and a high point for me. It was a decent read, but I was a little underwhelmed and found my mind wandering a lot. The plot leaned heavily on the investigation, which I didn’t find as interesting as the relationship, and would have liked to explore that more.

Read if you like: Cop shows, forbidden romance, British accents, grand gestures

Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with a digital copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

He’s to Die For by Erin Dunn
Contemporary M-M diverse romance. Third person, present tense. Opposites attract.
Detective Rav Trivedi is assigned as lead in a high-profile murder case. He’s won’t let the TV crews and tabloids distract him from his job. Rav tries to apply that same attitude to the famous singer and songwriter Jack Vale, but he’s a little bit star struck by the handsome and seemingly lonely male. Jack is surrounded by bodyguards and assistants and more yet still doesn’t have alibi for the time of the murder. What can Rav do but get him alone and kiss him. Rav and Jack are opposites from dress to attitude yet there is an attraction too that can’t be denied. Rav needs to figure out the case, and fast.

🎧 I alternated between an ebook copy and an audiobook. Narrator Sid Sagar does a fantastic job with the two main male protagonists, Rav and Jack, as well as several secondary characters such as Will, and Mo. the performance draws the readers attention with accents, emotions and drama which made it very entertaining.
I did speed up the playback to 1.5 to more closely match my reading and conversation speed. I much preferred, and recommend the audiobook as it masks the text’s present tense. Since an audiobook is automatically “active”, the present tense doesn’t kick me out of then story like a print copy does.

Romantic, a bit of humor, some sexy passion, drama and ultimately a swoon-worthy romance ending. The writing is delicious. A description of Rav’s attire with brand names is both humorous and allows the reader to get a vivid picture him and his personality.
Definitely an author I will continue to follow.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley and publisher Macmillan Audio.

I landed on a 3.5. It was cute for the most part, and the relationship was nice. However, I guessed everything really early on and several choices of the characters didn't make enough sense.

Thank you NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for the ALC 🎧

He's to Die For takes it's title quite literally and was a delight to listen to. It took me some time to grasp the characters since we jump into the action & all the names dropped went in one ear and out the other. Once I was past that, the narration done by Sid Sagar was smooth and rich.

There was an investigation throughout the novel and it kept me guessing until the ending when all is revealed. I enjoyed the character interactions and witty banter. The romance was adorable and builds throughout the book & who wouldn't fall for Rav in his designer suits.

This book ticks a lot of boxes. It’s a rockstar/police procedural/mystery/rom com. And it works. I’m not sure how the author managed to juggle all that at once, but this story was delightful, engaging, and serious. A gay British former trust fund kid turned New York City homicide detective accidentally falls in love with the prime suspect of one of his murder cases. Oh, and by the way, that suspect is also a superstar musician. Like I said, I’m not sure how this all comes together to make a coherent storyline, but it does and the result is a delightful love story that happens to include a few dead bodies. It also doesn’t shy away from tough topics like anxiety and mental health.

The audiobook is narrated by Sid Sagar. He did a great job bringing Detective Rav Trivedi to life.

Romance Steam Rating: Gentle Simmer [2 out of 5] (Blurred Background/Limited Details) MM

He’s To Die For by Erin Dunn is an intriguing mix of romance and mystery, with an interesting premise. The story starts off strong, diving into a murder mystery that kept me engaged in the beginning. However, as the plot unfolded, the focus shifted more toward the romance, with the mystery taking a bit of a backseat. The middle of the book felt a little slower, but it still had its moments. I appreciated the themes of anxiety and the impact of social media, which added depth to the characters. Overall, it was an enjoyable read, though not quite what I expected. If you’re a fan of romance with a touch of mystery, this book is definitely worth checking out. It’s an easy read that’ll keep you entertained without feeling too heavy.

If you crave romance first and mystery second, this is a great read. The plot uses a classic hook -cop falls for prime suspect but add a little rock-and-roll. Rav, the half-Indian Brit detective, is posh, ambitious, and secretly soft; Jack is an anxious, grief-soaked rock star who would throw himself in front of a tour bus to protect his friends. Together they light up the story, and I rooted for their messy, slow-burn connection from page one.
Expect minimal spice, plenty of quippy banter, a zippy mystery, and a supporting cast that often steals the scene. Character depth is not the point here, so roll with the fluff and enjoy the ride. It is a fast, low-stress read that left me grinning and tapping my foot to imaginary guitar solos. Perfect for romance lovers who want a dash of whodunit without the nightmare fuel.

The narrator was great for this, hard for me to get hooked on but definitely right for this book.

2.25 stars

So, this story isn't horrible, but I do have one very big problem with this book, and it's the fact that the author, in 2025, uses a HP reference. And in a queer romance, no less. One of the side characters asks the MC about Hogwarts houses, and can't we just get past these references considering all the harm that the author has inflicted on the LGBTQ+ community, especially trans people? Once I read that, the rest of the story felt insincere. The reference wasn't necessary. Aside from that, the story started off strong but quickly lost steam by the halfway point. I did really enjoy the narrator, but unfortunately, they didn't do enough to save the last half of the story for me. This had potential, but it just didn't reach that.