Jack and Jill Tingley (yes, really) seem like the picture of suburban success—married since college, living in their Southern California dream home, and officially empty nesters now that their youngest, Maggie, is off to college. Jill is the kind of woman who appears to have it all: wealthy, well-liked, put-together. Jack is a successful attorney and a hands-on dad… who’s secretly planning to file for divorce.

Jill has other plans. She wants one last chance to reconnect—a road trip to Utah to rekindle their relationship. But there’s a secret they’ve been sitting on since college, the kind of secret that could destroy both of their lives. Jill’s terms are simple: go on this trip with her or she spills everything.

Set against a moody, atmospheric backdrop, this one’s loaded with tension. Every conversation feels like a chess match, every glance a potential threat. The paranoia builds steadily, and you’re never quite sure who’s playing whom. It’s the kind of slow-burning psychological suspense that spirals into a full-blown train wreck—and I mean that in the best way.

Perfect for fans of domestic thrillers, road trip suspense, and stories where secrets refuse to stay buried.

This was such a wild ride. I could not put it down. I love a book that makes me talk to it while I read it. This was that book. I have very strong feelings about these characters. The twists in this book just got me. I cannot wait to read more by this author. The narration was so good. Thank you to NetGalley and HighBridge Audio for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

I feel like this book had a fun initial premise however I really struggled to get invested. I found it predictable, maybe I read too many thrillers, and I did not enjoy the main characters. Some people really like unlikeable main characters, but it just doesn't work for me, I need someone to hold on too. I had no problem with the writing or writing style, it just wasn't for me.

I just finished Jill Is Not Happy by Kaira Rouda @kairarouda and here are my musings.

Jill thinks her marriage can be fixed with a road trip with her husband.. Her husband knows nothing will fix it and cannot wait to get away from her. Trouble is she knows things about him and at this point… If she can’t have him… No one can…

Oh man Jill is a wacko!!! She is absolutely terrifying. I am seeing a lot more books with crazed women and they are always intelligent and calculating. The trouble is I didn’t like anyone in this book and it's a necessary evil for me… Needing to care about at least one person. I hated Jill, her husband and I wasn’t a fan of their daughter but I was sucked right in anyway.

The audiobook was great. It brought the underlying creep factor in spades. It was like a bus crash you couldn’t stop watching. Rubber necking haha Oh and the fact they are Jack and Jill… THUMBS DOWNNNNNNNN.

We get the story from Jack and Jill’s perspective and I didn’t trust either of them. They are both as bad as each other and they were made for each other. It had a lot of dark humor which I did really enjoy.

I really did enjoy it. It was well done, well paced and as someone who isn’t a massive fan of unreliable narrators, this one was still entertaining. The ending bothered me a bit. I wouldn’t have ended it that way and that’s why it only got 4 stars.

Thank you to @netgalley and @highbridgeaudio for my gifted copy

I flew through this dark domestic thriller!

Let me say this: If Jill is not happy, she will fix it, and someone will end up dead.

While I may not have liked Jill, her character was one that always kept me on the edge of my seat. The story revolves around Jill’s marriage to Jack, a marriage she has meticulously planned, and she maintains a journal filled with records of some dark deeds. She always has something to hold over her husband, and she is a master manipulator. But when he steps out of line, well… Jill is not happy.

I want to tell you more, but it’s so much better to go in blind and be shocked by how cold and ruthless Jill is.


Thank you @HighBridgeAudio for the gifted audiobook via #NetGalley narrated by Marnye Young.

Oh man, no character is likeable in this book and that's why I love the story. The ending felt a little too neat for me, but I was buzzing through it trying to figure out what was going to happen next.

Jill Is Not Happy is definitely a juicy, fast-paced read. On the outside, Jack and Jill seem like they have it all—money, looks, the picture-perfect life. But the second their daughter heads off to college, things go downhill fast. Jill plans a national parks road trip to "reconnect," but Jack’s secretly planning to end the marriage right after. Turns out, they’re both hiding some pretty dark stuff, and neither of them is exactly innocent.

The story flips back and forth between Jack and Jill’s points of view, and honestly, they’re both super unreliable—like, you never really know who’s telling the truth. There’s a ton of backstabbing, secrets, and some dark humor sprinkled in, which kept things interesting. It’s kind of like watching a train wreck… you can’t look away.

That said, I didn’t really like either of them. They’re both pretty awful people—selfish, manipulative, and way too wrapped up in their own drama. So while the book was entertaining, I wasn’t really invested in who “won” in the end.

Overall, it’s a fun, twisty read if you’re in the mood for a domestic thriller where everyone’s a little (or a lot) terrible. Just don’t expect to root for anyone.

Thanks to NetGalley and HighBridge Audio for the ARC!

Thank you Netgalley and HighBridge Audio for the ALC.

Story: 🌟🌟🌟
Narration: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Overall: 🌟🌟🌟💫

Jill Is Not Happy is an entertaining popcorn thriller with fun narration. Jack and Jill are college sweethearts seemingly living the dream. However, they are bound together by many secrets. When Jack starts pulling away, Jill plans a road trip to remember.

This was another wild Rouda novel with wild characters and plenty of twists and turns. This was a quick read and very fun.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A couple on a road trip grapple with marital troubles and powerful dysfunction in Kaira Rouda’s latest psychological thriller. Her characters are intense and completely unpredictable and the story is entertaining in a dark way. The narrator’s acting is phenomenal. For fans of Shari Lapena and Wendy Walker.

Jill is not happy.

Jill is a psychopath.

Jill Is Not Happy by Kaira Rouda is the story of Jill and Jack Tingley. They’re a wealthy California couple who drifted apart, especially now that their daughter, Maggie, has gone to college, leaving them empty nesters.

To revive their dying marriage, Jill convinces Jack to go on a road trip to some national parks.

What Jack thinks Jill doesn’t know is that he’s cheating on her and plans to tell her that he wants a divorce.

But Jill is always one step ahead. And she’s got secrets of her own. Secrets that will keep Jack with her from now on… or else.

I disliked the characters in this book. I didn’t even necessarily want them to be happy or care that they weren’t. I gave it two stars.

“Jill Is Not Happy” by Kaira Rouda is a dark and twisty domestic thriller that takes readers on a tense road trip with a marriage on the brink. Told from alternating perspectives, it explores obsession, manipulation, and control with razor-sharp precision. Fast-paced and full of unsettling moments, it’s a gripping read perfect for fans of unreliable narrators and psychological suspense.

Oh my Jill is not happy!!! I have not read a more despicable character since Paul Strom. What a ride. I certainly hope this book continues!!!

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to listen to this book. Audio was amazing and perfect for the awful Jill!!!

Audiobook Review: Jill Is Not Happy by Kaira Rouda
Narrated by Marnye Young

I received this audiobook from NetGalley and truly appreciate the opportunity to learn about new authors and leave reviews.

Jill Is Not Happy was a very interesting and enjoyable listen. This domestic suspense novel takes readers inside the minds of a seemingly perfect political power couple—Jill, the polished wife of an ambitious Senate candidate, and Jack, the charming husband with secrets of his own. As the story unfolds over the course of a single night, layers of deception, ambition, and betrayal are slowly peeled away.

The book is told in alternating points of view, which added a compelling layer to the story—but also led to my only critique. Since there was only one narrator, it required close attention to catch when the perspective shifted between Jill and Jack. Marnye Young did a solid job narrating and captured Jill’s voice and emotion well, but it would have been even more immersive and easier to follow if there had been a second narrator for Jack. Having two distinct voices would have helped differentiate the characters and make the transitions between chapters clearer.

That said, the story itself was sharp, engaging, and full of the dark psychological elements Kaira Rouda is known for. I liked the way the tension built gradually and how the narrative explored power dynamics, personal ambition, and the facade of the perfect marriage.

Overall, this was a good listen, and I’m glad I had the chance to read it with my ears! I’m looking forward to reading more from Kaira Rouda in the future. Thank you again to NetGalley for the opportunity to enjoy this audiobook!

Jill is not happy..
Jill is unhinged.

Brace yourselves: this domestic suspense novel is a wild, twist-filled rollercoaster.

An utterly binge-worthy thriller, I devoured this one in a single sitting. Rouda masterfully crafts a delightfully deranged psychopath and a brilliantly unreliable narrator. What unfolds is a razor-sharp revenge tale—an addictive cat-and-mouse game brimming with shocking twists that will keep you compulsively turning the pages.

With its dark humor and wicked sense of fun, this is the ultimate summer page-turner.

In Jill is Not Happy, Kaira Rouda delivers a sharp, darkly witty story that takes readers on a surprising and thoroughly entertaining journey. At first glance, the title sets the tone—Jill is definitely not happy—but discovering the many reasons why becomes a compelling ride full of unexpected turns.

Rouda’s signature writing style shines through with smart, snappy prose and a cleverly constructed narrative that balances humor and tension. While the story initially hints at one direction, it masterfully veers into territory that feels both fresh and perfectly executed. The unpredictability of the plot keeps readers engaged, and the character of Jill is both frustratingly flawed and irresistibly relatable.

Moments of dark humor are sprinkled throughout the book, adding levity to the emotional complexity and keeping the pacing brisk. It’s a story that manages to be both thought-provoking and wildly entertaining. Rouda once again proves her talent for blending suspense with satire in a way that feels effortlessly readable.

Jill is Not Happy is a standout read for fans of character-driven domestic fiction with a sharp edge.

Omg this was a lot. The fmc was completely unhinged and obsessive and just pure crazy. I couldn’t stand her at all. Her character was incredibly frustrating to the point of unbearable. I honestly just wanted this to end. And I really wanted a better ending for the MMC. The narration was good except I really wish they had a male narrator for the male pov. It made it harder to follow being read by the same narrator throughout and she didn’t change her voice for his parts.

This one wasn’t for me.

**3.5 rounded up**

This is one of those domestic thrillers that left me equal parts entertained and unsettled. I'm talking the kind where it's a page-turner, but I just knew the characters were going to make choices that frustrated me.

Jack and Jill come across as a twisted version of the perfect couple. They're empty nesters who’ve spent years piling up secrets they can’t ignore anymore. What I found most compelling is how the narration kept me slightly off-balance: Jack thinks he’s in control, but Jill is finished pretending. The real psychological suspense kicks in when I saw how far they’ll go to manipulate each other while acting like everything’s fine.

I will say, at times, Jill’s actions teeter on the edge of believability, but maybe that’s the point. This is a story about what happens when the person you’ve built your life around becomes a stranger you’d do anything to keep or destroy. It’s twisted, sometimes darkly funny, and it doesn’t hold back, which is exactly what I wanted from a good psychological thriller.

Read if you like:
-an unreliable narrator (or two)
-messy secrets
-watching a marriage come apart in the worst possible way

With her signature blend of dark humor, razor-sharp insight, and chilling psychological tension, Kaira Rouda delivers a brilliantly unsettling listen in Jill Is Not Happy. In this smart, satirical thriller, Rouda takes us deep into the mind of a woman unraveling—and the unraveling feels disturbingly familiar.

Jill may have the outward trappings of a perfect life—status, family, the curated image—but beneath the surface, something is cracking. The audiobook gives Jill’s internal monologue full reign, immersing listeners in a spiraling narrative of envy, control, resentment, and carefully masked desperation. Rouda’s writing is slyly observant, and in audio format, the narration adds even more texture to Jill’s descent—equal parts gripping and uncomfortably relatable.

What makes Jill Is Not Happy so compelling is Rouda’s sharp critique of privilege, perfectionism, and the suffocating expectations placed on women. It’s a domestic thriller that feels both outrageous and disturbingly plausible, with twists that are as psychological as they are plot-driven.

Perfect for: Fans of You, Gone Girl, and unreliable female narrators with a sharply drawn sense of self-awareness.
Rating: ★★★★★

Rouda is the queen of unreliable, unrelatable, unlikable female characters. To make me unlike a character so much is a major skill and I attribute that to her fantastic writing. If you read this book you are in for a suspenseful, wild ride that will keep you turning the pages or glued to your earbuds, if you listen to the audiobook like I did!

The narration was fantastic and I was so surprised how much I enjoyed listening to Marnye Young, for the first time. However, as there was not a full cast of narrators, it was confusing at times with keeping the characters POV straight. Other than that, I highly recommend this in audiobook!

****Many thanks to High Bridge Audio for my gifted copy!

Received this as an audiobook.
The narrator does amazing work. Good volume and character transitions.
The storyline kept me engaged and entertained. Did not end how I thought it would and enjoyed it.