Kaira Rouda is definitely the queen of unlikeable and untrustworthy main characters. I could not stop listening to Jill Is Not Happy until the bitter end. And yes, definitely bitter, not even a little sweet—but I thoroughly enjoyed every minute. The narrator, Marnye Young, was great—although I do wish there had been a male narrator to voice Jack (or at least that Young had spoken in a lower octave/different accent/etc when voicing Jack to distinguish between the two POVs). They are very different characters, but sometimes while driving or running errands, I found myself needing to rewind because I'd been listening to a chapter thinking it was Jill when really it was Jack, or vice versa). But it was a minor issue that didn't diminish my enjoyment of the story overall. Highly recommend!!

This was a great story with lots of twists and turns! I thoroughly enjoyed this story and look forward to her next book.

I wish the audio had a male narrator for Jack's part as it was confusing sometimes on who's POV it was. The narrator did a great job but I just wish they had used two different people since there were two POVs.
The story itself was not for me, I enjoy suspense but both of these people were extraordinarily dumb and made very poor, stupid choices that made it difficult to care about any of them.

The FMC, Jill is absolutely insane. Her husband, Jack is not much better. Some of the antics in this book made me laugh a little, but literally they are both unhinged. I listened to the audiobook and I found it a bit hard to keep track of FMC/MMC POVs since the voice was the same. The narrator was great but I would have liked to see a bit of a change between the two characters.

This domestic thriller keep my interest and was enjoyable even with hating the main couple (which I think is the point of the book maybe??)

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for allowing me to listen to and review this new release! I follow Kaira on the Killer Author's Club and enjoyed this one!

Jill is a cartoonish villain and, after a while, not pleasant to read about. It feels the author is trying to create some kind of Gone Girl-esque couple in Jill and Jack, but these two are one dimensional and imo not compelling. I was eager to finish the book and be done with these people.

The audiobook narrator was good for Jill's portions, but it was confusing for Jack's portions to sound the same. It would have been better to have a male narrator for those sections.

Audiobook/Book Review📓✍🏽
Thank you so much partner High Bridge Audio @mbc_books for the gifted copy and audiobook!

Jill Is Not Happy
by Kaira Rouda
Narrated by Marnye Young

About the book 👇🏽

Some secrets keep a couple together.

If you ask Jill Tingley, she'll tell you she and her husband Jack are college sweethearts living the dream in Southern California. Wealthy, popular and genetically blessed, theirs is an enviable life, though they've grown distant in recent years. Newly empty nesting with their daughter Maggie away at college, Jill suggests a road trip to reconnect.

Jack would rather do anything else than drive to Utah with his wife. He's only stayed in this marriage because of a shared secret, a tragedy in the past he wanted to keep buried. And for his daughter's sake. But Jack is finished with the charade of his marriage. He's filing for divorce as soon as they return, no matter what.

But he doesn't realize what else Jill is hiding.

So begins a cat-and-mouse road trip as a cunning wife—think Ripley in yoga pants—and a reluctant husband match wits and drive each other to the edge. But everything will be fine. Jill still loves Jack and believes he's the only one for her. She’ll do anything to keep him. Anything. She always has.

✍🏽 My thoughts:

Yes!! This was an unputdownable thriller! Once I started it, there was no stopping. The audiobook narrator was wonderful and really held my attention while having me on the edge of my seat. I was wondering where the heck it was going the entire time. It’s full of secrets and twists and just non stop mind f*ckery. It’s the kind of fast paced thriller I just love to devour and always recommend! Drama and deceit with a side of murder… what’s not to love?! You need to get your hands on this summer must read! Jill is Not Happy hits shelves 6/10/25!

Happy reading 📖📓✍🏽

Narration:
The narrator did a great job voicing Jill—her tone and delivery captured the character’s discontent and intensity well. However, the same narrator also voiced Jack’s chapters, and this didn’t work as effectively. Without a distinct male voice or a dual-narrator format, it was often hard to tell when the perspective shifted, especially since the story alternates between two very different characters. A male narrator for Jack’s sections would have helped clarify transitions and improve overall flow.

Story:
This was a fast-paced, bingeable thriller, with a quick plot that makes it easy to keep listening—but unfortunately, not a single character felt redeemable. Even the supposed victims were unlikable, which made it hard to invest emotionally in what happened to them. Jill certainly lived up to the title, but I wish her character had more depth. A richer backstory could have made her arc more compelling. The same goes for the rest of the cast—none of them felt layered or believable beyond their surface flaws.

The plot had potential and did keep me curious, but it wasn’t fully developed. At one point, the timeline abruptly skips ahead by two months, glossing over key events that would have added tension and depth. That jump pulled me out of the story and left too many unanswered questions.

Flow & Format:
The flow was a bit choppy due to the perspective shifts and lack of clear vocal distinction between narrators. That, paired with the plot’s time jump, made the audiobook feel disjointed at times. If this is released as a dual-narration or full-cast audio in the future, it could improve the listening experience significantly.

Final Thoughts:
I didn’t mind the ending—I actually enjoy open-ended conclusions like “The Lady or the Tiger”—but I’m surprised by the high ratings this book has received elsewhere. For me, it lacked emotional depth and character complexity. If you’re looking for a quick thriller to throw on during a commute or cleaning spree, it might still work for you—but I’d personally recommend reading this one in print or waiting for a dual-narrator audio version if one becomes available.

Fast paced and addictive!

Jill Tingley loves her life. She is wealthy, beautiful, and still so in love with her husband, Jack. But Jack is not happy. There’s something off about his wife. He doesn’t want to take the road trip to Utah to reconnect now that their only daughter has gone off to college. Jack wants a divorce. But Jack and Jill share a sinister secret that’s keeping him from leaving the marriage. What ensues is a cat and mouse game between the spouses as they both try to get what they want. Who will win?

I couldn’t put this down, I listened to it in a day! And the audio narration was fantastic performed by Marnye Young.

Thank you Netgalley, HighBridge Audio, and the author for this ALC in exchange for my honest review. This book will be available for purchase on June 10, 2025

Thank you to Netgalley and RBMedia for the ALC of Kaira Rouda's latest thriller Jill Is Not Happy!

'Jack and Jill went up the hill'. Just hearing the begining of the famous nursery rhyme I knew it would be a good thriller!
It has been a while that I finished an audiobook in 2 days!
Kaira Rouda has done it again! I enjoyed the dual POV!

Thank you once again!

I just knew that one of them was going to kill the other. I kinda felt bad for Jack and hoped he would find a way out..
Overall this story had me enthralled until the end.

This book is very reminiscent of "Best Day Ever" but much more mature and realistic. It's predictable and surprising in the best ways and keeps you guessing until the very end. Thanks to #NetGalley for the ARC of the audiobook. The Narrator was engaging and performed very well.

Not bad. I give this 3-3.5 stars.
Jack and Jill - yes, you read that correctly- are a couple with a struggling marriage.
Jill decides to reconnect, they need a trip. This trip is to Utah.
Unfortunately, Jack and Jill are definitely playing a game of cat and mouse with one another.
Both MCs have their secrets, and which of them is the worst?
We go on a fast-paced trip of suspicion with twists and turns along the way.
Things get worse and worse until the ending. The ending was decent, and it absolutely left us open for another book.
The plot is well structured, and the pace is perfect for a thriller.
The characters are well-developed, and the more you read, the crazier it gets!
I did find myself wanting more. More of something, I can't quite put my finger on it, but I felt like the book needed more.
This is certainly a nice quick poolside read for your summer TBR.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!
Happy Reading!

This was such a fun revenge thriller—perfect for a lazy day by the pool or at the beach. I always enjoy Kaira Rouda’s books, and this one totally delivered. She’s so good at writing over-the-top characters you love to hate, and Jack and Jill are classic Rouda—messy, dramatic, and completely entertaining.

They’re caught in this wild cat-and-mouse game the entire time, and I was hooked on their antics. It’s got secrets, twists, and just the right amount of ridiculousness to make it a great weekend read.

Also—loved the audiobook! Marnye Young was the perfect narrator. She really brought the characters to life and made the whole story even more fun to listen to.

Pros:
-great narrator, she has range and is very entertaining
- entertaining enough to keep you engaged throughout the storyline.

Cons:
-horrible characters, especially Jill. I could not stand how horrible she is to her daughter.
- it was quite far fetched
- the female narrator was excellent, but it would have been better to have a second male narrator for Jack’s perspective. Sometimes it got a bit confusing on who was thinking what.

All in all, an ok audiobook.

What a wild ride!
A Jack and Jill story like none other you have read! Very suspenseful, fast paced, quick and easy to follow. The characters are messy and unlikable in the best way! A true villain story you wont want to put down or forget!
An author I will be reading more of!

4.5/5

Toxic af couple.
Love a story with a Psychopath.
Liked where it was going immediately.
Interesting take on Jack & Jill.
Hot damn that ending!
Enjoyed every bit, the narration was good.

Jill Is Not Happy was such a delightful surprise! From the very first chapter, I was hooked. The writing is sharp, witty, and full of heart, and I found myself laughing out loud more than once. Jill is such a relatable character, flawed, funny, and trying to hold it all together in the most chaotic way possible. I connected with her instantly.

This was a quick read (or in my case, listen), and I honestly couldn’t put it down. The pacing is perfect, and the story never drags. Every character felt real and added something to the story, and the dialogue was spot-on.

The audiobook narration was fantastic. The narrator brought so much personality to Jill and really captured the humor and emotion of the story. It felt like listening to a friend tell me about her life over coffee.

If you’re looking for something smart, funny, and refreshingly honest, Jill Is Not Happy is a must. Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. I absolutely loved it!

I don’t want to be one of those people, but the best word for this audiobook is ‘delicious.’

Main characters, husband and wife Jack and Jill, are both basically horrible people, who did horrible things, who kept me listening and wanting more.

What seems like a simple, unfortunate event led to a lifetime of more unfortunate events and I enjoyed the whole journey. I won’t say more, because discovering is part of the fun, but Jill is Not Happy is basically if You by Caroline Kepnes, and tv show Your Friends and Neighbors created by Jonathan Tropper, had a baby.

I really prefer standalone books so when I say Kaira Rouda better do a second book, that is my highest praise.

I want more.

The book started off with a solid premise, but after a while, it all just felt kind of repetitive. Having just one narrator made it tricky to tell which character’s point of view we were getting—there wasn’t enough to set them apart. And the ending? Way too open-ended for my taste. Honestly, it left me pretty frustrated. There was so much potential for it to be great, but in the end, it just didn’t land for me.

Thanks so much to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC audiobook.
This book was effed up!
I listened in one day.
Jill is completely horrid and Jack is a wimp.
One thing, I got absolutely sick of hearing the word "handsome". To the point that I was screaming at my phone there towards the end. (-1⭐ as a result)
Speaking of the end, WTH was that???
The narrator was great.