Often repetitive, mildly confusing. While I enjoyed the overall concept, I was left feeling dissatisfied and quite frankly lost.

The grass is always greener - we often think that, but do we ever act on it?
Erin and Sam are old friends, who each secretly envy the life led by the other. One ,makes a move to change things, but will it all go smoothly?
There is a lot of psychology, and even reverse psychology in this book. Who is telling the truth, and who is manipulating who?
This book draws the reader in as the 'upper hand' seems to switch between the two characters.
Is the grass really greener or is it all a smokescreen, or a mirage?
An interesting and enjoyable read. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Perfect book to read for the summer vibe feel and if you like twists and a bit of mystery to your reads!

This is the perfect summer thriller. It’s packed full of twists and turns and comes with an amazing ending. I was quickly drawn into the characters and plot, and I really enjoyed this book.

This book about two female characters and their estranged friendship had me hooked from beginning to end. While it didn’t have true thriller vibes to me, I really enjoyed watching the story unfold. Thanks so much to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review - it’s out now!

Sooo I just finished this book and I’m feeling like I lost all my words and I’m not much capable of of using my brain anymore.

I’m just wow! WTF! Wow!
I don’t even know how to properly review this book with give spoilers but im going to try.

1. Sam at the beginning of the book is like a brain smasher with all her self pity and she’s so damn jealous that is somehow annoying. But then u continue to read and all that is forgotten.

2. Erin she gives the mean girl vibes all the way till the end. But still I couldn’t just hate her. Don’t ask me why but I felt more connected with her than Sam.

3. The story line is really well done, and loved how it was written but I felt it was a bit repetitive (?)

4. The last 30/20% was wow. Plot twist after plot twist. And when you think “ yes she won “ there’s another plot twist. So that part was really amazing as a reader.

5. Isn’t a complex story, actually is quite simple but still a great reading.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/232853858

I’ve been finding it hard to get into some thrillers lately - but this one hooked me from the first page and didn’t let go. I didn’t find the ending quite as exciting as I had hoped and anticipated. Despite this, the book was terrifically written, easy to follow and great at capturing the attention of the reader. I would absolutely recommend this book to a friend!

I wanted to give this five stars—truly. But there were just so many twists and turns that I’m walking away more confused than anything… and somehow still in awe of what I just read.

The story starts off a bit slow, easing you in—but once you hit the halfway mark? Buckle up. The pacing takes off and the twists start piling on, one after another. At some point, I couldn’t stop reading because I had to know how it all played out.

This book is an experience—unpredictable, emotional, and haunting. I may not have all the answers, but I’ll be thinking about this one for a while.

Wish You Were Her by J.E. Rowney had a really interesting premise: grief, obsession, and the question of how well we truly know the people we love. The emotional weight of losing someone and trying to fill that void was portrayed with care, and I appreciated the vulnerability in the main character’s journey.

The early chapters pulled me in quickly. I felt the pain of Zoe’s loss and her desperation to understand what really happened to her sister. There’s something deeply human about how she clings to the past, replaying conversations and grasping for answers. And as she becomes more entangled in the lives left behind, I could feel her unraveling in a way that was both tragic and believable.

That said, the story started to lose momentum about halfway through. Some twists felt a bit predictable, and a few of the character decisions didn’t quite land for me emotionally. The ending did offer some resolution, but I found myself wishing it had gone just a bit deeper or taken a slightly bolder direction.

Still, Wish You Were Her is a thoughtful, emotional read with an intriguing concept and a strong sense of voice. I think readers who enjoy character-driven psychological fiction will find moments that resonate here.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC opportunity in exchange for an honest review.

This is my first time reading a J.E. Rowney book, and I was very impressed.

I picked this book up in the middle of reading another book, thinking I would wait to dive into it. But I read the first chapter and I was immediately hooked - I read this book in the span of 24 hours.

Wish You Were Her follows Sam Foster as her life begins to intertwine with the life of her old college roommate Erin Blake again. Sam has lost her job, her husband, her apartment, and most of her money. She's sitting in a dirty motel, doom scrolling to try and block out her surroundings, when she accidentally likes a photo from Erin, her friend turned enemy, who she hasn't spoken to in 6 years.

Erin invites Sam to stay in her house for a little while as she tries to get back up on her feet, but as the days go by, Sam starts to wonder what Erin's intentions are. Erin seems to think that Sam coming back into her life is good timing for both of them - and Sam doesn't think Erin is just saying that because she needs an amateur photographer for her upcoming retreat in Aruba.

The beginning of this book is very adequately paced. Rowney gives enough description that you feel like you could be in the novel, but at the same time she moves fast enough that it is easy to get invested in this book.

The way that she writes the suspense is also fantastic. There are so many moments of doubt and questioning about other characters and their intentions. But then she switches back to descriptions about the beautiful settings (Erin's house, the villa, etc.) so quickly that it is easy to forget about the impending danger. These details perfectly match with the vibes of the book - light, airy millionaire life - while still sending signals to the reader that something is just not quite right about Erin and her life.

There were a few words/phrases of descriptions that I thought were repeated too many times in the first 50 or so pages of the book (such as stone, or the fact that Sam has exactly 2.43 pounds in her bank account), but overall it never reached a point where it took me too far out of the story, and I didn't notice any instances of this in the later parts of the novel.

The main reason that I didn't give this book 5 stars was that I thought the ending was too quickly paced. I absolutely LOVED the part right before the reveal. However, I just feel like there could've been more hints towards the main plot twist and more character development inside of the plot twist.

Overall, I had a lot of fun reading this book, and I gave it 4 stars!

Expected so much from this book and left VERY disappointed.

Samantha's life is in chaos when her old friend Erin offers her an escape to a dreamy, beachside life—an invitation that hints at mystery, secrets, and emotional twists. The story started strong, with engaging writing, suspenseful buildup, and a compelling dynamic between the two women.... I was misled.

After the first quarter of the book, the plot veers OFF course, the character choices become illogical, and the tidy, happy ending clashed with the darker, tense atmosphere built earlier.

Very unsatisfied.

Toxic friendship done right! What a wild ride this one was. We all have the one friend that isn’t really a friend right? This book showcases that type of relationship. Just when I thought it couldn’t get even more petty between the two female characters I was proven wrong. The ending was perfection- one I didn’t see coming!

An ending I was not expecting and another perfect example of toxic friendships. This book was incredible in it's execution of the manipulation from both characters. I think the ending was the perfect payback

This book started off slow but picked up as you continued to read it. I gave this book two stars. It had a good story line and and build up but the twist wasn’t jaw dropping to me.

For me, a thriller has to have its roots in reality. I just did not believe in any part of this - the total rock bottom that Sam has reached versus the untold millions that Erin has accumulated by giving very rich women some dubious lifestyle coaching at a very expensive retreat. The plot twists at the end became a little farcical as the main characters swapped positions. There were supposed to be eight women at this retreat - only a few were mentioned by name, only a couple of them had active roles. Layla, and Daniel just went along with whatever Erin wanted. Maya was a dissatisfied client from before and she helped Sam to unmask the deception. So, plot and characters not believable. However, I did manage to read to the end, so one star for that.

And Breathe!!!! Wish You Were Her by J.E. Rowney was 💕 BRILLIANT!!!! 💕 This author knows how to write. . . 💁 ❤️ 💁
This is a book will transport you to the darkest place someone could ever dream of being in and then to the most amazing place within the world, where you can smell the sea, feel sand between your toes, eat amazing food and feel sun on your face!!! To wear the most wonderful clothes that feel wonderful on their skin!. . . . . . .

Then Bang. . . . . It all changes! for every character within this excellent book!

This book was truly amazing!. . . . . and kept me gripped from the very beginning till the very end especially as it had a Perfect ending. . . . . . I devoured it in 1 sitting and I Loved Wish You Were her, the characters were very cleverly placed within this book and played excellent parts, I Loved Sam and really felt for her.. . . . .

Very Cleverly written that will have you hooked and it is a great holiday book.

J.E. Rowney's Wish You Were Her is an engaging, character-driven psychological drama that delivers suspense with a sharp emotional undercurrent. The novel draws readers in quickly with its intriguing premise and relatable characters, and Rowney's prose is clean, fluid, and highly readable—ideal for a fast-paced, weekend binge.

The story centers around a wellness retreat that promises transformation and healing but soon reveals secrets that suggest something more sinister. While the isolated, therapeutic setting is compelling, I found the plot to be somewhat predictable. Several of the twists didn’t land with quite the impact they seemed to aim for, partly because the structure and setup felt familiar—Wish You Were Her shares notable similarities with Liane Moriarty’s Nine Perfect Strangers. The themes of self-discovery, buried trauma, and group dynamics are handled well, but for readers who are familiar with Moriarty’s work, there may be a sense of déjà vu.

That said, Rowney’s character work is a definite highlight. She crafts flawed, emotionally rich individuals who each bring their own baggage to the retreat, and the interplay between them keeps the narrative moving, even when the overarching mystery feels a little too on-the-rails.

Overall, I enjoyed the book—it was an entertaining and atmospheric read. While it didn't break new ground in the genre, and its predictability may be a drawback for some, Wish You Were Her still delivers enough tension and emotional depth to satisfy fans of psychological fiction.

A twisty page-turner! I defiinitely loved this book. so much twists. wait i already said that. a definite recommend

thanks netgalley and publisher. all thoughts are my own.

3.5. A fun, twisty page-turner! It was the perfect read for my beach trip. I found myself not being able to put it down. The author painted such vivid picture of the (former) friends at the center of the book and their surroundings, it is easy to get swept up in their world. The only part that didn’t quite work for me was the ending, but I very much enjoyed the ride anyway.

Wish You Were Her by JE Rowney was an okay read for me. I enjoyed getting to know Sam initially as her life was unraveling, and unfortunately, she accidently reconnected with her old friend/enemy Erin. Erin made Sam an offer she couldn't resist, even though her rational self was saying not to. I found this a little improbable but nonetheless I read on. What follows was predictable to some extent, the way Erin wheedled her way back into Sam's life, trying to make amends for a horrible mistake, or was she? One point that truly irked me was that Erin and Sam kind of looked alike, much too convenient and highly unlikely. It made the story even more implausible. Just an okay read for me.