Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.77 AVERAGE
3.77 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Reading Journal Details
Book: Dying to Meet You by Sarina Bowen
Format Read: Audiobook (~12 hours, 33 minutes long)
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (4.5/5)
My Quick Take Review
Dying to Meet You is a captivating domestic thriller with well developed, layered characters and intriguing secrets. Despite the story starting off a little slow, once it got its rhythm it offers an emotionally rich and immensely satisfying story.
Some Key Features
🦞 Portland, Maine setting
🏚️ Historic house remodel
🐶 Family dog
💬 Multiple POV's
🤐 Hidden family secrets
🔎 Amateur sleuthing
My Full Review
Sarina Bowen's Dying to Meet You is such a captivating mix of character and plot-driven storytelling that kept me hooked once it found its groove. The story is told through three distinctive perspectives: Rowan, her daughter Natalie, and Coralie. This makes the story feel layered and emotionally rich, with each character adding their own depth and complexity to the mix.
I especially liked the realistic mother-daughter dynamic between Rowan and Natalie. Their relationship, with its shares of grumbles, misunderstandings, secrets, and unspoken love, felt very real and relatable. That authentic vibe carried through to the rest of the characters, too; the dialogue was natural and engaging, really helping push the story along in a very organic way.
True to Sarina Bowen's strengths in romantic suspense, this novel is packed with secrets and lies that are just as intricate as the characters themselves. Admittedly, the pacing was a little slow to start, but once the momentum kicked in, it never let up. The story was engaging, twisty, and impossible to put down.
The narration was another highlight for me. Kathleen Early, Caitlin Kelly, and Sarah Mollo-Christensen each did a fabulous job bringing their characters' point of view to life, adding extra tension and emotional pull to the story.
That said, there were a few story elements that felt like dangling branches, mentioned but never fully revisited or tied into the central plot. A bit more follow up on those would have made the story feel even more cohesive.
Still, the ending was incredibly satisfying, wrapping things up in a natural, earned way instead of feeling rushed. Overall, this is a wonderful read for anyone who loves complex, emotionally intelligent domestic thrillers with just the right touch of romantic suspense.
Thank you Harper Audio, Sarina Bowen, and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced listener's copy (ALC) of this compelling domestic thriller in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are solely my own.
Book: Dying to Meet You by Sarina Bowen
Format Read: Audiobook (~12 hours, 33 minutes long)
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (4.5/5)
My Quick Take Review
Dying to Meet You is a captivating domestic thriller with well developed, layered characters and intriguing secrets. Despite the story starting off a little slow, once it got its rhythm it offers an emotionally rich and immensely satisfying story.
Some Key Features
🦞 Portland, Maine setting
🏚️ Historic house remodel
🐶 Family dog
💬 Multiple POV's
🤐 Hidden family secrets
🔎 Amateur sleuthing
My Full Review
Sarina Bowen's Dying to Meet You is such a captivating mix of character and plot-driven storytelling that kept me hooked once it found its groove. The story is told through three distinctive perspectives: Rowan, her daughter Natalie, and Coralie. This makes the story feel layered and emotionally rich, with each character adding their own depth and complexity to the mix.
I especially liked the realistic mother-daughter dynamic between Rowan and Natalie. Their relationship, with its shares of grumbles, misunderstandings, secrets, and unspoken love, felt very real and relatable. That authentic vibe carried through to the rest of the characters, too; the dialogue was natural and engaging, really helping push the story along in a very organic way.
True to Sarina Bowen's strengths in romantic suspense, this novel is packed with secrets and lies that are just as intricate as the characters themselves. Admittedly, the pacing was a little slow to start, but once the momentum kicked in, it never let up. The story was engaging, twisty, and impossible to put down.
The narration was another highlight for me. Kathleen Early, Caitlin Kelly, and Sarah Mollo-Christensen each did a fabulous job bringing their characters' point of view to life, adding extra tension and emotional pull to the story.
That said, there were a few story elements that felt like dangling branches, mentioned but never fully revisited or tied into the central plot. A bit more follow up on those would have made the story feel even more cohesive.
Still, the ending was incredibly satisfying, wrapping things up in a natural, earned way instead of feeling rushed. Overall, this is a wonderful read for anyone who loves complex, emotionally intelligent domestic thrillers with just the right touch of romantic suspense.
Thank you Harper Audio, Sarina Bowen, and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced listener's copy (ALC) of this compelling domestic thriller in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are solely my own.
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
mysterious
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
• murder mystery • suspense thriller • contemporary • second chance romance • a historic restoration filled with secrets • multiple POVs •
•I loved the Five Year Lie, which was Sarina Bowen’s first thriller, and this one didn’t disappoint, either. Well, except for the title failing to tie into the story at all. Otherwise, the romance blended perfectly with the mystery and thrills, and didn’t feel forced, unlike many romantic suspense novels I’ve tried, which I’m always on the lookout for.
•Kathleen Early, Caitlin Kelly, & Sarah Mollo-Christensen performed the narration nicely.
•My Score 7.89/10•
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes