Reviews - Love in the Time of Serial Killers

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6.48k reviews for:

Love in the Time of Serial Killers

Thanks to Penguin Random House UK for providing me with a free e-copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This book follows Phoebe, who is obsessed with true crime. So obsessed that she is basing her PhD research on the genre. And so obsessed that when she moves back to her hometown after her dad dies, she immediately thinks that her neighbour, Sam, is a serial killer.

There wasn’t much plot to this book. I was hoping that there would be more to the whole ‘I think my neighbour is a serial killer’ aspect, but it was resolved pretty quickly, and even when it was a part of the plot, I feel like I wanted the author to do more than that. There were a few other sub-plots woven throughout the story, but nothing particularly interesting – which is okay because most people don’t read romance books for the plot.

The romance itself was a bit of a letdown for me. It wasn’t bad, but it also wasn’t great. It just . . . was. Phoebe was an interesting character, and I liked that we really got to dive into her history and her mindset, but I didn’t particularly like her as a person, especially when it comes to how she treats Sam. Sam was a good hero, although I think I would have liked him more had this book been a dual POV story.

Overall, though, this was a unique take on the romance genre. The writing was good, it was a quick and easy read, and I had a fun time with it! It wasn’t mind-blowing, but it did what a romance sets out to do, and I wouldn’t hesitate to pick up more from this author.

pirouettingpageturner's review against another edition

3.75

adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: N/A

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

Cute romance with a side of family dynamics.
Phoebe has some issues but so do most of us. She’s just a bit neurotic and Sam was such a doll. I had a different idea of where this book was going to head but still pleased with how it turned out.

ruuisa's review against another edition

3.0

3 Stars. I had high hopes for this book but it was sort of a let down. Whereas I enjoyed the main characters and even liked some of the side characters, the plot was kinda going nowhere once Phoebe told Sam that she thought he was a Serial Killer. And that was on like page 100, so not far into the book. After that the book mainly focused on Phoebe's dissertation...
Imagine if Sam actually turned out to be a Serial Killer, or if there was one in the area and Sam was secretly investigating it or what ever.

libra_booklibraries's review against another edition

4.0

It took me some time to think about how this book made me feel. I did enjoy Phoebe in the beginning because she felt relatable. However, with the last 20% of the book I was getting really annoyed with her. She had this great guy who wanted a serious relationship with her, but she decided to send mixed signals. Kiss him, sleep with him, but she just wanted the benefits since she is leaving for her career.

I really did not like the 3rd act breakup although it was needed for Phoebe to work out her feelings. I just feel like Phoebe spent so much time fighting her feelings instead of embracing them.

I loved Sam and wish we would have gotten some of his point of view. He is a sweetheart who loves her so much, but will not compromise his own feelings to satisfy her needs. He wants something real, more than benefits, and he wants that with her.

Overall, I liked the book it was interesting and had a lot of criminology involved. I just wish a few things were different more Sam his life, pov, and his thoughts. I also wish there was a time jump to show their wedding and Phoebe meeting Sam’s large family. Lastly, I wanted Phoebe to speak to her mom work through her childhood trauma with her.

3.5 ⭐️