Overall Rating: ⭐⭐ TWO STARS
☑️Fast, Easy Read
🚫Engaging & Instense
☑️Well-developed characters
🚫Concievable Storyline
🚫An ending I didn't see coming
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Spolier Free Back of Book Synopsis: Joe Goldberg is done with the cities. He’s done with the muck and the posers, done with Love. Now he’s saying hello to nature, to simple pleasures on a cozy island in the Pacific Northwest. For the first time in a long time, he can just breathe.He gets a job at the local library—he does know a thing or two about books—and that’s where he meets her: Mary Kay DiMarco. Librarian. Joe won’t meddle, he will not obsess. He’ll win her the old-fashioned way . . . by providing a shoulder to cry on, a helping hand. Over time, they’ll both heal their wounds and begin their happily ever after in this sleepy town. The trouble is . . . Mary Kay already has a life. She’s a mother. She’s a friend. She’s . . . busy.True love can only triumph if both people are willing to make room for the real thing. Joe cleared his decks. He’s ready. And hopefully, with his encouragement and undying support, Mary Kay will do the right thing and make room for him.
My Favorite Chapter: Hmmm... well then. For me, this book was mostly a dud, but storyline aside, I would pick chapter 50 and that's because this is when we start understanding the darkness that swells around Mary Kay's sardonic teen daughter, Nomi. Promising no spoilers here, Nomi has reasons for her ridges and a well-played role she's been greasing the cogs with... Making her a memorable supporting character but an even more interesting protagonist for the future of the series. I'll be interested to see where Kepnes goes with the You series and plan to read book four when it's released to watch the story of Nomi (hopefully) grow.
Overall Review Summary: I had a hard time with this one. I really liked the first book in the series, even the second was pretty good, but third time was not the charm here... it was too much. Redundant and over-played. I felt like this book was wayyyyyyy too similar to book one and making it so Joe never gets caught a bit of a snooze-fest. I wish there would have been some added pressure to Joe and his actions like the Netflix series had done. Honestly, I really appreciated Netflix's version of Book 2, Hidden Bodies, and the direction they took the storyline more than the authors. (Which is NOT usually the case with this gal,👈🏼 folks). But overall, I found You Love Me to be too much of the same - not enough juice, thrill, or need for speed. Better luck next time, Caroline Kepnes - a phenomenal writer all the same.