I couldn't get into this one -I got to 20% and felt like nothing had happened. It was a little confusing w/ the POVs and flashbacks, trying to discern what was happening when, but overall this one was too slow for me.

4.5 Stars

I really loved this book. Told in multiple voices, Scott really brings each of these characters completely to life. The perspectives are all quite distinct, all revolve around love, faith, family and relationships. It also involves a murder but that seemed secondary. It's such an impressive and well done novel. The setting really feels well-detailed atmospheric and authentic, too. And while some of the perspectives are more stylized than others, as a whole this just really works.

It's shockingly visual and totally fresh - not to mention just completely original...all the more surprising since murder mystery stories don't usually feel all that new. And while the plot points in a clear direction, it's almost interactive in the way that it allows the reader to piece it all together - ahead of the characters themselves.

This is very satisfying and very fast-paced. I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish and I really can't wait to read more from her soon. Stephanie Scott writing is like poetry...Impressively done.

"A gripping debut set in modern-day Tokyo and inspired by a true crime, for readers of Everything I Never Told You and The Perfect Nanny, What's Left of Me Is Yours charts a young woman's search for the truth about her mother's life - and her murder.

In Japan, a covert industry has grown up around the "wakaresaseya" (literally "breaker-upper"), a person hired by one spouse to seduce the other in order to gain the advantage in divorce proceedings. When Satō hires Kaitarō, a wakaresaseya agent, to have an affair with his wife, Rina, he assumes it will be an easy case. But Satō has never truly understood Rina or her desires and Kaitarō's job is to do exactly that--until he does it too well. While Rina remains ignorant of the circumstances that brought them together, she and Kaitarō fall in a desperate, singular love, setting in motion a series of violent acts that will forever haunt her daughter's life.

Told from alternating points of view and across the breathtaking landscapes of Japan, Stephanie Scott exquisitely renders the affair and its intricate repercussions. As Rina's daughter, Sumiko, fills in the gaps of her mother's story and her own memory, Scott probes the thorny psychological and moral grounds of the actions we take in the name of love, asking where we draw the line between passion and possession."

True crime? I'm listening!

Whoa! I always wanted to have this job or own A company that did. It's when you hire someone to seduce your spouse, boyfriend, girlfriend, lover, whatever and see if they cheat. Or I would've liked to hire A person when I was younger to see if my husband would go for it. Turns out I didn't have to spend $ to find out he was A no good lying cheat. Haha! Lots of laughs right?

Well this book was really good because it was set in Japanese culture, which always draws me in because I love culture. But Sato, the husband has no idea about his wife Tina and her needs and wants. Lucero does though, the hired hand, so to speak. Disastrous. No spoilers. Just read it! I might've given this 5 stars but I'm being very picky these days!


A special thanks to Doubleday Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and DoubleDay Books for gifting me this brilliant debut. In exchange for the ARC I offer my unbiased review.

I’m not one for love stories, but man did this story shatter my heart. Based on true events, a daughter searches for answers that led to her mother’s murder when she was a young girl.

Rina marries Sato, an arrangement made by her father Yoshi, a wealthy and prominent attorney. The marriage is devoid of love, passion and joy but it produces a daughter, Sumi. Sumi becomes the one bright light for Rina. Sato no longer wants to be bound to Rina or Sumi but it’s Rina’s wealth and prestige that brings so much to his lifestyle. Hoping to force Rina into abandoning the marriage, Sato hires a “Wakaresaseya”, an undercover professional to seduce his wife and have her commit adultery, which will grant Sato full benefits of the marital assets.

Set in Tokyo, this book beautifully weaves Japanese culture, traditions, religious observances and the intricacies of all legal manners. This was an outstanding debut, full of gorgeous prose, wonderful characters and a richness of storytelling. I was spellbound and completely transported to another country.

Stephanie Scott's debut novel What's Left of Me is Yours has such an intriguing premise and entails a service that I personally never even knew existed - that of the wakaresaseya. In Japanese culture, a wakaresaseya breaks up marriages. The wakaresaseya is hired by one of the unhappy partners in the marriage to seduce the other partner and provide evidence of adultery, thus laying the grounds for divorce. Scott's novel is inspired by the real-life story of a wakaresaseya who falls in love with his charge and then later murders her when she discovers the truth.

What's Left of Me is Yours is a quiet, introspective book about relationships, the people we love, and those we leave behind. Traversing back and forth between the 1990s and present day, this novel shows the progression of wakaresaseya Kato's relationship with Rina, the woman he was been hired to lure into adultery, as well as the impact her murder later has on her now-grown daughter Sumiko. As Sumiko attempts to put together the pieces of her mother's relationship with Kato, she and the readers learn about the couple's backstory and what eventually led their love affair to end in murder.

What's Left of Me is Yours' strengths come in the form of a unique plot based on real events. This adds a level of interest to the novel and makes it more compelling. The growing relationship between Kato and Rina is also curious, although I would have preferred if it was more fleshed out. Readers feel like they are teetering right on the edge of this relationship instead of being all-in. Sumiko's parts of the novel were unfortunately not as interesting or engaging. Her chapters involve a lot of legal jargon and procedure talk, which did not make for enjoyable reading.

In all, I found What's Left of Me is Yours to be rather plodding and meandering, and never found myself fully immersed in this story, thus my 3 star rating. To be better suited to my tastes, I would have preferred a faster-paced book that put readers right in the center of the action instead of on the periphery looking in.

Thank you to NetGalley and Doubleday Books for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

This is a difficult review to write, as many 3 star reviews are, because the premise of this is so unique and unlike anything I've ever read, but it just lacked depth for me.

"What's Left of Me Is Yours" is Stephanie Scott's debut novel, inspired by a true crime. The story is told in alternating points of view, shifting between Japan in the modern days and the 1990s, and focuses on the wakaresaseya - people who are paid to break up couples. Scott shifts the focus from the crime, choosing instead to shine a spotlight on the victims. We learn about Rina, the woman who was murdered; Kaitarō, her killer; and Sumi, Rina's daughter who is trying to piece together what really happened to her mother.

As I mentioned previously, this was unlike anything I'd ever read before. It doesn't fit neatly into a genre, and could be seen as a mix between mystery, thriller, and romance. It's clear Scott did her research and tried to portray both Japanese life and the legal system as best she could.

Without a doubt, the greatest strength of this novel is Scott's writing. Her writing is beautiful and atmospheric, and I could get lost in the prose. Unfortunately, it felt like the story relied on the writing a little too much - the more I read, the more it felt like the writing was a veneer for the lack of plot. For a large chunk of the book I found myself thinking "yes, this is gorgeously written...but when will something happen?". A lot of time is spent laying the groundwork for various relationships (Rina/Sumi, Rina/Kaitarō, Rina/Yoshi), but not a lot happens. Around the 80% mark the story began to pique my interest again, but that's a fair amount of time to wait.

I really enjoyed Scott's writing and learning about the Japanese legal system, but unfortunately the book overall was just okay for me. I applaud Scott for looking at a tragic and peculiar crime and shifting the focus, exploring how far someone will go for love, but in the end it fell flat for me. Many thanks to Doubleday and NetGalley for my advanced review copy!

Thank you to Read It Forward and Net Galley for the advanced reader copy! This book is really well written and I am shocked this is the author’s first book. I really enjoyed all the Japanese traditions she put in there. It had suspense, romance, and heartbreak. All in all a really enjoyable read!

This story illustrates the power of love but not in a traditional manner. There isn’t a vast romantic interlude here. In fact you will learn about the tragic side of love - lost and betrayed.

In Japan when a man wishes to divorce his wife quietly, he can hire an investigator to follow her and tempt her into straying from her marriage. After the wife strays the husband can negotiate a settlement favorable to him. Sumiko Sato’s father did just that. But this story twists and turns and is far from simple. Ultimately, there is tragedy and no one will talk to Sumiko about this. We follow her as she uncovers the story of her mother’s life.

Initially the story seemed too mired in detail but suddenly things fell into place and this became a consuming tale. The characters are fascinating and looking into the practices of another culture is very informative. The moral dilemma we find is whether forgiveness can be achieved when you love someone “too much”.

This is a masterful story that will resonate with you for a long time.

WHAT’S LEFT OF ME IS YOURS by Stephanie is a very different read. It defies genre; there really is a little bit of everything. The story is based on a true-crime, you will learn a lot about the Japanese legal system. Most interesting to me was the description of the practice of wakaresaseya. I would have like to hear more about wakaresaseya and Kaitaro’s experience before meeting Rina but perhaps that would be another book.

This is a slow read filled with many descriptive passages, sometimes too many. The story would grip me and I could not wait to get to the next detail but there would be pages of descriptive prose, beautifully done, lyrical in its beauty but sometimes, too much.

I was really invested in the relationship between Rina and Kaitaro. It was one of the most passionate and deep relationships I have encountered between the pages of a book. So much of their relationship and its outcome I am still pondering and cannot wait until some of my reading buddies finish this book to compare thoughts.

You only have to read a few pages of this novel to know that you are holding something special and unique in your hands. Stephanie Scott's writing style is so lyrical, poetic and evocative! It flows as smoothly as a quietly bubbling creek, moving gently ever onward with a force of its own. Painting beautiful scenes with her words, she draws the reader into the world of her story.

This novel crosses so many genres that it's hard to pin it to just one. Based on a true crime, it's a mystery, a family drama, a story of a mother and her daughter, a romance, and also a well-researched look into the Japanese culture and legal system.

The story is told from two points of view in two time periods; Rina, a young married woman whose husband (unbeknownst to her) seeks to divorce her, and their daughter, Sumiko, a young adult in modern day Tokyo. Sumiko finds that what she has been told and believed about her mother's death (that she died in a car accident) is a lie. When she searches for more information, the truths she uncovers has her questioning all she thought she knew about her family and her life. Filled with love, dreams, hopes, lies, manipulation and betrayal, this is a tragic tale where each character makes decisions that have catastrophic consequences.

The author writes with such skill and polish that I am amazed that this is her debut novel. I have put her on my authors to watch list, and plan to read everything she writes!

My thanks to NetGalley and Doubleday Books for allowing me to read a copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. All opinions expressed here are my own.

A story of love and betrayal, here’s another novel that doesn’t fit cleanly into one genre. Inspired by a real crime, What’s Left of Me is Yours is a mystery where we already know the killer, a romance that sours and a family drama located in the heart of Tokyo. I had no knowledge of the ‘wakaresaseya’ profession before beginning, but trust that Stephanie Scott is an expert not only in the real case that inspired the book, but seemingly the entire Japanese legal system as well.

I really have to take a moment to mention how different Japan’s criminal justice process is from our own. I mean, one of the biggest flaws in the American system is how inconsistently people are treated across the board. In Japan they seem to have the inverse problem, preventing discrimination through absolutes and rigidity. It’s all obviously a lot more nuanced than that, and as someone who’s really only vaguely familiar with one set of national laws, I’m not really equipped to dissect those intricacies. But from this perspective I can’t really wrap my head around some of the tenants in Japanese law. Basically if I ever get arrested in Japan, I’ll have to call Scott to bail me out.

This novel moves quietly, but with enormous intent. I almost felt as though I was reading two different books simultaneously, which in a way I was. The story of Rina and Kaitarō is a slow burn that we already know ends in tragedy. It’s suspenseful not just because of its grisly outcome, but because of the precariousness of their budding relationship. There’s a muted menace waiting just around the corner of every romantic outing or forbidden tryst, even if it’s not referred to directly. In present day, Rina’s daughter Sumiko is unraveling the mystery of her mother’s death. It’s not that the details are unknown to authorities, they’re just out of reach for her. While not your typical ‘thriller’, the tension as both narratives slowly find their way towards one another makes for plenty of revelations.

It’s fascinating and shrewd. Well-paced, but definitely a slow-burn. These are some of my favorite kinds of books to read, but I always get nervous they’ll be misunderstood by a reader who’s going by a 5-word blurb. I’d recommend taking your time while reading this one; enjoy the scenes Scott paints of both metropolitan and rural Japan so artfully. There’s plenty to appreciate here, and I really loved having somewhere to travel to while being stuck indoors during this quarantine.

What’s Left of Me is Your is a page turning suspense novel by Stephanie Scott. Years after her mother’s death, Sumiko receives a strange phone call from the Ministry of Justice in Tokyo relaying information about Kaitaro Nakumura. Sumi learns that her mother, Rumi Sato, wasn’t killed in a car accident but by the hands of her lover Kaitaro. Why was this kept from her? After acquiring the evidence regarding her mother’s death, Sumi walks through the final months of her life.
Scott writes a beautiful story with wonderful scenery of Japan. Her intricate details of the forest and ocean makes you feel like you’re on the beach or walking under the trees. The way she writes the characters make you emotionally connected as if you're face to face with them.
This story is inspired by a true crime that occurred in 2010 in Tokyo. She does a fantastic job writing autopsy reports and the interviews at the police station.
This is a book that hooks you in from the very beginning and is intricately designed to get you asking, “how does one kill the one they love?”

It is not often I read a book that makes me struggle to find the words to describe it. This is one of those books. You can tell that the author did a lot of research as at times you forget you are reading a work of fiction. But, she lovingly writes each word to paper, leading you through an exquisite story of love and betrayal that will leave you wanting more.

I was very frustrated with this story in that it seemed like it was all over the place. I kept rereading sections because I thought I missed something but it was very hard to follow.
Thank you NetGalley for a copy of the book.

I really wanted to like this book. It seemed like it would be one I would beable to enjoy reading. However, I wasn't able to get into this book like I wanted, it seemed to be everywhere. The idea of the book was good, but the execution didn't work for me.

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy free of charge. This is my honest and unbiased opinion of it.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy. I absolutely hate giving bad reviews. I know how difficult writing a book is and It literally breaks my heart to do so. I just couldn’t get into it. I felt like it was all over the place and I couldn’t focus. I don’t know if it was because it was set in a different country, although I’ve read other books like this. I am very saddened I didn’t like this book and honestly I did not finish it and only read half way.

WHAT'S LEFT OF ME IS YOURS is a gorgeously written novel about the search for the truth. I found the beginning pages to be lovely in terms of the writing, although a tiny bit hard to follow. The beginning doesn't necessarily set up the reader's expectations for what kind of story this will be. However, I'm really glad I stuck with it. Once Sumiko begins her search for answers about her mother's death, the story picked up and I settled in for what turned out to be a tremendous five-star read. Scott's writing feels assured and she conveys a strong sense of both character and setting, including exquisite and memorable details. It's hard to believe this is her debut novel. Highly recommended for fans of literary fiction.