This book has a similar essence to Caroline Kepnes' "You", except the perspective is that of a woman in the workplace. Contrary to most reviews I'm not really a fan of this book. I consider it a slow burn. I think there's good plot but the execution is poor. The main issue is this book failed to build suspense for me.

I appreciate that this book was told linearly from one character's perspective but I didn't appreciate how much time is spent in Cassie's mind. This would have been fine had there been more progression but majority of this book is just Cassie gathering information on Forrest and his life via a computer. I know the Goodreads description mentions that Cassie orchestrates a meeting with Forest but this doesn't happen til well past the 50% mark. I thought Cassie's obsession with Forrest would grow more intense after this but honestly she seemed more interested in info related to Forrest than Forrest himself. I started viewing her thoughts as annoyingly repetitive considering how little she was actually doing. The more read the less interested I became.

This novel would have been more enjoyable had it had more substance throughout. Out of nowhere (within the last 60 pages) the pace picked up and all this action was occurring. I was caught so off guard. Where was the set up for this? Why wasn't this tone set from the very start? The ending was actually pretty good but I found it difficult to truly appreciate given how unexpected it was. This book is a flat 3 for me, not horrible but much room for improvement.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

JUST ONE LOOK was a fast-paced thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat whilst waiting for Cassie to further delve into places where she absolutely shouldn’t be. Getting over my frustration with her was key to enjoying this book, and I ended up thoroughly loving not knowing where this novel was going to take me. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I'd like to thank Random House and NetGalley for offering me a chance to read this book!

Oooo. Wow. If you liked 'You', then you'll enjoy this book too! (Even the author of 'You' enjoyed it!)

Just One Look is everything with those three words. The main character takes 'just one look' at an email and instantly she is hooked into the world that this man and his wife live.

You have an interesting character who arrives as a temp to a lawfirm who is doing a cleaning/review of all the personal documents from one of their clients. By accident, a lawfirm big-wig has his inbox being linked into the emails. Our main character is someone who is emotionally scared from family issues and an incident which is vaguely letting you know she may not be emotionally sane, So she is looking for appreciation, love, and happiness. She sees it in the emails this man shares with his wife.

Soon enough she starts obsessing over their life. Buying items they speak about, imagining things they do but from her perspective. Soon enough she starts wishing that she was the wife, and then she starts realizing that she could become the wife.

There was so many twists and turns in this story that you think you have it all figured out, but then something happens and you're yanked in a different direction. I imagined several possibilities of how the ending of the book would be but I did not suspect or think that the ending it got was what it happened to end up being! I was very pleased and you can tell that's a damn good book for taking me on that ride.

I think when this book drops it'll be a hit and I also wouldn't be surprised if it ends up being a film. Like 'You', the book ends with a note that doesn't seem final but then again could be... with just one look, you never know.

When Cassie left her job at a prestigious law firm, it wasn't by her own choice... or on good terms. As a result, she's stuck taking a lowly temp job going through emails for another firm. When she comes across a personal email from partner Forest Watts to his wife, Annabelle, she's immediately captivated. Cassie finds herself going down a rabbit hole, finding out as much as she can about Forest's life. She is determined to make Forest hers, no matter what she has to do...

If you like the You series by Caroline Kepnes, you will probably enjoy this book. Cassie has a similar stalkerish nature as Joe (who I ADORED), though at times I had a hard time being inside her head and witnessing the choices she was making - I wanted to shake her and yell, "Girl, no! Take off your crazypants and think about how this is going to play out for a minute!" There were times throughout the book where I wasn't sure how everything was going to come together, but it did - in a way I totally didn't expect! I'll definitely pick up another book by Lindsay Cameron!

Really good book! Completely enjoyed everything about it, and the ending was a great surprise! Read this book in 1 day because I had to know what happened!

Book review: Just One Look
Pub Day: July 27th
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 out of 5 stars)

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Books, for a review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Just One Look follows Cassie, who has fallen into a temp job after taking a tumble down the corporate legal ladder. While reviewing emails, Cassie stumbles across emails between Forest, one of the firm's partners, and his wife Annabelle. Just one look couldn't hurt, right?

This book follows Cassie's escalation obsession with Forest - can she take Annabelle's place? - and the loneliness she feels as her life lacks love, friendship, family and stability.

My thoughts:
I love the You series, so I was really intrigued by the stalker aspect of this book. Yes - It delivered! This book is a dark page-turner and extremely hard to put down. The plot went in a completely different direction than I was expecting and I loved it.

I had conflicting emotions while reading, which I also enjoyed. At times I was terrified of Cassie and the thoughts swirling around in her head. Then at times, I found myself rooting for her. Tangled in a web of lies and deception, this is a deliciously entertaining read that will keep you turning (or clicking) the page until the very end.

Is this on your TBR?

Just One Look Couldn’t Hurt, Right? Just One Look is an exciting, fast paced thriller I could not put down.

Cassie Woodson has put the trauma of the incident behind her. Ready for a fresh start, she accepts a position reviewing correspondence for a Medicare Fraud company.

She is tasked with sorting and reviewing e-mails. Now and then a few personal e-mails pop up and certain ones between one of the partners Forrest Watts and his wife Annabelle catch her attention.

Cassie gets tangled in a web of lies and deception as she becomes consumed with the seemingly happy couple. Tired of being on the outside looking in, she takes every opportunity to become a part of this perfect life.


Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Kudos to Lindsay Cameron for penning such a propulsive, suspenseful, and unputdownable thriller in
JUST ONE LOOK. This book had me on the edge of my seat until the very last page - last sentence in fact! Watching Cassie, the main character, a temp attorney, spiral out of control was at once riveting and cringeworthy. Even as the audacity of her obsessive actions boggled my mind, the backstory Cameron created, along with moments of humanity, particularly in regard to a co-worker, had me sympathizing with her at the same time and, dare I say it, rooting for her. This is my second novel from the author and I look forward to whatever comes next.

This book was WILD-- I basically read the entire thing in one sitting, which I haven't done in a loooong time. This has the same corporate setting as Cameron's first book that I loved, Big Law, but this one is a thriller that gave me You vibes, as it focuses on a woman who becomes obsessed with a lawyer at the law firm she's working at after accidently gaining access to his emails. I wished Cassie was a little bit more likable, but the suspense had a great buildup with a few twists I didn't see coming.

Oh Cassie! I spent three quarters of this book yelling at Cassie to just stop knowing full well that in this information age everything she did was pretty plausible. Obsessed doesn't seem to quite cover it and sadly it didn't make her the likable character I wanted her to be. I think if the author had created more empathy for her in the reader in would have been far more effective. As it was I was almost rooting for her to be exposed and end the craziness. Granted, the last quarter of the book really made up for all that. Cameron did tie up ends and revealed motivations in a satisfying way. One thought... I would have liked to have known more from Annabelle's perspective. Can't say much more than that without being a spoiler. All in all a good read. Thank you to Ballantine and Netgalley for the advanced copy.

A Good Dose of Crazy

“Eyes aren’t the windows to the soul. Emails are.”

3.75 stars

Just One Look is a psychological thriller centered around the life of a character who is beyond crazy.

Cassie, a once-prominent lawyer, lost her job due to a humiliating event that went viral. Now a temp worker at a law firm, she is just trying to survive. Humiliated and self-medicating to numb her pain, Cassie latches onto anything to make her feel alive and seen once again, even if it is just a delusion. You see, Cassie is bat-sh*t crazy. Her obsessions lead her down a dark and dangerous path.

Hired to review correspondence concerning a case, Cassie comes across personal emails from one of the firm’s rising stars, Forest. Cassie becomes obsessed with Forest’s emails to his wife, Annabelle. She soon begins investigating their life online, digging through their social media, and scouring the internet for any information she can find about the idyllic couple. Inserting herself into Forest’s and Annabelle’s lives becomes Cassie’s obsession. She is so blinded by Forest and Annabelle that she cannot see what is happening right in front of her face.

Told solely from Cassie’s POV, it was, at times, hard being inside her head. Her mind shifts back and forth between the past and the present. The past somewhat provides answers to why Cassie is the way she is, but there are still some gaps. There are brief escapes from Cassie’s POV in the form of emails, texts, and brief newspaper articles--all were welcome reliefs. Even with these mini-breaks, I had to take reading breaks from time to time. However, about 70% in, I found my feelings towards Cassie changing, and I was actually rooting for her. I was so caught up in her craziness that I forgot just how intelligent she is.

This was a fast-paced and entertaining read. It is heavy on the psychological side, which helps develop tense and suspenseful situations. Cassie’s voice is strong, and her character does have multiple layers hidden between her crazy. There is also a good twist. There is one plot hole that I can’t get past, and I was questioning whether or not people include so many private details in their email correspondence, especially when using their work email, but I will let that go! Overall, this was a solid psychological thriller. I look forward to reading more by Lindsay Cameron in the future.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Don’t do it girl. Don’t do it.

Great storyline, crazy unreliable stalker and a twist that I didn’t see coming. Be careful what you post online - you never know who’s looking!

Just One Look by Lindsay Cameron is a page turner of a thriller. Other reviewers noted the similarities to "You" and I have to agree. It had me on the edge of the page, ready to turn to find out what happened next. Similar to Joe Goldberg, Cassandra Woodson is a character I found myself rooting for, with some shame. Being nosy is a slippery slope and can lead to a tailspin of obsession.

Thank you to Ballantine and NetGalley for allowing me to read an ARC of this book.

Cassie recently lost her job at a big name law firm after an unfortunate incident (revealed later in the book). After the incident created buzz in the lawyer gossip world, she's finding it difficult to find another job and needing money, ends up accepting a temp job reviewing emails for a litigation lawsuit. An email from one of the partners to his wife catches her eye and she quickly becomes obsessed with finding out everything she can about him and his wife.

Her obsession quickly turns into stalker as she waits for the day she can "accidently" run into him. I found this book oddly addictive. It's amazing how much information someone can find out about you through the internet, although Cassie also has access to his emails to obtain more personal details. You just know at some point, something will go wrong. And of course it does!

A quick, entertaining thriller that may have you start watching your back.

Cassie Woodson was always considered bright so no surprise that she did well in college and graduated from law school. So how did she get to be such a mess?
She was let go from her law position, is an addict and appears to be totally unhinged.

She does get a job. she is a reviewer of legal documents/correspondence for potential fraud suits..
She accidently comes across some personal emails from Forrest, one of the lawyers. She is now obsessed with Forrest and his wife Annabelle’s perfect lives. She starts to stalk them on social media and soon fantasies about replacing Annabelle and being in a relationship with Forrest.

Can just one look be a bad thing?

Well this look wasn’t a big wow for me. Wasn’t terrible! It was ….okay!
However, we readers have different tastes and I am sure there is someone saying they just love it!

Want to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine for this early release granted to me for an honest professional review.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for July 27, 2021.

OH JUST ONE LOOK....WHAT'S THE HARM IN JUST ONE LOOK?


Cassie Woodson was a top lawyer at her firm. High flying, hard working and going places. Unfortunately that all came to an end when she was involved in an "incident" there was blood and it was caught on tape. 
Now, Cassie has been regulated to working as a temp in a thankless role reviewing email correspondence for a large fraud suit. Its boring, tedious and she doesn't even get a name, she is just known as temp 021. 
Days and days of this, until one day something interesting comes across her screen. It's an email, from partner Forrest Watts to his wife Annabelle. Cassie is intrigued and instantly hooked into their relationship. These emails are kind, caring, filled with love and passion. Cassie can see how much these two love each other and Cassie wants in. 
As she continues to read their emails back and forth to each other, she becomes addicted to their perfect life. But soon, just looking isn't enough. Cassie wants to be involved and she'll do anything to do it. 


This book was an enjoyable deep dive into Cassie's psyche and what someone desperate enough would do in order to be happy. The plot itself was very good and once you get closer to the end of the book, you even start to sympathize with Cassie and understand where she is coming from. She is lonely, sad and just looking for a connection but she seems to be looking in all the wrong places. 

It was interesting and a nice change of pace from what i have been reading lately and it kept me on the edge of my seat and engaged until I had finished.
It was a quick, fun and engaging. I didn't want it to end and I loved it!

A huge thank you to @lindsaycameronauthor @randomhouse and @netgalley for my eARC in exchange for my honest review. #JustOneLook by Lindsey Cameron will be available July 27th.
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I love untrustworthy main characters. The book is intriguing, has sharp wit, it’s fresh, unique and original. It’s like the female version of You’s Joe Goldberg.

Envy eats nothing but its own heart. (Proverb)

Just One Look is the deep gnawing inside, the desperate desire for something that's not yours. A glance in that direction or simply a stolen look in secret. Possessing fully and completely in mind and in spirit.

Cassie Woodson's eyes are cast inward to the emptiness that resides there. She still carries the pain of loss and can't seem to set it down. Her law degree from Penn State and her position in a prestigious New York City law firm are miles behind her. Cassie doesn't like to revisit what happened there. It's time to move on.

Upward mobility is not happenin' here. for ol' Cassie. She's relegated to working as a temp at Levy and Strong reviewing documents in an impending Medicare fraud case with 15 others jammed into workstations. With eyes glazed over, Cassie gets a hit into the personal emails of Forest Watt, a powerful attorney with the firm. She can't seem to look away as she reads correspondence between Forest and his wife, Annabelle. Oh, how she wishes to claim this life of theirs. In particular, she sets her focus on Forest. And now Forest has a target on his back.

Lindsay Cameron snaps this one into play with her crafty main character of Cassie. The sharp dialogue and the awkward situations bring humor around the corner. Cassie is a betting woman who places everything on the table. Cameron ratchets up the tension as Cassie becomes more and more emboldened throughout the storyline. As readers, we hold our breath as Cassie lives more and more on the edge. Is Cassie becoming slowly undone or is it our imagination? Just what is her end game? Just One Look should peak your interest coming out in July. A perfect Summer read.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Random House (Ballantine Books) and to Lindsay Cameron for the opportunity.

4 stars for this gem! A well-written, fast-paced thriller that I couldn't put down. Things aren't what they seem with this original read. Definitely recommend adding Just One Look to your TBR this summer. I look forward to reading other books by Lindsay Cameron in the future. I received an eARC of Just One Look by Lindsay Cameron from Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

Just One Look by Lindsay Cameron should make everyone think twice about what they post and put online and into the internet world.
Cassie is a lawyer, fallen from grace. She finds herself in a meaningless temp job to make ends meet. As she is going through her job load and correspondences, she becomes infatuated with the authors of the emails. Forest and Annabelle are the perfect couple, on the outside at least. Cassie becomes so involved in her infatuation, she begins showing up at familiar places where Forest and Annabelle may show up. And finally, she meets Forest, the man of her dreams. He isn't wearing his wedding ring!! Forest and Cassie begin to meet for drinks and the relationship evolves.
Her newest friend at the temp job suddenly stops coming to work. Where did Dalton go?
Mysterious things start to happen and leads back to one place.......the email correspondences Cassie was working on. Cassie has to put the mystery together and she isn't sure she is going to like what she finds.
Just One Look by Lindsay Cameron begins with a bang, fizzles out in the middle, and grabs you again in the end. It also makes me think about all the stuff people innocently put online, thinking no one is paying attention. People are!! I will be looking for other works by Cameron and will recommend Just One Look to friends and family.
Special thanks to NetGalley, Lindsay Cameron, and Ballantine -Random House Publishing for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion. 4 stars for me.

#JustOneLook #NetGalley