I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest and voluntary review. I was in no way compensated for this review.



Caroline Kepnes' You Love Me brings us back together with Joe Goldberg and his newest obsession! It's been a long lonely wait for this book, I nearly thought the series over at the second book, but we have a total of FOUR books in this series to enjoy, so hopefully the next one won't be longer than the usual year.

We all somehow fell in love with Joe once he came onto the page in You in 2014. For whatever reason, this psychopath looking for love just draws us readers in...it might be his own passion for books. And yeah, let's also say the Netflix series might have helped the drawl too! It will be interesting to see what turn the show takes with this "third" installment. One would almost think it's going to deviate exponentially, but I think otherwise. I think the show could still very much follow this book in all the ways.

Now let's get back on track, You Love Me, has Joe starting life anew when he gets out of prison for a crime he did commit, it pays to know people with money and Love is people with money. But instead of being greeted by her and his infant son, he comes to meet lawyers with a contract. Love wants nothing to do with him. They're over. Joe did at least get a nice home to live in near Seattle and it is there that he falls madly in love with Mary Kay, the librarian.

Joe takes a volunteer job at the library in order to get closer to her and eventually win her over. But Joe is about to realize that Mary Kay has more challenges and obstacles surrounding her that Joe did not expect. One, namely being her teenage daughter. A daughter means there's a father somewhere to contend with, but that's a bridge to cross at another point.

Things seem to be going swimmingly Joe's way, everything is great, until it's not. Soon Joe finds himself falling back into old patterns despite not wanting to be "that" guy again. The one who kills whoever is standing between him and the object of his affection. What was really surprising was how much Joe didn't want to be that guy...yet as we all know "stuff" happens. Joe's character comes back in glaring force if a little dingy on the side.

I'll admit, this book definitely felt different than the last two. It's been a few years since I binge those right before the Netflix series started. But Joe in book 3 didn't feel at all like Joe in book 1. Is he changing? Is he growing? Or is he just adapting? Well...I guess that opinion will vary reader by reader, but in some ways, it felt like Joe was trying to change and not be the psychopath we all know and...yeah. Lol.

But don't think that things won't be twisted and mysterious as the previous books. There's definitely some twisted happenings in this book. It may not be as dark as the previous books tended to be, but there's still a sinister air happening in this little town.

The pacing was done just right though. While at times it did feel a little slow with the continuous roadblocks Joe was hitting in his quest to win Mary Kay over, I never once was ready to call it quits. I know Joe, Joe would never except defeat! There were also times of great suspense, when the plot would truly thicken. It ends in a way that you know Joe isn't done being Joe and the surprising route it took to get to that ending left me a little shell-shocked. I am definitely aching to see what the next and likely final book with Joe will entail and what the final fate of this "mystery man" will be.

If you're a fan of twisted mysteries and perhaps getting into the killer's head for a change, I would urge you to check this series out! It's definitely a series at this point, so starting at the beginning with You would be best! Plus, now you'd have a jump over what's going to happen (possibly) in the next season of the show! Of course, as the saying goes, "the book is always better," so I highly recommend reading this series regardless of its Netflix fame!



Overall Rating 4/5 stars



You Love Me releases April 6, 2021

You Love Me by Caroline Kepnes is the third book in the You series. From the beginning it seems like Joe is back to his usual obsessive self after being released from prison and paid off by the Quinn family to stay out of Love and their baby's lives. With the money to do as he likes, Joe buys a house in the Pacific Northwest and volunteers at the local library, putting Mary Kay, the librarian, in his sights.

Mary Kay's life is more than it seems and when Joe finds out about her troubled marriage, he thinks of Joe type ways to "fix it" and tries to fight old urges. A run in with Mary Kay's feminist friend Melanda puts Joe in another Joe type of situation but with a twist even Joe didn't anticipate. Even when Joe is trying to distance himself from the way he acted in the past, fate has a way of pulling him back into familiar patterns when he would rather be a different person with a different future.

As a fan of the You series, TV and book, I enjoyed You Love Me very much. I see growth in Joe, even if he does end up in situations reminiscent of the past..


Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the opportunity to read an ARC of a book I highly looked forward to reading.

LOVED LOVED LOVED!

This is the 3rd book in the You series and I'm a huge fan of both these books and the Netflix series and my expectations were high to begin with. I was not disappointed! Joe Goldberg is one of those characters you should hate but you can't help but love and even root for him! Loved the setting, I've been to Bainbridge Island and it's beautiful there, loved the characters, loved the story line, he was really trying so hard to be good for Mary Kay! I'm already looking forward to the next book!!

My least favorite in the series. Kepnes still writes amazing characters that you love to hate, so much so that you're actually rooting for Joe to brutally murder them, but the story here was kind of like a toothless retelling of book one. Joe finds a book-loving woman to obsess over; he inserts himself into her life until she falls in love with him; things go awry; etc. But this time around, Joe isn't as threatening or as imposing or as fun as he has been in the past. It's an evolution of his character, I suppose, but it's not one that made for a very exciting read.

Without spoiling anything, Joe is way too passive in You Love Me. The utterly insane situations he put himself in in the first two books were what made You and Hidden Bodies so thrilling, so funny, so entertaining. But Joe doesn't really do anything this time; things just sort of happen to and around him.

I still had a decent time reading this, again thanks mostly to Kepnes's writing and Joe's internal monologue, but it was a big disappointment after waiting so long for its release.

You Love Me is the hotly anticipated third novel in the You series. I was on the fence when I requested this title from Netgalley because I disliked its predecessor, Hidden Bodies. I thought Hidden Bodies was an unengaging and bland rip off of the first novel. So, I was pleasantly surprised to find that You Love Me recaptured the magic of You that I felt was missing from Hidden Bodies.

You Love Me throws readers into the story after the events of Hidden Bodies. I was a little confused since I last read Hidden Bodies back in 2016 and I was mixing up the plot with that of the TV show. Joe has found himself in a small island town looking to gain the affection of a librarian. But this time, Joe has vowed not to meddle.

If you were disappointed by Hidden Bodies, I think you might be surprised by You Love Me. It’s a fresh take on what is an already told story. It’s easier to sympathize with a more restrained Joe. He’s doing the best he can with what little resources he has now that he has restrained himself. There were times I forgot how unreliable a narrator he is and found myself genuinely frustrated along side him. Kepnes’ ability to get inside the mind of someone like Joe then convince the reader to sympathize with him is incredible.

One aspect of You Love Me I really enjoyed was how modern it felt. The references to popular TV shows and news events grounds the story and makes it read as more than just a small town story.

Overall, You Love Me is a return to form for those who disliked Hidden Bodies. It recaptures the magic of the first novel while delivering a fresh take on this very familiar story.

Thrilling! While the pacing in the beginning of the book is a bit slow it builds; leading to some unexpected twists and turns that kept me turning the pages. A fun and entertaining read, fans of the series won't be disappointed. I like books that draw me in with relatable characters and perfectly timed tension. This novel checked all the boxes for me. Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to review this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was a great continuation of the series, I really didn't expect this twist for Joe and his life. I was a bit upset at first about how dirty Love did him, but I see that there was a reason for that. I do wish we were able to see a bit more of Love in this book, but overall this was a good read.

I received an advanced copy to read/review. Having read the first two books of the You series I was excited to continue following Joe. I must admit that I was a bit disappointed with the first half. Slow start, too much of being inside only Joe's head or just lousy timing, I'm not sure. Joe uses lots of nicknames inside his head for people which I found a bit tedious or even ridiculous at times. I get it's a metaphor but sometimes it was too much for me. The story definitely picks up in the later half however and even managed to surprise me with a twist near the end. I'm looking forward to the adaptation for the 3rd season.

I was so excited to get this ARC!!!! Joe Goldberg is my favorite psycho, murderous villain! And Kepnes doesn't disappoint with her 3rd installment of Joe's epic, tragic search for true love.

Joe Goldberg is done with LA and NY and cities in general. He wants to live a quiet, normal life in the Pacific Northwest. He gets a job at a library, appropriately. But of course, that heart of his just won't quiet down! He yearns for love with someone special, someone he works with, the single mom, Mary Kay.

This story is entertaining and a wild ride as always. There's too much to say that could be a "spoiler." This might be my favorite Goldberg story. But I'm ready for more!! More JOE PLEASE! Great job to Kepnes and thank you to the publisher for the ARC.

I wasn't sure what to expect when starting this book. Joe makes a fresh start in a new city and quickly finds a new obsession. I don't know what it is about Joe but I think readers, including myself, find ourselves rooting for Joe. We just want him to be happy and if that means killing everyone and anyone that gets in his way... well, so be it. It was very interesting to see Joe on his best behavior and also that even though Joe is trying to be a better man, destruction just kind of follows him around especially when he's trying to avoid it. There are definitely some plot twists and this new installment in the You series will not only keep readers on the edge of their seats but ready for the next book.

I think this is my favorite book of the series so far. It had a lot of references to the previous books, and I loved the snarky commentary from Joe. I also like how the ending left it open for a fourth book. This series feels like my guilty pleasure, and this one did not disappoint. I received a free copy of this book from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Joe Goldberg is back at it and crazier than ever, y'all. My advice for this one is to fully suspend disbelief and just go with it. No spoilers, don't read anything about it, just go for the ride. It's fucking CRAZY and exactly what I want out of a You story. Solid 4 star read for me!

I am one of those people who was obsessed with Joe Goldberg and the You series before it became a binge-watching sensation on Netflix. When I originally read the sequel to You - Hidden Bodies - I felt like the ending set us up for a third book in the series, and I am happy to say that my prediction was correct! Author Caroline Kepnes is gifting us this year with a third installment in the series - You Love Me - and a fourth book is reportedly in the works, as well. If you haven't read these compelling books, now is the time! Pick up You and Hidden Bodies, and then be prepared to devour You Love Me in April. Fans of the TV series should be warned though that the show doesn't follow the books exactly, so while we can expect Season 3 of You to loosely be based on this book, significant parts of the TV series have been changed.

Joe Goldberg is just a nice guy, who wants to lead a nice life, and settle down with a nice wife. That's why he has moved to Bainbridge Island, Washington, and taken a position as a library volunteer. And it is there, in the library, that he meets his next obsession - single mother, librarian, and coworker, Mary Kay DiMarco. If you're familiar with Joe, you know how this goes: boy meets girl, boy becomes obsessed with girl, boy kills anyone who gets in his way of possessing girl, mind, body, and soul. Or at least, that's how it used to go ... because Joe claims he has CHANGED, but has he really?

Anyone who has followed the You book series and formed their own obsession with Joe Goldberg's dark, yet delightfully deceiving ways will enjoy You Love Me. With each book in the series, Joe becomes a little bit more grounded in reality, but that doesn't necessarily make him any more sane. It's great fun to observe Joe's inner struggle as he tries to be a good man, but keeps getting pulled back into his old ways. But it's not his fault, right, Joe? If only people wouldn't bring out the worst in you!

Are you ready to follow Joe as he pursues his next victim ... I mean, love interest? Pick up You Love Me before it's too late for you too!

This is #3 in the “You” series. I am not familiar with the Netflix series but have read great reviews so was delighted when I got my “wish for it” request!
Joe Goldberg is tired of the big cities and wants to start a quiet life and get back to nature and also to start a family in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. Based on this, I was drawn to this novel.
However, I soon struggled with the story. I continued but it wasn’t getting any better.
I decided to read some of the reviews. It seems most of the readers are familiar with Joe and many have viewed the Netflix series and they gave great reviews. So I hung in there but it wasn’t an enjoyable read for me.
⭐⭐.5 ~ rounded up
This probably would make an interesting discussion in book club. I have found many novels I didn’t like were GREAT book club topics.

Want to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing group – Random House for this early release granted to me in exchange for an honest professional review. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for April 6, 2021

Oh, Geez!!!! I can't even begin to say how excited I was to have my ARC wish granted for this one! My husband heard me squealing in the other room! I am sure that I am the rarity, as I have not read the previous two books. Why? No idea! This is all SO just right up my alley! But ANYWAY, I am a HUGE fan of the show and psycho-killer books so......here goes! WOW!!! Joe is now living outside of Seattle, on a little island away from the city, following the whole LA/Love debacle, He is a "changed" man and quickly finds someone new to obsess over. I LOVED her character! Mary Kay. She is much less twit-like and more mature that both Beck and Love. I do not want to ruin this for anyone else so I don't want to say too much other than she needs some convincing that Joe is the love of her life. ANNNND, he's BACK! Another REALLY cool thing about this book is that I noticed references to the previous books that were not in or changed on the show, SO that made me buy and read the previous 2! Loved them also!

So, I've watched both seasons of You on Netflix and was ecstatic to read the next book!!!

Unfortunately, it definitely fell flat for me. I feel like this one was a repeat of the precious books with Joe. The story took SOOO long for the plot to develop and found myself skimming a lot of the book.

Once you hit the last I would say 25 percent it picks up. Ugh, but sadly I still wasn't a fan of the ending at all. This was a definite miss for me.

2/5 stars

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Random House Publishing for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Pub date: 4/6/21
Published to GR: 1/11/21

I was so excited to read this but also a little nervous. I felt like the first book was amazing, but the second one fell flat. I feel like this one falls between them. Joe is still the same Joe, but not quite as creepy as he started as in YOU. While I miss that level of creep factor, it does fit his storyline. Every book he’s trying harder to be a good person so him being less creepy shows he’s growing as a person. But don’t worry, he is still up to the same mischievous activities. The writing seems like it runs on unnecessarily, but I think it captures Joe’s sick mind; it shows that he has a problem. That he’s not completely sane. It’s so captivating and amusing and creepy all at the same time. It’s one of the things that makes me like this series, and Joe, so much. I was really, really enjoying this book until about the last 20%. After that the pacing was a bit all over the place and things happened that seemed far-fetched even for Joe’s life. But overall, I was so hooked while reading this and could not put it down.

Sadly, I should have seen this coming. I LOVED "YOU", but "Hidden Bodies" felt like a recycle plot. And guess what? So did "You Love Me". I hope this is where Joe's story ends because it's starting to feel a little dry. I had a soft spot for him, but it's fading.

I was over the moon thrilled when I learned another book in this series was coming out. I don’t know what it is about Joe that I find so fascinating. He is sweet, charming, handsome and funny. He really cracks me up. I enjoyed this new book a lot. I must say the author delivered another fantastic story.

I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I had 'wished for it' and was shocked when I got approved, so thank you.

I had read the previous 2 books prior to the tv series (Lifetime, Netflix) and the author had to tie the ending of Hidden Bodies with the ending of S2 to make sense. There was a little bit of a mention of the series but we jump forward several months after Joe's experience with the Injustice System, as he calls it. There are really 5 acts to this book, as if it were a play. If you thought the first 2 books / seasons were wild, you have NO idea what's coming.

I don't necessarily want to give anything away but there are a number of new characters to familiarize yourselves with as Joe relocated to Bainbridge Island near Seattle. Joe decides to volunteer at the library and has made 'friends' with his new boss Mary Kay, a slightly older (40's) woman with a 17 year old daughter Nomi, who dub themselves Gilmore Girls. Joe is infatuated with MK and nicknames the daughter her Meerkat. But Joe has multiple hurdles to jump through to get Mary Kay to fall for him. Her best friend, Melanda. Her male friend Seamus, who Joe dubs Shortus. Joe thinks it's clever like he's better than everyone else and has to get through Melanda first. Except Melanda thinks Joe is into the teenage daughter.

Half the time we are wondering when its going to get good and Joe does something *Joe* and while he keeps promising he won't, the past catches up with him. By the end I was honestly exhausted and relieved to finish it. There were some great nods to books/movies including Fashion Victim (1 of my favorite books), Sarah Jio's Violets of March (author is from the area in Seattle), Debbie Macomber (a little too much beef and brocolli), Gilmore Girls, Succession, and Reality Bites. (I don't agree with Joe about Troy Dire) of course also reference to 90s grunge and Kurt Cobain and his less talented imitators. There are a few things that you need to pay better attention to including Nomi's obsession with Dylan Klebold. TW for mention of sexual abuse.
Kepnes did a lot with this book. I just think that so much happened in 1 book that I need a palate cleanser, its exhausting to be in Joe Goldberg's head too much. But I did picture Penn Badgely who was perfectly cast.in short if you are a fan first of the books definitely read when released 4/6/21. Or wait for S3 on Netflix to see how it differs.