One of my most highly anticipated books for 2021 was You Love Me by Caroline Kepnes. I read YOU years ago and was impressed with how the author turned the character of Joe into a person we cared about despite his devious and twisted ways. I mean, the guy is a serial killer, yet we feel like we understood him to a certain extent. We didn’t want to see him get caught. Damaged and sensitive, Joe was an anti-hero but was so intriguing that we couldn’t stop reading, or watching if you saw the Netflix series.

So I was literally about to jump out of my skin when I got an advance copy of You Love Me.

Here’s the premise:

Joe 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.

I liked parts of this book, though I thought it took a long time for the story to develop. There are a lot of Joe’s internal musings and I wanted more action. But I am alone in this because all the other reviewers are giving this book four and five stars!

If you enjoyed the other Joe books, you will probably like this one. If you hated the other books, I don’t know if you will want to read this. Whatever your thoughts on Joe, there will be more to the Netflix series and another Joe book from Caroline Kepnes!

We will publish this one in April.

This book was a good third installment, if you’re obsessed with the Joe/You series. I thought it had amazing characters, but did have some struggles with entire series because of the way it was written, but does get easier to read and immersed in after initial shock! This book can be quite disturbing, if you’re not one that loves dark material. I found it to be quite scary even, at times! Overall, I think it’s an excellent part of the series, was quite unputdownable, had many good chills, thrills, and shocks! If you’re a huge fan of the previous books, I recommend not starting before bed or making sure to clear schedule/ hire sitters before starting, as I promise it’s going to be very hard to put down! Highly, highly recommend this book, but would not recommend as a stand alone.

Will buzz around platforms and use low Amazon reviewer number on release date!

Love love love the Joe series. Was super excited to be granted early access to read the newest release. I enjoyed it immensely. I read it quickly and had a hard time putting it down. I’ve missed Joe and so glad he’s back and onto new adventures. Can’t wait for the next one. Thanks to netgalley and the publishers for the early release copy.

This is the third book in this series by Caroline Kepnes. The book was slow to begin with but I knew this author would not let me down. The only thing I didn’t like was how Joe told the story from his POV. I have watched the 2 seasons available on Netflix and can’t wait until this book is made into season 3. I definitely recommend this series to readers that like mysteries.

Loved this book about You protagonist, Joe Goldberg. It wasn't as suspenseful as the previous two books, but still a fast and enjoyable read. I just wanted more of a thrill, but that's okay and I really didn't like the female main character or her daughter. Still a must read though.

This book brings back one of my most favorite creepy dudes, Joe Goldberg. They say that your history is your destiny. It seems that Joe is trying to rewrite his story and start a new life in a new place. He is trying to do better and make better choices-but that just isn't the way Joe works. This book offered several moments where I asked, "What is happening?!" It is definitely a must read.

Thank you Random House for granting my wish!

You Love Me is the third book in Kepnes' You series. While great as a standalone book; it would be best to get to know Joe through the other books first.

How long will it take for Joe to find love again? Has Joe truly changes his ways? Will Joe ever wear his trusty blue hat again? Only time will tell as Joe moves to tiny island to escape, well, everything and start over anew.

I gotta be honest, y’all. When the first “You” (book) came out, I wasn’t really on board. I couldn’t vibe with the whole second person POV thing (I read student essays for a living, okay?) and I thought the premise was super weird. But I listened to the second book (Hidden Bodies) on audio and fell in love. The books and show have become my ultimate guilty pleasure. This is a rare example of an instance in which I love the show just as much as the book. Anyway...

The third installment is due out in April 2021 (not sure on the show release), and I can tell you that it does not disappoint. Joe is up to his usual shenanigans again, and I don’t want to reveal too much, but I can assure you that his antics are creepier and the new “friends” he makes are a lot of fun. I love how Caroline Kepnes paces her books - she’s very skilled at drawing you in, building tension, and then slapping you in the face - in the best way possible.

Admittedly, I had to laugh a few times because I kept reading it in Penn Badgley’s voice. What an excellent casting choice for the show.

While it’s helpful to have read the first two books, I think this could be read by itself. I also think you’d be fine with reading the third book if you’ve only seen the first two seasons of the show. Either way, I think it’s worth pre-ordering!

Thank you @netgalley for the advance copy.

This book did not disappoint. It was a bit slower than other books by Caroline Keynes. However the end was full of twists and turns.

Kepnes is the master of her craft- stalker-esque, murderous, sociopathic romance. This installment of her You series is no different. We see the MC wrestle with his feelings for his boss, as well as the longing for his child with Love. It's mysterious, suspenseful, and creepy. I loved it.

“You Love Me” is the third in the You series by Caroline Kepnes.

Our favorite antihero, Joe, has moved to a small town outside of Seattle and has fallen in love with Mary Kay, a librarian in the library where he volunteers

Joe is up to his old tricks of stalking, manipulating, and kidnapping in order to get close to Mary Kay.

This book was suspenseful like all of the rest of the You books, but it had an edge to it. The tongue in cheek humor was missing and that kept me from giving it a full 4 stars.

3.5 stars

I was given an arc of the novel You Love Me by Caroline Kepnes by NetGally in exchange for an honest review.

When I first opened this book, I was so curious to see where Kepnes would take Joe. Hidden Bodies left him in such a complicated, tight situation that I really couldn't imagine where his story was going to go. How was anything going to go well for our antihero? I was immediately surprised by the beginning of the novel, and concerned we might be repeating past habits with Joe.

I was suprised, however, to quickly find myself invested in the characters, interactions, and plot. Kepnes does a masterful job of showing Joe and his flaws unapologetically, while somehow truly making you believe in his efforts to grow and change. I once again found myself cheering him on and understanding his point of view. Joe somehow manages to make you truly believe in his narrative and hope things work out, even while you are constantly aware of how flawed and broken he is.

At the end of Hidden Bodies, I found myself truly lost as to how this series was going to continue and, though I enjoyed the second installment of the series, I wondered if Joe's story might have been stronger told as a standalone. After finishing You Love Me I find myself thoroughly invested, and I am determined to see things work out for Joe! I cannot wait for the next installment.

Oh Joe. Joe, Joe, Joe. Kepnes has created one of the most distinct voices in contemporary fiction and I was delighted to be sucked back into the world of Joe Goldburg.

In the third book of the series, Joe has moved to the Pacific Northwest island of Bainbridge. As in the two previous installments, he's fallen in love with a woman (you) named Mary Kate, who is married and has a teenage daughter. But what are a few complications like that for Joe? He's killed for love before, and he'll do whatever it takes to achieve his romantic goals.

The books in this series have fallen into a predicable formula. In etc book, Joe moves to a different part of the United States, and he falls in love with a different woman. As in the first book, his love interest has an annoying best friend that is suspicious of Joe. As in the previous books, he has a secret room where he can imprison his victims.

The book is written in a stream-of-consciousness style that becomes exhausting after a while. There are a lot of pop culture references that are somewhat dated at this point. I'm not sure many readers will even remember the Lemonheads, a popular alternative band from the nineties, or understand the constant references to the movie CLOSER, which came out in 2004 and only had moderate success.

Even though I had my quibbles with this book, I am invested enough in the series to read the next installment, which I understand Kepnes is working on right now.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my opinions.

This eagerly awaited Carolyn Kepnes book is the third title featuring protagonist and somehow likeable sociopath Joe, Readers do not have to read the first two titles, You and Hidden Bodies, before reading You Love Me, but it will help to understand the context and backstory in this book. Joe is living is a small Northwestern town and volunteering at the local library. There he falls in love and pursues the object of his affections in typical Joe fashion.

I’m getting tired of the world using Joe Goldberg as it’s toilet. No matter how good he is, there is always someone that needs to go away.

A nice normal life, is that too much to ask for?

Yes, yes it is. Apparently!

Why does crazy attach itself to Joe? I know, I know, he’s technically a psychopath but he’s trying to be good. He doesn’t kill anyone just to kill them. They deserve it, most of the time.

A good third book in Joe’s life.

Let me start off by saying that I started watching the hit Netflix show “You” before I started reading the books. Therefore I kept comparing the TV show to the books. In my opinion, the show is much better than the books and Penn Badgley plays Joe so well and makes him more compelling compared to the books.
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I was excited to read this one because Joe is chasing after a librarian and there were tons of library references which I enjoyed! However, I found that Joe wasn’t as compelling or creepy and the storyline was rather flat until near the end where it seemed like they decided to squish in a bunch of things to make it exciting before the end. ⁣
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It had a lot of potential but unfortunately it didn’t live up to what I was hoping. ⁣
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Thank you Net Galley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. ⁣
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Exciting follow up to the previous two "You" novels. The action lagged around 60% but came surging back in the novel's third act. I thought it was an excellent choice to add in so many new and newish) characters this time around. The reader really is left rooting for Joe at some points in the newest addition to the series and that might make some people love or hate this one!

When things don't work out with Love, Joe opts for a simpler life and decides to move to a cozy island in the Pacific Northwest. Hoping for a fresh start and trying to be the nice guy he knows he can be, Joe takes a job volunteering at the local library where he meets his boss, and new love interest, librarian Mary Kay DiMarco. Immediately, he is drawn to her and so begins all the fantasies in his head. He’s made mistakes in his past, but this time will be different and everything will work out, won’t it???

I have to admit this is my first time reading a book from the YOU series, I’ve binged both seasons on Netflix (I loved them) and when I saw that there was going to be a 3rd book, I was excited to read what’s next for Joe. As anyone knows who has read or watched the show, Joe is a anti-hero that you hate that you love; he’s a psychotic individual, but you can help but root for him. On the outside, we now see a kinder, more patient Joe, but on the inside he still has his same humor and sharp-tongue that we have come to know. I think it’s a testament to Caroline Kepnes’s writing that most people have a soft spot for him. Mary Kay is a great character, she’s so much more interesting than either Beck or Love. She isn’t blinded by the façade that Joe puts on to make himself appealing to whomever he’s after. She makes Joe work really hard to win her love and their relationship is probably my favorite of Joe’s “relationships”. In this book, you will get shocked, scared and entertained! There’s unexpected twists and shocking moments that will have you on the edge of your seat! This is a highly entertaining and exhilarating return to the YOU series and I can’t wait to see where the story and Joe goes next.

Joe is back and he's still looking for the one thing that continues to elude him: LOVE. The forever kind. Sure, he found love with a woman named Love, but then the past complicated things in a big way.

Now, he's in a new town: Bainsbridge, WA.
And he has a new target: Mary Kay DiMarco.

Has Joe learned anything from his past mistakes (RIP Candace, RIP Beck)? Yes, he definitely is more cautious with his approach. But at times, his obsession with his target du jour seems to get him into trouble, and that was certainly the case in this book.

The bulk of this story centers on his pursuit of Mary Kay, and the obstacles that get in his way.
Nomi aka "the meerkat" - Mary Kay's daughter
Phil - I won't spoil who he is
Melanda - Mary Kay's nosy friend
Seamus - Mary Kay's annoying friend
Ivan - the spoiler
Oliver - the leach
Are you sensing a pattern here? Each person above sets roadblocks between Joe and his lady love, Mary Kay. Some of those roadblocks were a huge surprise.

"Giving up's just not really my style, Mary Kay."

As always, the author delivers a unique POV of a serial killer, with an inner monologue that has you nodding along at times and covering your eyes due to the level of crazy, other times. But like other readers, I haven't tired of Joe, he is just the kind of hero you hate to love/love to hate. After finishing, I had one question:
Do psychopaths attract psychopaths?