I am always, always excited to receive a book by Kepnes to review. This one did not disappoint! The writing is incredible, the twists are always unexpected, and I am still thinking about the ending days later. Would definitely recommend!

This is one of my most anticipated releases of 2021 and thank you so much to both Netgalley and Random House for the gift advance copy of You Love Me. I also want to say I am truly sorry for the delay of this review. This lateness is no reflection on how good or bad this book is. I have just had a few months where I haven’t wanted to do anything but read sleep repeat.

I first off want to say I am a major fan of Joe Goldberg and the YOU series. I love the character that is Joe. (don’t judge me I know he is nuts.) there is just something so captivating in the way this author describes this crazy man and the women that come across him.

I read You and Hidden Bodies  again to prepare myself for book three and I am really glad I did. Once the story finishes in Hidden Bodies, I am instantly wanting to know how Joe and Love's story continues. This book takes you in a completely different direction than what's expected, and I think I really enjoyed that the most. I wasn't expecting Joe to fall for someone else and I certainly wasn't expecting that person to be in the predicament she was in.

Although the fact that this other person loves books is a complete added plus to this read. I will say I missed a bit of Joe in this book considering that I felt like this book was very tame in who he was in book one and two. That being said will people die in this book? Will we get a crazy obsessive Joe? Yes and kind of. There are parts you will find that the old Joe shines and it is great and there are parts where he tries to be tame and normal and it is just weird. I know this review is a bit tame and lacks detail but it is truly something you should experience on your own if you are a fan of the series. I will give it three stars because it was good but I can’t go any higher then that because I just needed a bit more crazy Joe and a little less attempt at normal. Will I continue the series if it continues? Yes, I would I would even love to see a different series from her. I will say that if you haven’t read the first two books start there. They are worth it.

Every book in the You series gets a little different each time. The first book - I absolutely devoured. I was obsessed and couldn't get over how well it was written and how horrified I was with myself for rooting for Joe. Book two - he moves to LA. The book is a good book, but seems totally different that book one. A different voice almost.

I felt like book three, You Love Me, returned more to its roots.

But this book took it a step further. It's always interesting diving into Joe's mind, but this was a unique experience in seeing what others are willing to do for money, or willing to do because of sociopathic needs.

I definitely won't say I loved it like I loved book one, but it was definitely a step up from book two.

Just when you think Joe couldn't get any creepier, he tries to be a "good guy". This book started a little rocky because it picks up months after the end of the last one and nothing made any sense. It doesn't take long before Joe monologues about what happened after the cliffhanger of the second book. I wish it had been done a little smoother though.

Joe's new target (or "love interest" as Caroline Kepnes corrected me on Twitter) is a librarian in a small town on a island off the coast of Seattle. Of course, Joe automatically thinks she's in to him because she's nice. What follows is 400 pages of Joe trying to be a good guy, but people keep doing things that make him look like a bad guy. There's a big leap of a plot twist towards the very end that didn't feel that earned and came out of nowhere.

Overall this book is another creepy yet fun entry in the You series with Joe continuing to have these obsessive, repetitive internal monologues about the people and world around him, through the lens of someone clearly not meant to be in society. It could get a little much at times, but the story pulled me a long whenever Joe started repeating himself too much.

I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I’d enjoyed YOU. It didn’t have the original feel like I’d been expecting! I still fully support this series and love seeing it on the small screen!

I just….did not like this one. It was sooooo long. I know the internal monologue of Joe is what made us love him in book one, but at this point it was just overdone.

I received an advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

Joe is back with his long stream of thoughts and his take on pop culture. Joe has always fascinated me and this edition has a setting that is very Joe. Bainbridge island is a creepy little island that fosters zany people. Joe loses some of his psychoness here and is actually the narrator for these interesting occupants of the island. His obsession with cedar cove lead him here and right into a small town of very dramatic characters. He lost some of his edge but kept his very obsessives form of love. He is a magnet for drama and this is no exception. I was entranced by how these people seemed to be so normal but had very hidden depths. This book is a departure from the series but I really enjoyed it. I felt guilty laughing at some of the weird stuff that went on but Joe somehow makes it funny. The ending was a shock and I was not ready and it kind of spun everything into a depressing direction but it is very Joe.

This 3rd book in the story of Joe took me a lot longer to finish. I like the overall story arc and the twists but this version with Joe and Love living in the suburbs was not as engaging to me initially like the first book. It took until getting to the second half of the book before I was really in to the story. I would recommend this book for die hard fans of Joe who want to see where he ends up after having a baby and being settled into a role as a husband.

Thank you to Netgalley, Random House, and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review of the book.

Oh Joe. Like the book says of your fictional television character (all very meta): I hate to love ya.

I read the first book in the series years ago and--while I had a couple of issues--found it very entertaining. I then read the second and really disliked it. I felt that the delicate balance of humor, camp, and genuine horror was missing in that novel. I wasn't sure, therefore, what to expect with this entry.

I'm happy to say that this was a fun and entertaining read. In fact, as far as I can remember, it seems to return to the tone and balance found in the first book of the series, which is a good thing. I think, too, that some of the same issues exist here--what I love about Joe also gets a little tedious, the story seems a bit too long and drawn out--but overall, I missed the Joe from Book #1 and was happy to see him back.

As I mentioned at the top of this review, I like how Kepnes got a little meta here. She knows the Netflix show is huge, people reading this book almost assuredly watched it, and she had to decide how to deal with that. I love that she creates a subplot with a really interesting new character, whom I hope we see more of, who decides to write a television show based on Joe's life. Clever and fun.

The literary (and other music and pop culture) allusions are some of my favorite things in the book. Joe is a little too Modern American for my taste, but I love it all the same. Also, while Kepnes does walk the line of being too much with Joe (as happened in the second book of the series), this story always pulled me back and had me laughing out loud at times at Joe's interior monologue. And one last thing: also similar to Book #1, Kepnes does a great job of making you side with the serial killer. You root for him, even though you KNOW what he is. Like Beck, Mary Kay got on my nerves incessantly and I felt that Joe would be well within his rights to RIP her (no spoilers--I'm not telling what happens!). But that's the fun part of this series. Getting into a deranged head and allowing him to make you empathize with him is a fascinating exercise.

If you like Joe, go and read this. If you were turned off by Hidden Bodies, I suggest you come back to Joe's world and give him another try. I think you'll have fun with this!

Full disclosure -- this is the first of Caroline Kepnes' books that I've read. I struggled to get through it, so I'm not sure if it's her writing style or this particular story. In any case, the heavy emphasis on internal monologue got repetitive and my attention kept wandering. It seems a lot of other reviewers connected with it, so maybe it's just not for me.

I loved the first two in the You series by Caroline Kepnes and am an avid watcher of the series. This third novel didn’t hit the marks for me though. I got increasingly caught up with Joe’s internal dialog, it just felt so dense and unnecessary at points to the point where I couldn’t even tell what was happening or how the plot was furthering.

The allure of Joe kind of died off for me in this third installation. I don’t know, the books feel too long and are starting to feel redundant. Lots for shock value still, though. Going to sit on my thoughts a little longer.

I finished You Love Me by Caroline Kepnes just in time for season 3 to drop on Netflix! Thank you to Penguin Random House Audio for the complimentary audiobook and to Random House for the gifted book!

Joe Goldberg is back with his latest obsession in the 3rd installment of the You series, and Caroline Kepnes knocks it out of the park again! Joe, everyone's favorite handsome creep, is impossible not to cheer for, no matter how sick and obsessive he may be! He has his sights set on a new woman, a librarian named Mary Kay in the PNW. She comes with more baggage than Joe anticipates, and I don't want to give too much away!

I'm curious to see if Mary Kay will be making an appearance in season 3! Regardless, I'm excited about the show, I'm excited for book 4, and I'm excited for more from Caroline Kepnes!!

I have to admit that I previously DNFed this but after I watched the show, I went back and read this. In this book, apparently Joe is done with cities and wants to start fresh. He and Love move to the PNW. In true Joe fashion, he finds another conquest / woman to obsess over: Mary Kay the librarian. Mary Kay was boring to me - I wish her character had more depth. All the other characters were nuts. I wasn't a fan of Love's arc in this book. You Love Me definitely wasn't as strong as the previous two book but I was satisfied with the ending and still found the book to be entertaining, because Joe. Looking forward to see what happens in book 4.

Thank you NetGalley, Random House and Caroline Kepnes for the eARC of the book in exchange for my honest review. I did, however, purchase the book for this review.

This third installment in the You series will greatly appeal to fans of the other novels, as well as the Netflix show. Joe embarks on a new adventure in Washington, setting his sights on the town librarian. Readers would be best served to have read the first two in the series, so they can follow along when characters pop up again.

this felt different than the other stories of Joe's LOVES.
his obsession with the "woman next door" wasn't as interesting as the previous two apples of his eyes. alot of this was just inner monologue and honestly if i wasn't already invested I don't know that i woudl have finished.
I have feelings about Love's mental health and how her PPD was used in the story.
i know there is supposed to be a fourth book and i hope there isnt a large gap between publications like there were between 2 & 3. I am interested to see how this wraps up but just don't see how the story will continue and honestly I hope "good joe" goes on vacation

Joe Goldberg - my favourite narcissist and psychopath ever - is back!!! This third book in the series brought back all the feelings that book one gave me. ⁣
⁣
If you haven’t read this series - the audio is absolutely the way to go. Even if you’ve only watched the show - I still strongly recommend the audiobooks. Santino Fonatana narrated them and he IS JOE. He creates Joe to be oh so creepy, yet charming and hilarious. ⁣
⁣
I’m not kidding when I say I listen to these books with a giant smile on my face because of how entertaining Joe is as a character. Completely creepy and terrifying - yes, but that inner monologue is wildly entertaining. ⁣
⁣
I didn’t love the second book all that much as I felt Joe went off the rails a bit, but this one felt very similarly to the first. It’s a weird feeling to root for someone as awful as he is ….I think I it’s why I like these so much, I love how Kepnes writes a terrible person, but you still can’t help but want the best for him.

I enjoyed going along with Joe again, but I feel like this series is getting formulaic. There was also an aspect of this book that felt a little nasty and sinister (no spoilers). I am ready for Kepnes’ next chapter whenever she decides to move on from Joe.

My absolute favorite book in the series so far! Joe is back and he's in rare form. He's moved to the Pacific Northwest and he's trying to be good. He's met a librarian where he works and he's decided they will date although Mary is too busy to get involved with Joe- can he persuade her to see love his way?? This story was so much fun from start to finish- Joe is sarcastic and brings his biting wit and societal observations to completely entertain us. Loved it!!

I was given a free e-copy of this novel by NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

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. (This synopsis belongs to GoodReads)

I read You and gave it one star. I read Hidden Bodies and gave it two stars. Now, I'm giving You Love Me two stars, so at least I am consistent. I also refuse to watch the television show. If the books were this bad, then I can imagine the show might be the same or worse. I just cannot understand why people like this series. I can’t understand why Joe picks such annoying, potentially bipolar women to obsess over. I do understand that this is from Joe’s point of view, and that the women probably aren’t as bad as he says. But I also know that sometimes women really are crazy. It also felt repetitive. It was the same type of woman in a toxic, semi-abusive relationship as well as a toxic best friend. The only difference in this book is that Joe’s new obsession has a daughter.

The whole premise of the third book is that Joe is trying to be “good” while still continuing to do the same things. I was greatly disappointed in that because it also meant that Joe made the same mistakes. If he had gone to jail, then I fully expected him to think better. At least, act stealthier and don’t do something stupid that might get you caught AGAIN! Instead, it was the more of a regression to Joe from book one.

I started to lose hope at the beginning. The reader is introduced to Joe after he gets out of jail, but I was really hoping to go through the trial with Joe and Love, as well as Joe’s introduction to his new son. There was so much potential growth that Joe could have undergone. That is not to say that he could have stayed with Love, because everyone knows she was a nut job, but Joe and his son could have evolved.

What the? What was that ending? There was too much going on at the end, that I just couldn’t follow. I honestly felt like it was packed with too much information, almost as if the author really wanted these events but also really wanted to end the series. It was too much, too fast. There are exciting moments, but the unfortunate realization is that those events may have still happened regardless of whether Joe was there or not.

Overall I rate this novel 2 out of 5 stars. Supposedly there is another book in the works, but this might be a series that I can do without.