I loved this book! It was very twisty, with lots of layers and it definitely kept me on my toes, trying to figure out what was going on.

Review of More Than You’ll Ever Know by Katie Gutierrez

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

The reviews I have seen of this one have been all over the place. This not a domestic or psychological thriller. Yes, there is a death in it, and yes there is some mystery to that and a twist about it at the end, but it’s more of a complicated novel about a woman’s life. If you know that going in I hope you will enjoy this one as much as I did. And I really did. I read this one very quickly though its well over 400 pages long. I thought the writing was perfection and the characters were engrossing as flawed as they were. I think all women, especially wives and mothers, could on some level relate to some of what Lore thinks and feels (though it’s never ever okay to betray a loved one). It was fascinating to see each step of how she made horrible decisions. I loved the Lore chapters far more than those with Cassie who I felt was an underdeveloped character. Although maybe it seemed a bit unbelievable at times, this one is thought provoking and I cannot wait to see what book comes from this author next.

Quick synopsis: Cassie is an investigative true crime journalist who wants to write a story and Lore. Lore is a wife and mother in Texas who led a second life by marrying a second time and loving her stepchildren in Mexico City. Then her second husband travels to TX and ends up dead with her first husband charged with his murder.

Big thanks to @netgalley and @williammorrowbooks for a copy of this one that is out now!

I really enjoyed More Than You’ll Ever Know by Katie Gutierrez and the main reason is the strongest part of the book: the characters.

Gutierrez crafts two main characters that are real and have emotions that you can connect with even in a situation like Lore’s affair. You immediately connect with both women and that is the strength of the book as well as a very interesting and intriguing story.

The points of view are also great because it allows insight into Lore as we read in the present about the case that occurred in the past.

I really enjoyed More Than You’ll Ever Know and I hope to see what comes next from Gutierrez!

I read a lot before bed and I can tell it is a great book when I have to force myself to put it down. I read this one in 1% or 2% chunks because it couldn’t hold my attention. Every time I picked it up I found that I had no memory of the story or anything I read before. A page or so of reading reminded me but it was never quite good enough to suck me in and keep my attention. I ended up putting it down because I was tired of feeling confused. I feel bad saying this because I could see it being a really good book…. Just not one for me.

**Many thanks to NetGalley, Scene of the Crime, William Morrow, and Katie Gutierrez for an ARC of this book!**

This book reminded me of a quote from one of my all-time favorite shows, Frasier, from none other than Frasier himself:

"“Ah, but if less is more, then just think of how much more ‘more’ will be!”"

From touches of historical fiction to drama, true crime to romance...More Than You'll Ever Know threw in everything but the kitchen sink...and unfortunately suffered because of it.

Cassie Bowman eats, sleeps and breathes true crime. Aside from soon-to-be husband Duke, every moment of her waking life is spent wrapped up in fascinating cases to explore on her blog. She thinks she's seen it all...until she stumbles on the case Delores "Lore" Rivera and her unique double-life...two husbands, two families, two cities (Laredo TX and Mexico City)...and ONE murder. Her first husband Fabian, father of twins Gabriel and Mateo, is held responsible for the murder of husband two, Andres, and is locked away...but what is Lore's side of the story? Cassie feels this is the perfect opportunity for collaboration, and gets trapped in this whirlwind tale of love, revenge, and inner torment...and ends up revealing a few secrets of her own. Did the police get it right and was this the open and shut case it seemed to be? Or has Cassie popped open the lid to Pandora's Box and an even more tangled snarl of family secrets and lies than she ever could have imagined...where SHE is now the bait, trapped in the middle of the spider's web, with no hope of escape?

Well, as I said, in the case of this debut....LESS needed to be more. This applies to so many aspects of the book I'm not sure where to start, so I'll dive in:

1) Spanish words. I took 4 years of Spanish, and thank goodness, or I would have gone absolutely insane reading this book. Gutierrez sprinkles Spanish and Spanglish in frequently. As in, every page. Multiple times a page. And sometimes only ONE WORD in a sentence. Which would be fine if it was a word that made sense to arbitrarily have in Spanish, but I remember at one point there was a sentence written entirely in English except for the word 'but' (in Spanish, pero.) Of all words...that's the one that would randomly be in Spanish? It just didn't make a lot of sense to me. Many of the instances in the book you can blow by without missing a beat or figure out via context clues, but there was still a bit too much of this going on for my taste.

2) Dual timeline hopping. I am always game for a good dual timeline, and since Lore spent so much time recounting her story to Cassie, of course it made sense to use one in this book. However, the hopping was CONSTANT. There are LOTS of chapters in this book, and each one bounces around. While long chapters probably would have been too weighty with all of the detail going on here, the short chapters felt a bit all over the place and at times it was hard to keep track of what was going on...and when.

3) Length. Perhaps the biggest miss in terms of this book is sheer length itself. It's about 450 pages (!) and should have probably been capped at 350. The extra heft does nothing to help tell the story, and for it to feel like a fast-moving mystery as well as a drama, a shorter book would have certainly helped. By 75%, I felt the narrative was spinning its wheels a bit and I was eager for Cassie to figure out what had happened and just move on.

That being said, Gutierrez is a SUPERB writer, and this was quite the debut! Her use of language was so lovely at times, poignant, lyrical, and evocative that I truly considered rating this book a star or two higher on that basis alone. She is a writer who has found her home, and since this was only her first foray into novels, I truly
hope to hear more from her...and soon! All of the pieces were there when it came to this story, and my emotions ran the gamut. I just wish my fatigue and frustration hadn't overshadowed the captivating writing and interesting tale explored in this one.

And with any luck, Gutierrez will have just one MORE up her sleeve!

3.5 stars

I really had high hopes for this one. It’s made a lot of lists and I’ve been hearing great things about it. I’ve also been hearing not so great things about it so I was wary going into it. I think it’s mismarketed. I found it interesting in the beginning but then it drags. I ended up DNF ing.

I didn't end up finishing this book. I really liked Cassie's POV but I couldn't get into the rest.

Even though I didn't finish I thought the author did a great job at showing what was going on. I look forward to reading more of her work.

This was a DNF at 37% for me. The synopsis of this book sounded amazing with the true crime and family drama and questions of motherhood, but it really, really dragged for me. I wish it had been edited down to a shorter length with a faster pace. I will absolutely read another book by Gutierrez and may very well pick this one back up at some point, but it’s not working for me right now.

Really struggled to get into this book. I'm not sure why because the synopsis sounded amazing. I think I expected more of a thriller and it ended up being a mystery drama. Still keen to read more by the author though.

Overall I enjoyed this book; however, initially I struggled to connect with the writing style and the plot and even put it down as a did not finish BUT then I kept seeing it in other people's reviews. I gave it another chance and ended up liking it. Part of the challenge is this is a very slow burn book. It is not highly mysterious but does have a mystery. It isn't a high octane thriller but has some thrilling parts. It is the story of a crime writer digging into the past to uncover the mindset and thoughts of a woman married to two different men in two different countries at the same time. This is not a book you fly through but one that makes you more reflective and pensive as you examine the live of the crime writer, Cassie, and the woman with two husbands at the same time, Lore. Overall, I recommend it. Knowing a little Spanish would also be helpful because there are spanish words peppered throughout.

The story is separated into three sections, with the greatest being the last third, where things start to pick up, even though we're probably just in the third, as it's been a bit of a grind up until that point. It's a lengthy book which can be a hit or a miss. Dolores is explored as a mother in the poor economy of Laredo, TX, and as a woman in vivacious Mexico City in this novel. Dolores  and the distinct facets of herself that the two guys in her life bring forth. The act of writing Lore's story will also reveal Cassie's personality. Because of how long it is, it is a very slow book. This caused it to be a bore at times.

Unfortunately I am DNFing this book at 40%. I believe this is another book misrepresented as a “thriller”. The writing is good, but I think the book would be more interesting if it was shorter and only written in Cassie’s POV.

This is the BEST kind of the book - the one where you ignore your work obligations, family, and nearly everything else in order to read! I may have hid in the bathroom at one point, just to read MORE THAN YOU'LL EVER KNOW a few more minutes. Perfect for book clubs (I just convinced mine to read it!) and readers looking for an engrossing story full of love, mistakes, and forgiveness.

Many thanks to William Morrow & Scene of the Crime for providing me with an advanced reading copy; review contains my own thoughts and opinions.

More Than You’ll Ever Know shifts between two POV and two timelines, telling the story of Lore, a woman who has two families in the 1980s before one husband was murdered, and Cassie, the blogger and hopeful true crime journalist who wants to tell Lore’s story in 2017. Both women are hiding secrets in their lives.

The book is split into three parts. Part I (approx. first 1/3) was a bit slower but looking back, this was important for building the backbone of story. Once I hit part II, the book started picking up big time! And I flew through part III - I could not put it down.

More Than You’ll Ever Know is beautifully written, with an evocative style that draws you right in to each scene. Neither Lore or Cassie are perfect and as a reader, I struggled with some of their choices. However, they were complex and learning more about their histories and motivations helped with understanding. The book also held commentary about being a woman, mother, and wife along with the expectations of society, especially in the 1980s. I could feel Lore’s frustration leap through the pages.

“So, when you read your textbooks, ask yourself who is telling the story—and what they have to gain by your believing it.”

If you enjoy family dramas with a hint of suspense and mystery, I recommend it - especially if you’re a true crime buff.

Thanks to William Morrow and Net Galley for this ARC that of course I didn’t finish before the publish date. (Which means it’s available for everyone to read now!!!!) Wow! I got so invested in the outcome of this book that my heart was racing and I was worried about what would happen next! What a great story about double lives, the fine line between truth and lies, and how far people will go for their families. My only complaint was I didn’t think Cassie’s story was resolved well. Other than that it was a fabulous book.

Katie Gutierrez's debut novel follows Lore, a woman who has fallen in love with two men. Lore balances two families in secret, one in south Texas and one in Mexico City until disaster strikes. When one husband is murdered, the other is arrested for the crime. Years later, aspiring true crime writer Cassie is determined to find out what really happened all those years ago.

MORE THAN YOU'LL EVER KNOW is a fascinating story with rich characters and lots of heart. The plot is propulsive and the writing carries voice and style which bring the reader deep into the novel. I recommend enthusiastically for fans of true crime, crime fiction, and family stories.

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I can't believe this was Katie Gutierrez's debut novel. WOW. This book was beyond anything I ever imagined. It was so incredibly good. I savored every word, every sentence. It was so beautifully written. I literally could not put it down. I carried it around the house reading a paragraph, a page at any free moment I got.
I loved the alternating timelines. I loved Cassie's character--strong willed and determined. I also loved and hated Lore at times. Lore was also strong-willed, determined, and would do anything to protect her family. I didn't agree with all the decisions she made, but could relate as a mother, how she came to those decisions. This book amazed me with this captivating and powerful story. Highly recommend. This is one of my favorites of 2022! I can't wait to read what Katie Gutierrez writes next!

Thanks to William Morrow for the free book.
This type of story is becoming more common. A podcaster decides to investigate a past crime and interviews a key player. This book is full of family drama, secrets, and a slow burn. I was pulled into the story right away, however, it did feel long at times. I think this book tried to handle a lot of topic, and I wanted a tighter focus. But the story didn't unfold quite how I thought it would, and I was left satisfied by the ending.

Loved loved loved this! It’s not often that I enjoy all the characters, but I truly did in this one. Lore, who made huge mistakes and catastrophic life choices, but still remains likeable in the way she communicates and how treats others. As her story unfolds, I found myself loving her even more. Cassie, who is a journalist, looking to tell a story that may very lonely hurt those involved… yet she too is likeable, especially as we learn more about her background and her relationship with Duke. I even appreciate Lore’s and Andres’
children (Mateo and Gabriel and Penelope and Carlos), as they are mere teenagers as Lore’s double life unfolds.

I loved how the author jumped back and forth from past to present, as well as alternating between Lore’s and Cassie’s stories.

Best of all, I was suprised and satisfied by the ending.

Excellent read- thanks for Negallery for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

For some reason I just couldn't connect with this story or the characters. A woman married to two different men, leading a double life and with children in both families. That's hard for me to wrap my head around. Others love this book so check it out for yourself.