Thank you to NetGallery and Penguin Random House for allowing me to read an early arc of Love in the Time of Serial Killers!!

For someone who doesn’t read a lot of romance novels, I really, really, enjoyed this one. The cover and the title are both fantastic and I love Alicia’s writing! All of the characters are written well, I enjoyed them all and the part they had in the story. Phoebe is hilarious, especially how she thinks Sam could be a serial killer at first — comparing nice gestures to infamous serial killers.

I give it 4 stars only because I found the beginning a little slow and wished that it was a little shorter so that we could have been focused on Phoebe and Sam a little more. I also wished there had been more of a story between Phoebe and her childhood friend, but nonetheless it was a fantastic novel and I will be putting my staff pick sticker on it once it releases!!

So grateful to NetGalley for giving me a chance to read this fresh romcom before it comes out! Thompson comes at romance with a totally unique take, diving into Phoebe's head for an up-close look at all the reasons she holds back from love. It doesn't shy away from telling her story as it is, no sugar coating necessary, and I loved it! It managed to address some deep topics without feeling overly heavy, while also staying romance-centric. I ADORED the hero, Sam, who does such a beautiful job showing love to Phoebe in all the best ways. This romance is full of heart and swoons and some seriously delicious, perfectly placed spice. Can't wait for more from this author!

✨Get you a woman who can do both: think you’re a romance novel hero and a serial killer 🥰✨

The whole serial killer thing is definitely contained to her writing about them in her dissertation and making references to them. It’s not a mystery or a thriller. It’s funny without being a comedy and a bit morbid without being morose. It has first person narration and only one POV from Phoebe. There’s an HEA and I can see arguments for this being either contemporary fiction or contemporary romance. It is definitely character driven and focused on Phoebe reconciling her past with the future that she ultimately wants (which she surprisingly hasn’t figured out at the start of the book).

✨

It’s a yes from me! I was definitely apprehensive at the beginning because I just didn’t know where this book was gonna go. After reading, it’s a lot like Beach Read. It toes the line between contemporary fiction and a romance novel, but it’s ultimately just a really good book no matter how you categorize it.

Like Beach Read, Phoebe moved into her father’s house after he died and battles those demons and what it means to have a father who just wasn’t a great man. She’s also writing her dissertation on the true crime genre and it was super interesting to read some of the connections she was drawing. The writing style was compelling and clever, and was definitely a nice charcuterie board of sarcasm, wit, and emotion.

The “is he a serial killer” bit didn’t stay a mystery for long but was fun while it lasted and does make for a good hook. I greatly enjoyed watching Phoebe grow as a character and to stop self-sabotaging (even subliminally). By the end, her personal relationships were very wholesome and cute; her and her brother especially!

✨

Phoebe is a very fresh main character whom I couldn’t help but love and root for. She’s plus sized and I definitely liked the straight forward representation. There’s a scene where she assessed herself and it felt like a very sincere portrayal and I loved to see it. I really related to a lot of Phoebe’s character, especially this one moment where she flashbacks to her as a kid thinking about all the things she’d have as an adult. Obviously in her child brain, being an adult would be gorgeous gorgeous and very easy. Obviously as an adult, that’s not the case.

She was definitely questionable at times but I was never truly annoyed because it all fit within her character and you could see her motivations, reasons, and the history of her that made her react in self-detrimental ways. So while she does start off as a bit of a dick, she’s a self aware one (top five kind of dick in my opinion). Also her come to Jesus at the end nearly made me cry and reminded me of Natalie Portman’s character in No Stings Attached.

Sam was a potential serial killer cinnamon roll who probably couldn’t harm a box of Frosted Flakes if he tried. He has a pool and I recommend all heroes have a pool from now on because pools are hot. He’s an elementary school music teacher which is ADORABLE and we get to see him interact a bit with the kids. He’s definitely swoony and I loved the beginning when they first meant and all of his little clues of affection. **Tbh his character kinda reminded me of Rick Moranis but that’s only because he hosts a party and it was total Ghostbusters vibes (without the giant gargoyle). He was just so wholesome.**

✨

The last half of the book definitely felt more like a romance to me and it is ultimately why I gave the book the extra half star. Her groveling was heartfelt and earned and the relationship was super cute. I loved how Sam didn’t place Phoebe on a towering pedestal where she could do no wrong. He had some lines in there—reading her to filth—that made me clutch my pearls and reach for a fan. That’s hot. I don’t mind the third act breakup when it’s needed to help a character shape up or grow and it definitely worked here. Phoebe just wasn’t able to understand that she could love Sam until she figured some shit out on her own. Sam wouldn’t accept less than he deserved. That’s hot.

The only thing that would make me not call this a romance is that Sam (our hero) is simply not flawed. He doesn’t really have an arc besides fixing up a guitar. He doesn’t have family issues or personal woes and barely even has a bad romantic past. He’s a straight up good guy. Having a romance hero (and main character) be pretty one-dimensional makes the book feel more like a personal arc and self-growth contemporary fiction than a true romance.

The steam was so surprising! These days it’s super hard to know what you’re gonna get but reader we got dice! The last scene was the hottest and there’s probably enough sex for an unsuspecting Karen to give it a 1⭐️ review. The first scene was short and just this side of explicit but it still worked (because it was more than I was expecting). I was super surprised to get the second scene that we did and it definitely gave the relationship more of an edge and added an extra 🌶. The scenes weren’t super long esp after *penetration* but you had a clear visual of who was doing what and how it was being done and what it was being done with. A little dirty and hot and definitely more than I expected. There were a few other closed door moments. I’d say a little more explicit than the Hating Game and hotter than Beach Read?

✨

Overall, Phoebe didn’t fundamentally change who she was when she finally got her HEA (as she shouldn’t) but she did accept that she could love and be loved, which was the backbone of the novel and the driving force. The love, of course, coming from not just Sam but her family and friends as well. I think the true crime element added a very fun and unique twist on a more or less basic plot set-up. The romance was cute and hot and pretty low angst. I’ll for sure read more from this author and I can’t wait for the audiobook to come out. And of course, this book will leave you researching a bunch of different serial killers and listening to the dulcet tones of Keith Morrison after you’re done.

That’s all for now. I’m Lester Holt. Thanks for joining us. *Cue ethereal humming and smooth guitar outro music.*


⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5 🌶🌶🌶/5

WOW. I knew I was going to enjoy this book just based on the cover and title alone. True crime and romance? Absolutely, count me in. I loved Phoebe…. most of the time. I did find her to be a little bit self sabotaging at times, but she was easy to relate to. Sam. wow. I love that man with my whole heart. He was extremely wholesome and I loved what he brought out in Phoebe. I was slightly concerned that he could actually be a serial killer at first, but i’m very happy that turned out to be a misunderstanding. This is the first Alicia Thompson book I’ve read, and I’m looking forward to seeing more from her. Thank you for providing me with an arc!

#LoveintheTimeofSerialKillers #NetGalley Thank you to the publisher and @NetGalley for the E-ARC copy of this book. The rating of this book is entirely of my own opinion.

I had a hard time finishing this one! I was excited to read it based on the plot and cover, but I never really got into it. It wasn't really a romance like I wanted it to be, and couldn't really find anything good about Phoebe. Yes she was closed off, but it was just too much for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley/PRH for an advance review copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Alicia Thompson has vaulted directly to my one-click list with her adult romance debut. Her wry, ironic voice bursts with humor and emotion, instantly endearing me to her millennial hot mess main character Phoebe, her amiable slacker of a younger brother, and her shy cinnamon roll neighbor.

Phoebe’s struggles to finish her dissertation on true crime books while dealing with the estate of her estranged father illuminate the intensely relatable internal state of the late-twenty-something searching for direction and connection. Thompson’s prose rings with unapologetic realism and a sprinkle of grit; she bends the classic romance beats to fit her characters’ flaws as well as their deep, unacknowledged longing. The dialogue in particular was so dry, sharp, and funny.

In summary, readers will love Thompson's voice, prose, emotion, and wit in this second-coming-of-age romance.

From the moment I read this book title on a list of anticipated romances coming out in 2022, I knew it would be an important read for me. But I had no way of knowing it would feel like this book was written for me?!

I am a self-proclaimed true crime aficionado, and truly the only other thing I care about is a good romance, so mix those both together and BAM! This is my dream, and receiving an ARC of this book was the highlight of my year. Thank you Alicia Thompson and Berkley!!

I related so hard to intensely to protagonist Phoebe, mainly in that she started reading true crime because she was so afraid of everything and hated the uncertainty in life, and found comfort in having something specific (serial killers) to focus her fears on. I could not have explained this better myself, and it made me feel things!!! This book had phenomenal plus size representation and just generally like anxious/introverted personality representation as well and I really loved how Phoebe was so REAL. like she was someone I’d want to be friends with but also someone I’d be intimidated by because shes so cool but in like a normal way??? and MY GOD Sam! this love interest is the softest of soft boys, and he is so sure of his feelings for Phoebe that I truly could not cope. One note I made in my book during my read was “I would move to Florida for this man and that is not something I take lightly” and I truly stand by that. They are such a good pair with phenomenal chemistry without being perfect, and their love story just felt realistic and genuine and sweet.

This book deals with grief in a very tangible way, and it discussed family trauma/dynamics in a way that I think everyone can at least partially relate to. Phoebe had so many feelings of inadequacy and fear that she wasn’t able to properly process until the end of the book and I think those are also aspects of my personality that I would loooooove to work on. this was a self help book for me basically. Just with more mentions of the Golden State Killer and Ted Bundy.

Omg also so many political comments that made my heart sing like calling community numbers rather than calling the police and not celebrating the Fourth of July because our country doesn’t deserve it 😌

I will be recommending this book to readers far and wide, across numerous genres, and I cannot wait for this book to get the publicity and success it deserves. Thank you again to Berkley and Alicia Thompson for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!!

Love in the Time of Serial Killers by Alicia Thompson
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to @berkleyromance, @netgalley, and @aliciabooks for this ARC! I absolutely loved this book. I wasn’t super surprised because I saw the synopsis and knew I’d love it. I mean, romance meets murder? Sign me up! I am glad I was proven right and that this was as delightful as expected!

I immediately connected to the main character because of how relatable she is. While kind of awkward, sarcastic, and dark-humored, she is also genuinely very funny. Sam is cute and extremely crushable, and I felt the chemistry between them was palatable (even when Phoebe thinks he might murder her). But my favorite part is probably how wonderfully dynamic all the secondary characters were, especially Phoebe’s brother. I want to hang out with this group IRL!

I’ve said this a million times but I love when romance has some meat to it, and I think Thompson handled Phoebe’s complicated relationship with her grief because of her complicated relationship with her dad beautifully. She also explained Phoebe’s hesitation with intimacy in a realistic manner so that all of her choices made absolute sense. The only downside to this book is it referenced so many true crime books that I have to catch up on now, so my TBR grew exponentially!

Love in the Time of Serial Killers is set to be released on 8/16/22, so get ready to hear me talk about it for the next few months. I can’t recommend it highly enough!

The cover and the title of the book was very intriguing and what mostly drew me in to read the book. However, in my honest opinion this book was a major let down. At first the constant pop culture references was something I found entertaining. But after the 100th by page 60, it started to lose me. The main character was very surface level and the love interest was not well developed. It's certainly a book I would recommend to particular people, but not to everyone.

First of all, I am absolutely obsessed with this cover art! Secondly, I actually loved this book so much. Phoebe is a very closed off and keeps to herself kind of person and I truly felt seen by her. As she explores the grief of her father and her lost time with her younger brother, you get to explore how people deal with grief in different ways. Alicia Thompson also had some beautiful ways of portraying grief in her writing that truly stuck with me. Reading as she fell head over heels for Sam was such a fun slow burn! I am a huge fan of the slow burn trope and this book did exactly that! I love how gentle their relationship is, and how they complimented each other so well. Reading as Phoebe tried to juggle grief, a new “relationship”, reconnecting with her brother and writing her dissertation was such a fun adventure of emotions and personal hardships. Alicia Thompson’s writing also has such a beautiful flow to it may I add. Some slow burn style books truly do drag on, but this one was the absolute opposite! Would totally recommend this book to any romance reader or anyone looking for a fun light read. Cannot wait to see this book hit shelves in September! Also looking forward to reading more work by Alicia Thompson!

This is not really a romance novel, yet it appeared under the romance shelf. Interesting... I had a hard time getting into this because of that. I see this as new adult fiction - not a romance. I do enjoy true crime podcasts and documentaries, so I kept reading until the finish. As a Gen Xer, I found her younger brother very frustrating.... ; (

I would recommend this to patrons who are twentysomething women whom I discover have an interest in true crime - a very small demographic.

This was a very fun, unexpectedly good read! I am not usually a romance reader, but found this one to be engaging and very well-written - and I loved the unusual premise with the main character's interest in true crime. Thanks to NetGalley and to the publisher for a copy in exchange for review.

I really wanted to like this one, but it just was not the book for me. The relationship just felt forced and not natural to me. It also felt as if there was a pop culture reference on every other page, which was a lot to take in.

I think that people who like true crime will really enjoy this one, but it just wasn't the book for me.

This book had everything: laugh-out loud moments, a romance that makes you swoon, characters you can’t help but root for. Perfect for true crime and romance fans alike.

As someone who likes true crime podcasts I really liked how the author tied true crime into the book. I liked that phoebe had an academic interest in true crime, I thought it was a really interesting angle. I liked her rebuilding the relationship with her brother and of course I really liked her relationship with Sam. I thought they were good together and I liked that Phoebe had to unpack her issues with always leaving people and not wanting to get attached. I really enjoyed it.

Wow! This is my first Alicia Thompson read and, I have to say, this book did not disappoint! I loved all the true crime references sprinkled throughout the book and how much of a true crime buff the heroine was. Let's not forget the swoon worthy romance built up throughout the book. Not to mention how well the author dealt with heavy mental health topics in the story. Overall, a really great read that will satisfy your true crime (albeit light) and romance loving heart.

I feel seen! First it was Crime Scene Kitchen, now Love in the Time of Serial Killers. Someone is spying - or is just very intuitive about what people like. Well-written and an author to put on auto-purchase.

This was a dnf for me unfortunately. I was very excited and I wanted to love it so bad but...the main character is unbearable, she's freaking out over nothing and not in a cute way

As someone who loves True Crime and romance (when not intertwined-ha!) this book was right up my alley. I saw one of my favorite authors post about it on IG and I knew I had to request the ARC as soon as I could. I was definitely not disappointed!

Phoebe is a doctoral student finishing her dissertation on the genre of true crime. While she inundated with research (and personal interest) she can't help but have some overlap into her life. She is acutely aware of people and places and how things can turn sinister in no time at all. Phoebe has some difficult relationships (family and friends) and has led a somewhat closed off life up to this point. Her understanding of love is not a healthy definition. She meets Sam and begins to question all she thinks she knew about love (and serial killers).

Things I liked:
Phoebe is hilarious.
Her brother, Conner - hilarious.
Sam - so sweet
Phoebe's internal dialogue is laugh out loud funny and Connor's no filter approach to life is refreshing and also hysterical. The relationship between Sam and Phoebe is equal parts endearing and frustrating. I get that Phoebe is struggling, but man, I just wanted to shake her sometimes.

Love in the Time of Serial Killers is one of those books that I feel like I have to read and re-read because there is SO much goodness and depth. Alicia Thompson has written a book that has all the feels. I laughed (a lot), I cried, I got angry, I swooned. It just felt like such a SMART read, but still fun at the same time. The banter was on point, the research was detailed, and the lessons were plenty. Love in the Time of Serial Killers takes an honest look at the ways our pasts can explain us, but not excuse us.

This is a MUST READ!

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.