Caroline Kepnes has always had a knack for giving characters obnoxious names and nicknames but I think I might hate Wonder the most. Not only does Wonder get a childish name but she acts like a child too. Unless I'm mistaken, she was in her 30s but everything about her felt like a teenage <i>freaking</i> girl. I mean, at one point she just rips her top off and lunges at Joe in the middle of a fight. Bizarre.

We are four books into the <i>You</i> series and honestly, I'm over Joe. The formula is stale and I feel like Kepnes tries to switch it up a little but she doesn't commit and we're back to the same, boring plot. And this one was a chore to get through.

I didn't love the fellowship plot. It was honestly a snooze having to read about their workshops. O.K. (of course she has a quirky nickname!) was such a pointless character only to have her disappear halfway through. And Sarah Beth, the thriller writer? She felt like a caricature.

In the last book, Joe was worried about committing crimes because he'd been in prison but I guess Covid times erased those worries? I'm finding it harder and harder to believe Joe can keep getting away with his crimes across the States.

Final thought: Was this book sponsored by Dunkin'?

Just as compulsively readable as Caroline Kepnes' other You titles, For You and Only You is a satisfying suspenseful return to the world of Joe Goldberg as he moves to Boston after the pandemic. His trademark style, including his murderous streak, continues as he is selected for a writer's fellowship at Harvard. New location, same obsessive personality.

2.5 stars rounded up. I was so excited for the fourth installment in this great thriller series. Unfortunately, this was not the one for me. I have loved all three previous books, but this one felt different. The book was very slow paced and centered almost entirely around a writing fellowship. As someone who loves to read but doesn't much care about writing, this was difficult to read. There were so many references to literature and authors and the book was probably 100 pages too long. Of course, I'm still interested in Joe Goldberg. I will probably read the next one, if one is written, but this one had too many uninteresting characters that I was rooting for pretty much everyone to end up dead.

Thank you Random House and NetGalley for and ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Every book in this series I listened to via audio because of Santino. I do not like the show near as much as the books and I’ve followed Kepnes since she first published You. I was eager to get my hands on this new story to see what happens next? Where does Joe go from here? Apparently he goes to Harvard! Kepnes has a way of writing that’s brilliantly done. The love interest is not like others that Joe has had in the past which really helps the dynamic of the story. Joe is everyone’s favorite antihero! I enjoyed this book more than the third in the series and feel like this story had just as much witty banter and murder as any of the rest which is what we’re all looking for, am I right?

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. I have kept up with the series religiously and of course watch the show on Netflix. I was pleasantly surprised to see a book 5. If you love the previous books in the series, you will love this one. As usual Joe will be Joe. He tries to change in a new location, but ultimately always fixates on someone. Quick read, great writing, same loveable dangerous Joe. Fans will love it.

Okay already they are throwing away the Florida storyline. I don’t care if COVID effed up her writing plans. Why leave the second and third book the way she did for it to be totally railroaded over with a new plot? Very annoying. Very lazy. Very “Annie Wilkes circa the movie Misery when she’s explaining to Paul Sheldon about how when one episode ends and the next one starts with no regard to how the other ended.” I felt like that. Did she think we wouldn’t remember Florida and why he escaped there?

The first 40% was a whole lot of set up with very little interest. Typical Joe. Typical formula. Except this time, I had a few laughs, which was nonexistent in the third- I’m talking no lip twitch, no smirk, nothing. At least Joe had a few authentic jokes that felt very “You first book,” but that could be because of the narration. I flipped back and forth between ebook and audiobook.

Here’s where things started to bug me:
I felt like by this fourth book, it is clear as day that Caroline Kepnes can write. But the execution killed me. This fourth book was almost like a slap in the face for all the non-literary readers who don’t pick up Salinger or all the other legendary authors. It felt like I was invited on their fellowship and it was a damn English class. Way too much focus on the actual writing aspects and what makes a great writer. I didn’t want to hear about all that. I wanted Joe killing people. I didn’t care about Joe’s book- because seriously, he knows he’s a fantastic author, why is this being shoved down our throats? I feel like it’s Caroline’s way of admitting she knows she’s a great writer. Also enough of the critiquing and over analyzing of Scabies For Breakfast and every other Shoddy's book. Like OMG it literally felt like I picked up a guide for authors.

Okay but onto the new love interest. Wonder. Umm better than Mary Kay. Worse than Love and Beck. She was just… there. Not bad, not great. As I said above, around 40% is when things got interesting. But I didn’t like her. Why does he seem to choose these mundane women? And women who make him work for it? Why can’t he find a nice lady who appreciates him and doesn’t play hard to get? It’s getting old. And oddly enough, I don't even recall them making it official. I feel like we spent a majority of the book when they were separated as opposed to dating. So when Joe admits he loves her (yes, I know he falls easy and fast), I was like wait. How long have they even been "together?"

77% I’m like wtf is up with all the damn book crap?!? It wouldn’t end! The plot dropped off and it only became about Joe’s writing and the feedback he got from Sly and Bernice. Literally zero plot in the last 25%. I stopped for a moment and was like wtf am I even reading this for? I didn’t want to finish it. I didn’t care to hear how Joe knows he’s a great writer, how Wonder is unsure and scared and blah blah. The boat scene. The fight scene. It. Was. Too. Long.

But some positives: while the fight at the end was longer than necessary—let’s be real, so many of Joe’s monologues could have been cut and we’d follow along just fine—there was some good writing there as they slung insults at each other. Still wish he killed her.

The dark humor returned.

I liked the idea of Sarah Beth knowing about Joe’s past for about a chapter. Then when I realized she wasn't going to do anything with the info except use it for book inspo, I was like W H A T? Yes, it's established she's a psychopath, but really? She's not going to turn him in??? By the end of the book, I’m like if he doesn’t kill her…

And for the lame, childish things:
Wonder. Cherish. Caridad. Sly. OK. What’s with all the weird names? Is she pulling a Colleen Hoover?

Okay and sorry I just cannot. Why. Why. Why does Joe have a child out there and it’s swept under the rug? Why did the third book even happen at all? I know books don’t have to be realistic—it’s freaking fiction—but if you’re going to have him fall in love with someone like Love, and ruin their story, pretend it never happened, it makes me not take this fourth book seriously.

No one realizes all these people die around Joe Goldberg? Isn’t he on parole? I can’t even remember where he left off with the Quinn family, but usually a man who went to jail and has not one, but three ex’s disappear or die, it’s suspicious. Then two accidents where people die happens in the new town he’s in, and it’s not suspicious??

Ugh. I don't know. I didn't love this one but it was better than the third, which got 1.5 stars. I refuse to watch the show because they butchered the books. They basically went on their own way, so why use the books as inspiration if you're not going to at least follow a little of the plot?

Will I read the 5th book if one is coming? Probably. Because I'm a masochist.

Thank you for your book and exchange for my honest review.
While I am a fan of the TV series You, the books do not engage me at all. I feel like the author is a little bit too wordy with her descriptions. This book was no different than the rest of them that I have read by this author, because I quickly lost interest.

In the fourth Joe Goldberg novel, Caroline Kepnes takes our antihero to Harvard, where he joins a fellowship of burgeoning writers, led by a Pulitzer-winning egoist. As with past books in the series, Joe falls obsessively in love with a woman -- this time called Wonder (named for the Natalie Merchant song). The entire book is written in a stream-of-consciousness style, with lots of awkward phrasing that can get exhausting after a while. But on occasion, some of his wild thoughts are spot-on and hilarious. Kepnes is at her best when she satirizes the world of publishing. I loved all the inside jokes about Lauren Groff, Donna Tartt, and other members of the literary elite.

There's a lot going on with the various characters in the book. The first three books in the series were basically the same recycled plot, and I appreciate Kepnes giving a new element to Joe by throwing him into the literary world. He's every bit as passionate about his writing as he is about his girlfriends. But it's fairly obvious at this point that Joe's romances are not going to end well. One of the most enjoyable parts of this series is watching everyone get their comeuppance. But at some point it's going to get ridiculous if Joe continues to get away with his crimes.

My biggest complaint about this book is its length. It could have been shortened by 15-20% if Kepnes had reduced some of the internal monologues that slog down the narrative. But overall, this is my second favorite book in the series, my favorite being the debut. I'm curious to see where Kepnes takes our antihero next.

This book interested me as I love the show You and Joe’s character is always interesting. This one started off slow and I felt it was a little confusing with the multitude of characters. It’s also confusing when older characters such as Love and Beck are brought up if you haven’t seen the show or read previous books.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!

I ended up liking this a lot more than the third YOU book, which was mostly depressing. This had more fun Joe impulse murders, and an exciting setting for Joe to talk literature and fall in “love.”
This reminded me a little more of The Love Affairs of Nathaniel P - it had some really good opportunities for Joe to express how he saw things and the reader to see how far off base he was.
A couple of things felt too convenient, especially one character’s seemingly random confession TO Joe, and Joe’s confession to just the right person.
It was also fun to read this while watching the series, since the show Joe and the book Joe have diverged so dramatically; I thought a lot about what his essential characteristics are in both and where the characters differ. I wonder where Kepnes will take this version of Joe next.

Very interesting read after seeing the first season of the show on Netflix. The way the book is written we get an inside scoop right into his brain and innermost thoughts. Which can be distracting in the way he bounces from topic to topic. Overall, I enjoyed the read and can't wait to see how it compares to the series but found the way it was written distracting.

For You and Only You…. Joe just never learns his lesson does he?
I love these books but I found this one to be quite a bit harder to get thru than the others. Joe is in a writing fellowship at Harvard - yep he’s writing a book title none other than “Me”. Of course there’s the typical love interest and psychological mind games, but who would have thought he’d find someone else that was almost his equal? (Wink wink)

It wrapped up nicely and overall I am satisfied with it. I may have just not been in my “zone” while reading it.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for this early release copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Publish date: 4/25/23

A massive THANK YOU to the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC. The "You" series is my all-time favorite psycho-thriller series, and I was thrilled to be able to read the fourth installment, For You and Only You.

Reading FYAOY did me actual physical harm. I read it over the span of two or three days, finishing last night with a five- or six-hour reading binge. I woke up with a headache, and realized that I had totally strained my eyes by reading so "hard!"

While the hallmark campy fatalities of a Joe Goldberg story are all here, FYAOY delves more deeply into Joe's psyche than the first three books. We spend more time in his head; his thoughts are so exquisitely captured by Kepnes that I could not help but be pulled along for the frenetic ride (hence the reading binge last night). He is now in Boston for a Harvard writing fellowship, and he falls hard and fast for his fellow Wonder -- they bond over how "real" they are, compared to the pretentious others. They are surrounded by a cast of characters who are all so well-pitched, including a crime writer who really gets under Joe's skin. Reading this felt like being trapped on a roller coaster -- slightly nauseating and a complete thrill.

I loved this book (to be expected), and will recommend it heartily. 5/5 stars.

Caroline Kepnes is one of my favorite authors. I was so excited to receive an ARC of this book. Unfortunately, it is not my favorite out of the series. It was still good and I would recommend it, it is just not as good as the first installments. Joe’s love interest in this one just did not get me as interested so it could be a little boring at times.

I love a good Joe Goldberg story, but this one wasn't my favorite. It was way too long than it needed to be. There were a lot of long literary conversations and I just could not get into it. I think if someone is a fan of literature and writing, they would love it. For me personally, it was just too much.

Pros: As always, I'm in love with Kepnes's writing, character and world building! She's in my top five favorite authors for sure!

First, I admired how while Joe has had growth, he is still his usual, "well-meaning" psychopathic self.

Second, not a huge spoiler, but there's a plotline that I thought was truly brilliant and I was CONVINCED the story was going in that direction! However, once that changed and the true motives appeared... Well, hello You. The character involved with that device is also one of my favorites overall! (I won't say their name, so as not to ruin it for you, dear reader.)

Joe's love interest, "Goodreads girl" Wonder, is intriguing in that she's not the standard, independent type he goes after, though she is still a bit "lost" as the others have been. Her take on making every book a five star was interesting, though I could never be as "bleeding heart" as she is. This trait also extends to her family and everyone she interacts with. I love how Kepnes has made each love interest of Joe's similar but different in how their family dynamics are.

As a side-note, quite a bit about the average writer's mind and journey is included. That was insightful for me, someone who loves to help out newer authors, to see what our beloved wordsmithers endure trying to please us.

Cons: When I read, I "watch the movie" in my head. There weren't any physical character descriptions, so my brain was grasping at straws finding faces for everyone except for the given, Joe. I kept picturing the actress for Beck for Wonder, but that felt off and wrong for sure. It doesn't help that Wonder isn't in the TV series, either.

The scene transitions weren't always smooth, though they were clear. It was a little jarring to have my brain in one scene and all of a sudden, in a new one without much heads up. I did have to reread a few times to clarify.

Conclusion: Despite my cons, I adore Kepnes's work, making this is an easy five star for me! The writing style, characters, unpredictable plots... Everything. I love it all! "You" need to read this, but be sure you've read the subsequent books. There are several, several references to previous reads and you won't get them if you haven't. Can't wait to add this to its rightful place next to the first three on my shelf!

I absolutely loved this book! It jumps right in and I didn't want to put it down....at first. About 3/4 of the way through I came to the conclusion that both the best and worst thing about this this book is that it's exactly what I expected from the next installment of the 'You' series. Joe gives himself a new start in a totally new setting after (metaphorically) torching his whole previous life. He's beyond creepy but you can't hate him. He's a perfectly crafted psychopath. I absolutely love it.... however...... I think I've read enough Joe Goldberg. I would love to see Kepnes start a new series with either a female version of Joe or maybe an uber professional version of Joe who can't just walk away from his life when he's done killing anyone who bothers him, or, ideally, a character on the fringe of Beck's life who knew what Joe was doing and has been tracking him through his various iterations and is trying to stop him.

Overall, this one kills it. Joe's voice is extremely compelling and I can't believe anyone could put the book down. Can't wait to see what's next from Kepnes!

Hello Joe, you haven’t changed. You’re still you. You’re like the guy whose yearbook pages are littered with the line “stay cool,” and you have. It’s as if you need to prove a point. It’s received. You’ll always be you.

This is the 4th book of the You (Joe Goldberg) series and I’m so glad that although the new seasons of the Netflix show have differed extensively from the books (they are 2 very different storylines now) Kepnes has continued to honor the Joe she originally created. From the very first lines of this novel, readers know what they are in for.

I love that this story gives a big shoutout to “Goodreads girls” 😆 I can assure you, this is not a “plot-rehash review.” I have THOUGHTS!

I loved how heavily this story deals with literature, reviews, and authors. The storyline touches a lot on the struggles of a writer - The fight to get your work noticed, produce original and interesting stories, and trying to secure an agent while still staying true to your craft.

Overall, Joe is a hard character to understand. Am I disgusted by him? (Yes) Are his snarky thoughts somehow endearing? (Yes) I think the most chilling thing about his character is that he appears to be so likable and normal to those around him…until he kills them. He’s like Dexter, but with a self serving agenda that he has warped to fit his internal narrative of “doing it all for the one I love” type of thing.

Joe has an obsession with trying to control everything around him and he navigates the world through killing off inconveniences…and then thinks all will be well. But it never is, of course. It’s always the same formula in these books but Kepnes infuses her work with special literary moments as well. So, if you enjoyed the first three and liked the style, I think this will be a winner for you.

I don’t think I’ll ever stop reading these books. The writing was amusing, as always. Kepnes has too much talent and such a fun way of bringing the deranged drama of Joe to life for me to ever give it up. The various pop culture references are always fun, also.

It's hard to give the fourth installment in Caroline Kepnes' You-nivere a fair writing. Joe Goldberg is one of the best antiheroes of all time and the original You novel was just a knockout! I also thoroughly enjoyed the second and third books in the series as Joe moved around the country, fleeing from his lovers and their demises. This fourth book is set in Cambridge, Massachusetts where Joe has earned himself a writing fellowship at Harvard. As is the norm, Joe finds himself superior to everyone around him who have all been blessed with so much more than him. Until he meets Wonder, who was a bit of a boring love interest compared to Beck and Love. Joe was a great narrator as always, but this book did seem to drag on a bit at times. Even though it wasn't my favorite, I'd still read the next Joe Goldberg novel as soon as it comes out!

There is only so much Joe one girl can take. While Kepnes stays true to her style, I think it is time to retire Ole Joe and give us someone new and more believable to focus on!