This was so fun to read. I laughed out loud at times and totally loved the banter and chemistry between the two contract killers. I love a good train scene and this one starts off on the train and it's a wild ride. I was enjoying it so much that I looked up the author and to my surprise, I had just read Girls and Their Horses which I also enjoyed immensely! I'm definitely going to have to pick up Brazier's other books. The only part that didn't work for me was actually the ending - I felt it ended rather quickly and I didn't really need the epilogue. This is a perfect vacation read, it's fun, moves fast (especially with short chapters) and totally outrageous. It's also great on audio - highly recommend.

While I didn't love this one, it was still an enjoyable read. I mean what's not to love about two hired killers falling in love with each other.

Such a good read that I enjoyed! I'm so glad that I got the chance to read it early and will definitely be recommending it to multiple people who enjoy these types of novels. I enjoyed the characters and especially enjoyed the writing by this author. I'm excited to see what the author comes out with next as I'll definitely be reading it! Thank you to the publisher for my early copy of this book!

After reading Good Rich People a few years ago, I have been closely following Eliza Jane Brazier and reading everything she writes. So far, I have been surprised by her breadth of stories and always have fun reading her books.

It Had to Be You is a unique combination of thriller and romance about two strangers, who happen to be contract killers, that hook up on a sleeper train from Florence to Paris, never expecting to see one another again. Six months later, they run into each other in Versailles… but not by accident this time. Instead, Eva has been hired to kill Jonathan, not knowing that he, too, is an assassin.

It Had to Be You is everything I wanted Butcher and Blackbird to be – thrilling, murderous, and still, a love story. Through dual points of view, we follow Eva and Jonathan in their cat-and-mouse game across Europe. Unlike Butcher and Blackbird, It Had to Be You has a solid plot with actual stakes as well as a sexy romance that builds (and exists outside the bedroom). While this sounds like a stressful, high stakes story, in actuality, it is a fun, cross-continent jaunt complete with tourism, murder, and twists. If you are looking for a wild, unhinged novel to become lost in, look no further.

Brazier has an addictive writing style that grabs you and does not relent until the last sentence. At the time I picked up It Had to Be You, I was in a multi-month long reading slump that was cured by the novel immediately catching my attention. I find Brazier’s writing easy to read yet engaging. And I am always pleasantly surprised by twists that I do not see coming.

I really enjoyed the flawed, yet likable characters in It Had to Be You. You should not want to root for these two killers, but it is too difficult not to do so. Both the main and secondary characters are largely well-developed. Each of the protagonists have a full backstory to explain their off-kilter, damaged past, which made them into the assassins we observe in the book. And best of all, the chemistry between Eva and Jonathan sizzles from the page

Overall, It Had to Be You is an exciting, fun, and amorous book to find yourself lost in. If you had to skip a vacation this summer, I definitely recommend taking a spin around Europe with Eva and Jonathan. Those who don’t take themselves or their books too seriously will especially enjoy this novel.

This is a fun, smutty and sassy thriller! Both characters are unhinged and perfect for each other. It Had to be You will have you traipsing all over Europe and turning pages with Eliza Jane Brazier's signature suspenseful writing. This one definitely cemented her place as an auto-read author for me now!

An insta-love story featuring two assassins in a cat and mouse game. While they don't know each other at first, they soon find themselves as each other's targets and must decide if the tension they feel is really love or if they are committed to their jobs. Overall, it had potential but just seemed to fall flat at points.

What a ride! It Had To Be You is a dark and humorous romantic thriller that has too many plot twists to keep up with. Will the lovers end up together, or kill each other, or join forces against a common enemy? The author keeps you guessing until the very last second.

It Had to Be You, is a work of art.

An expertly crafted, thrilling, masterpiece.

I have been a fan of Eliza Jane Brazier from the minute I concluded her debut, If I Disappear. My love and admiration only grew with, Good Rich People and Girls and Their Horses. When I was chosen to read It Had to Be You, early, I was ecstatic!!!

(Yay, me!)

So after I swooned over the cover for a bit, I dove right in.

This book is what I would like to describe as a dramatic, thrilling, romantic fusion!
I couldn't stop thinking of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie in Mr. and Mrs Smith.
I was in love!

Written with precision, executed with perfection, It Had to Be You, needs to be read by all.

5 stars!

Teaser :

Two contract killers, each with a hit out on the other, must fight their growing attraction as they face off in an epic game of lust and murder across Western Europe.

When Eva and Jonathan hook up on the sleeper train from Florence to Paris, they think they’ll never see each other again. Which is too bad, because neither has ever felt a spark like this for another person. But love isn’t on the agenda in their line of work.

Six months later, they run into each other in the Hall of Mirrors in Versailles. This encounter is not by chance, because Eva has been hired to kill Jonathan. She’s a contract killer, but what she doesn’t know is that he is too.

Their meeting kicks off a high-stakes adventure across Western Europe. There will be tourism. There will be bodies. Eva and Jonathan might even fall for each other.

As the two get closer to completing their assignments, it becomes clear that they are also being hunted—by something even more dangerous than love. . . .

This was a super fun book! It had Mr. and Mrs. Smith vibes x Killing Eve vibes and I was here for it! Loved the cat and mouse game between a female assassin and contract killer. The problem is, the contract killer is who she is supposed to kill, and she ends up falling for him.

The book is told in dual POVs and had a romance element! I thought it was a great, fast-paced read.

Thanks, NetGalley and Berkley Pub, for the complementary book in exchange for my honest review!

Eva and Jonathan have a reckless one night stand on the overnight train to Paris. They both feel an immediate connection and a rare spark, but the reality is they will never see each other again, especially because neither one gave the other their real name or identity. Six months later they run into each other again, only not by chance. Eva is a contract killer who has been hired to kill Jonathan, what she doesn’t know is that he is also a contract killer and he has been hired to kill her as well. This leads them to a wild adventure around Europe where they really begin to fall for each other, but eventually one of them will have to complete their assignment.

I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again. I am here for all of these recent romantic suspense stories featuring spies, private investigators, etc. In the case of it Had to Be You we have contract killers and the tension and drama that added make for a book I just could not put down. These are two characters that you really should not like, but I found myself rooting for them despite their flaws and messiness. The book was fast paced with short and easily digestible chapters. It was the perfect blend of romance and thriller and made for such a fun, quick read.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for the advance copy.

Thanks to Berkley for an advanced copy of It Had to Be You by Elize Jane Braizer.

This was such a unique and fun premise. I don't know if this is a thriller or a romance but it was a enjoyable book about two contract killers who meet on a train and then later find out they have a hit on each other and their adventures around Europe to find out who it behind what they do.

This was such a fast book to read. I loved the short chapters - this had such a fun writing style and I was hooked from the beginning. While the premise is highly improbable it didn't take away from my enjoyment.

If you're looking for a fun fast paced book you'll enjoy this!

It Had to Be You is a wild unrealistic assassin thriller-romance and I was totally along for the ride. It was fun, unique and fast paced.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing and Netgalley for the electronic copy.

Thanks #partner @berkleypub for my #gifted ebook and physical copies! #berkleypartner #berkleyig #penguinrandomhousepartner

It Had to Be You
Eliza Jane Brazier

It Had to Be You is a riot! Here's the gist: two assassins meet on a train and hit it off. Soon after, they learn they've both been contracted to take the other out. What transpires is an action-packed, super steamy, wild ride of a story! It's hard to categorize, because while it's not a romance novel, there is a love story at the center. Maybe I'd call it a blend of contemporary fiction, romance, action, and thriller.

It has major Mr and Mrs Smith vibes, with a dash of Dexter and Ava. TBH, I wasn't sure about it at first ... my concern was the romanticizing of m*rder. Fortunately, that wasn't the case. Despite being a rip-roaring good time, there's a surprising amount of depth here, especially as it pertains to the main characters' back stories and how they've dealt with (or not dealt with) their individual flavors of childhood trauma. It really touches on why bad people do bad things, and that most aren't irredeemable.

My only real critique is that it was a tad long, and could have been condensed by 50 pages or so. Otherwise, I thoroughly enjoyed it!

📌 Available now!

Brazier is a must read author after GOOD RICH PEOPLE and GIRLS AND THEIR HORSES. I blew book this so quickly because I could not put it down. This was a charming, exhilarating and silly read. I absolutely adored Eva and Jonathan and their perfect brand of weirdness. I am 100% going to need a movie/series soon. I’ve read the audiobook is amazing as it has January DeVoy and Will Damron narrating.

𝑰'𝒗𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒌𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒇𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒏 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆. 𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝑰 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒏'𝒕 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘. 𝑰'𝒗𝒆 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒅𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒊𝒕. 𝑭𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒊𝒏 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆, 𝑰 𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒏. 𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒕'𝒔 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒍𝒖𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒔.

I knew going in that this book was going to be a wild ride, and it was everything I had hoped for and more.

Two contract killers, Eva and Jonathan, meet on a sleeper train headed to France. The attraction between the two is so heated, sparks fly, and not from a weapon. Blissfully ignorant of each other's line of work, they share a steamy hook-up and part ways. Surprisingly, they meet again six months later in Versailles, and circumstances have changed as Eve has been hired to kill Jonathan.

Told from alternating points of view, this was a darkly comedic tale with whip smart dialogue, perfectly flawed characters, and a dazzling European setting. The perfect summer read!

Thank you to Berkley Publishing for the free copy. This title publishes July 16, 2024.

🎧New Audiobook Review🎧

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
It Had to Be You by Eliza Brazier
Publishing Date: July 16, 2024
Pages: 384 pages
Audio: 9 hrs 44 min

🤺 Mr. & Mrs. Smith vibes
🤺 Contract killers
🤺 Wry & sarcastic humor

I really enjoyed Brazier’s novel A Girl and Her Horses that was released last year. It felt like a fresh read and not something I necessarily expected. I had hoped for more of that with her new release.

It Had to Be You was an enjoyable read. The story wasn’t necessarily a surprising one, but I did enjoy it. Brazier’s writing style is awesome - fast-paced, engaging, and comical in its own respect. Some pieces felt a bit expected and some elements were far out there, but hello… they’re contract killers.

🎧 Narrated by January LaVoy and Will Damron, both of which were involved with Listen for the Lie which many loved. With It Had to Be You, they felt and sounded like the perfect cast here. Damron captured Jonathan’s pretentiousness and LaVoy captured Eva’s confidence. Hope they do more work together, great pairing.

Thank you #NetGalley for an arc of #ItHadtoBeYou in exchange for an honest review.

📚 #BOOKREVIEW 📚
It Had to Be You by Eliza Jane Brazier
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / Pages: 383 / Genre: Romantic Thriller

Two assassins hook up on a train only to be reunited six months later when one has been hired to kill the other. But their initial attraction is still hot and heavy as they chase each other through Europe.

I’m a sucker for assassin thrillers, witty romcoms, and a European setting—and this book has it all. I loved it!

Thank you, @NetGalley, @BerkleyPub, and @ElizaJaneBrazier for my gifted copy!

Eliza Jane Brazier, welcome to my auto-read list.

I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve read by Brazier, and this was probably my favorite to date. Those she has a signature style, I’m impressed by how many different types of stories Brazier can tell without ever appearing to be out of her element.

Like Good Rich People and Girls and their Horses, this has a lot of atmosphere and excellent pacing. This one is funniest of the three by far, though all have a good sense of humor.

This one feels more like an adventure, and I loved that about its plot. I’m a sucker for anti-hero assassins as well as for European train travel, and this book put the two together in this genre-busting book that is part action thriller, part comedy, part travelogue, and part love story.

I could have done without all the cringey and repetitive open door romance stuff, but other than that, no complaints. I can’t wait to see what Brazier does next.

What a fabulous book. This was my first book by the author, and I immediately went and downloaded her last one, too! Eva and Jonathon are two assassins who just happen to end up on a train together. They get hot and heavy fast, then assume they will never see one another again--but boy, are they wrong! From falling in lust to love, to attempting to end each other's lives, this is a fun, twisty book that has the best character development I think I've ever seen. I wish there were a sequel!

I picked this book up because while they are rare, I absolutely love spy romances.

This one hit it out of the park! I started this book and the next thing I know I can't put it down and I was 50% of the way through this book. It reads with ease, the story will draw you in and the characters will not let you go. I loved that you get both Eva and Jonathan's POV throughout the story, and I feel that is what draws you into so much because you can see what's going through both of their minds. A++ out of the park hit for me on this one.