I’m going to write a whole review post on this soon, but what a book! This is so different to Daniel Aleman’s previous works but it’s absolutely fantastic. There is a brilliant balance of thriller and dark humour contrasting with some really emotional and vulnerable aspects. David really is a nice guy who’s done nothing wrong but made some bad decisions, and my heart went out to him. Him and Stacey’s misadventures were hilarious to read about and the adventures just kept coming. Cleverly constructed and brilliantly carried out, I enjoyed every page of this book and flew through it in no time. Love love love.

This dark comedy is a meta-exploration about the relationship success and loneliness that is a quick, fun romp that still leaves you with something to think about. The main character is a desperate mess of emotions and feels genuine and relatable. The secondary characters, be it the MC’s dates or his agent, all feel a little bit like caricatures, yet this actually works for the story. They are all foils for different aspects of the MC’s neuroses to play off of, and so they embody their particular roles with a type of glee that still makes fun and interesting. The world-building is done really well, giving us the claustrophobic experience of success at a young age that doesn’t always feel entirely earned, coupled with a family that isn’t supportive and an inner life that feels like a constant performance instead of an actual identity. So much of this story is about pretense, and the anxieties that come from not showing others who you are, either because you are afraid of how they will react or because you don’t know yourself or a combination of the two, and the world-building and tone embodies that sentiment well. The writing is strong throughout, with convincing dialogue and a compelling style that pulls you through, not overly saccharine or emotional but still really letting the reader feel connected to the main character’s despair. The pacing was great for me until the third act, which dragged a little. On one hand the characters themselves are in a type of limbo, a holding pattern, and that unknowing, which can feel interminable, is reflected in the writing, so the resonance between pacing and character experience works… but it feels like the whole third act simply happens to the character and he has given up any pretense at agency, which feels like being dragged along. I like the twists and turns and the places the story eventually ended up, but there is a little disconnect, for me, between where the emotional journey ultimately lands and the character’s seeming stagnation in the third act. Everything is believable, and as I said I do really appreciate where it ended up, but it I would have liked to see a more active role in that outcome. Especially as, during that third act, there are some potentially self-sabotaging behaviors that suggested the character may have bene traveling in emotional loops, and the way he emerged from that spiral felt a little sudden.

Overall, this was a lot of fun. The mystery and story were a little predictable but never felt bland. The inner journey felt rich and relatable, overall, and offered an engaging exploration of loneliness and what it means to discover who you are and what you depend on when everything else is in chaos.

(Rounded up from 3.5)

I want to thank the author, the publisher Grand Central Publishing, and NetGalley, who provided a complimentary eARC for review. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

David Alvarez, a once-successful author, is now struggling after his second book flops and he loses his boyfriend. Looking for inspiration, he goes on a wild night out with a guy from a dating app. But when David wakes up to find his date dead next to him, he’s thrown into a chaotic mess. With the help of his agent, Stacey, he tries to figure out what happened and turn the disaster into his next big novel.

This dark comedy is a fun blend of mystery and humor. David's misadventures and mishaps are laugh-out-loud funny, but the story also digs into themes of loneliness and the pressure of creative success. It’s a rollercoaster ride of emotions—one minute you’re laughing, and the next, you’re feeling for David as he navigates his mess. Overall, it’s a unique and entertaining read!

David is an author who is struggling with perusing his passion. One morning he wakes up with a strangers body in his bed with no memory of how this happened. He must find a way to cover this up so his career and life doesn’t get ruined.

I really enjoyed seeing Daniel’s character growth and seeing him thrive through his grief and heartbreak. This was a really beautiful story that was at times sad and at other times really funny. Stacey made me laugh a lot.

Daniel Aleman is an incredible author. I loved reading his previous 2 books so when I saw that this was available on NetGalley I immediately jumped at the opportunity to read and review it. I really enjoyed reading this.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Despite the tension and suspense, "I Might Be In Trouble" is one of the most fun reading experiences I had all year. Aleman is fantastic at developing characters that have singular voices, that feel lived in and fully-actualized. I wanted to keep hanging on for dear life as this caper took our main character all over New York City, riding the highs and truly emotional lows.

David seemed to have life all figured out: a debut novel that was a hit and a perfect boyfriend. But then his second novel was a flop and he broke up with his boyfriend. Now all his hopes are riding on the third book he’s writing … if he could only come up with a good idea.

So one evening, he decides to take a break and go out for a night of fun with a guy he meets on a dating app. His date turns out better than he could have ever hoped, and they have an amazing night. When David wakes up the next day, he’s hopeful for the first time in a while. That is, until he realizes his perfect date, who spent the night, is now dead.

Unsure of what happened, and facing the possibility that he may have somehow played a role in his date’s passing, David calls the only person he trusts: his agent, Stacey. Working together, David and Stacey try to figure out what happened the night before all while trying to hide any role that David may have played.

This is a well written and strongly plotted novel. Darkly funny, it combines an engaging mystery of who David’s date really was and what happened that fateful night, with an insightful story about struggling with success, expectations, and loneliness.

Highly recommended.

this was such a fun, satirical and unexpected read!

There is not much more I can say other than that. Give this a chance, I was definitely pleasantly surprised by it!

Thank you Netgalley for the e-arc of this book!

PAUSE. i can't. im literally dying laughing. David, the main character is HILARIOUS. i opened the first page of this novel with a face straighter that that heterosexual homie you got a crush on when you were in sixth grade, and continued on with fits of laughter that quite literally pushed me to meet my laughter quota of the year.

David is a struggling, full-time writer, whose financial life is in shambles. He's got no one to turn to, and he's been making one bad decision after another--and it's also somehow hilarious how he deals with his woes. It's not surprising that he wakes up next to a dead body one day, less surprising still is the fact that he may very well be responsible for manslaughter.

And OH BOY the things he does next are just as hilarious as his previous actions. It's insane, just when you think he couldn't get any more facepalmingly ridiculous, he does something to prove otherwise. and just when you think the situation he's in couldn't get any worse? it goes even further downhill.

yet somehow--
somehow the themes tackled in this novel will make you reflect the state of your own life. it weaves in social commentary while introspecting on everything that happened in David's life that led up to this moment, and the effect is fresh, almost jarring. it reaches for and twists your heart, really.

towards the end of the book, suddenly: TEARS. where did these tears come from, how am I crying, i was just laughing my lungs out two minutes ago? how are we delving deep into the anatomies of our loneliness and how we come back to ourselves after only ever getting used to self-sabotage? you'll find that even though you can spot more differences than similarities between David's superficial qualities and your own, you'd still resonate with the existential questions that flood his psyche after the fateful encounter that catalyzes the rest of the story.

the book also contains countless odes to writing: the aching way David reconnects to the whys of pursuing his craft, and of coming back to it time and time again. if you're a writer like me (or anyone who pursues any sort of creative expression) you'll resonate with David's craft-related epiphanies as well.

overall: the best roller-coaster ride you'll ever be on this year. buckle up and read.

massive thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Twisty and fun! This is a great satire of the publishing industry combined with the feel of an Oxygen true crime documentary.

Such a unique, surprisingly heartfelt, and laugh-out-loud funny read! I Might Be in Trouble is the perfect blend of humor and mystery.

Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy!

Really suspenseful throughout the first two thirds. I liked how wacky the premise seemed and how David and Stacey kept escalating the situation. I was really engaged to try to figure out who the new characters were and how they would play into the bigger picture of David’s novel and crime. The ending was a little unsatisfying for me in the sense that I was expecting a bigger twist. However, it was nice that not everything wrapped up in the traditional happy ending. It was just a little too neat for my taste given everything that happened earlier on.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC!

I went into this book with zero expectations but wow—this starts off with a bang and takes you on a wild ride!

28-year-old David Alvarez, a struggling writer, wakes up after a night of debauchery in New York City and finds a dead body in his bed. That’s it! That’s pretty much all you need to know!

I went through a rollercoaster of emotions while reading this—I was constantly shaking my head and stressing out over the MC’s decisions (was seriously stressing up until the penultimate chapter 😅), yet still couldn’t help but root for him.

Would highly recommend this if you want a page-turner that’s suspenseful and darkly funny, yet also tackles more serious themes like loneliness and acceptance.

I Might be in Trouble is an LGBT dark comedy with a tinge of mystery.

3.5 stars for drunken night amnesia meets Weekend at Bernie’s.

David Alvarez had it all—a solid book deal, a nurturing boyfriend, and enough money to live on while writing his second novel—until he stumbled over his own success and lost it all.

Fighting writer's block and loneliness, David turns towards the affection of strangers and a one-night stands. On the cusp of giving up the fling lifestyle, David meets a handsome stranger from the internet and falls into lust. To him, the stranger is Prince Charming… so why is Prince Charming dead beside him in bed after a perfect night together? David scrambles to discover the truth behind all the lies.

The premise for this book had me hooked. I requested this ARC, and my hope to receive it dwindled as the weeks passed. When I received the ARC I was pumped to gobble up this story. I enjoyed the novel, but it wasn’t quite what I hoped. The author is a master of deception and often leads the reader to false conclusions.

Drunken night amnesia meets Weekend at Bernie’s. Despite minor issues of some unrealistic aspects such as the investigation—yes, I am being vague on purpose to avoid spoilers—and trapezing a dead body around a busy city, the story is overall entertaining.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for providing this book, with my honest review below.

I Might Be in Trouble starts with a bang, introducing us to David, an author with one bestseller behind him and a follow up that isn’t so well received weighing him down - as well as a dead date in his bed who he may or may not have killed. Obviously there is no slow build up here, we get to right to the action, but this book does take the time, through the sheer chaos of figuring out what to do next, to introduce us to David and his life in a meaningful way.

I enjoyed every minute of reading this and think it will speak to a wide range of readers. David is a narrator that is relatable (even in figuring out this mess) and his agent Stacey, who bands together with him to get ride of the body in his bed, is the side kick we all need. Past the shenanigans that they take part in, we also get insight into David’s life - his ex and loneliness, his money woes and the pressure he feels to write a successful third book, and his family. This adds an emotional gooey center to what would otherwise be an enjoyable somewhat mystery and comedy novel, an unexpected bonus.

Pick this one up and prepare to be highly entertained and touched!

Made it 60% through and the gave up. Didn’t connect with the characters (especially Stacey—who talks like that? ) and the friendship between Stacey and David seemed forced and unnatural. I thought this was going to be funny and it had the plot of a slapstick comedy but the writing was stiff and boring. Didn’t feel compelled to find out what happened.

Reading "I Might Be in Trouble" was a rollercoaster experience that caught me completely off guard—in the best possible way. I picked it up expecting a thriller, but what I got was a wildly entertaining and deeply relatable dark comedy that I couldn’t put down.

From the moment I met David, I felt an immediate connection. His struggles with writer's block, anxiety, and the weight of past successes were so familiar. The way Aleman captured David's desperation and heartbreak were very relatable, and his attempts to spin this nightmare into a career-saving novel were both cringe-worthy and captivating—I couldn’t stop turning the pages.

What makes this book truly stand out is its seamless blend of humor and genuine emotion. One minute I was laughing out loud at David's and Stacey's wild decisions, and the next, I was hit with a wave of empathy as David’s loneliness and fear of failure gave a *WHY* to all the crazy things he does. I felt like I knew him, and I never stopped cheering for him. The relationship between David and Stacey was also a highlight, and she's the kind of scene-stealing character that you can't help but love.

This book will leave a lasting impression on me. It's not just a clever, dark comedy—it's a story about the struggles we all face when we chase our dreams, the fear that we might not be good enough to get the things we want, and the courage it takes to keep going. If you’re someone who’s ever questioned your own path or felt the sting of self-doubt, I can’t recommend "I Might Be in Trouble" enough. Aleman has crafted a story that’s not just entertaining, but deeply resonant, and I’m so glad I got to read this.

Initially, the cover for this book grabbed my attention and after reading the premise, I was intrigued (a struggling writer waking up to find his date from the night before dead). Unfortunately, this book did not work for me. The blurb pitches it as "a suspenseful dark comedy" but I did not find those descriptors to be accurate. Despite our main character finding himself in tricky situations (again and again), the writing fell a bit short and the stakes did not feel high enough to have me on the edge of my seat, waiting to see what happened next. I believe the main character is in his late 20's but reads younger than that with his actions and inner dialogue.

The book is a really quick read but after I finished it, I couldn't quite figure out what this book was supposed to be. It didn't feel like a suspense and while it focuses on the main character's relationships quite a bit, nothing really connected. It went from dragging around a dead body, to heart to hearts with other characters that didn't feel authentic or fitting to other parts of the story. I went in thinking this book would be one thing (a suspense/comedy) and when it wasn't, it just really wasn't for me.

Thank you Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book is one that is incredibly out of my comfort zone, but will likely end up being one of my favorites for the year! I was on the edge of my seat through this entire book just waiting to see what would happen next, once I started it was so hard to put it down. There is such a masterful web weaved between the humorous aspects of the story and the deeper more raw emotions and themes that are simultaneously handled. David is messy, he’s struggling, his loneliness is heavily relatable and written in such a visceral way I felt my heart ache for him. His story is one that I and many who will read this book can see some part of themselves in, and watching him slowly grow throughout this story was wonderful (even if you’ve never woken up with a dead body in your bed after a one night stand).

Aleman has masterfully crafted an amazing story here, that I cannot recommend enough regardless of what genre you typically read because I can guarantee you will find something in this for you.

(4.5 stars rounded down)

I'm really sad that I didn't enjoy this book. I really liked the idea of someone waking up next to a dead body, and then trying to cover up the situation. And I did like the general direction of the plot, just not the execution.

I think the problem is that I went in expecting and hoping this would be more of a dark comedy about trying to move a body and then using that situation for financial gain, and instead it was more of a comedy of errors that focused on the narrator figuring out his life and relationships. I feel like the main character is a bit of a representation of the author just going off a lot of the things David says or thinks in the book (see the "you look like a Daniel" line), plus what I read in Aleman's bio. I don't mind when a book is obviously more personal for an author, but this story just wasn't necessarily for me.

I also didn't connect with the writing. It was easy to get engrossed in the book, and was a smooth reading experience, but it read a little young considering the narrator is 28. I actually felt that, overall, the book felt more YA than adult. The way the characters spoke and acted felt more like something I'd see in a book for a younger demographic, and some of their logic just didn't make sense to me at all. I also felt like David was the only character who had any depth, and that's because he's the narrator. Furthermore, a lot of the comedy Aleman included here just didn't land for me, so rather than being a fun read, it was just more of an easy palate cleanser.

So, at the end of the day I think I just wasn't a good match for this book. While this wasn't for me, I can definitely see a lot of people enjoying this. If you're looking for a lighter comedy with a wild plot and a lot of heart, this could be your thing. (I mean, this book is as light of a comedy as you can possibly have when it comes to moving a corpse)

Great read! Recommend for dark comedy lovers everywhere. From the cover to the emotional journey within, this book really is top tier.