I went in expecting this book to be a thriller but it was really more of a tale of self-discovery and coming of age in adulthood. The main thing that grabbed me was how strong the narrative voice was-I could get and practically hear David’s voice in my head and immediately felt like I knew him. This book covered a whole range of emotions and experiences, while simultaneously being humorous, cutting, and heartfelt.

I Might Be in Trouble by Daniel Aleman

I devoured this novel in one (albeit long) sitting. If I thought part one was suspenseful, I had yet to learn what I was in for in the book's second half.

David Alvarez is a formerly successful author trying to prove that he is not a one-hit wonder. His professional situation mirrors his personal life. He once felt a part of a family and a relationship; however, both have morphed over time, leaving him feeling alone and lost.

His situation changes when he wakes up one morning to a dead one-night stand. His panicked actions make way for an adventure—perhaps one that is worth writing about.

While the plot may initially sound like a modern-day Weekend at Bernie’s, it's far more complex and engaging. You'll find yourself rooting for the sympathetic lead in this suspenseful adventure, which forces him out of his comfort zone and helps him discover who he can truly count on.

This book was an absolute delight to read. It kept me guessing, and I found it both fun and meaningful.

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing for the Net Galley ARC.
#IMightBeinTrouble #NetGalley
General Fiction (Adult) | Humor & Satire | LGBTQIAP+
Pub Date Dec 03 2024

My top book of 2024 so far.

This was the fun, fresh, fast-paced read I was craving. It was everything: funny, relatable, energetic, shocking, romantic, and sometimes even wistful and sad. It's a lot to pack into one novel, but Daniel Aleman does it so expertly you'll be flying through the pages.

David Alvarez is down on his luck. After his first book became a massive success, he thought he had made it. His dreams had come true, he had a wonderful boyfriend, and was on the road to a perfect life. But then his second book flops, and that leaves him in a limbo. With no money, no ideas for future books, no more praise from his readers, and not even his ex-boyfriend. So now he's trying to come up with an idea for his next novel, which will be the one to save him and allow him to recapture the life that slipped away.

That's when he meets a handsome man on a dating app, and they have a magical night together that makes David certain everything's about to fall into place again. Except that when he wakes up the next morning, his date is dead, and there's a possibility David accidentally killed him.

So begins the crazy journey of this book and I couldn't put it down. One moment I was gasping in shock, the next I was swallowing a knot in my throat, the next I was laughing out loud. David feels so real as a character that I couldn't help but sympathize with him at every step of the way, but his agent Stacey takes the trophy as one of the best characters I've read in a long time.

"I Might be in Trouble" blends some suspense elements with a deep, impactful story, and it is ultimately about a young man trying to survive even in the face of failure, heartbreak and loneliness. I can imagine so many people will relate to David on some level, as I did.

Thank you to the publisher for the review copy. I loved this and will be shouting about it when it publishes.

‘I guess...one of the things I’ve realized is that people are...well, like houses, almost. We need foundations. We need...a solid platform, on top of which we can build.’

David is a bestselling author at twenty-eight. But instead of writing another fabulous book, his career is down the drain, his relationship with his dad is more or less nonexistent, and his boyfriend Jeremy is now his ex. He’s a guy who had everything but now has nothing, and loneliness, anxiety, and maybe even self-pity are luring around the corner. But then David meets Robert and finally thinks things are going to work out fine. Until he finds Robert dead in his bed.

This story hit close to home and crawled under my skin. Slowly. I didn’t feel it at first, until halfway through the book, my whole body started to itch.

I was home alone for the first time in years and thought I’d love it, but I felt lonely instead and read:
‘I had the strangest realization: my word count had gone way down.’

I was writing and petrified to share with others what I had written and read:
‘There’s something about the thought of other people reading my words that terrifies me.’

I can have these intrusive thoughts that I’m not good enough and read:
‘I’d try to be less afraid. Less hard on myself. Happier.’

This story is about foundations. The foundations you need to function in life. Passions. Desires. Family. Friends. David’s only foundation is his writing. And losing it would mean he no longer has meaning in life. It’s about doubt and insecurities. About believing in yourself. About letting other people in and letting them be your foundation. About being okay and sometimes not. And that it’s okay to be not okay sometimes.

In my last review, I asked myself why so many YA authors want to write adult books. To be honest, I’m not always a fan. But Daniel’s first adult novel struck a cord. It’s so different from all the others and cannot be grasped in one genre. I Might Be in Trouble is literary, contemporary, dark at times, and at the same time humorous, even ridiculous in a few moments. But above all, it’s deeply human and personal.

Daniel, you touched my whole being with your story! Thank you so much for writing it. You definitely didn’t disappoint!

I would first like to thank net galley and Hachette book group for giving me the opportunity to read this book. When we first meet David he has just woken up to a dead body next to him in bed. The book follows how far he will go to jump start his flailing writing career by spinning this event.
I hope you have tissues handy because this book handles everything. Aleman was able to write about insecurity, anxiety, loneliness, sadness, want, and joy so brilliantly that I wish I could go back and read this all over again for the first time. Not only did I audibly laugh out loud with some of the scenes and the narration but I was crying in the next chapter at how beautiful the moments were playing out. You can not put one genre to this book because it has everything. David is not happy with his current life, his first book a success, his second flopped. His ex has a new boyfriend and he has no money in his account. Trying to take his mind off of things he goes on a date, the only problem is he wakes up to his date dead. After wondering what to do, he spirals. He realizes so many things at once that finally when his life calms down a bit he manages to write his feelings down, which is what he always did when he had a low point. Through the book we follow the highs and lows of David's life with his Ex, his father and his new wife and his agent. This book is a journey of self discover, self acceptance, love, and mystery thrown in. If I could give this book more than 5 stars I would I loved it that much.

This book was a really good read. I thought that the pacing was a little tough at times but I enjoyed the story. I liked the characters and there were some pretty good funny elements to the story. but overall, it was a great read and I would recommend it to others!

David Alverez has never been able to live up to his early success. His first novel was very popular and got him a deal for the second one. Unfortunately, it wasn't well received at all. The third novel has been rejected by his publisher, so now, in his late 20s, David is struggling to figure out what to do next. His long=term relationship has ended, all of his book money has been spent, and he's out of ideas. With nothing really to do and to put off the panic about not being able to pay next month's rent, David hooks up with random men he meets on dating apps. One night he meets a wonderful man named Robert. After a night of bar hopping, they end up back at David's small apartment. When David wakes up in the morning, he discovers Robert dead in bed beside him. Luckily, he has one friend left who might help him out of a sticky situation, his agent Stacey. After they think the situation has been handled and the police find nothing suspicious about the death, Stacey convinces David to use the unique situation as fodder for his next best-seller. As David gets started on that project, he's contacted to write another book -- working alongside Robert's husband, who is a famous news personality. The rest of the book deals with David's paranoia that Robert's husband knows what he did and is looking for revenge. Is he truly suspicious, or is David's fear causing him to see things that aren't there?

I liked the book for the most part, but I was expecting something major to happen at the end -- a final "gotcha" or twist, but there was just a sort of disappointing ending of nothing much. I suppose the book wasn't meant to be a thriller (as I'd hoped) but instead to chart David's journey from spoiled mess to somewhat responsible adult. I just wish there had been a better ending to end on. As it was, I was left somewhat deflated.