Sweet Fury is a great blend of thrilling suspense and Hollywood glitz and glamour. Fans of Prima Facie, In Session, and anything by Freida McFadden will adore this book!

Big thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy!

This was a miss for me. I struggled to connect to any characters or the plot, and skimmed a big chunk of the book. I felt pretty early on that Lila was going to be an unreliable narrator and she was extremely unlikeable to me (which does make her a valuable character in the overall storyline). I did not anticipate the ending which was a nice surprise. While this was a miss for me, it seems to be a big hit for most people. If the synopsis sounds intriguing to you, I’d say, give it a try!
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Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Power couple Lila Crayne and Kurt Royall are, respectively, starring in and directing a feminist adaptation of Fitzgerald’s Tender Is the Night. As part of her process, Lila starts seeing a therapist, Jonah Gabriel. Their relationship deepens as Lila opens up about the domestic violence she is facing. But things are not as they seem on the surface.

This book has interesting themes (the #metoo movement, consent, feminism, literary criticism) but everything was so muddled that it was hard to follow. The dialogue was flat and the book jumped around too much between narrative, therapist’s notes, and Lila’s messages to Jonah in a way that never felt cohesive. And I just flat out did not understand what happened in the end.

This may well just be a case of unmet expectations. I have only seen a few reviews of this, and they hyped it up as a literary thriller (my favorite genre!), and while it was a thriller that focused on literary themes I would not categorize it in that genre. It is just a regular thriller.

I would recommend it to those who are looking for a plot-based thriller, but I would not recommend it to anyone looking for a literary mystery.

Sweet Fury follows America's sweetheart, Lila Crayne as she stars in a feminist adaption of Tender is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald. In order to connect more deeply with her character, Lila begins therapy to unpack her childhood trauma.

Sweet Fury was an apt read in the wake of recent current events. While I won’t expand on this point any further to avoid spoilers, it was delightful to read a story that encapsulates female rage and touches on both the pain and beauty of being a woman.
I am not familiar with Fitzgerald’s Tender is the Night, I didn’t feel that that took away from my understanding nor my enjoyment. Sometimes I struggle to spend disbelief when there is a therapy/therapist (as a therapist myself), but the chapters containing Jonah’s progress notes were enjoyable, albeit incredibly detailed for typical practice.

This one missed the mark for me. It was totally fine but the writing didn't work in my opinion, too many long monologues and entire pages dedicated to a play by play of filmmaking that wasn't for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for the ARC.

This book was pretty good. I was not familIar with the movie/book that was portrayed in this book, however, F Scott Fitzgerald was a wonderful writer so I may be tempted to look into it. I can imagine that if I was familiar with Tender is the Night, I am sure I would have enjoyed this book even more. Still I was quite mesmerized by the characters and the premise and I found this book to be a fast read. I may consider reading it again if I ever get the chance to read Tender is the Night.

Thank you again to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

A mehhh psychological thriller. When I first started this books I was hooked with the storyline of the Hollywood couple making a movie and the therapy sessions. It quickly turned into an utter mess. Too much going on and the way it came together just did not do it for me. I love the cover of this book and I do think it will get good traction, especially with the Fitzgerald references. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Really interesting premise, kind of a mixed level of success of execution in my book. The early building of anticipation had me hooked for a while, but despite the book’s short length, it began to drag before suddenly and almost ridiculously spiraling to its conclusion. Ultimately it was just a bit too over the top for me to enjoy thoroughly, though the twisty backstory and competing motives made for a few nice “WTF?!” moments throughout. I’d call it 3.25 ⭐️.

I liked it. I feel like you have to get used to the writing because it can be very, very pretentious feeling. But it's a fun read. I did see the twists coming, especially if you're familiar with the works mentioned in the synopsis. The beginning and middle were great, but the ending felt too much like a theatrical play and it kind of lost me. I feel like the same group who really likes ML Rio and Alex Michaelides will also like this.

Objectively, this is a beautifully written book. Stunning prose, clever turns of phrase. A piece of art. I haven't read Tender is the Night, but that didn't stop me from enjoying this immensely. This book is in conversation with Fitzgerald's works as a whole, as told through the lens of the film industry, and I found the structure and plot to be thought-provoking and engaging. A page-turner! I love a good Hollywood golden couple, especially when they play dirty. There aren't many likable characters in this cast, but who cares when the twists are this fun? Highly recommend.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Simon and Schuster, and Sash Bischoff for an advance reader's copy in exchange for my honest review.

My goodness I loved this book. At about halfway through, I couldn't put it down!

I don't know much about F. Scott Fitzgerald and though I've read Gatsby, it was ages ago and I can't say I remember much. A massive theme in this book is a nod to Fitzgerald and his life but I felt that not having that inherent knowledge wasn't a negative. Bischoff did a great job filling in the gaps and connecting the dots, though I'm sure if you're a Fitzgerald aficionado, you'll pick up on many things I missed!

The style of this novel was incredibly unique and well done. I loved that it was broken into parts with different narrators/perspectives and then within each part there were also different styles like therapy notes, screenplays, etc.

The characters were really well developed. I didn't trust anyone and had you asked me about 20% in, I would have said I knew exactly where the novel was going. While I wasn't entirely wrong, I definitely wasn't entirely right either and getting to that final scene was truly epic.

This would be a stellar book club choice because there are so many relevant themes to discuss and it is very timely. With elements of the "me too" movement and feminism, I felt entertained and enlightened all at once.

Overall, I absolutely loved this book and very highly recommend it. Well written, superbly executed, and tremendously thought-provoking. Don't miss it!

Thank you to Simon & Schuster for the copy!

This book definitely has a niche audience. Unfortunately, I am not that audience. I wanted to like the book, but the characters were very one dimensional for me and there was a lot of gaslighting, which I am not a fan of.

Sweet Fury is a debut novel by Sash Bischoff and it is one you won't want to miss!
I truly had no idea what character I was rooting for until the very end. This novel is a dual POV with so many twists and turns along the way. I loved the incorporation of classic literature into this novel.
Thank you to Sash Bischoff, Simon and Schuster and Netgalley for this ARC! Sweet Fury comes out
January 7th!

I was very excited to read Sweet Fury when it was offered to me as an ARC. The summary spoke to me because of the F. Scott Fitzgerald tie in with domestic violence theme (I am a huge advocate for DV survivors).

Main character Lila Crayne is seeing a therapist, Jonah Gabriel, to help her prepare for her role in an adaptation of Tender is the Night. Kurt Royall is the film director and also Lila’s husband. A unique storyline and definitely considered a psychological twist.

I have to say I did struggle throughout the book. The character development was good in the beginning but then started to weaken.The writing at times was tough for me to follow and found myself rereading parts over and over. As I noted, I was interested in reading because of the DV theme and that fell flat for me as well and at points not believable. The ending seemed off, maybe rushed for me.

Release date January 7, 2025.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for providing me an ARC for my honest review.

I had high hopes, based on synopsis but the novel fell flat in every way. The plot rambles, the characters are one-dimensional and the dialogue is stilted. I do not recommend it.

I really wanted to love this book, I'm a sucker for retellings of classics, but I found this book dragging, even with its short page length. The characters weren't overly likable, and sometimes I felt like the book got in the weeds of the movie making process. This one was simply not for me.

Initially, I was immediately sucked in to this novel. The Hollywood golden couple with their lavish party, the Fitzgerald references, the simmering tension in therapy sessions. I felt on edge and the psychological thriller aspect hit hard. Then Sweet Fury went completely off the rails for me. At some point all character development stopped and it was all telling instead of showing. I didn’t buy Lila as America’s Sweetheart, she wanted to be so villainous without context. And the movie making parts were just boring, even though a feminist Tender Is The Night retelling is a premise I embraced. I didn’t buy Kurt as this horrible abuser, especially after their initial romantic scene. And I didn’t buy Jonah’s obsession with Lila at first sign from across campus. This just wasn’t fleshed out for me, which can happen with a debut, but I felt even more disappointed because I loved the overall idea and this book tackles some really important topics. It just wasn’t done well, IMO. Sadly. I would say that maybe huge Fitzgerald fans could look past its faults, but if you’re a super fan, it might feel even more disappointing.

This is a brilliant debut by Sash Bischoff. As a Fitzgerald and Alex Michaelides fan, this book had all the vibes. I loved the Gatsby-esque behavior of the characters: the hedonistic lavish parties, opulent wealth, and fame coupled with the main character's complicated relationship with her therapist. The pacing was excellent and gave it a psychological thriller feeling so you couldn't put it down. The prose is engaging, lyrical, and intelligent. It is thought-provoking and compelling from start to finish. I did want to have more clarity as to the outcome of the women at the end, but I loved it and highly recommend it. Many thanks to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster, and Sash Bischoff for an advance reader's copy in exchange for my honest review.
CW: domestic abuse and sexual assault mentioned

I can absolutely see the kind of reader that this would be a home run read for. To me, the characters felt flat. The writing was very straightforward without a lot of nuance behind it, which wasn’t what I was expecting given the depth of the content the book is based off of. The vibe is psychological thriller meets Hollywood meets therapist/patient drama with a cast of unlikeable characters that makes some readers enjoy it even more but is not a win for me.

This is quite a debut, so congratulations to Sash Bischoff for such a cunning psychological thriller. I really like finding such a promising new author.

Description:
Lila Crayne is America’s she’s generous and kind, gorgeous and magnetic. She and her fiancé, visionary filmmaker Kurt Royall, have settled into a stunning new West Village apartment and are set to begin filming their feminist adaptation of Fitzgerald’s Tender Is the Night.

To prepare for the leading role, Lila begins working with charming and accomplished therapist Jonah Gabriel to dig into the trauma of her past. Soon, Lila’s impeccably manicured life begins to unravel on the therapy couch—and Jonah is just the man to pick up the pieces. But everyone has a secret, and no one is quite who they seem.

A twisty, thought-provoking novel of construction and deconstruction in conversation with the works of F. Scott Fitzgerald and told through the lens of the film industry, Sweet Fury is an incisive and bold critique of America’s deep-rooted misogyny. With this novel, Bischoff examines the narratives we tell ourselves, and what happens when we co-opt others into those stories; and she probes the blurred lines between victim and perpetrator and the true meaning of justice.

My Thoughts:
I'm one of the few who did not like The Great Gasby, so on that basis I have consistently passed on reading any more of Fitzgerald's books. Therefore, I have not read [book:Tender Is the Night|46164], an adaptation of which is the movie being made in [book:Sweet Fury|214152057]. No matter, this book is cunningly written and immersive. Against a backdrop of wealth and privilege and the excitement of a film production, the story unfolded and secrets from the past are revealed. Themes of abuse and revenge with lots of surprise twists. It was impossible to know what to believe. This is a complex tale and anyone who likes psychological thrillers will enjoy it.

Thanks to Simon & Schuster through Netgalley for an advance copy.