I loved the cover and I was sold with the Elinor Oliphant comparison- but in the end, I don't think this really loved up to either point. It's a quirky story of a millennial woman trying to find herself post-breakup, and it was okay. It felt like it jumped around a lot, and I drifted a lot as I read.
Not my favorite book of the year, but not my least either.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC, in return for an unbiased review.

This debut novel is an interesting attempt to defy genres: Not "yet-another-white-millennial-girl-who-acts-like-a-teenager" romcom; not another "women's historical fiction" retread (meaning another romance set in WWII); not a mystery; not aspirational travel fiction. It's kind of a mix of everything...and while I appreciate the innovation and creativity, the book didn't really work, IMHO. Why not? To me, it felt as if I were reading two entirely different books simultaneously, as the voice and narrative changed from "white girl has hijinks on holiday" to "epistolary historical fiction" for the last portion of every chapter. And aside from the whiplash of storytelling format, there were just TOO MANY CHARACTERS, with far too much complexity than necessary. So! On the plus side, I would have enjoyed these as two separate books; the characters were entertaining and the settings were interesting. But as a whole, this wasn't my thing.

Bearer of Bad News was a cute read, but nothing particularly memorable for me. Lucy Rey, a Las Vegas hairdresser freshly dumped and low on cash, takes on a strange (and very well-paid) job delivering bad news in the Italian Dolomites. What starts as an odd gig quickly turns into a twisty mystery involving old family secrets, stolen WWII-era jewels, and a sister who doesn’t want to be found.
The setting in Italy was lovely, and the premise was definitely unique. But while the plot had potential, the story didn’t fully hook me, it was fun, but a bit forgettable. Nice for a quick escape, just not one that left a big impression.
Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher for the chance to read this book in preview in exchange for my honest opinion.

Bearer of Bad News by "Elisabeth Dini" was an absolute delight from start to finish! As someone who calls Italy home, I was absolutely thrilled to read about the stunning Dolomites, and it made the experience of reading this book even more special. The picturesque descriptions of the Italian landscape brought back so many memories, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of pride as Lucy Rey embarked on her adventure in the beautiful mountains.
The premise of the book was so unique and captivating — a Las Vegas hairdresser caught up in a whirlwind mystery, involving secrets, stolen jewels, and a World War II-era conspiracy. But what really elevated the story for me was the setting. The Dolomites were not just a backdrop; they felt like a character in their own right, adding an incredible sense of atmosphere to the entire narrative.
Lucy herself was a refreshing and relatable protagonist. Her journey from heartbreak to solving a tangled web of secrets was both thrilling and endearing. The intrigue surrounding the "Bearer of Bad News" job, the tension of uncovering long-buried secrets, and the high-stakes mystery kept me on the edge of my seat. I loved how the author seamlessly wove together suspense with moments of warmth and humor, making Lucy's quest feel personal and meaningful.
In conclusion, this book is a thrilling, heartwarming, and wonderfully atmospheric read. If you're looking for a book that combines mystery, adventure, and an authentic Italian backdrop, look no further. Thanks to Netgalley and the author for this book, and the chance to read it in advance.

For me, this book struggled to find its identity. I felt a little duped by the cover art and description, which made it seem kind of fun and cozy - along with the book description that called it "sharply funny". I didn't find that to be the case, and instead found it to be slow moving and also heavier than I expected while not really picking a genre lane of any sort. I ended up putting it down ~30% of the way through as I just couldn't get into it. Hopefully others enjoy it more than I did!

Bearer of Bad News is an engrossing adventure from Vegas to the mountains of Italy. Lucy is immediately likeable and relatable and I was rooting her throughout all the twists, turns and uncovered secrets. Hoping to see more from Elisabeth Dini!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc and alc.

I can't decide how to rate this book. It wasn't my favorite book of 2025, but it was not the worst book I have read this year by any means. If I had to describe this book in one word I would probably choose "quirkly". I can't quite put my finger on what I didn't love about this book, but I would say some parts of this story could've come off as slow or confusing. Still, I think at the same time, this added to the books charm. Even if it wasn't my favorite book of 2025, I still quite enjoyed it, and I would consider reading more by this author in the future. Furthermore, Carlotta Brentan did a great job with the audiobook narration and, at times, I would describe this book as mesmerizing.

'Bearer of Bad News' follows Lucy, facing an unlucky streak as she's roped into a fascinating adventure. This story is modern, with elements of the aftermath WWII. I enjoy serious historical fiction and contemporary women's fiction so the blend is satisfying. Unfortunately, once discussion of sexual aspects took place I realized this wasn't my speed and stopped reading. I am fascinated by the many mysteries queued up by the author. For anyone not sensitive to explicit content, the plot of the book would be intriguing.

Special thanks to the Publisher, Gallery Books, and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thank you SO much to Gallery Books for the gifted book!

Judging by the cover alone, I went into this expecting some cute and cozy mystery, and then with the Eleanor Oliphant comparison, I was even more excited! (The cover truly is adorable)

I'm not sure this fits in a neat and tidy genre box, which is totally fine and usually something that I love. With this one, I struggled to find the balance between the fun hairdresser and then the jump to super heavy wartime talk. It just felt like it wasn't sure exactly what it was trying to be at any given point. It actually felt more historical fiction to me than anything else!

Overall, I was rooting for the main character and she was fun to me, but I struggled with keeping up with the plot!

I hope this is a win for many!

Loved this mystery/spy book! The WWII backstory was great! Very serious but then the present day had so much humor that it balanced it out.

Lucy is a train wreck and we love her!

I did get confused with all of the characters and I think I finally understood who was who by the end.

Loved the authors note too and how she decided on names for the characters!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

The book took some interesting turns. Lucy, sure did go through a lot. It was a little bit of history, mystery, romance (in a way). I found really interesting the way the letters were included in the chapters. Gave you a little more to think about.
I hope we get more of Lucy and her adventures!

This was different...the main character is down on her luck and quickly responds to a strange opportunity - travel to Europe, find the sister of the employer, and deliver bad news.
From there the story takes off with a cast of characters. Then it starts to flash back to WWII, and a relational drama unfolds. Lies, secrets, stolen jewels, etc.
At times it felt like this book was trying to find its identity...it's not historical fiction, it's not funny, it's not a love story, it's not a thriller. At times I was wondering where the story would go, but I was intrigued enough to keep reading.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for access to this eARC.

🔎✨This book is NOT FUNNY or HUMOROUS in any way🌍💌

This had a unique blend of mystery, history, and personal discovery set against the stunning backdrop of the Italian Dolomites. While this intriguing journey begins with a great premise, it quickly transforms into a series of nonstop flashbacks of betrayal, secrets, and family dynamics. 🏞️🔍

Lucy Rey, a Las Vegas hairdresser reeling from her fiancé's infidelity, finds herself in an unusual job delivering a mysterious message across the globe. What starts as an adventurous escapade with the promise of financial reward soon morphs into an unexpected dive into World War II secrets and stolen jewelry—a past that is more intricately linked to her than she ever realized. 💫🔒

Dini’s story is layered, intertwining a light, modern-day quest with the weighty echoes of historical events. As the narrative unfolds, Lucy is more than just a bearer of bad news; she becomes a catalyst in a saga of long-held grudges and secrets buried since the wartime era. While the book addresses themes of history and legacy, some might find the transitions between timelines and the complexity of the family drama somewhat challenging to navigate. 🕰️💼

The flashbacks and layered storylines feel overwhelming, with the pacing occasionally disjointed, affecting the smoothness of the reading experience. Some readers might find the mix of modern quirkiness juxtaposed with historical gravitas created a huge tonal imbalance. 🤔📜

Overall, I have no idea what I just read. Was this a serious tale of family betrayal told in annoyingly placed flashbacks or a women's fiction book for finding yourself after being cheated on? I don't even know how to describe this to someone else if they asked - is it a mystery, a romance, women's fiction...???

I’m not the target audience for this book, though I’m sure others will enjoy it. While the book is quirky, it’s not funny the way I expected based on the description. The opening is slow-paced, with more telling than showing. DNF after chapter 2.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. This book was not what I was expecting. It was written well and flowed nicely, just was not for me.

DNF @21% // Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for providing me with an ARC

This book put me in my first reading slump of the year. I had to DNF it after I didn’t pick it up for several days because I was not invested in any of the characters or the plot and I had no interest in reading it AT ALL. I had a goal to not DNF a single book this year but after 3 straight months of being obsessed with reading, this book made me not want to read a single page. I still don’t want to read even a few days after reading this.

I found the main character quite annoying. She gets this sketchy invitation to deliver bad news to some random person in Europe and gets this huge lawyer agreement thing that could ruin her life if broken, and SHE DOESNT EVEN TAKE IT SERIOUSLY???? Her friends even say how crazy this is. She goes to some random town having to google the person who gave her this task because SHE DIDNT USE A REAL NAME??? WHY?!?!?! And she doesnt know what the person she is trying to find even looks like. I just can’t wrap my head around this. Good for the plot, but there are too many plot holes with this to make me like it. Yes, she’s grieving her relationship but nobody would act like this in real life. Why couldn’t the other person just email the bad news?? Or send a letter?? Why did MC have to go to Europe??

This book is stated to be “sharply funny and moving” and for me it was neither. I was looking for a fun mystery where I could laugh along with the characters and one where I would fall in love with the characters. I didn’t care for any characters and I didn’t find any humor, instead I thought the overall premise was so unrealistic but not in a funny way.

I don’t think I will be reading from this author again. I didn’t like the writing style that much. It was disappointing to me because I went into this expecting to like it a lot.

What a ride. I got to love Lucy, who is facing a breakup and finds herself in a real personal crisis as she has to evaluate what she wants. Estranged from her only known living family, she answers an ad to go to Europe and deliver bad news.
Lucy is awkward and funny and likeable, but somehow gets blamed for breaking an influencer's camera and has to hide out. But there is so much more going on! I found myself laughing and then, at the end, crying, as Lucy learned about family secrets dating back to WWII.
I ended up loving this and hope we get more adventures with Lucy. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this

A very different book then the synopsis led to believe. Was prepared for a certain type of book and found something very different. It was a great read with lots of cleverly crafted plot twists. A little hard to keep track of the characters with all the back a forth. Print edition is probably an easier read then ARC.

What a read! I am beyond pleasantly surprised by the depth, layers and emotions throughout BEARER OF BAD NEWS. Lucy is a hairdresser from Las Vegas and is hired to deliver some bad news. We are then transported to the Dolomites and taken on an adventure that includes an influencer, some mishaps that will make you laugh, some flirty romances...but also on a trek into at so many women did to stand up in resistance during WWII. I felt myself become more and more invested in the story as the plot unfolded. I really appreciated Dini's views on using our voices, doing our part, standing up for good and using the examples from WWII that will certainly have the reader thinking. I found myself taking screenshots of quotes, feeling inspired and fired up and also crying throughout...while also chuckling along the way.

This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future.