Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. I found the main character to be too unlikeable to truly fall in love with the story. I wish she had been clever or funny or something but hating yourself as a personality trait seems to be overdone in literature nowadays.

This is a character heavy book. If you’re looking to follow a character and not really a plot, this book is for you. This book was on the shorter side but still left a punch. I really liked this one a lot.

The premise of this book had me intrigued and I was so excited to start it. Let's start with the fact that it's written in 3rd person -- which I do not prefer. Secondly, Edie was not a likeable character and Peter was supposed to be her best friend but he wasn't likeable either!

Edie couldn't mind her own business. Peter couldn't keep it in his pants or stay sober.

It was a struggle to get through this one. The only character I really liked was Edie's friend Alex who she basically brushed off throughout the whole book.

It was sad how Edie pined for Peter, when there were very few redeeming qualities about him -- the main things Edie mentioned were that he was tall, rich, and fit.

Huge thank you to William Morrow for the gifted ARC.

As soon as I saw this cover and read the synopsis, I knew I wanted to read this. The synopsis sounded so unique and I expected in to be a cozy mystery with a little romance on the side possibly, from the description.

This one is short and reads really quickly which is a definite perk. Things started out really well the first 30% and then it just got...weird. I'm not sure what it was trying to be, but ultimately I just wanted it to end after the halfway point.

I wish I had more positive things to say, but sadly it wasn't for me!

2.5 stars rounded up

The title gives this book a cozy, romance feel but it’s anything but that. Murder, obsessive behavior. I wanted to like the main character but she was just not likable.

The title of this book might make you think this is about one-night-stands and casual hookups. There is a degree of Tinder-type-dating situations happening, but there are also a lot of serious issues as well. Namely, how white men with money wield their power against women. Because of that, parts of this were tense in a tough-to-read sort of way.

Edie is one of the few female engineers at her tech company. She’d worked at a nonprofit for years, which was fulfilling, but things happened that meant she needed to make more money, and now she works for an app business she can’t stand. She’s 35 years old and freezing her eggs because not only is Mr. Right not anywhere to be found, she can’t even find Mr. Mildly Acceptable. Maybe her friendship with Peter is clouding things. When he ends a long-term relationship, she wonders if this could be her chance. But he immediately hooks up with a gorgeous feminist professor. When that professor ends up dead after a date with him, Edie becomes obsessed with finding out what exactly happened.

I liked the female characters in this, and the situations were complex, which I appreciated.

NetGalley provided an advance copy of this novel, which RELEASES FEBRURARY 18.

I flew through Nothing Serious way too fast! First of all let me shoutout @goodreads for the giveaway win. And also thank you to @netgalley and the publisher for an approved egally as well!

Nothing Serious is a unique read and focuses primarily on the relationship of characters. Throughout the book, you get to see how the FMC makes excuses for her “best friend” and finds out he’s anything but perfect. A lesson can be learned here, to really view someone at face value and not what you want them to be. I enjoyed the characters and the writing style. Thank you to @emjsmith for this wonderful read! Would love to read more. 💕

#netgalley #goodreadsgiveaway #nothingserious #bookstagram #ARC #4stars #booksbooksbooks

I really wanted to like this one because the cover was so relatable. I get that this is kind of a coming of age story, but at 35 still being a pick me girl is just so sad. Edie’s character lacks so much emotional maturity and her relationship with Peter is sooooo inappropriate. And don’t get me started on Peter, keeping Edie in his back pocket as an ego boost. Like I totally get what the author is trying to do but it was painful to swallow. I feel for Edie because I was once just like her. The writing is really good and captivating, and the book really made me feel something. Even if it was aggravation and anger.

Nothing Serious is my first thriller/mystery book in awhile. There were moments in time where I noticed that we weren't going anywhere plot wise, kind of in a circle. The story ends with little to none satisfactory solution which, in my opinion, is needed in a story like this.

Sometimes, we don't get an answer from the people that we want it from the most. Sometimes, it may just be us that cares a little too much.

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of Nothing Serious.

For a title called Nothing Serious, the themes of this book are deadly serious.

TW and CW: eating disorders, alcoholism, domestic abuse, sexual abuse and violence, drug addiction, to name a few.

The main character, Edie Walker, is like so many female protagonists in many books I've been reading, regardless of genre; pathetic, lacks confidence and self esteem and needs a man to feel fulfilled, namely her BFF.

She idolizes and lusts after Peter, a handsome (natch) and wealthy tech bro who made bajillions and just sleeps his way through life.

When a woman Peter is dating is found dead under suspicious circumstances, this sets Edie off on an obsessive quest if Peter is responsible.

But what will she do if he is?

There's nothing darkly comedic or amusing about this narrative; there are so many triggers here even I felt disturbed and it takes a lot to do that.

First, there's nothing redeemable about Edie; she's pathetic, she's a loser, and I couldn't stand her.

She makes the right decision at the end but it's not enough to get me to like her.

I understand the blind eye she turns to Peter is partly based on her abusive father and traumatic upbringing she has refused to acknowledge and face.

Still...I wanted to shake sense into Edie and had to remind myself she was a middle-aged woman, not 22 because her thoughts and actions are incredibly immature.

Second, there's nothing redeemable about Peter; he's a druggie, he treats women like garbage, and is not a good person.

I know we stay friends with certain people for a long time because we're accustomed to them, we're used to them and their quirks and it's hard to find new friends. But Edie's obsession with Peter is something else she needs to examine in relation to her poor relationship with her dad.

Third, my biggest issue with the book is: what's the point?

What's the point of Edie's obsession with Peter and turning a blind eye to his flaws for so many years?

Are we to blame her childhood for that? Once again, someone shirking accountability and responsibility for their mistakes?

What are we supposed to learn from this narrative?

That no one wins and the bad guy gets off scot-free and people like Edie wander around delulu, miserable, and unable to change?

What's the point?

Or maybe there is no point and that's life.

Nothing Serious ended up not entirely being what I expected and I had a hard time figuring out how that detracted from what I liked about it, but what it really came down to was a lot of the plot is actually the main character just being obsessive and indecisive. There isn't really a mystery here, it's more of a suspenseful novel about will she or won't she do the right thing.

Nothing Serious focuses on Edie, a single, 35 year old white woman in San Francisco whose only true friends are Alex, a lesbian woman she met through work, and Peter, her college friend who beat up a man who was raping her. Edie is deeply obsessed with Peter in a way that goes well beyond friendship and the traumatic experience in which she met him. Peter and Edie share significant details about their sex lives (or lack thereof) with each other which contributes to their unhealthy dynamic. After Peter breaks up with his long term girlfriend, he invites Edie to meet a new date of his, a woman named Anaya, who Edie transfers her obsession to. Anaya is reciprocal in their friendship however shockingly, she ends up dead a few days later after a date with Peter. This sends Edie on a spiral of obsession trying to figure out what happened and trying desperately to exonerate Peter.

All throughout this book I was waiting for something shocking or some kind of surprise reveal to happen and it never does, which makes the plot drag. Much of the plot focuses on feminist topics such as how women are treated in the workforce, women being gaslit by men, women experiencing abuse and rape, and even how many women may need to freeze their eggs. I found the exploration of these topics to be interesting and I like authors that take on issues such as male supremacy and rape culture. What detracted from this was Edie's behavior although perhaps the point the book was making is that men can act in truly off putting ways and get away with it whereas women cannot.

This is not at all a classic whodunit kind of book, however it is absolutely worth considering, particularly for folks interested in feminism.

Many thanks to William Morrow and to NetGalley for this ARC to review. This review is my honest opinion.

I was hooked from the beginning! I was so frustrated by the relationship of the main character and her best friend. Ughh. Peter is the worst! I didn’t really connect with Edie in any way but I was impressed with her character development as the story unfolded. Her friend Alex was cool.

The story overall moved at a good pace and I enjoyed reading it even when it was frustrating.

The boom started off strong but kind of lost momentum in the middle. After Anayas death. I certainly can’t believe a 35 year old women wanted to act undercover with a detective on the case and not be aware that he knew exactly who she was. Same for the Leah situation.

I loved the growth of the main character throughout this book. It has some sensitive themes that may be triggering for others, so definitely something to check if you have some triggers. The characters are well written and have a lot of depth. This book has a lot of modern references, women in tech and feminist/girl power vibes - I loved it all. Very easy, quick and unique book to read.

Wow what a convoluted book that had me constantly second guessing who to trust and who was genuine. Like all things in life, there is no straight forward answer to your solutions. As much as there can be to love about someone that has long been in your life, it doesn’t excuse their arrogant, and something selfish, behavior. I greatly appreciated the mental health conversations that were brought up in this book. The characters in this novel were so complex, you see the good and the bad, which can often be frustrating because it creates a love/hate relationship. I loved having the perspective of an older adult trying to find their place and routine. I may not have been the biggest fan of the main character, however I saw myself in her overthinking and puzzle-solving phases. I think this book really keeps you on top of your toes, guessing what the main character will do next, especially with all that collapses around her.

I liked the idea of this one, a woman obsessed with a male friend, who she hopes for more from and then obsessed with a new woman he starts dating who then is murdered. It was a fast read for the most part, there were times that it dragged and parts predictable but also some parts that weren't quite believable to me, but that is a bias of mine so might not affect others. so a mixed bag for me. 3.5 rounded up

This was definitely a different type of book than I am used to. It was a quick and very relatable read.

Well, this book was easy and quick to read, so that's good.
On the other hand, the main protagonist annoyed me so much that thank God this was a short book.
Personally, it wasn't easy for me to root for her. For a 36-year old person she certainly needs more growing up.
I'll say that probably I'm not the right audience for this book, so I won't put blames.
I'm sure this book has its audience.
Thank you, NetGalley and William Morrow, for providing me with a free eARC of this novel.

The main character is a very relatable girl who has been pining for her best male friend forever. When he breaks up with his longtime girlfriend, she hopes he will fall for her romantically. I was hooked right away! Things get twisty after that and we learn a lot about the relationships. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Edie was a character I think some can relate to. I often find myself rooting for women in every book, so this one made that easy. Throughout the book you watch her change and grow into different opinions. I was kinda shocked with who she ended up falling for but that seems to be the way it goes in real life too.

Overall, I really enjoy this book. It was a quick read, and I was invested the whole time. I thought the ending was kind of predictable, but it was still good. I would recommend this.

Thank you Netgalley for the chance to read this ARC.