"Nothing Serious" follows 35 year old Edie Walker who feels stuck in all aspects of her life. When her best friend, Peter, breaks up with his long time partner, she finally feels like she has a chance to act upon her feelings for him. That is until he starts going out on dates and meets Anaya, an accomplished writer and everything Edie isn't. Edie in turn meets Anaya and develops an obsession with her and shortly after meeting, news breaks that Anaya has died and Peter is the prime suspect.

At first I found the narrative voice to be fine and thought that I could settle into it the more time passed. The writing is straight forward and introspective... But eventually being inside Edie's head becomes frustrating because she can be so judgemental past a fault. She goes from being confident in her judgement, to self depricating and pathetic. She does redeem herself in the end by doing the right thing but it came so late, literally pages before the story ended, so we don't really get to see the mc in her growth.

I thought the book brought up some interesting discussion like women working in male dominated spaces and the privilege afforded to men in general and what they can get away with with the right connections and money. But thats really it...? It sort makes me question who this book is really for.

I feel that stories like these do have a place though but I don't think this one was executed in the best way. Especially since this book is also tagged as humor & satire. I didn't see it. I also didn't find it to be much of a mystery or thriller either.

Overall the "Nothing Serious" was middle of the road. I wouldn't necessarily recommend it but it wasn't a total waste of time.

Unfortunately this book was a DNF for me at about 42%. I was SUPER excited for this book, especially because it comes from WilliamMorrow (one of my favorite publishers) and was giving me similarity vibes to Margo's Got Money Troubles, which was one of my favorite books of last year. Unfortunately this book fell flat for me. The main character I just could not connect to and made me very frustrated, which made it really difficult to get into this book.

Nothing Serious is about Edie, who is struggling with her career and love life in her 30s. Her best friend Peter, who she has been in love with for almost a decade, just broke up with his long term girlfriend, and Edie is hoping she can use this opportunity to slide her way into his heart. However, Peter immediately goes on a date with another woman Anya, who is the complete opposite of Edie and the picture perfect match for Peter. After one date though, Anya is found dead in her apartment and everything in Edie's life spirals.

Edie as a main character was very complex and obsessive and I'm sure as the book went on she probably would have had more growth and development. I just could not connect or enjoy her character at all, she really frustrated me and came off as immature. I enjoyed her overthinking and puzzle solving personality, which went well with the plot of the book. But even her and Peter together just did not feel compatible in any way and they both annoyed me as characters as times.

Thanks to William Morrow for the free book!!

I had SUCH a blast with Nothing Serious. This is the type of book that reiterates why I love to read. It was transportive, relatable, riveting, endearing. I loved it.

Edie has been in love with Peter, with her long time best friend, for years but doesn’t have the stomach to tell him. Though she is often frustrated by Peter’s immaturity and actions toward women she’s dating she still has intense reverence and a longing to settle down with him. When woman he recently dated turns up dead the night after they were together, will Edie trust her friendship or will her conscience be her guide?

This book was not for me. I found it rather plodding and slow. While it was billed as a thriller it has none of the elements of one. Two stars for this skippable, below average story.

I received this advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and feedback.

Edie Walker is an 35 year woman living in San Francisco who’s stuck in a mundane routine. She should be in the prime of her life, instead she feels like the good times are stuck in the rearview. Her only bright spot is her best friend, Peter. They’ve been friends since college but opposite of her post college life, his future has been nothing but bright. He is handsome, rich and extremely successful. When Peter breaks up with his long time girlfriend, Edie hopes this means she will have her chance. Instead, Peter decides to live bachelor life to the max, hook up after hook up. One of those hook ups, Anaya, was someone who Edie connected with on a deep level. Anaya is beautiful, smart, strong willed and Edie can’t help but become a little infatuated herself. When Anaya is found dead in her apartment, Edie is left questioning everything she thinks she knows. She makes it her mission to get to the bottom of what really happened, one way or another.

This read more as a drama with a little bit of mystery sprinkled in. While I enjoyed the plot of the book, it deals with a lot of heavy topics and issues that many people struggle with. I struggled to connect with the FMC but I am happy with the growth her made by the end of the book.

Nothing Serious is an interesting, thoughtful book with many big ideas layer into it. Edie is in her mid-thirties and doesn't exactly love her tech job, but she does love her long time best friend Peter. But he doesn't seem to actually deserve her love and admiration. Edie's feelings seem to border on obsession but also display that all too common dynamic when a friendship is unbalanced and one person is blindly loyal.

Peter begins dating Anaya who Edie meets once but she's greatly affected by it and Anaya's writing. But then Anaya dies. After Peter has been to her place. And done drugs with her. Edie finds herself drawn into the investigation as a way of processing what's happened and out of confusion for how Peter might be involved.

It's very clear to the reader that what first drew Edie to Peter, is no longer there and he's not the knight in shining armor of their college days.

The books touches on power dynamics, how men are excused any bad behavior and how women bend themselves to make others want them. It was a very interesting read, at times a bit dark and depressing but enjoyable.

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Nothing Serious by Emily J. Smith is a third person-POV mystery set in LA in 2017. Edie is a business major and working in the tech industry after leaving her work at a non-profit for domestic abuse survivors. After years of being obsessed with her best friend and crush, Peter, she has given up hope of getting his attention. Until he breaks up with his long-term girlfriend and starts casually dating. But the blinders start to come off when one of Peter’s dates winds up dead and he was with her the night before.

A lot of the dialogue and internal monologue that will be familiar to readers in feminist circles. There’s discussions about men in their mid-thirties dating women in their early twenties, the power dynamics and how they’re connected to gender in STEM industries, does violent porn impact what we want in real life, etc. Edie isn’t really saying or thinking anything new, but for readers who are not in feminist communities actively discussing these things, there could be new information and food for thought. We always need books meeting people where they are at and to present them with topics that are actively being and have been discussed.

I wanted to shake Edie every time she made excuses for Peter and said that he was actually a good guy and is a feminist and no, he’s totally not like those other guys around her because he respects her. No, he doesn’t. But, Edie, ultimately, had to learn that for herself and to finally stop viewing him as a potential partner when all he did was lead her on to make him feel good about himself. I think most of us have had that friend who is a bit too into someone that we know is bad news so being in the head of said friend is frustrating but also puts you in their shoes.

What I really liked was Edie’s complex feelings towards her possible Bisexuality. She’s had inklings that she might be Queer but she’s afraid to explore that in part due to compulsory heterosexuality and also because, if she can’t make it work with a woman, then all her failed relationships with men means that she’s the problem. As a Bi myself who has had conversations with other Bis who had to unlearn comphet before truly embracing our Queer awakenings, I didn’t necessarily relate to Edie’s experiences, but I understood where she was coming from and why she was afraid.

Content warning for mentions of domestic violence and depictions of sexual assault

I would recommend this to fans of works exploring Millennial feminist talking points, readers looking for a character having a complex Queer awakening, and those looking for a mystery following characters with an obsessive one-sided crush

2.5 Stars

This is an interesting concept in a book, the main character is in her early 40s, is single, in love with her best friend, and hates everything about her life. Her best friend broke up with his girlfriend of 7 years because he didn't want to settle down. He immediately starts dating and meets Anaya, a 40-something feminist writer and women's study professor. He brings Edie in to meet Anaya and they click, then Edie obsesses over Anaya and then one day Anaya is found no longer alive. The rest of the book revolves around Edie's spirals of self-discovery and her quest to uncover what happened to Anaya. I have to admit, I didn't resonate with a single character in the book. Everyone is manipulative, self-centered, and quite unlikable. The narrative explores the perception of drug use in San Francisco, delves into the dark web, and highlights Edie's disdain for her job. Edie's obsession with a woman she met only once escalates to the point where she stalks Anaya's sister and the police officer assigned to her case, as well as visiting Anaya's workplace. It becomes evident that Edie is infatuated with Anaya but insists she doesn’t like women due to a mental block, leading her to believe that without love from women, she is destined to be alone. Meanwhile, her best friend lacks any redeeming qualities, only having helped her once in college and being attractive. The portrayal of the 40-something characters comes across more like that of college students rather than mature adults facing midlife. Although there are some great literary moments and the writing itself is decent, the story is convoluted and seems to strive too hard to be a feminist novel, ultimately missing the mark.

Honestly I am still stuck at the part where this man is your best friend, he is a multi-millionaire and he splits all the bills with you. I can't move pass that.

The plot starts out well enough but went downhill very fast.

Oof, what a read. And honestly, not sure how I feel about it. I think the themes explored were quite relevant, especially in today's dating scene. But ladies...PLZ remember that men ain't shit! I know this is supposed to be a complex portrayal of putting your faith in the wrong person, but I was raging at Peter the whole time because as the reader...well, it just feels more obvious to us. Anyway, a compelling, thought-provoking read for sure!

An interesting concept with interesting characters. I think there were aspects of the FMC we were meant to hate but I think she redeemed herself by the end. Overall not my absolutely favorite book but interesting.

3.5 stars

I have mixed feelings about Emily J. Smith's debut novel "Nothing Serious". I was initially drawn to its mystery aspect of the book in which Edie's best friend/crush is accused of murder after one of the women he has dated is found dead. The book touches upon a lot of interesting topics such as the internet dating culture, how women feel like they have to change themselves in order to appease men, and the guilt of saying "no". Edie's journey of self discovery is what kept me reading.

I found Edie to be very frustrating at times. Her best friend/crush is a garbage can yet she can't seem to let him go and move on. She does have moments of clarity and begins to defend herself but her guilty of people pleasing gets in her way. Though the book is marketed as satire/humor, I didn't really find it funny or satirical.

TW: suicidal thoughts, drug abuse, death of a parent, attempted sexual assault, rape

Many thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins for an advanced reader's copy of the book.

I found this book uninteresting and the characters felt flat and unlikable. I didn’t connect with them or the plot and had a hard time finishing this as it took me months.

Edie has been in love with her best friend Peter the entire time that she has known him, but he's always been in a relationship. Now, Peter has broken up with his girlfriend of seven years and it is the first time they've been single at the same time. Almost immediately, Peter ends up matching with Anaya, who seems to be a more beautiful, more successful version if Edie and after one meeting, Edie is obsessed with her. She begins reading Anaya's work, feeling that she has found a kindred spirit, then only a few weeks later Anaya is dead after a date with Peter. Edie becomes obsessed with the case, getting closer to the people Anaya knew and trying to figure out how Peter was involved in it all.

This was a really great genre blend of contemporary fiction and mystery. There is a lot of focus on the characters and their relationships, particularly Edie's relationships with men, her best friend Alex, her parents, and of course Peter. All of the characters were really well developed and I found them to be very realistic. Edie was obsessive and it led to her making questionable decisions, but I think this is something that readers will be able to relate to. The mystery aspect was also great and it helped drive the plot forward. This will be a great one for readers who enjoy character-driven books that deal with women's issues. This book does deal with some heavier topics like assault, drug use, and suicide, so keep that it mind.

This book, while marketed as a murder mystery, reads more like a women’s literary fiction with a splash of murder and romance, which I loved. The themes in this book reminded me a lot of Lessons in Chemistry, so if you liked that book I think you would love this!

This debut novel was stunning and the prose is so easily devoured! Emily’s writing style is so enjoyable. I can’t wait for her next book!

Big thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc!

Edie Walker is a thirty-five-year-old woman stuck in a life she never envisioned. Living in expensive San Francisco, she’s trapped in a career she despises and hopelessly in love with her best friend, Peter.

When Peter breaks up with his girlfriend of seven years, Edie finally feels a glimmer of hope—maybe her life is about to change. But just as quickly, Peter begins dating Anaya, a brilliant and beautiful professor. When Edie meets her, she finds a kindred soul and reads all of her work.

Then, tragedy strikes: Anaya is found dead in her apartment, shortly after a date with Peter.

Edie’s world is turned upside down. Her obsession shifts from Peter to Anaya—her work, her life, and the mystery surrounding her death. Fueled by a desperate need to prove Peter’s innocence, Edie begins searching for clues about what really happened that night. But as she digs deeper, she’s forced to confront not only the secrets around her but also the truths within herself.

This isn’t just a murder mystery—it’s a deeply character-driven exploration of love, obsession, ambition, and feminist issues. The novel examines the challenges women face in male-dominated fields through Edie's work as a female engineer and as a manager, as well as the emotional labor and societal expectations placed on women in relationships and family roles.

While the story delves into important themes, there are moments where more showing than telling could have strengthened the narrative, particularly in exploring Edie’s relationship with her mother and the intricacies of San Francisco’s culture. That said, the prose is sharp, insightful, and often breathtaking, making this debut novel a compelling read.

Emily J. Smith has crafted a thoughtful and engaging story that’s less about the mystery and romance and more about the complex dynamics of her characters. I eagerly await her next book!

#WilliamMorrow #NothingSerious #EmilyJSmith

Edie Walker may not see a red flag if there were fifty of them waving right in front of her face. She's unrequitedly in love with her best friend, Peter, who basically uses women. She can't seem to see his flaws and instead obsesses over him. Her obsession takes a turn when Anaya, a woman that Peter had a date with is found dead in her apartment on that same night. Edie delves into finding out the truth of what happened in order to help clear Peter's name.

Nothing Serious is a mixture of romance and mystery while also addressing feminism. There are some heavy topics like suicide and drug use. I was initially frustrated with Edie, but as the story progressed the amount of growth she made was satisfying. There were many times I had second-hand embarrassment for her, but I found her character fascinating. This book definitely hinges more on character development and if you like those type of stories then you will really enjoy this one.

Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

As other reviewers mention, this book covers a LOT — romance, mystery, social commentary. I was expecting it to lean more toward the mystery side, with the romance as a side plot. The book actually leans more into the character development, which wasn't really a fit for what I wanted. While the voice and the writing are both great, the story itself didn't hold my attention.

Emily and I share an editor, and I'm so proud to support her and her smart, funny debut. Tackling the online dating crisis while also lingering on a queer obsession and limerence and exploring the psyche of 30-year-old Tech Bros, "Nothing Serious" handles it all within a microcosm of San Francisco's male-dominated tech world.

Nothing Serious is a sharp, darkly comedic novel that explores the complexities of modern relationships, ambition, and self-perception. The story follows Edie Walker, a woman stuck in a cycle of unrequited love for her best friend, Peter, until a tragedy involving Peter’s new love interest, Anaya, sets off a whirlwind of self-discovery and mystery. Smith’s writing shines through with humor and poignant social commentary, especially on toxic relationships and the pressure women face in a competitive world. While the pacing slows and some plot elements feel over-explained, the engaging characters and twists make for an intriguing read.

Thank you to William Morrow for the ARC!