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!

Thank you William Morrow, for the copy of Nothing Serious by Emily J. Smith. This started out great, and I loved the idea of the story, but I disliked Edie and Peter so much I got tired of them. Peter was a stereotypical, self-centered, toxic, tech bro and Edie was pathetic and needed to grow up and be independent. Things got better after Edie transferred some of her obsessiveness to Anaya. Was Edie’s need for external validation a result of living in a competitive society? Edie kept up her obsessiveness during her investigation into Anaya’s death, and it felt like Edie got more unhinged but somehow became a character I loved to hate because of the writing. Maybe a chance to show her as a woman who really took charge of her life earlier instead of being a codependent mess would have made me love the book more. There was a glimmer of hope that Edie would grow a spine, but waiting for it was frustrating and I’m not sure what readers are supposed to take away from Edie’s story, if anything. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Wow. Just wow. This book hooked me from the first page and didn’t let go until I was practically yelling at the last chapter. It’s part sharp social commentary, part love story (or is it?), and part murder mystery, and somehow it pulls all three off seamlessly.

Edie Walker is such a relatable mess of a protagonist. She’s stuck in a life that’s miles away from where she thought she’d be at 35, nursing an unrequited crush on her über-successful best friend, Peter. We’ve all been there (well, maybe not exactly there), rooting for someone to realize we’re The One while quietly spiraling in our own heads. But then Peter’s new love interest, Anaya—who Edie admires almost as much as she envies—ends up dead, and everything Edie thought she knew starts to unravel.

What I loved about this book: it’s layered. On one hand, it’s a darkly funny takedown of online dating and toxic relationship patterns. On the other, it’s a smart, biting look at how women navigate ambition, insecurity, and the endless comparisons we make between ourselves and others. And then there’s the murder mystery. Is Peter guilty? Is Edie too blinded by love to see the truth? I honestly didn’t know who to trust until the final reveal—and even then, I wasn’t sure how to feel about it.

Edie’s voice is what really carries this book. She’s messy and flawed but also funny and heartbreakingly honest. The way she idolizes Anaya while slowly untangling the truth about herself, Peter, and even Anaya’s perfect image—it’s all so raw and real.

Why not a full 5 stars? The pacing dipped a little in the middle, and a few moments felt slightly over-explained. But honestly, those are minor quibbles in a book that made me laugh, cry, and sit in stunned silence after I finished it.

If you’re into books that are equal parts witty and heart-wrenching, with a dose of murder mystery thrown in, Nothing Serious is for you. Just be ready for it to hit a little close to home.

2.5

I wanted to like this more, it started out very promising, but overall it just lost the plot and became a boring, jumbled mess.

Edie is a 30-something, stuck in the same routine, in a job she loathes, while hopelessly in love with her best friend, Peter, from college. When Peter breaks up with his long-time girlfriend, Edie hopes that it might finally be her chance, that is, until Peter shows that he is no longer in a monogamous mood- quickly finding himself on dating apps and in the company of an author named Anaya. Peter invites Edie to meet him and Anaya after another date gone wrong, and she is stricken by how drawn she is to Anaya, finally feeling a sense of kinship she'd been missing. Anaya shares her work with Edie, who eagerly consumes it all. Anaya promises to send Edie the final draft of a book she's been writing for years, the same night Peter decides to visit and break up with Anaya. The next morning, she is found dead.


Spoilers ahead!


I was initially hooked, but I'm left wondering what it was the author wanted to achieve with this. I think if it went deeper into an actual mystery instead of a character-focused think piece on women in a male-dominated world mixed with sprinkles of (weird) romance, it would've been a lot stronger (and that's saying something!). The entire time, we're essentially waiting on Edie to confront Peter in any capacity, but she's unable to be anything but his protector, finding any and every excuse for him, convincing herself that there was no way he could've caused Anaya's death. There's a long stretch of the middle where it's just Edie obsessing over Anaya, gaslighting herself about Peter, and inserting herself into the case (even going as far as a small romance with Anaya's SISTER?) just on a loop. And not to mention her relationship with her mother and father -who is definitely "not" beating her mother- and her need to save her mother, while also still loving her father and acting like nothing is wrong. It was just... strange. Of course, there can be something said for her accepting no faults for Peter AND her father, but I think her realization of that was entirely too late in the story. The pacing was weird, the small side stories were strange, it just seemed like there was a lot it sought to be.

3.5-Star Review:

Emily J. Smith’s Nothing Serious is a unique and interesting read that mixes sharp humor with some heavier topics. It has a lot going for it, but it’s not perfect, so it might not work for everyone.

What I Liked:
Smart and Funny Writing: The humor and writing style are clever without trying too hard. It’s easy to get drawn into.
Relevant Themes: It dives into modern dating, relationships, and societal expectations in a way that feels timely and relatable.
Flawed, Real Characters: The main character feels very human—sometimes messy, sometimes frustrating, but definitely real.
What Didn’t Work for Me:
Slow Moments: The pacing can drag in places, with certain parts feeling like they go on too long.
A Bit Too Intellectual: The book leans pretty heavily on introspection and literary references, which might not click with everyone.
Unfinished Feel: The ending leaves some things unresolved, which might bug readers who like everything tied up neatly.
Should You Read It?
If you’re into books that explore the messy, complicated parts of modern relationships with some dark humor thrown in, you’ll probably enjoy this one. It’s thought-provoking and different.

Should You Skip It?
If you like fast-paced stories or hate when a book gets too caught up in its own head, this might not be your thing. It’s not super light or easygoing, so keep that in mind.

Overall, Nothing Serious is a solid read with some great moments, but it’s not for everyone. Worth a shot if the premise speaks to you!

This book was much heavier than I anticipated. Why it's categorized as 'humor and satire' is lost on me, because it deals with very sensitive, serious topics and was definitely not a comedy. (Suicide, drugs/overdosing, sexual assault - just off the top of my head, so do be cautious if you plan to read this.) I was not at all expecting all that when I started. It also wasn't much of a thriller, or a mystery - though there were some elements, it didn't feel like there was enough mystery around the death in this book to warrant that label. This was definitely more of a character study, and a study in feminism. That's not a negative thing, at all. It had really powerful lines and moments, some that genuinely moved me. Like I said though, that just was not what I thought I was getting into. I'm not mad about it though.

To be totally honest, the first few chapters of this book had me worried. I didn't like Edie, the main character, and I REALLY did not like Peter. While I only grew to hate Peter even more and wanted to physically fight him myself by the end, Edie's growth was great to read. She stressed me out a lot, and annoyed me at first, but by the final chapters, I was incredibly proud of her.

I would personally give this something between a 3 and a 3.25 star rating, because while I have nothing but kind words to say about the writing style itself, and I think it was a good debut and a fine read, I just didn't fully connect with it the way I would have liked to.

the plot was definitely there in terms of a thriller, but was it REALLY a thriller? i'd say not so much. honestly, more of a character study about feminism. 4 stars. tysm for the arc.

Thank you to Net Galley and William Morrow for this digital ARC!

Edie Walker has to come to terms with the fact that her best friend is a murder suspect after the woman he was dating is found dead after a date with him.

Unfortunately, I found the characters of Edie and Peter difficult to relate to and the end of the book felt rushed. Aside from the discussion of men and privilege, I am not sure what this book was meant to accomplish.

Im definitely a judge a book by the cover kind of girl and when I saw this book I was expecting…not a romcom or anything but something maybe a a little more lighthearted lol BUT I did find it enjoyable and an easy read.