I love messy women lol!
This book is packed full of shallow people, living shallow lives, and saying shallow things. Reality TV in a nutshell, basically. I will say that I guessed the killer quite early on and a lot of the twists were predictable but it was still a fun read and easy to get through.

The Really Dead Wives of New Jersey is a wildly entertaining thriller perfect for fans of reality TV! With a cast of eccentric characters like the bold Carmela Fontana, glamorous Birdie St. Clair, and fierce Renee Ricci, this book feels like you’re watching the juiciest season of your favorite reality show—but with a deadly twist. When Hope Bennett marries into the infamous Fontana family and joins the cast of Garden State Goddesses, secrets come to light, rivalries explode, and a shocking murder shakes things up.

Eden, the show’s producer, takes us on a suspenseful, thrilling quest to uncover the truth while navigating the drama and chaos behind the scenes. This fast-paced, page-turning mystery is full of twists, making it hard to put down. If you love high-stakes drama, campy humor, and a thrilling whodunit, you won’t want to miss this!

An all star cast that has secrets, throws shade, gossips and behaves badly. But when one is murdered leads to things that no one is prepared for. Some humor, but overall a fast read.

2.5 rounded up. I should start off saying that I'm not a fan of "reality TV", which is exactly how this book read. I think that it was cute but very far fetched.

3.5/5

This was such a unique book!

I decided to read it because the title sounded interesting and the premise sounded like so much fun...and I was right!

I especially appreciated how this book read like a script outline for a reality tv show (which it is based upon) and how there were moments intercut from the characters doing their talking heads (or confessionals) moments. I thought that was a really nice touch and really added to the vibe and what was going on with this story.

Think Real Housewives but then there's a mysterious murder and even more dramatic secrets (alongside the usual drama you'd find in that type of show).

This was such a fun and easy read and, weirdly, a sort of palate cleanser of a thriller.

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review! My Goodreads review is up and my TikTok (Zoe_Lipman) review will be up at the end of the month with my monthly reading wrap-up.

This novel was like turning on Bravo in book form and binging until you hit the last page. Easy, fun, queer, and satisfying read!

I was intrigued by the premise of this one but ultimately not for me. Too many characters and surprisingly a slow paced plot. I expected it to be quick and witty.

The world of reality television is fascinating to me, so I was intrigued by the concept of the book. It revolves around the cast and crew of their version of The Real Housewives of New Jersey. I enjoyed the drama that took place in it, but it took way too long to get there. It got a bit cartoonish towards the end as well.

Thanks as always to NetGalley for the ARC.

The story follows producer Eden Bennett as she navigates secrets, intense rivalries and a shocking murder that propels her on a guest for the truth. My full review has been post to my Goodreads which I have linked below! Great read!

This book had some of my favorite things: reality TV, drama, insane characters, and lots and lots of mess. I love the Real Housewives franchise, and Anna Dorn's writing, so this was the perfect combo for me. I loved the crazy personalities, the subtle Bravo references, and the general plot. This was truly an ode to reality tv - I could tell what traits were taken from real reality personalities. It was a super fun read that kept me entertained and laughing in the way only AD can do.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the ARC.

It's probably no surprise when I say that reading this book is a lot like watching a reality TV show. Not one of the really exciting ones à la the original Temptation Island from the early 2000s, but something more like Sister Wives where you can leave it playing in the background while you do something else and not really feel that you're missing anything. It's entertaining and it's interesting enough, but ultimately there's not really a whole lot of depth to it.

Expect lots of shallow. The characters are shallow, the murder mystery is shallow, and the plot itself is pretty shallow. That doesn't necessarily mean that it's not worth reading, however. I mean, it is a book about rich housewives from New Jersey – no one is expecting a Crime and Punishment level storyline here. It's trashy and overly dramatic and ridiculous and a good portion of the characters are awful people, but it never really could have been anything else. I've never watched any of the Real Housewives franchise, but this book is exactly what I imagine watching one of those shows would be like … although as far as I know, none of the actresses from The Real Housewives of Orange County/New York City/Atlanta/New Jersey/etc. were ever murdered while filming.

The murder mystery honestly takes up a lot less of the plot than I imagined it would, though. I don't remember exactly when the murder actually takes place, but it's definitely in the second half of the book. And don't expect any Agatha Christie-level twists and turns – it's pretty obvious who did the deed from the very beginning, and Eden is definitely not Hercule Poirot.

But, yeah. If you like reality TV of the Jersey Shore variety, there's a decent chance you'll like this book. It's not fine literature by any means and it's certainly not deep, but it's kind of campy and entertaining. It's obviously set up for there to be a sequel, and while this wasn't my favorite read of all time or anything, I'll probably check out the next book just out of curiosity.

My overall rating: 3.45 stars, rounded down.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is January 14, 2025.

This had everything that I wanted from this type of book, I enjoyed the concept a lot and that the characters worked well overall. It was written in a unique way and that the characters had that element of belonging that worked. I enjoyed the way Astrid Dahl wrote this and it left me wanting to read more from them.

Thank you Simon & Schuster for the copy of The Really Dead Wives of New Jersey by Astrid Dahl. This was a short, fun romp, but ultimately wasn’t for me. There were too many characters, so many we needed a “cast” list at the beginning, and not a single one was very personable. I think you will love this if you like “The Real Housewives Of” shows and gossipy women. 2.5 stars rounded up to 3.

This book had so much character!

Super fun and easy read.

This was my first time reading any novels by the author but will not be the last. I really enjoyed hose loveable and lively the characters were. This was a seamless read. I really enjoyed how I could relate to each character and loved and hated them at the same time.

A little predictable BUT it did not ruin the story for me.

Super entertaining and unlike any story that may be similar. This one is for the fans of real housewives or other likewise reality shows. I personally struggle with books with a lot of characters, so in that aspect, there was too many characters to keep track of given the storyline. Otherwise, the writing style was great and it was quite entertaining!

I could see the killer coming a little too early on and I wish it had leaned into the send-up a bit more, but this was adequately entertaining.

If you are wondering what this is about, it’s not the book for you.

“Garden State Goddesses” is a hit reality show on a second rate network. When Hope Bennet marries Valerie’s brother and Carmela’s (really?) brother-in-law Leo she doesn’t just become a member of the Fontana family, she also becomes a Goddess.

That’s because her cousin, Eden, produces the show and she’s the one who introduced Hope and Leo. Hope joins Valerie Dulce, Carmela Fontana, Renee Ricci and Birdie St. Clare on Huzzah network’s fifth most popular show. And this season, with the addition of Hope secrets and old rivalries will be revealed. These will lead up to a big finish….huge.

The book has a large cast, and the reader will likely guess a fair amount about what is going on. It’s relatively cute, even though there’s not much mystery to the mystery; it’s more a send up of the shows and how they are made. Fans of the Housewife ves will likely find it fun.

This is like The Real Housewives but in book form. It did not hit for me like I had hoped. I thought it was going to be a bit more of a thriller than a drama. I got confused by all the characters backgrounds at the beginning and then I just gave up on who was related to who by marriage or not. I did like drama, the backstabbing, and gossip. I liked the behind the scenes look and interviews too. Overall I give it a 3.5.

I read this in a day! This is the Queer, Guilty Pleasure, Trashy, Family, Romance, Oh SNAP, WTF book I have been waiting for!
Desperate to catapult her career, Eden convinces her naive cousin to join the Garden State Goddesses reality show.
Told from various perspectives, the vicious and loving plot keeps a hard pace. Intense attraction. Sapphic. I pre-ordered a copy I loved it so much.

The Really Dead Wives of New Jersey follows the cast of a reality TV show, Garden State Goddesses. The show (and book) has everything a hit reality show needs - friendship, rivalries, secrets, flashy cars, and cat fights. Oh, and murder.

This book is punchy and fast-paced. The cast of characters are over-the-top and surrounded by drama at all times. It's really everything a reality TV fan could ask for in a book. Sprinkle in a little murder mystery, and you have a fun, quick read on your hands. The confessionals format was really the icing on this reality TV themed cake.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the eArc of this book!