This is one long extended stream of conscience of a middle aged woman questioning everything in her life. Hana is a Kentucky college professor, who is also a published author. She's divorced, living with her boyfriend, and soon learns her ex-husband is about to come out with a book that paints her in an unflattering light. Her extended family are some funny, great characters, including her eccentric dad, continuously dating mother, and sister that lives across the street. Hana is searching for something in her life but we don't know what. She attends a writing workshop, then leaves early; she ponders having an affair with a man she calls 'The Irishman'; she rescues a talking cat. This is an accounting o f her emotional state as she wallows through life questioning all her decisions, including 'should she marry her boyfriend? So nothing really happens in this book, the writing is disjointed, but it's a fun ride since you'll be able to relate to many of the situations she finds herself embroiled in

"If You Love It, Let It Kill You" is a wild piece of autofiction that includes lots of zany scenarios, surreal details (cue the talking cat), and very dark and heartbreaking moments as well. This novel runs the emotional gamut and I enjoyed it so much that I researched the author while reading it and discovered a well-reviewed ' kind of' memoir which appeared to contain quite a bit of the content in this novel. I learned, as others may have already known, lots of backstory. That was cool to know but had little to do with how much I loved THIS book in and of itself.

I found the protagonist instantly relatable. "Hana P." is a Kentucky college professor who is describing her journey into depression. She is questioning her life choices as she navigates her daily world: her past marriage to her (writer) ex-husband who is actively using her and her (kind of) new "husband" as writing material.. Though she has expressly not wanted children, the latter has an 11 year old daughter who basically views her as a mother figure (another 'kind of' conflict). Relationships are complicated in this book -- including her poky and, at times, too intimate students and ever-present family of origin. Finally, there is her unresolved grief over a beloved dog, now gone, a mysterious and kinda creepy gentlemen with whom she had a romantic encounter, and her adventures in rescuing an injured cat (who happens to talk) and becomes a "throughline" in the novel. Whew!

Pittard's mind is a complicated container of experiences--hilarious and deeply painful thoughts--that seem to ping off the page. The novel captivated me from start to finish. Meeting her best friend, Jane, in the first few pages, I simply wanted to hang out with the two women and be the "other" friend from down the street! And speaking of down the street, it appeared that nearly her entire family had moved within a mile radius, minus her pretty "together" brother who maintains a sarcastic and endearing text relationship with Hana. The family has some "issues" -- drinking and codependency for sure -- and maybe some perfectionism (Hana's sister sends out an "amended" birthday invitation to include a bounce house...).

This novel is well written, vulnerable, and emotionally charged. And SO funny. With flashes of magical realism and stories within stories, the plot is absolutely wild - it glides from deep trauma to mundane daily events and past and present relationships--effortlessly. I look forward to reading her entire catalog.

Pub Date 7.15.2025 📖🖊️✨

If You Love It, Let It Kill You knocks you off your feet with its irreverent look at the life of the character of Hana P. through themes of art, desire, and modern life. Her ex-husband’s novel is coming out and the possibility of an unflattering image of her and her behavior in the past has Hana in a bit of a spiral. As she spirals, we discover what it means to go through a crisis in life as Hana, and how it affects those around her. The writing style took a little bit to get warmed up to, but once I did, I realized it was funny, weird, and empathetic in ways I didn't expect and really appreciated. It has both satirical and heartfelt bits as well as deeper looks as academia, family, and identity. The voice feels completely honest, but at the same time, we know that the perspective is biased, as all are. As Hana comes to terms with herself and the chaos that is surrounding her, I found I was asking questions about how life confronts you in its own way with the consequences of your choices. I love the mix of comedy and tragedy, and I will be looking to read more from Hannah Pittard in the future!

Thank you so much to the author, Hannah Pittard, Henry Holt & Company, and NetGalley for the privilege of being able to read this arc. I will share my review to Amazon, Goodreads, and Barnes & Noble upon release.

The voice is 100% what makes this book. I whipped through the first half before I realized it wasn't going anywhere, and even then I was happy enough to keep reading just to hang out with the narrator. There's very little of what could be called "growth" or "narrative thrust," but that's OK.

Ballsy of the author to lead with, "What follows is pure fantasy," and then conclude by saying that this is a work of nonfiction.

This is a fun ride through the mind of one human woman. I don't think it lives up to its killer title, but I enjoyed it.

I had a hard time getting into this novel as it borders on fantasy with the woman having conversations with a cat. Hana lives with boyfriend, Bruce and both are academics. His 11-year-old daughter spends time with them and Hana likes her but doesn't want children of her own. A random man begins texting her, calling her "Hot Stuff" and she's curious but isn't sure how to react. The novel vacillates between her creative writing class--where her students are curious but often confused about her suggestions--and her private life and spying on her neighbors. The conversations with the cat became tedious but of course they mirror the tediousness of her own life as she aches to find meaning in it.
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

Messy in the best way possible. Felt like I was reading a diary entry of a persons thoughts and feelings. Loved this book. Thanks NetGalley and Henry Holt and Co.

What a refreshing read! This novel zips along with great lines, fabulous scenes, and a wonderful look at how our author shows us her flawed self with great humor and her love for life with zany intensity. The author reminds the readers that this is auto fiction, and she tells us she doesn't particularly writing nonfiction, but one get the feeling much of what she reveals in this book borders on some form of truth, and we are much better off because of that glimpse into her real life, as she camoflagues those that are a part of her life with a cloak of curiosity and intimacy. If you are looking for a novel where we have engaging conversations with a cat, unbelievable maddening experiences with a creative writing class, and intriguing batter between a woman and her partner, this is an uplifting novel that is exciting to pick up and see what happens next.

This was such a unique and fun read. The characters are a riot---definitely quirky, but in the best way. I read Pittard's last book, We Are Too Many, which is a memoir. This one is classified as fiction, but she makes several references to it being "autofiction," which is super interesting. I liked that she was playing with reality vs fantasy.

Thanks to NetGalley and Henry Holt for the advanced reader copy

I generally like Hannah Pittard; her work is funny and engaging. But I couldn't get into this one. It felt as though it was trying a little too hard to be irreverent and overshot the mark to being somewhat grating. Maybe next book.

Hana P., with her carefully constructed life and seemingly unshakeable contentment, is thrown into chaos when her ex-husband’s upcoming novel promises to expose an unflattering version of her past. What follows is not your typical midlife crisis but a wonderfully bizarre journey filled with moments of surreal humor—a talking cat, a mysterious shadowy figure—and biting social commentary.

The novel’s strength lies in its ability to weave the absurd with the relatable. Hana’s encounters with her students, skeptical navigation of familial dynamics, and unraveling self-perception are rendered with sharp satire and genuine vulnerability. The game of Dead Body, a metaphor for Hana’s growing sense of irrelevance, and the Greek chorus of students critiquing her life choices add a layer of meta-commentary on personal narrative and public perception.

This novel is about the stories we tell ourselves and those we fear others might know about us. It’s a delightful, thought-provoking read for anyone who has ever questioned their choices—or loves a well-crafted, idiosyncratic character study—a must-read for fans of literary fiction with a satirical edge.

The publisher provided ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved If You Love It, Let It Kill You—it was quirky, unpredictable, and an all-around wild ride. The way Hannah Pittard crafted the story to feel like we were diving into the personal diary of the protagonist, Hana, was brilliant. I found myself laughing out loud one moment and cringing in the best possible way the next. There wasn't a single point where I had any idea where the story was headed, and that's what made it so exciting. I’ve seen comparisons to Miranda July, and I totally agree! This was my first book by Pittard, and I’m already eager to explore more of her work.

This was a very funny and entertaining read! The characters were really well-developed and Hana's close-knit family was definitely part of the charm. Thanks so much to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!

fun and messy but in a good way. of course, though, eventually it felt like that same style went on a little long. still, though, wackily fun. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

This book was great! It reminds me very much of a person just writing their thoughts down all day in a diary and then turning it into a book. Lots of thoughts and many emotions. You are reading about family relationships, suicide, and everyday situations. This book was very relatable and made me reflect on a lot of the choices or things I have done or gone through in life. I would recommend this book to anyone that wants to look back and reflect on their own life.

I enjoyed this novel. It was pretty funny and I could relate a lot. Like how the author made the humor very realistic and relatable

Funny Quirky smart love the inner dialogue of the leading character a woman who is very relatable. Abook that I enjoyed from first to last page.#netgalley #henryholt,

I was drawn to this book by the title, and it delivered. It's witty and messy, but the messy makes sense due to the inner dialogue the main character has. It's nice to see how emotional she made her characters and how you can connect with them. Hannah Pittard addresses a lot in this book, but she does so in almost a lighthearted, entraining way. I did struggle to finish this book though; the writing is great, but it kind of got old quickly. Thank you to the publisher and Netgelly for this ARC!

This was a really good book! It honestly goes over a lot of women’s biggest fear, just kind of snapping out of it and realizing you are not satisfied with the life and relationships you’re in just all of a sudden. I’m this case the boyfriend kinda sucked but still it was a great book with a lot goin* on!

Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complementary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!

This book feels like my internal dialogue - messy, all over the place, etc. I felt like the story was a bit hard to follow at times, but had its funny moments for sure.

If you’re a fan of Ottessa Moshfegh or Jen Beagin, I think you’ll enjoy this one

What a wacky, cooky, zany story- every synonym for a silly goose- that is this book. I could not put it down! I feel like this is a perfect book club read because of the plethora of imperfect characters that will spark indecisive conversations surrounding them. This novel also gave me strong Mona Awad and Rufi Thrope vibes; chaotic and heartbreaking in mundane and human ways. I LOVED!