Mommy Dearest, meet Claire Darling… Well sort of.
Claire has it all in her life. A too good to be true fiancé and a good friend Sukhi. But sometimes her childhood upbringing comes back to haunt her. Claire had a rough upbringing. Claire grew up with a narcissistic mom. Claire grew up thinking she will never amount to anything.
But all that changed with she met Noah. He boosted her confidence and helped her feel at ease with herself. All that came tumbling down when she finds out Noah is living a double life.
The book was a little slow. There was a lot of anticipation throughout the story and a lot of frustration with Claire.. up until the last page where you were left with…..poor Claire, or is it?

I enjoyed this book, but it is more of a romance book than a thriller. That being said, it was still a great book with a good twist. I definitely recommend this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC of the book.

Don't be seduced by your own interpretations of reality.

Claire, Darling is a knotted venture into what serves as one's desires and longings for perfection. Callie Kazumi provides the twisted avenues that coax the willing mind into those dark and not quite focused curbs and sidewalks.

Claire met Noah in the wine section of the local grocery store. It started with a simple discussion of which to choose and ended up over coffee in the neighboring cafe. A year later, Claire is sporting a diamond on her hand and great promises in her heart.

All seems well until it's not. Claire decides to bring lunch to her fiance at his workplace. She's accompanied by her friend Sukhi. Just a quick in and a quick out. But the receptionist denies that Noah even works there. Claire will be hitting bottom from here on out.

Claire, Darling is not a bad read. It's just a bit of a disappointing one. Callie Kazumi injects reality hard and heavy from the office visit. But reality seems to only limp on broken ankles throughout. We begin to wonder how the unstable Claire was even able to establish a relationship from the onset. So, so many potholes to jump across to get to the other side. There's also the back and forth in time to the Wicked Witch of the West, Calire's mother. It became tedious. How could Claire even function day-to-day after all that? And yet, Kazumi dresses Claire in a suit of armor initially. A blind eye from all corners of this planet. But check this one out. It may just ring a bell for you.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Bantam Books and to Callie Kazumi for the opportunity.

dramatic, interesting, and with a super great dset of twists and vibes in it. tysm for the arc, 4 stars. would recommend ad really like it.

I feel like a bitch about to give a review that's anything but "darling.".

I DNFed it at 34% in. Although slightly curious if Claire made Noah up or what the deal is, the book was more rom.com than psychological thriller. Claire is an unreliable narrator. I was able to skim through paragraphs at a time. The story is trite, boring & common.

This will definitely not be a hit of 2025.

I'm giving it 2.5 stars which bumps up to 3.

Claire Darling attempts to weave a tale of betrayal and heartbreak, following the main character Claire who uncovers that her fiancé is married.

Each confrontation between Claire and the fiancé , he evades her questions, leaving the plot feeling disjointed and frustrating since he never answers her. The story drags, particularly during Claire's quest for answers about his deceit, which becomes repetitive. As the narrative progresses, her turmoil culminates in a shocking turn where she finds herself on trial for the fiancé’s wife’s murder. This transition was a gripping climax, as courtroom scenes filled with witness testimonies that her attorney is able to counter.
Additionally, Claire’s childhood trauma serves as a backdrop but often feels more distracting than illuminating, interrupting the flow of the main story rather than enhancing it. The flashbacks, while intended to provide depth, sometimes detract from the what is happening in present situation.
I cannot say I enjoyed this one as it was frustrating to wait until the very end to have the situation uncovered.

This is my favorite kind of thriller...where you become so invested in finding out what the heck is going on that you walk around your house reading, resenting anyone who needs you for anything. Pizza for dinner, kids!

I was as desperate as Claire to figure out why Noah ghosted her and when we finally got there? Ho-oh-oh-oh-ly cow. Yes, please, Ms. Kazumi, may I have another? I will line up for whatever you write...

Thank you so, so, so much for gifting me a copy. I don't even want those two days back...

It is my pleasure to write an honest review and hurl 5 stars at this book!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

Claire, Darling by Callie Kazumi is a psychological thriller that delves into the depths of obsession and the haunting shadows of the past. As a debut novel, Kazumi showcases a talent for crafting a narrative that is suspenseful and emotionally charged.

The story follows Claire, who, after being ghosted by her fiancé Noah, discovers that he has been living a double life. This revelation sends her spiraling into a desperate quest for answers, leading her down a path of obsession and self-discovery. The plot is intricately woven, with each twist and turn revealing more about Claire’s troubled past and her manipulative mother, who has left deep scars on her psyche.

Kazumi’s writing is evocative and immersive, drawing readers into Claire’s turbulent world. The pacing is well-executed, maintaining a steady build-up of tension that keeps readers captivated. The psychological depth of the characters, particularly Claire, is a standout feature. Her journey from a state of confusion and desperation to one of self-realization and empowerment is compelling.

However, the novel is not without its flaws. At times, the narrative can feel a bit predictable, with certain plot points being telegraphed early on. Additionally, some secondary characters lack the same depth and development as Claire, which can make their actions and motivations seem less believable. Also, I found Claire's lack of worth and identity (other than her constant self degradation) to be frustrating and personally depressing.

Despite these minor shortcomings, Claire, Darling is a strong debut that promises great things from Callie Kazumi. It is a thought-provoking exploration of the lengths one will go to for love and the haunting power of the past.

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4
Publication date March 11, 2025

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for sending this eARC for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

The day after their one year anniversary, Claire decides to surprise her boyfriend Noah, by bringing him lunch at work. When she arrives, she is told he no longer works there. Her calls go to voicemail, her texts are unanswered. Her only friend Sukhi is witness to this, and decides to help her track him down. What they discover is lies, but who is actually the one lying?

This was a twisty, fast read. Somewhat predicatble, but unpredictable enough to keep you interested.

This book kept me up at night since I had such a hard time putting it down! I really enjoyed this book. The plot, the characters and the twists were great. I did see the big twist coming, but it didn’t bother me that I figured it out.

The story bounces between the past and the present life of the MC Claire’s life. I think it was done very well and it was very easy to follow.

Thanks NetGalley and publisher for the digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

This is described as a thriller, but it’s not, although it has some twists that initially were head-scratch inducing. My main issue with this novel is that I didn’t like Claire, even with her mentally ill mother and her fiancé that ghosts her entirely after their one-year anniversary. I just never had empathy for her.

NetGalley provided an advance copy of this book, which RELEASES MARCH 11, 2025.

Claire, Darling by Callie Kizumi is an intensely bingeable book. In fact, I stayed up late last night to finish it but I’m not regretting it at all. While I felt there were parts that were predictable, I really enjoyed the flow of the story and how we got to experience Claire’s past. This actually reminded me a lot of Strange Sally Diamond. Claire is a multilayered, complex character, one who will stick with me for a while.

This was a fast moving book but a hard book for me to read. Half of the book was told in present time as a woman finds out her fiance has a whole separate life. In between were chapters of her relationship with her abusive, shaming, manipulative mother and some about her being bullied. that was hard to read and gave me some more empathy for what she was going through, but for me that could be done in a chapter or two not as much time that was devoted to it. I had some theories about how the author would resolve the issues and the death of his other lover.

If I could give this book 10 stars, I would.

I requested this ARC thinking it just sounded like an interesting plot. What I got was a wild journey.

It twists between present and past, but in a seamless way. Each past moment gives context to the present. Having experienced the same past as our protagonist, this book really was visceral.

This is one of those rare times where I had figured out what was happening early, but it didn't detract from the story AT ALL. The twist was so much deeper and convoluted than I could've ever seen coming.

Overall, I highly, highly recommend this book. It doesn't come out until March 2025, so thank you for the opportunity to read it early!

I liked the way this one started, but at the point where things took their first turn (which is pretty early on) it started to feel like several books and/or movies I've seen before. That's not necessarily a problem for me, but it did affect my interest level.

The ongoing incorporation of flashbacks to Claire and her mother, which worked well to establish the dysfunctional nature of their relationship, as well as the diary entries, started feeling really repetitive after a while though, and this combined with the feeling that I've been here before, became a problem for me at about the 50% mark. I'll be honest, from there I skimmed because I wanted to see how it was all going to be tied together, as I had seen several other reviews talking about the shocks at the end.

It wound up working basically the way I expected it to, and while I liked the very end, again this was a twist that has been done before also... If you don't read or watch a lot of this type of story, you would probably enjoy it more than I did. There's nothing wrong with it, but there's nothing innovative or new either.

Thank you Random House and Netgalley for this e-arc. As soon as I read the synopsis for this book, I knew I had to read it. And, it did not disappoint. A twisty fast paced read, I wanted to devour the story as quickly as possible to get to the reveal. Great book. I will definitely be recommending it!

4.5 stars, rounded up. Loved the short, quick chapters, it really kept the plot fast and kept me wanting to read more and more. At several points I felt like I knew the story, but at no point did I feel like I knew enough to stop reading. Great ending!

Claire visits her fiance's work to bring him lunch one day with a coworker, only to discover he doesn't work there anymore and hasn't for months. Claire tries calling him repeatedly and texting him with no response. To make matters worse, he stops coming home as well. Claire becomes desparate and is able to track her fiance (Noah) down. She discovers he has a second life with a beautiful girlfriend. Desperate and hearbroken, she tries to uncover how her life fell apart in the blink of an eye.

I was really struggling with what to rate this book. I really loved (loved is a strong word) the way the relationship interacts with Claire's mother from the past, giving me insight as to why she's the way she is now. I enjoyed this book but I didn't love it. I would have probably enjoyed it more as a "weird girl book" that focused a little more on Claire's mind and traumatic past than a thriller book. It did keep me guessing, but ultimately, what I predicted from the beginning is what the "twist" ended up being. Too predictable for a thriller but fun for an unhinged woman main character book. 

But I digress; this was a fun read, and I enjoyed the writing style. 

Thank you Callie Kazumi, Random House Publishing Group, and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

Extreme Mommy issues AND she’s been ghosted by her fiancé?! Yeah, Claire is going through it 😩

This quick read is told in the POV of our FMC, Claire. The story begins innocently enough then descends into an obsession. With a layered timeline that includes diary entries and flashbacks to her childhood you’re in for ride.

This was done so incredibly well and I really wasn’t ready for the reveal because how?!?

I really enjoyed this and can’t wait to see what else Callie comes out with next!

In one moment, Claire's life has been turned upside down. She took lunch to her fiancé only to be told that he doesn't work for the company. He's not returning her calls or texts, he doesn't return to their shared apartment, and she's reeling from the shock of the whole thing. What happened? Why did he leave her? It's the structure of this thriller that made it work so well for me. We only know what Claire knows, when she knows it. There are a few brief scenes from her childhood and diary entries from the early days of her relationship with Noah, but the plot goes in a straight line from beginning to end and I kept trying to make sense of it. The pieces just weren't fitting together no matter how badly I wanted them to. I genuinely liked Claire as a character and wanted her to be okay, but I couldn't see how that was going to be possible. I love this one from beginning to end.