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.

This book was phenomenal! I was so invested as soon as I started reading that I actually called into work "sick" just to be able to finish it. I would highly recommend!

Wow! I am not usually at a loss for words, but I am after finishing my first Callie Kazumi book. I definitely felt so many emotions while reading Claire's story.

I can’t wait to see what Callie Kazumi comes up with its next!

I voluntarily reviewed this book.

This was a fun read! It was fast-paced and I appreciated that it was true to the psychological thriller genre. The epilogue was the perfect way to drive the plot home. I will say it was a bit predictable for someone like me who almost exclusively reads thrillers. But I think it would be really fun for someone who is new to the genre. 3.5 ⭐️s rounded up!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine for an ARC of this novel.

I have to admit this had everything I’m looking for in a mystery/thriller and I’m not saying what that entails because it would be giving too much away. Highly recommended.

i was hooked from the first page. i did not expect it to go in the direction it did but whoooo it was a wild ride! i loved this! it was such a quick read!

Breakups can be messy…
Claire found the man of her dreams in Noah. She’s anxious to get married and start the family she always dreamed of.
But while dropping off lunch for Noah at work she’s stunned when the receptionist informs her he no longer works there. Huh? He never mentioned changing jobs.

Now to add to the confusion, Noah doesn’t answer Claire’s calls…or reply to any of her texts. In essence, she has been ghosted!
But Claire isn’t going quietly into the night! She wants answers. No, she demands an explanation!

Careful what you ask for Claire, are you prepared for the answer? I didn’t think so!

Absolutely loved the premise. I wanted an explanation for Noah’s actions as much as Claire did! I recommend going into this book as blind as possible. The blurb gives away far too much detail.

Congrats Callie Kazumi on a great debut!
I’ll be watching to see what this author has in store for us next.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine via NetGalley

A captivating psychological thriller. Kept me wanting more every page. Loved the concept of this book. Thank you Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Bantam and NetGalley!

The premise of this book was intriguing, and I was excited to receive an advance reader copy from NetGalley. Initially, it captured my attention—I flew through the first third in one sitting. However, as the story progressed, it felt like the book was trying to emulate bestsellers like The Silent Patient or I’m Glad My Mom Died but fell short in its execution.

The main character, Claire, quickly became frustrating. Her reactions felt exaggerated, particularly in moments like when she dropped lunch for Noah after discovering he no longer worked at the location. A small revelation spiraling into such dramatic behavior felt forced, and her assumptions, like believing Lilah was somehow holding Noah "against his will," stretched credulity. These moments detracted from the suspense and made Claire’s character feel more ridiculous than relatable.

The trial took up a significant portion of the book, and it started to drag. I would have preferred more of the eerie, obsessive stalking elements that initially seemed to set the book up as a thriller. Additionally, some British terms like "gardening leave" and "secondment" left me reaching for a dictionary, which could be easily remedied in a U.S. edition.

I appreciate having received this ARC, but overall, I found the story predictable and contrived. While it had potential, the execution ultimately left me underwhelmed.

Claire loves Noah. Noah loves Claire… until she finds that he’s ghosted her on their first anniversary, and that he’s living a completely different life than the one she thought. This is a story that dives into Claire’s past, her traumas, her mental breakdown as she tries to process what is happening. I did side eye the possible (and frankly, overdone) unreliable narrator trope, but you will enjoy this if you like interesting but not super scary thrillers.

2.5 rounded up. The premise of this book really intrigued me. The main character, though, did not. She was much too obviously immature to hold any interest for me, and the mother was over-the-top unbelievable. That said, my curiosity propelled me to finish the book, and there were some good parts. However, I wish the ending had paid off. It was just wrapped up too neatly. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

good mystery about claire and her fiance. She works in town and goes to find his work and finds out that he doesn't work there. she along with her friend try to find him and where he really works. She could be stalking him or he is cheating on her . Good mystery and she has some serious issues. Loved the letters. she also has some serious mom issues.

Book: Claire, Darling
Author: Callie Kazumi
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine
Pub Date: March 11, 2025

Go ahead and add this book to your TBR. I was pleasantly surprised with this book and while I do think it’s a little predictable she did a great job with her debut novel. This story is the epitome of a psychological thriller. You know from the beginning you’re dealing with an unreliable narrator - the twists are great and very well planned. The author makes you feel uncomfortable which means she has successfully done her job.

Thank you Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine and NetGalley for this sneak peak! Publication date is March 11, 2025.

This was a wild ride. I flip flopped back on forth between two theories on what had been going on. I leaned heavily more on one than the other and that was what ended up being right. However, with just so many highs and lows going on between these pages, guessing what the end may be takes away nothing. Plus that epilogue. I definitely gasped.

The parts dealing with her memories with her mother were hard to read at times. The abuse mentally and physically was just hard to handle. You really feel for Claire, even after that epilogue.

Claire has had an unfortunate childhood. She was raised by an abusive mother, and now she is taking care of her. Claire meets a wonderful guy, and they become engaged. She decides to surprise him and bring him lunch to his office. She is informed that he has not worked at the place for months. She then calls him many times, but he never picks up. After a few days, she realizes that she has been ghosted. Claire and her friend from work do some detective work and find that her dream guy is engaged to someone else. And that's when the fun begins.

I really enjoyed this one! I love novels that exist solely from the protagonist's POV and you never really know what's being left out. I hope the right audience finds this book - a dark, layered character study of the trauma parents can inflict. Also everyone needs a friend like Sukhi! She was amazing.

I do worry those looking for a twisty mystery will leave low reviews. That's NOT what this is. Seasoned readers will know what's going on fairly early but that's not a bad thing. The journey is the reward here.

I will say (without spoilers) there was one comment made by a character in defense of Claire during the second half of the book that I thought was indicative of where the plot was going but then was never brought up again. A bit confused on that one note.

Oh, this one is incredible! I loved the story which included the crazy ending, I am still shocked by it! Claire had a sad life, not a very good relationship with her mom. She didn't really have any close friends. She meets Noah and is sudden, totally "in love." She takes lunch to his office one day and discovers he does not work there. He won't return her calls or messages. Claire later discovers his secret life with Lilah, they even live together.

Claire ask her close friend at work named Sukhi, to help her with social media and look into Noah's current life. The writing and the characters in this book are everything! Some shocking things happened as the true life of Noah begins to unfold.

I keep thinking about the way the book ended, which will stay with me for awhile.

Absolutely Shocking, Fast Paced, and Jaw Dropping!

5 Stars! I loved this book!

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy. This book will be released 3/11/25.

A great debut thriller! After surviving a dysfunctional upbringing with an unreliable abusive mother, Claire is living her best life. She has a job she loves, a good work friend and she has found the man of her dreams! Noah is her everything! Then the edges start to unravel. Noah doesn’t come home. Claire panics! Great characters, a tight plot, a good (although somewhat obvious) twist and a creepy, satisfying ending! A quick read, perfect for fans of Ruth Ware.

4 stars-I read this book in just one sitting because I could not turn the pages fast enough. It stars with Claire and her fiancé happily in love, life is going perfectly for the couple. So why did he just ghost her one day when she brings him lunch? To add to the mystery and the tension, there are flashbacks of Claire as a child and with her mother, who always called her Claire, Darling. This is exactly what an unreliable narrator story should be! The twists were top notch, just when you think you know, you don’t know at all! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc!