This book is a really, slow burn book. In my opinion, it could have done without all the diary entries and been shorter. I skimmed through most of it and kept thinking "get back to the good parts". I'm sorry but this book was just not for me.

Claire’s fiancé is ghosting her, which leads her to obsession and stalking. But the truth may not be what it appears. With flashbacks to her abusive childhood we start to piece together the past of Claire and how she got here.

First book i've read by this author and wow it did not disappoint. Claire seems to have this wonderful relationship with her boyfriend/ fiancee. It all seems normal except, when she decides to surprise him with lunch at his employment and finds out it was all a lie! Noah doesn't work there , but he goes to work every day. Her world goes upside down and she does not back down. She has to know, where is he? Why won't he answer her texts? Why won't he talk to her? Her friend Sukhi helps her to unweave this mystery. The ending is not what you think! Excellent book.

3.5/5

Claire has been ghosted by her fiancée and she needs to know why! Turns out he’s not the man she thought he was.

Claire’s dysfunctional childhood with her narcissistic mother, along with other childhood trauma, is described in flashbacks. Claire is shy, quirky, needy. She falls in love with Noah and they move in together. This relationship is explored thru journal entries. Claire, along with her friend Sukhi, decides to surprise Noah with lunch on their anniversary, only to find out she’s been ghosted. The first part of this book has all the background. The second part throws you into a different direction. To say anything more, will give too much away. I didn’t find the plot very original, but I flew thru this book and totally enjoyed the twists and turns. Yes, there were plot holes, but it didn’t take much away from the book. Claire was a totally unreliable narrator…easy to feel sorry for but also difficult to fully like. Such a fun debut novel, I recommend for anyone fairly new to the genre. A fast paced, quick read that I flew threw. I look forward to reading this author again. Thanks to the cover and blurb for grabbing my attention.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House, Ballantine for this ARC. This is my honest opinion.

Callie Kazumi’s Claire, Darling is a gripping psychological thriller that masterfully explores themes of trauma, love, and betrayal. The novel follows Claire, a young woman who has endured relentless bullying and abuse from those around her. Just when she begins to lose hope, she meets Noah, who introduces her to what love truly feels like—only to disappear without a trace.

Kazumi’s writing is both haunting and immersive, pulling readers into Claire’s emotional turmoil. The novel’s pacing is impeccable, with suspense building in a way that makes it impossible to put down. The psychological depth of Claire’s journey is both heartbreaking and compelling, making her a protagonist readers will root for despite the darkness surrounding her.

The book’s twists and turns keep the reader engaged until the very last page. Kazumi does an excellent job of balancing raw emotion with a sense of eerie unpredictability, making Claire, Darling a standout in the psychological thriller genre.

For fans of intense, emotionally charged thrillers, this novel is a must-read. Kazumi’s ability to blend psychological depth with a fast-paced narrative makes Claire, Darling an unforgettable experience.

💍Book Review💍
*
Thank you so much @prhaudio and @netgalley for the advanced ebook and audio arc. This one came out on Tuesday and it’s a debut. Man it was SO good and fun and twisty. Talk about a thriller that you won’t want to put down! I could have read this whole think in one sitting. It’s a pretty addictive read and I really had a ton of fun with it. Clare was just such a fascinating main character, definitely a fun thriller to check out !
*
Rating- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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Summary- Claire is excited to drop off a surprise workday lunch for her fiancé, Noah. It’s their anniversary, after all. But when the receptionist tells her that no one with Noah’s name works there, Claire thinks there must be a mistake.

Noah isn’t picking up her calls. Her texts go unanswered. It turns out Noah has a different life . . . one with a beautiful girlfriend, a beautiful house. Claire was never really in the picture.

Desperate to speak to Noah and convince him to return to their dream life, Claire plunges into a nightmarish journey of obsession that submerges her deeper into the murky waters of her own past—a past dominated by a manipulative mother who shattered her sense of self.

Will Claire break free from the ghosts that haunt her? Or will they become more costly than any of Noah’s lies?
*
Things have been kind of rough lately so let’s try to keep it positive with a sweet little QOTD- what is something that you wish for?! I wish to not feel sad when I look at the news and I really just wish everyone was kind to one another. 💕

3.5 rounded up to 4 stars

REVIEW: Claire Darling by Callie Kazumi

Claire lives with her fiance, Noah, in a studio apartment while they renovate their new home. Claire picks up some lunch for Noah to bring to his work. She finds out he hasn’t worked there in quite some time when she gets there. What else is she hiding from her?

Claire Darling is a suspenseful mystery about finding the truth between lies. I liked that you didn’t know which characters you could trust. Callie Kazumi does a great job of slowly peeling back layers to determine what is happening. She does this through childhood flashbacks, diary entries from meeting Noah, and current events. Claire Darling focuses on obsession, identity, and living with scars from past traumas. The last part of the book focuses on a trial, which gives so much background information and makes you want to keep reading to find out more.

There were only things things that I didn’t like about Claire Darling. I thought the beginning was pretty slow. It was hard to get into at first, but once it picked up the pace, I just wanted to keep reading. The other thing was that some of the book was predictable. While there were some surprises, there were moments that just seemed obvious.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading Claire Darling. It was suspenseful and intriguing enough to keep me wanting to read more.


Thank you, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and Netgalley, for the free advanced copy for my honest review!

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*Thank You PRH Audio and Random House Fir This Gifted Audiobook and Ebook*

"I can’t explain why he left us, darling. Other than it was because of you. Because he didn’t want you, I hear Mother saying...about my father."

"Mother was always beautiful–on the outside, to make up for the poison inside."

"It feels like they’re trying to break me in court, but they don’t realize Noah already has."

From the first paragraph, "I take in the scene. Tea spilled everywhere, a dead woman, and me, in the middle of it all," I knew Claire, Darling, by sly psychological thriller author Callie Kazumi, was going to be a twisty trippy ride.

Claire is happily engaged to Noah. They met in the wine aisle. He asked for a recommendation and they've been together since that fateful day.

It all falls apart when she brings him lunch at work only to be told he no longer works there. Why wouldn't he tell her? She calls him. Leaves messages he never returns. He never comes home. The worst is tracking him down to have him run away from her. Then she sees him with a beautiful woman. What is going on?!

I wanted Claire to move on but felt her pain and confusion. She just wanted answers. Maybe she'll get them during the trial. What trial? Well it has to do with that tea spill, and I never spill the tea!

Voice actress Bronwen Price gave Claire her personality with her priceless inflections; especially Claire's outrageous anger about what she was sure was just a misunderstanding.

In the first half I rooted for Claire to get her justice. By the second half, after her manipulative mother's cruelty, I wanted her to find solace. By the very end, all I could think was, Claire, Darling, "What The Fsck!"

I received a copy of this book/audiobook from the publishers via Netgalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

How could he do this to her?

When Claire arrives at her fiancé Noah's workplace as a surprise on their anniversary, she is told that no one named Noah works there. As her calls and texts to him are ignored she can only assume that she has been ghosted....in the most dreadful way possible. She becomes obsessed with finding him, sure that she can remind him of the perfect life they had shared together and the wonderful future that awaited them. But the harder she looks into what happened to make Noah discard her, the more disturbed she becomes....and her quest will lead to a violent act.
Claire Darling is a fast paced thriller that takes a life event with which most people can relate....being unexpectedly dumped by someone with whom you're involved...and turns it into a twisty tale of obsession, identity, and living with the scars of past traumas. Claire is not your average dumpee...she survived a pretty traumatic childhood with a nightmare of a mother...and as the story unfolds, with diary entries and childhood flashbacks interwoven with the current day narrative, it becomes clear that all is not as it seems with her. The character of Claire is thoughtfully rendered and well nuanced, her past traumas clearly having shaped her into a person who cannot accept being put aside. While some of the plot twists are formulaic and the explanations later in the book seem a bit more convenient than realistic, I found it an entertaining read overall. I am rating it at 3.5 ⭐️, rounded up to 4, forgiving those observations and the occasionally uneven pacing given the strong character portrayal of a damaged young woman. Readers of authors like Alice Feeney, Ruth Ware and Gillian Flynn might find this an intriguing read. My thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine/Bantam Books for allowing me early access to this engaging debut novel from author Callie Kazumi.

Claire, Darling is one wickedly good twisted tale. Callie Kazumi kept me guessing quite a bit as I tried to figure out whether or not Claire Arundale was certifiably nuts or the world was simply against her from the start. I will admit that I thought Claire might be telling her tale from a mental health facility and we'd find out this entire scenario with Noah Coors was all in her head. Well, in the end, most of that was true but we get to witness Claire's fall into insanity in the present, with her diary entries another glimpse into what she hoped and thought was real.

I thought the story flowed well and truthfully showed a person's downfall into despair and desperation when the life she thought true was merely something she had hoped was reality. I liked that the author gave Claire one good ally in her work friend Sukhi, and honestly, I thought maybe she'd be a part of Claire's wild imagination as well. But Sukhi was loyal to the end and I appreciated that someone out there took the time to try and soothe Claire's doubts about Noah and tried to help find out why he 'suddenly' stopped being with her friend.

We get glimpses of Claire's horrible childhood with her single mother and all the vitriol thrown at her from the time she was young. I wasn't surprised Claire tried to grab hold of a dream where a man like Noah would love her for her and only want what was best for her always. The scenes with her despicable mother made my heart hurt and explained so much as the story progressed and Claire couldn't seem to accept that perhaps Noah wasn't the man she thought he was.

The book takes a wild turn as an accident may truly change Claire's life forever. I enjoyed those scenes with her attorney and how secrets about Noah, in particular, came to light that might finally convince Claire that he wasn't all that after all. However, in one last twist, the author very cleverly gives us yet another look into the depraved mind of Claire as her supposed healing in the facility she was remanded to is just another short-term stop in claiming what she is convinced will always be hers, and that is her beloved Noah.

I'm glad I took the chance on this new-to-me author as I truly enjoyed this storyline, the characters and how everything played out. It's a subtle kind of mystery/thriller that kept me engaged and curious. Hoping to read more from this author in the future, I happily give Claire, Darling a big 4 stars!

I personally found this too easy to predict and the “twist” wasn’t anything profound. It’s a fast read, but I don’t have much else to say beyond that.

Thanks Netgalley for an ARC of this debut novel. I really enjoyed this one. It’s the fast paced story of Claire, a young woman living and working in London. One day she decided to bring lunch to her fiancé but she’s told he no longer works there. We retrace their relationship via Claire’s journal entries. The book is told in the present timeline and also explores Claire’s troubled childhood. This was a really great debut and I’d definitely check out this author’s next book

Out Now!
3.5 rounded up
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced eArc in exchange for a review!

For their anniversary, Claire surprises Noah (her fiance) with lunch and a balloon at his office. But when the receptionist tells her that no one with Noah’s name works there, Claire is blindsided. Of course he works there! Within a day, he blocks her calls and profile on Facebook, he's completely ghosted her with no explanation! With the sleuthing assistance of her best friend, Claire tracks him down, discovers he has a serious girlfriend, a nice home, and he's planning to have a baby with her.

This was a great first novel for this author in the psychological drama realm. I did know where this was going from the beginning, but it was an interesting ride that kept me glued in the reader's seat. I kept expecting a rabbit to come out of the hat to trick me, and the end did deliver, albeit a baby rabbit -- I suspect Callie will only go up from here, improving her craft. I'd totally be down to read another from her in the future!!
**Trigger warning for family psychological and physical abuse.***

Eh. The ‘mommy dearest’ flashbacks are so overplayed for me at this point. This book has a lot of them.
This plot felt very obvious to me.

Fans of Freida McFadden will love this! Psychological thrills at their best. Claire didn’t have the best childhood… it was pretty horrific as we see throughout the book from her memories. She now has a wonderful job and an amazing fiancé. But does she? I don’t want to give any spoilers, but I’ll say read it! I didn’t figure it out. Will you?

A wild ride with twist and turns that made this story irresistible. Callie Kazumi has a long career ahead of her

Claire and her fiancé, Noah, are celebrating their first anniversary. Claire is so happy as they are now planning their wedding.

The next day, her co-worker, Sukhi, accompanies her to drop off lunch for Noah at his office. When she gets there, she is told he hasn’t worked there for months. Shocked, she tries to contact him to no avail. Now, she goes on a quest to find out why he isn’t answering her calls and has not come home. She learns that he is living with another woman and he tells her to stay away. What has happened to their loving relationship?

Claire’s father left her and her mother when she was very young. Her mother is a narcissist who berated and belittled Claire all of her life which caused her serious mental damage. This is what led to the events with Noah and the drastic aftermath of their breakup.

This is a debut novel and I am happy to say that I think the author did an amazing job and even her handling of the trial was terrific. I enjoyed the book very much and hope others will too.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I really enjoyed this one. Claire discovers her fiancé doesn’t work where he said he did. Then he never comes home and won’t answer her calls. After discovering a secret Facebook page she reveals his secret life. How is he so cruel? What is going on? The flashbacks with Claire as a child are hard to read. Very sad and traumatizing. This book kept me fully entertained.

Claire, Darling is one wild ride of a book! This was an amazing debut for the author, [author:Callie Kazumi|40101090]. Claire goes to her fiance's work one day and finds that he no longer works there. She starts to realize that he has a double life and many aspects of their relationship have been hidden from her. While she is spiraling about her relationship the novel flashbacks to her life with her mother. My heart broke for Claire when I as I read about what a difficult life Claire has had to deal with. However, I was not a huge fan of how one paragraph I was reading about what was currently going on in Claire's life, and then the next paragraph it flashed back to a memory. Eventually I got used to the writing, but it confused me at first.

Claire, Darling explores themes of identity, gaslighting, and the psychological toll of manipulation with chilling precision. It's a haunting examination of how our past shapes our perception of truth and our vulnerability to deception. The book flowed easily and kept me engaged the entire time. Claire was a dynamic character and I enjoyed reading about her life. The flashbacks really helped to explain why she acted in the way that she did. I look forward to reading more by Callie Kazumi.

Thank you to Random House/Bantam Books, Callie Kazumi, and NetGalley for this ARC.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Callie Kazumi for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Claire, Darling coming out March 11, 2025. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I received this book directly from NetGalley. Normally I enjoy a good thriller. I liked the story, but it wasn’t really anything new to me. A lot of the characters were unlikable. I thought the mother was very domineering. I felt bad for Claire. There weren’t any really happy parts to the book. It wasn’t really for me. I would check out other books by this author though.