Publishing date: 14.01.2025 (DD/MM/YYYY)
Thank you to NetGalley and Red Hen Press for the ARC. My opinions are my own.


TLDR: Confusing and obsessive

I will cut straight to the chase here; this was a big miss for me. Usually collections (short stories or poems) that are about love and desire hits that sweet spot for me. This one missed the mark by a long shot.

The poems were confusing. I couldn't make out any proper connection. Most were too similar to each other or rewrites of the same thing. The poems were either too obsessed with man/men or the woman herself.

I just couldn't connect with it in any meaningful way. Neither am I sure who this is for ... 2 stars.

This book of poems was good but it really just wasn’t for me. I struggled with the poems, most of them didn’t make sense to me. I couldn’t figure out if they were connected or just confusingly similiar ? The the whole section of cat poems ? Unsure what to make of this one.

This book is obsessive love that has never been so much fun! What She Wants: Poems on Obsession, Desire, Despair, Euphoria is a powerful tribute to the intensity of obsessive love, told through the trademark humour and heartbreak of bestselling poet Kim Dower.

I really enjoyed reading this small book and it was a great quick read.

WoW, what a beautiful cover this book has, Just a prefect picture by Dahl.

Big Thank you to NetGalley and Red Hen Press for my ARC.

In this captivating collection, Dower delves into the complex interplay of love, obsession, and desire. Her skill in expressing the intricacies of obsessive love, loneliness, and infatuation through language is remarkable, with each poem resonating with a punchy, lyrical rhythm. The poems are divided into four phases of Limerence—Infatuation, Crystallization, Deterioration, and Ecstatic Release—each providing a distinct perspective on the various mistakes, regrets, and joys of the heart. We have all experienced this type of love, the one that takes over your life, mind, heart, and soul, and Dower is able to capture this all encompassing sensation so thoroughly with her imagery.

How does one stretch a memory wide enough to cover up a life?

What She Wants is a poignant collection by Kim Dower, the author of I Wore This Dress Today for You, Mom and Sunbathing on Tyrone Power's Grave. Recipient of the Gold Medal in Poetry from Independent Publisher Books Awards and an Eric Offer Book Award Finalist, she explores the intersection of love, obsession and desire in this fascinating collection.
Her ability to capture the human experiences of love, loneliness and infatuation with words is commendable, and her poetry communicates the story with a sharp, lyrical cadence. The poems are demarcated by four phases of Limerance— Infatuation, Crystallization, Deterioration, and Ecstatic Release; each offering a unique glimpse at the numerous errors, regrets and joys of the heart. I quite enjoyed this collection and am thankful to Netgalley and Red Hen Press for the ARC.
3.5/5

Beautiful but a bit too much self dwelling for my taste. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for this free eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

What an interesting collection! Definitely had me sitting there and thinking deeply. Kim Dower in What She Wants has a distinctive voice that you cling to.

Kim Dower, you wrote the most beautifully written story I have read in a very long time! it was wonderful! Loved it. Highly recommend adding this to your TBR list.

What She Wants by Kim Dower is my first experience of this author's work, and I was quickly seduced by the sharp, witty inner dialogue that comes together as a complete story. I think a reread will have me savouring this one in more condensed sections, and I'm sure that I will be every bit as enamoured. Obsessive love for someone, or even something, is a universal experience, and Ms Dower's clever observations of this particular condition will certainly resonate with the vast majority of readers. I look forward to experiencing much more of this intuitive and unique voice.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Red Hen Press for an ARC.