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well dang james frey continues to show me that he can write a captivating story.

something i love about frey’s books is they feel like real stories of real people (they probably are). the characters are easy to connect to. the story feels like watching a reality show unfold.

i love how frey gives just enough information about the location (new bethlehem) to provide meaningful context to the story without making it boring.

also loved that i can see parts of frey in some of the characters (charlie).

i read bright shiny morning when it was released years ago while i lived on the east coast. i was moved by the story. i was devastated by the story. i was attached to the characters in the story. but i had no context for life in/around LA. i moved to LA years later and re-read the book and i couldn’t help but feel like james wrote about several people that he had experienced or known. and that’s how i feel about this book.

several times while reading, i had to actively remind myself that these were characters and not my friends.

james’ writing style has always been something that captivated me, so i deeply loved this book because his style and voice is once again so prevalent throughout.

and not to mention... the ending slaps.

4.75/5 stars

I wanted to love this but felt a disconnect due to the unlikable characters. I think this will hit well with others but was a miss for me. But thank you for the arc!

You either love him or hate him and I absolutely love him. Brilliant. A despicable cast of characters, sharp social commentary, and the infamous writing style we've come to expect from James Frey.

This was a fascinating read from James Frey, it had that element that I was looking for and enjoyed the feel of this. I thought the characters worked well in this universe and was everything that I was hoping for. It worked well and was invested in the story being told.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

The summary says it all: ridiculously rich people, lacking common sense in some(most) cases, extreme drama mainly because of a swing party and a murder. It was fine, I think the first part was way too long and the ending too rushed. I would gladly exchange some of the affair scenes for more of the police investigation, but I get that their lives were an important part of the plot.
The twist was really easy to predict, but the writing was compelling and very fast paced, I read it in one sitting. Overall it was a good book, I would recommend it to people who like to read about rich, entitled and sometimes criminal characters and their over-the-top lives.

Thank you Netgalley and Author's Equity for the advance copy of this book.

New Bethlehem, Connecticut. Picture-perfect lawns, manicured hedges, multi-million dollar homes. But beneath the designer yoga gear and country club memberships lies a darker reality.

In this world of excess, Devon and Belle have it all—beauty, money, status. But they want something more. Something dangerous. Something that makes them feel alive. Their solution? A party—a meticulously curated gathering of New Bethlehem’s elite, from a desperate ex-NFL quarterback to a hockey coach with a penchant for married women, and a ruthless Wall Street “closer” who wields his wealth like a weapon.

One night. Multiple betrayals. And a murder that will shatter New Bethlehem’s carefully constructed facade.
Fans of "The White Lotus" and "Big Little Lies" will be drawn into the dark underbelly of the American Dream – a world where money can buy anything, until it ruins everything.

Thus is the first book that I've read by this author. Unfortunately I did not care for the writing style . I found it difficult to get in to this book. 2 out of 5 ⭐️ for me.

Unfortunately this book wasn't for me. I just couldn't get into it. The writing didn't flow, the characters didn't gel well together.
Thank you so much to net gallery & the author & publisher for letting me have a free copy to read.

Friends, this book was not for me.

Extremely wealthy couples in the richest, whitest part of Connecticut decide to swing/have orgies. Literary fiction is sometimes overtly sexual and it seems to be egregious and even pandering to me. “All Fours” by Miranda July certainly had a lot of good reviews and was considered to be a favorite amongst critics, but I find it depressing.

James Frey has this very distinctive style of writing short, then longer and longer declarative sentences to design a paragraph and it ends up being distinctive pacing and descriptions. I do love his style of writing but the overall plot of this one and sheer unlikable characters made this one fall flat for me.

Thanks to @netgalley and the publisher Author’s Equity for a free copy in exchange for an honest review. Book to be published June 17, 2025.