This book was not what I was expecting at all! An intriguing and addictive debut. I appreciated Edie’s character development and growth throughout the story.

I was gifted this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I’m a bit stuck when it comes to how I feel about this story. It seems to be a more severe dose of the Seinfeld premise: a book about “nothing”. A couple of weeks/months of peering into one woman’s life and the people and events she interacts with. I think my main qualm is that I don’t quite get why this is a story. There’s the big mystery event of Anaya which becomes the triggering event for reexamining the other relationships in Edie’s life, but other than that, it’s all things mundane. Online dating. Doing a job for its income and not for the passion you signed up for. Finding it hard to date and make friends as an adult. The usual grocery list of topics. I think that’s where I’m stuck and this might be a personal preference. I had a similar issue with the one Sally Rooney book I tried to read which the rest of the world seems to be in love with. I don’t get the draw of dropping in on a random character’s daily struggles.

I was more invested in the mystery of Anaya and her background of guilt with her mother and her unpublished novel. I think what left a bitter taste in my mouth was Peter. I think this was supposed to be a tale of epiphany that sometimes the people we think we love and trust the most are actually the monsters we hear about in the news and that the “bad guy” can be sitting across the table from you. But I have trouble believing that it would take the catastrophic events of this story for Edie to realize that. I don’t know if this was an attempt at the side characters and relationships of the Me Too movement: maybe saying, how could I be friends with a guy like that and almost defend him? But I feel like it was gone about all wrong. This has left me in a mindfuck, but not very much of in a good way.

I'm sad this book has received such negative reviews because I thought it was a great book about gender, dating, the workplace, inequality, and social classes, all from the lens of a woman. It does feel preachy at times, but it definitely talks about some real concerns for women. The mfc growth was interesting to see all while we watched a mystery unfold. This book felt vulnerable, although I wouldn't recommend it to everyone. I personally loved the flow of this, and I was at the edge of my seat for the outcome!

2.5 ⭐️
Insufferablecharacters.Strongfeminist ideas.Notmyjam

Kind of hated this book. Also, it could have been cut in half length wise.

This book was infuriating. The characters weren’t likable, not in any way really. Peter was the worst display of “man” and he got worse and worse. And then Edie. I wanted to like her and be on her side but my god she was insufferable as well. And her obsessive nature was more annoying to me than anything else. The plot was ok, it was far fetched and felt like bad reality TV - something I’m not a fan of. The premise was intriguing enough to keep me going, but the far-out claims throughout the story didn’t make me believe these were feasible events and that took me out of it in the long run.

The narrator also helped keep me in the story, she did a great job and allowed me to follow through to the end but this one wasn’t a win for me.

First and foremost as always thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book. This was an incredibly good read! The story was beautifully written and the characters were flushed out really well! Loved the narrator! They did such an amazing job with this one! Definitely worth the read!

i think there's so much in this book that i simply cannot comprehend, and i'm so glad that i couldn't.
eddie is disillusioned working at a picture-sharing tech company in love with her multi-millionnaire and single-after-seven-years best friend. the best friend, while on the apps, is now implicated in the murder of one of his dates, a gender studies professor. now eddie has to grapple with all of that, because she's obsessed with both the professor and the best friend.
the musings in this book about gender, dating, tech, money, and "usefulness" is just infuriating because society simply shouldn't be like that. it's super fast paced, and i couldn't stop reading it. it's dark but somehow funny (in a scoff way, not in a haha way). i'll be thinking about this a lot.
i don't know what it says about me that i have read a long list of books about disillusioned tech workers who also are women.

(i read this book before i was approved for it on netgalley)

Thank you to NetGalley & Harper Audio for the ARC of this book to review.

This is an intriguing book about the challenges that come with relationships, friendships, and life for women in their 30s. Is it a mystery? Kind of. Is it humorous? Kind of. Is it what I was expecting? Nope! But I did enjoy it.
Edie Walker works in the tech world in San Francisco. She is in love with, and a little obsessed with, her best friend, Peter. They met in college and have known each other for 15 years, but neither has been single at the same time. They finally are. Peter, after just getting out of a long term relationship, starts meeting and sleeping with women he meets on dating apps. Edie becomes obsessed with one woman that he goes on a date with. She dies soon after a date with Peter. Even though it seems that Peter is not as good of a person as Edie has always thought he was, she struggles with lowering him from the pedestal that she keeps him on.

I really struggled to connect with the main characters – and, in fairness, so did the other characters in the book. I didn’t observe any real character development, and quite a bit of the narrative just didn’t ring true for me. This one wasn’t a hit for me, I’m sorry to say. I did enjoy the audiobook narration, though, and it’s the reason I kept I continued with the book.

My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

NOTHING SERIOUS is a witty and candid look into a woman’s quest to discover what happened to a woman she only met once. Smith creatively plays with an unexpected death, testing the bonds of friends, self-discovery, and dating in today’s society.

Though I wouldn’t necessarily call this a mystery, this story does have elements of amateur sleuthing, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The investigation into Anaya’s death creates a gateway for Edie and those around her to deal with much larger issues. These issues, as well as the characters, are what propel the narrative forward and make the book so good. Smith doesn’t shy away from addiction, assault, or the struggles facing women in terms of sexuality and fertility. In fact, the way she leans in makes this fictional world seem very real.

Now, I know this sounds like a dark and deeply depressing read, but it isn’t. There is humor and fabulous banter sprinkled throughout, which lightens the load and balances more weighty topics. Here is the secret sauce, so to speak, of this book. NOTHING SERIOUS entertains while still tackling sketchy online dating practices, drug use, and mental health. I truly applaud Smith’s eloquence and storytelling ability.

Audiobook Note: Narrator Anna Caputo did a good job with this audiobook. It moved at a good pace, and there weren’t any moments that lagged. The way Caputo gave the characters their voice was extremely well done.

Emily J. Smith's Nothing Serious is a captivating and thought-provoking read that delves into some of today's most relevant and complex issues. The story is engaging, and full of emotional depth, keeping me eagerly listening to see what would happen next.

One of the book’s standout qualities is how seamlessly it addresses modern-day challenges, particularly in the realm of online dating. Smith captures the confusion, excitement, and frustrations that come with navigating digital relationships, making the experiences feel authentic and relatable. The author also touches on the often-overlooked struggle women face in male-dominated careers. The protagonist's journey through a challenging professional landscape resonates strongly, reflecting both the triumphs and obstacles women encounter daily in these spaces.

Overall, Nothing Serious is a beautifully layered novel, skillfully blending humor with poignant social commentary. It’s a must-read for anyone looking for a compelling, emotionally resonant story that offers not only entertainment but also meaningful reflection on the realities of modern life.

I really liked this book....almost against my own will?! Judging by the cover art and even the description, I expected it to be kind of funny and lighthearted, with a dark twist. In reality it was quite dark and very heavy. I had a love/hate/pity relationship with the MC. I LOATHED the men (MC's dad and Peter). But the story kept me hooked all the way through.

This was such an accurate and painfully honest portrayal of what it means to be a woman in a patriarchal world. The main character, Edie, examines these feelings with such nuance and thoroughness — I really related to her. I wished to know more at the end of the story, I felt it ended a bit abruptly, but that I wanted more goes to show how much I enjoyed spending time in this book.

Title: Nothing Serious
Author: Emmy J. Smith (Debut Author)
Format: 🎧
Narrator: Anna Caputo
Publisher: Harper Audio Adult/Harper Audio- William Marrow Book
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Pub Date: February 18, 2025
My Rating: 3 Stars
Pages: 272

This story had me curious. I checked the reviews which were mixed and I did take them serious but was still willing to give it a try!
When it started out with dancing- I thought this just might work.

Our main characters are Edie Walker and Peter Masterson.
Edie is thirty-five but things are not going the way she had hoped either with her career or her love life. She has always had a crush on Peter. So when he breaks up with his girlfriend of seven –Edie thinks things just might turn around.

Except Peter doesn’t look at her other than a friend and ends up with Anaya Thomas, a beautiful professor and writer of feminist literature.

Then Anaya is found dead in her apartment—after a date with Peter and he is a suspect.

I did feel sorry for Edie her situation with Peter as well as what was happening at her home with her parent.
However, I found both Edie and Peter unlikeable - Plus I am never pleased with hearing profanity – always makes me wish I could bleep it.
Story does start out with content trigger warning ~ Eating Disorders, Alcoholism, Abuse, Murder, Drugs/DO and Suicide; I had been warned. But I wanted to give a debut author a chance-so hung in there.
It did get better!

Want to thank NetGalley, Harper Audio Audio/Harper Audio and William Morrow for granted me this audiobook.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for February 18, 2025.