Thank you, Penzler Publishers, for providing the copy of Jill Is Not Happy by Kaira Rouda. If you’re looking for a fast and easy read, pick up this book! This would be a great beach read. Jill was a piece of work, and I loved reading about her manipulative ways. At some point it got to be too much and it felt repetitive - different incidents, but nothing that advanced the story. The ending wasn’t satisfying, but I’m not sure what the ending should have been. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars for this enjoyable read!

This is a tricky one for sure! Neither of these characters are remotely likable, although Jack does have a likability edge over Jill. Their marriage, while outwardly seeming perfect is far from it and neither of them are good people, the deserve each other, but only Jill seems to recognize that! There are so many twists and turns it is a rollercoaster for sure. This author is a fav and her books never disappoint.

The bones of this story were fantastic. It was a quick and easy read. At points it did feel a little repetitive with the same back and forth but overall I enjoyed it. If you think you’ve encountered a toxic relationship before, wait until you meet Jack and Jill. The repetition did seem to build up the tension quite well for the ending which was nice. You definitely will have to suspend belief and go with the flow for this one but it was fun! I wish we got more information on Jill’s childhood since it was brought up so much but I feel we did get a decent amount.

Jill loves her husband Jack and will tell anyone who asks how amazing he is…well, except for recently he’s been feeling a little down. Now empty nesters, she plans a road trip for them to reconnect. The thing is…Jack wants a divorce. He has only stayed with her because of…well what happened in the past. He wants to end this marriage, but what else is Jill hiding?

Buckle up! This is a fast paced thriller with secrets and twists and turns and an ending I did not see coming! As I was reading this I kept telling myself just one mor chapter and before I knew it I had finished the book.

Jill is unhinged and I was here for it!! I loved the use of dual timelines and how the author gives us these little bread crunches along the way. These are two people in a toxic relationship and Jill will do anything to keep them together.

No spoilers - this book brings a whole new meaning to the phrase “Partners In Crime.”

✨What To Expect
🥀Thriller
⁉️Suspense
📝Unhinged Behavior
🔪Dark Secrets
🚙Road Trip
🐁Game of Cat & Mouse
⏰Dual Timelines
✌️Dual POV

4.5 Stars for "Jill Is Not Happy" by Kaira Rouda!
Thanks so much to Kaira Rouda and Thriller Book Lovers The Pulse for this gifted ARC of "Jill Is Not Happy." Our team gets to dive into some amazing reads, but this one really stood out as one of the most intense this year.

OMG!! Jack might be the first fictional husband I feel sorry for! Don't get me wrong, he's no angel, but he's married to a manipulative and cunning psycho. Jill would drive anyone crazy. Even though she’s not likable, you have to admire how twisted her mind is. Just make sure you stay on her good side!

When "Jill Is Not Happy," you can bet Jack isn't either!! I couldn't wait for them to get on the road and see what Jill had planned. I could practically feel the gears turning in her head. Oh, Jack, you really shouldn’t have poked the bear!

This story blends a perfect balance of humor with the thrills of unexpected twists! Kaira Rouda created a suspenseful plot around two complex characters that are perfectly created and totally unforgettable!

Thanks to the author and Scarlet/Penzler Pub for the gifted ARC provided through Thriller Book Lovers The Pulse and NetGalley. All opinions are my own and left voluntarily!

#JillIsNotHappy #KairaRounda #Scarlet #NetGalley #ThrillerBookLoversThePulse #PenzlerPublishers

I love domestic suspense and Kaira Rouda does a fantastic job writing them! Jill’s marriage is on the rocks. They are high school sweethearts, but Jack wants OUT! He is done. Jill is on a mission to do anything in her power to prevent him from leaving. Will she succeed? Does that shared secret matter anymore? I flew through the chapters! And the ending left me wondering we’d have a book ✌️

Kaira Rouda does domestic suspense like no one else. We love her at Thriller Book Lovers The Pulse.
And Jill? She’s not happy.

This book had me hooked with its dual POV, tension, and a marriage that’s way past saving…but not quite over. Jack is plotting a clean break. Jill? She’s got her own storm brewing. They belong together and she will make sure they stay together.
It’s unsettling, addictive, and full of unhinged moments.

Review of Jill Is Not Happy by @kairarouda

Thank you so much to @thrillerbookloversthepulse and @kairarouda for the advanced digital copy of this one. I absolutely loved it. I’ve been sick, but I still binged out this book in two days. I enjoyed it so much. I love a good toxic relationship book and this one checked every box for me. It is fast pace with lots of twists and turns and nobody is who you think they are. This is a must read for thriller lovers. This one comes out June 10 so make sure you get your copy!

Synopsis:

Some secrets keep a couple together.

If you ask Jill Tingley, she'll tell you she and her husband Jack are college sweethearts living the dream in Southern California. Wealthy, popular and genetically blessed, theirs is an enviable life, though they've grown distant in recent years. Newly empty nesting with their daughter Maggie away at college, Jill suggests a road trip to reconnect.
Jack would rather do anything else than drive to Utah with his wife. He's only stayed in this marriage because of a shared secret, a tragedy in the past he wanted to keep buried. And for his daughter's sake. But Jack is finished with the charade of his marriage. He's filing for divorce as soon as they return, no matter what.

But he doesn't realize what else Jill is hiding.

So begins a cat-and-mouse road trip as a cunning wife—think Ripley in yoga pants—and a reluctant husband match wits and drive each other to the edge. But everything will be fine. Jill still loves Jack and believes he's the only one for her. She’ll do anything to keep him. Anything. She always has.

Another brilliant book from this author, with a twist. We meet Jack and Jill! Jack and Jill are playing a dangerous game of cat and mouse the entire book. There are some secrets and surprises along the way. Jill has planned a road trip with her husband, Jack, to reconnect. He just wants to get away from her but can’t because of a shared secret.. The chapters are fast and go between Jack and Jill’s POV. The ending was perfect, and room, for a possible second book. The old saying happy wife, happy life, it definitely applies to this book. Jill is not happy then no one is happy!

#netgalley

✿𝗝𝗜𝗟𝗟 𝗜𝗦 𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗬✿
𝔱𝔥𝔯𝔦𝔩𝔩𝔢𝔯
🗓️𝙿𝚞𝚋 𝚍𝚊𝚝𝚎: 𝙹𝚞𝚗𝚎 𝟷𝟶, 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟻
🤩𝕄𝕪 𝕣𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘: 𝟜 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕤! ★★★★

🤏𝚃𝚎𝚎𝚗𝚢 𝚝𝚒𝚍𝚋𝚒𝚝...”an ill fated road trip resurrects a married couples darkest secrets…

🚗𝚆𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙸 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚊𝚢...I adore Kaira Rouda! Like personally & professionally. No, I don’t actually know her, but she is one of my fav authors to follow. 🩷She’s like a good dose of sunshine.☀️

So, Jack & Jill(yep how cute, right?🙃) have been married a while & are high school sweethearts & so in love👩‍❤️‍👨….haha, not even close. 😆Jill is really something, yall. Shes completely loath-able!! 🫤Jack is trying so hard to get out of this marriage & well, it isn’t so easy….😳 Jill is gonna do whatever it takes to keep Jack. I mean anything! My fav thing about Rouda’s books is how fast I can read them. 💨The adrenaline is pumping 🙌& the thrill is always just enough..not ever too much which makes it very believable. 👌And, bonus..this one is under 300 pages! 🤩Save the date, friends 😊

Kaira is always all the rave @thrillerbookloversthepulse #thepulse #pulsepoint
I personally love that I get the chance to read her books!

Kaira Rouda has once again proven that she is the undisputed queen of creating wildly untrustworthy, coocoo for cocopuffs characters and Jill is Not Happy is no exception. This book is an exhilarating rollercoaster of deceit, tension, and jaw-dropping twists, all wrapped up in dark and unhealthy marriage gone wrong narrative. Rouda’s uncanny ability to craft characters that you simultaneously want to trust and utterly despise makes this novel an unforgettable ride through chaos and manipulation. The characters are a tangled mess of motivations, full of hidden agendas, making the entire reading experience feel like a game of psychological warfare. 😜 Let’s just say I personally wouldn’t want to be a part of these people’s marriage. 🤨
Rouda’s writing is sharp and electrifying. She doesn’t just tell you about her characters’ insanity—she makes you feel it, dragging you into their warped minds with every sentence. This is why I keep coming back for more! If you love thrillers that are full of drama Kaira Rouda has written this book for you!

Jill has planned a road trip with her husband, Jack, to reconnect. He just wants to get away from her but can’t because of a shared secret.

This is a very fast paced and entertaining read that’s hard to put down. The chapters are fast and go back and forth between Jack and Jill. You have a suspicion of how things are but as time goes by things get worse and worse. The ending was perfect because it ended properly but left plenty of room for a second book. I hope it happens and it’s titled Jill is Really Not Happy.

“Maybe a normal marriage is about compromise, I think. Not this one. This one has been filled with horrible secrets, debilitating nightmares, and lies.”

Jill is Not Happy comes out 6/10.

Jill is not happy. And she will make sure to suck the happiness from readers too. This was hard to read because of the despicable and pathetic characters. Rouda went all out to create a manipulating, calculating, psychopathic character out to ruin the lives of anyone who gets in her way. I experienced intense hate while reading this book. I do not enjoy that feeling, but respect the author who is able to illicit such strong feelings. I felt no satisfaction from the story AT. ALL.
That said, it is worth a read just for the experience.
Thank you to NetGalley and Scarlet Books for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

One of my go to Thriller Authors, Kaira Rouda writes crazy characters like no one else. This book didn’t disappoint.

Jill is one woman you do not want to get mad, especially if you try to get between her and her pushover husband, Jack. No one is safe! Together since college, she will do anything to keep this now struggling marriage together. This was a fun read, can be finished in one sitting. Dual timeline and points of view will keep the pages turning. As someone who likes her endings neat and tidy, I can only hope that this leads to a sequel. Please…I need to know what happens next! Clear your schedule, settle in your favorite reading chair, grab a drink and your favorite snack and experience Jill, a character so wickedly unhinged that you will love to hate her.

Thanks to NetGalley, Thriller Book Lovers: The Pulse, Penzler Publishers, Scarlet Publishing for this ARC. This is my honest opinion.

Thoughts~
WoW! This book was a wild ride, and I loved it. Just when I thought Jill couldn’t become anymore unhinged….she proved me wrong. There isn’t anything she wouldn’t do to keep Jack all to herself.  My thoughts remain undecided on Jack. On one hand he does a good job protecting his daughter, but on the other hand he can’t seem to protect himself. If you love a good rollercoaster ride then this is for you!

Thank you @kairarouda & @netgalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

I love it when an author intricately weaves a tale that explores the depths of love, secrets, and the lengths one might go to preserve a relationship, and this tale does not disappoint! The story begins with an unsettling nod to a nursery rhyme, setting an eerie tone that permeates the narrative. Told from alternating perspectives, we gain insight into the minds of both JACK and JILL, revealing their contrasting motivations for embarking on what should be a simple road trip.

The pacing is brisk, keeping readers on the edge of their seats as the tension builds between the couple. Jill’s determination and Jack’s reluctant acceptance of their shared past create a compelling dynamic. One can’t help but feel a sense of unease as Jill’s unhinged nature slowly unravels, leading to unexpected twists.

Overall, this book is a gripping exploration of marriage and the secrets that can either bind or tear a couple apart. It's a captivating read that raises questions about trust, love, and the masks we wear in our relationships. If you're looking for a fast-paced psychological drama with depth, this one is definitely worth picking up! A heartfelt shoutout to my friends at @thrillerbookloversthepulse for recommending this read!

When you read a Kaira Rouda book you know you are going to get some unlikeable and unreliable characters and this one is no exception. Jack and Jill have been married for years and on the surface everything looks great. And that is just what Jill wants you to see. As they embark on a weekend away tension and accusations ramp up and you have to wonder if both will be returning home when the weekend ends…. Another suspenseful and twisty book from this author.

3.5 stars. Jill is not happy- in fact she's a sociopath. The characters here are both unlikeable, but that is what makes the story. I found the story a little slow moving at times waiting for something grand to happen. The ending is abrupt and hopefully we get a sequel. If you like dark and twisted this one is for you.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penzler Publishers | Scarlet for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is a sharp, witty, and deeply relatable story about frustration, self-discovery, and the unexpected turns of life. The book follows Jill, whose unhappiness feels like an immovable weight—until a series of surprising events forces her to confront what’s really holding her back. The writing is crisp, the humor is biting, and the emotional depth sneaks up on you in the best way. A must-read for anyone who’s ever felt stuck and craved a change

Jack and Jill, a not so happily married couple. They've been married since college but grew distant over the years. Jill, however, refuses to let Jack go. She has written a journal which she keeps detailed track of all his secrets in order to force him to stay with her. Is he just as crazy as she is? I enjoyed this story sooo much. Jill is unhinged. I honestly didn't see Jack turning out the way he did either. I've never been more hopeful for a cheating man to be able to get away like I was for Jack. The story was captivating and held may attention all the way though. This is a definite must read!