Thanks to Harper Audio & NetGalley for providing an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I wanted to read some Sarina Bowen since I've been ordering her romances for my library. Mystery is more my wheelhouse, so I gave it a go.

Bowen's writing is competent, and the story was enjoyable. There was some repetition and a bit of a slowdown towards the middle of the book, but overall it was solid. There were 3 perspectives given and it turned out to be a dual timeline, but I didn't realize that for many chapters. Bowen covers a lot of ground in the story, and it all wraps up (mostly) nicely at the end.

If you like a little second-chance romance mixed in with your suspense, this might work for you. The voice acting was well-done, no complaints. I didn't love this, but it was fine and I would try another book by Bowen.

It was weird reading a book where one of the main supporting characters is named after you lol. I have a pretty unusual name so this has never happened to me before.

The mystery was interesting and definitely made you want to know who done it & why.
The history of the house being updated was well thought and brought good world building into the book.
I enjoyed the “wrong place wrong time” trope and how it fit into the storyline. Her and the detective could’ve teamed up and that would be so fun.
I liked all the background characters, they each felt like individual people instead of just fluff to further the story.

It was a fun read and the main cast was likable, making it a quick read.

I also love when I can’t tell how it’s going to end or figure it out along the way. Makes the pay off much sweeter.

Talented architect, Rowan, is restoring a mansion for one of the most powerful families in Maine. However, she is spiraling because of her ex, and when Rowan witnesses his murder, she becomes a suspect. This is just the tip of the iceberg in this twisty, domestic thriller. Rowan stumbles upon long buried information that will potentially ruin this high-profile family, and some members will do anything to keep that from happening. This was a page-turner, with lots of great twists!

I liked this one just ok! I really liked her other book. Thing to Meet You fell a bit flat for me. I still liked it but I wasn’t super engaged.

Title: Dying to Meet You
Author: Sarina Bowen
Format: 🎧
Narrators: Kathleen Early, Catlin Kelly and Sarah Mollo-Christenses
Publisher: HarperAudio Adult/ Harper Audio
Genre: Domestic Psychological Thriller
Pub Date: May 13, 2025
My Rating: 4.5 Stars
Pages: 360

Rowan Gallagher is a talented architect and currently has a 2-year contract to restore the famous Wincott mansion, In Portland, Maine. Her job is very time consuming and slow in order to make sure it is restored to the beautiful place it once was.
She is a single mom, with a sixteen year-old daughter Natalelie. Rowan and Harrison Natalie’s father never married, He went to prison after a violent attack in bar and has not been in their lives.

When Rowan meets Tim who seems like a great guy at her favorite coffee shop she decides to give this relationship a chance/ However, after several dates and having feeling for Tim - he ghosts her. She is upset and confused so decides to follow him via an app and finds he is near her neighborhood. She decided taking her dog for a walk is a good rouse to check out if he is with another woman. (BTW - Her dog actually plays a key role near the end.)
When Rowan sees his car in the lot with what looks like only one in the car she approaches and finds Tim’s car door slightly open. She looks in and touches Tim’s shoulder and finds he is still warm perhaps he isn’t dead until she turns his head - and immediately retches.

I love a good audiobook and the narrator is always key so when there are multiple great narrators it was a sign of a great performance- and it was!

The characters in this story were definitely the good- bad and all were foul mouth. Plus the sex in Coralie‘s situation– was more than I wanted to read. She is a sweet young secretary who really isn’t a good secretary but willing to please her millionaire boss and he, of course, takes advantage of her.

I love the relationship between Natalie and her father. I did like Rowan but wished of all the characters that she had more of filter.

I was curious about who killed Tim. We are given bread crumbs as to why he was killed where it happened.
I liked uncovering the secrets of the mansion - which used to be a home for unwed mothers. I like hints that it was haunted and although the ghost doesn’t play a big part – we feel we know who the ghost was at the end.

For those who struggle with the slowness and me the foul language – trust me the ending is worth it!

Want to thank NetGalley and HarperAudio Adult/Harper for this early audiobook.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for Tuesday, May 13, 2025.

This was a middle of the road book for me. It was good, but already just a week after finishing, I don't really remember it. I did think about DNFing at one point but I LOVE Kathleen Early as a narrator, so I pushed through. 3 stars for me.

In Dying to Meet You, Sarina Bowen serves up a little something for everyone. Stunning coastal setting? Check. Eclectic group of characters? Check. Plot twists to keep your brain engaged? Check check check. With so much going on, it was a risk to read this in audiobook format. Chapters alternated between several character POVs which included dialog, texts, news articles, historical documents, and the occasional racing inner dialog. Luckily, the group of narrators chosen for this title knocked it out of the park! It was easy to identify who was speaking when, connect with each character's emotions, and commit to their individual and connected journeys throughout this thriller.

Main character Rowan is an architect, single mother to teenager Natalie, and a dedicated supporter of her local coffee shop. Her love life has been stagnant, at best, since Natalie's father was put in jail for a bar fight over a decade ago. When her boyfriend, Tim, breaks up their brief relationship with no explanation, Rowan can't help but take a tiny peek or twelve at the location tracker app they used to find each other on a running trail. Desperate? Sure. But Tim won't answer her calls, and he's been idylling in his car by her current office- a historic mansion on the waterfront. Rowan decides there is no better time to take the dog for a walk; after all- it's an honest mistake if they happen to run into her ex and see what hes up to. Is he on a date?

Halfway through their walk Rowan has a change of heart. She is a confident, successful, woman who does not need to keep tabs on some guy. In a pivotal moment, Rowan deletes the app. Good riddance! Unfortunately, Tim is in his car- dead. Rowan just became the number one suspect.

Readers have no idea the depths of twisty history they are in for with this addictive thriller. Every question is answered with a new question, and after that first moment outside the mansion, perceptions will be irrevocably changed. One star docked because I guessed the ending halfway through the book. If you also did- let's connect on the strange path that got us there!

Thank you Netgalley for providing this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

This is a medium-paced thriller, heavier on character than on action, and a lot of red herrings to keep you guessing. The story was one that kept me in my driveway, unable to walk away to go inside to continue reading. The characters were mostly believable, except one. I find it hard to accept their calm, friendly, chill dog that was always home alone was a Belgian Malinois. Love the breed, but I know how much attention and activity they require, and how smart they are. But really, if that's my worst complaint about the book, that's not bad at all. I was interested in the aspects of renovation, the realistic dynamic between mother and teen daughter, and I think we all expect the entitled, rich, white guys to be mostly awful. I was also fascinated by the whole part about the "wayward girls" in history, and the despicable way that was run. Misogyny in this book is painful and it depicts the generational damage that's done because of this life experience for these young, pregnant women.

As a small point of contention, the title of this book is really bad. Totally irrelevant and dumb. I picture a bunch of dude bros sitting in a room just shouting out macho book titles and randomly assigning them to books.

It was crazy to read this book right after Black Cake to see the similar references to illegal adoptions for babies! All together it started really slow but I thought the ending was really well played out. I also did not really love the characters.

Dying to Meet You by Sarina Bowen is a twisty psychological thriller that explores how well we truly know those around us. The novel follows Rowan Gallagher, a single mother and architect, who becomes entangled in a murder investigation after discovering her ex-boyfriend dead. As she strives to clear her name, Rowan uncovers unsettling secrets that blur the lines between friend and foe. Bowen masterfully crafts a suspenseful narrative with intricate plotting and complex characters, keeping readers riveted until the stunning conclusion.

Domestic thrillers have to have something special for me to enjoy and this one did. Being dumped by her boyfriend was just the beginning of Rowan’s nightmare, as she is soon a suspect in his murder. From process of elimination, I was fairly sure who the killer was, but I didn’t know why, and the killer’s background was also a total surprise because I took the author’s bait and made assumptions. I loved the description of the historic house in Portland, Maine and of the process of the restoration. I really liked Harrison, and while Rowan bugged me at first but by the end of the book I understood why she seemed so aloof and cold.

This was my first by this author and I really enjoyed! One of my favorite sub genres of thrillers are domestic thrillers and the author did a great job here.

What made this one stand out is that the main character, Rowan, and her family had well developed character arcs that kept me invested in them throughout. I loved the second chance romance that was deeply apart of the plot. It added a nice layer that you don’t typically get with thrillers.

The murder mystery kept me guessing, and even though I the real wasn’t one I can’t say I didn’t see coming, I still enjoyed the way it played out! The setting being the restoration of a mansion was also really fun and unique!

Overall I would definitely pick up this author’s future thrillers, and knowing she mainly writes romance, I would be interested in trying those out too! I also have to give mention to this as an audiobook which I thought was unputdownable with multi-cast narrations!

Thank you to Harper and NetGalley for this free early copy!

This book has a really slow build up. Because of this I wasn't a fan. It had a very intriguing premise. But it was just ok and forgettable for me.