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Jill Is Not Happy
Instant USA Today Bestseller
Bonfire of the Vanities meets War of the Roses in this latest thriller from the USA Today bestselling author of Best Day Ever and The Next Wife, in which an ill-fated road trip resurrects a married couple's darkest secrets.
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.
Bonfire of the Vanities meets War of the Roses in this latest thriller from the USA Today bestselling author of Best Day Ever and The Next Wife, in which an ill-fated road trip resurrects a married couple's darkest secrets.
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.
297 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2025
209 people are currently reading
17421 people want to read
About the author
Kaira Rouda
43 books2,885 followersKaira Rouda is a USA TODAY and #1 Amazon and Amazon Charts bestselling author of contemporary fiction exploring beneath the surface of seemingly perfect lives. Her suspense novels include BEST DAY EVER, THE FAVORITE DAUGHTER, ALL THE DIFFERENCE, THE NEXT WIFE, SOMEBODY'S HOME, THE WIDOW, BENEATH THE SURFACE, UNDER THE PALMS, THE SECOND MRS STROM, WHAT THE NANNY SAW and JILL IS NOT HAPPY. Her next novel, WE WERE NEVER FRIENDS, is out February 3, 2026.
She lives in Southern California with her family and is at work on her next novel. Visit her webiste, KairaRouda.com for more. Connect with her on Instagram and Pinterest: @KairaRouda; and on Facebook at Kaira Rouda Books.
If you'd like to host Kaira at your book club, please reach out through her website KairaRouda.com
Sign up to receive a monthly email from Kaira with exclusive sales news, book excerpts, sweepstakes, and giveaways at: kairarouda.com/signup/
She lives in Southern California with her family and is at work on her next novel. Visit her webiste, KairaRouda.com for more. Connect with her on Instagram and Pinterest: @KairaRouda; and on Facebook at Kaira Rouda Books.
If you'd like to host Kaira at your book club, please reach out through her website KairaRouda.com
Sign up to receive a monthly email from Kaira with exclusive sales news, book excerpts, sweepstakes, and giveaways at: kairarouda.com/signup/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 626 reviews
February 22, 2025
Classic Kaira Rouda!
Kaira Rouda gave us the incredible Paul and Mia, seen in Best Day Ever. A Couple I will never forget.
Now let me introduce you to her newest couple, Jack and Jill. Another explosive couple on the verge of collapse. Could a vacation to Utah fix their marriage or are they destined to live out the nursery rhyme?
Let the games begin!
It’s a fun romp into a world of characters we love to hate. Jill, I’m talking to you!
Get ready for a few surprises along the way!
Do you have plans next weekend?
If not, I have the perfect read for you! 🤓📚🍿🥤
Thank you to Edelweiss and Scarlet Publishing
Kaira Rouda gave us the incredible Paul and Mia, seen in Best Day Ever. A Couple I will never forget.
Now let me introduce you to her newest couple, Jack and Jill. Another explosive couple on the verge of collapse. Could a vacation to Utah fix their marriage or are they destined to live out the nursery rhyme?
Let the games begin!
It’s a fun romp into a world of characters we love to hate. Jill, I’m talking to you!
Get ready for a few surprises along the way!
Do you have plans next weekend?
If not, I have the perfect read for you! 🤓📚🍿🥤
Thank you to Edelweiss and Scarlet Publishing
June 8, 2025
Every time I pick up a Kaira Rouda novel, I know that I’m in for plenty of chills and thrills. This time around was no different in the unputdownable tale of domestic suspense, Jill Is Not Happy. With a fast-paced plot, oodles of secrets, and two psychopathic main characters, I was utterly spellbound. You see, Ms. Rouda’s biggest talent is crafting personas that you’ll love to hate all while you root for them from the sidelines. But it was thanks to the first-person narration that I felt like a fly on the wall in this toxic marriage. Honesty, it’s no shock that those of us with Thriller Book Lovers: The Pulse inhaled this bingeable, dread-fueled novel in no time at all.
In addition to her skill at conceiving brilliant, crazy-a** characters, Kaira Rouda is the Queen with a capital Q of deliciously unhinged plot lines and twists. Walking a fine line between over-the-top and realistic—albeit in a delightfully soap-opera-esque way—there’s never a chance of figuring out where one of her storylines is ultimately headed. Yes, I had to suspend all disbelief. Well, sort of. See, I really could see some dark and twisted wife doing everything Jill did and more. Manipulative, devious, and downright deceitful, I loved every scheme on both sides of the aisle. Who was going to win and who was going to lose? All I could do was hold on for dear life.
All said and done, this quick, easy read, which came in at just under 300 pages, was everything I wanted in a popcorn suspense/thriller. With dual timelines and dual POVs, I loved learning the backstory to this unlikeable duo. All I know is that I couldn’t put this book down. Thanks to short chapters and cat-and-mouse antics, the scandalous behavior pulled me in deep. Now I’m just crossing my fingers and toes that this is just book one in a series. After all, there’s so much left up in the air. Don’t get me wrong, the conclusion ended with a nice, little bow, but I’m sure Ms. Rouda has some dastardly plans in store for this pair. Or, at least, I really hope so. Rating of 4.5 stars.
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.
Thank you to Kaira Rouda and Scarlet Suspense for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: June 10, 2025
Content warning: infidelity, fatal hit-and-run, divorce, poisoning, violence, mention of: wildfire, murder
In addition to her skill at conceiving brilliant, crazy-a** characters, Kaira Rouda is the Queen with a capital Q of deliciously unhinged plot lines and twists. Walking a fine line between over-the-top and realistic—albeit in a delightfully soap-opera-esque way—there’s never a chance of figuring out where one of her storylines is ultimately headed. Yes, I had to suspend all disbelief. Well, sort of. See, I really could see some dark and twisted wife doing everything Jill did and more. Manipulative, devious, and downright deceitful, I loved every scheme on both sides of the aisle. Who was going to win and who was going to lose? All I could do was hold on for dear life.
All said and done, this quick, easy read, which came in at just under 300 pages, was everything I wanted in a popcorn suspense/thriller. With dual timelines and dual POVs, I loved learning the backstory to this unlikeable duo. All I know is that I couldn’t put this book down. Thanks to short chapters and cat-and-mouse antics, the scandalous behavior pulled me in deep. Now I’m just crossing my fingers and toes that this is just book one in a series. After all, there’s so much left up in the air. Don’t get me wrong, the conclusion ended with a nice, little bow, but I’m sure Ms. Rouda has some dastardly plans in store for this pair. Or, at least, I really hope so. Rating of 4.5 stars.
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.
Thank you to Kaira Rouda and Scarlet Suspense for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: June 10, 2025
Content warning: infidelity, fatal hit-and-run, divorce, poisoning, violence, mention of: wildfire, murder
June 10, 2025
Jack and Jill are off on what Jill hopes will be a romantic getaway to Utah—a chance to reconnect. But things take a dark turn when an old, deadly secret comes to light and a notebook that could destroy everything.
This is a shorter read, which I appreciated. The characters were easy to follow, though I can’t say I really liked them. Jack came off as a bit of a coward (although he was in abit of a rock and hard place), and Jill was totally deranged (but who doesn't like a bit of a psycho wife). Jack’s got a secret, and now he needs that notebook back from Jill—fast.
What’s meant to be a romantic holiday quickly turns into a web of secrets, lies, and betrayal. I really enjoyed the clever nods to the Jack and Jill nursery rhyme!
It’s fast-paced with a bit of an edge. A solid read—not mind-blowing, but definitely entertaining.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!
This is a shorter read, which I appreciated. The characters were easy to follow, though I can’t say I really liked them. Jack came off as a bit of a coward (although he was in abit of a rock and hard place), and Jill was totally deranged (but who doesn't like a bit of a psycho wife). Jack’s got a secret, and now he needs that notebook back from Jill—fast.
What’s meant to be a romantic holiday quickly turns into a web of secrets, lies, and betrayal. I really enjoyed the clever nods to the Jack and Jill nursery rhyme!
It’s fast-paced with a bit of an edge. A solid read—not mind-blowing, but definitely entertaining.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!
October 27, 2025
With their daughter gone away to college, Jack and Jill Tingley (yes, like the nursery rhyme!) need to get used to being empty nesters. Jill has proposed a road trip to Utah to reconnect and rekindle their relationship. Jack had other plans which didn't include Jill but reluctantly agrees in order to keep Jill from exposing a terrible secret from their past.
I don't read a lot of "popcorn thrillers" but Kaira Rouda hits all the right notes with Jill is Not Happy and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Characters that you love to hate doing mean things to each other - what more could you ask for?! With short snappy chapters it's definitely fast-paced and a quick read. The ending is open-ended so I can definitely see a sequel in Jack and Jill's future! This book reminded me of some of A.R. Torre's novels if you're familiar with them. 3.5 Stars rounded up.
Thank you to Penzler Publishers, via Netgalley, for approving my request to read a digital ARC of this novel. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication Date: June 10, 2025
I don't read a lot of "popcorn thrillers" but Kaira Rouda hits all the right notes with Jill is Not Happy and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Characters that you love to hate doing mean things to each other - what more could you ask for?! With short snappy chapters it's definitely fast-paced and a quick read. The ending is open-ended so I can definitely see a sequel in Jack and Jill's future! This book reminded me of some of A.R. Torre's novels if you're familiar with them. 3.5 Stars rounded up.
Thank you to Penzler Publishers, via Netgalley, for approving my request to read a digital ARC of this novel. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication Date: June 10, 2025
June 21, 2025
Kaira Rouda writes the best psychopaths! Jill is just so awful, think Paul from Best Day Ever, one of my all time favourite thriller books. She just gets worse the more you read and learn about her scheming ways. This book is highly addictive and so entertaining as are all of this authors books
Jill is not happy and you do not want to be on Jill’s bad side. Jack and Jill go on a road trip to Utah. Jill wants to reconnect with her husband, and Jack just wants out. But Jill knows all of his deepest darkest secrets so it is not that easy. I had serious doubts that both of the, would survive this road trip.
A bingeable thriller that is so hard to stop reading.
Thanks so much to Penzler Publishing on NetGalley for my advanced copy of one of my favourite authors books to read. Out on June 10th.
Jill is not happy and you do not want to be on Jill’s bad side. Jack and Jill go on a road trip to Utah. Jill wants to reconnect with her husband, and Jack just wants out. But Jill knows all of his deepest darkest secrets so it is not that easy. I had serious doubts that both of the, would survive this road trip.
A bingeable thriller that is so hard to stop reading.
Thanks so much to Penzler Publishing on NetGalley for my advanced copy of one of my favourite authors books to read. Out on June 10th.
June 4, 2025
Whoa! Kaira Rouda is back at it again with another pulse pounding domestic thriller! Best Day Ever fans are sure to love it!
I don’t read popcorn thrillers that often…. But when I do, I like ‘em juicy with some murder on the side 😍
Jack and Jill have been married for twenty years. Saying their marriage is struggling is putting it lightly. Jill decides they need a trip to Utah to reconnect and bond again.
These two are hiding secrets. They both have discovered them too. Who wins? Who loses? All we know is that Jill Is Not Happy.
I finished this in 24 hours and loved it! I can see a book two in the future. Perfect for fans of domestic popcorn thrillers! This one is a doozy 😍
Thank you to Kaira Rouda, Scarlett and MBC Books for my gifted copy. I can’t wait to meet her next Monday 6/9/25
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I don’t read popcorn thrillers that often…. But when I do, I like ‘em juicy with some murder on the side 😍
Jack and Jill have been married for twenty years. Saying their marriage is struggling is putting it lightly. Jill decides they need a trip to Utah to reconnect and bond again.
These two are hiding secrets. They both have discovered them too. Who wins? Who loses? All we know is that Jill Is Not Happy.
I finished this in 24 hours and loved it! I can see a book two in the future. Perfect for fans of domestic popcorn thrillers! This one is a doozy 😍
Thank you to Kaira Rouda, Scarlett and MBC Books for my gifted copy. I can’t wait to meet her next Monday 6/9/25
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
June 15, 2025
Oh for heavens sakes
June 12, 2025
I will never think of the Jack and Jill nursery rhyme the same. Neither Jack nor Jill can be trusted. They both carry damaging secrets that if revealed may alter their destiny in catastrophic ways for one and glorious ways for the other. Beware of Jill when she is not happy. Strange and sometimes deadly things occur and no one is safe from her wrath. The narrator expertly brought the story to life adding a layer of mystery and a sense of foreboding. There were numerous unexpected twists with a completely unpredictable ending. Thank you, NetGalley and HighBridge Audio for my audiobook.
June 10, 2025
the setup…
Jack and Jill Tingley (yes, it’s cute) have been married since they met in college. To their Southern California world, their marriage is enviable and rock solid. But behind closed doors, they’ve grown apart, especially now that their daughter is off at college. Jill decides that a road trip to Utah will be the thing to reignite their relationship. Jack reluctantly agrees even though he’s got more than one foot out the door having met with a divorce lawyer. He’s only stayed because of a shared deadly secret and you better believe Jill will use that as leverage.
the heart of the story…
You learn early on that Jill is all kinds of cray-cray but the smart, cunning type that does it with a smile. That trip to Utah had danger written all over it, knowing that if Jack fell down that proverbial hill Jill probably pushed him. Throughout the story the secrets of their past are slowly revealed and I got why Jack felt he needed an escape plan.
the narration…
Marnye Young was perfect as Jill, capturing that gleeful veneer covering the diabolical planning. I wish there’d been a second narrator for Jack as it was sometimes hard to distinguish the two. But the storytelling was top notch.
the bottom line…
Get your popcorn ready because this was one hard to tear away psychological ride. Jill is über clever and I was rooting for her to get caught. Every time I thought I knew what was coming she threw a change up and then a curveball. The twists just kept on coming and Jack seemed clueless at times. I had such a good time and nothing prepared me for that ending.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
(Thanks to HighBridge Audio and NetGalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
Jack and Jill Tingley (yes, it’s cute) have been married since they met in college. To their Southern California world, their marriage is enviable and rock solid. But behind closed doors, they’ve grown apart, especially now that their daughter is off at college. Jill decides that a road trip to Utah will be the thing to reignite their relationship. Jack reluctantly agrees even though he’s got more than one foot out the door having met with a divorce lawyer. He’s only stayed because of a shared deadly secret and you better believe Jill will use that as leverage.
the heart of the story…
You learn early on that Jill is all kinds of cray-cray but the smart, cunning type that does it with a smile. That trip to Utah had danger written all over it, knowing that if Jack fell down that proverbial hill Jill probably pushed him. Throughout the story the secrets of their past are slowly revealed and I got why Jack felt he needed an escape plan.
the narration…
Marnye Young was perfect as Jill, capturing that gleeful veneer covering the diabolical planning. I wish there’d been a second narrator for Jack as it was sometimes hard to distinguish the two. But the storytelling was top notch.
the bottom line…
Get your popcorn ready because this was one hard to tear away psychological ride. Jill is über clever and I was rooting for her to get caught. Every time I thought I knew what was coming she threw a change up and then a curveball. The twists just kept on coming and Jack seemed clueless at times. I had such a good time and nothing prepared me for that ending.
Posted on Blue Mood Café
(Thanks to HighBridge Audio and NetGalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
June 2, 2025
Adam and Eve, Dick and Jane, Jack and Jill.
Three famous couples we all know and love.
The names of the two dysfunctional married protagonists in this cat-and-mouse road trip thriller?
Jack and Jill.
Who is the most evil one in this relationship????
And who will outsmart each other?
Kaira Rouda's "Best Day Ever" was one of my best books ever.
This twisty thriller of manipulation, hatred, and revenge shared many similarities with "Best Day Ever."
The phrase "best day ever" was even repeated multiple times in the book.
Yet, this book was not in the same league as "Best Day Ever."
Was it the book's lackluster ending?
Or the number of times my eyeballs rolled?
Not quite sure.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Marnye Young.
Since the book unfolded from the two POVs of Jack and Jill, I would have enjoyed the book much more with male and female narrators.
Although Marnye Young did a superb narration when reading Jill's POV, she never attempted to change her voice for Jack's POV.
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 6, 2025
Jill isn't happy and neither am I. Usually I love a crazy FMC but this character had me rooting for the cheating husband. She took psycho to a new level with her never ending lies and disturbed mind.
What bothered me was the ending. It felt...flat? Like we're hanging on for a sequel that isn't coming. I wanted the husband to get revenge or some sort of growth for the FMC, but instead it ended stuck in the same situation as page 1.
What bothered me was the ending. It felt...flat? Like we're hanging on for a sequel that isn't coming. I wanted the husband to get revenge or some sort of growth for the FMC, but instead it ended stuck in the same situation as page 1.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
July 20, 2025This was a disappointment to me.
June 2, 2025
Jill is Not Happy reads like it desperately wants to be the next Gone Girl, but without any of the layered character work or narrative finesse. The plot is predictable, the twists don’t land, and the protagonist is simply unpleasant and erratic. With virtually no character development, it’s hard to care about anyone or anything that happens. A fast read, but not a satisfying one.
March 19, 2025
Jack and Jill have been together since college. They live a great life, but have drifted apart. Now that their daughter, Maggie, has moved out, Jack wants to end their marriage. But Jill is determined to find the spark they lost along the way. She knows all of Jacks secrets, and she's willing to play dirty if he doesn't do what she wants.
Another brilliant book from this author, with a twist. Usually in thrillers, it's always the husband, right? Well, this time, it's the wife. It left me feeling sorry for Jack and Maggie, and pretty much everyone else who crossed Jill.
This was brilliantly written, and had me flying through the pages. Given the ending, I would love a sequel. A definite must read.
Another brilliant book from this author, with a twist. Usually in thrillers, it's always the husband, right? Well, this time, it's the wife. It left me feeling sorry for Jack and Maggie, and pretty much everyone else who crossed Jill.
This was brilliantly written, and had me flying through the pages. Given the ending, I would love a sequel. A definite must read.
June 28, 2025
Jack & Jill went up a hill..... and killed everyone they knew ☠️
I firmly believe Jill doesn't need a husband, she needs prison... and Jack is a spineless weakling who is also a cheater. I hated both of these hoes.
ty for the ALC libro.fm, this one just wasn't the one i'm srry 😭
I firmly believe Jill doesn't need a husband, she needs prison... and Jack is a spineless weakling who is also a cheater. I hated both of these hoes.
ty for the ALC libro.fm, this one just wasn't the one i'm srry 😭
October 12, 2025
✰ 1.75 stars ✰
That just might be the understatement of the century... no, scratch that, the millennia! 😖 Because if Jill does not have things go the way she wants, then it's sayonara suckers who dare defy her...
Shame Jack had to figure that out the very much-hard way.
“Jack and I used to be perfect, we were.”
And what was up with Jack? WHY was he portrayed so, so reluctant to admit where he was actually in the wrong, so maybe he might have a chance to be free?? At least, of her!!! 😠 Such a push-over, such a weak coward that was so afraid of his own guilt in an act that he could have easily confessed to and ended his torture!!! He kept saying again and again that it was all for the sake of protecting his daughter and the hope that he could have a future finally free of Jill. But was she going to let him go? 🙅🏻♀️
It was never a cat and mouse game, because Jack never ever had the upper hand; because every time he did, she would just threaten or kill and he would aadmit defeat??? 😮💨 She clearly had some screws loose for how childishly behaved. I can't believe Michelle walked away unscathed, cuz god forbid anyone could be friends other than Jill. And I hated that whenever things did not go her way, or when someone actually thwarted her, ms. temper tantrum just threatened. blackmailed. killed. and that is a dangerous concoction, all on its own. 🥺
“We can’t all live in a world of our own making. But I can. I will make him love this world of ours again too.”
I think what also bothered me was that Jack and Jill (I swear, it has forever ruined the nursery rhyme for me, leaving nothing but an unpleasant taste in my mouth) had no personalities other than being each other's partners trapped in a loveless marriage filled with horrible secrets, debilitating nightmares, and lies that was sadly doomed from the start. 🙁 Jill had Jack twisted around her grubby finger so much that he was her hapless puppet, yet it also did not make sense why she was so intent on keeping him. Was it an innate possessive streak that had no answer to it? Where did this obsessive infatuation stem from? Her childhood, which she so resolutely was determined to keep cut off entirely and forever? Did she fail to connect with her daughter, because she saw her as a threat to her time with her husband??
These questions remained unanswered and simply focused on the extremities in which Jill behaved to ensure that Jack would never be free of her. Even that cheap, if not ill-fated attempt by the police was thwarted because Jack failed to grow a spine when he really needed to. 🤦🏻♀️ Manipulative, coercive, murderous intent, she was a despicable being. I also didn't get what was the reason behind the obsessive devil she had become? Is the author blaming her upbringing? Which in a way puts a certain sect in an unfavorable light, which I also don't think is fair? Or was this simply a twisted tale of the nursery rhyme, itself? 🤨
“That’s cruel, Jack. I won’t forget what you’ve done to me, how you’ve hurt me.”
That Jill will come tumbling after, once Jack has been completely broken and still manage to walk away, scat-free. Now that's unpleasant and downright cruel. 🤬 And if there is a modicum of understanding in me, I'll probably chalk it up to why the author depicted the story as such. And yet, it's a bitter, bitter portrayal of how one can't escape your fate, when you're almost willing falling victim to blackmail rather than doing the right thing! which makes it all the more infuriating when things don't turn out with one on top. Which, maybe, was the point; to show how there can be bad endings, too - such as life, when an obsessive stalker does come out as the victor.... 😔
He could have ended it right then and there! It's almost as if he was a masochist, happily helpless to follow her whim, simply for their daughter, which imo felt like a poor excuse later on.
What person in their right mind would stay as a victim to her wicked games!!! His reasoning was so flawed, it's not even funny! I know you'll say he had a valid reason, but it wasn't enough...
“Maybe a normal marriage is about compromise, I think. Not this one.”
Argh, it makes me so angry just remembering!!! 💢💢💢
Points why I am begrudgingly going for a two, when in all significant points favor a lower rating, simply for that --- that --- that horrible ending, unlikable characters, juvenile writing, and terrible execution. 😣
It kept me going. It was fast-paced. It never relented in keeping my attention... It made me rage. and feel so frustrated at Jack's --- not reluctance to fight back, but simply too weak to admit that he was in the wrong. that he'd rather stay with Jill in this hell, than maybe have a chance of freedom by owning up to what has happened. 'I need to get that notebook.' Forget the notebook!!! You have a conscience! Follow it! 😫 And... I was morbidly entertained. 🙆🏻♀️ At one point, I started laughing, uncontrollably!!! Because the plot was so ridiculous and insane, this woman needed to get a life!!! 😭😭
How far gone Jill was in her head and her actions that she had lost all sense, her moral compass was so off the radar - well, if she ever had one to begin with... Her modus operandi was never to let Jack escape her clutches - one that she refused to admit defeat to. The author created a character that I willingly, wholeheartedly, viscerally with every fiber of my being, despised from my gut. She was the epitome of a monstrosity that it feels almost satirical in the efforts of depicting the levels of her depraved mind. 😩
And if I never hear the word, handsome again, I will be very very very happy, because for now...
Amina is not happy. 😒
“Clearly, Jill is not happy.”
That just might be the understatement of the century... no, scratch that, the millennia! 😖 Because if Jill does not have things go the way she wants, then it's sayonara suckers who dare defy her...
Shame Jack had to figure that out the very much-hard way.
“Jack and I used to be perfect, we were.”
And what was up with Jack? WHY was he portrayed so, so reluctant to admit where he was actually in the wrong, so maybe he might have a chance to be free?? At least, of her!!! 😠 Such a push-over, such a weak coward that was so afraid of his own guilt in an act that he could have easily confessed to and ended his torture!!! He kept saying again and again that it was all for the sake of protecting his daughter and the hope that he could have a future finally free of Jill. But was she going to let him go? 🙅🏻♀️
It was never a cat and mouse game, because Jack never ever had the upper hand; because every time he did, she would just threaten or kill and he would aadmit defeat??? 😮💨 She clearly had some screws loose for how childishly behaved. I can't believe Michelle walked away unscathed, cuz god forbid anyone could be friends other than Jill. And I hated that whenever things did not go her way, or when someone actually thwarted her, ms. temper tantrum just threatened. blackmailed. killed. and that is a dangerous concoction, all on its own. 🥺
“We can’t all live in a world of our own making. But I can. I will make him love this world of ours again too.”
I think what also bothered me was that Jack and Jill (I swear, it has forever ruined the nursery rhyme for me, leaving nothing but an unpleasant taste in my mouth) had no personalities other than being each other's partners trapped in a loveless marriage filled with horrible secrets, debilitating nightmares, and lies that was sadly doomed from the start. 🙁 Jill had Jack twisted around her grubby finger so much that he was her hapless puppet, yet it also did not make sense why she was so intent on keeping him. Was it an innate possessive streak that had no answer to it? Where did this obsessive infatuation stem from? Her childhood, which she so resolutely was determined to keep cut off entirely and forever? Did she fail to connect with her daughter, because she saw her as a threat to her time with her husband??
These questions remained unanswered and simply focused on the extremities in which Jill behaved to ensure that Jack would never be free of her. Even that cheap, if not ill-fated attempt by the police was thwarted because Jack failed to grow a spine when he really needed to. 🤦🏻♀️ Manipulative, coercive, murderous intent, she was a despicable being. I also didn't get what was the reason behind the obsessive devil she had become? Is the author blaming her upbringing? Which in a way puts a certain sect in an unfavorable light, which I also don't think is fair? Or was this simply a twisted tale of the nursery rhyme, itself? 🤨
“That’s cruel, Jack. I won’t forget what you’ve done to me, how you’ve hurt me.”
That Jill will come tumbling after, once Jack has been completely broken and still manage to walk away, scat-free. Now that's unpleasant and downright cruel. 🤬 And if there is a modicum of understanding in me, I'll probably chalk it up to why the author depicted the story as such. And yet, it's a bitter, bitter portrayal of how one can't escape your fate, when you're almost willing falling victim to blackmail rather than doing the right thing! which makes it all the more infuriating when things don't turn out with one on top. Which, maybe, was the point; to show how there can be bad endings, too - such as life, when an obsessive stalker does come out as the victor.... 😔
He could have ended it right then and there! It's almost as if he was a masochist, happily helpless to follow her whim, simply for their daughter, which imo felt like a poor excuse later on.
What person in their right mind would stay as a victim to her wicked games!!! His reasoning was so flawed, it's not even funny! I know you'll say he had a valid reason, but it wasn't enough...
“Maybe a normal marriage is about compromise, I think. Not this one.”
Argh, it makes me so angry just remembering!!! 💢💢💢
Points why I am begrudgingly going for a two, when in all significant points favor a lower rating, simply for that --- that --- that horrible ending, unlikable characters, juvenile writing, and terrible execution. 😣
It kept me going. It was fast-paced. It never relented in keeping my attention... It made me rage. and feel so frustrated at Jack's --- not reluctance to fight back, but simply too weak to admit that he was in the wrong. that he'd rather stay with Jill in this hell, than maybe have a chance of freedom by owning up to what has happened. 'I need to get that notebook.' Forget the notebook!!! You have a conscience! Follow it! 😫 And... I was morbidly entertained. 🙆🏻♀️ At one point, I started laughing, uncontrollably!!! Because the plot was so ridiculous and insane, this woman needed to get a life!!! 😭😭
How far gone Jill was in her head and her actions that she had lost all sense, her moral compass was so off the radar - well, if she ever had one to begin with... Her modus operandi was never to let Jack escape her clutches - one that she refused to admit defeat to. The author created a character that I willingly, wholeheartedly, viscerally with every fiber of my being, despised from my gut. She was the epitome of a monstrosity that it feels almost satirical in the efforts of depicting the levels of her depraved mind. 😩
And if I never hear the word, handsome again, I will be very very very happy, because for now...
Amina is not happy. 😒
July 24, 2025
Fucking terrible. Nothing with my name on it should be this fucking terrible. I’m personally insulted. I am not happy.
June 9, 2025
This is a fun cat and most story of perhaps the worst married couple ever, Jack and Jill. The story bounces between the two characters and neither of them is particularly likable. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator did an excellent job bringing the characters to life, especially Jill who narrates much of this story. Jack is cheating on his wife and planning on leaving her. He’s going to break the news on the trip to Utah. Meanwhile Jill has planned their trip to bring them back together even if she has to help things along. The story also bounces around in time showing the beginning of their story and the present. It was a quick read and very fun. A perfect summer beach read thriller.
July 15, 2025
Jill is Not Happy was a decent read overall - entertaining in parts, with a thoroughly wicked antagonist and a few amusing moments as we followed her behavior, however, the ending was underwhelming and felt like something I'd read before - nothing surprising or particularly rewarding. Interestingly, the story felt very reminiscent of Best Day Ever, The Favorite Daughter, and other previous works by this author. At this point, it feels like she's sticking with the same formula. Since I've read several of her earlier novels (and loved Best Day), this one felt too familiar and lacked the freshness and surprise that newer readers might still enjoy. That being said, I think this might be the last book I read by this author. I'm sure this will be one of those outlier reviews that aren't quite as positive, but I had to be honest!
June 4, 2025
I don’t want to be one of those people, but the best word for this audiobook is ‘delicious.’
Main characters, husband and wife Jack and Jill, are both basically horrible people, who did horrible things, who kept me listening and wanting more.
What seems like a simple, unfortunate event led to a lifetime of more unfortunate events and I enjoyed the whole journey. I won’t say more, because discovering is part of the fun, but Jill is Not Happy is basically if You by Caroline Kepnes, and tv show Your Friends and Neighbors created by Jonathan Tropper, had a baby.
I really prefer standalone books so when I say Kaira Rouda better do a second book, that is my highest praise.
I want more.
Main characters, husband and wife Jack and Jill, are both basically horrible people, who did horrible things, who kept me listening and wanting more.
What seems like a simple, unfortunate event led to a lifetime of more unfortunate events and I enjoyed the whole journey. I won’t say more, because discovering is part of the fun, but Jill is Not Happy is basically if You by Caroline Kepnes, and tv show Your Friends and Neighbors created by Jonathan Tropper, had a baby.
I really prefer standalone books so when I say Kaira Rouda better do a second book, that is my highest praise.
I want more.
November 3, 2025
4+ Stars.
Fast paced.
Enjoyable.
Fun.
Definitely worth reading!!!
Fast paced.
Enjoyable.
Fun.
Definitely worth reading!!!
July 5, 2025
4.5 stars. I love Kaira Rouda's books and was so excited to win this one in a Goodreads Giveaway! Jack and Jill are college sweethearts who were meant to be together forever. Secrets from the past have created a very strong bond that was never intended to be broken. But that bond has weakened, and when Jill is not happy the consequences can be deadly. She has a plan to reconnect with her husband, but Jack has ideas of his own. This is a clever cat-and-mouse game, with each one trying to outmaneuver the other. The author is the master of creating devious and diabolical characters we love to hate yet root for just the same, and injecting dark humor into the story to lighten things up a bit. This was a fun, addictive read and the ending is open-ended enough to hint at a possible sequel.
July 17, 2025
Rouda truly excels at crafting a villain you'll love to hate—and surprisingly, keep wanting to read more of their perspective. The book's short chapters and excellent pacing made for a highly engaging read, though I found the ending felt rushed and ultimately somewhat unsatisfying. While the snippets into Jill's past offered some interesting character development, I wished for a clearer connection to her present circumstances, as this wasn't fully explored.
Despite the points I mentioned above that made me rate this less than 5 stars, it was really a well-written book and enjoyable read!
Despite the points I mentioned above that made me rate this less than 5 stars, it was really a well-written book and enjoyable read!
June 29, 2025
I binged this one. Every time I was going to put it down, I convinced myself to read "just one more chapter" and before I knew it, it was 3 am and I was done. Short chapters, alternating POV, dual timelines and psychopathic MCs made for an enjoyable read
March 15, 2025
I always have such a fun time with the authors books, she writes some over the top characters that you love to hate and this book introduces us to two new classic Kaira Rouda characters. Jack and Jill are playing a dangerous game of cat and mouse the entire book and I was hooked on their crazy antics. There are some secrets and surprises along the way too, overall a fun and sometimes silly popcorn read that will keep you entertained over a weekend!
July 14, 2025
1.5. all over the place. same information reiterated over and over and over and over again. nothing is a surprise because we as readers are told about almost everything as soon as a little mystery comes in.
July 2, 2025
Kaitlyn is not happy — not one bit — with that ending.
August 2, 2025
Started out promising but ended up being predictable and boring
June 13, 2025
📌New Review:
Happy Pub Week!🎉🥳
Thank you #partner @librofm for my #gifted ALC copy.
🎧:Jill Is Not Happy
✍️:Kaira Rouda
🖨️:Highbridge Company
📈:4.5⭐️
🩸:Domestic Thriller
📝:”Happiness is an emotion I find to be as elusive as a consistent almond latte—there’s always too much or too little milk in my experience. Why can’t anything be perfect? Jack & I used to be perfect. WE WERE.”
Jack & Jill Tingley—yes, as seemingly perfect as the nursery rhyme—are college sweethearts celebrating over 20 years together. They live a blessed, wealthy life & really couldn’t ask for anything more.
Though, as of late, life hasn’t been so grand. With their only child, Maggie, away at college & left only with eachother they no longer know how to act. Could their perfect facade finally be up?
“We’re good at getting ourselves out of trouble as long as we stick together, that’s the part I’m worried about though—the togetherness.”
Jill derives a plan to “win” her husband back by taking him on a trip to Zion National Park in Utah. But, Jack would rather die than go away with Jill & the funny thing is if he isn’t careful he just might.
“Who knew re-traumatizing someone, dredging up one of the worst things that happened to them & sharing that experience would bring us closer?”
In my opinion, this is Kaira’s best work since “Best Day Ever” which EVERYONE knows has remained one of my top thrillers since 2017! I was HOOKED!
“There really is no other choice. It’s fall back in love with my wife, or lose my life.”
“I hear someone moan…realize it’s me. You are a monster.”
If you’re addicted to pulse-pounding thrillers like I am—this is one game of cat & mouse you won’t want to miss!
“You always hurt the ones you love the most.”
💭Have you ever been in a relationship where you felt like the other person always had to one up you?
🏷️
#librofm #librofmpartner #librofmlisteningsquad #kairarouda #audiobookstagram #audiobooklover #audiobookreview #audiobooksofinstagram #newrelease #newreleasetuesday #newreleasebooks #thrillerbooks #thriller #thrillerbooksaddict #thrillerbookstagram #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookblogger #bookreview #bookblog #beyondoverbooked
Happy Pub Week!🎉🥳
Thank you #partner @librofm for my #gifted ALC copy.
🎧:Jill Is Not Happy
✍️:Kaira Rouda
🖨️:Highbridge Company
📈:4.5⭐️
🩸:Domestic Thriller
📝:”Happiness is an emotion I find to be as elusive as a consistent almond latte—there’s always too much or too little milk in my experience. Why can’t anything be perfect? Jack & I used to be perfect. WE WERE.”
Jack & Jill Tingley—yes, as seemingly perfect as the nursery rhyme—are college sweethearts celebrating over 20 years together. They live a blessed, wealthy life & really couldn’t ask for anything more.
Though, as of late, life hasn’t been so grand. With their only child, Maggie, away at college & left only with eachother they no longer know how to act. Could their perfect facade finally be up?
“We’re good at getting ourselves out of trouble as long as we stick together, that’s the part I’m worried about though—the togetherness.”
Jill derives a plan to “win” her husband back by taking him on a trip to Zion National Park in Utah. But, Jack would rather die than go away with Jill & the funny thing is if he isn’t careful he just might.
“Who knew re-traumatizing someone, dredging up one of the worst things that happened to them & sharing that experience would bring us closer?”
In my opinion, this is Kaira’s best work since “Best Day Ever” which EVERYONE knows has remained one of my top thrillers since 2017! I was HOOKED!
“There really is no other choice. It’s fall back in love with my wife, or lose my life.”
“I hear someone moan…realize it’s me. You are a monster.”
If you’re addicted to pulse-pounding thrillers like I am—this is one game of cat & mouse you won’t want to miss!
“You always hurt the ones you love the most.”
💭Have you ever been in a relationship where you felt like the other person always had to one up you?
🏷️
#librofm #librofmpartner #librofmlisteningsquad #kairarouda #audiobookstagram #audiobooklover #audiobookreview #audiobooksofinstagram #newrelease #newreleasetuesday #newreleasebooks #thrillerbooks #thriller #thrillerbooksaddict #thrillerbookstagram #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookblogger #bookreview #bookblog #beyondoverbooked
July 9, 2025
A couple on a road trip grapple with marital troubles and powerful dysfunction in Kaira Rouda’s latest psychological thriller. Her characters are intense and completely unpredictable and the story is entertaining in a dark way. For fans of Shari Lapena and Wendy Walker.
Many thanks to Netgalley, Edelweiss, Scarlet and Kaira Rouda for my complimentary e-book ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Many thanks to Netgalley, Edelweiss, Scarlet and Kaira Rouda for my complimentary e-book ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
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