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Good Girls Die Bored: A Novel
Meet Juno A proud veteran turned reluctant bodyguard, tough as nails and one of a kind. Her first job? Trying to protect an outspoken journalist whose only loyalty is to her own ambition.
A sharp, utterly original mystery with a heroine whose voice will stay with you long past the thrilling twist ending, from the acclaimed author of Dear Daughter . . .
Juno Hardwick hates Los Angeles. She hates the traffic, she hates the housing prices, and she hates the way no one takes her seriously because she’s doesn’t look like Demi Moore in G.I. Jane. Honestly, she’s counting the days until she can get the hell out. But until her grieving sister’s able to take care of herself, Juno’s stuck in Southern California, and it’s up to her to make ends meet.
When her best friend begs her to help out on a high-profile security detail, Juno is quietly thrilled to have the chance to do something more meaningful than bounce drunks from a bar. But then she finds out who she’s Maelle Ruiz, an investigative journalist whose reckless disregard for national security protocols led to the deaths of three of Juno’s fellow Marines.
Even though their personalities are as incompatible as their beliefs, Juno’s not one to walk away from her commitments, and she’s determined to do whatever it takes to keep Maelle safe.
But while Juno’s used to dealing with enemies on the battlefield, she’s not prepared for traitors in her midst, and with threats coming from all directions, Juno has to dig deep and challenge everything she knows—not just to protect her client, but to protect herself.
A sharp, utterly original mystery with a heroine whose voice will stay with you long past the thrilling twist ending, from the acclaimed author of Dear Daughter . . .
Juno Hardwick hates Los Angeles. She hates the traffic, she hates the housing prices, and she hates the way no one takes her seriously because she’s doesn’t look like Demi Moore in G.I. Jane. Honestly, she’s counting the days until she can get the hell out. But until her grieving sister’s able to take care of herself, Juno’s stuck in Southern California, and it’s up to her to make ends meet.
When her best friend begs her to help out on a high-profile security detail, Juno is quietly thrilled to have the chance to do something more meaningful than bounce drunks from a bar. But then she finds out who she’s Maelle Ruiz, an investigative journalist whose reckless disregard for national security protocols led to the deaths of three of Juno’s fellow Marines.
Even though their personalities are as incompatible as their beliefs, Juno’s not one to walk away from her commitments, and she’s determined to do whatever it takes to keep Maelle safe.
But while Juno’s used to dealing with enemies on the battlefield, she’s not prepared for traitors in her midst, and with threats coming from all directions, Juno has to dig deep and challenge everything she knows—not just to protect her client, but to protect herself.
448 pages, Hardcover
Published August 4, 2026
About the author
Elizabeth Little
7 books462 followersElizabeth Little is the bestselling author of Dear Daughter, Pretty as a Picture, and two works of nonfiction. Her crime fiction has been nominated for the Barry, Macavity, and CWA John Creasey Debut dagger awards, and she received the Strand Critics Award for Best First Novel. Her latest novel, Pretty as a Picture, was a Barnes and Noble monthly pick and a Los Angeles Times and Publishers Weekly bestseller. Her writing has also appeared in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, McSweeney’s, and the Los Angeles Review of Books, among other publications. Her next novel will be published by Bantam in 2025.
Elizabeth lives in Los Angeles with her family.
Elizabeth lives in Los Angeles with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
September 12, 2026
4 stars⭐️s
I requested this one solely based on the title and cover, without even bothering to read the blurb or any reviews.
Former Marine Juno Hardwick hates Los Angeles and her current job as a bouncer at a bikini bar. Unfortunately, she’s struggling to make ends meet and can’t leave Southern California until her grieving sister is able to take care of herself again.
When her best friend offers her a job helping with high-profile security detail, Juno reluctantly agrees. It isn’t until after she signs the NDA that she learns the client is Maelle Ruiz, an investigative journalist whose reckless disregard for national security protocols led to the deaths of three of Juno’s fellow Marines.
Her new coworkers are a ragtag bunch, ranging from an ex-Navy SEAL to a failed actress to a brilliant engineer. The only problem is, Juno has no idea which of them she can actually trust.
Juno is high-strung, realistically flawed, rough around the edges, and tends to follow her gut. I can see why some readers might not find her particularly likable or sympathetic, but I actually really liked her and found myself rooting for her.
While I’ve seen this labeled as a thriller, it doesn’t really feel like one until maybe toward the end, so I think going in expecting a true thriller could lead to some disappointment. I’d describe it more as suspenseful crime fiction with a mystery element.
Even though this one requires a decent amount of suspension of disbelief, it was still an entertaining read. This was my first Elizabeth Little novel, but I’ll definitely be on the lookout for whatever she writes next.
Now available! My thanks to Ballantine/Bantam via NetGalley and the author for my digital ARC.
I requested this one solely based on the title and cover, without even bothering to read the blurb or any reviews.
Former Marine Juno Hardwick hates Los Angeles and her current job as a bouncer at a bikini bar. Unfortunately, she’s struggling to make ends meet and can’t leave Southern California until her grieving sister is able to take care of herself again.
When her best friend offers her a job helping with high-profile security detail, Juno reluctantly agrees. It isn’t until after she signs the NDA that she learns the client is Maelle Ruiz, an investigative journalist whose reckless disregard for national security protocols led to the deaths of three of Juno’s fellow Marines.
Her new coworkers are a ragtag bunch, ranging from an ex-Navy SEAL to a failed actress to a brilliant engineer. The only problem is, Juno has no idea which of them she can actually trust.
Juno is high-strung, realistically flawed, rough around the edges, and tends to follow her gut. I can see why some readers might not find her particularly likable or sympathetic, but I actually really liked her and found myself rooting for her.
While I’ve seen this labeled as a thriller, it doesn’t really feel like one until maybe toward the end, so I think going in expecting a true thriller could lead to some disappointment. I’d describe it more as suspenseful crime fiction with a mystery element.
Even though this one requires a decent amount of suspension of disbelief, it was still an entertaining read. This was my first Elizabeth Little novel, but I’ll definitely be on the lookout for whatever she writes next.
Now available! My thanks to Ballantine/Bantam via NetGalley and the author for my digital ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
“You can’t always change how people see you. But that doesn’t mean I’m not still compelled to try.”
That line perfectly captures Juno Hardwick, the prickly, fiercely competent heroine at the center of Good Girls Die Bored.
Juno is a former Marine who has little patience for Los Angeles—or for people in general. After getting fired from her job as a nightclub bouncer, she reluctantly accepts an assignment with a boutique security firm run by her friend Min, whom she met while they were both serving overseas. Their mission is simple enough: provide security for an unnamed celebrity at a high-profile charity event. Naturally, nothing goes according to plan.
What begins as a straightforward security detail quickly spirals into an ambitious, twist-filled adventure thriller packed with surveillance technology, elaborate security planning, shifting alliances, and plenty of unexpected turns. This isn’t a dark or especially violent thriller. Instead, it feels more like a clever caper, reminding me of Ocean’s 13 with the razor-sharp wit and female-driven energy of Killing Eve.
The biggest highlight for me was Elizabeth Little’s writing. The dialogue absolutely sparkles. Juno and Min have the kind of effortless banter that makes you feel like you’re hanging out with your funniest, most sarcastic friends. Even the supporting characters get memorable moments, and the humor gives the novel a freshness that sets it apart from many thrillers.
I also appreciated how many capable, complicated women populate this story. Juno isn’t always the easiest protagonist to love, but she’s authentic, vulnerable beneath the armor, and impossible not to root for.
My biggest hurdle was simply keeping everything straight. Between the large cast, extensive security jargon, and numerous moving parts, I occasionally found myself losing track of who was who and how everyone fit into the operation. The novel also spends a considerable amount of time laying the groundwork before the action truly begins. While that setup ultimately pays off, I think the story could have been even stronger with a little trimming. At just over 400 pages, it occasionally felt longer than necessary.
If you enjoy witty thrillers, sharp dialogue, strong female friendships, and elaborate capers that slowly spiral into complete chaos, I think this one is well worth picking up.
★★★★☆ (4/5)
Thank you to Bantam Books for the review copy. Good Girls Die Bored publishes August 4, 2026.
That line perfectly captures Juno Hardwick, the prickly, fiercely competent heroine at the center of Good Girls Die Bored.
Juno is a former Marine who has little patience for Los Angeles—or for people in general. After getting fired from her job as a nightclub bouncer, she reluctantly accepts an assignment with a boutique security firm run by her friend Min, whom she met while they were both serving overseas. Their mission is simple enough: provide security for an unnamed celebrity at a high-profile charity event. Naturally, nothing goes according to plan.
What begins as a straightforward security detail quickly spirals into an ambitious, twist-filled adventure thriller packed with surveillance technology, elaborate security planning, shifting alliances, and plenty of unexpected turns. This isn’t a dark or especially violent thriller. Instead, it feels more like a clever caper, reminding me of Ocean’s 13 with the razor-sharp wit and female-driven energy of Killing Eve.
The biggest highlight for me was Elizabeth Little’s writing. The dialogue absolutely sparkles. Juno and Min have the kind of effortless banter that makes you feel like you’re hanging out with your funniest, most sarcastic friends. Even the supporting characters get memorable moments, and the humor gives the novel a freshness that sets it apart from many thrillers.
I also appreciated how many capable, complicated women populate this story. Juno isn’t always the easiest protagonist to love, but she’s authentic, vulnerable beneath the armor, and impossible not to root for.
My biggest hurdle was simply keeping everything straight. Between the large cast, extensive security jargon, and numerous moving parts, I occasionally found myself losing track of who was who and how everyone fit into the operation. The novel also spends a considerable amount of time laying the groundwork before the action truly begins. While that setup ultimately pays off, I think the story could have been even stronger with a little trimming. At just over 400 pages, it occasionally felt longer than necessary.
If you enjoy witty thrillers, sharp dialogue, strong female friendships, and elaborate capers that slowly spiral into complete chaos, I think this one is well worth picking up.
★★★★☆ (4/5)
Thank you to Bantam Books for the review copy. Good Girls Die Bored publishes August 4, 2026.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Juno Hardwick is having the kind of year that would make most people fake their own death and start over in a beach town. A year ago she was helping shape national security policy. Now she's sleeping on her sister's couch and working as a bouncer at a bikini bar, which feels less like a career pivot and more like life throwing a folding chair directly at your face. So when her best friend Min offers her a security gig protecting a famous investigative journalist at a fancy museum gala, Juno understandably says yes, because nothing bad has ever happened in a thriller that starts with "it's a straightforward job."
What follows is basically the world's least reassuring group project. Juno gets thrown onto a security team that looks qualified on paper but somehow feels like everyone met fifteen minutes ago in the parking lot. There's an ex-SEAL, an engineer, a former actress, a retired FBI agent who seems personally offended by Juno's existence, and a client whose entire career revolves around exposing secrets while very aggressively collecting a few of her own. Every conversation feels like someone is hiding a second conversation underneath it.
The thing I loved most here is Juno. She's smart, capable, funny, and absolutely not doing great. Which is honestly refreshing. Too many thrillers give us hyper-competent action heroes who can disarm a bomb while processing childhood trauma and maintaining perfect posture. Juno is grieving, self-sabotaging, suspicious of everyone, and trying desperately to figure out who she is after her life imploded. She's still good at her job, but she's messy in that deeply human way where you keep wanting to shake her and hug her at the same time.
Min might be one of my favorite characters purely because every scene with her made me narrow my eyes like I was watching a reality show reunion special. Their friendship is the emotional engine of the book, and Elizabeth Little does a great job capturing that weird thing where someone can be your safest person and the person most capable of wrecking your entire week. Every time Min appeared, I felt like I was opening a text that starts with "don't be mad."
The mystery itself is delightfully slippery. Every time I thought I'd figured out what was actually happening, the book politely took my theory, folded it into a paper airplane, and launched it out a window. There are betrayals, secrets, shifting loyalties, and enough paranoia to make everyone start checking air vents for hidden microphones. The tension works because nobody feels entirely trustworthy, including some of the people we're supposed to trust most.
What surprised me was how funny the book is. Not in a joke-machine way, but in that dry, exhausted sense of humor people develop when they've seen entirely too much nonsense. The dialogue snaps. The character interactions feel sharp and lived-in. Even when things get dangerous, there's this underlying awareness that human beings remain deeply ridiculous. It gives the story personality beyond the action and twists.
The only thing keeping this from five stars for me is that some of the operational details occasionally threatened to become homework. Not enough to lose me, but there were moments where my brain gently tapped out and said, "I trust that someone knows what this equipment does." Thankfully the characters always pulled me back in before I could drift too far.
Mostly, though, this is a thriller about trust. About what happens when the person you've built your life around might not be telling you the whole truth. About grief turning your internal compass into a broken GPS. About trying to become yourself again after losing the version of yourself you thought was permanent. It sneaks those emotional punches in between all the action and suspicion, which is exactly how I like my thrillers.
I had a great time with Good Girls Die Bored. It's twisty, funny, smart, packed with messy people making questionable decisions, and anchored by a heroine I would absolutely read about again. A very easy four stars from me.
Whodunity Award: For Making Me Suspect Every Single Person in the Security Detail, Including the Ones Who Were Literally There to Prevent Suspicious Activity
And a huge thank you to Ballantine and NetGalley for the ARC. You once again handed me a book full of trust issues, bad decisions, and people lying professionally, which is apparently one of my favorite genres.
What follows is basically the world's least reassuring group project. Juno gets thrown onto a security team that looks qualified on paper but somehow feels like everyone met fifteen minutes ago in the parking lot. There's an ex-SEAL, an engineer, a former actress, a retired FBI agent who seems personally offended by Juno's existence, and a client whose entire career revolves around exposing secrets while very aggressively collecting a few of her own. Every conversation feels like someone is hiding a second conversation underneath it.
The thing I loved most here is Juno. She's smart, capable, funny, and absolutely not doing great. Which is honestly refreshing. Too many thrillers give us hyper-competent action heroes who can disarm a bomb while processing childhood trauma and maintaining perfect posture. Juno is grieving, self-sabotaging, suspicious of everyone, and trying desperately to figure out who she is after her life imploded. She's still good at her job, but she's messy in that deeply human way where you keep wanting to shake her and hug her at the same time.
Min might be one of my favorite characters purely because every scene with her made me narrow my eyes like I was watching a reality show reunion special. Their friendship is the emotional engine of the book, and Elizabeth Little does a great job capturing that weird thing where someone can be your safest person and the person most capable of wrecking your entire week. Every time Min appeared, I felt like I was opening a text that starts with "don't be mad."
The mystery itself is delightfully slippery. Every time I thought I'd figured out what was actually happening, the book politely took my theory, folded it into a paper airplane, and launched it out a window. There are betrayals, secrets, shifting loyalties, and enough paranoia to make everyone start checking air vents for hidden microphones. The tension works because nobody feels entirely trustworthy, including some of the people we're supposed to trust most.
What surprised me was how funny the book is. Not in a joke-machine way, but in that dry, exhausted sense of humor people develop when they've seen entirely too much nonsense. The dialogue snaps. The character interactions feel sharp and lived-in. Even when things get dangerous, there's this underlying awareness that human beings remain deeply ridiculous. It gives the story personality beyond the action and twists.
The only thing keeping this from five stars for me is that some of the operational details occasionally threatened to become homework. Not enough to lose me, but there were moments where my brain gently tapped out and said, "I trust that someone knows what this equipment does." Thankfully the characters always pulled me back in before I could drift too far.
Mostly, though, this is a thriller about trust. About what happens when the person you've built your life around might not be telling you the whole truth. About grief turning your internal compass into a broken GPS. About trying to become yourself again after losing the version of yourself you thought was permanent. It sneaks those emotional punches in between all the action and suspicion, which is exactly how I like my thrillers.
I had a great time with Good Girls Die Bored. It's twisty, funny, smart, packed with messy people making questionable decisions, and anchored by a heroine I would absolutely read about again. A very easy four stars from me.
Whodunity Award: For Making Me Suspect Every Single Person in the Security Detail, Including the Ones Who Were Literally There to Prevent Suspicious Activity
And a huge thank you to Ballantine and NetGalley for the ARC. You once again handed me a book full of trust issues, bad decisions, and people lying professionally, which is apparently one of my favorite genres.
September 14, 2026
wow, i'm blown away. this book is whip-smart, funny, and one-of-a-kind. the espionage elements are so well-done and well-researched. amidst the spying and secrecy, readers get a high speed chase, multiple shootouts, and secret hideouts, keeping them guessing until the very end who they can trust. and, the finale taking place in a museum with a calculated, scientific escape unlike anything i have ever seen, read or could've conjured up myself makes this so cerebral and visually satisfying. imagining the setting and how everything comes together was the cherry on top of a thrilling, clever reading experience. not to mention, we get a bit of a love story in between all of this a la mr. and mrs. smith.
highly recommend for fans of spy novels with contemporary elements and humorous main characters you can't help but root for.
highly recommend for fans of spy novels with contemporary elements and humorous main characters you can't help but root for.
September 24, 2026
A warrior returned to normal life, a cohort of ex-colleagues, some troubled family members and various mysterious characters - this is the foundation for the Bad Girls action thriller. Rollicking.
September 29, 2026
Thank you Penguin Random House for the arc via netgalley. I have been wanting to read this author for awhile. Glad I finally did. I loved the strong female characters in this book. And Harry and Ethan too. Great mystery that keeps you guessing. We need a sequel with Juno and Ethan and Cassie and Harry. More adventures are needed.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
2.75
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for the advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
I have really mixed feelings about this one. There were moments where I thought it could end up being a 3.5, but it dragged too much for me to rate it any higher than I did.
The premise immediately caught my attention because it had so much potential, but unfortunately, as the story went on, I found myself getting more and more disengaged until the very end when things finally started to come together. By that point, I was basically forcing myself to get there. This book honestly would've benefited from being about 100 pages shorter.
Strong female characters are always something I enjoy seeing at the center of a story, but my biggest issue was the pacing and the oversaturation of certain scenes. There was so much dialogue that felt unnecessary, and the technical details about the security work slowed things down even more. Even when the action finally picked up in the last quarter, it still felt like it dragged.
This is one of those stories I honestly think I would enjoy more as a movie than as a book. Watching the action unfold on screen would probably keep the momentum going, whereas reading pages of back and forth conversations made it feel much slower than an action thriller should.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for the advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
I have really mixed feelings about this one. There were moments where I thought it could end up being a 3.5, but it dragged too much for me to rate it any higher than I did.
The premise immediately caught my attention because it had so much potential, but unfortunately, as the story went on, I found myself getting more and more disengaged until the very end when things finally started to come together. By that point, I was basically forcing myself to get there. This book honestly would've benefited from being about 100 pages shorter.
Strong female characters are always something I enjoy seeing at the center of a story, but my biggest issue was the pacing and the oversaturation of certain scenes. There was so much dialogue that felt unnecessary, and the technical details about the security work slowed things down even more. Even when the action finally picked up in the last quarter, it still felt like it dragged.
This is one of those stories I honestly think I would enjoy more as a movie than as a book. Watching the action unfold on screen would probably keep the momentum going, whereas reading pages of back and forth conversations made it feel much slower than an action thriller should.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Good Girls Die Bored by Elizabeth Little is a highly recommended thriller which opens with: "My name’s Juno Hardwick—and I’m here to save your life."
Juno is an ex–military intelligence officer who is now working as a private security specialist in LA. As she would tell you, "one woman's generalized anxiety disorder is this woman's superior situational awareness." Currently that means she is using her skills as a bouncer at Mr. Tansuman's bikini bar. She also cares for and stays with her sister Cassie, a tech specialist, at her home in Altadina. Cassie is in the midst of a breakdown/deep depression brought on by their father's death. Juno is watching a suspicious customer along with bartender Danny when Min-jung Ecklund, ex-CIA officer and her friend, shows up at the bar.
Min owns and runs a security firm with Gabe Haddad, formerly with the FBI. She wants to hire Juno to assist with a 3-day job at a charity gala. Circumstances open up her availability and Juno accepts the offer because she needs the paycheck. She joins her new teammates, Harry, Ethan, and Bianca to assist Min and Gabe on the job. They will be protecting first Amendment rights advocate and Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Maelle Ruiz, who brings her own team that are filming all of them for a documentary. It becomes clear immediately that they are not prepared for this job, which quickly becomes more dangerous and escalates from there.
This well-written thriller is a highly character based and all the characters are portrayed as fully-realized unique individuals bring their own set of special skills and secrets to the job. Juno is the character who holds the whole novel together. She may not always be likeable, but you will understand that she is irascible, excels at situational awareness, is highly intuitive, has superior observational skills, and is trained in physical combat. You will also understand that Juno is the only character you can trust. She is highly flawed, but trustworthy.
This action-packed thriller starts out moving. When the security detail is in place and on the job it becomes clear that they aren't as prepared as they should be and the tension begins. As the action hits a high-octane pace, it keeps moving right up to the multiple surprising twists at the end. In some incidences toward the end the pace is so fast moving you may lose track of motives. The tension remains throughout due to immediate threats. Sometimes the threats are combined with suspicion over the motives of team members. The final denouement surprised me. It would be wonderful to see Juno explode on the scene into another security detail someday, perhaps with the narrative tightened up a bit.
Good Girls Die Bored is a great choice for readers who appreciate fast-paced thrillers with a very flawed, but capable main character. Thanks to Ballentine for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2026/0...
Juno is an ex–military intelligence officer who is now working as a private security specialist in LA. As she would tell you, "one woman's generalized anxiety disorder is this woman's superior situational awareness." Currently that means she is using her skills as a bouncer at Mr. Tansuman's bikini bar. She also cares for and stays with her sister Cassie, a tech specialist, at her home in Altadina. Cassie is in the midst of a breakdown/deep depression brought on by their father's death. Juno is watching a suspicious customer along with bartender Danny when Min-jung Ecklund, ex-CIA officer and her friend, shows up at the bar.
Min owns and runs a security firm with Gabe Haddad, formerly with the FBI. She wants to hire Juno to assist with a 3-day job at a charity gala. Circumstances open up her availability and Juno accepts the offer because she needs the paycheck. She joins her new teammates, Harry, Ethan, and Bianca to assist Min and Gabe on the job. They will be protecting first Amendment rights advocate and Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Maelle Ruiz, who brings her own team that are filming all of them for a documentary. It becomes clear immediately that they are not prepared for this job, which quickly becomes more dangerous and escalates from there.
This well-written thriller is a highly character based and all the characters are portrayed as fully-realized unique individuals bring their own set of special skills and secrets to the job. Juno is the character who holds the whole novel together. She may not always be likeable, but you will understand that she is irascible, excels at situational awareness, is highly intuitive, has superior observational skills, and is trained in physical combat. You will also understand that Juno is the only character you can trust. She is highly flawed, but trustworthy.
This action-packed thriller starts out moving. When the security detail is in place and on the job it becomes clear that they aren't as prepared as they should be and the tension begins. As the action hits a high-octane pace, it keeps moving right up to the multiple surprising twists at the end. In some incidences toward the end the pace is so fast moving you may lose track of motives. The tension remains throughout due to immediate threats. Sometimes the threats are combined with suspicion over the motives of team members. The final denouement surprised me. It would be wonderful to see Juno explode on the scene into another security detail someday, perhaps with the narrative tightened up a bit.
Good Girls Die Bored is a great choice for readers who appreciate fast-paced thrillers with a very flawed, but capable main character. Thanks to Ballentine for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2026/0...
August 4, 2026
Always using her gut instincts proves problematic
No one is ever going to accuse Juno of being a "good girl". She is, however, a highly trained former military operator with extensive training and experience in intelligence whose once promising career has hit a road block. Her father died, her mother is institutionalized, her sister' Cassie's mental health has been negatively impacted by coping with the situation (she is more or less catatonic), and Juno has moved to LA to live with and care for Cassie, working at a local ("bikini") bar as a bouncer to pay the bills. Her instincts and training (as well as a deep-seated need to fix problems that need addressing) are causing problems at the bar...the boss isn't too happy at her for singling out sleazy customers for removal...and her latest endeavor in that regard has resulted in her getting a pink slip. Enter her best friend Min, a former CIA operative Juno met in her military intelligence days who now runs a private security agency, with the offer of a one-and-done job. Juno isn't big on pity job offers, but she needs the money and Min swears its a straightforward gig protecting Maelle Ruiz, a well-known if at times controversial investigative journalist. Something about it doesn't feel right to Juno once she gets started; the timeframe for preparation is far too short, the group doesn't seem cohesive enough to be effective, and either Min and her partner are withholding relevant information from the group or Maelle and the documentary crew attached to her are. As the gala event at which Juno and her team are to protect Maelle gets closer, Juno has to deal not only with her personal issues but with threats and betrayals from within and without.
Good Girls Die Bored is a thriller that features a strong if flawed female protagonist who kicks a## and makes no apologies for it. Juno is inclined to trust her instincts over following instructions, which makes her a less than ideal employee from a supervisor's point of view but also someone who isn't afraid to take action when she deems it necessary. She and the surrounding cast of characters are intriguingly quirky, although their relationships are complex, and there is a darkly humorous tone to the narrative which makes for a fun twist on a thriller set in the world of intelligence and security. At times the sheer number of characters feels a bit too much (maybe author Elizabeth Little is setting this up as the beginning of a series?) which can make keeping track of them a bit unwieldy for the reader. Lots of twists and turns to navigate, again maybe a few more than is strictly necessary, but overall I enjoyed the acerbic Juno and her determination to accomplish the job she accepted even as things unravel all around her. Fans of the author as well as readers of Lisa Unger, Kellye Garrett, and Mick Herron might enjoy this high-stakes caper novel. My thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine/Bantam Books for allowing me access to the book in exchange for my honest review.
No one is ever going to accuse Juno of being a "good girl". She is, however, a highly trained former military operator with extensive training and experience in intelligence whose once promising career has hit a road block. Her father died, her mother is institutionalized, her sister' Cassie's mental health has been negatively impacted by coping with the situation (she is more or less catatonic), and Juno has moved to LA to live with and care for Cassie, working at a local ("bikini") bar as a bouncer to pay the bills. Her instincts and training (as well as a deep-seated need to fix problems that need addressing) are causing problems at the bar...the boss isn't too happy at her for singling out sleazy customers for removal...and her latest endeavor in that regard has resulted in her getting a pink slip. Enter her best friend Min, a former CIA operative Juno met in her military intelligence days who now runs a private security agency, with the offer of a one-and-done job. Juno isn't big on pity job offers, but she needs the money and Min swears its a straightforward gig protecting Maelle Ruiz, a well-known if at times controversial investigative journalist. Something about it doesn't feel right to Juno once she gets started; the timeframe for preparation is far too short, the group doesn't seem cohesive enough to be effective, and either Min and her partner are withholding relevant information from the group or Maelle and the documentary crew attached to her are. As the gala event at which Juno and her team are to protect Maelle gets closer, Juno has to deal not only with her personal issues but with threats and betrayals from within and without.
Good Girls Die Bored is a thriller that features a strong if flawed female protagonist who kicks a## and makes no apologies for it. Juno is inclined to trust her instincts over following instructions, which makes her a less than ideal employee from a supervisor's point of view but also someone who isn't afraid to take action when she deems it necessary. She and the surrounding cast of characters are intriguingly quirky, although their relationships are complex, and there is a darkly humorous tone to the narrative which makes for a fun twist on a thriller set in the world of intelligence and security. At times the sheer number of characters feels a bit too much (maybe author Elizabeth Little is setting this up as the beginning of a series?) which can make keeping track of them a bit unwieldy for the reader. Lots of twists and turns to navigate, again maybe a few more than is strictly necessary, but overall I enjoyed the acerbic Juno and her determination to accomplish the job she accepted even as things unravel all around her. Fans of the author as well as readers of Lisa Unger, Kellye Garrett, and Mick Herron might enjoy this high-stakes caper novel. My thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine/Bantam Books for allowing me access to the book in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Juno Hardwick is a difficult character to love (heck, make that a hard one to just like). She’s a hard-nosed military veteran who’s seen – and probably participated in – it all. Now, she’s working as a sort of bouncer in a Southern California bikini bar, often getting herself in trouble for bouncing the customers she’s charged with bouncing off the wall a little too hard. She’s trying to save up enough money to get out on her own, but that’s not likely to happen anytime soon. Meanwhile, she’s also the caretaker for her tech-savvy sister Cassie, whose bipolar disorder gives her far more bad days than good.
In the midst of a rather nasty encounter with a suspicious character, she runs into Min-jung Eckland, a good friend she met during their combat years. Min now operates her own boutique security firm with another of her friends, Gabe Haddad. But she’s in this bar, at this time, to hire Juno to help protect Maelle Ruiz, a so-called investigative journalist – and a person Juno detests based on past interactions. The woman will need protection, Min says, for a three-day convention-style event.
Security in a situation like that wouldn’t be easy under any circumstances, but the fact that Gabe and Min are fighting and the business is in danger of shutting down adds even more unwanted details to the job, at least as far as Juno is concerned. An even more unwelcome detail is that Juno also is expected to partner up with another security guard named Ethan, a guy with whom Juno once had a relationship that didn’t exactly end well.
The story follows the team’s efforts to protect a journalist who’s burned more than one bridge during her career – all the while dealing with security leaks that increasingly seem to be coming from inside their circle of co-workers, family and friends. No one, it seems, can be fully trusted, but who, really, is the culprit and what, exactly, is he or she trying to accomplish? More to the point, who are they really after? Clearly, Juno must find the answers to those questions soon – or she may not live to get them at all.
Overall, the story held my attention and captured my interest, though as I hinted early on, the main character – and for that matter, most of the others – aren’t very likable. It’s a good bet for a summer beach read (or maybe a winter-by-the-fireplace), and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to get to know a new-to-me author.
In the midst of a rather nasty encounter with a suspicious character, she runs into Min-jung Eckland, a good friend she met during their combat years. Min now operates her own boutique security firm with another of her friends, Gabe Haddad. But she’s in this bar, at this time, to hire Juno to help protect Maelle Ruiz, a so-called investigative journalist – and a person Juno detests based on past interactions. The woman will need protection, Min says, for a three-day convention-style event.
Security in a situation like that wouldn’t be easy under any circumstances, but the fact that Gabe and Min are fighting and the business is in danger of shutting down adds even more unwanted details to the job, at least as far as Juno is concerned. An even more unwelcome detail is that Juno also is expected to partner up with another security guard named Ethan, a guy with whom Juno once had a relationship that didn’t exactly end well.
The story follows the team’s efforts to protect a journalist who’s burned more than one bridge during her career – all the while dealing with security leaks that increasingly seem to be coming from inside their circle of co-workers, family and friends. No one, it seems, can be fully trusted, but who, really, is the culprit and what, exactly, is he or she trying to accomplish? More to the point, who are they really after? Clearly, Juno must find the answers to those questions soon – or she may not live to get them at all.
Overall, the story held my attention and captured my interest, though as I hinted early on, the main character – and for that matter, most of the others – aren’t very likable. It’s a good bet for a summer beach read (or maybe a winter-by-the-fireplace), and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to get to know a new-to-me author.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
In “Good Girls Die Bored,” by Elizabeth Little, Juno Hardwick, a former Marine who served in Helmand Province is recruited by her friend, Min Ecklund, who owns a boutique security firm, to assist in providing security for an unnamed celebrity at a charity gala. Juno met Min when they were both stationed at Helmand Province where Min served with the CIA. Juno is reluctant to accept the offer at first, but that same evening that she’s offered the position, she loses her job as a bouncer in a bikini bar.
When what should have been a simple security detail becomes a major fiasco with frequent and multiple attacks on the client, Juno begins to suspect that there is a traitor on the team releasing details about the security plans. She finds that she can’t trust anyone, including Min herself.
I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand it is filled with strong female protagonists with quirky, interesting personalities. On the other hand, the plot seemed to move very slowly. The first 40% of the book was background and set up for the actual security detail itself. (The first three chapters alone dealt with the bouncer job from which she was fired). And even when the security detail began it became bogged down in technical details about the security devices the team used. Although the major action which happened towards the last quarter of the book was interesting at first, even that seemed to drag after awhile. Others with more patience for the character build up during the first half of the book might find this novel appealing for its strong female leads.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bantam Books for providing me an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
When what should have been a simple security detail becomes a major fiasco with frequent and multiple attacks on the client, Juno begins to suspect that there is a traitor on the team releasing details about the security plans. She finds that she can’t trust anyone, including Min herself.
I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand it is filled with strong female protagonists with quirky, interesting personalities. On the other hand, the plot seemed to move very slowly. The first 40% of the book was background and set up for the actual security detail itself. (The first three chapters alone dealt with the bouncer job from which she was fired). And even when the security detail began it became bogged down in technical details about the security devices the team used. Although the major action which happened towards the last quarter of the book was interesting at first, even that seemed to drag after awhile. Others with more patience for the character build up during the first half of the book might find this novel appealing for its strong female leads.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bantam Books for providing me an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This heroine of this novel unexpectedly charmed me, and the action kept me riveted.
Juno Hardwick has recently left the Marine Corps where she served as an intelligence officer and fought in Afghanistan, and finds herself directionless in Los Angelos after years of service. She’s drifting, taking on security shifts at a pole dancing bar. One night Min, an old CIA friend who wants to take advantage of Juno’s keen situational awareness and ability to instantly sense danger, asks her to take on a private security job guarding a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist who’s in town to accept an award for outstanding women.
Juno doesn’t quite know what she’s getting into- which turns out to be a complex plot with deadly assassins and a large conspiracy afoot. The other members of the security team she’s joining for the gig view her with suspicion, her friend’s security company seems to be tanking, and the journalist she’s assigned to protect has definitely been targeted for assignation to stop her latest secret journalistic investigation.
And so endless action unfurls - with Juno relying on her keen instincts through hand-to-hand combat to car chase scenes. Juno also starts investigating what really may be going on, and who’s behind it. Most alarmingly, someone on her team’s leaking insider information that’s placing June, her client, and their security team in danger.
Not only is Juno a valiant action hero, but she touchingly captures the tough transition back to civilian life for military veterans.
SO hoping Juno will return for a sequel!!
Thanks to Ballentin, Bantam and NeGalley for an advance reader’s copy.
Juno Hardwick has recently left the Marine Corps where she served as an intelligence officer and fought in Afghanistan, and finds herself directionless in Los Angelos after years of service. She’s drifting, taking on security shifts at a pole dancing bar. One night Min, an old CIA friend who wants to take advantage of Juno’s keen situational awareness and ability to instantly sense danger, asks her to take on a private security job guarding a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist who’s in town to accept an award for outstanding women.
Juno doesn’t quite know what she’s getting into- which turns out to be a complex plot with deadly assassins and a large conspiracy afoot. The other members of the security team she’s joining for the gig view her with suspicion, her friend’s security company seems to be tanking, and the journalist she’s assigned to protect has definitely been targeted for assignation to stop her latest secret journalistic investigation.
And so endless action unfurls - with Juno relying on her keen instincts through hand-to-hand combat to car chase scenes. Juno also starts investigating what really may be going on, and who’s behind it. Most alarmingly, someone on her team’s leaking insider information that’s placing June, her client, and their security team in danger.
Not only is Juno a valiant action hero, but she touchingly captures the tough transition back to civilian life for military veterans.
SO hoping Juno will return for a sequel!!
Thanks to Ballentin, Bantam and NeGalley for an advance reader’s copy.
August 30, 2026
This book started off with a bit of a bang, but for me, quickly devolved into confusion while I was trying to figure out who was who, what was what and what the heck was going on. In a nutshell, Juno Hardwick is a marine vet who is currently working in a bikini bar and has a heightened sense of awareness that serves her well in her security job. Which she loses (the job) in the first part of the book, no spoiler there. Another vet and friend, Min, who is a partner with someone she is currently at odds with, wants to hire her for a 3 day security detail for an investigative reporter. Juno is not afraid of putting herself in dicey situations and Min needs her skills for this detail. It took me some time to piece together what was going on and I found that there was a lot of perhaps unnecessary dialogue that bogged things down. I think the characters in this novel are interesting and well drawn, but I never came to like Juno - she's a tough cookie to like. For me, her redeeming quality is her desire to help her sister Cassie, who experienced a great deal of difficulty following the death of their father. Without spoilers, suffice it to say that there's a lot of action and fighting that does lend excitement to the plot, but for me that wasn't enough to love this book. And Cassie is not a background figure, she's a skilled hacker in her own right and helps to answer a number of questions regarding possible traitors in their midst. All in all, an interesting read but not, for me, a great read.
This ARC was provided by NetGalley and the publisher, the opinions expressed herein are strictly my own.
This ARC was provided by NetGalley and the publisher, the opinions expressed herein are strictly my own.
September 1, 2026
Good Girls Die Bored is a quirky espionage novel featuring hard as nails Juno Hardwick, a former Marine on a Female Engagement Team in Afghanistan. We meet Juno after she has come down significantly in the world, working as a bouncer in a bikini bar in LA and sleeping on the couch of her bipolar sister Cassie who is currently in a catatonic state. One evening, she is approached by former CIA officer Min-Jung Ecklund who met Juno in Afghanistan. Min left the CIA to form a boutique security firm with an ex-FBI agent, and has a small ragtag group of employees. She offers Juno a three-day assignment providing security for a controversial journalist to attend a public charity gala. Juno reluctantly agrees after being fired by her boss at the bikini bar. What could go wrong?
It turns out a lot. From the get go, no one really understands what the mission is. Why does this journalist need so much security? And why do the bad guys always seem to know what Juno and the gang are doing, despite elaborate evasive measures?
The plot of the book is not its strongest point. I think that I would have had to go to spy school to fully understand every twist and turn in the novel (and there are many). Rather, this is an extremely well-written, character-driven book, filled with fully-formed quirky characters who are hysterically funny to boot! Juno in particular has a deadpan sense of humor which made me laugh out loud. I look forward to a sequel to see where she goes next!
Thanks to NetGalley and Bantam/Penguin Random House for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book. All of the opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
It turns out a lot. From the get go, no one really understands what the mission is. Why does this journalist need so much security? And why do the bad guys always seem to know what Juno and the gang are doing, despite elaborate evasive measures?
The plot of the book is not its strongest point. I think that I would have had to go to spy school to fully understand every twist and turn in the novel (and there are many). Rather, this is an extremely well-written, character-driven book, filled with fully-formed quirky characters who are hysterically funny to boot! Juno in particular has a deadpan sense of humor which made me laugh out loud. I look forward to a sequel to see where she goes next!
Thanks to NetGalley and Bantam/Penguin Random House for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book. All of the opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
First of all, that title! Loved it! And it was perfect for this fun and original action-packed suspense thriller! It starts off a wee bit slow but catches up quickly. Juno is a former Marine now working as a bouncer in a bar. Her life sucks. Then she loses her crappy bouncer job. Her best friend Min owns a security firm and offers Juno a job as part of a security team for a mystery celebrity during a huge, fancy gala. That's not really what Juno wants to do, but she doesn't have a lot of prospects, so she accepts. The celebrity has been receiving death threats then all hell breaks loose at the event. Numerous attacks on the client are made, and it becomes obvious that someone on the team must have tipped off the bad people. But who? Was Juno set up? Everyone on the team is ex police or military and they all have particular sets of skills. The action comes fast and furious as Juno is determined to get to the bottom of what's going on. Everyone becomes a suspect including Min. There are several really strong female characters in the story, and most are well developed. Lots of twists and turns. An unexpected plus for me? This book was hilarious! Yeah, I was not expecting that! The only downside was that it did seem a little too long in parts, but overall, everything came together nicely and I look forward to reading more from Elizabeth Little.
Thank you to #NetGalley, Elizabeth Little and Ballantine | Bantam for this ARC. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to #NetGalley, Elizabeth Little and Ballantine | Bantam for this ARC. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Juno Hardwick, ex–military intelligence officer of the Marines, is now living in Los Angeles taking care of her sister, Cassie. Their father has died and Cassie has had a mental breakdown, if that wasn't bad enough, Juno is working as a bouncer at a bar where girls pole dance. Enter her best friend, Min-Jung Ecklund, ex CIA, with a job offer to work for her security company. The job is simple, protection detail for, Maelle Ruiz, a journalist that has enemies. She is being honored at a gala. Nothing is really simple, especially when Maelle is being followed by a documentary team, that certainly adds to the chaos.
I liked Juno from the start. She is smart, sure of herself, and can handle herself in a fight. As the story unfolds, I didn't know who to trust. It seemed that the full story was not explained to Juno. It turns out Min's company, that she owns with her friend, Gabe, is in dire need of cash. The team encounters "obstacles", but are they real, or is it all drama for the documentary? It isn't long before it becomes apparent that someone on the team is a traitor, so who can you trust?
I enjoyed this twisty thriller. There were times that the plot lagged. The book is long at 448 pages, and I think if it had been cut back some, the story would have had a faster pace. It is an entertaining read and I would love to see Juno again.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Bantam, for an ARC. The opinions in this review are my own.
I liked Juno from the start. She is smart, sure of herself, and can handle herself in a fight. As the story unfolds, I didn't know who to trust. It seemed that the full story was not explained to Juno. It turns out Min's company, that she owns with her friend, Gabe, is in dire need of cash. The team encounters "obstacles", but are they real, or is it all drama for the documentary? It isn't long before it becomes apparent that someone on the team is a traitor, so who can you trust?
I enjoyed this twisty thriller. There were times that the plot lagged. The book is long at 448 pages, and I think if it had been cut back some, the story would have had a faster pace. It is an entertaining read and I would love to see Juno again.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Bantam, for an ARC. The opinions in this review are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Review of uncorrected eBook file
For Juno Hardwick, it’s been a difficult year. She’s gone from working on national security policy to sleeping on her sister Cassie’s sofa and working as a bouncer in a bikini bar. Could things get much worse?
When her best friend, Min-jung Ecklund asks her to help out providing security at a museum gala, she readily agrees. But the security team seems lacking in qualifications, something that just might signal trouble ahead.
Can Juno and the team provide the necessary security for the investigative journalist being honored at the gala? And could there possibly be something more sinister involved?
=========
This action-packed thriller pulls readers into the telling of the tale from the outset and keeps the pages turning as the plot twists and turns in unexpected ways. The characters are well-developed and believable; the undercurrent of tension throughout the narrative keeps readers guessing all the way to the unexpected revelation.
The only real disappointment here is the unnecessary overuse of a particularly offensive expletive that is sure to be off-putting for many readers and lowers the rating for this book.
I received a free copy of this eBook from Ballantine / Bantam and NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving this review.
#GoodGirlsDieBored #NetGalley
For Juno Hardwick, it’s been a difficult year. She’s gone from working on national security policy to sleeping on her sister Cassie’s sofa and working as a bouncer in a bikini bar. Could things get much worse?
When her best friend, Min-jung Ecklund asks her to help out providing security at a museum gala, she readily agrees. But the security team seems lacking in qualifications, something that just might signal trouble ahead.
Can Juno and the team provide the necessary security for the investigative journalist being honored at the gala? And could there possibly be something more sinister involved?
=========
This action-packed thriller pulls readers into the telling of the tale from the outset and keeps the pages turning as the plot twists and turns in unexpected ways. The characters are well-developed and believable; the undercurrent of tension throughout the narrative keeps readers guessing all the way to the unexpected revelation.
The only real disappointment here is the unnecessary overuse of a particularly offensive expletive that is sure to be off-putting for many readers and lowers the rating for this book.
I received a free copy of this eBook from Ballantine / Bantam and NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving this review.
#GoodGirlsDieBored #NetGalley
August 6, 2026
Elizabeth Little wrote one of my top five favorite books of all time, Pretty As A Picture. I was so excited when I heard about this new book, especially with the premise. Juno is harsh and a hard pill to swallow. But her character is easy to read and easy to love.
Little has a great way with language and with creating characters who are very easy to see and feel. Her descriptions are fantastic to follow even when you aren’t really sure what’s happening with the story itself.
Good Girls Die Bored does have a plot that takes a while to fully start. It takes a long while for the protection of the documentary crew to really come in. But that isn’t really a BAD thing. This may be a book about a security professional who needs to save people. But it’s more of a story about a person who needs to be able to protect people and solve a mystery. And we really get to watch her do these things, and get rewarded for it when we follow her.
I also especially loved that Little is making her own universe. We got to see small cameos from her past characters and stories. And better, I think got confirmation of Isaiah and Marissa being a couple and still being together??
Little has a great way with language and with creating characters who are very easy to see and feel. Her descriptions are fantastic to follow even when you aren’t really sure what’s happening with the story itself.
Good Girls Die Bored does have a plot that takes a while to fully start. It takes a long while for the protection of the documentary crew to really come in. But that isn’t really a BAD thing. This may be a book about a security professional who needs to save people. But it’s more of a story about a person who needs to be able to protect people and solve a mystery. And we really get to watch her do these things, and get rewarded for it when we follow her.
I also especially loved that Little is making her own universe. We got to see small cameos from her past characters and stories. And better, I think got confirmation of Isaiah and Marissa being a couple and still being together??
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 7, 2026
This witty sardonic and hilarious 32 year old Juno, the main protagonist in this book was the star of the whole book! Juno initially was in the military but she is no longer and she begins working as a bouncer to make ends meet. When she’s approached by a friend to do some private investigative work on an island it names for a compelling thriller mystery with a lot of people who can’t be trusted and a decent revelatory ending that will please those who can’t seem to figure out how exactly this will all play out.
Juno herself is well worth reading this book. She is a character with brilliant one liners and quips that will make you laugh out loud her sardonic and heavy sarcasm will always end in comedic relief and it levels out the darker side of what it is she’s in gotten herself inadvertently involved in with her agreeing to work this for a friend.
Thank you to #Netgalley for the advanced reading copy and to #GoodGirlsDieBored and the brilliantly fun author #ElizabethLittle as well as #Ballantine and #Bantam for this book and opportunity to read it as well as review it. I genuinely enjoyed it and recommend it.
Juno herself is well worth reading this book. She is a character with brilliant one liners and quips that will make you laugh out loud her sardonic and heavy sarcasm will always end in comedic relief and it levels out the darker side of what it is she’s in gotten herself inadvertently involved in with her agreeing to work this for a friend.
Thank you to #Netgalley for the advanced reading copy and to #GoodGirlsDieBored and the brilliantly fun author #ElizabethLittle as well as #Ballantine and #Bantam for this book and opportunity to read it as well as review it. I genuinely enjoyed it and recommend it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Good Girls Die Bored is a blast from start to finish. Juno Hardwick is a proud veteran turned reluctant bodyguard, tough as nails and one of a kind. She's been hired by a longtime friend to protect an investigative journalist--is it out of pity because Juno's just been fired from her dead end job, or is there more to the story??
What makes this book so much fun is how fully realized Juno is. Her voice is sharp, self-aware, and endlessly entertaining. You root for her even when she's making questionable calls.
The plot keeps you constantly off-balance. Just when you think you've figured out who to trust, the ground shifts again. The twists feel earned rather than cheap, and the tension builds steadily toward a finale that delivers. Juno has to dig deep and challenge everything she knows — not just to protect her client, but to protect herself.
If you're looking for a thriller that's genuinely fun without sacrificing substance, this is it.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
What makes this book so much fun is how fully realized Juno is. Her voice is sharp, self-aware, and endlessly entertaining. You root for her even when she's making questionable calls.
The plot keeps you constantly off-balance. Just when you think you've figured out who to trust, the ground shifts again. The twists feel earned rather than cheap, and the tension builds steadily toward a finale that delivers. Juno has to dig deep and challenge everything she knows — not just to protect her client, but to protect herself.
If you're looking for a thriller that's genuinely fun without sacrificing substance, this is it.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Good Girls Die Bored is a great title for a pretty boring book. I thought this was going to be great, just from the title, the description, I was all in. Then as I started reading, I was bored. Juno Hardwick is a former Marine, currently fired from her bouncer job, and newly hired by a friend who runs a boutique security firm. Sounds so cool, right? But right from the start, I was lost. The first half of the book was difficult to get through, so much detail about setting up exactly what the security job was going to be. The problem is, other than Juno, I’m not sure anyone was even qualified to be a security officer. Then we are introduced to the investigative journalist, who the team is securing, but it takes many pages to figure out exactly who she is and why she needs security. The last quarter of the book is action packed, but sloppy, and the ending could have been more fulfilling. This missed its marl for me.
I would like to thank Netgalley, Bantam and Elizabeth Little for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. 2.5 ⭐️
I would like to thank Netgalley, Bantam and Elizabeth Little for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. 2.5 ⭐️
August 12, 2026
3.5/5 - I actually feel a little guilty rating this only 3 stars, because there really was a lot about this that I liked. But there was also a lot of it that I found to just be only okay.
I listened to the audiobook while reading along, and loved the narrator, she did a great job. Juno is a great main character. The writing style was fun. And I love when there’s a subtle romance in a thriller, so all of that worked well for me.
Basically every character aside from Juno never really won me over. I didn’t necessarily dislike any, I just never really connected with them. The story also just never pulled me in. I kept reading this because I was enjoying the writing style and narrator, not because I felt like it was a thriller that was thrilling & I had to keep reading to find out what was going to happen next.
I’m glad I picked this up, but I do wish I loved it more than I did! But still a solid thriller, one that I would recommend. Thank you to Goodreads and the publisher for the giveaway copy of this book!
I listened to the audiobook while reading along, and loved the narrator, she did a great job. Juno is a great main character. The writing style was fun. And I love when there’s a subtle romance in a thriller, so all of that worked well for me.
Basically every character aside from Juno never really won me over. I didn’t necessarily dislike any, I just never really connected with them. The story also just never pulled me in. I kept reading this because I was enjoying the writing style and narrator, not because I felt like it was a thriller that was thrilling & I had to keep reading to find out what was going to happen next.
I’m glad I picked this up, but I do wish I loved it more than I did! But still a solid thriller, one that I would recommend. Thank you to Goodreads and the publisher for the giveaway copy of this book!
August 16, 2026
🕵️ Book Review 🕵️- Good Girls Die Bored by Elizabeth Little
Just finished this thriller with lots of dark humor. There is plenty of action and you don’t know who is on which side almost until the end of the book! If you like books with lots of suspense and high stakes drama this is the book for you!
The book follows Juno who has recently gotten out of the military and finds herself at a bikini bar working security detail. Her best friend Min is a former CIA officer who has stated a high profile security detail company and asks her to work a job with a high profile client. Juno accepts and then quickly realizes this job is no what is seems and things are not adding up. She doesn’t trust that Min telling her all of facts and she also can’t trust the rest of the security detail. They are tasked with protecting an investigative journalist and things go wildly astray quickly. This is a fast face book and was a fun read!
This book was released on August 4th. Thank you to Bantam and Elizabeth Little for a gifted copy of this book for review.
July 11, 2026
Thank you to netgalley and Bantam books for gifting this book so I can share my thoughts.
Good Girls Die Bored by Elizabeth Little takes a retired set of military specialists gives them a new purpose. Their mission is to keep a journalist safe at a huge get together—red carpet type of meet and greet. Min-owner of a security firm and friend of Juno, asks Juno to work for her. Juno, recently out of a job and caring for her sister, takes the job. She has no idea what she’s in for due to an NDA. Turns out Juno doesn’t actually know her long time friend Min and things go from bad to worse when they are all fighting for their lives….or is it all for show?
My favorite character was probably Alice. She’s dramatic and kinda funny. I also enjoyed the playful banter that was thrown in this book.
The only thing I found confusing was a lot of different characters and I got mixed up sometimes, but overall I think this book flowed nicely and kept the pages turning.
Good Girls Die Bored by Elizabeth Little takes a retired set of military specialists gives them a new purpose. Their mission is to keep a journalist safe at a huge get together—red carpet type of meet and greet. Min-owner of a security firm and friend of Juno, asks Juno to work for her. Juno, recently out of a job and caring for her sister, takes the job. She has no idea what she’s in for due to an NDA. Turns out Juno doesn’t actually know her long time friend Min and things go from bad to worse when they are all fighting for their lives….or is it all for show?
My favorite character was probably Alice. She’s dramatic and kinda funny. I also enjoyed the playful banter that was thrown in this book.
The only thing I found confusing was a lot of different characters and I got mixed up sometimes, but overall I think this book flowed nicely and kept the pages turning.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This one's a mixed bag for me. The good: a genuinely funny thriller, which is rare — usually a book straining for humor on every page grates on me, but here it mostly landed. The characters are sharp and layered, especially the protagonist, a former military woman with a serious chip on her shoulder. She's flawed in ways that could easily make her unlikable, but somehow I rooted for her the whole way through.
The bad: this book is simply too long. I was mostly enjoying it, but by the final stretch — right when the climax should have been gripping — it dragged, and I found myself checking how many pages were left instead of racing through them. Shave a third off this book and it would've been great.
**Bottom line:** A solid, entertaining read that overstays its welcome. Recommended if you want a fast-paced thriller with sassy humor and don't mind a slow crawl to the finish line.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The bad: this book is simply too long. I was mostly enjoying it, but by the final stretch — right when the climax should have been gripping — it dragged, and I found myself checking how many pages were left instead of racing through them. Shave a third off this book and it would've been great.
**Bottom line:** A solid, entertaining read that overstays its welcome. Recommended if you want a fast-paced thriller with sassy humor and don't mind a slow crawl to the finish line.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
“My name is Juno Hardwick, and I’m here to save your life. As a private security professional, it’s my job to look into the future.” A former Marine, Juno has an issue holding down a job. Currently working as a bouncer, she is offered a job in her field by her friend Min who she served with. This is a special protection assignment that could help save Min’s company. Nothing to fear, at least then. If only she known what was coming, Her sister Cassie presents her own issues that require her attention. presenting another set of problems. Juno is an interesting character who I found quite likable with all her quirks and problems.
The story is told with humor so it avoids being too heavy. It was a good read that could have been improved by tighter editing. It seemed to take a long time to set up. It has a lot of actin and keeps you guessing at who is really one of the good guys and has some good twists. Thanks to NetGalley for the advance review copy.
The story is told with humor so it avoids being too heavy. It was a good read that could have been improved by tighter editing. It seemed to take a long time to set up. It has a lot of actin and keeps you guessing at who is really one of the good guys and has some good twists. Thanks to NetGalley for the advance review copy.
August 5, 2026
A fast paced thriller with a new, dynamic, and engaging protagonist in Juno, a medically retired Marine who takes a protection job with her friend Min, a former CIA officer and finds herself in a complicated and dangerous situation. Min has agreed to provide security with Maelle, a journalist hated by many, at an event at a museum. She's also agreed to allow Alice to make a documentary of it assisted by Vitorio, a sound engineer. The protection team is rag tag and Juno isn't happy to find herself working with Ethan, a retired Navy SEAL. And Juno is worrying about her sister Cassie, who has mental health challenges. This is all over the place, moving from poignant scenes with Cassie to chaos, car chases, and shootouts. It's actually funny in spots and confusing in others. The question of who is after Maelle hovers and then is solved in a rush at the end. I liked Juno and can see further outings with her (perhaps with Cassie as well). Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.
August 6, 2026
A suspenseful, electrifying thriller from a new-to-me author, Good Girls Die Bored by Elizabeth Little will grab you right at the beginning and take you for one heck of a ride. Juno Hardwick had a promising career influencing national security policy at the highest levels, but things changed, and not for the better. Now her best friend Min offers her a chance to get back to something she loves and excels at: being part of a security team to protect an investigative journalist who has enemies.
But of course things aren’t what they seem. There’s just something off with the team, and Juno even starts to suspect Min’s motives. Juno doesn’t know who to trust, who’s telling the truth, who may be a traitor.
I received an advance copy of Good Girls Die Bored from Ballantine books via NetGalley. It’s fast-paced, suspenseful, full of danger, secrets and twists and turns. An exciting, satisfying read. I voluntarily leave this review; all opinions are my own.
But of course things aren’t what they seem. There’s just something off with the team, and Juno even starts to suspect Min’s motives. Juno doesn’t know who to trust, who’s telling the truth, who may be a traitor.
I received an advance copy of Good Girls Die Bored from Ballantine books via NetGalley. It’s fast-paced, suspenseful, full of danger, secrets and twists and turns. An exciting, satisfying read. I voluntarily leave this review; all opinions are my own.
August 12, 2026
Good Girls Die Bored is an action-packed thriller with a unique and strong female lead who definitely keeps the plot and pacing moving. Juno Hardwick is a bouncer in a bikini bar with a military background and a talent for sensing danger and dealing with it. When she is recruited by a friend to help protect a journalist who has been threatened, Juno enters the mission with little information and plenty of doubts and questions.
The majority of the book follows a mission that is dangerously confusing, changes by the minute, and is filled with chaos. Juno must rely on her instincts and experience as she tries to figure out exactly what is happening and whom she can trust.
I found the book enjoyable and fast-paced. The abundance of military weaponry and technical details occasionally slowed the reading down for me, but otherwise, this was a good read with an unforgettable lead character in Juno Hardwick.
The majority of the book follows a mission that is dangerously confusing, changes by the minute, and is filled with chaos. Juno must rely on her instincts and experience as she tries to figure out exactly what is happening and whom she can trust.
I found the book enjoyable and fast-paced. The abundance of military weaponry and technical details occasionally slowed the reading down for me, but otherwise, this was a good read with an unforgettable lead character in Juno Hardwick.
September 4, 2026
Juno finds herself employed by her friend as a bodyguard to a journalist. Why does this journalist need a bodyguard? Well, we don't really know, but whatever she's investigating, she needs to be protected. So it's up to Juno and the rest of the team to stop whatever is in motion. But, it seems the bad guys always know where they are going to be, and what they're doing. Does that mean that one of the members of the team is working for them? Who can be trusted?
Juno is a great character! I loved her badassery, her situational awareness, and the banter and sass she gives out for comic relief. She is not perfect by any means; she is flawed and has a bad attitude, but that made me love her all the more.
There is some great action, some super cool spy stuff, and plenty of twists and turns that kept me guessing.
This is the first book I've read by Elizabeth Little, and Ill defintiely be reading more!
Juno is a great character! I loved her badassery, her situational awareness, and the banter and sass she gives out for comic relief. She is not perfect by any means; she is flawed and has a bad attitude, but that made me love her all the more.
There is some great action, some super cool spy stuff, and plenty of twists and turns that kept me guessing.
This is the first book I've read by Elizabeth Little, and Ill defintiely be reading more!
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