Este libro puede matar

by Kate Eberle, Noemí Jiménez Furquet (Translator)

THE HOTTEST BOOK OF 2026! Pre-order IF BOOKS COULD KILL now ready for your summer holiday reading as the 'must have' book of the summer.


She thought she was in a romance. Fate threw her into a thriller. Will happily-ever-after still be on the cards when fiction and reality blur for Roxie?

When Roxie makes a tongue-in-cheek wish to live out the plot of her favourite author’s next novel, she has romance in mind — namely, the sweet, safe, swoon-worthy storylines Anna Matthews is known for. It should be a dream come true when her wish is granted by a mysterious busker, and she finds herself swept into a fairytale first date with a dashing stranger who seems destined to take her breath away.
Except for one little that dashing stranger tries to take her breath away. Literally. With a knife. The thing is, Roxie may be the new Anna Matthews protagonist — but this time, Anna is writing a crime thriller.
Thrown into a perilous genre she’s never read, Roxie is desperate for help. So, when her escape from a potential murderer takes her straight into the path of Grant Hoffman — an anxious English professor with a convenient love of crime novels — she decides a little light kidnapping is a small price to pay for survival.

Together, Roxie and Grant team up to navigate a madcap story where the lines between fiction and reality blur and find out if they have what it takes to make it to The End — or maybe even Happily Ever After.

Perfect for fans of THE FLAT SHARE, IN FIVE YEARS, A NOVEL LOVE STORY and movie hits THE LOST CITY and HIT MAN

Genres: Romance, Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Books About Books, Adult, Mystery Thriller

400 pages, Paperback

Expected publication June 18, 2026

About the author

Kate Eberle studied journalism at Boston University before rediscovering her love of fiction. She lives and writes in Connecticut, where she spends the rest of her time being the ultimate menace to society: a grown-up Theater Kid. If Books Could Kill is her first novel.

Reviews

[ahmeeka]

I heard the best way to store a proof of this is to send it directly to my home address btw

[Elianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so so goooood!!

If Books Could Kill follows Roxie who makes a wish to be the protagonist of her favorite romance author’s next book. Her wish ends up coming true, but unknown to her, that author ends up writing a crime thriller, thrusting Roxie right into the middle of it. With the help of a stranger Roxie meets after a chance encounter, the two will find themselves trying to survive until the end of the book.

This was such a unique story, and I loved every second of it. Roxie was such a funny character who was genuinely making me laugh out loud like every page. She was tough, ready to throw herself into danger, and had the best banter. I mean this was seriously the most fun I have had reading in a while. The story was action-packed; the romance was so cute and made me giggle (I love the two main characters so much) and the plot itself had me so engaged I could not stop reading. This was the perfect mix of suspense and romance, balanced and written so well that it straight up felt like a movie coming to life in my head.

If you are looking for a unique romance book full of action and the most fun/cute scenes, then definitely pick this book up. You will have an amazing time reading it! Thank you to NetGalley and Viking Penguin for the ARC.

[Holly in Bookland · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven’t laughed this hard and as much while reading for a good while.

[felicia]

Should i start this one?

[Kourtney Wisniewski · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has it all comedy, romance, suspense, thrills. It will keep you wondering what is going to happen next. I found it easy to read and I was always wondering what is going to happen next with Roxie and Grant.

This book comes out July 21, 2026, mark your calendars!

Thank you to NetGalley, Viking Penguin and Kate Eberle for sharing this ARC with me, in exchange for an honest review.

[SuzieQuzie7973 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, Viking Penguin and Kate Eberle for sharing this ARC with me, in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinions.

If Books Could Kill is everything amazing. When I say everything I mean...It's cozy/comfy, suspense/mystery, humor, charm, romance and spice. Grant and Roxy's chemistry is absolutely perfect. I just love everything about this book.

I highly recommend that y'all read this book.

[Tomi · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars! This was a really cute read! One of those where I could automatically see this being adapted into a Netflix movie. And there were a lot of moments I laughed out loud. However the ability to create a solid romance, comedy, and thriller is a *very* difficult thing to balance. Unfortunately the romance suffered for me where I was almost convinced the male hero was someone else until 50% into the book. Regardless, I’d recommend this for fans of Ally Carter or magical realism!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the ARC. If books could kill is out June 18, 2026!


Favorite quote:

“Absolutely,” I say. “If we ever meet a serial killer who will chop off our heads unless we can answer his riddles three, you are the only one I’d want there with me.” 🤣 I can’t give context until you read it!

[Erica * IG: DIVACANREAD * · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn't love this book more! *ARC Review*

Roxie, like so many of us, loves romance novels. Her favorite author is Anna Matthews and Roxie is not so patiently waiting for her next book. Roxie's love life is NOT like a romance book, and she wishes that she could be Anna's next FMC. She happens to make that wish in front of a "magic" Grifter on a street. Suddenly, she meets a handsome man who takes her on a date to a LIBRARY! It's like her wish is coming true. But there is a catch.....and maybe this isn't Anna's next romance novel after all. Maybe it's her first thriller!

A wild ride and a fabulous mash up of thriller & romance, with Roxie as one of the funniest main characters I have read in a long time. This is a great book, and it's going to be the perfect summer read!

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and Kate Eberle for trusting me to be an ARC for this debut novel. I struggled with this at first but the further I got into it, the more fun I had reading it. I throughly enjoyed the ride that this novel offers. I was intrigued based on the synopsis how this would turn into a romance mystery book and it did not disappoint. The mystery build up, the expected but also unexpected romance, the two twists at the end.. The twist at the very end was placed so beautifully and I audibly gasped out loud. Be sure to check this out when it hits the market!!

[Izzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is hilarious 🤣 I haven’t laughed so hard in a long time while reading a book. This book also has so much heart, the chemistry between Roxie & Grant is beautiful.

Roxie makes a wish, to be in a romance novel of one of her favorite authors. This is a wish made while talking to her best friend, on the phone, in the middle of a sidewalk. Who hadn’t said “I wish for …” while in a casual conversation?

What happens next is a series of unfortunate events, filled with chaos, confusion, and murder?

In order to escape a homicidal date, Roxi must commit some felonies. All manner of chaos ensues.

This book has twists and turns, a romantic interest that might not be real. It’s a book within a book within reality??? I enjoyed it so much and I think it might be the most popular book of 2026.

This book comes out on July 21, 2026!! Mark your calendars!!

I read this advanced copy from @netgalley. Thank you so much.

#book #books #booksbooksbooks #booklover #bookreader #booknerd #bookworm #bookreviews #bookstagram #read #readersgonnaread #readmorebooks #ifbookscouldkill

[Molly Donlan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book! The humor was so funny to me, and I loved how self aware the book was— there were several times where my internal monologue made a comment and then the characters made the same comment. I loved the twist at the end! Very funny thriller romance, would love to read more by this author!

[Armaan Siddiquee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such an entertaining book, every other sentence will make you laugh out loud. It is a fusion of a thriller and a rom com with a little dash of mystery/suspense. A story of two characters(Roxie & Grant) trapped inside a story(a murderous one) is something new and different. The author really managed to blend in all the elements of mystery, romance and comedy in this single book. There were so many moments where I had to stop reading and just laugh/giggle. Grant’s secret hobby was a delightful surprise and I loved how the story transitioned from a bizarre wish to chaotic thriller comedy, then to a chaotic romantic comedy and finally to a heartfelt romance. Both FMC and MMC went through a character development in the very small window of events in the story and it was refreshing. Minor characters were outrageously unique and stood out adding their own humor/essence into the story. The plot twist in the end was is a killer(pun intended).

Thank you Viking Penguin and NetGalley for giving me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Hayley Marrinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you net-galley and Katie Eberle for this ARC! I was so blown away by how much I enjoyed this book. There’s a little bit of everything in here, and who doesn’t wish to be a main character of some of our favorite books! Roxie is fierce and incredible and I love her relationship with her leading man!

[Karen Casale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this unique book within a book rom-com thriller! What a great debut! I haven’t had this much fun reading a book in a long time.
Thank you Edelweiss.

[Rachel Van de Graaf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy of this book!

I thought this concept was really fun and interesting! The main characters had good banter and the situations they were put in were thrilling and funny. A fun read and good pallet cleanser book!

[Amanda Romano · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance ARC of If Books Could Kill.

This story follows Roxie, a romance loving FMC who makes a wish to experience the kind of love she reads about in her books. Unfortunately, the universe has other plans, and instead of stepping into a swoony romance, she finds herself caught in a chaotic blend of thriller, comedy, and romance.
The premise was fun and unique, and I appreciated the genre mashup, it kept the story feeling unpredictable. Roxie was easy to relate to, especially for anyone who’s ever gotten lost in the idea of storybook love. While the characters were approachable, they did feel a bit surface level at times, and I found myself wanting a little more depth and development to fully connect.
As a debut, Kate Eberle delivers a solid introduction to the comedy/romance space. It’s a light, entertaining read with a playful concept. That said, if you’re going in expecting spice, you won’t find it here, this is very much a closed-door romance.

[Sam B · Rating 5 out of 5]

6/5 🌟

I can't say how much I loved this book. The reveal and the ending. Omg... definitely need to reread this.

[Baillie ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a unique and fun book! Especially for a debut, this was fantastic. I was engaged the entire time, the pacing was great, and the characters were loveable.

I was pleasantly surprised with how well done this book was. Any time there's a story-within-a-story type of plot, there is a larger chance that details and characters will become confusing. That didn't happen here though!

If I had to pick something that didn't necessarily work for me, it would be Roxie's best friend. She was mentioned quite a bit at the beginning of the book, but then never really was brought back into the story past the 50% mark. I would have loved to have her included more, at least in the epilogue.

What a great way to start my reading this year, though! Highly recommend this one.

[Carly Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Kate Eberle, Viking Penguin, & NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of this story. This book really was so fun! I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect going into it, and ended up pleasantly surprised. The entire storyline was so creative and I really enjoyed the dynamic of the FMC and MMC. Their relationship progression unfolded so well, and I loved the ending!

I love the author’s writing style and can’t wait to read more of her books in the future!

[Shelby Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Books publishing and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was SOO much fun omg. I cannot believe this is the authors debut book. The premise itself is very intriguing: girl wishes she was in her favorite romance authors next book…wish is granted but surprise it’s actually a murder mystery NOT a romance and the girl is fighting for her life now 😭🤣

This book is funny. I lost track of how many times I snorted or actually laughed out loud while reading. The FMC and MMC have terrific banter and chemistry. I highly enjoyed them getting to know each other and be partners in crime.

There is a small part at the halfway mark where I was a bit confused as to where it was going but once the action picked back up again I stayed hooked.

I love how the author played into romance tropes and let the FMC be aware of them as she loves the romance tropes as well.

As a thriller and mystery it kept me on my toes! I was never able to guess the killer and the author pleasantly surprised me more than once with where she took things.

Love the epilogue too! I’ve told all my friends about this book and really hope it does well when it comes out next June!

#netgalley #ifbookscouldkill #kateeberle #netgalleybooks

[Jenn Thoman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was shocked when I learned that this is a debut. It doesn't have any of the usual first book pacing problems, and I was invested in the characters from the jump. It's a quick and satisfying read. The twists are great- nothing was too predictable, and in some cases, I was legit surprised.

There's a moment in the first half where the main character says, "I have to be honest: if I were reading this book I'm trapped in, I imagine I'd be skimming this part." In that moment, I knew I was in good hands. Eberle treats romance and thrillers with the respect they deserve. This is so obviously a book by someone who loves books, who gets tropes and conventions and isn't too cool to use them, and who really loves her characters. I'm excited about whatever comes next.

(Thanks to NetGalley and Viking Penguin for this ARC. Review is my own.)

[Lily Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley, Viking Penguin, and Kate Eberle for providing an ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.

Star Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice Level: 1/2🌶️

"fiction and reality are night and day—not opposites, but the same world in different colors."

Overall Thoughts:
What a charming read! I was enamored from start to finish. The pacing felt natural, and I really appreciated the balance between slower, heartfelt moments and fast-paced action. Going into this book, I really didn't know what to expect. I was intrigued by the blurb, although it's pretty different than my usual cozy romance. I'm so glad that I gave it a chance, it exceeded my expectations in every way!

Brief Summary:
Roxie's world turns upside-down when she makes a wish to become the next heroine of her favorite author's book, only to discover that Anna Matthews, the renown romance author, has started her first crime-thriller venture.

Best Qualities:
One of the best things about this book in my opinion is the voice. Eberle describes herself as an avid audio-book listener, and it shows. This book is like a love letter to reading itself. Humorous, witty, romantic— If Books Could Kill has it all. I was giggling one moment and clutching the edge of my seat the next. As someone who can typically predict plot twists pretty far in advance, at the end of the book, I truly did not see them coming. The final chapters in this book were some of my favorites.

As far as the romance goes, I figured it was going to happen eventually, but when it did, it felt so natural. If you've watched The Good Place, Roxie and Grant give major Eleanor and Chidi vibes. The banter was top-tier, and I loved watching their dynamic progress throughout the story. I could see myself in both characters— Roxie with her love of romance books and fear of pursuing her dreams, Grant with his anxious personality and realistic outlook on life. They are both loveable characters, and they felt genuine. But the romance didn't distract from the plot at all, if anything it pushed everything forward. I think that it was balanced perfectly with the comedy and suspense. This was truly a multi-genre masterpiece.

Personal Gripes:
My only gripe with this book is that sometimes the humor was laid on too thick. While not a glaring issue, I found it distracting at times. I feel there could be more balance between when to shift focus to let the jokes shine and when to keep flowing with the story. However, this issue was minor, and it only tripped me up a few times.

Tropes:
I truly don't believe that I can list any of the typical tropes here— there are some present for sure, but they're also used as plot devices in a way that ties in with the synopsis of the book. If you're curious, give it a read!

Who Should Read This Book?
I would highly recommend this book to avid romance readers looking for a change of pace. I hope it will surprise you like it did for me! For thriller fans, this book has some dark moments for sure, but none of them are dwelled on for too long. Overall the thrill aspect seems more toned down to make this palatable for romance readers, so I wouldn't recommend if you're looking for something gritty and ultra-suspenseful. However, the plot will keep you immersed, so give this book a try if you're wanting to laugh, swoon, and fall head-first into the story.

[CrazyCatLadyReadsBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Roxie’s favourite author is renown for her lovely romances, so when Roxie makes a playful wish to live out the plot of Anna’s next book, she expects a cute, romantic time. When her wish IS actually granted, she has the perfect first date with a handsome stranger. But her date is breath taking...in that he tries to actually kill her! What Roxie didn’t know, is that Anna has decided to branch out into a new genre of book: a crime thriller. Whilst trying to survive in this plot line, she bumps into nervous English professor, Grant Hoffman and luckily for Roxie, he is a huge lover of crime novels. So she kidnaps him (lol) to survive. Will Roxie and Grant make it to the end of the story or will they be written out in squeamish style?...

The Pros:
1) The cover of the book and the title - I love a good/bad pun!
2) There are so many genres and tropes in the story and they are blended together so well. I loved it.
3) The main characters were great. Roxie is a strong and feisty FMC and Grant is an anxious, nerdy but sweet potential book boyfriend.
4) The romance 💖, the suspense 😱 the action 🏃‍♀️ and the humour 🤣
5) I couldn’t help smiling throughout

The Cons:
1) There are dark themes and sadder parts (but I really felt the emotion - so it’s a good thing for me!)
2) I couldn’t help thinking of the Eastenders character of the same name: Roxie Mitchell 🤣

The Quotes:

1) My romantic history reads like a list of Friends episodes - The One Who Taught Scuba Diving, The One with the Mid-Zip Line Make-Out, The one at the Mall of America - and I like it that way. There is simply no room on that list for The One Who Lives in My City and Might Want Something More than a Fling.

2) I hear him slow to a plod before stopping, and he lets out a roar of frustration that shakes the empty lobby before stalking off in the wrong direction. My hands tremble as I fumble my phone out of my pocket. I can’t call anyone and risk him hearing me. What do I do, google how to escape a murderer? Can you text 911?

3) What part of the book would you call this?” I ask Grant in a low voice.
“The part where we’re f*cked,” he says.

The Summary:
I don’t think I’ve ever read a book quite like this before, with multiple genres and numerous tropes but I LOVED IT! The mix of romance, thriller, crime, action and humour just really worked for me in the setting of the story. I adored both the main characters and the more emotional sides of the plot too. I was smiling whilst reading (when I wasn't anxiously seeing if the characters would survive, that is). I am a bit stunned this is the author’s debut novel, it’s written so well and draws you into the story, making you care about the characters. This is the type of book I didn’t know I needed, but as soon as I read the description I had to read it. I throughly recommend you read this book ASAP.

Summed up in a sentence?:
Roxie wishes to be in her favourite authors next book... but she expected a romance, not a crime thriller!

I rated the book 5 stars!

A big thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for the free ARC in exchange for an open and honest review!

[Katie ᥫ᭡. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book felt like an absolute 𝙛𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙢 in the best way like 𝑺𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓 𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒏 𝑭𝒊𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 collided with 𝑫𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝑵𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕, 𝑮𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝑵𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕, and 𝑹𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒕𝒐𝒏𝒆. I had the time of my life reading it! 💕🙃

This story is 𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴, 𝘧𝘢𝘴𝘵, 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘤, and 𝙛𝙪𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙖𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙚 of its own 𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴. It plays with romcom and thriller tropes in such a clever way, constantly keeping you on your toes. There is 𝙖𝙡𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨 something happening on the page, and it made me spiral right alongside Roxie, which felt extremely intentional and fun. 😵‍💫🎢

This book is not here to be deep or serious, it is here for the 𝘂𝗻𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲, 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗲𝘀𝘆, 𝗯𝘂𝗰𝗸𝗹𝗲-𝘂𝗽-𝗮𝗻𝗱-𝗲𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆-𝘁𝗵𝗲-𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲, and it absolutely nails that 🔨. The structure alone was a blast, with fun nods to both romance and suspense storytelling that made the whole thing feel fresh and playful. 🤪☺️

And 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗛𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗺𝗮𝗻?? 𝘐𝘤𝘰𝘯. His introduction was top-tier and hands down my favorite part of the book 🤭. The anxious English professor energy paired with his crime-novel brain and dry one-liners? 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. Some of his lines genuinely made me laugh out loud, and his dynamic with Roxie was 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘢𝘸𝘬𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥, and surprisingly 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘵. 😍❤️

There were a few twists and turns that I genuinely enjoyed, and I loved how the characters helped each other step into 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘦, 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴, 𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘰𝘴, and choosing to act even when terrified. Beneath all the madness, there’s a sweet thread about 𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 and connection that totally works. ✨

Also… I cannot believe this is a 𝙙𝙚𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡. The writing is 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘱, 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵, and 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘭𝘺 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨. Toss in the subtle millennial references, and I felt very seen. 💅🏼🦋

Bottom line: this book is a 𝙧𝙤𝙢-𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙞𝙡𝙡-𝙘𝙤𝙢 (𝘺𝘦𝘴, 𝘐’𝘮 𝘤𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵) that doesn’t take itself too seriously and knows exactly what it’s doing. The tropes alone will have you either 𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘴𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨, or 𝘥𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝙊𝙍 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲! 😂💕

𝑻𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒆 𝑻𝒊𝒎𝒆 ✨
📖 Meta fiction / story-within-a-story
🔪 Meet-cute but make it attempted murder
🚗 Accidental kidnapping (oops?)
🛏️ Only one bed
💍 Fake dating / fake marriage
🎭 Fiction vs. reality blur
🤝🏻 Forced partnership / reluctant allies
💞 Slow-burn romance under pressure
🪤 Cat-and-mouse thriller energy

𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝗚𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘆, 𝗣𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗶𝗻 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀, & 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝘆 𝗲-𝗔𝗥𝗖 𝗶𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄.💕✨

[bingsuu · Rating 3 out of 5]

𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟

Thank you to NetGallery and Viking Penguin publishers for the advanced copy of this book for an honest review!

This is an amazing start for a debut author and perfect for anyone who loves romance, thriller, and comedy all in one. Normally it’s really difficult to find books that genuinely make me laugh but this is one of them. Also, who can deny a bad ass female protagonist that can seriously kick ass?

The initial concept of the plot immediately was the first thing to get me hooked onto the book because let’s be honest Roxie is living every reader dream with the chance to jump into a book until she finds out it’s a thriller. Despite that, her perseverance through challenging moments really defined her character. She was mentally strong while being able to physically hold her own fights! But I’ll definitely say that my favorite character in this book is the gift maker, they are so witty easily especially in the coffee shop. I love the character growth in these characters especially Grant who is initially shaken to his bones with anxiety every part of the way until he’s transformed into someone with courage and strength.

The romance part of this book didn’t really capture my attention though, it felt more thriller than anything. I enjoyed reading the way the thriller parts were laid out and how the plot twist was so unexpected, I was actually shocked. However, the things that I didn’t really enjoy about the book was that I couldn’t really feel Roxie and Grant’s relationship, it felt more so like they connected because of the intensity of the situation. And the antagonist of the story had a good backstory but it felt a little unrealistic on the amount of times they had killed a bunch of people close to them and still not be caught. But overall, it’s a good book and I don’t see really genuinely good humor in thriller books so that was a huge bonus.

𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟

[Migdalia Jimenez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of the funniest books I've read in a long time.

I loved:
>the slow-burn chemistry between plucky Roxy and nerdy Grant. But they were so much more than >that- each of them was nuanced and had surprises in them. (Grant was the perfect book boyfriend!)
>the hilarious characters
>the endless and endlessly entertaining banter!
>the dual Boston and London settings
>the originality of the story
>the ultimate bookish theme


OK- so to get to the plot:
This is a very post-modern kind of self referential bookish read.
Roxie loves romance novels but doesn't believe in love in real life. She has a fave author who hasn't written a book for a while and has been teasing a new book on her socials. Roxie makes an off-handed comment about wishing she was in one of her fave author's books. But what she doesn't know is that there's a magical creature nearby who hears her and grants the wish. But even bigger twist is that her fave new author's book is a *crime thriller* so now Roxie is starring in a literary themed thriller with romantic elements. The rules are as follows: (1) if she dies in the story, she'll die for real. (2) Once she resolves the lot, she can go back to her real life and everything will go back to normal (no consequences), and (3) that all the characters she meets in this 'story' will cease to exist once it's over.

So being wacky and fearless, she just goes for it, barely escaping a serial killer and inadvertently kidnapping a local cute professor named Grant in the process. Together they go through harrowing adventures, fall in love, but she gets scared to truly let herself go because she's not sure if he'll exist once the story is over.

This was an impressive read from debut author Eberle. I'm looking forward to her future offerings.

Thank you to Netgalley and Viking Penguin, Penguin Books for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Elle · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5, rounded up.
Frankly, this entire review should just be "I love this" written out over and over again until I hit the character limit on GR. You're not here for that, though, and neither am I, truthfully. BUT YOU GUYS, I LOVED THIS.

The writing was great! Never once did I stop and think to myself, "Can we PLEASE get a move on?", which can be really difficult sometimes in a mystery/action book. Pacing, 10/10. I also didn't feel like it was excessively wordy, or not wordy enough to get the point across (this feels ridiculous to put in a book review, but just go back and look at my old reviews- this is such a big thing for me). Kate also made me laugh out loud so many times! My last read was kind of a bum, and I was left in a kind of reading slump. I only picked this up because I have so many ARCs to get through... AND I'M SO GLAD I DID. It just made me so so happy.

Grant!!!!!!! Grant, my sweet, adorable, nerdy, anxious little cinnamon roll LARP puppy, I hope I find someone like you one day. I absolutely loved him. I also really liked Roxie! She was a great FMC.

Also!!! I rarely ever comment on acknowledgements, but I enjoyed that the good, humorous writing continued there too, and I actually had a fun time reading that too, haha.

Honestly, my only complaints are that I felt Roxie's whole romance hangup reason was rather stupid, and I feel like the mystery element was a bit... well, I figured it out rather quickly. Like, basically, as soon as we met them quickly. Hence the 4.5, but honestly, it's not a big enough deal to round down imo.

Overall, I loved this. I think I've found a new favorite author, and I sincerely hope we can see these two again in a future book, even if it's just a cameo.

Thank you to NG, the publisher, and the author for the ARC, and double thanks to the author for creating the book.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Roxie makes a wish to live out the plot of her favourite author’s next romance novel, she does not expect it to come true. But then she finds herself having her wish granted my a mysterious busker and is excited for the fairytale romance the author is famous for. But when she meets her love interest and he takes her breath away, it’s not in the way she imagined when he pulls out a knife. The author has decided to try her hand at crime fiction and Roxie is the protagonist. Will she manage to make it to the end of a genre she has never read?

After seeing the synopsis for this one and all the hype surrounding it, I have been desperate to read. So imagine my excitement when I was finally able to read it (it went to the top of my reading pile). This ended up being everything I hoped for - a hugely entertaining, unique and creative story, blurring two of my favourite genres, crime and romcoms. Loving books about books, I knew this would be a hit concept wise, so I was pleased that the execution also worked well.

I loved the humour in the story, I found it refreshing and the banter made me laugh out loud at times. The characters were also strong, I really enjoyed watching the relationships between them all evolve. I enjoyed the clever observations that the author managed to include about tropes, plots and twists, as well as how these are cleverly portrayed within Roxie’s story. The story flowed nicely, however I have to admit that the middle did slow down quite a lot and at times it was overly silly. But apart from these very minor niggles, this was a very fun, high accomplished debut and those who enjoy a romance with magical realism will likely get a lot from this. This is definitely an author to watch! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

📚 Book Review --- If Books Could Kill by Kate Eberle📚

Genre: romcom
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

*****

Thank you to Kate Eberle, Penguin Books, and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of If Books Books Kill! All thoughts expressed in this review reflect only my own opinion.

What bookworm hasn't wished at some point that their life could mimic the plotline of a beloved book? That's exactly what happens to Roxie when a modern day Genie/Fairy Godmother called the Gifter grants her wish to live out the plot of her favorite romance author's next book - except, things don't exactly go as she hoped when it turns out that Anna Matthews' next book is not another romcom, but a crime thriller!

This romcom/thriller mashup has such an original premise and Eberle's delivery is fabulous. She successfully delivers many favorite tropes of both genres in a tone that is both mockingly self-aware and genuine. There are aspects that are comfortably predictable as well as blindsiding plot twists. The result is a novel that feels impossible to put down.

The characters are every bit as enjoyable as the story itself. They're each so vibrant, even those who are only in the story briefly. I loved getting to know them and I hope that this book will turn into a series so the adventures don't have to end with this story.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I am floored that it's a debut because it was just such a fun, well-crafted novel. I'm very much looking forward to reading more by Kate Eberle!

Content warning - readers should be aware that this book contains a decent amount of profanity, violence, and one fade-to-black sex scene. If this were a movie, it would likely get an R rating.

[Nicole Duron · Rating 4 out of 5]

I gave this book a 3.50.

If Books Could Kill is a magical realism romcom set in a crime thriller story. Roxie makes an offhanded wish to be the protagonist in her favorite authors next book and a homeless person just happens to overhear and grant her wish. Roxie soon realizes what type of book she is in when her date tries to kill her. In her attempt to escape, she unintentionally kidnaps a passenger from an Uber, Grant. Grant and Roxie team up to solve the mystery and make sure everyone survives, because if you die in the book, you die in real life. However, the people in the book will disappear after the 'book' finishes.

The plot of this book is fun with some genuinely funny moments. It recognized and actively called out some of the craziness that was happening but it also drew attention to some of the issues the book had. Where this lost some points for me the pacing. The middle was a bit of a struggle to get through and something that should have taken a day or two to get through, was dragged out for a week because I just kept finding myself getting bored. It does eventually pick up but because the characters are calling out the distraction or plot device that is being used, you as a reader become more aware of the moments in between major plot points.

Overall, I did enjoy this and I think this is a book that a lot of people would love. Grant and Roxie have a lot of great banter. I always love a grumpy man and their slow burn romance was fun. I think if you are looking for something different, a little meta, and fun, this is a great next book. Thanks to NetGalley and Viking Penguin for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.