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Kill the Thing You Love: A Novel
Not yet published
Expected 19 Jan 27In this twisty psychological thriller, a family man’s perfect life splinters into obsession, delusion, and dangerous secrets after the reappearance of his first love—who died eighteen years ago.
Hospital exec Ethan Bell has it a loving wife, two children, a promising career, and a comfortable home in the Seattle suburbs far removed from the darkness of his past.
Until he sees her.
Fawn Blom, Ethan’s high school sweetheart and first love. The girl who’s haunted him since that fatal accident almost twenty years ago. She’s here, at his favorite coffee shop—definitely not dead. And suddenly, his carefully constructed world doesn’t seem so perfect.
Consumed with the promise of a second chance, Ethan’s obsession with Fawn grows, deepening with each lie he tells, every erratic behavior he can’t explain away. But his former psychiatrist isn’t convinced Fawn is real.
As Ethan struggles to reconcile his long-held grief, the fabric of his reality slowly unravels. And if it turns out Fawn isn’t actually there, everything he’s built—everything he’s hoped for—could disappear for good.
Hospital exec Ethan Bell has it a loving wife, two children, a promising career, and a comfortable home in the Seattle suburbs far removed from the darkness of his past.
Until he sees her.
Fawn Blom, Ethan’s high school sweetheart and first love. The girl who’s haunted him since that fatal accident almost twenty years ago. She’s here, at his favorite coffee shop—definitely not dead. And suddenly, his carefully constructed world doesn’t seem so perfect.
Consumed with the promise of a second chance, Ethan’s obsession with Fawn grows, deepening with each lie he tells, every erratic behavior he can’t explain away. But his former psychiatrist isn’t convinced Fawn is real.
As Ethan struggles to reconcile his long-held grief, the fabric of his reality slowly unravels. And if it turns out Fawn isn’t actually there, everything he’s built—everything he’s hoped for—could disappear for good.
- GenresThriller
336 pages, Paperback
Expected publication January 19, 2027
About the author
M.R. Collings
1 book10 followersM. R. Collings is an award-winning author and former spine surgery physician associate who traded the operating room for the page. Drawing on her medical background and fascination with human behavior, she writes psychologically layered stories that explore the tension between love and obsession, identity and illusion, truth and perception.
As Melissa R. Collings, she also writes humorous, heartwarming romantic stories about the messy, beautiful ways we love and grow.
When she’s not writing or plotting, she’s having deep, thought-provoking conversations with her husband and two children in Nashville, studying preventative health, or losing herself in a painting. Her imagination never fails to get her into trouble, and she lives by the philosophy: nothing is impossible, even when the darkness says otherwise.
Subscribe to her newsletter for behind-the-scenes bookish fun, medical moments, and reader extras, or connect with her on Facebook (@MelissaRCollingsAuthor), Instagram (@melissarcollings), and TikTok (@melissarcollings).
As Melissa R. Collings, she also writes humorous, heartwarming romantic stories about the messy, beautiful ways we love and grow.
When she’s not writing or plotting, she’s having deep, thought-provoking conversations with her husband and two children in Nashville, studying preventative health, or losing herself in a painting. Her imagination never fails to get her into trouble, and she lives by the philosophy: nothing is impossible, even when the darkness says otherwise.
Subscribe to her newsletter for behind-the-scenes bookish fun, medical moments, and reader extras, or connect with her on Facebook (@MelissaRCollingsAuthor), Instagram (@melissarcollings), and TikTok (@melissarcollings).
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June 23, 2026A review from the author:
This book started with a question: What happens when the thing consuming you begins to feel more real than anything else?
Fear. Grief. Love. Guilt. Longing. Obsession.
We talk about these things like they’re feelings, but sometimes they become something bigger. Sometimes they take over the room. Sometimes they whisper in your ear, steer your choices, and convince you they’re telling the truth.
This book is for anyone who has ever watched emotion distort reality.
For anyone who has loved someone they couldn’t save.
For anyone who has looked back and wondered what, if anything, could have gone differently.
Kill the Thing You Love contains rabbits, questionable psychiatric ethics, dangerous old loves, complicated marriages, bad decisions, worse coping mechanisms, and people trying very hard to survive themselves.
It is deeply personal to me and is dedicated to my sister, Michelle, whose life and struggles planted the earliest seed of this book. Some stories come from imagination, and some come from the tender, terrible places we carry forever.
At its heart, this is a book about the mind. The lies it tells. The monsters it makes. The way love can turn into possession, and fear can start to feel like wisdom.
Proceed accordingly.
Ethan, Faith, Finn, Gillian, and, of course, Sigmund await you.
Much sanity,
M. R.
This book started with a question: What happens when the thing consuming you begins to feel more real than anything else?
Fear. Grief. Love. Guilt. Longing. Obsession.
We talk about these things like they’re feelings, but sometimes they become something bigger. Sometimes they take over the room. Sometimes they whisper in your ear, steer your choices, and convince you they’re telling the truth.
This book is for anyone who has ever watched emotion distort reality.
For anyone who has loved someone they couldn’t save.
For anyone who has looked back and wondered what, if anything, could have gone differently.
Kill the Thing You Love contains rabbits, questionable psychiatric ethics, dangerous old loves, complicated marriages, bad decisions, worse coping mechanisms, and people trying very hard to survive themselves.
It is deeply personal to me and is dedicated to my sister, Michelle, whose life and struggles planted the earliest seed of this book. Some stories come from imagination, and some come from the tender, terrible places we carry forever.
At its heart, this is a book about the mind. The lies it tells. The monsters it makes. The way love can turn into possession, and fear can start to feel like wisdom.
Proceed accordingly.
Ethan, Faith, Finn, Gillian, and, of course, Sigmund await you.
Much sanity,
M. R.
September 13, 2026
From the beginning, I kept questioning what was real, what wasn’t, and who I should believe. Every time I thought I knew where the story was going, something shifted. I managed to figure out basically nothing important until the book wanted me to — which is exactly what I want from a thriller.
What I loved most was that the twists weren’t just thrown in for shock value. Little things from earlier in the story suddenly meant something completely different once more was revealed. It’s the kind of book that makes you think back afterward and realize the clues were there.
There’s also much more emotion underneath this story than I expected. After finishing, I read about the author and learned that the book was inspired in part by her sister and by the helplessness of loving someone whose choices are hurting them while knowing you can’t save them. That gave the story an entirely different layer for me. I kept saying just one more chapter because I needed to know what was really going on.
Twisty, unsettling, emotional, and genuinely surprising. This one got me right to the end.
Thank you to NetGalley and Pamela Dorman Books for the Advanced Copy
What I loved most was that the twists weren’t just thrown in for shock value. Little things from earlier in the story suddenly meant something completely different once more was revealed. It’s the kind of book that makes you think back afterward and realize the clues were there.
There’s also much more emotion underneath this story than I expected. After finishing, I read about the author and learned that the book was inspired in part by her sister and by the helplessness of loving someone whose choices are hurting them while knowing you can’t save them. That gave the story an entirely different layer for me. I kept saying just one more chapter because I needed to know what was really going on.
Twisty, unsettling, emotional, and genuinely surprising. This one got me right to the end.
Thank you to NetGalley and Pamela Dorman Books for the Advanced Copy
August 17, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this novel. All my thoughts and opinions are my own.
I spent so long being confused that, when things finally started making sense at the eleventh hour, I didn’t care anymore. I read this with such a profound level of apathy, dragging myself with the utmost reluctance through every single page in this book. I even went back four chapters and reread it in hopes of gaining some level of clarity. But alas, not even a crumb of it.
This book is something of a thriller and mystery, which is a genre I typically enjoy. I love going down rabbit holes and sometimes being just as blindsided or confused as the main character. It puts me in their shoes. This novel did the same, except it wasn’t in the fun way. There was never a point when I felt like I understood what was happening and I just don’t think I like Ethan as a person.
I feel like maybe if Ethan lost his loved one five years ago rather than the twenty+ the author chose, I would’ve been able to empathize a bit with—whatever the hell this is.
Instead, I kind of hate him.
He lives a relatively good and happy life. Great job, wonderful wife, good friends. That clearly isn’t enough for him. In his mind, he settled. At the first opportunity, he cheats on his wife with his (thought to be) dead ex-girlfriend from high school and spends the entire book trying to justify it to himself and the audience and I just—don’t have the bandwidth to care because there’s really nothing about Ethan that’s worth that level of energy.
Overall, I wish this book had a smoother execution.
I spent so long being confused that, when things finally started making sense at the eleventh hour, I didn’t care anymore. I read this with such a profound level of apathy, dragging myself with the utmost reluctance through every single page in this book. I even went back four chapters and reread it in hopes of gaining some level of clarity. But alas, not even a crumb of it.
This book is something of a thriller and mystery, which is a genre I typically enjoy. I love going down rabbit holes and sometimes being just as blindsided or confused as the main character. It puts me in their shoes. This novel did the same, except it wasn’t in the fun way. There was never a point when I felt like I understood what was happening and I just don’t think I like Ethan as a person.
I feel like maybe if Ethan lost his loved one five years ago rather than the twenty+ the author chose, I would’ve been able to empathize a bit with—whatever the hell this is.
Instead, I kind of hate him.
He lives a relatively good and happy life. Great job, wonderful wife, good friends. That clearly isn’t enough for him. In his mind, he settled. At the first opportunity, he cheats on his wife with his (thought to be) dead ex-girlfriend from high school and spends the entire book trying to justify it to himself and the audience and I just—don’t have the bandwidth to care because there’s really nothing about Ethan that’s worth that level of energy.
Overall, I wish this book had a smoother execution.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
⤷ 3/5 stars ── .✦
it's raining cheaters.
this was a pretty solid read. i enjoyed the author's writing style, it's right up my alley. the alternating character POVs kept the book fun instead of letting it drag on. however, the switch between past and present often felt like whiplash, and the transition was rather clunky.
going into the characters, i rather liked dr. rein. he was a bad man who did bad things but i was able to sympathize with him. this might be an unpopular opinion, but there's nothing more romantic than a man who's willing to go... the extra mile for his (ungrateful) lover.
fawn/faith was an interesting character. did i like her? not in the least. but i liked what she brought to the story.
ethan was pathetic. he was constantly making excuses for himself. "yes, i cheated on my wife, but you have to understand it was because of this and this and this..." and so on and so forth. i disliked it immensely. many attempts were made to justify his behavior, and all of them fell flat so spectacularly. i hated his character, and i believe that he got away with everything far too easily. he deserved a worse punishment than the slap on the wrist he got. selfish, insecure, and extremely stupid, there is not a single redeeming quality about this man. no amount of character development will change that.
gillian. get up. you can't be serious.
only the final plot twist left me pleasantly surprised. as for the others, it was rather easy to see them coming from a mile away. i also think that using the same plot device for both dr. rein and ethan was an extremely lazy move. surely, the author could have come up with something better than that.
shoutout to sigmund though. mvp of the book.
it's raining cheaters.
this was a pretty solid read. i enjoyed the author's writing style, it's right up my alley. the alternating character POVs kept the book fun instead of letting it drag on. however, the switch between past and present often felt like whiplash, and the transition was rather clunky.
going into the characters, i rather liked dr. rein. he was a bad man who did bad things but i was able to sympathize with him. this might be an unpopular opinion, but there's nothing more romantic than a man who's willing to go... the extra mile for his (ungrateful) lover.
fawn/faith was an interesting character. did i like her? not in the least. but i liked what she brought to the story.
ethan was pathetic. he was constantly making excuses for himself. "yes, i cheated on my wife, but you have to understand it was because of this and this and this..." and so on and so forth. i disliked it immensely. many attempts were made to justify his behavior, and all of them fell flat so spectacularly. i hated his character, and i believe that he got away with everything far too easily. he deserved a worse punishment than the slap on the wrist he got. selfish, insecure, and extremely stupid, there is not a single redeeming quality about this man. no amount of character development will change that.
gillian. get up. you can't be serious.
only the final plot twist left me pleasantly surprised. as for the others, it was rather easy to see them coming from a mile away. i also think that using the same plot device for both dr. rein and ethan was an extremely lazy move. surely, the author could have come up with something better than that.
shoutout to sigmund though. mvp of the book.
July 8, 2026
“Kill The Thing You Love” completely broke me in the best possible way.
On the surface, it’s a twisty psychological thriller about Ethan Bell — a hospital exec with a loving wife, two kids, and a perfect life in the suburbs, until he sees Fawn Blom, his first love who died eighteen years ago, sitting in his favorite coffee shop. Is she real? Is he unraveling?
I couldn’t put it down. What Melissa R. Collings has done here is so much more than a thriller. She writes about the tension between love and obsession, identity and illusion, truth and perception with such compassion and clinical precision. I could feel Ethan’s grief, his guilt, his desperate hunger for a second chance. We root for him even as we watch him make choices that make our heart race.
I have read a lot of psychological thrillers that rely on unreliable and suspicious twists — this is not that. The twists here are earned. They grow organically from character, from trauma, from that haunting question Oscar Wilde gave us: do we all, in some way, kill the thing we love?
M.R. Collings’ background as a former spine surgery PA shines through — there is an authenticity to the medical and psychiatric details, and an even deeper understanding of human behavior. Her writing is layered, atmospheric, and so beautifully controlled. I finished the last 100 pages in one emotionally-charged sitting.
It’s haunting, tender, suspenseful, and profoundly human. A story about how the past never really leaves us, and how real love can both save us and undo us.
Bravo, M.R. Collings. This book will stay with me for a very long time. 5 Stars. Thank you Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the Advance Review Copy!
On the surface, it’s a twisty psychological thriller about Ethan Bell — a hospital exec with a loving wife, two kids, and a perfect life in the suburbs, until he sees Fawn Blom, his first love who died eighteen years ago, sitting in his favorite coffee shop. Is she real? Is he unraveling?
I couldn’t put it down. What Melissa R. Collings has done here is so much more than a thriller. She writes about the tension between love and obsession, identity and illusion, truth and perception with such compassion and clinical precision. I could feel Ethan’s grief, his guilt, his desperate hunger for a second chance. We root for him even as we watch him make choices that make our heart race.
I have read a lot of psychological thrillers that rely on unreliable and suspicious twists — this is not that. The twists here are earned. They grow organically from character, from trauma, from that haunting question Oscar Wilde gave us: do we all, in some way, kill the thing we love?
M.R. Collings’ background as a former spine surgery PA shines through — there is an authenticity to the medical and psychiatric details, and an even deeper understanding of human behavior. Her writing is layered, atmospheric, and so beautifully controlled. I finished the last 100 pages in one emotionally-charged sitting.
It’s haunting, tender, suspenseful, and profoundly human. A story about how the past never really leaves us, and how real love can both save us and undo us.
Bravo, M.R. Collings. This book will stay with me for a very long time. 5 Stars. Thank you Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the Advance Review Copy!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Kill the Thing You Love completely pulled me in from the very first chapter. It had me questioning everything, and I honestly never knew what to believe. If you love psychological thrillers with unreliable narrators that keep you guessing until the very end, this one absolutely delivers.
The premise hooked me immediately. Ethan, a successful husband and father, suddenly sees his first love at a coffee shop…except she’s been dead for nearly twenty years. From that moment on, I couldn’t stop reading. I kept going back and forth between wondering if there was some huge conspiracy happening or if Ethan was completely losing his grip on reality.
One of my favorite things about this book was how well M.R. Collings handled the unreliable narrator. I felt just as confused and unsettled as Ethan did. Every time I thought I had things figured out, something would happen that made me question everything all over again. That’s exactly what I want from a psychological thriller.
I also really enjoyed the multiple points of view and dual timeline. Sometimes books with different perspectives can lose my attention, but this one never did. Each chapter added another piece of the puzzle, and slowly seeing both Ethan’s present life and his past unfold made the suspense even stronger.
The atmosphere was another standout for me. You could really feel Ethan’s obsession taking over every part of his life, and watching his world slowly unravel made the story feel tense, unsettling, and impossible to put down.
If I had one tiny criticism, it’s that the middle slowed down just a little while Ethan became more consumed by his obsession. But honestly, it didn’t take away from my enjoyment because the suspense kept building, and once the story picked back up, I flew through the rest of the book.
Overall, I absolutely loved this one. It was clever, twisty, suspenseful, and had me turning pages way later than I should have. If you’re a fan of psychological thrillers, unreliable narrators, buried secrets, and stories that constantly make you question what’s real, I definitely recommend adding Kill the Thing You Love to your TBR. This is an easy 5-star read for me.
The premise hooked me immediately. Ethan, a successful husband and father, suddenly sees his first love at a coffee shop…except she’s been dead for nearly twenty years. From that moment on, I couldn’t stop reading. I kept going back and forth between wondering if there was some huge conspiracy happening or if Ethan was completely losing his grip on reality.
One of my favorite things about this book was how well M.R. Collings handled the unreliable narrator. I felt just as confused and unsettled as Ethan did. Every time I thought I had things figured out, something would happen that made me question everything all over again. That’s exactly what I want from a psychological thriller.
I also really enjoyed the multiple points of view and dual timeline. Sometimes books with different perspectives can lose my attention, but this one never did. Each chapter added another piece of the puzzle, and slowly seeing both Ethan’s present life and his past unfold made the suspense even stronger.
The atmosphere was another standout for me. You could really feel Ethan’s obsession taking over every part of his life, and watching his world slowly unravel made the story feel tense, unsettling, and impossible to put down.
If I had one tiny criticism, it’s that the middle slowed down just a little while Ethan became more consumed by his obsession. But honestly, it didn’t take away from my enjoyment because the suspense kept building, and once the story picked back up, I flew through the rest of the book.
Overall, I absolutely loved this one. It was clever, twisty, suspenseful, and had me turning pages way later than I should have. If you’re a fan of psychological thrillers, unreliable narrators, buried secrets, and stories that constantly make you question what’s real, I definitely recommend adding Kill the Thing You Love to your TBR. This is an easy 5-star read for me.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A brilliantly disorienting, claustrophobic ride. A solid 4 stars!
As a massive psychological thriller reader, I am always on the hunt for a book that can genuinely make me question the narrator’s sanity without losing the plot completely. Kill the Thing You Love delivered exactly that.
The premise hooked me immediately: Ethan, a successful family man, spots his first love at a coffee shop—the exact same girl who supposedly died in a tragic accident eighteen years ago. What follows is a slow-burn descent into obsession and total paranoia.
What I absolutely loved:
The unreliable narrator execution: M.R. Collings does a fantastic job of making you feel just as unhinged as Ethan. When his former psychiatrist steps in and questions whether Fawn is even real, the tension skyrockets. You are constantly pivoting between "is this a massive, elaborate conspiracy?" and "has Ethan entirely lost his mind?"
The structural pacing: The story is told through multiple POVs and a dual timeline. Usually, shifting perspectives can slow down a thriller, but here, seeing the cracks form in Ethan’s perfect suburban life from the outside added a brilliant layer of dread. The past timeline filled in just enough gaps to keep me guessing about what really happened twenty years ago.
The claustrophobic atmosphere: It perfectly captures how a single obsession can completely unravel a person's career, marriage, and reality brick by brick.
My only real gripe:
While the build-up was incredibly suspenseful, the middle portion dragged just a touch as Ethan spun his wheels in the obsession phase. I wanted the pace to keep the breathless momentum of the opening chapters, but it did slow down slightly before ramping back up for the finale.
That minor pacing issue aside, this is a clever, twisty, and highly addictive psychological thriller that kept me turning the pages late into the night. If you love stories about buried secrets and unreliable minds, definitely add this to your TBR list.
As a massive psychological thriller reader, I am always on the hunt for a book that can genuinely make me question the narrator’s sanity without losing the plot completely. Kill the Thing You Love delivered exactly that.
The premise hooked me immediately: Ethan, a successful family man, spots his first love at a coffee shop—the exact same girl who supposedly died in a tragic accident eighteen years ago. What follows is a slow-burn descent into obsession and total paranoia.
What I absolutely loved:
The unreliable narrator execution: M.R. Collings does a fantastic job of making you feel just as unhinged as Ethan. When his former psychiatrist steps in and questions whether Fawn is even real, the tension skyrockets. You are constantly pivoting between "is this a massive, elaborate conspiracy?" and "has Ethan entirely lost his mind?"
The structural pacing: The story is told through multiple POVs and a dual timeline. Usually, shifting perspectives can slow down a thriller, but here, seeing the cracks form in Ethan’s perfect suburban life from the outside added a brilliant layer of dread. The past timeline filled in just enough gaps to keep me guessing about what really happened twenty years ago.
The claustrophobic atmosphere: It perfectly captures how a single obsession can completely unravel a person's career, marriage, and reality brick by brick.
My only real gripe:
While the build-up was incredibly suspenseful, the middle portion dragged just a touch as Ethan spun his wheels in the obsession phase. I wanted the pace to keep the breathless momentum of the opening chapters, but it did slow down slightly before ramping back up for the finale.
That minor pacing issue aside, this is a clever, twisty, and highly addictive psychological thriller that kept me turning the pages late into the night. If you love stories about buried secrets and unreliable minds, definitely add this to your TBR list.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.5 rounded to 4 ⭐️
Family man Ethan’s perfect life shatters into pieces when he walks into his favourite coffee shop and see’s his first love, Fawn. However, she died eighteen years ago ..
He has it all: a loving wife, two children, a comfortable home in the suburbs and a promising career, despite the darkness of his past. That is until the girl who has haunted him since the fatal accident almost two decades before appears one random Monday morning, leading to an obsessive, deluded affair and dangerous secrets coming to the surface. Suddenly, his carefully constructed world doesn’t seem so perfect …
Consumed with the idealistic promise of a second chance with his first love, Ethan’s obsession with Fawn grows, deepening with each lie he tells and erratic behaviour he can’t explain away to his wife, family and employment. But his former psychiatrist, Finn, isn’t convinced that Fawn is real. He believes she is a figment of his imagination and that Ethan’s reality is slowly unravelling. What is the truth?
How much is Ethan willing to risk to get what he think he wants?
Told across 3 POVs: Ethan, Finn and ‘Her’ as well as dual timelines: past and present: this claustrophobic thriller is like a train wreck that is happening in front of your eyes and you can’t turn away from! MRC does so well at blurring the lines between truth and creeping delusion. It looks at psychotherapy vs science, our trauma response and emotional turmoil following grief.
A character driven story, perfect for those who love a haunting, suspenseful thriller with questionable psychiatrist ethics, multiple twists, unsettling atmosphere and left wondering what the truth is right until the very end! The middle does slow a little due to what feels like repetition in comparison to the addictive beginning and shocking ending.
With thanks to NetGalley, Thomas and Mercer and M R Collings for the ARC in return for an honest review.
Family man Ethan’s perfect life shatters into pieces when he walks into his favourite coffee shop and see’s his first love, Fawn. However, she died eighteen years ago ..
He has it all: a loving wife, two children, a comfortable home in the suburbs and a promising career, despite the darkness of his past. That is until the girl who has haunted him since the fatal accident almost two decades before appears one random Monday morning, leading to an obsessive, deluded affair and dangerous secrets coming to the surface. Suddenly, his carefully constructed world doesn’t seem so perfect …
Consumed with the idealistic promise of a second chance with his first love, Ethan’s obsession with Fawn grows, deepening with each lie he tells and erratic behaviour he can’t explain away to his wife, family and employment. But his former psychiatrist, Finn, isn’t convinced that Fawn is real. He believes she is a figment of his imagination and that Ethan’s reality is slowly unravelling. What is the truth?
How much is Ethan willing to risk to get what he think he wants?
Told across 3 POVs: Ethan, Finn and ‘Her’ as well as dual timelines: past and present: this claustrophobic thriller is like a train wreck that is happening in front of your eyes and you can’t turn away from! MRC does so well at blurring the lines between truth and creeping delusion. It looks at psychotherapy vs science, our trauma response and emotional turmoil following grief.
A character driven story, perfect for those who love a haunting, suspenseful thriller with questionable psychiatrist ethics, multiple twists, unsettling atmosphere and left wondering what the truth is right until the very end! The middle does slow a little due to what feels like repetition in comparison to the addictive beginning and shocking ending.
With thanks to NetGalley, Thomas and Mercer and M R Collings for the ARC in return for an honest review.
August 22, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
In this story a hospital executive, Ethan Bell, has built the perfect life in the Seattle suburbs: a loving wife, two great kids, and a thriving career. He’s completely distanced himself from the darkness of his past - until he spots a ghost at his favorite coffee shop. Fawn Blom, his high school sweetheart and first love, is sitting right there.
The problem: She supposedly died in a fatal accident nearly twenty years ago. Suddenly, Ethan’s carefully constructed world begins to fracture…
While this is pitched as a psychological thriller, it actually felt like a second-chance romance with a dark edge of mystery. This story forces you into a massive moral gray area. You constantly question the ethics of Ethan’s choices. Is his behavior forgivable because Fawn was his ultimate "what if" first love? Or should his loyalty strictly remain with his wife and kids?
Getting to unpack Fawn's true motives and feelings added so much complexity to the plot. The characters are incredibly interesting and well-developed.
The tension hit the exact right sweet spot for me - it kept hooked.
- Is It Real or All in His Head?: A massive highlight for me was the inclusion of Ethan's former psychiatrist. The therapist completely doubts Fawn is actually real and suspects Ethan is suffering from massive, grief-induced delusions.
- Ultimate Gaslighting Vibes: This addition perfectly amps up the psychological thriller aspect! It makes you completely question Ethan's sanity and reality, adding a brilliant layer of "unreliable narrator" tension right when you think you have the story figured out.
The climax delivers a tragic, bittersweet punch. If you love thrillers that make you question right versus wrong while delivering a heavy dose of romantic nostalgia, absolutely add this to your TBR!
#Psychological-thriller #Mystery-thriller #Second-chance-romance #Morally-grey-characters #ARC-review
In this story a hospital executive, Ethan Bell, has built the perfect life in the Seattle suburbs: a loving wife, two great kids, and a thriving career. He’s completely distanced himself from the darkness of his past - until he spots a ghost at his favorite coffee shop. Fawn Blom, his high school sweetheart and first love, is sitting right there.
The problem: She supposedly died in a fatal accident nearly twenty years ago. Suddenly, Ethan’s carefully constructed world begins to fracture…
While this is pitched as a psychological thriller, it actually felt like a second-chance romance with a dark edge of mystery. This story forces you into a massive moral gray area. You constantly question the ethics of Ethan’s choices. Is his behavior forgivable because Fawn was his ultimate "what if" first love? Or should his loyalty strictly remain with his wife and kids?
Getting to unpack Fawn's true motives and feelings added so much complexity to the plot. The characters are incredibly interesting and well-developed.
The tension hit the exact right sweet spot for me - it kept hooked.
- Is It Real or All in His Head?: A massive highlight for me was the inclusion of Ethan's former psychiatrist. The therapist completely doubts Fawn is actually real and suspects Ethan is suffering from massive, grief-induced delusions.
- Ultimate Gaslighting Vibes: This addition perfectly amps up the psychological thriller aspect! It makes you completely question Ethan's sanity and reality, adding a brilliant layer of "unreliable narrator" tension right when you think you have the story figured out.
The climax delivers a tragic, bittersweet punch. If you love thrillers that make you question right versus wrong while delivering a heavy dose of romantic nostalgia, absolutely add this to your TBR!
#Psychological-thriller #Mystery-thriller #Second-chance-romance #Morally-grey-characters #ARC-review
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
"There is no act so heinous that someone, given the right story, wouldn't find a way to justify it."
An intense page-turner gasp-inducing twisty thriller that I basically read in one night, because I couldn't put it down and I just had to know the outcome ASAP.
Thrillers are my favorite genre and I've read more than I care to count, so very little can surprise me at this point, but this was just... chef's kiss ! You can't see any plot twist coming because they're all mind blowing and insane and the characters are so wrapped up in their own narrative and delusions that you start to doubt and question everything along with them. Gillian was my favorite character, a down-to-earth no-nonsense woman whose only fault is loving Ethan to a fault. I definitely don't approve of her way of handling things in the end, but I can understand and respect her level of commitment.
I felt sorry for Finn, although he seemed like a bad guy and made some horrible things. I somehow had more empathy for him than for Ethan, who was just weak all-around.
The idea that trauma shapes the way we see the world and our inner demons can turn into a physical presence that we need to eliminate (metaphorically or not), sometimes repeatedly, in order to find peace, was a fascinating psychological idea and I almost wanted as much as Finn for his theory to prove correct.
The narrative felt just a bit rushed towards the end, lacking the abundance of details that the rest of the book had, but I enjoyed it very much and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants an awesome thriller with a hefty dose of psychology!
An intense page-turner gasp-inducing twisty thriller that I basically read in one night, because I couldn't put it down and I just had to know the outcome ASAP.
Thrillers are my favorite genre and I've read more than I care to count, so very little can surprise me at this point, but this was just... chef's kiss ! You can't see any plot twist coming because they're all mind blowing and insane and the characters are so wrapped up in their own narrative and delusions that you start to doubt and question everything along with them. Gillian was my favorite character, a down-to-earth no-nonsense woman whose only fault is loving Ethan to a fault. I definitely don't approve of her way of handling things in the end, but I can understand and respect her level of commitment.
I felt sorry for Finn, although he seemed like a bad guy and made some horrible things. I somehow had more empathy for him than for Ethan, who was just weak all-around.
The idea that trauma shapes the way we see the world and our inner demons can turn into a physical presence that we need to eliminate (metaphorically or not), sometimes repeatedly, in order to find peace, was a fascinating psychological idea and I almost wanted as much as Finn for his theory to prove correct.
The narrative felt just a bit rushed towards the end, lacking the abundance of details that the rest of the book had, but I enjoyed it very much and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants an awesome thriller with a hefty dose of psychology!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
𝑰𝒕'𝒔 𝒈𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒂 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒅𝒂𝒚. 𝑰 𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒗𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒂𝒇𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔. 𝑬𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒐𝒏 𝒂 𝒅𝒂𝒚 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒐𝒅𝒂𝒚, 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝑰 𝒘𝒐𝒌𝒆 𝒖𝒑 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒂 𝒅𝒆𝒆𝒑 𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅.
Ethan Bell has everything he could want: a loving family, a successful career, and a comfortable life far removed from the darkness of his past. Then he sees Fawn, his high school sweetheart and first love, who supposedly died eighteen years ago. As Ethan becomes consumed by the possibility that she is somehow alive, his behavior grows increasingly erratic and the line between reality and delusion begins to blur.
This was another case of a premise that immediately intrigued me, but an execution that left me a little confused. I love psychological thrillers that make you question what is real, and the idea of a man seeing someone he knows to be dead had so much potential. The problem for me was that as the story unfolded, I often felt more disoriented than intrigued. I kept waiting for the pieces to come together in a way that would make everything click, but I never fully settled into the narrative enough to become invested in what was happening.
There were definitely moments that held my attention, and I appreciated the psychological direction of the story, especially as Ethan's reality became increasingly unstable. But this ultimately felt like one of those books where I loved the idea more than the execution. I can absolutely see the appeal for readers who enjoy stories that delve into obsession, grief, and an unreliable sense of reality, but this one just didn't quite come together for me. Thank you to Thomas and Mercer for the early copy that will publish January 19, 2027.
Ethan Bell has everything he could want: a loving family, a successful career, and a comfortable life far removed from the darkness of his past. Then he sees Fawn, his high school sweetheart and first love, who supposedly died eighteen years ago. As Ethan becomes consumed by the possibility that she is somehow alive, his behavior grows increasingly erratic and the line between reality and delusion begins to blur.
This was another case of a premise that immediately intrigued me, but an execution that left me a little confused. I love psychological thrillers that make you question what is real, and the idea of a man seeing someone he knows to be dead had so much potential. The problem for me was that as the story unfolded, I often felt more disoriented than intrigued. I kept waiting for the pieces to come together in a way that would make everything click, but I never fully settled into the narrative enough to become invested in what was happening.
There were definitely moments that held my attention, and I appreciated the psychological direction of the story, especially as Ethan's reality became increasingly unstable. But this ultimately felt like one of those books where I loved the idea more than the execution. I can absolutely see the appeal for readers who enjoy stories that delve into obsession, grief, and an unreliable sense of reality, but this one just didn't quite come together for me. Thank you to Thomas and Mercer for the early copy that will publish January 19, 2027.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I'd say this is probably closer to a 3.5 for me, but with the lack of a half star option, 4 it is!
ARC (I think) Review: Kill The Thing You Love
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
The premise of Kill The Thing You Love immediately drew me in, and I was curious to see where the story would go. Overall, I found it to be an interesting and unique read .
One of the strongest aspects of the novel was the use of multiple POVs. I'm generally a fan of dual POV storytelling, and the author does a good job of giving Ethan, Finn, and Her distinct perspectives. There were moments where the narration seemed to shift between first and third person, which occasionally caught me off guard, but it didn't stop me from following the story.
A couple of stylistic choices didn't quite work for me. Early on, seeing the word "seggsy" was unexpected and pulled me out of the story a little, as it felt more like internet slang than something I'd expect to find in a novel. I also found myself confused by the occasional crossed-out words that appeared throughout the different POVs.
That said, the story itself kept me invested. There were several twists and reveals that helped maintain the suspense and kept me wanting to know what would happen next. The plot felt fresh and different.
And I have to give a special mention to Sigmund, who was absolutely the MVP of the book. Truly the standout character for me.
Also, Gillian? Girl, get it.
ARC (I think) Review: Kill The Thing You Love
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
The premise of Kill The Thing You Love immediately drew me in, and I was curious to see where the story would go. Overall, I found it to be an interesting and unique read .
One of the strongest aspects of the novel was the use of multiple POVs. I'm generally a fan of dual POV storytelling, and the author does a good job of giving Ethan, Finn, and Her distinct perspectives. There were moments where the narration seemed to shift between first and third person, which occasionally caught me off guard, but it didn't stop me from following the story.
A couple of stylistic choices didn't quite work for me. Early on, seeing the word "seggsy" was unexpected and pulled me out of the story a little, as it felt more like internet slang than something I'd expect to find in a novel. I also found myself confused by the occasional crossed-out words that appeared throughout the different POVs.
That said, the story itself kept me invested. There were several twists and reveals that helped maintain the suspense and kept me wanting to know what would happen next. The plot felt fresh and different.
And I have to give a special mention to Sigmund, who was absolutely the MVP of the book. Truly the standout character for me.
Also, Gillian? Girl, get it.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Rating: 4.5⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of this book. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Ethan, Ethan, Ethan—me every time he indulged ‘Faith’. 😭
Ethan Bell is happily married with two kids and a dog. His life is going fine until his ex, who died in a tragic accident when they were 17, shows up and decides to upend his life.
‘Faith’ came off as obsessive, insane, and possessive. Everything about her seemed…off. She just rubbed me the wrong way. The entire time, I questioned whether she was really Fawn, or if Rein was right and Ethan had just imagined her.
Rein has his own issues, but overall, I don’t think he was a bad person with bad intentions. He just wasn’t…well.
The whole book did exactly what a thriller is supposed to do. It made me feel like a detective, piecing all the clues together and discovering new evidence. And whenever I thought I had it all figured out, the next chapter had me thinking, ‘Wait! Was I wrong? Did I miss something?’
One thing I was certain about was what happened to ‘Faith’ and who did it. I just knew. I knew immediately when Ethan started describing the pool. I just didn’t know at the time who was going to do it.
The book isn’t 5 stars for me because the first half was a bit slow, but I read the second half today and didn’t even take half the day to finish it. Overall, this was a really enjoyable read. I would definitely recommend it, and I’d love to read more of this author’s work.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of this book. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Ethan, Ethan, Ethan—me every time he indulged ‘Faith’. 😭
Ethan Bell is happily married with two kids and a dog. His life is going fine until his ex, who died in a tragic accident when they were 17, shows up and decides to upend his life.
‘Faith’ came off as obsessive, insane, and possessive. Everything about her seemed…off. She just rubbed me the wrong way. The entire time, I questioned whether she was really Fawn, or if Rein was right and Ethan had just imagined her.
Rein has his own issues, but overall, I don’t think he was a bad person with bad intentions. He just wasn’t…well.
The whole book did exactly what a thriller is supposed to do. It made me feel like a detective, piecing all the clues together and discovering new evidence. And whenever I thought I had it all figured out, the next chapter had me thinking, ‘Wait! Was I wrong? Did I miss something?’
One thing I was certain about was what happened to ‘Faith’ and who did it. I just knew. I knew immediately when Ethan started describing the pool. I just didn’t know at the time who was going to do it.
The book isn’t 5 stars for me because the first half was a bit slow, but I read the second half today and didn’t even take half the day to finish it. Overall, this was a really enjoyable read. I would definitely recommend it, and I’d love to read more of this author’s work.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Have you ever yelled at the TV screen because a character is doing something stupid? Yeah, me too. I may have yelled at Ethan a time or two while reading “Kill the Thing You Love”.
Imagine having it all.
Beautiful home. Kids that absolutely love you. The most understanding and devoted woman that has been known to mankind. A great job that has you on the precipice of advancement.
Everything.
Imagine being willing to throw it all away because you see your high school sweetheart in a coffee shop.
Well, maybe that’s not a fair way to put it. Let me try again.
Imagine being willing to throw it all away because you see high school sweetheart that died tragically before you graduated in a coffee shop.
Fixed it.
Ethan doesn’t plan to throw everything away. But he can’t believe she is really back. That first love. The one he has never gotten over. Just ask his wife. Remember, I said she is understanding. Well, at least up to a point.
Ethan begins to spiral out of control. He’s most likely lost the promotion as his work is falling behind and he misses meetings. And his family…that is next.
This was an anxiety inducing read. It just kept feeling like things couldn’t get worse only for them to get worse on the next page. This book was heading towards being a perfect read for me until one of the twists towards the end. It didn’t derail my enjoyment of the book overall, but it felt contrived. But then the very final twist…perfection!
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for providing an ARC for an unbiased review.
Imagine having it all.
Beautiful home. Kids that absolutely love you. The most understanding and devoted woman that has been known to mankind. A great job that has you on the precipice of advancement.
Everything.
Imagine being willing to throw it all away because you see your high school sweetheart in a coffee shop.
Well, maybe that’s not a fair way to put it. Let me try again.
Imagine being willing to throw it all away because you see high school sweetheart that died tragically before you graduated in a coffee shop.
Fixed it.
Ethan doesn’t plan to throw everything away. But he can’t believe she is really back. That first love. The one he has never gotten over. Just ask his wife. Remember, I said she is understanding. Well, at least up to a point.
Ethan begins to spiral out of control. He’s most likely lost the promotion as his work is falling behind and he misses meetings. And his family…that is next.
This was an anxiety inducing read. It just kept feeling like things couldn’t get worse only for them to get worse on the next page. This book was heading towards being a perfect read for me until one of the twists towards the end. It didn’t derail my enjoyment of the book overall, but it felt contrived. But then the very final twist…perfection!
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for providing an ARC for an unbiased review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Kill the Thing You Love is a clever, unsettling exploration of memory, obsession, and the lies we tell ourselves to survive.
Ethan Bell is such a compelling narrator—successful, settled, and outwardly content, yet carrying a grief that never quite let go. When Fawn, his first love who died nearly two decades ago, suddenly appears in front of him, the story shifts into a tense, spiralling descent that’s as fascinating as it is disturbing. Watching Ethan’s perfect life fracture piece by piece is both heartbreaking and impossible to look away from.
The author does a brilliant job blurring the line between reality and delusion. Every encounter with Fawn feels charged with uncertainty, and the creeping dread of not knowing what’s real kept me fully hooked. The tension builds quietly at first, then tightens until you’re racing through chapters, needing to know whether Ethan is being haunted—or unraveling.
It’s atmospheric, twisty, and emotionally sharp, with a final act that lands beautifully. A gripping psychological thriller that lingers long after you finish, perfect for readers who enjoy character‑driven suspense with a haunting edge.
With thanks to M R Collings, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC
Ethan Bell is such a compelling narrator—successful, settled, and outwardly content, yet carrying a grief that never quite let go. When Fawn, his first love who died nearly two decades ago, suddenly appears in front of him, the story shifts into a tense, spiralling descent that’s as fascinating as it is disturbing. Watching Ethan’s perfect life fracture piece by piece is both heartbreaking and impossible to look away from.
The author does a brilliant job blurring the line between reality and delusion. Every encounter with Fawn feels charged with uncertainty, and the creeping dread of not knowing what’s real kept me fully hooked. The tension builds quietly at first, then tightens until you’re racing through chapters, needing to know whether Ethan is being haunted—or unraveling.
It’s atmospheric, twisty, and emotionally sharp, with a final act that lands beautifully. A gripping psychological thriller that lingers long after you finish, perfect for readers who enjoy character‑driven suspense with a haunting edge.
With thanks to M R Collings, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I couldn't put this one down.
Ethan is married with kids and a great job, content with his life, when his high school girlfriend and first love shows up. The problem is that she died in high school - or did she? What follows is told from three POVs as Ethan wrestles with his past and future life choices and seeks advice from his old psychiatrist, who is dealing with his own life stresses.
One of the things that makes this book so unique is that none of the characters are particularly likable, nor do they easily garner sympathy or empathy from the reader. This is an impressive feat on the part of the author. Most of why I couldn't put it down is because the story is one of those that feels like a train wreck you can't look away from (and I'm honestly a sucker for those stories). There were some solid twists I didn't see coming. I also personally enjoyed the psychology aspect of looking at the effects of trauma. The book gets 4 stars from me because I loved it but some of the characters' intensity felt a little forced off and on.
Overall a great time to read, would recommend especially if you like psychological thrillers and stories that feel like a train wreck you can't stop watching!
Thanks to NetGalley and publisher Thomas & Mercer for the advanced copy.
Ethan is married with kids and a great job, content with his life, when his high school girlfriend and first love shows up. The problem is that she died in high school - or did she? What follows is told from three POVs as Ethan wrestles with his past and future life choices and seeks advice from his old psychiatrist, who is dealing with his own life stresses.
One of the things that makes this book so unique is that none of the characters are particularly likable, nor do they easily garner sympathy or empathy from the reader. This is an impressive feat on the part of the author. Most of why I couldn't put it down is because the story is one of those that feels like a train wreck you can't look away from (and I'm honestly a sucker for those stories). There were some solid twists I didn't see coming. I also personally enjoyed the psychology aspect of looking at the effects of trauma. The book gets 4 stars from me because I loved it but some of the characters' intensity felt a little forced off and on.
Overall a great time to read, would recommend especially if you like psychological thrillers and stories that feel like a train wreck you can't stop watching!
Thanks to NetGalley and publisher Thomas & Mercer for the advanced copy.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I think the title of this one was probably what got me 😂. A book about writers, publishing, ambition and the darker side of the literary world? Obviously I was going to give it a go.
I actually really enjoyed the publishing side of Kill the Thing You Love. There was something fun about seeing all the competitiveness, ego and desperation that can sit underneath the very romantic idea of being a writer. I liked the way the book played with that world and there were definitely moments where I thought, oh, this is a little too believable.
The characters were a bit more hit and miss for me. I didn't dislike them, but I never became completely invested in them either, so I found myself more interested in what was happening around them than emotionally attached to where their individual stories were going.
I also enjoyed the darker direction the story took, although I think I wanted a little more from some of it. There were moments where I was really into it and others where I was more along for the ride.
Still, I'm glad I read it. It was different, bookish, a little dark and had enough going on to keep me interested. Not quite a favourite, but definitely an enjoyable read for me.
⭐️⭐️⭐️½
I actually really enjoyed the publishing side of Kill the Thing You Love. There was something fun about seeing all the competitiveness, ego and desperation that can sit underneath the very romantic idea of being a writer. I liked the way the book played with that world and there were definitely moments where I thought, oh, this is a little too believable.
The characters were a bit more hit and miss for me. I didn't dislike them, but I never became completely invested in them either, so I found myself more interested in what was happening around them than emotionally attached to where their individual stories were going.
I also enjoyed the darker direction the story took, although I think I wanted a little more from some of it. There were moments where I was really into it and others where I was more along for the ride.
Still, I'm glad I read it. It was different, bookish, a little dark and had enough going on to keep me interested. Not quite a favourite, but definitely an enjoyable read for me.
⭐️⭐️⭐️½
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book completely exceeded every expectation I had. From the very first chapters, I thought I had things figured out… and I couldn’t have been more wrong. Every time I settled on a theory, the story pulled the rug out from under me. I was still second-guessing everything right up until the final pages.
What I loved most was the pacing. It never let up. The tension kept building, the twists felt earned, and I found myself saying, “Just one more chapter,” until I realized I’d practically finished the book. It’s rare for me to reach the end of a novel and genuinely wish there were more pages left, but that’s exactly how I felt here.
This was an emotional, suspenseful, and wildly unpredictable ride that kept me completely invested from beginning to end. M. R. Collings has absolutely earned a spot on my list of must-read authors, and I’ll be picking up future releases without hesitation.
An easy five stars. I can’t wait for everyone else to experience this one, it’s a journey worth taking.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book completely exceeded every expectation I had. From the very first chapters, I thought I had things figured out… and I couldn’t have been more wrong. Every time I settled on a theory, the story pulled the rug out from under me. I was still second-guessing everything right up until the final pages.
What I loved most was the pacing. It never let up. The tension kept building, the twists felt earned, and I found myself saying, “Just one more chapter,” until I realized I’d practically finished the book. It’s rare for me to reach the end of a novel and genuinely wish there were more pages left, but that’s exactly how I felt here.
This was an emotional, suspenseful, and wildly unpredictable ride that kept me completely invested from beginning to end. M. R. Collings has absolutely earned a spot on my list of must-read authors, and I’ll be picking up future releases without hesitation.
An easy five stars. I can’t wait for everyone else to experience this one, it’s a journey worth taking.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
So I questioned reality for most of this story because it was just that twisted and disturbing. Kill The Thing You Love is about Ethan, whose family man life derails when his first love, who is supposed to be dead, resurfaces and tries to bring him back into a relationship with her. Ethan was committed to a psychiatric institution when Fawn died and has never really gotten over her loss, though he has spent the ensuing years grieving her. His wife, Gillian, helped him put the pieces back together and they have built a life for themselves and their children. There were so many times in this book that I asked myself what in the world is happening, but in such a good way. The line between fact and fiction is blurred constantly and it's hard to know who or what is real and what is a figment of people's imaginations. Once I hit about 2/3 of the way through the book I just could not put it down because I had to know how it all worked out. There were some fantastic twists that I absolutely did not see coming, though there was one thing at the end that I was pretty sure was going to happen. Overall, a fantastic and twisted and disturbing story.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5 stars
rounded up because the epilogue and authors note at the end.
I couldn’t put this book down! The psychological aspect of the story really drew me in, and I was hooked from the beginning. You know something is off about the psychiatrist, but you don’t know exactly what it is, which made me want to keep reading to figure out what he was really all about.
The plot twist completely fooled me. I truly thought I had everything figured out, but I was so wrong! The storyline was unique, unsettling, and honestly scary because it felt like something that could actually happen. It was such a page-turner, and I couldn’t wait to see how everything would unfold.
I highly recommend reading the author’s note at the end. It adds another layer to the story and makes the book that much more special. The ending wrapped everything together like a perfect little bow, and I absolutely loved how everything came together.
If you’re into psychology, you will love this book! I feel like the author absolutely nailed it, and I can’t wait to read more from her. Definitely a page-turner that will keep you guessing!
rounded up because the epilogue and authors note at the end.
I couldn’t put this book down! The psychological aspect of the story really drew me in, and I was hooked from the beginning. You know something is off about the psychiatrist, but you don’t know exactly what it is, which made me want to keep reading to figure out what he was really all about.
The plot twist completely fooled me. I truly thought I had everything figured out, but I was so wrong! The storyline was unique, unsettling, and honestly scary because it felt like something that could actually happen. It was such a page-turner, and I couldn’t wait to see how everything would unfold.
I highly recommend reading the author’s note at the end. It adds another layer to the story and makes the book that much more special. The ending wrapped everything together like a perfect little bow, and I absolutely loved how everything came together.
If you’re into psychology, you will love this book! I feel like the author absolutely nailed it, and I can’t wait to read more from her. Definitely a page-turner that will keep you guessing!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Kill the Thing You Love starts with a premise that immediately made me suspicious of everything Ethan was seeing. He has a wife, two children, a successful career, and what looks like a settled life in the Seattle suburbs. Then he sees Fawn, his high school sweetheart, sitting in his favorite coffee shop. The problem is that Fawn died eighteen years earlier.
I liked how quickly Ethan’s certainty begins to fall apart. He becomes obsessed with the idea that Fawn is really alive, starts lying to the people around him, and behaves in ways even he cannot fully explain. His former psychiatrist insisting that Fawn may not be real adds another layer because it becomes difficult to tell whether Ethan is uncovering something buried in his past or losing his grip on the present.
The psychological side worked better for me than the domestic drama. I kept changing my mind about what I thought was happening, which is exactly what I want from this kind of thriller. A few turns pushed believability, but the questions around grief, memory, obsession, and perception kept me reading.
My sincere thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a free advance review copy.
I liked how quickly Ethan’s certainty begins to fall apart. He becomes obsessed with the idea that Fawn is really alive, starts lying to the people around him, and behaves in ways even he cannot fully explain. His former psychiatrist insisting that Fawn may not be real adds another layer because it becomes difficult to tell whether Ethan is uncovering something buried in his past or losing his grip on the present.
The psychological side worked better for me than the domestic drama. I kept changing my mind about what I thought was happening, which is exactly what I want from this kind of thriller. A few turns pushed believability, but the questions around grief, memory, obsession, and perception kept me reading.
My sincere thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a free advance review copy.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thanks, Netgalley, for the advanced readers' copy.
2.25/5
The premise of this book was very compelling to me, I thought it is going to be really psychological and twisty thriller but I was wrong, this book discussed relationship issues and scenes in a way it felt like a romance book about a cheater husband, such a turn off for me. In the beginning I thought a big plot twist is about to arrive which is going to leave me ina greaf state if shock and everything I doubted this book would make me look like a fool, I kept waiting for a plot twist, but when it arrived it was not even a plot twist, it was really easy and predictable, I think anyone can easily predict it. And another turn off for me was the characters were soo boring and not a bit relatable, I wasn't able to like a single character and for me characters matter the most, if characters are not likeable that book is such a turn off for me.
Spoilers.....
What the hell... I knew Fawb was the daughter of that psychiatrist.
I knew she wasn't Fawn.
I knew Gillian killed Christina.
How come these can be plot twists??..
2.25/5
The premise of this book was very compelling to me, I thought it is going to be really psychological and twisty thriller but I was wrong, this book discussed relationship issues and scenes in a way it felt like a romance book about a cheater husband, such a turn off for me. In the beginning I thought a big plot twist is about to arrive which is going to leave me ina greaf state if shock and everything I doubted this book would make me look like a fool, I kept waiting for a plot twist, but when it arrived it was not even a plot twist, it was really easy and predictable, I think anyone can easily predict it. And another turn off for me was the characters were soo boring and not a bit relatable, I wasn't able to like a single character and for me characters matter the most, if characters are not likeable that book is such a turn off for me.
Spoilers.....
What the hell... I knew Fawb was the daughter of that psychiatrist.
I knew she wasn't Fawn.
I knew Gillian killed Christina.
How come these can be plot twists??..
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
NETGALLEY ARC REVIEW
3.5⭐️
Kill the Thing You Love had a really interesting concept and some genuinely intriguing characters, but unfortunately, I found the execution a little difficult to follow at times.
There was a lot of jumping back and forth, and I sometimes struggled to keep track of what was happening. There were also certain parts of the story that didn’t quite make sense or fully add up for me, which made it harder to become completely immersed in the plot.
That said, there were plenty of twists and turns, and I did enjoy trying to work out where the story was heading. I actually guessed all but one of the major twists, although I still enjoyed seeing how everything unfolded.
Overall, I think this had the potential to be a really gripping psychological thriller. The premise was clever and the characters were interesting, but I think it could have been executed more cohesively. I would still recommend it to fans of psychological thrillers, but unfortunately, it wasn’t one of the strongest I’ve read.
3.5⭐️ — an intriguing concept, interesting characters and plenty of twists, but the constant jumping around made it difficult to fully connect with the story.
3.5⭐️
Kill the Thing You Love had a really interesting concept and some genuinely intriguing characters, but unfortunately, I found the execution a little difficult to follow at times.
There was a lot of jumping back and forth, and I sometimes struggled to keep track of what was happening. There were also certain parts of the story that didn’t quite make sense or fully add up for me, which made it harder to become completely immersed in the plot.
That said, there were plenty of twists and turns, and I did enjoy trying to work out where the story was heading. I actually guessed all but one of the major twists, although I still enjoyed seeing how everything unfolded.
Overall, I think this had the potential to be a really gripping psychological thriller. The premise was clever and the characters were interesting, but I think it could have been executed more cohesively. I would still recommend it to fans of psychological thrillers, but unfortunately, it wasn’t one of the strongest I’ve read.
3.5⭐️ — an intriguing concept, interesting characters and plenty of twists, but the constant jumping around made it difficult to fully connect with the story.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The premise of Kill the Thing You Love immediately grabbed my attention. Ethan has a seemingly perfect life with his wife, kids, career, and everything going for him, until he sees his high school sweetheart, Fawn, in a coffee shop. The problem? She died 18 years ago.
I thought the idea was really intriguing, and I liked the whole question of whether Fawn was actually alive or whether Ethan was losing his grip on reality. There were definitely enough twists and turns to keep me reading, and I enjoyed trying to figure out what was really going on.
That said, I had a hard time connecting with the characters, especially Ethan, and some of the jumping back and forth between timelines and POVs became a little confusing. I also figured out several of the twists pretty early, so I didn’t get quite the mind-blown experience I was hoping for.
I did think the ending came together well, though, and there were some genuinely unsettling moments. Overall, this was an interesting concept with plenty of potential, but the execution just didn’t completely work for me.
I thought the idea was really intriguing, and I liked the whole question of whether Fawn was actually alive or whether Ethan was losing his grip on reality. There were definitely enough twists and turns to keep me reading, and I enjoyed trying to figure out what was really going on.
That said, I had a hard time connecting with the characters, especially Ethan, and some of the jumping back and forth between timelines and POVs became a little confusing. I also figured out several of the twists pretty early, so I didn’t get quite the mind-blown experience I was hoping for.
I did think the ending came together well, though, and there were some genuinely unsettling moments. Overall, this was an interesting concept with plenty of potential, but the execution just didn’t completely work for me.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this novel
This book is based on Ethan and his perfect life he built after a traumatic moment when he was a teenager and his girlfriend died unexpectedly, and he had a very hard time getting over that event. It has the POV of Ethan, the psychologist Finn, and "her," who is this late girlfriend that came back to life to recover Ethan again and destroy his perfect new life with his loving wife and 2 kids.
Ethan is torn; he never really knew how to deal with the trauma and pain of looser her the first time around, and he loves his wife at the same time, so many mixed emotions. The girl is borderline toxic, the psicologist needs a psicologist of his own, he does not know how to handle changes and emotions either.
It was a bit longer, especially in the middle, and slow, but it picked up at the end and was twisty. I mean, I enjoyed it!
But now I wanna know, is she dead??? is she just hidden? is she what?? that last chapter/epilogue was o.O I had questions LOL
What are you willing to do for the "thing" you love?
This book is based on Ethan and his perfect life he built after a traumatic moment when he was a teenager and his girlfriend died unexpectedly, and he had a very hard time getting over that event. It has the POV of Ethan, the psychologist Finn, and "her," who is this late girlfriend that came back to life to recover Ethan again and destroy his perfect new life with his loving wife and 2 kids.
Ethan is torn; he never really knew how to deal with the trauma and pain of looser her the first time around, and he loves his wife at the same time, so many mixed emotions. The girl is borderline toxic, the psicologist needs a psicologist of his own, he does not know how to handle changes and emotions either.
It was a bit longer, especially in the middle, and slow, but it picked up at the end and was twisty. I mean, I enjoyed it!
But now I wanna know, is she dead??? is she just hidden? is she what?? that last chapter/epilogue was o.O I had questions LOL
What are you willing to do for the "thing" you love?
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Kill the Thing You Love is replete with everything you could want in a mystery/thriller. There are unreliable narrators with ambiguous intentions. The reader is challenged on how much they are willing to suspend disbelief.
The first few pages were propitious that the book was a page turner. When his dead first love reappears in his life, family man Ethan is reminded of the halcyon days of his teenage romance. He seeks the help of the psychiatrist who initially helped him through his grief. However, Ethan is confounded when presented with the idea that his returned love may not be real.
I thought I had the mystery solved, only to find that there was so much more to unpack. Upon finishing the story, I found that there were a few unanswered questions which I won’t list due to spoilers. Overall, a great mystery and a solid four stars.
Thanks to Thomas and Mercer and NetGalley for the eARC.
The first few pages were propitious that the book was a page turner. When his dead first love reappears in his life, family man Ethan is reminded of the halcyon days of his teenage romance. He seeks the help of the psychiatrist who initially helped him through his grief. However, Ethan is confounded when presented with the idea that his returned love may not be real.
I thought I had the mystery solved, only to find that there was so much more to unpack. Upon finishing the story, I found that there were a few unanswered questions which I won’t list due to spoilers. Overall, a great mystery and a solid four stars.
Thanks to Thomas and Mercer and NetGalley for the eARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
As a young teenager, Ethan fell in love with a classmate, Fawn. Her tragic death moves him in such a way that he is never the same. Not after marrying the woman who helped him through his grief, or his two children. When Fawn seemingly comes back from the dead, Ethan then has to choose just how much a love cut short is worth pursuing when he has already moved on. His psychiatrist, Finn, also has an interesting backstory that motivates him in his study just as much as longing moves Ethan.
This book had so many twists and turns. I appreciate that everything was wrapped up nicely at the end and the little hints all throughout the book. Overall, this book really made me think. I felt like it was a genuine journey into the what-ifs of life and Ethan felt real to me. I also thought that Dr. Finn's experiment and what led him to conduct it was thought provoking as well.
Thank you to Thomas & Mercer for providing this ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book had so many twists and turns. I appreciate that everything was wrapped up nicely at the end and the little hints all throughout the book. Overall, this book really made me think. I felt like it was a genuine journey into the what-ifs of life and Ethan felt real to me. I also thought that Dr. Finn's experiment and what led him to conduct it was thought provoking as well.
Thank you to Thomas & Mercer for providing this ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 24, 2026
Kill the Thing You Love is told through the point of view of three connected characters: Ethan, Finn, and Her, each exploring the past and what it means for their present.
The story is well-planned and felt intentional without being obvious. Collings feeds you pieces of information throughout the novel, dangling key details right in front of you without drawing your attention to them. As a result, when the importance of those details is revealed, I was surprised, but also thought “Why didn’t I catch that?”
Having said that, I don’t think I was ever invested. It was hard to cheer for characters that I didn’t find likeable or ethical, and the question I kept returning to was, “Are any of them sane?”
If you like a mystery where even the narrators are hiding something from you and you question what is real, Kill the Thing You Love is a good option.
Received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The story is well-planned and felt intentional without being obvious. Collings feeds you pieces of information throughout the novel, dangling key details right in front of you without drawing your attention to them. As a result, when the importance of those details is revealed, I was surprised, but also thought “Why didn’t I catch that?”
Having said that, I don’t think I was ever invested. It was hard to cheer for characters that I didn’t find likeable or ethical, and the question I kept returning to was, “Are any of them sane?”
If you like a mystery where even the narrators are hiding something from you and you question what is real, Kill the Thing You Love is a good option.
Received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 8, 2026
★★★★☆
Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer, and M.R. Collings for this Advanced Reader Copy.
I really enjoyed this one. It had the kind of psychological suspense that keeps you questioning everyone and second-guessing what’s actually going on. Every time I thought I had things figured out, the story made me rethink everything.
The atmosphere was tense, and I liked how the suspense built instead of relying on constant action. The characters were complicated and believable, which made it even easier to get pulled into the story. There were a few slower moments in the middle, but they helped build the tension, and the payoff at the end was worth it.
Overall, this was a really entertaining psychological suspense novel that kept me guessing until the end. It wasn’t quite a five-star read for me, but I’d definitely read more from M. R. Collings.
Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer, and M.R. Collings for this Advanced Reader Copy.
I really enjoyed this one. It had the kind of psychological suspense that keeps you questioning everyone and second-guessing what’s actually going on. Every time I thought I had things figured out, the story made me rethink everything.
The atmosphere was tense, and I liked how the suspense built instead of relying on constant action. The characters were complicated and believable, which made it even easier to get pulled into the story. There were a few slower moments in the middle, but they helped build the tension, and the payoff at the end was worth it.
Overall, this was a really entertaining psychological suspense novel that kept me guessing until the end. It wasn’t quite a five-star read for me, but I’d definitely read more from M. R. Collings.
July 22, 2026
Review from Advanced Copy received from NetGalley
4.75 ⭐️I love a thriller that keeps me from wanting to put a book down and this one I couldn’t stop reading. It had me guessing and confused (in a good way) all the way through. I would think I had it figured out and then I would start doubting myself. This is what makes for a great thriller. It had me hooked and intrigued from the very beginning.
Ethan, a successful husband and father sees his dead first love suddenly and his obsession with her became out of control.
Finn, the psychiatrist had me guessing what was going on with him the whole way through.
Fawn/Faith, the dead girlfriend and her manipulation was very convincing.
This was a great suspenseful story that I just could not put down. I would definitely recommend this book but be prepared for a wild ride.
4.75 ⭐️I love a thriller that keeps me from wanting to put a book down and this one I couldn’t stop reading. It had me guessing and confused (in a good way) all the way through. I would think I had it figured out and then I would start doubting myself. This is what makes for a great thriller. It had me hooked and intrigued from the very beginning.
Ethan, a successful husband and father sees his dead first love suddenly and his obsession with her became out of control.
Finn, the psychiatrist had me guessing what was going on with him the whole way through.
Fawn/Faith, the dead girlfriend and her manipulation was very convincing.
This was a great suspenseful story that I just could not put down. I would definitely recommend this book but be prepared for a wild ride.
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