Linzie (suspenseisthrillingme)'s Reviews > You Will Never Be Me

Last year when I read Jesse Q. Sutanto’s debut thriller, I’m Not Done With You Yet, I knew there was a deft hand at work. With a gift for creating obsessive female friendships and twisty, twisty plots, it was no surprise when I discovered that You Will Never Be Me was just as good if not better. After all, from the plot charging drama to the thoroughly unguessable twists, there wasn’t a moment where I wasn’t completely enthralled. So much so, in fact, that I flew through the book in just a matter of hours.

What in particular did I love the most about this slam dunk success? Well, first off were the characters. From the dual frenemy POVs to the perfectly fractured marriage, I was addicted to the well-developed personas as the plot unwound before me. And let me tell you, they were each more unlikeable than the last. One hundred percent selfish, vindictive, and loathsome, I went back and forth on who to root for and, even by the end, I still happily couldn’t decide.

Next up in my long list of loves was the premise itself. Taking a deep dive into the world of influencers, the idea that it could so easily take a dark turn felt realistic in every respect. At the same time, it was a brilliant satire on our insatiable social media obsession. Witty and insightful, I was duly impressed. The only piece that didn’t quite work was the somewhat long, slow burn first half. Despite that, however, I was wholly won over by this addictive, unputdownable novel.

All in all, Sutanto has managed to pull out all of the stops and deliver yet another buzz-worthy rollercoaster ride of suspense. Just know that you shouldn’t trust anyone or anything within these pages. I mean, the well-hidden lies, snarky banter, and shrewd cunning had me utterly spellbound. So if you haven’t heard of this one yet, take my review as a sign to run out and grab a copy today. After all, who doesn’t love their popcorn with a side of revenge? Rating of 4.5 stars.

SYNOPSIS:

Influencer Meredith Lee didn’t teach Aspen Palmer how to blossom on social media just to be ditched as soon as Aspen became big. So can anyone really blame Mer for doing a little stalking? Nothing serious, more like Stalking Lite. Then, Mer gets lucky; she finds one of Aspen’s kids’ iPads and swipes it. Now, she has access to everything: the family calendar and Aspen’s social media accounts. Would anyone else be able to resist tweaking things a little here and there, showing up in Aspen’s place for meetings with potential sponsors? Mer’s only taking back what she deserves—what should have been hers. 
 
Meanwhile, Aspen doesn’t understand why her perfectly filtered life is falling apart. Sponsors are dropping her, fellow influencers are ghosting her, and even her own husband seems to find her repulsive. If she doesn’t find out who’s behind everything, she might just lose it all. What everyone seems to forget is that Aspen didn’t become one of TikTok’s biggest momfluencers by being naive. When Meredith suddenly goes missing, Aspen’s world is upended and mysterious threats begin to arrive—but she won’t let anything get in the way of her perfect life again.

Thank you to Jesse Q. Sutanto, Berkeley Publishing, and NetGalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

PUB DATE: August 20, 2024

Trigger warning: infidelity, gaslighting