Reviews with content warning for Kidnapping - You Shouldn't Have Come Here

Oh…my word. This is the most bizarre book, I don’t even know where to start.

If you told me an eighth grader wrote this after learning about similes, metaphors, and allegories—while also discovering smut for the first time—I would believe you! It would make sense. I’m BEGGING you to go look at my highlights. I was actually selective about the mind boggling quotes I chose to feature.

I cannot count the amount of entire-face-double-takes I did while listening to this. The writing style is just so strange, nonsensical, and cringey without being the least bit charming. Did AI “help” with this? I literally cannot fathom an adult coming up with these phrases and then publishing them in a book. I’ve read another title by this author and it was not like this at all, so I’m very confused.

Sorry/you’re welcome to all my friends and family who received screenshots of this one. I was listening to the audio and had to check out the ebook to send them proof of this insanity.

If I have to read “blue, blue eyes” ONE MORE TIME 🔪🩸

Also, I called this “twist” if it can even be called that. Good riddance. I can’t believe this is real.

Content Warnings

klm2620's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

1.75

Very DARK & Dexter-esque. Not a very satisfying thriller — the story not the ending

Content Warnings

amanda_reads13's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Grace arrives at her airbnb on a ranch in Wyoming to find an a secluded and peaceful location with a very handsome host. But her idyllic vacation starts to take a turn as some major red flags are popping up.

I really like the idea of starting out the book as a romance and slowly leading it into more of a suspense/thriller plot. Although I didn't completely predict all of the ending, I did predict a lot of it.

Grace ends up at a secluded ranch with no cell service, working wifi, and a broken down car. At first all seems ok as she beings to get to know Calvin. Calvin quickly becomes obsessed with Grace and we see him do anything he can to keep her close.

I liked that we got the dual povs so we could understand what was going on in both their minds. But we find out that

both narrators are liars and unreliable. Calvin is secretly a serial killer who is killing his female airbnb guests and mounting their heads like taxidermy. We also found out that he killed his ex girlfriend when she told him she was moving away. So he purposeful crashed his car and blamed her death on his brother.

But he's not the only one who has a secret.

Grace is an alias of Avery's. She is also a serial killer who kills her airbnb hosts. So while Calvin thinks he is in control going to be able to kidnap Grace, she has secretly drugged his coffee and ends up with the upper hand. She ends up stabbing him and setting his house on fire. Then going home to her husband and children like nothing happened. Turned out we have 2 pyachopaths.

Tropes: secret identity

Content Warnings

streleven's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.75

Maybe I’m dense, but the ending left me super confused…
As for the book in general, it moved so slow until the last 30 minutes (listened to the audiobook). There was nothing in the first 80% of the book to suggest these people were who they ended up being, so the “twist” (again, super confused…) just came out of nowhere… literally.

Content Warnings

radh's review against another edition

Go to review page

mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

Overall a good vacation-type book that you don't have to think about much, is mostly enjoyable, and is an easy read. That said, the twist at the end and the last few chapters kind of ruined the book for me. It very much came out of nowhere and seemed like an easy out to quickly wrap up the story. Additionally, some of the descriptions of sex/ attraction were really off-putting. Not sure if that was an active choice but the author for the sake of the storyline or just a poor writing style, but it was definitely uncomfortable, especially to listen to on the audiobook. Until the last couple chapters, a pretty decent book though if you need something to keep you busy and capture your attention.

Content Warnings

bbethcasas's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging mysterious slow-paced

Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

NOT what I expected! What I expected was a great thriller, while, in reality, what I got was more romance/smut with a touch of mystery/roll your eyes drama.
CONTAINS SPOILERS!!

Grace arrives at Calvin’s AirBnB for her annual vacation/totally off-the-grid escape from reality. Right away she notices that things feel “off” but stays TEN days as things get progressively MUCH worse because she’s hot for the owner, who says she’s “HIS” and “wants this to never end.” What could go wrong???

All this to say, this IS a good book and a worthwhile read, just not what I was looking for.

Content Warnings

ehhitsmorgan's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

mThe amount of “what the fuck”s I wrote down in this book is absurd.

Content Warnings

snoopyfanclub's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Had me hooked til the end,

I would’ve found it more slay if she was like a vigilante vs straight up serial killer for fun. Like since she somehow knew his exact type I was expecting that maybe she was related to the missing girl, or trying to find her. Also she just killed someone and is already itching to again like get a grip girl.. was def a trashy read but I enjoyed it, though I could’ve done with less dead animals

Content Warnings

More...