NetGalley Top Reviewer

NetGalley Top Reviewer
NetGalley Top Reviewer

Wednesday, June 11, 2025

Jill is Not Happy by Kaira Rouda

 Dark domestic drama — like a train wreck.


Jack and Jill, oh my. I challenge you to find two more despicable unlikable characters. These two were definitely made for each other. Jill knows that, but Jack must be having some sort of life crisis cause he’s gone off the rails. A new woman in his life? Jill thinks not. After all, Jill knows that this is a marriage made in heaven, well maybe not there, but she sure isn’t going to let anything break them apart.


There is so much in this novel where you just shake your head at the thought of people behaving like this. I couldn’t stand either Jack or Jill as each had bad intentions. Thank heavens Jill had her special notebook to ensure Jack follows the rules. Her rules. I am guessing that many felt bad for Jack and thought Jill the worst of the pair. I disagree. He’s one of those that garners sympathy and such because people feel bad for him. The daughter, Maggie, well I do not like when any parent commandeers a child and involves them in their adult relationship no matter how old they are. Bad on Jack. For awhile I was worried (yeah I know I’m always on the bad side) that they were both going to end up in jail or kill each other. But they truly do deserve one another.


I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. The narrator, Marnye Young. She was OK, but honestly, it was a huge disappointment as her male and female voice for Jack and Jill were interchangeable. She never sounded like a man. This is one of those that definitely would have benefited from having a male narrator. Usually the audio enhances my enjoyment of a book but this production was not as good as I’d hoped for.

This is a standalone and is not part of any series.

Genre tags - marriage, drama, murderous couple, secrets and lies, manipulation, emotional blackmail

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