whitneydaniell

by: Olivia Worley
published: June 3, 2025
genre: Thriller, Mystery
304 Pages, E-Book ARC Courtesy of NetGalley
GoodReads | Amazon

Synopsis

In So Happy Together, Jane, a hopeful romantic navigating NYC’s dating scene, believes she’s found “the one” in Colin—a charming, well-read tech guy who seems perfect… until he abruptly ends things after six dates and one night together. Heartbroken and convinced it’s fate, Jane becomes obsessed with winning him back, even orchestrating “accidental” run-ins and jealousy plots.

But things take a bizarre turn when Jane strikes up an unexpected friendship with Colin’s new girlfriend, Zoe. As the lines blur between love, obsession, and manipulation, tragedy strikes: Colin’s roommate turns up dead, and Colin is the prime suspect. With a shaky murder mystery unfolding and trust rapidly eroding, Jane finds herself caught in a twisted web of secrets, lies, and delusion.

A blend of rom-com chaos and psychological suspense, So Happy Together explores what happens when fantasy collides with reality—and how far someone might go for a second chance at love… or revenge.

My Final Thoughts

Jane, like many twenty-somethings in New York, is swiping through dating apps, hoping to land on something real. When she meets Colin—a Shakespeare-quoting software engineer who knows how to use an em dash—she thinks maybe, just maybe, her Tinder-and-Hinge days are behind her. Six dates in, she’s fully swept up in what she assumes is love… until Colin abruptly ends things right after they sleep together. Classic.

Heartbroken and slightly unhinged, Jane convinces herself Colin has to be her person. So, naturally, she starts hanging around his neighborhood—especially near the restaurant where they had their first date—waiting for a “random” run-in. She keeps swiping, dating, and scheming, until finally, two and a half months later, she spots him… with another woman. Devastated but determined, she sets her trap: make Colin jealous by looking irresistible with another guy. Surely he’ll call. (He doesn’t.)

Then comes the second “coincidental” run-in, where Jane officially meets Colin’s new girlfriend, Zoe—after stalking her on Instagram, of course. Somehow, this spins into a full-blown friendship between the two women that feels… weird. Suddenly Jane is getting invited to Colin’s birthday party, thrifting, and events all over NYC for reasons that remain confusing and vague.

Still on a mission to win Colin back, Jane’s world tilts completely when Colin’s childhood friend and roommate, Ben, turns up dead—with Colin holding the murder weapon. From this point on, the plot takes a hard left into the absurd. The police? Barely involved. The mystery? Over-the-top. And yet I couldn’t stop reading—I had to see how far off the rails this trainwreck could go.

Jane is painfully delusional, bordering on childish. Even after getting some backstory on her, I felt no sympathy. She didn’t need another dating app; she needed therapy. Zoe? I didn’t trust her from the second I found out she was a Pisces—and I say that as a Pisces myself. Something about her energy screamed manipulation. The friendship was unsettling, forced, and way too convenient.

Pacing-wise, the story flies in some places and drags in others. That random New Jersey trip? Pointless. Zoe’s character was super flat, and her backstory didn’t land. I wanted more depth, more motive—anything to help make her actions make sense. Honestly, most of the story felt like it was missing something, like a draft that lost key chapters in editing. As Caresha would say, “I’on like dat.”

That said, Olivia Worley can write. Her voice is strong, and there’s definitely a good story somewhere in this. I just don’t think this version was it. I wouldn’t spend money on it, but I might recommend it to someone who enjoys melodramatic, unrealistic, not-so-thrilling thrillers. It’s chaotic, sure—but sometimes you just want to watch the mess unfold.

Acknowledgement

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced reader copy of So Happy Together. I’m grateful for the opportunity to read and review this engaging, twisty thriller ahead of its release.