For You and Only You
A Joe Goldberg Novel
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3.8 • 66 Ratings
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- $12.99
Publisher Description
New York Times bestselling author Caroline Kepnes, whose acclaimed YOU series inspired the hit show on Netflix, follows “addictively charming antihero” (The Washington Post) Joe Goldberg to the hallowed halls of Harvard, where he leaves crimson in his wake.
“Twisted . . . delightfully creepy.”—Rolling Stone
A POPSUGAR BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR
Joe Goldberg is ready for a change. Instead of selling books, he’s writing them. And he’s off to a good start. Glenn Shoddy, an acclaimed literary author, recognizes Joe’s genius and invites him to join a tight-knit writing fellowship at Harvard. Finally, Joe will be in a place where talent matters more than pedigree . . . where intellect is the great equalizer and anything is possible. Even happy endings. Or so he thinks, until he meets his already-published, already-distinguished peers, who all seem to be cut from the same elitist cloth.
Thankfully, Wonder Parish enters the picture. They have so much in common. No college degrees, no pretensions, no stories from prep school or grad school. Just a love for literature. If only Wonder could commit herself to the writing life, they could be those rare literary soulmates who never fall prey to their demons. Wonder has a tendency to love, to covet, but Joe is a believer in the rule of fiction: If you want to write a book, you have to kill your darlings.
With her trademark satirical, biting wit, Caroline Kepnes explores why vulnerable people bring out the worst in others as Joe sets out to make this small, exclusive world a fairer place. And if a little crimson runs in the streets of Cambridge . . . who can blame him? Love doesn’t conquer all. Often, it needs a little push.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Bestseller Kepnes's puckish fourth Joe Goldberg novel (after 2021's You Love Me) finds the obsessive serial killer at Harvard after a fictionalization of all his "tragic, no-good love stories" earns him entry into author Glenn Shoddy's writing fellowship. Joe assumes the other "Shoddies" will be undiscovered autodidacts like himself; instead, most are accomplished elitists. The only other misfit is Wonder Parish, a working-class Bostonian who manages a Dunkin' Donuts and lives with her family. Joe knows he and Wonder are destined to become a literary power couple; he just has to remove all obstacles to their relationship, then convince an insecure Wonder and a derisive Glenn of Wonder's potential—and of Joe's brilliance. The Shoddies' fixation on a whodunit podcast linked to Joe's past vexes, but he knows how to handle complications: one murder at a time. Kepnes waggishly satirizes the publishing industry, and her outsized characters' egos and anxieties lay the foundations for delightfully deranged plot twists. The book feels overlong, but Joe's stream-of-consciousness narration engages throughout, rendering readers both confidante and accomplice. Kepnes reliably entertains.
Customer Reviews
I really don’t like Wonder.
I am a big fan of the TV series and have been since it first aired on Lifetime. Caroline Kepnes is truly one of my favorite authors. Joe Goldberg is a character that is hard not to love to hate. Penn Badgley portrays him so well in the Tv series that I literally hear his voice when I read the previous book and For You and Only You. The only thing that I did not like about this book is the ending. This opinion has nothing to do with Kepnes’s writing. Personally, I wanted Joe to what he did best to a particular character. When he didn’t, I was bummed. Don’t get me wrong I understand why he made the decision that he did. His reasoning made sense. I just really did not like that character. That is a testament to the writing. I honestly think Wonder is my least favorite female character in the series.
Never a disappointment!!
I’ve been addicted to the you series since the first book!! They are all full of twists and turns that leave you not wanting to put the books down!!!
This Book Was Put-Downable
This was my least favorite in the Joe Goldberg series and I struggled to continue reading it at times. The location and placing Joe as a writer was interesting, but the dialogue between Joe and Wonder often rambled…and so did Joe’s inner dialogues. It became boring at times. But the most disappointing part was Wonder Parish. She wasn’t likable at all and it was difficult to understand what made Joe so infatuated with her. His past fixations (Beck, Love, Mary Kay) had their flaws, but you could understand why Joe fell for them. Yes, Joe is a serial killer and stalker, but the author does a great job making him likable, and despite his tremendous flaws you want to cheer for him. But unfortunately, I found myself hoping he would just go ahead and kill Wonder and move on.