Mandelbaum: Homewrecker

4 stars

I read this as an advanced reader copy. It will be released June 1, 2027.

First, thank you to NetGalley & Spiegel & Grau for the ARC for this book in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this insanely wild, strange, emotional story. It had everything: questionable behavior, tension, romance, sadness, profound loss, and a woman desperately trying to figure out what comes next. I never expected to finish this book in tears, feeling completely shattered, but in the best possible way.

The gothic elements were one of my favorite parts: an old, beautifully restored historic home, bizarre murals, ghostly visits, out-of-body sexual experiences, and an overall sense that something was never quite what it seemed. I couldn’t help but wonder if Piper crawling on all fours from the basement to the second floor was a nod to Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s The Yellow Wallpaper. There was a constant feeling of unease, and I loved how disoriented the story made me. I genuinely had no idea where it was going or what was actually happening which was part of the fun.

I was completely blindsided by Bea’s plot twist. And I loved how the main storyline ultimately came together with Victoria, Aaron, and Piper. Victoria remains something of an enigma to me. She was such a strange, complicated character…so incredibly blind to certain things, and yet not entirely unlikeable. I found myself fascinated by her even when I wasn’t sure how much I actually cared about her.

I was also really rooting for Dean and desperately wanted them to fall in love quickly, but ultimately, I was happy with where that storyline landed. Piper needed to find herself and establish who she was outside of all the pain, trauma, and self-loathing she had been carrying. I worried for much of the book that she wouldn’t be able to become the person she was capable of becoming, which made her eventual journey that much more satisfying. And I have to mention the cuddling companion which was such a strange and unexpectedly great part of the story!

As someone married to an artist, I especially loved all of the storylines and connections involving art. They added another layer to the book that I really appreciated.

My one complaint? I really wish Piper had moved somewhere more exciting than Kansas! Bellingham seemed like such a better choice. 😂

But honestly, what I thought was going to be a fun, bizarre gothic story turned out to be so much more. It was emotional, unsettling, surprising, and at times completely bonkers… and I loved the ride. I’m going to be thinking about this one for a while.

The book cover is beautiful perfection for this story!

And bravo for giving us a love story without making romance the thing that ultimately defines the main female character. Piper’s story is about finding herself , and I really loved that.