User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
I listened to the audiobook for this and it was incredibly boring. This is a mystery thriller that feels about 50% contemporary, 50% mystery and 0% thriller. I don't really have muhc to say about this book other than that it was really slow, and the main character was really naive and drove me crazy. This thriller just wasn't really my thing.
Rating: really liked it
Once an elementary school teacher, thirty-something Emily Harlow is now a professional ‘declutterer’. She and her friend Becca have started a business which they call Freeze-Frame Clutter Kickers.
It is ironic that Emily makes a living purging people of their possessions because Emily’s lawyer husband Frank is a ‘collector’ and a pack-rat whose hobby is verging on hoarding. Although she loves Frank, she is getting more and more impatient with his constantly bringing home other people’s junk. Also, the fact that they have been trying for a baby and have not been successful has put added strain on their relationship.
When Clutter Kickers gets two new clients, their business and their lives take a turn for the worse. Their first new client, an elderly woman named Mrs. Murphy, wants them to clear out a storage unit which her late husband had rented out. When Emily enters the unit she finds that it is full of old books, maps and other memorabilia. All of which was once quite valuable – but due to the failure of the storage unit’s climate control system is now moldy and quite possibly damaged beyond repair.
Their second new client is a woman named Quinn Newell. Quinn wants Emily to clear out her garage. While scouting out the location, Quinn tells Emily she would love to get out from under her husband’s domineering ways. Over several glasses of Prosecco, the women ‘over-share’ and vent about their unsatisfactory marriages. The next day, Quinn’s husband is reported missing.
To further Emily’s involvement, Quinn’s husband’s body is found in the storage unit rented out by Mrs. Murphy’s husband…. How could Emily’s two new clients have become enmeshed in such a way? And, more importantly, how will this affect Emily and her business?
MY THOUGHTS
The New England setting and the personable character of Emily added to this book’s allure. The elaborate con-game which had Emily in its cross-hairs was well executed and devious.
I quite enjoyed this book. It read almost like a ‘cozy’ mystery but was laced with elements of a domestic thriller. A light, entertaining novel, “Careful what you wish for” will be enjoyed by many readers. I think the cover lends itself to a more serious thriller, but if the cover had of been more like a cozy I probably wouldn’t have read it – and that would have been a shame.
Rating: really liked it
I will never drive by a flea market again without thinking of Hallie Ephron and her latest mystery Careful What You Wish For.
Emily Harlow is a professional organizer married to Frank Harlow a professional hoarder (of flea market finds) as well as a lawyer. They say opposites attract right?
So when Emily is called by an elderly woman to organize a storage unit she had no idea her late husband had even rented, and a young woman whose husband is an antique hoarder like Frank hires her to declutter belongings her husband will not allow her to bring into the house she thinks she’s hit the jackpot!
But suddenly Emily finds herself embroiled in possibly aiding a thief, as well as unknowingly being involved in a murder which could possibly implicate her. Who on earth would want to frame Emily and why?
Careful What You Wish for is the best type of mystery novel. You think you have it all figured out and then another clue appears sending the reader in another direction. Ephron certainly knows how to keep the reader guessing!
The book would be an enjoyable beach read or even just a read in your cozy chair.
And just for the record, my husband will not be visiting flea markets anymore!
Thank you @HallieEphron @WmMorrowBooks #CarefulWhatYouWishFor for the advanced copy. The book will be out August 6.
Rating: really liked it
This book was pretty good, but just not great. I'd definitely categorize it as more of a cozy mystery and not a suspense/thriller. I was fully engaged and there weren't any boring parts, but I did find the ending fairly predictable. I'm still intrigued with this author and what her other books might be like, and will keep reading her.
Rating: really liked it
Emily thought that opening a professional organizing business was supposed to be carefree and helpful to others.
Emily's new adventure had been exciting and trouble free until she met Quinn.
Quinn was married to a man who wouldn't let her bring her things into his fabulous house and wanted Emily to help. She and Emily had helped themselves to more than looking at things to remove, though. They had too much wine and said things that shouldn't have been said.
When Quinn's husband turns up missing, Quinn feels she can call on her new friend, Emily, to help her when the police arrive. This client was more than Emily bargained for.
And if this wasn't bad enough, another client whose husband had passed had a storage unit she didn't know about filled with stolen books, maps, and a dead body.
Emily couldn’t believe it. Could these two clients have some connection?
It gets worse for Emily, and it seems as if a few of the characters are connected and involved in the disappearance and death of the body they found.
CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR was actually a little on the comical side despite all the tension going on.
If you are in the mood for a light, entertaining mystery you will enjoy CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR. 5/5
This book was given to me as an ARC by the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: really liked it
I'm a professional organizer, so this one was a FUN read! I couldn't help but wonder how I'd feel and act in Emily's crocs... Thanks, Hallie, for such a fun whodunnit!
Rating: really liked it
3.5 stars, rounded up
This is a fun twisty thriller. Not too difficult to figure out what is going on, but overall there are some surprises and it moves very quickly.
I'm not the biggest fan of the "wrongly accused" trope, but in this case it didn't bother me too much because the police didn't necessarily believe the way things were presented either. I did find Emily to be a bit naive and way, way too trusting. How she let Quinn drag her into things when they barely knew each other was a bit of a head scratcher.
Overall if you can suspend a bit of disbelief, this is an enjoyable book with a few nice twists.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
Rating: really liked it
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5
Careful What You Wish For by Hallie Ephron took me a bit to get into but once I did, I really really enjoyed it!
What it's about: Emily runs an organization company with her friend called Freeze-Frame Clutter Kickers, even though her husband Frank can't pass a yard sale without stopping and has filled their home with his 'finds'. They were trying to get pregnant and have so far been unable to which has added another strain to their marriage. But Emily takes on two new clients which will hopefully help take her mind off her home and her marriage. Mrs. Murphy lost her husband a year ago and found out he had a secret storage unit, and Quinn Newell has a controlling husband that won't let her bring her stuff in from the garage even though they've been married 3 years... But when Emily starts at the storage unit for Mrs. Murphy, she finds a lot more than she bargained for, and she might soon be fighting for her life.
The cover of
Careful What You Wish For says this is a novel of suspense, and while I wouldn't say it starts that way, it definitely becomes exactly that as the book progressed. I loved that it's so short as well, and at under 300 pages it was such a fast read. The pacing also started out slow for me, but that also changed, and it got super interesting and exciting! I kind of knew what was coming at the end, but it still managed to shock me in more ways than one.
Careful What You Wish For is a very enjoyable read and one that I would deem a straight up mystery. Mysteries revolve around both the storage unit and Quinn, and I loved how Ephron put this book together. My heart was definitely racing by the end, and I loved Emily.
Final Thought: I actually don't have a whole lot to say about
Careful What You Wish For other than if you like a good mystery full of smart women you should check it out. Some might find the ending predictable, and even though I had some idea of what was going on, the experience of reading the book and the ending as a whole would totally make up for it in my opinion. There is nothing I love more than a good mystery and that is exactly what I got with this novel!
Thank you to The Book Drop https://www.thebookdrop.com/ for sending me an advance review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Rating: really liked it
Emily and Becca leave their careers, elementary school teacher and nursing respectively, to become professional organizers. Emily is focused on the marketing aspect, while Becca does other stuff (she is involved but we aren't quite clear on her role). During this story she is distracted by family activities, leaving Emily to make quick decisions, that they would have decided jointly. These hasty decisions made under pressure will lead to a morass of trouble and a surprising resolution.
A strange client acquisition leads to a suspicious murder, which lead the police to believing that Emily is complicit. Emily is blindsided by various other situations both in business and personal life. She must figure out if and why the various events seem to conspire against her. As her suspicions bring revelations, the murderer's end game takes a surprising turn and she is a threat to them without even realizing she is now a target.
I have been a fan of Ms. Ephron's sister for years and her influence is seen on the pages of this delightful mystery. Unfortunately, I wished for more depth to the characters. I didn't buy her marriage to her hoarding husband cum criminal/corporate attorney. Becca was a flat character, who is nearly non-existent and unnecessary. Emily's mom, Lila was integral but also flat and could have been more central. Emily seemed unhappy in life particularly in her marriage. Infertility was mentioned fleetingly but never pursued in the story, a convenience to move the story forward.
I enjoyed the dialogue somewhat and it reminded me of Laura Levine or Jessie Crockett style stories. I felt like I was reading a script. This may be more fitting to the television screen. It was a quick, easy read. Well suited for a summer beach read or a relaxing weekend escape. I look forward to reading more by Ms. Ephron.
I want to thank William Morrow, Goodreads and Ms. Ephron for proving me with a free copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: really liked it
Solid 3 stars.. This is a well written, easy reading book. I found it pretty predictable.. But for some reason I still enjoyed it. I think this is perfect for when you’re tired & don’t want to think, or maybe after a heavy hitter (like Tana French..) when you just want to relax. It was just good for me, but I’d be interested to see what else this author has in store.
Rating: really liked it
Careful What You Wish For centers around a professional organizer who manages to stumble into not just one but two crimes at once. The craziest part of this whole book? Her own husband is a hoarder!
I think I honestly need a bit of a break from domestic thrillers as this one was pretty predictable and lackluster for me. I liked the idea of the professional organizer aspect but never really found myself hooked into the story line quite as much as I would like and like I previously mentioned, certain aspects were predictable and I felt the overlapping plot points were just too coincidental - to the point that it was silly (how many times can X happen before it's like alright already!). I will probably pick up Ephron again in the future, this was my first by her, but maybe during a time when I've read a few less thrillers.
Thank you to William Morrow for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
Rating: really liked it
I decided to read this book because I am a minimalist, and a thriller talking about decluttering sounded right up my alley. I was pleasantly surprised by how well written this book was! The first sentence made me crack up laughing - and the rest of the book was a great ride! This book did feel more of a mystery to me, but it was pretty face paced and had really good characters.
This book is about a wife who became famous for her decluttering videos on social media, and has her own decluttering business. The funny part is, her husband is a hoarder and fills their basement and garage with junk he brings home from yard sales. The wife's motto is that you can declutter your own stuff, but not your spouse's items. When chatting with a new client about how their husbands' are hoarders, they wish a few bad things to happen, and ultimately it comes true.
I think anyone that is clean and organized would be entertained by this book, I'm certainly glad I read it!
I will definitely be reading more by this author, because her writing style fit so well with my reading preferences.
Rating: really liked it
RATING: 3.5 STARS
2019; William Morrow/HarpeCollins Canada
(Review Not on Blog)
I probably would have given this novel a higher rating, but I felt that the ending was a bit convoluted. I was hooked early on in the novel, and finished it in one day while I was cleaning the house (listened to this one on audio). This is a good "beach/rainy" day read. It wasn't a heavy or dull book, but it is one that also won't stay with you. As I write this review a month later, I don't really remember that many details of the book or characters. It's not necessarily a bad thing.
***I received an eARC from EDELWEISS***
Rating: really liked it
Like being left in an empty elevator with someone else's fart.
Rating: really liked it
I’m rounding up on this one. Clutter clean up gone wrong. The good news... I wanted to clean up my house after reading this. The bad news... the plot was a mess.
