Thorn in my Side
CJ Skuse

No synopsis : 4th book in the Sweetpea series

Review
Bloody hell! I think my mouth is still 😮 from that ending! Wow!
I was super excited to secure an advanced copy of this, and overall it was a dark and funny read. The main storyline not quite as strong as the previous books and it did repeat itself slightly in the middle. The ending made up for everything, probably the best ending to any book Ive read all year. But my score also has to take into account the whole book.

Highly recommend this series of books.

Rated 4/5

Thanks to netgalley for an advanced copy in return for an honest review

As I read the first page, I instantly felt at home. Rhiannon opens with one of her infamous kill lists, and her mood doesn’t seem to have improved in the slightest. Which is exactly what fans of this series were hoping for.

Thorn In My Side, the fourth in the Sweetpea series, sees Rhiannon living a very settled life. She is as blissfully happy as she can possibly be, slightly bewildered by her own abstinence. Apart from all the usual Sweetpea shenanigans, we see a different side to Rhiannon. She has grown emotionally, and no-one is more surprised than she is. Will this newly found, family friendly Ophelia last? Or will Rhiannon resurface?

This book left me teetering on the edge of a huge cliffhanger. As soon as I had read the last page, I instantly checked when the publication date for the fifth and final book in the series is. Currently, it’s not listed! Thankfully the author has assured me that the next book is being edited as I type; because I really need to know what Rhiannon does next.

I can’t tell you anything of what happens in those last pages, but one thing I can guarantee; Rhiannon will be furious, incandescent with rage. The fireworks will fly.

As ever with this highly entertaining series, if a sweary, female serial killer is not relaxing bedtime reading for you, I would steer clear. But if you aren’t offended by a lot of effing and jeffing, and have a sneaking admiration for a woman who has forged her own moral compass, then this is the book and series for you.
I’m not sure if I’m supposed to have a favourite serial killer, but Rhiannon is definitely mine. I loved this book, enjoying it as much as Sweetpea itself. 5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ from me.

#IStandWithRhiannon

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

I love this series. Rhiannon is such a great and awful character and it’s been fun seeing her journey

I didn’t know there was a fourth Sweetpea book even in the pipeline, let alone being released soon, so when I spotted it on Netgalley my finger hit that request button immediately!

The serial killer we know and love, Rhiannon Lewis 💘 or ‘Ophelia’ as she goes by in this book, is back with a bang and it was an absolute joy to be back inside her mind amongst all of her deliciously dark and scarily relatable thoughts.

Rhiannon/Ophelia is happily settled down with her fiancé Raf in the States and is ticking off the days on her longest streak yet of not giving into her murderous instincts. The world thinks she is dead, Raf and her future-in-laws don’t know who she really is and life is looking pretty sweet… until that familiar, overwhelming urge to kill strikes her again…

This book hit the spot for me - it was funny while also plucking an emotional chord occasionally, entertaining and full of the dark humour I’ve come to enjoy from this author. Long live Rhiannon!

Thank you to HQ & Netgalley for an E-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Oh ceej what have you done to me 😟🥺 how can you leave it there!?! Things happened to my eyes 😅
I've been looking forward to this one since I finished Dead Head in February last year, and it did not disappoint.
Rhiannon was back on form with her sarcasm and wit, there were so many moments that made me laugh out loud, but at the same time I feel like we get to know Rhiannon, or Ophelia as shes's now known, just that little bit more.
I don't think you can beat that freshness and unexpectedness that comes with Book One in a series, but I still laughed, I still rooted for Rhiannon, and I saw a new side to her too. Shes's a great character and can't wait to find out how her story ends.
5⭐️

Rhiannon strikes again!

I am in love with the Sweetpea series, and have been since the first one came out. This book is once again a glimpse into the mind of our beloved Rhiannon, or Ophelia as she now is named.
Living happily with the man of her dreams, surrounded by his loving family, she has not killed in a VERY long time. However, events happen that threaten to blow down her facade, with consequences!

Also, that cliffhanger? How dare you Skuse!

5 Stars from me  

C J Skuse has created the perfect character in Rhiannon, she is funny, smart, likes animals and murders anyone who pisses her off - seriously what's not to like?

In 'Thorn in My Side' we see a softer side to Rhiannon, well, Ophelia, although despite her best attempts to re-brand she is still a firey ball of bonkers thoughts and knee-jerk reactions and I'm here for it!

I was pleased that she was so in love and accepted but I read each page wondering when the whole situation would blow up in her face... or is she finally able to settle down and squash her inner killer?

I looked forward to this so much and was not disappointed - as for the ending 'chef's kiss' perfection!

This is the 4th book in this brilliant series and I know I bang on about starting from book 1 and reading in order but I really do mean it here as Rhiannon is a very convoluted character with an interconnected backstory that I do think that parts of this won't make complete sense if you haven't.
So... Rhiannon is now Ophelia, and living with her fiancee Raf in San Diego. He has a great family, all of whom have embraced her and she appears to be happy. She still has her murderous urges but is managing them quite well these days. We still have her lists, don't worry. The only blot on the landscape is her estrangement from her daughter. Oh and still trying to stay dead.
All is going tickety boo until someone crosses the line and those feelings, the urge to kill, starts to really rise and... well, you'll just have to read the book to find out what happens next...
I really love this series. I love Rhi, even though she's a killer, she does it with good intentions! But I also respect that she is not everyone's cup of tea. If you haven't already met her (why are you reading reviews for book 4) then I would definitely recommend you try before you by and check out the sample first. You'll definitely get a feel for her if you do that.
What I liked best about this book is that, in the previous ones, it's mostly been about her, but here, she has a whole new family that she cares for and who care for her. They are what drives her now. A spin that, I believe keeps the story fresh. But something else that she can lose... so there's that too...
And the way it all ended... OMG... I am so hanging for book five...
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

How frustrating to be a serial killer during COVID 19, when your activities are severely restricted! Rhiannon, the notorious Sweetpea Killer, has come a long way since the first book, but post-pandemic opportunities to kill start to present themselves again.

This wasn't my favourite book in the series, but still had the irreverent and funny style of the other books. Rhiannon is a brilliant character and I am slightly obsessed with her!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

This is the 4th installment in the Sweetpea series and another great book. This one is perhaps a bit slower paced than the last few and explores Rhiannon's/Opehelia's new relationship with her fiancé and his family. Despite fewer killings in this one, there's still a decent amount of action throughout, which kept me wanting to read more. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the book.

Another fantastic book about the exploits of my favourite female serial killer, Rhiannon, or should I say 'Ophelia' (*winks*)? The death count this time around is a little lower due to life stuff and a certain pandemic that kind of put the kibosh on lots of things for a bit. But there is quite a bit more lovey dovey stuff to keep our heroine busy while she waits for the right time to start up again with the stabby stabby. I am so excited for the next book in the series, which I understand may be the last. Although I am kind of scared about what is going to happen as this latest book ends with a MASSIVE cliffhanger *eeekk!*.

I want to thank the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book I appreciate it.

I didn't realize at first that this book was the fourth to be in a series and I'm sorry to have to rate this book so low but I do. The book is very appropriately named to be honest. You can read this without reading the others, and im honestly not going to even attempt to read any of the others. The premise for this book is great, I loved the relationships but my god did this book go on and on. There was no real anything that occured to make you want to keep reading, you just slug through it all. The last 50 pages are where anything actually finally happens. This book was exhausting, and I know how it was set up in the end and despite wanting to know what happens I honestly don't want to read anything further. This book should have set up to finish this series not gone and made itself a set up for yet another book and it was a kick, going through all of the drivel and than that ending. I hope the people who seem to love this series like this book but it's most definitely not for me at all despite this type of genre being my thing.

Rhiannon Lewis makes a return in the fourth installment of the Sweetpea series, marking the end of what felt like bloody ages! I have loved this series so much and I was bursting to get my hands on this one.

It's a swift and familiar reentry into the twisted mind of our beloved serial killer as she attempts a quieter life post-Covid Pandemic. The well-known elements that captivated me last time – the sharp wit, dark humor, and unrelenting desire to kill – all still remain intact.

While the narrative lacks the freshness of earlier entries, CJ Skuse's adept plotting ensures an engaging read, even if it doesn't break new ground. I do just feel a little bit meh about parts though and I’m not sure why. Perhaps the story feels a little dragged out now? Or the humour a little try hard? I just don’t know, but it just didn’t feel like the same kind of read to me as the first 3 did.

Obviously we’ve been left on a mint cliffhanger, so I’m now excited for the 5th instalment. But considering how this one went - I just don’t know what to expect.

Oh Rhiannon Lewis - count me in as a Bad Seed!
I was so excited to see the return of my favourite serial killer in what has become of my favourite series of books of all time.
Thorn In My Side picks up shortly after we last saw Rhiannon. She's now in San Diego under the assumed name of Ophelia White with her fiance, Raf, and his assortment of brilliantly drawn family members. She's doing her very, very best to be good but is starting to feel the urge to mete out her own form of justice again.
I don't want to spoil this book so I'll be conservative with my review. It is in turns heart=warming., tense, a little gruesome, and absolutely hilarious. Yes, the humour can be near the knuckle at times but I think that just adds to the depiction of Rhiannon's character. I certainly laughed out loud.
Towards the end of this book the tension ramps up - and the final line will absolutely blow your mind and set you up for what's coming next.
I CAN'T WAIT for the final (?) instalment of the Sweetpea series.
CJ Skuse is a genius. This book is a real treat. I loved it.

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

C J Skuse is one of my all time favourite authors. I love her books, so funny. This book was no exception. I cannot wait for the TV series. Fabulous.

I had read the first two books in this series (purchased, not ARCs) and loved them, so I was delighted to receive an ARC of book 3.

It's an interesting series and has understandably been successful. Rhiannon is an intriguing character, and the books are written with sharp wit, seething anger and a nod to the real pychological impact of trauma. All the blood and gore are an extra bonus.

Righteous female serial killer is a trope that has hit a nerve with the reading public. I say fair enough: for years publishers' listings -- not to mentions news reports -- have been stuffed to the point of nausea with stories about men doing unspeakable things to women. It's hard to resist the satisfaction of seeing men getting a dose of their own poison.

While I can see that there is character development (Rhiannon in love - who'd have thunk, eh?), and I liked the aspects about her struggling to adapt to normal family life, this one didn't really hit the spot for me. While she returns to form in the latter part of the book, there was really too much romance.

I look forward to more books in the series, but I hope they'll be more like book 1 than book 3. If I wanted romance, I'd read romance (and I don't).

Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the ARC. All my reviews are 100% honest and unbiased, regardless of how I acquire the book.

✨Book Review - Thorn in My Side✨

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

*I was provided this book free of charge by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

I absolutely adore everything written by CJ Skuse. She is one of my auto buy authors. The Sweetpea series has been one of my favorites since I found it and had been an obsession ever since.

After chasing down an ARC of this book from @HQStories, I read it as soon as I had a second, which was pretty quick since I happened to be on vacation heading to the UK to move my husband home to the US. I have to admit that I shamelessly messaged CJ while I was reading this at the airport on my way to London.

If you are looking for a book that is fast paced, full of banter, a sharp whit, dry humor, and murd3r, this is the book for you! I laughed out loud throughout the book and repeatedly read sections out loud to my husband so he could laugh with me. The American/ English comparisons are things we discus on a daily basis and the things Rhiannon says about moving to the US are amazingly similar to things Cam says.

I definitely don’t want to spoil this book, so I’m begging you to read it so we can talk about it. If you read it, message me and we’ll talk about how much we love Rhiannon and Raf and their “you jump, I jump, Jack” romance, which is my favorite kind.

Overall, 10/10. I laughed, I cried, I high-fived my husband and yelled “yas queen” at all the right places. CJ- you’re an artist and I CANNOT wait for the Sweetpea show and the next book!

I was really excited to get approved for this one after it being one of my favourite series ever. Unfortunately it was a dnf at 40% as to me it seemed to be dragged out and didn’t hit the humour that the earlier books did. I’m so disappointed, I really wanted to love it but couldn’t force it

I only learnt after the fact that this book is part of a series, which I hadn’t read any of before, so view my review in light of the fact I’ve ended up starting partway through an ongoing story, and perhaps it would be different if I’d been able to start at the beginning. I got about 7% of the way through this book before giving up. I found there were too many names without explanation of who they were and how they related to the story, that I couldn’t keep track, and it just distracted from the overall story, but perhaps this was all explained in earlier books. I didn’t much like the main character as I found her petulant and crude, so between this and the aforementioned reasons, I gave up part way through as I didn’t find it enjoyable

Well this did not disappoint! As expected from the SweetPea series another fine installment of Rhiannon/ Orphelia!!! I have to admit there were moments when I thought the storyline has gone a bit soft and Rhiannon has lost her mojo, and you definitely get to see another side to her personality with Rafe. However the darkly funny humour and laugh out aloud moments were still there. It's hard to say too much without ruining the thrill of the read but let's just say if you like me love this series you will not be disappointed and once Rhiannon submits to her true self she's off again. But what I will say is there are some great surprises towards the end of the book in the dynamic of her relationship with Rafe and OMG that ending!! The book ended on a massive cliff hanger and the next book will not come soon enough for me. TV series material!