I enjoyed this book but I’m very late reviewing it because *life*. It’s interesting though, casting my mind back to it, rather than writing a review straight after finishing. It’s a bit tricky to remember how quickly we learn certain facts and how much I can say without giving away spoilers.

I can still remember the scenes in the basement room vividly, in fact almost like I watched it in a film so that’s high praise from me. I often remember feelings and the general gist but not what spaces or people look like but this is a very visceral book. It’s in the vein of How to Kill Your Family and Death of a Bookseller - both of which I enjoyed.

The women’s romantic relationships were more believable than the one they formed with each other. I know they were supposed to be quickly bonded through shared trauma but I didn’t wholeheartedly buy into this. That would be the only negative I can remember and I would definitely recommend this.

I really loved this book. Having read Julie Mae Cohen before, when this book appeared, I knew I had to have it. I wasn't disappointed. Cohen's writing style is so easy to read and allows for the creation of really relatable characters who you can hear when reading.

Despite the topic being somewhat dark, the humour in this book makes it laugh out loud. A truly great read.

Book Review: Eat, Slay, Love by Julie Mae Cohen

Julie Mae Cohen’s Eat, Slay, Love is a darkly humorous and wildly entertaining tale of friendship, self-discovery, and revenge with a thrilling edge. This unconventional novel takes readers on a rollercoaster of emotions, blending satire with moments of genuine connection, all while exploring the lengths women might go to reclaim their power.

The story revolves around three strangers—Opal, Marina, and Lilah—who discover they’ve been lied to by the same man. Their shared betrayal sparks an unlikely alliance that quickly escalates into an abduction plot, with the deceitful man held hostage in a basement. What follows is a chaotic yet hilarious journey as the trio navigates their anger, forms bonds, and starts to uncover their true selves.

Cohen masterfully crafts each character, giving them distinct voices and backgrounds that make them relatable and compelling. Opal’s vulnerability, Marina’s pragmatism, and Lilah’s fiery spirit combine to create a dynamic, imperfect, and thoroughly engaging group. As their plan spirals into unexpected territory, their camaraderie grows, providing a touching counterpoint to the dark premise.

The narrative strikes a perfect balance between humor and suspense, keeping readers on edge while delivering laugh-out-loud moments. Cohen’s sharp wit shines in her dialogue and observations, offering biting commentary on relationships, societal expectations, and the importance of female solidarity.

At its core, Eat, Slay, Love isn’t just about revenge—it’s about rediscovery. Through their shared ordeal, the women confront their insecurities, unearth hidden strengths, and find joy in embracing their flaws. The result is a novel that’s as empowering as it is entertaining.

Julie Mae Cohen has delivered a wickedly funny, surprisingly heartfelt, and utterly unforgettable story. Fans of dark comedies like Big Little Lies or How to Kill Your Family will find Eat, Slay, Love to be an absolute treat. It’s a must-read for anyone who loves their thrillers with a side of sass and a dash of irreverence.

Deliciously dark, laugh-out-loud, comedic gem!

Three women who couldn't be any more different -Lilah, Opal, and Marina - do have one thing in common - plotting the perfect revenge against the man who has ruined their lives.

This book is told by all three women in various chapters and centres on both the present and the past to provide backstory and reasoning to the initial plot. All three women bring their A-game, but Opal? I loved her from the very beginning. Her whit, absolutely hilarious one-liners and overall character arc were solid.

I loved how as the story progressed, so did the friendship between the three and each character grew and Lilah? Just brilliant (no spoilers, but read this book, and you'll know what I'm talking about!) That whole part of the book was just genius.

Again, no spoilers, but please, please tell me there will be another book with these ladies after that ending!? This is a book I'd pick up in a heartbeat.

I did fall behind on my netgalley arc for this one, and I'm gutted I didn't read it earlier. But due to life getting in the way, I listened to the audio version of this book via audible after the publish date and I'ts a purchase I'll never forget.

Thank you to Bonnier books for allowing me a copy of this arc via Netgalley and for bringing this brilliant book to my attention.

Dark and deeply feminist. A battle-cry for the vital role played by female friendships, especially when confronting misogynistic, narcissistic men and male-dominated socially accepted norms.
I loved it!

Warning: There are scenes in this book that you definitely shouldn't read while eating, especially if you have a sensitive stomach.

I mean one rather specific scene with very vivid descriptions made me feel slightly ill, and rather relieved that for once I wasn't eating and reading at the same time.

I was totally invested in this story from the first few chapters as we meet Opal, Lilah and Marina, three rather different women who soon discover they have one rather pesky, conniving conman in common.

And well you should always fear a trio of scorned women, and I loved how the three of them despite being near strangers, manage to work so well together even in the face of well iffy decisions.

It's a wonderful thriller featuring empowered women, that I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know.

I found I was so engrossed in this book that the pages where just whizzing by, as I keep needing to know what would happen next.

I am absolutely loving this author's darker side, and can't wait to see what her next release is.

Thank you to Zaffre and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

This is a really enjoyable and acutely observed read about a trio of women and how they deal with the lothario who has been stringing all 3 of them along.

Lilah, Opal and Marina may not have much in common, but they do need to decide what to do with the man who held each of their hearts captive but is now their captive! And whatever form their revenge takes, chances are it's not going to be pretty...

This is a brilliantly observed novel, telling the tale of a serial philanderer and his sticky end! I loved the female characters and was rooting for them all the way through. It was one of those books that I was sad to finish as I loved the characters so much.

What an absolute page turner, what a story. I could not put the book down.
It is the story of Opal, Lilah and Marina whose very different lives were brought together by one man. It was amazing to see how frIendship and trust can empower the women and help them overcome difficulties and trauma.
Absolutely loved it

I found this book a little harder to get into than Julie Mae Cohen’s other books. She is one of my favourite authors, so I felt a little bit sad.
The story tells the lives of three women, who on the face of it have nothing in common, except a they do - a man!
He’s a charmer and a cad, and eventually he gets his comeuppance!
The women form a tight bond, and become an unstoppable force.

I enjoyed this book. Light fun reading. The story moved at a great pace and even though a bit predictable, very enjoyable and I can't wait to read more from this author

Deeply, Darkly Humorous,,
Three women seemingly with absolutely nothing in common - except that they do. One seemingly utterly charming yet lying, cheating man. That same man, now bound and helpless in a basement. Exactly how far will these women go in order to exact a perfect revenge? Dark and sharp, edgy and slick, this fast paced thriller grabs the reader and does not let go. Equal parts deeply darkly humorous and darkly poignant.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC for me to read and review. All thoughts are my own and I was not paid for this review.

I enjoyed this book thoroughly, it was a good mix of funny and thrilling. The main character made me laugh more times than I can count.

I have to admit the first thing that attracted me to this book wasn't the cover. It was the blurb.
It had me really wanting to read it, as it promised dark humour which is one of my favourite things to have in a book.
So did it live up to that promise? Yes. Although I have to say I never laughed out loud and it definitely could have had a lot more of it, I did enjoy this book.
When this book starts starts straight away you realise that it is written in the third person and my heart sank. I MUCH prefer reading first person as I usually struggle to connect to the story and characters when it is written in the third person and unfortunately that did happen slightly here.
I did feel like I was never fully invested in the plot or characters even though I did like them.
Having said that the pacing was good and it was well written (even though some parts I thought didn't quite add up)
I liked the female friendships and the good for her energy this book had.
This was a book that I have to say when I would put it down, I wasn't compelled to pick it up again but when I did I had a good time. This is a book I think would work better if you read it in one sitting.
Overall when I finished I did feel like I had been thoroughly entertained and I had a good time.
Oh and the epilogue is written in 3 parts and the final one SLAYED ME. *chef's kiss*

This was such a fun revenge comedy thriller - I love this genre of book and i’m so glad it’s popular at the moment which means there are so many good ones to read, and Julie Mae Cohen is definitely one of the best in the game!

Opal, Lilah and Marina all discover they have something (or someone) in common and become hell bent on revenge. There’s not much else I can say about the plot without spoiling it but it’s such a fun read and I raced through it.

I loved Opal, Lilah and Marina who were all equally flawed and complicated women that I was rooting for until the very end - all of their backstories and personalities were really well devolved which was great as sometimes this is lacking in books with multiple main characters.

The writing was great, very snappy and fast paced and there were lots of laugh out loud moments. I really enjoyed it.

If you like really dark humour this is for you. I’m notorious for not getting humour in books but even I raised a smile more than once! Opal, Lilah and Marina all have one thing in common. His name is Zander, Xavier or Zachery (the man) depending on whom he was married to, engaged to or dating! However, when the three women meet each other and discover the truth about the man how they deal with him is both funny and horrifying in equal measure. The author writes really well and her excellent narrative makes this a compelling read.

Briefly, as the three women learn more about each other and their lives, prior to meeting, they grow closer together. I mean how couldn’t they! They have the man locked in a basement deciding what to do with him! But all their plans come to a shattering conclusion when an intruder enters their lives.

Three very different women but all so well fleshed and I ending up liking them all. Talking about flesh this is pretty gory but also funny and very clever. It does deal with quite a number of issues including abuse, fraud and coercion but it’s also about friendship and feminism. A good dark read with a most startling climax! Very enjoyable. 4.5⭐️

Three very different women - Marina, stay at home mother of three; Opal, fitness guru; Lilah, librarian lottery winner. They have one thing in common…the man who they each know by a different name. The man who, without them knowing it, is conning them.
These three women should have no reason to speak. Their lives are very different. Yet, dig a little under the surface and we see just how similar their stories are. When Opal contacts the others to tell them the truth about the man in their lives it sets in place an absurd sequence of events.
Dark, far funnier than such a topic warrants, and compulsive reading. I will never look at hamster wheels or Le Creuset pans in the same way!
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the chance to read and review this.

Initially you meet the 3 leading characters – and you’re not sure how it’s all going to fit together – but it cleverly starts to come together! The fact that the ladies are all so different – and well written in their own right – is fabulous.

There are some gruesome elements, and some ‘suspending belief’ elements – but that’s often the case in black comedy thrillers and didn’t in any way detract from the book.

The use of modern technology (pin dropping of locations, scheduled Instagram posts etc) was woven into the storyline just as they’re part of every day life now (although some books still shy away from such things – which seems a bit daft!)

I was rooting for Marina, Lilah and Opal in different ways – and as a combined force of very different people, they were great. Whilst it is a revenge story – it’s also a female friendship storyline too.

It was a fun, escapist read – and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

A big thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for my ARC.

Brilliantly dark and very funny!

Three very different women discover that they are all being lied to by the same man. Recently divorced Marina, who has just inherited a big value property in Richmond, timid librarian and lottery winner, Lilah, and confident and feisty fitness guru, Opal.

When they trap their mutual interest in the basement, revenge is definitely sweet, if not a bit messy and very funny, in a dark and murderous way!

I loved all of the three women and the very unlikely bond they form in the weirdest of circumstances! A great read!

4.5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Julie Mae Cohen and Bonnier for an ARC in return for an honest review.

RATING 4.25

Eat Slay Love offers a great twist on the thriller genre, blending suspense, dark humour, and the theme of found family and female empowerment. The story follows three women who, despite being tied together by a man, discovers much more to themselves as their lives intertwine.

The character development is well crafted, and the writing is engaging. The creativity of the plot and the evolving friendship between the women kept me hooked. It’s a relatable tale of women reclaiming their power, standing up for themselves, and realising they’re capable of anything when they believe in themselves.

Overall, Eat Slay Love is an enjoyable, unconventional thriller that will appeal to readers looking for something a little different. It’s a story of empowerment, friendship, and yes—perhaps even the fantasy of getting away with murder.

(I received this digital arc from netgalley)