I have read Obuobi’s previous contemporary books, so you know I had to read Die for Me. This speculative fiction meets doctor story certainly brings the thrills to the action of the hospitals. I wasn’t sure what to expect even while reading! Keep reading this book review of Die for Me for my full thoughts.
Summary
Sean’s not in the market for love. The only female, let alone Black, interventional cardiologist at her hospital, she’s watched too many of her male colleagues divorce their first wives to marry younger models—and then there’s the abusive relationship she’s spent the better part of her early 30s healing from. Her passions are reserved for her best friend, her goddaughter, and her job.
Then she meets Julian. Brooding, beautiful and eleven years her junior. In short: A bad idea.
Julian pursues her in a way that sets off alarm bells in her mind, but she finds herself unable to resist their undeniable chemistry—even starts fantasizing about him in dreams that feel altogether too real. They also have a lot in common despite their age gap. So, to hell with it: If men can date younger, why can’t she? But the more Sean gets to know him, the more impossible Julian seems: He has a depth and sorrow to him that’s beyond his years, and sometimes there’s a look in his eyes that’s less than human, and leaves her feeling more like prey. Plus, Sean herself has been exhibiting odd symptoms—memory lapses, a lack of restraint that’s unlike her, persistent exhaustion—that all trace back to Julian, making Sean feeling more than a little afraid. Who—or what—is she falling, irrevocably, in love with?
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
Die for Me promises mystery and I love this blend of doctors and supernatural. And while I really enjoyed the first half, the actual supernatural drop kind of lost me. I liked where it was going as it explores chemistry we don’t understand and toxicity in relationships. But as the actual supernatural elements started coming together more, I found myself getting more and more confused. I also felt like the relationships started to fall apart and not in a good way where I was rooting for them? It’s a disappointment because the first half was so fun with the banter and getting to know Sean.
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The supernatural elements became so confusing and it meant that the steam and the momentum really dissipates. Don’t even get me started on the ending which just felt really lackluster considering how excited I was to start. Die for Me is one of those stories which ended up losing me exactly when I wanted it to sink its fangs in. Find Die for Me on Goodreads, Storygraph, Blackwells, & Libro. fm.