If Books Could Kill by Kate Eberle

Posted July 21, 2026 in review Tags:

If Books Could Kill by Kate Eberle

Genres: Contemporary Romance, Mystery
Source: ARC, NetGalley

Goodreads

A NOVEL LOVE STORY meets LOVE IN THE TIME OF SERIAL KILLERS in this rom-com following Roxie Mitchell, an adventure-loving romance reader who finds herself trapped in a meet-cute turned murderous

When Roxie makes a tongue-in-cheek wish to live out the plot of her favorite author’s next novel, she has romance in mind—namely, the sweet, safe, swoon-worthy storylines Anna Matthews is known for. It should be a dream come true when her wish is granted and she finds herself swept into a first date with a handsome stranger who seems designed to take her breath away.

Except for one little hiccup: That handsome stranger tries to take her breath away. Literally. With a knife. The thing is, Roxie may be the new Anna Matthews protagonist—but this time, Anna is writing a crime thriller.

Thrown into a perilous genre she’s never read, Roxie is desperate for help. So when her escape takes her straight into the path of Grant Hoffman, an anxious English professor with a convenient love of crime novels, she decides that kidnapping a grown man is a small price to pay for her own survival. Together, Roxie and Grant navigate a madcap story where the lines between fiction and reality blur. They’ll find out if they have what it takes to make it to The End—or maybe even Happily Ever After.

If Books Could Kill is probably the most unique book I have read so far this year! A romance reader thinks she is getting her own romance book life, but ends up in a totally different genre. She isn’t sure she will survive!

I enjoyed the campiness of this! Its light and fun throughout, which made it a great summer pick. The characters were good! The story is interesting. Roxie and Grant are very entrenched in their respective genre: she knows all there is to know about romance and he is a mystery aficionado! Together, their bring their knowledge to survive this journey. I liked both characters, but they felt a little flat. Maybe because I’m used to romance stories with really dimensional characters? I really did like both characters, but they were just kind of forgettable. What I enjoyed most in If Books Could Kill is the humor. The story, while sometimes outrageous, is just plain funny!

If you are looking for a different type of read that blends and mocks genres and tropes, If Books Could Kill is a great pick!