bring back men who yearn!!!!! this was an incredibly pleasant surprise and not at all what i was expecting. it was romantic, heartbreaking, and above all interesting. a rare case where i had no idea what direction the ending was going (in a good way). the “murder diary” aspect did feel quite separate, although i appreciated the dual timelines and how it all tied together - maybe mea culpa for expecting something along the lines of the murder writing letters to their lover that would fit into the story in real time. also this was A LOT spicier than i was anticipating, maybe to the point where it got a little repetitive and at times seemed a little unrealistic for the time period but hey who am i to say? the writing could use a bit of polish and the end was quite abrupt BUT it was a satisfying end and clearly this book was a passionate project, major kudos to newer writer

I’ve never read a book this dark, containing heavy themes (as it doesn’t seem to be my cup of tea), but Sarah Cook did an incredible job at portraying heavy themes authentically.
The characters were well established and I have grown very fond of them.

The concept of a Diary entry being at the start of each page kept me on the edge of my seat all the time. I thought I had it figured out, but at the end it turned out, I hadn’t been quite right about my suspicions.

John’s death surprised me, and while I miss his character dearly, I can’t imagine the book ending any other way. The Epilogue was heartwarming, and I wish those women the best life.

The Author’s writing is absolutely breathtaking! Most if not all of the book sounded poetic. I’ll be holding A Diary of Murders dear to my heart