Probably more of a 2.5 rounded up if I'm being honest.
TW: Eating Disorders
*goodreads giveaway winner*

I WANTED to love this. It had everything right on paper. Stalking, multiple perspectives - including the stalkers POV, a level of real-life horror (i could see this happening in real life/probably has)

but it all just fell flat for me.

What I DID like:
* the realistic portrayal of co-dependant friendships and how toxic they can be
* how it showcases the reality that social media is not reality and how easily we lie and believe the lies on it.
* the parasocial nature of influencer relationships (when you have a million followers you're never truly alone)
* the ending. the actual last 2-3 chapters were surprising and an unexpected ending which I fully appreciated. It surprised me a lot in small amount of time and largely why this rating got rounded up instead of down

What i DIDN'T like:
* the casual jabs at people (women) with eating disorders

* the fact that none of the characters felt particularly real to me. Audrey was probably the most real, though I have never met a 'famous' influencer to know for sure. Cat seemed to be so consumed by anxiety of the past but it's alluded to be for a different reason than it was. So She mostly comes off as being a jealous girl living in the past and it isnt until the last ~100 pages that you really realize there is something else going on that makes her personality make a lot more sense but by that point I didn't care anymore.

* 'him' I think we lost something by his identity being a secret. and maybe that's an unpopular opinion but after reading You and being in Joe's head and KNOWING he was terrible and still seeing these women love him made the relationship feel scary because we knew how on the edge of snapping he was all the time. In this case because his identity is a secret until the 'big' reveal all his scenes WITH Audrey are vague and not exactly terrifying in the way I want a thriller to be scary.

* the ....plot? I never felt like anything was happening. Even in the tense moments it just didn't FEEL tense. Like I read about 75% in one sitting because I was just waiting for SOMETHING to happen. I never actually knew if Audrey met 'him' or not because of how vague his chapters had to be. I also don't feel like the mystery was well laid out. I knew from reading thrillers it had to be a select few people. and there were some obvious attempts and red herrings thrown in that was mostly just there to lead Audrey (and you) to say "is it X, Y or Z? oh just kidding it was W...or was it?

*Audrey's decision making. which I can't discuss without possible spoilers so just in case:

Spoiler

I am NOT victim blaming. What happens to Audrey is NOT her fault just because she chooses to overshare online. That being said, she continued to make stupid decisions when she thought someone was BREAKING INTO HER APARTMENT TO WATCH HER SLEEP. she continued to stay there, took 0 extra precautions and doesnt seek help? No she didnt deserve to BE in that situation but if you get in it use you're damn head!

*Ryan. He had a lot of potential but was only around to pad the character count

Spoiler

it was obvious he wouldn’t be the stalker since he was too obviously the red herring, but they didn’t develop him enough that he solely existed to BE a red herring so when the plot actually gets going after 50% he mostly disappears except to randomly be suss.

I would’ve loved if he had been more developed

It gets 3 stars because I was interested ENOUGH to finish the entire book, and the ending was surprising enough to give it some credit. I just don't think this book ended up telling the intended story as well as it wanted to.
Domestic thriller about getting stalked because you have a massive internet following is a great concept, and truly has me questioning my own online platforms and what I am putting out there. But this story really doesn't ADDRESS that issue. there's no lesson learned here, unless the reader chooses to make their own. because Audrey learned nothing.