Title: Cross Your Heart and Hope He DiesAuthor: Jenny Elder Moke
Pages: 368
Publication Date: Jan. 20, 2026
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Genres: Fiction / Romance / Contemporary
Synopsis:
Hobnobbing with Seattle’s elite on a super-yacht, Juliette Winters is about to land the deal of the century—if she doesn’t get arrested first. She Doesn’t Have A Clue author Jenny Elder Moke returns with another riotous mystery rom-com that delights in rich people behaving badly.
Juliette Winters is used to taking care of business alone. She has no time for petty things like romance, friendships, or emotional commitments. Love is for people who believe in reality TV dating and holding hands in public. She’s too busy dominating the publishing world by single-handedly saving her company from financial ruin with the book deal of the century.
Business magnate Warren Ellingham has guaranteed Juliette exclusive rights to his explosive memoir that promises to expose the secrets of his ultra-exclusive country club, Pacific Pines. But when Warren drops dead of an apparent heart attack and the memoir is stolen, Juliette suspects that someone was willing to resort to murder to keep their secrets from being exposed.
Enlisting the help of Charlie Hawkins, a doctor with a heart of gold and abs of steel, Juliette dives into the glamorous and messy world of Pacific Pines Country Club. As the investigation heats up, so does the tension between Juliette and Charlie. But Juliette can’t afford any distractions because the bodies keep dropping, and Juliette is tee-d up to take the blame. If she doesn’t uncover Warren’s killer soon, the thing that was supposed to secure her future might just be the thing that ends it.
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After reading and enjoying She Hasn’t Got a Clue, the first book in the series, last year, I was excited to get a copy of Cross Your Heart and Hope He Dies. It’s such a fun addition, with great characters, a murder mystery, and a wonderful love story.
Layered and interesting, Juliette has an ice queen persona, and many are intimidated by her. She’s great! Bold and ambitious, she’s determined to save the publishing company she works for. She’s an intelligent and confident woman who loves fiercely, and she’s so funny. Some of her quips had me laughing out loud, especially when she bantered with Charlie.
And Charlie is wonderful! Intelligent, responsible, and initially reserved in front of Juliette, he’s much more than the bore Juliette initially labels him as. He’s a perfect complement to Juliette, and their chemistry is fantastic, as are his declarations.
Juliette also has an amazing group of coworkers and friends who have strong found family vibes. I adore this group. They accept Juliette for who she is, and they are so supportive of each other. They also won’t let Juliette push them away, as she often tries to do. They keep it real and call her out on her BS, while still being loyal and protective. As a group, they’re also really comical, and the conversations they have were the perfect blend of seriousness, humor, and heart.
I thought this was a fun read and a great addition to the series. I can’t wait to see who will be the focus of the next book! Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.
“We don’t have to make ourselves small so other people can feel big. We’re allowed to take up the space we need.”
“So you are going to try and stop me? Because I should warn you, I’m pretty unstoppable. I was voted ‘Most Likely to Orchestrate a Dictatorial Takeover of a Small European Nation’ by my high school model United Nations.”
“And I’m sure Liechtenstein has been waiting in fear ever since,” Charlie said.
Jenny Elder Moke is the award-winning author of children’s and adult literature. She enjoys fast-paced adventures with plenty of mysteries, surprising turns, and laughs along the way. Her adult mystery rom-com mashup debut, SHE DOESN’T HAVE A CLUE, comes out January 21, 2025.
Jenny lives in Denver, CO.
