Cross Your Heart and Hope He Dies by Jenny Elder Moke: Review

I love it when a book is witty and fun, yet also includes mystery and romance. All of our interests are spiked and prodded in a story like that.

This new release is one of those books that manages to capture our interest with a murder mystery and throws in a bit of romantic interest, too. Check out my review below.

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Cross Your Heart and Hope He Dies by Jenny Elder Moke
Publisher: ‎ Minotaur Books
Publication date: ‎ January 20, 2026
ISBN-13: ‎ 978-1250354990

OVERVIEW:
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.

Jenny Elder Moke’s twisty mystery rom-com blend will delight readers with its outrageous characters, laugh-out-loud jokes, and opposites attract romance.

Cross Your Heart and Hope He Dies by Jenny Elder Moke Review

If you enjoy a fun murder-mystery with a splash of romance, this book is for you.

I love a great rom-com type of murder mystery, and this one fits the bill. The author manages to develop characters who are interesting and a bit unlikable at the same time. It took me a bit to warm up to our Female lead. She is headstrong and a tad annoying, but she was tenacious and has a tender heart in there, especailly when it comes to Charlie.

The cast works well together, with banter that is entertaining throughout, even if some of the characters were not fully fleshed out. The author published “She Doesn’t Have a Clue,” which could help with getting to know some of the other characters, but it did not hinder my understanding of this storyline, and it is certainly not required to read first.

Cross Your Heart and Hope He Dies is punchy, witty, and a bit wild with some high-strung characters. Plus, it is a fun love story to boot. I enjoyed this one and had a chuckle over the title, too. Hardcore…

4 STARS!!

Disclaimer: Affiliate Links Included. Chris has personally reviewed the product listed above. She has not received any monetary compensation for her review but did receive a free ebook so she could evaluate and use it for this post. Her thoughts & opinions in this review are unbiased & honest and your opinions may differ.