Best Offer Wins: A GMA Book Club Pick

Book Review: Best Offer Wins by Marisa Kashino 🏡As someone who house-hunted during the height of the low interest rate frenzy, this book’s premise hit close to home. The 20+ offer bidding wars, the waived contingencies, the pressure to decide in minutes, and hearing “Best and Final” drove me up a freakin wall.Here, we follow Margo, a woman pushed to the edge by a brutal housing market and her own expectations of what a successful life should look like. She is ten or so rejected offers deep and still day-dreaming of her perfect house in the perfect neighborhood in the DC suburbs (oh, and her husband is there, too). Kashino captures that mix of desperation, painful optimism, and quiet panic that comes with trying to secure a home in an impossible market. The first 100 pages were my favorite. full of sharp tension, high stakes, and darkly funny commentary around DC life, marriage, wealth, and the modern family.As the story continued, some of the plot turns stretched my suspension of disbelief (I am a skeptical reader...), and certain character decisions felt a bit too extreme compared to the more grounded beginning of the novel. Still, I found myself cringing, laughing, and unable to look away from Margo’s life choices chapter-by-chapter. She’s an intentionally unlikeable protagonist, and the book leans into that discomfort in a way that reminded me of R.F. Kuang’s Yellowface or even the slow, escalating tension of the film Parasite.Overall, I enjoyed the ride. It’s an impressive debut about the expectations we have for ourselves and the lengths we’ll go to make those (dis?)illusions real. A solid 3.5 stars and an easy recommendation for anyone who loves messy protagonists, dark humor, and books that push everyday situations into something unsettling. Or just real estate trauma.

December Read: 𝔹𝕆𝕆𝕂 ℝ𝔼𝕍𝕀𝔼𝕎📗📕📗Best Offer Wins✍️ 🏠⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️4/5Ok… I really enjoyed this one. I’ve been seeing it everywhere and finally pre-ordered it. It’s a quick, fast read at just 269 pages.The FMC is dead set on buying what she believes is the perfect home to start a family in this crazy housing market. (And honestly… the house sounded perfect. Tire swing and all!) From the beginning, you can tell how fixated she is on THIS house. As the story goes on, her actions get darker and a more unhinged, and more determined to have her offer accepted. I kept thinking, “Alright… how far is she actually going to go?” And then—yep—she goes there. I won’t say more, but wow.This one is definitely lighter than some thrillers I’ve read lately, but don’t let that fool you. It still gets pretty dark and crazy by the end.The FMC is likable, relatable, and also a little terrifying—which made it even more fun.If you’re looking for something a little different, I recommend picking this up

Loved this book and highly recommend it. Perfect mixture of humor, mystery, and great characters. Hoping to read much more from this author in the future.

Margo, you crazy crazy girl.

This is a fast, fun, entertaining read. Almost believable/unbelievable. But what a nice break from the holiday scramble. I really enjoyed it. Crazy? For sure!

I chose this for my Book of the Month book. Holy guacamole, so I was totally with the main character until the middle to end. She did some seriously questionable and shady things to obtain the house of her dreams meanwhile she wasn’t the only one lying about her “double life”. It’s a true testament to “not everything is perfect” even if you did everything perfectly. The American Dream is not what it seems. (Don’t worry, no spoilers here.) While there’s a national housing crisis still going on and probably not going to end any time soon, what lengths would you go to in order to end up with your dream house? Personally, I remember a few years ago having a budget and only a few houses popping up once in a while. Glad the looking and worrying is over for us, we thought it’d never end.

Book would have been decent if the author left her political innuendoes out. I read a book to be entertained, not to hear her underhanded beliefs buried in the story.

BEST OFFER WINS does a dark and witty deep dive into the real estate market in Washington, DC. Kashino effortlessly brings to life a relatable character that has the reader questioning just how far she will go for her dream house and life.Okay. This book is nuts! But it is crazy in that fabulously gripping and entertaining way. The twists and turns in the story are only made better by the Margo of it all. She is a force within this narrative that I knew I shouldn’t be rooting for, but found myself getting where she was coming from. Now, there are some ethical choices and pushed boundaries I cannot condone or would make myself, but isn’t that the fun in a book like this? You want the “oh no she didn’t” moments as you try to figure out what Margo will do next. The character’s candor is what makes the reader understand or at least want to understand the thoughts and emotions Margo is going through.All in all. This book was a fast-paced, humorous, and intense thriller. It is downright addictive. Kashino truly manages to balance the desire for the perfect life, the setbacks many face, and how being laser-focused can skew all rational thought. Trust me. This is a must-read.Audiobook Note: Cia Court narrates this book, and boy, did she do an amazing job. The time I spent listening to this audio version was completely enjoyable. The pace, inflections, and the way she brought the characters to life were perfection.

A really fun read about a young woman’s obsession with finding a house to buy in the cutthroat Washington DC market. It’s kind of a love story except the object of affection is the perfect house which the character feels will help her have a perfect life. Funny and smart with some laugh out-loud moments.

🏡✨ BOOK REVIEW ✨🏡Best Offer Winsby Marisa Kashino⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️After a year and a half of house hunting and losing eleven bidding wars, publicist Margo Miyake is at her breaking point. She and her husband, Ian, are still crammed into a tiny apartment, and every part of their future feels on pause: their marriage, their plans for a baby, even their sense of stability. So when she hears a whispered hint about a dream home in an ideal D.C.-area neighborhood that’s supposed to hit the market soon, something in her snaps. She has to have it — before anyone else even knows it exists.What starts as a little “research” quickly spirals. Tracking the owners and slipping onto the property becomes just part of doing her homework… right? Margo keeps pushing the line, convincing herself each step is reasonable. The more she inserts herself into the homeowners’ world, the more determined — and unhinged — she becomes.But just when she thinks she’s finally getting what she wants, a new obstacle knocks her off balance. Instead of backing down, she doubles down. Margo refuses to let anything or anyone stand between her and the life she believes she’s earned.This book is completely unhinged. It’s a darkly funny and surprisingly relatable domestic thriller. None of the characters are especially likeable, but that’s what makes the story so fun. Margo is outrageous in the most jaw-dropping way. The lengths she goes to for her dream house are improbable and totally ill-advised, but undeniably entertaining.Aside from the middle slowing a bit, the pacing is strong. The housing-market backdrop adds a fresh, modern feel, while the psychological tension keeps you hooked. In her debut novel, Kashino blends sharp writing, messy choices, real frustration, and plenty of suspense. The ending lands with some great twists.If you love thrillers that blur the line between relatable and horrifying, this one’s for you.

Easy read. Got me hooked quickly interesting story of buying a home. With a interesting twist coming at the end that you didn't expect. You can feel for the buyer. But never expect what she did to make her purchase successful. Don't trust your friends.Loved it!

A wonderful dark comedy with a flawed heroine you root for from the very beginning. Funny, tender and dark. For any fans of Samantha Downing. Look forward to her next book.

Brilliant, breathless read! I bought it today and just finished reading it. GULP! And I am so sorry it ended (but deliciously!). The protagonist, obsessed with how to get the house of her dreams, is a chatty, charming nut case, and I followed her everywhere, including places she perhaps shouldn;t have gone. Oops.As our president says, “Things happen….”

Most of the book is good, but the ending is a hot mess. Protagonist is just mean - but she does like the dog…

I kept telling myself I’d stop after one more chapter… and then suddenly an hour had gone by.Margo Miyake is impossible not to root for as she battles Washington DC’s brutal real-estate market. You feel every frustration and every near-miss with her. Then the book shifts — slowly at first, then sharply — and you watch her cross lines you did not see coming. I found myself thinking, “Okay, whoa… slow down,” and then, “No, seriously, stop!”The tension builds without giving away the twists, and the emotional ride is worth it from start to finish. Highly recommend. I’ll be first in line for Marisa Kashino’s next novel.

Loved it! Such a fun and suspenseful book without being too scary. Interesting plot line I haven't seen before. I want to find more books like this!

Best Offer Wins, the debut novel by Marisa Kashino, is a wild ride in the best way. The premise is simple: Margo and Ian want to buy their forever home in an elite Washington DC neighborhood, but the market is fiercely competitive. None of their many seven-digit offers have been accepted, and they’re getting desperate.This sounds normal but Margo’s pursuit of one particular home becomes incrementally more and more unhinged. Since it happens gradually, it makes sense on some level. Thank goodness this is a fictional series of events.Ms. Kashino definitely knows the real estate market in the Washington DC area, and I’ve never been so happy to own a ‘boring’ home in a Midwestern suburb. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Cia Court while on a road trip, and the miles flew by as Margo relentlessly pursued her goal. Some sources tag this as Horror; I actively avoid the genre but any violence happens off the page so I had no issues.This title publishes on November 25 so there’s still time to pre-order. If you need escapism during the holiday season, this story will make your family seem normal by comparison.Many thanks to Celadon Books and Macmillan Audio for the review copies of this book.

Eighteen months and 11 lost bidding wars into house-hunting in the overheated Washington, DC suburbs, 37-year-old publicist Margo Miyake gets a tip about the perfect house, in the perfect neighborhood, slated to come up for sale in one month. Desperate to escape the cramped apartment she shares with her husband Ian — and in turn, get their marriage, plan to have a baby, and whole life back on track — Margo becomes obsessed with buying the house before it’s publicly listed and the masses descend (with unbeatable, all-cash offers in hand).I really did not expect to like this book as well as I did. I usually do not like anything to do with finance. But that is not necessarily what this is about. This is about the lengths someone will take to get what they want.And just to let you know…I HATED MARGO. The author did a great job with her though. Usually if I am not a fan of the main character, I will DNF the book. But, this is very intense and it kept me reading. I really wanted to know how far Margot would go…and trust me…she will go far!And I have to say, the narrator, Cia Court, did a great job with Margo! She just made this more real!Need a dark story about ambition…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

"No house, no baby. No house, no family. No house, no life."This isn't just about doing anything to get your dream HOUSE; it's about pulling out all the stops to get your dream LIFE! Margo is delusional and desperate. She has lost ELEVEN dream homes already and she WILL. NOT. lose this one. She lies, manipulates, stalks, trespasses, harasses...and then? All bets are off and she REALLY becomes UNHINGED. The odd thing is, I couldn't help but root for her! She's loveable in her deluded sense of what will make her happy.Things took a little time to get going, but once they did the pace was increasingly frantic. I truly had no idea what was going to happen until it was already in progress. I love an off their rocker main character for just that reason; you cannot predict crazy! In her debut Marisa Kashino has created a unique and ultimately relatable voice in Margo in spite of her aspirations and aggressive persistence in pursuing her dream, or maybe, BECAUSE of it. I gotta admit, at one point, I was shocked by Margo's depravity (and she uses A LOT of foul language) but that ending had me chuckling and thinking 'uh oh' at the same time!Cia Court's narration was fabulous and she brought Margo to life in all her anguish, hope, fierce tenacity and deeply buried rage. Lest I forget to mention the humor, Kashino skillfully weaves wry and witty moments into the chaos that Court delivers with perfect precision!BEST OFFER WINS is dare I say it, a delightfully deranged whirlwind of an experience! You'll definitely forget all your worries and be completely distracted and immersed in Margo's machinations. If you enjoy insanity and unpredictability mixed with juicy family drama, you'll love this one!

SOLD!!NO-I am NOT talking about 5423 Stonebrook Ave-the 1940’s Colonial with the renovated kitchen, deluxe Master suite and the great yard-that Margo Miyake has set her sights on.I am referring to Margo SELLING her SOUL to the Devil, to make sure she doesn’t miss out on yet another property in the competitive (cutthroat) Real Estate market in suburbs outside of D.C.EIGHTEEN months and ELEVEN lost bidding wars, has made Margo feel a little bit DESPERATE to escape the cramped one bedroom she shares with her husband Ian. She has started to detour through her target neighborhoods, hoping to spot a moving truck or an estate sale sign that might give her the jump on a “soon to be listed” property.Because they cannot compete with the unbeatable ALL CASH offers coming in at TRIPLE FIGURES over asking price.,When she and Ian sold their starter property, in their gentrified neighborhood she knew they might have a double move, but she never expected this apartment to be more than short term temporary. She ALMOST misses their row house where debating “Gunshots or Fireworks?” occurred almost as frequently as “Thai or Mexican?”The Plan: Perfect Marriage-Perfect House -Perfect Baby - should NOT be taking this long to achieve !So when Margo gets a tip TWO weeks before the perfect house will be coming on the market she becomes a little (okay, A LOT) obsessed with buying the house before it’s publicly listed.She will do ANYTHING, and I do mean ANYTHING to not miss out a twelfth time.She will stop at NOTHING!This entertaining DEBUT is a fast paced, page turning psychological thriller, with a DIABOLICAL protagonist! Margo is definitely UNHINGED and has almost no moral compass-although she does have a soft spot for animals. Only a cute dog named Fritter and a neighborhood cat named Lunchbox are safe.EVERYONE ELSE?WATCH YOUR BACK!Maybe it’s over the top? Maybe not….My sister sells real estate in Portland, Oregon and I have heard some stories…