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The Winner
Fame, fortune, followers. Be careful what you wish for…
Heather thought she’d been left behind in life, until she won a place in the luxurious ‘Triple F’ lottery, where fame, fortune and followers await 12 lucky winners.
The rules are live the lifestyle of your dreams and win £5,000 a week for the rest of your life, plus six months of fame on the country’s most popular app – as long as you’re not bottom of the rankings. Lose your followers, and you lose everything.
But there’s trouble in paradise.
Too many winners are falling victim to addiction, depression, even suicide. Someone, somewhere, seems to know their secrets, and is stirring up hatred online. And Heather has secrets of her own.
Suddenly she’s not worried about losing her lifestyle. She’s afraid of losing her life.
Heather thought she’d been left behind in life, until she won a place in the luxurious ‘Triple F’ lottery, where fame, fortune and followers await 12 lucky winners.
The rules are live the lifestyle of your dreams and win £5,000 a week for the rest of your life, plus six months of fame on the country’s most popular app – as long as you’re not bottom of the rankings. Lose your followers, and you lose everything.
But there’s trouble in paradise.
Too many winners are falling victim to addiction, depression, even suicide. Someone, somewhere, seems to know their secrets, and is stirring up hatred online. And Heather has secrets of her own.
Suddenly she’s not worried about losing her lifestyle. She’s afraid of losing her life.
428 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 20, 2024
106 people are currently reading
754 people want to read
About the author
C.J. Parsons
2 books23 followersCJ Parsons was born in Britain and grew up in Canada. She graduated from Montreal's McGill University with a degree in psychology and went on to earn a graduate degree in journalism. She worked as a newspaper reporter at Canada's Globe and Mail before moving to Hong Kong, where she became a columnist at The South China Morning Post.
She also spent two years covering crime, seeing first-hand the disturbing forces that drive people to kill, something that has informed her writing to this day.
After returning to Britain, she moved into television news, working as a broadcast journalist for both the BBC and CNN International. CJ is now a senior producer at CGTN. She lives in north London with her twelve-year-old daughter.
She also spent two years covering crime, seeing first-hand the disturbing forces that drive people to kill, something that has informed her writing to this day.
After returning to Britain, she moved into television news, working as a broadcast journalist for both the BBC and CNN International. CJ is now a senior producer at CGTN. She lives in north London with her twelve-year-old daughter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
July 11, 2024
This was right up my alley. An intriguing plot with a social media reality show, a feisty character with an endless need to get to the bottom of things and a mysterious CEO you just knew had his secrets. There was a lot of action throughout the book and the ending was perfect.
June 20, 2024
This was a nail-biting thriller that built in intensity as the plot developed. I raced to its conclusion.
Parsons’ novel taps into the world of influencers and social media. Except the winners of the ‘TripleF’ lottery are never secure – they have to keep on top of their follower numbers or risk losing the fame, fortune and celebrity status. It is a dream that so many aspire to, like Heather, and when she unexpectedly wins a place as one of the influencers, she thinks she is set up for life. Until it is clear that someone out there is targeting the winners, making them crack under pressure and become the losers.
I really liked the concept explored here and how the world of social media can have such a massive impact on daily life. The world of an influencer just boggles my mind and in this story, the characters are under pressure to ensure their ‘CelebRate’ is maintained. What is their USP? How can they promote it? How can they keep public interest? Whilst Heather appears to seamlessly slip into this role, she is not ignorant to the tragedies of past winners, especially when a suicide of a new friend starts to raise more questions.
I could not fathom who was behind the threats to the influencers, despite Parsons providing clues. I enjoyed how the narrative switches to intimate chapters of the voice of the perpetrator, particularly as it is clear that this person has a lot of information at their fingertips and is intent on destroying the lives of others. The power of trolls on social media is another area that is portrayed in this book which I consider a very sad bi-product of today’s society. Although some of the characters claim they don’t let it get to them, I cannot imagine having strangers making such horrid, criticising comments from the ambiguity of their keyboards: it is uncontrolled bullying and I think this is interestingly explored in the story.
An ordinary person boosted to fame, this book explores the successes and pitfalls of instant “celeb-dom”. Heather herself has secrets and I was intrigued to see how far they would remain that way – because when you are on social media and working to remain current, nothing is left private. I was curious to see whether Heather’s past would remain unexposed and enjoyed watching her character grow over the story, using her experiences as a TripleF winner to understand more about the new circles she walks in.
This was a great read. It developed unexpectedly and I thought the story really grew in intensity as it reached its conclusion. There were plenty of surprises along the way and I found that I became as addicted to the story as the influencers were to their follower numbers.
With thanks to HQ and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Parsons’ novel taps into the world of influencers and social media. Except the winners of the ‘TripleF’ lottery are never secure – they have to keep on top of their follower numbers or risk losing the fame, fortune and celebrity status. It is a dream that so many aspire to, like Heather, and when she unexpectedly wins a place as one of the influencers, she thinks she is set up for life. Until it is clear that someone out there is targeting the winners, making them crack under pressure and become the losers.
I really liked the concept explored here and how the world of social media can have such a massive impact on daily life. The world of an influencer just boggles my mind and in this story, the characters are under pressure to ensure their ‘CelebRate’ is maintained. What is their USP? How can they promote it? How can they keep public interest? Whilst Heather appears to seamlessly slip into this role, she is not ignorant to the tragedies of past winners, especially when a suicide of a new friend starts to raise more questions.
I could not fathom who was behind the threats to the influencers, despite Parsons providing clues. I enjoyed how the narrative switches to intimate chapters of the voice of the perpetrator, particularly as it is clear that this person has a lot of information at their fingertips and is intent on destroying the lives of others. The power of trolls on social media is another area that is portrayed in this book which I consider a very sad bi-product of today’s society. Although some of the characters claim they don’t let it get to them, I cannot imagine having strangers making such horrid, criticising comments from the ambiguity of their keyboards: it is uncontrolled bullying and I think this is interestingly explored in the story.
An ordinary person boosted to fame, this book explores the successes and pitfalls of instant “celeb-dom”. Heather herself has secrets and I was intrigued to see how far they would remain that way – because when you are on social media and working to remain current, nothing is left private. I was curious to see whether Heather’s past would remain unexposed and enjoyed watching her character grow over the story, using her experiences as a TripleF winner to understand more about the new circles she walks in.
This was a great read. It developed unexpectedly and I thought the story really grew in intensity as it reached its conclusion. There were plenty of surprises along the way and I found that I became as addicted to the story as the influencers were to their follower numbers.
With thanks to HQ and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
June 5, 2024
A viably unusual take on the ‘normal person wins reality TV show’ sub genre ( with it all going downhill quickly ) this time the school trainee teacher, Heather, realises pretty quickly something is going terribly wrong for certain contestants and ex contestants as their secrets become public knowledge with devastating effects
Heather herself has a secret ( not the normal type we are all used to by now ) and she is targeted…..the story progresses as she battles to find out who us behind the ‘trolling’ with surprising results
It is a good look at fame, wealth and popularity that rises quickly and fades even quicker and I really liked Heather and her determination to do what she thought was right whilst still being human enough to enjoy the glitz of it all, while it lasted
Maybe a tad long at 428 Pages but very readable and different
Heather herself has a secret ( not the normal type we are all used to by now ) and she is targeted…..the story progresses as she battles to find out who us behind the ‘trolling’ with surprising results
It is a good look at fame, wealth and popularity that rises quickly and fades even quicker and I really liked Heather and her determination to do what she thought was right whilst still being human enough to enjoy the glitz of it all, while it lasted
Maybe a tad long at 428 Pages but very readable and different
July 3, 2024
Who hasn't dreamt of winning the lottery? "The rules are simple: live the lifestyle of your dreams and win £5,000 a week for the rest of your life, plus six months of fame on the country’s most popular app – as long as you’re not bottom of the rankings. Lose your followers, and you lose everything."
When Heather wins she can't believe her good luck. But it turns out losing 'everything' is more likely than it sounds. Something sinister is happening to the winners.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC/audiobook!
When Heather wins she can't believe her good luck. But it turns out losing 'everything' is more likely than it sounds. Something sinister is happening to the winners.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC/audiobook!
May 6, 2024
Parsons takes a combination of ‘Big Brother’, YouTube ‘influencers’, and Instagram to imagine an App called Triple F (Fame, Fortune and Followers). Any member of the public can enter a lottery and if chosen is given £5,000 week for life provided they manage to keep their followers above half a million for 6 months.
What the appeal of the winfluencers, (those who win this lottery), actually is, is never really shown. Some of the women do videos on interior design, or make-up, but why would these be watched over the hundreds of other Youtubers doing the same thing? Heather, the protagonist, is a trainee science teacher, and promotes the company by buying new clothes and doing a vlog of her new house. The idea needs more thought, and most of the App insta-fame concept is told to the reader rather then shown.
The synopsis of the novel intrigued me because Youtube watching has overtaken traditional television in the United States. It is always interesting to look at new technology and how it changes people’s habits and how this affects society.
“Celeb rate is just a pretty veneer for advertisers. An idealised vision of what happens when ordinary people are subjected to sudden wealth and fame…Fame hijacked by people who have done nothing to achieve it yet somehow feel they deserve it, who feel that everyone should want to watch them, not as they perform a live concert, unveil a new work of art, or act in a film, but simply engage the mundane activities of their daily lives: shopping, partying, eating a piece of cake. It makes no sense whatsoever. But it’s fascinating”
I would agree with the author that there are YouTubers and Kardashian sisters who are famous seemingly for nothing. However, the appeal of YouTube and TicToc and Instagram is there. 68% of people in the United States watch more video content from YouTube than any other platform, while 51% still watch traditional TV. I would have liked a more thoughtful treatment of this. Would everyone if given £5,000 a week chose a shallow life style? How does the loss of privacy affect people? Why are social media apps so popular? Are they really only used by narcissists to show off themselves and their possessions in return for promoting products to their followers?
The novel is a thriller. There are suspicious deaths and many of the characters have secrets which are slowly revealed to the reader. There is also a romantic sub-plot.
There needed to be fewer characters, so that they could have been given more personality. The concept needed to be more convincing. I didn’t enjoy this novel and couldn’t recommend it.
What the appeal of the winfluencers, (those who win this lottery), actually is, is never really shown. Some of the women do videos on interior design, or make-up, but why would these be watched over the hundreds of other Youtubers doing the same thing? Heather, the protagonist, is a trainee science teacher, and promotes the company by buying new clothes and doing a vlog of her new house. The idea needs more thought, and most of the App insta-fame concept is told to the reader rather then shown.
The synopsis of the novel intrigued me because Youtube watching has overtaken traditional television in the United States. It is always interesting to look at new technology and how it changes people’s habits and how this affects society.
“Celeb rate is just a pretty veneer for advertisers. An idealised vision of what happens when ordinary people are subjected to sudden wealth and fame…Fame hijacked by people who have done nothing to achieve it yet somehow feel they deserve it, who feel that everyone should want to watch them, not as they perform a live concert, unveil a new work of art, or act in a film, but simply engage the mundane activities of their daily lives: shopping, partying, eating a piece of cake. It makes no sense whatsoever. But it’s fascinating”
I would agree with the author that there are YouTubers and Kardashian sisters who are famous seemingly for nothing. However, the appeal of YouTube and TicToc and Instagram is there. 68% of people in the United States watch more video content from YouTube than any other platform, while 51% still watch traditional TV. I would have liked a more thoughtful treatment of this. Would everyone if given £5,000 a week chose a shallow life style? How does the loss of privacy affect people? Why are social media apps so popular? Are they really only used by narcissists to show off themselves and their possessions in return for promoting products to their followers?
The novel is a thriller. There are suspicious deaths and many of the characters have secrets which are slowly revealed to the reader. There is also a romantic sub-plot.
There needed to be fewer characters, so that they could have been given more personality. The concept needed to be more convincing. I didn’t enjoy this novel and couldn’t recommend it.
July 2, 2024
This was a super fun, engaging read. Heather, a hard up trainee teacher, is selected by the TripleF lottery to receive £5000 per week for the rest of her life; as long as her follower count doesn’t drop under 500k!
I like the way the story unfolded, and felt it was pretty true to what I imagine would happen to a lottery winner
I knew there was an underbelly and I was excited to discover more as Heather’s influencer numbers grew. Because of course the troll numbers grew too!
As some point during the book, I believed every single person was a big bad troll and didn’t trust anyone! I think Heather could have done with being a little more mindful, but the follower numbers quickly became an obsession - for all the WinFluencers!
Audiobook narrator Lucy Walker-Evans deserves a shout out for being so entertaining! Her voices were fantastic, especially Steve and Lara! Hilarious
Although this wasn’t a deep and meaningful read, there were definitely some interesting moments where popularity and power were threatened
I would have liked a more shocking twist, something to stop me in my tracks! Nevertheless, this was a super entertaining read with a lotta heart
Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK Audio for access to this audiobook ARC in exchange for my honest review
I like the way the story unfolded, and felt it was pretty true to what I imagine would happen to a lottery winner
I knew there was an underbelly and I was excited to discover more as Heather’s influencer numbers grew. Because of course the troll numbers grew too!
As some point during the book, I believed every single person was a big bad troll and didn’t trust anyone! I think Heather could have done with being a little more mindful, but the follower numbers quickly became an obsession - for all the WinFluencers!
Audiobook narrator Lucy Walker-Evans deserves a shout out for being so entertaining! Her voices were fantastic, especially Steve and Lara! Hilarious
Although this wasn’t a deep and meaningful read, there were definitely some interesting moments where popularity and power were threatened
I would have liked a more shocking twist, something to stop me in my tracks! Nevertheless, this was a super entertaining read with a lotta heart
Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK Audio for access to this audiobook ARC in exchange for my honest review
June 20, 2024
Phenomenal! I absolutely loved the premise of this - Fame, Fortune and Followers - it seems to be the way that so many people are trying to live their lives as influencers in real life and in the story, trainee teacher, Heather, gives it a go and is picked as one of the winners!
£5k per week and a celebrity lifestyle, helped by advisers to help with your lifestyle, social media, the press and your image. Just make sure you don't mess up, because if you find yourself ranking at the bottom, you're out and you lose it all.
Heather is doing well, but after one of the other influencers takes her own life, someone starts threatening Heather and outing her secrets online. Who knows about Heather's past and why are they targeting her?
Some clever twists and an eye-opening insight into the celebrity and influencer world. Loved it!
5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, C. J. Parsons and HQ for an ARC in return for an honest review.
£5k per week and a celebrity lifestyle, helped by advisers to help with your lifestyle, social media, the press and your image. Just make sure you don't mess up, because if you find yourself ranking at the bottom, you're out and you lose it all.
Heather is doing well, but after one of the other influencers takes her own life, someone starts threatening Heather and outing her secrets online. Who knows about Heather's past and why are they targeting her?
Some clever twists and an eye-opening insight into the celebrity and influencer world. Loved it!
5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, C. J. Parsons and HQ for an ARC in return for an honest review.
June 16, 2024
I really enjoyed this book. Heather, who is initially working as a teacher, finds herself immersed in the public eye after becoming a finalist in a competition she never thought she had any chance of winning.
Alongside various other contestants, they all embark on a journey where they are winfluencers having to upload details such as dress, makeup, home ideas, etc, where they are all ranked depending on social interaction
This all takes a very cynical turn when it's clear it isn't just a little bit of standard trolling going on. There is something much more sinister, and Heather is determined to find out what. Someone knows all their secrets, each person's life who and why would someone wish to sabotage or cause any harm to them, a fellow contestant? A jealous stalker? A colleague, an ex of a contestant, the possibilities are endless, and this novel will have you going through all possibilities till you may or may not work out he truth of the matter before the end...
This book does cover some difficult areas such as addictions, mental health, online abuse, and more so, in this respect, be aware if you have personally been sensitive to these subject matters in your life.
This was well narrated and easy to follow each character flawlessly without hesitation of who is who.
Thank you to Netgalley & Harper Collins for this ARC in return for an open, honest review, all of which are my own opinions.
Alongside various other contestants, they all embark on a journey where they are winfluencers having to upload details such as dress, makeup, home ideas, etc, where they are all ranked depending on social interaction
This all takes a very cynical turn when it's clear it isn't just a little bit of standard trolling going on. There is something much more sinister, and Heather is determined to find out what. Someone knows all their secrets, each person's life who and why would someone wish to sabotage or cause any harm to them, a fellow contestant? A jealous stalker? A colleague, an ex of a contestant, the possibilities are endless, and this novel will have you going through all possibilities till you may or may not work out he truth of the matter before the end...
This book does cover some difficult areas such as addictions, mental health, online abuse, and more so, in this respect, be aware if you have personally been sensitive to these subject matters in your life.
This was well narrated and easy to follow each character flawlessly without hesitation of who is who.
Thank you to Netgalley & Harper Collins for this ARC in return for an open, honest review, all of which are my own opinions.
December 22, 2024
This was an unusual book. Not sure if I love or just like it. It starts off very well and then drifts a little then it gets better again. Not quite sure if I enjoyed it.
June 20, 2024
Happy publication day 🎉🥳
Win £5k a week for the rest of your life. Fame. Fortune. But you must not reach the bottom of the app, or drop under half a million followers on celeb rate or you lose it all.
Be careful what you wish for indeed!!
Heather has won the triple F lottery! She’s gone from a newly qualified teacher in her training year to media training, make up and hair tutorials, a stunning home, an enviable wardrobe, along with an F phone. The aim of the app is to show off the winnings, stay relevant and gain fans. Every other social media app is banned from the phone and this app scans for abuse to protect the winfluencer!
What if she messes up? what if the followers don’t like her?
Someone is watching, username “all knowing” knows everyone’s secrets and looks for damage in the winfluencers ……
It becomes apparent that the people who drop off seem to come to harm, from suicide, drug abuse and mental health issues, is the watcher behind it? and can Heather use the relationship she’s built with the founder to help her before it’s too late?!
I loved the concept of this story. A real hit for the times where people want money and notoriety for seemingly doing nothing but being popular. Almost believable!! Infact definitely believable and riveting!
The telling of the story was excellent, particularly intriguing as I don’t understand that need to be seen and have a following at all.
I really enjoyed the narration.
For originality and the fact that I was completely absorbed in the story it’s an easy
All the stars 🌟
#Jorecommends
I’d like to thank NetGalley and Harper Collins U.K. Audio for the opportunity to listen to this audio arc in return for an honest review.
Win £5k a week for the rest of your life. Fame. Fortune. But you must not reach the bottom of the app, or drop under half a million followers on celeb rate or you lose it all.
Be careful what you wish for indeed!!
Heather has won the triple F lottery! She’s gone from a newly qualified teacher in her training year to media training, make up and hair tutorials, a stunning home, an enviable wardrobe, along with an F phone. The aim of the app is to show off the winnings, stay relevant and gain fans. Every other social media app is banned from the phone and this app scans for abuse to protect the winfluencer!
What if she messes up? what if the followers don’t like her?
Someone is watching, username “all knowing” knows everyone’s secrets and looks for damage in the winfluencers ……
It becomes apparent that the people who drop off seem to come to harm, from suicide, drug abuse and mental health issues, is the watcher behind it? and can Heather use the relationship she’s built with the founder to help her before it’s too late?!
I loved the concept of this story. A real hit for the times where people want money and notoriety for seemingly doing nothing but being popular. Almost believable!! Infact definitely believable and riveting!
The telling of the story was excellent, particularly intriguing as I don’t understand that need to be seen and have a following at all.
I really enjoyed the narration.
For originality and the fact that I was completely absorbed in the story it’s an easy
All the stars 🌟
#Jorecommends
I’d like to thank NetGalley and Harper Collins U.K. Audio for the opportunity to listen to this audio arc in return for an honest review.
September 18, 2024
Thank you HQ for a copy of this book! This was mine and Michaela’s book club pick for September.
Heather, a trainee teacher wins a place in the luxurious ‘Triple F’ lottery, where fame, fortune and followers await. All you have to do is showcase your lifestyle and retain over half a million followers to wine £5000 a week for the rest of your life. However, all is not as it seems with many of the past winners falling victim to various tragedies.
I am really sick of the reality TV trope and I was initially a little apprehensive about picking this up. I had nothing to worry about, I really enjoyed this. The setting is every day life and the story has a heavy focus on social media.
Even though the book is 400+ pages long I absolutely flew threw it. Such a great plot concept, it’s fun to read and it was well written.
If you like any of John Marrs dystopian thrillers (such as The One) then I think you might like this!
Heather, a trainee teacher wins a place in the luxurious ‘Triple F’ lottery, where fame, fortune and followers await. All you have to do is showcase your lifestyle and retain over half a million followers to wine £5000 a week for the rest of your life. However, all is not as it seems with many of the past winners falling victim to various tragedies.
I am really sick of the reality TV trope and I was initially a little apprehensive about picking this up. I had nothing to worry about, I really enjoyed this. The setting is every day life and the story has a heavy focus on social media.
Even though the book is 400+ pages long I absolutely flew threw it. Such a great plot concept, it’s fun to read and it was well written.
If you like any of John Marrs dystopian thrillers (such as The One) then I think you might like this!
April 11, 2024
as news spreads of a celeb-rate star losing all of his followers after being caught drunk driving, a teacher is willing to sign up for a reality show to gain followers.
i loved the inclusion of articles that the characters were reading, it drew the reader in more.
this book is a great representation of how social media has taken over lives and warped our ideas of relationships, beauty and life itself.
the book touches on, trolls, stalkers, wanting social media popularity and mental health issues caused by social media usage, which is very relevant to a lot of different audiences.
this is a thriller based on the haunting reality of the internet- it’s very black mirror-esque.
thankyou so much, harper collins - HQ and net galley for the arc. all opinions are my own <3
i loved the inclusion of articles that the characters were reading, it drew the reader in more.
this book is a great representation of how social media has taken over lives and warped our ideas of relationships, beauty and life itself.
the book touches on, trolls, stalkers, wanting social media popularity and mental health issues caused by social media usage, which is very relevant to a lot of different audiences.
this is a thriller based on the haunting reality of the internet- it’s very black mirror-esque.
thankyou so much, harper collins - HQ and net galley for the arc. all opinions are my own <3
April 3, 2025
This book was 420 pages but should have been 250, max. Too many “red herrings” and didn’t have me sucked in until the end the way a lot of these types of thrillers do.
August 5, 2025
I picked this one up because the premise sounded so intriguing, and after a year sitting on my TBR I finally chose it because I could listen on an app I had an introductory offer for. I ended up tandem reading and enjoyed both formats.
The story hooked me from the start. The main character wasn’t immediately sympathetic but was interesting and layered, and as someone who lives with chronic pain, I found her struggles relatable as they unfolded. What I really appreciated was that she wasn’t naively written, which has been a bit of a theme in my recent reads. The supporting cast was well balanced too, with enough variety to spark strong feelings without becoming overwhelming.
The pacing was one of the book’s biggest strengths. It stayed steady throughout, keeping me engaged without dragging or rushing. The central conflict simmered in the background until the ending, while the subplots added depth. It felt like a speculative thriller with a concept that wouldn’t be out of place in Black Mirror—very reminiscent of the episode “Nosedive”.
There were no big twists that shocked me, but it also wasn’t predictable. The idea itself was excellent and the execution solid, though nothing about the prose or characters pushed it into “love it” territory for me. It’s a good book that I enjoyed, but it didn’t leave a huge emotional impact.
The audiobook narration by Lucy Walker‑Evans was absolutely brilliant. Her performance really elevated the story and fit the tone perfectly.
3.5 Stars out of 5
The story hooked me from the start. The main character wasn’t immediately sympathetic but was interesting and layered, and as someone who lives with chronic pain, I found her struggles relatable as they unfolded. What I really appreciated was that she wasn’t naively written, which has been a bit of a theme in my recent reads. The supporting cast was well balanced too, with enough variety to spark strong feelings without becoming overwhelming.
The pacing was one of the book’s biggest strengths. It stayed steady throughout, keeping me engaged without dragging or rushing. The central conflict simmered in the background until the ending, while the subplots added depth. It felt like a speculative thriller with a concept that wouldn’t be out of place in Black Mirror—very reminiscent of the episode “Nosedive”.
There were no big twists that shocked me, but it also wasn’t predictable. The idea itself was excellent and the execution solid, though nothing about the prose or characters pushed it into “love it” territory for me. It’s a good book that I enjoyed, but it didn’t leave a huge emotional impact.
The audiobook narration by Lucy Walker‑Evans was absolutely brilliant. Her performance really elevated the story and fit the tone perfectly.
3.5 Stars out of 5
July 16, 2024
#TheWinner #NetGalley
5 ⭐
Heather thought she’d been left behind in life, until she won a place in the luxurious ‘Triple F’ lottery, where fame, fortune and followers await 12 lucky winners. The rules are simple: live the lifestyle of your dreams and win £5,000 a week for the rest of your life, plus six months of fame on the country’s most popular app – as long as you’re not bottom of the rankings. Lose your followers, and you lose everything. But there’s trouble in paradise. Too many winners are falling victim to tragedy: addiction, depression, even suicide. Someone, somewhere, seems to know their secrets, and is stirring up hatred online. And Heather has secrets of her own. Suddenly she’s not worried about losing her lifestyle. She’s afraid of losing her life.
Thanks to NetGalley and HQ for giving me an advance copy.
5 ⭐
Heather thought she’d been left behind in life, until she won a place in the luxurious ‘Triple F’ lottery, where fame, fortune and followers await 12 lucky winners. The rules are simple: live the lifestyle of your dreams and win £5,000 a week for the rest of your life, plus six months of fame on the country’s most popular app – as long as you’re not bottom of the rankings. Lose your followers, and you lose everything. But there’s trouble in paradise. Too many winners are falling victim to tragedy: addiction, depression, even suicide. Someone, somewhere, seems to know their secrets, and is stirring up hatred online. And Heather has secrets of her own. Suddenly she’s not worried about losing her lifestyle. She’s afraid of losing her life.
Thanks to NetGalley and HQ for giving me an advance copy.
August 30, 2024
4/5 ⭐
💎 Teacher in training Heather has always felt left behind in life until she won a place in the luxurious ‘Triple F’ lottery, where 12 ordinary people win an influencer lifestyle of fame, fortune and followers. All they need to do is live their dream lifestyle and win £5k a week for the rest of their life, 6 months of fame on the popular app, CelebRate all while staying top of the rankings. Losing followers means losing everything. Things get dangerous when Heather picks up a pattern — many winners are become tragic victims to addiction, depression, even suicide. Someone online seems to know their secrets, and Heather has some of her own.
💎 This book is so twisty and gripping! I love the premise — influencer and fame for the average person. Heather isn't a lovable character for me but I found myself still rooting for her. She's so complex and it was such a pleasure to see the character development. Each chapter made me guess who was the culprit and the twist in the end was so surprising! The combination of glamour and mystery was very complimentary and gave the book unique and engaging elements.
Thank you Harper Collins for my copy!
💎 Teacher in training Heather has always felt left behind in life until she won a place in the luxurious ‘Triple F’ lottery, where 12 ordinary people win an influencer lifestyle of fame, fortune and followers. All they need to do is live their dream lifestyle and win £5k a week for the rest of their life, 6 months of fame on the popular app, CelebRate all while staying top of the rankings. Losing followers means losing everything. Things get dangerous when Heather picks up a pattern — many winners are become tragic victims to addiction, depression, even suicide. Someone online seems to know their secrets, and Heather has some of her own.
💎 This book is so twisty and gripping! I love the premise — influencer and fame for the average person. Heather isn't a lovable character for me but I found myself still rooting for her. She's so complex and it was such a pleasure to see the character development. Each chapter made me guess who was the culprit and the twist in the end was so surprising! The combination of glamour and mystery was very complimentary and gave the book unique and engaging elements.
Thank you Harper Collins for my copy!
June 26, 2024
Thank you Netgalley for my copy.
I loved this book. The characterisation and the writing was good. I enjoyed the plot and the twists, but what I really liked was the idea of the CelebRates app. Shame it's not a real thing. Id definitely download it XD
Looking forward to reading more by Parsons.
I loved this book. The characterisation and the writing was good. I enjoyed the plot and the twists, but what I really liked was the idea of the CelebRates app. Shame it's not a real thing. Id definitely download it XD
Looking forward to reading more by Parsons.
June 30, 2024
A fun exploration of the modern-day phenomenon of “fame without talent” and what it means.
Three Word Review: trainee teachers triumph
Three Word Review: trainee teachers triumph
September 21, 2024
Really interesting book but too long. Felt like the author could have shaved off quite a few pages.
October 13, 2025
Really not the ending I expected which made me want to keep reading it.
June 14, 2024
5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✨ social media lies
✨ competition
✨suspense thriller
🚩 suicide , depression ⚠️
✨ Heather is our main character in this story. She is newly hired teacher but got postponed due to be chosen to win a one’s in a lifetime experience to join a reality game show where few were selected to be a social media influencer.
✨she is been targeted along side of the other 12 members of said reality show , showing there weaknesses and dark past.
There is some story about depression ,suicide and addiction.
⭐️ it actually good writing style about reality of having a game now a days which shows the bad side of it and to sacrifice yourself to a fortune that will impact your whole self in a blink of an eye.
✨really recommend to someone who loves psychological thriller, this is a different writing style with some moral of what is important fame or dignity?
✨ Thankyou @harpercollins for a earc copy of this book for a honest review.
🫶🏼shaye.reads
✨ social media lies
✨ competition
✨suspense thriller
🚩 suicide , depression ⚠️
✨ Heather is our main character in this story. She is newly hired teacher but got postponed due to be chosen to win a one’s in a lifetime experience to join a reality game show where few were selected to be a social media influencer.
✨she is been targeted along side of the other 12 members of said reality show , showing there weaknesses and dark past.
There is some story about depression ,suicide and addiction.
⭐️ it actually good writing style about reality of having a game now a days which shows the bad side of it and to sacrifice yourself to a fortune that will impact your whole self in a blink of an eye.
✨really recommend to someone who loves psychological thriller, this is a different writing style with some moral of what is important fame or dignity?
✨ Thankyou @harpercollins for a earc copy of this book for a honest review.
🫶🏼shaye.reads
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 5, 2024
I really enjoyed listening to the audiobook of The Winner. This fast paced thriller had me hooked from the first chapter and I was so keen to find out what was going on to all the winners. If you like your thrillers with plenty of twists and turns and darker themes, this one's for you.
July 18, 2024
The book is riveting, suspenseful and unputdownable. Characters had a poignant back stories. The plot is interesting. As the tagline says, ‘Be careful what you wish for...’ There is a program called Triple F, it stands for Fame, Fortune and Followers. Heather was happy when she got an opportunity to live her dream life and leave her past behind. Though, it’s not how it seems to be and people are mysterious and have hidden facades. As well as people have secrets. The cost of fame is life. I particularly liked how the author has shown characters back stories and their hidden facades. So many unfortunate things happens with Heather. And after wishing for a peaceful and glamorous life, she gets tangled in the web of deception and manipulation. I didn’t see those twists coming and ending was so unexpected. The narrator did a good job. This is a kind of book which will keep you guessing till the end and make you question everything.
Thanks to the Publisher
Thanks to the Publisher
July 26, 2024
This was a brilliant read, I thoroughly enjoyed it, couldn't put it down.
Well done to C.J. Parsons.
Well done to C.J. Parsons.
June 9, 2024
"I can't see him. But he's everywhere... Watch out. He knows everything."
Heather cannot believe her luck when she wins a lottery to take part in Triple F. Twelve lucky people are given £5,000 a week with a lavish lifestyle to boot. All they have to do is become 'Winfluencers', laying bare their lives to the public on the UK's most popular app. The winners must post selfies and videos of themselves at glamorous events, or with sponsored products, for six months after which a new cohort is drawn. Past winners will continue to receive the money for the rest of their lives. The only catch? You're booted off the programme and will lose everything if you dip below 500,000 followers.
At first, Heather is enamoured by her new life. She loves being popular and doesn't mind losing her privacy. But, when she witnesses one of the contestant's life imploding and tragedy strikes, she starts wondering if the Winfluencer programme is all it's cracked up to be. Too many past winners have crashed and burned, turning to drugs or dropping in the ratings for poor behaviour or even, dying. The company running the contest brushes it off, saying some just cannot handle the fame, fortune and followers that come with 'Triple F'. But when Heather starts digging, the truth is much more insidious. What's more, she has her own secrets she doesn't want to come out.
What a fun concept for a psychological thriller! It reminded me a little of that episode of 'Black Mirror' in which people's lives are ruled by how many likes they receive on an Instagram-like app. There were several possible ways in which the plot could play out and I did guess one of them. It didn't detract from the enjoyment of the story though. The book is a lesson in what might happen if some of your wishes come true – especially if they involve instant fame or lots of money. I'll definitely seek out the author's first book.
April 13, 2024
The blurb on the book says “be careful what you wish for…” Well if what you wish for is a pacy but smart and different psychological read, then I recommend this. I got through it fast.
Fun to read because the social media lottery contest in the book is (depressingly!) easy to imagine, ‘The Winner’ also has a dystopian edge, wit and sharp writing that takes it way above the average in a packed genre.
Fun to read because the social media lottery contest in the book is (depressingly!) easy to imagine, ‘The Winner’ also has a dystopian edge, wit and sharp writing that takes it way above the average in a packed genre.
April 12, 2024
Fame. Fortune. Followers. Be careful what you wish for. An intriguing and gripping thriller about the world of influences and what people will do for fame. Tense and twisty, this book is certain to keep you hooked to the very end. Thank you to NetGalley, HQ and the author for the chance to review.
January 27, 2025
Would you want to become an influencer with up to 6 months guaranteed fame and £5k a week for life, so long as you get enough followers to stay out of the bottom of the rankings on the Triple F app?
Well Heather who is a trainee teacher, enters that competition and was shocked to be announced as their latest winner on Celeb Rate, after someone else goes off the rails, and her life changes from that point on.
Although her life had also changed two years previously but we don't discover why for a while, but its alluded to a lot, the fact that she had to take two years away from her teach training, and thus feels like she is falling behind her peers.
And a life of glamour doesn't come easily to Heather, but she soon eases into the Winfluener way of life, and we hear about lavish parties, fabulous furniture for her new house and more.
There are loads of new people in her life, and it is hard to know just who to trust, and I was utterly shocked at who was behind a lot of bad stuff.
I was hooked on trying to get to the bottom of just who the troll was, and discovering various secrets along the way.
I really enjoyed reading this, and the finale section took me totally by surprise, and had my heart racing, and I think it was about the last quarter of the book where I could barely put it down as everything ramped up.
This was the first book I've read from this author and I'd be keen to try more in the future.
Thank you to HQ and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
Well Heather who is a trainee teacher, enters that competition and was shocked to be announced as their latest winner on Celeb Rate, after someone else goes off the rails, and her life changes from that point on.
Although her life had also changed two years previously but we don't discover why for a while, but its alluded to a lot, the fact that she had to take two years away from her teach training, and thus feels like she is falling behind her peers.
And a life of glamour doesn't come easily to Heather, but she soon eases into the Winfluener way of life, and we hear about lavish parties, fabulous furniture for her new house and more.
There are loads of new people in her life, and it is hard to know just who to trust, and I was utterly shocked at who was behind a lot of bad stuff.
I was hooked on trying to get to the bottom of just who the troll was, and discovering various secrets along the way.
I really enjoyed reading this, and the finale section took me totally by surprise, and had my heart racing, and I think it was about the last quarter of the book where I could barely put it down as everything ramped up.
This was the first book I've read from this author and I'd be keen to try more in the future.
Thank you to HQ and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
June 27, 2024
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Winner by C.J. Parsons, an audiobook narrated by Lucy Walker-Evans, is absolutely original storyline about current world, social media influence and hunt after likes and followers.
Let's start with narrator!
You are the pure talent, Lucy Walker-Evans. I had to make sure there weren't multiple narrators, as the voices, accents, intonations and overall delivery were outstanding.
Back to the story!
This journey was really tough! C.J. Parsons captured the issue of greed for fame through social media. I can already see how some brains will be ticking to create the new project as since TikTok nothing big landed on the social media market.
Heather is a trainee teacher, and she loves what she does, but she is looking for more. Getting the 'Triple F' lottery win, she felt like she had a big, bright future ahead of her. She was not prepared for a dirty game behind closed doors!
Heather's determination and feeling for justice are stronger than ever.
She understands this is not a time to give up, but unfortunately, the Troll hits where it hurts the most. Does Heather know who's playing the dirty game? Can she find all answers?
The final twists will leave you with an open mouth! This is hell of the mess!
Thank you, NetGalley and HarperCollins UK Audio, for this audiobook!
The Winner by C.J. Parsons, an audiobook narrated by Lucy Walker-Evans, is absolutely original storyline about current world, social media influence and hunt after likes and followers.
Let's start with narrator!
You are the pure talent, Lucy Walker-Evans. I had to make sure there weren't multiple narrators, as the voices, accents, intonations and overall delivery were outstanding.
Back to the story!
This journey was really tough! C.J. Parsons captured the issue of greed for fame through social media. I can already see how some brains will be ticking to create the new project as since TikTok nothing big landed on the social media market.
Heather is a trainee teacher, and she loves what she does, but she is looking for more. Getting the 'Triple F' lottery win, she felt like she had a big, bright future ahead of her. She was not prepared for a dirty game behind closed doors!
Heather's determination and feeling for justice are stronger than ever.
She understands this is not a time to give up, but unfortunately, the Troll hits where it hurts the most. Does Heather know who's playing the dirty game? Can she find all answers?
The final twists will leave you with an open mouth! This is hell of the mess!
Thank you, NetGalley and HarperCollins UK Audio, for this audiobook!
July 12, 2024
I've finished reading The Winner by @cjparsons2021, and I rate it 5 stars 🌟
Fame, fortune, followers, and to live in a big beautiful home with lots of money in the bank it's a dream everyone wants, but be careful what you wish for as jealousy can be deadly.
Heather thought she’d been left behind in life until she won a place in the luxurious ‘Triple F’ lottery, where fame, fortune, and followers await 12 lucky winners. But fame comes at a price, and someone will do anything to stay at the top..
I absolutely loved this book from start to finish, I was hooked from the first page, and I couldn't put it down. I really liked the story. I thought it was believable. I loved how the story played out and came together. I loved the character of Heather and thought the story was very well written and plotted
It was a fast-paced book that was very tense at times with some twists and turns and a fantastic and very fitting ending to a brilliant story. I highly recommend this book..
@hqstories
Fame, fortune, followers, and to live in a big beautiful home with lots of money in the bank it's a dream everyone wants, but be careful what you wish for as jealousy can be deadly.
Heather thought she’d been left behind in life until she won a place in the luxurious ‘Triple F’ lottery, where fame, fortune, and followers await 12 lucky winners. But fame comes at a price, and someone will do anything to stay at the top..
I absolutely loved this book from start to finish, I was hooked from the first page, and I couldn't put it down. I really liked the story. I thought it was believable. I loved how the story played out and came together. I loved the character of Heather and thought the story was very well written and plotted
It was a fast-paced book that was very tense at times with some twists and turns and a fantastic and very fitting ending to a brilliant story. I highly recommend this book..
@hqstories
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