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Bad Manners

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Would it kill you to smile, darling? Perhaps… A men-only charity dinner. A clutch of young waitresses.

The jokes are uncomfortable. The hands linger. The collars loosen.

Behind closed doors, the wine flows.

The night is dark. The faces blur. The memories warp.

Behind closed doors, the money flows.

But revenge is sweet and justice is a burning flame.

Behind closed doors, the blood flows…

A fierce and addictive read about lust and power, the love we want versus the love we take, and the tinderbox secrets that hide so well in the heart of families, this is the searing new novel from the author of Spilt Milk.

384 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 27, 2025

61 people are currently reading
574 people want to read

About the author

Amy Beashel

4 books56 followers

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5 stars
79 (30%)
4 stars
79 (30%)
3 stars
71 (27%)
2 stars
23 (8%)
1 star
9 (3%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
Profile Image for Marcia Arguelles.
376 reviews8 followers
January 25, 2025
A book that depicts a woman’s life in a world made for and by men.
Such an emotive and inspirational read, that deals with such heavy topics in a light way.
It’s written in three different p.o.v’s: a mother, a daughter and a father. And we learn how each deal with the same issue in different ways.
It also depicts the problems of lack of communication. Especially between the character of daughter and father.
Themes: Body image; sexuality; sex; family; women in man’s world
This is just a book that everyone should read, men, women, teenagers. It’s a recurring problem that has yet to be dealt with.
Profile Image for Neila.
775 reviews65 followers
May 18, 2025
2.5⭐️

This was very heavy handed with its message. From the synopsis, it made it look like it would be a good for her kinda of story but it ended up being very plain and average with little substance. The 'revenge'/'teaching a lesson part', as told in the synopsis only happens in the last 50 pages by which point I was exhausted with the very basic musings of a teenager. We all went through it but the fact that every single thought was brought up as if it was a brand new idea and that 18 year old girl just figured out feminism and how to right the wrongs of patriarchy was tiresome. It made it feel as if a teenager wrote this book, pretending to be an adult.

The writing is rather rudimentary and the plot drags on for pages on end with nothing really happening. I also feel like it had some commentary that showed some kind of moral superiority in terms of certain matters as to what women should and should not do and what was accepted as a feminist view or not. It was very much a case of 'I disagree but I'll pretend that I'm open minded to not be like all these men and instead say you do you girl.'

Overall, this was a very basic contemporary novel which didn't really focus on neither the characters nor a very defined plot and it just meandered in feminist over-explanations which considering that this book will be mostly read by women defeats even the point of making men understand and join the feminist cause. You can't expect men to pick up this book with its pink kissy cover. And if the target audience is women then this was way too heavy handed and almost felt like the author was 'mansplaining' the patriarchy and feminism. Kinda ironic I would say.
Profile Image for Kay Louise.
14 reviews1 follower
January 3, 2025
Amy is the queen of feminist literature. She truly captures what it's like to be a female, what we accept and what's dismissed as simply accepted in society.

I've sat on this review for a day after finishing the book as its challenged my own thoughts and silences. It may seem a lot of bad luck for one family, but it's sadly what the reality can entail. It's scary to look back on the 'little' things that we write off and how vulnerable we can feel.

The characters were real and relatable. It was especially interesting to read from the the different points of view and bits of mixed media. It hit home more knowing some of the places that were talked about in the book.
This book is perfect for all those who have walked down a dark street at night with keys clutched between fingers, as well as those who want insight and change to challenge the status quo.
Profile Image for Emma Robinson.
Author 26 books271 followers
November 3, 2024
A Thrilling, Thought-Provoking and Thoroughly Beautiful Read

Beginning with a dinner for privileged men, and the young waitresses who are expected to ‘keep them happy’, the storyline of Bad Manners by Amy Beashel ripples outwards to encompass themes of sex, power, money, manipulation, friendship, parenthood and love. All this, and a plot which is as gripping any thriller.

The dual narrative of mother and daughter – Eve and Cassandra – challenges the reader to consider their own perceptions by viewing events through the eyes of two generations. Interspersing this with other media – Facebook posts, news articles, school letters – brings the core themes of the book into sharp focus and gives the message of the book an urgency and immediacy which is impossible to ignore.

As a mother to a teenage daughter, I was moved by Eve’s journey and the way it suggested that we are more protective of our daughters than ourselves. Cassandra’s reminder to her mother of the battle cry ‘deeds not words’ is a stark reminder of how important it is for our daughters to see us take a stand. The relationships in the book are convincingly drawn; there are lighter moments in the dialogue between Eve and her own mother, and between Cass and her friends, which made me smile in recognition of the gift of female friendship.
Beashal wields language with precision and power and her writing is an absolute masterclass in using deftly chosen vocabulary for devastating effect. This is a brave and important book, but it is also a brilliant and addictive read.
Profile Image for Lucy Skeet.
583 reviews33 followers
February 11, 2025
the rage and power from this book leap out at you! proper review coming soon on my insta, thank you so much to amy for sending me a proof!
Profile Image for Silke Drevel.
103 reviews1 follower
May 27, 2025
Damn this book made me mad. But in a good way? It shows in a very big way, but also in small and tiny ways, why the patriarchy SUCKS. I think the book was at its best and strongest in the chapters of Eve, and her struggles through the book. The big horrible things mentioned in the book sometimes felt like a bit much. Like it kept being piled on. Every single thing another slap in the face and made me feel more mad and sad and disgusted with the world. But sometimes it's good to read it. And it was hopefull. ish? Mostly I thought the micro aggressions were well written. But it could have done with a trigger warning.
Profile Image for Madeleine Sachdev.
18 reviews
May 19, 2025
This book navigates modern, and age old misogyny in a really honest manner. Reading the book felt almost like having a conversation with myself, or with my friends and family through various ages and times of my life. For that reason, it could be quite a difficult read. The message is relayed in no uncertain terms but I love that Amy Beashel uses nuance and empathy that I think are so necessary for any real dialogue to take place regarding this subject. I guess reading it as a woman may be a less enjoyable experience as there are no eye openers, only knowing nods, agreements and the occasional outburst of pure rage.
3.5 stars
Profile Image for Kathryn Jubin .
24 reviews3 followers
June 5, 2025
Loved the power of this book and its characters. Didn’t really like the Luke Rock storyline, think that took away from it a little but overall great read.
Profile Image for B.S. Casey.
Author 3 books33 followers
February 23, 2025
"These men tonight, they weren't sex. They were hands and faces and comments."

A compulsive tale of love and lust, brimming with secrets, silence and violence with a healthy dose of feminine rage. This book expertly shoves a crowbar through the locks of hidden parts of a misogynistic, selfish society: exploring how power, obsession and money can shape and infect our relationships, direct our lives or even make men think they’re entitled to hurt and kill to get what they want.

From the first few lines, I was besotted with Cass, seeing the weight of societal and traditional expectations being placed on her by simply existing around men, especially those considered powerful.
And then there’s her Mother Eve, slipping into another stage of womanhood and discovering what people really think of aging women.

"The thing is though ... the boys, the men, they're living it too, right? On the other side? But the numbers about how many of them are raping or assaulting or sending dick pics aren't so easy to find. How do we fix a problem when we're only looking at one half of it?"

Drifting between before and now, Cass and Eve show us themselves laid bare, experiencing the aftermath of a single party and every event that followed and looking back into their own memories to learn who they are and who they were. Then bringing in a deeply compelling perspective - you. Giving the reader their own role to play in the women’s stories, a major character in their life played by you; creating an uncomfortably voyeuristic but undeniable feeling. Moving in short bursts that at first was dizzying but then settled into a frenzied, fast pace - sometimes offering key details from only one perspective, or retrospectively, creating an interesting need for us to figure out what the truth is and pick apart just how one moment can be seen so differently depending on who you are. At times I felt like I was missing big things with the strange narration and the fact that simply so much happens but it definitely had something special.

I felt every story they told of growing up, the first catcalls, the sexism, the entitlement and aggression from boys, the feeling of fear around men old enough to be your grandfather, the crushing pressure to be perfect but never too perfect.

This was a masterfully written, powerhouse of a feminist novel — a call to arms for men to do better, women to stand together and for us as people to realise it’s not enough to just not be a bad guy.
Profile Image for Ruth Brookes.
313 reviews
Read
February 10, 2025
‘Would it kill you to smile, darling? Perhaps…’ 💋

Cass is helping out, waitressing at the men-only charity fundraiser dinner her aunt organises each year. It’s fun and easy money she’s told. Heels, lippy and a smile, while you keep the drinks topped up. Your undivided attention, a chance for the men to relax, and show their generosity.

But as the wine flows, the jokes get lewder and hands linger. A stark reminder that all-boys-together plus money is power.

💋 Inspired by the all-male ‘Presidents Club’ dinner and 2018 sexual misconduct scandal, Amy Beashel’s latest Bad Manners is a searing, fury drenched look at institutional misogyny, racism, differing generational attitudes, privilege and money.

Through the eyes of Cass and her parents we discover the fallout from that night. It’s a densely packed tale which encompasses not making a fuss, #notallmen and blokey banter; upskirting, porn and violence towards women; police complicity, incel propaganda and the secrets we keep from those closest to us.

It all feels frankly too much, but also unbearably real. True life tales never far from my mind as I read, it felt horribly all too relatable. Each page a growing buzz of discomfort, disbelief and anger, the desire to burn it all down. 🔥

Yet, Amy’s storytelling is also satisfying nuanced and rounded. This is a story which dares to believe that change is possible, that through conversations and connection, attitudes CAN be challenged and changed. It made me rage, but also left me with tentative hope. Very much recommended reading for you, and the men in your lives. Let’s change the narrative. 💋
Profile Image for Erin Graham.
20 reviews
July 29, 2025
Book 15 of 2025

I want to read more by this author!

I knew from reviews that this was not an optimistic, feel good book, but every single review stated that it was a necessary read.

The plot explored the misogyny, violence and vitriol women experience from a very young age, specifically in the U.K. I don’t want to give time to the anti-feminist content, as the very essence of the novel is to amplify woman’s experiences and demands for safety, not provide a taller platform these types of men already possess.

Alternating POV’s from Cass (18), Eve (Cass’ mum) and ‘You’ (Cass dad) explored how each family member was complicit in varying levels of misogynistic activity. Cass reaches breaking point as a result of events I won’t include (spoilers) and the novel takes a thriller-ish turn. All characters in the novel work with Cass to stage an intervention for the men involved in the initial dinner at the start of the novel, and the execution was truly chilling.

As I said above, there was no resolution to the plot, which reflects the gargantuan scale of gender inequality we are up against in the 21st century. Cass is a changed woman at the end of the novel, and she is proud of that purely because she survived.
Profile Image for KathVBtn.
860 reviews29 followers
April 18, 2025
This book is one of several that I have seen addressing the really important issue of society's misogyny and treatment of women as well as how women can lose themselves when they see themselves through the male gaze. Eve and Harry, a couple in their mid 40s, have brought up their teenage daughter Cass to speak the truth and take her space in the world. When there's an unpleasant incident involving Cass at a gentlemen's only fundraising night, their world is turned upside down. The aftershocks from that event are felt far and wide, having unforeseen impacts for people who weren't even there on the night.
I really enjoyed the first 2/3 or so of the book, but there were times towards the end when it felt a bit too much like a lecture - until then it was going to be 5/5.
25 reviews
May 3, 2025
Bad Manners is the kind of book that grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go. It gave voices to women everywhere as it dives into the messy realities of sex, silence, power, and what it means to grow up as a girl in a world still built for men. Amy Beashel nails the complicated, unspoken dynamics between parents and their children — especially that painful distance when things go unsaid for too long.

It’s emotional without being heavy-handed, and the use of mixed media makes it feel real. If you’ve ever felt like you had to shrink yourself to stay safe or quiet yourself to keep the peace, this book will hit hard — in the best way. Everyone should read it. It’s powerful, painfully relatable, and just a fantastic read.
Profile Image for prosesandploy.
36 reviews
July 31, 2025
nutshell: a privileged men only charity dinner becomes a catalyst for trauma when teenage waitresses are objectified and violated

structure: multi perspective narrative

feminist fiction, power, privilege, performative niceness
patriarchy with real-world echoes
tad emotionally dense, with incomplete closures (think this was intentional on the author's narration but flipside, subjective)

learnings: how sexism creeps through in everyday life and family systems, for sure does not fix anything, but made me feel the weight of what is being ignored

i feel like this book is meant for the people who still don't quite get everyday sexism matters
harmless jokes are subjective, people should use their discretion at all times : )
Profile Image for Amy Dora.
442 reviews12 followers
April 4, 2025
Wow, this is definitely a book that has such a powerful message and opens your mind up to the world around you. It will definitely stay with me for a long time and be a talking point with friends and family. I like how the story is told from different POVs within the family which really helps you to understand things from different perspectives and see how impactful our words and actions can be on other people without realising the effect it can have. The book covers a lot of difficult topics but also explains real life circumstances and the series of events before and after, and the vulnerabilities we have.
Such a powerful and poignant book.
Profile Image for EmJu .
67 reviews
August 6, 2025
I really wanted to enjoy Bad Manners, but it just didn’t work for me. There were far too many characters introduced too quickly, and it took way too long to figure out who was who and how they were all connected. It made the story feel cluttered and hard to follow.

On top of that, the book often felt more like a lecture than a novel. The messaging was heavy-handed, and instead of letting the story speak for itself, it felt like the author was constantly preaching at the reader. I appreciate books with a message, but this one sacrificed subtlety and storytelling in the process. Just not for me.
2 reviews
February 21, 2025
A profoundly unsettling read - extraordinarily unflinching in its examination of male abuses of all kinds. It somehow manages this without falling into preachiness, thanks to a compelling narrative and well fleshed out characters. Bad Manners feels very now, very real and disturbingly raw. I can't get it out of my head. Whilst I don't share the sense of outrage, the 'is this really necessary?' question remains and prompts some frankly uncomfortable self reflection which sticks around. Powerful stuff.
3 reviews
March 20, 2025
Stunning, accomplished writing and storytelling!

A brilliant, nuanced and sensitive take on the complexities of gender and sexual based violence and the way we see ourselves and each other - in the mirror, in families, within friendships, and in society (not to mention at Men's Only charity gala dinners!).

In Bad Manners Amy Beashel does what she does best - creates characters which rage and grow and cry and love so that her themes - powerful and relevant - are secondary to her compelling storylines and cast.

I loved it and was gripped!

5 reviews
May 12, 2025
Infuriating and relatable to read.
Represents how intrinsic misogyny is in today’s society across most genders.
Super eye opening and inspiring, and the change in perspectives from daughter/mother/father kept a heavy subject interesting and dynamic.
Would be a great book for teenagers (of all genders) to read 😊
1 review
November 17, 2024
Bad Manners is a powerful, multi-layered story that I was completely enthralled by. At times heart wrenchingly relatable, it also beautifully highlights the importance of female friendship. Beashel's writing captivated me from the blistering first page right to the highly satisfying conclusion. 
1,133 reviews2 followers
March 31, 2025
It’s not all men but always a man ✌🏻 ...and some women.

This is my first book by Amy Beashel, and after finishing it, this story will stay with me for a long time. I'm off to find her other books now!
334 reviews3 followers
May 8, 2025
4.5 stars rounded up to 5. An infuriating but accurate portrayal of life for women even in the post Me Too era in Britain. Relatable characters and inspired by a true story, a great book for book clubs!
Profile Image for Caroline.
160 reviews2 followers
June 4, 2025
Angry book

The message I got from this book was all men are sex craved arseholes.
The majority of young men are incels. The police are crap. It's such an angry book.
Not one likeable character.
Really disliked this story.
Profile Image for Bethany Green.
80 reviews
June 6, 2025
Could tell Laura Bates was a big inspiration for this story so it was wild that I was reading both this and ‘Fix the System’ at the same time. The story and the characters felt so real, which says so much but really enjoyed this book. An important message.
58 reviews2 followers
August 9, 2025
Getting better at saying nah this is boring me and sacking off reads I’m not enjoying and this book feel victim

Whilst I was intrigued by plot, I just couldn’t with the tone of all the characters was predictable and felt almost amateurish.
Profile Image for franklinia ☦︎.
179 reviews4 followers
April 10, 2025
Not bad, but not very good either. There are some segments in which the modern problems are too evident, and that annoys me.
Profile Image for lydia.
30 reviews2 followers
May 21, 2025
“i don’t want to be good or quiet. i want to burn this fucking world down”
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews

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