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The Unfavored Children's Club
Sarah Jane Berg thought she’d hit rock bottom, then she dug a little deeper.
Forced into an unwanted marriage, she endured a decade of unhappiness before finding the courage to divorce, leading promptly to being shunned by her family and their cult of a church. What’s a woman to do when she’s lost her family, job, and home? Naturally, sell her car to join an exclusive club that promises to help her exact revenge—and cash—from her rotten family.
Housed in a musty classroom in a dilapidated strip mall, Un-Club holds hope for the downtrodden who feel they’ve been cheated out of what is rightfully theirs. For Sarah, this means a job. An inheritance. A lover. Klara, icily presiding over the meetings, promises all will be restored if you only follow the plan. Her assistant, Preacher, makes up for her lack of personality with his bright smile and charming wit. Oh, and his bedroom faculty.
But the path to restitution and revenge is wicked and winding, passing the pawn shop, a stolen dog, Klara’s kitty, and a little bit of arson.
The Unfavored Children’s Club is a disturbingly delightful romp through the morally gray mental acrobatics of the slighted, perfect for fans of the dark comedy of the Coen Brothers.
Forced into an unwanted marriage, she endured a decade of unhappiness before finding the courage to divorce, leading promptly to being shunned by her family and their cult of a church. What’s a woman to do when she’s lost her family, job, and home? Naturally, sell her car to join an exclusive club that promises to help her exact revenge—and cash—from her rotten family.
Housed in a musty classroom in a dilapidated strip mall, Un-Club holds hope for the downtrodden who feel they’ve been cheated out of what is rightfully theirs. For Sarah, this means a job. An inheritance. A lover. Klara, icily presiding over the meetings, promises all will be restored if you only follow the plan. Her assistant, Preacher, makes up for her lack of personality with his bright smile and charming wit. Oh, and his bedroom faculty.
But the path to restitution and revenge is wicked and winding, passing the pawn shop, a stolen dog, Klara’s kitty, and a little bit of arson.
The Unfavored Children’s Club is a disturbingly delightful romp through the morally gray mental acrobatics of the slighted, perfect for fans of the dark comedy of the Coen Brothers.
304 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 7, 2025
1 person is currently reading
3 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
December 1, 2025
A raw tale of revenge and a dark comedy about oppression, hypocrisy and the freedom to choose your own path in life.
Abraham, or AB for short, is the favoured child, the golden boy of the Berg family. Sarah, his younger sister, is the black sheep who was disowned by their mother when she divorced her husband, leaving the cult-like church her family still attends. Now, Sarah has found somewhere new to belong to. The Un-Club, recommended to her by her new best friend Blake, run by the stone-cold Klara and the sexy Preacher, promises to help its members achieve revenge.
Every member of the Un-Club must have a plan for revenge, and Sarah's plan leads her to work for her brother AB and return to her family home. But even the best of plans have their flaws, and Sarah's plan is probably not the best of plans to begin with. Soon she finds herself embroiled in family drama, involved with scammers and thieves, tangled up in unhealthy sexual relationships and uncovering evidence of predatory sexual grooming and abuse, kidnapping, potential murder and more.
But Sarah does not give up that easily. Under the rough surface of Sarah's suffering, there is still a tender heart beating for justice, love and doing the right thing, no matter how many blows life tries to rain down on her. But can she find her own way in life, surrounded by scammers and thieves, oppression and hypocrisy? And can she find out who to trust and who not to before it's too late?
Not for the faint of heart, this novel is disturbing, warped and marches to its very own beat. It will not be everyone's cup of tea, but for those looking for a darker, weirder, edgier read with a morally grey protagonist and straight-up horrible antagonists, this one might be just the shot of booze they were looking for.
Thank you so much to Fawkes Press for the review copy of this novel.
Abraham, or AB for short, is the favoured child, the golden boy of the Berg family. Sarah, his younger sister, is the black sheep who was disowned by their mother when she divorced her husband, leaving the cult-like church her family still attends. Now, Sarah has found somewhere new to belong to. The Un-Club, recommended to her by her new best friend Blake, run by the stone-cold Klara and the sexy Preacher, promises to help its members achieve revenge.
Every member of the Un-Club must have a plan for revenge, and Sarah's plan leads her to work for her brother AB and return to her family home. But even the best of plans have their flaws, and Sarah's plan is probably not the best of plans to begin with. Soon she finds herself embroiled in family drama, involved with scammers and thieves, tangled up in unhealthy sexual relationships and uncovering evidence of predatory sexual grooming and abuse, kidnapping, potential murder and more.
But Sarah does not give up that easily. Under the rough surface of Sarah's suffering, there is still a tender heart beating for justice, love and doing the right thing, no matter how many blows life tries to rain down on her. But can she find her own way in life, surrounded by scammers and thieves, oppression and hypocrisy? And can she find out who to trust and who not to before it's too late?
Not for the faint of heart, this novel is disturbing, warped and marches to its very own beat. It will not be everyone's cup of tea, but for those looking for a darker, weirder, edgier read with a morally grey protagonist and straight-up horrible antagonists, this one might be just the shot of booze they were looking for.
Thank you so much to Fawkes Press for the review copy of this novel.
October 27, 2025
Sarah Jane Berg is someone you root hard for. How is she gonna better herself? Can she? Why is she with these creeps who promise her the revenge she deserves? Is that really gonna make her happy? There's more to her overall story that I won't reveal, but this world of hers is a real mess. BJ Sloan is really good creating a-hole characters, Preacher is such a slime ball. Loved hating that guy. There are a few other jerks in Sarah's life, too, I wanted to see how she navigated around all of them, and how she worked against the character Blake. Sarah befriends Blake from the very start. She needs crazy Blake in her life so she doesn’t have to face being boring Sarah...
...or does she?
Read the freaking book.
...or does she?
Read the freaking book.
October 29, 2025
I had such a good time reading this book!! Thrust headfirst into Sarah’s dumpster fire of a life, this book did a fantastic job of exploring her struggle to overcome all the different parties at play trying to force her into a place they’ve designed. The family drama was gripping and emotional, the mismatched friendship between Sarah and Blake always brought a smile to my face, and I really loved the way the book used two different institutions of “worship” to show how all the organizations we pledge ourselves to might have a hidden dark side. And the pacing was great!! I never wanted to put it down.
Definitely recommend, and I’m looking forward to reading what Sloan publishes next!
Definitely recommend, and I’m looking forward to reading what Sloan publishes next!
November 5, 2025
BJ Sloan does it again. Another tale with memorable characters who find themselves in plights most of us will never experience firsthand. Sarah Jane Berg – cast out by her family and now caught up in what at first looked like her path to vindication but is turning out to be something else entirely. Her brother, AB, who only has time for his sister when he wants something from her. With her signature realism, Sloan paints a vibrant picture of the wolf-in-sheep’s-clothing nature of two very different types of scams, each looking for its next victim. Can Sarah navigate the mess her life is in and find her way to redemption?
October 24, 2025
This is a dark comedy filled with unforgettable characters who leap off the page into your memory. When Sarah Jane Berg thinks life has served her lemons, she doesn't make lemonade; instead, it serves her more lemons.
It's also a story of revenge, passion, and surprises. The character of Preacher is fascinating because of his complex personality. The plot is original and mirrors life: we don't always get what we want, but we usually get what we need.
If you're looking for a different kind of story, check it out —it's a page-turner.
It's also a story of revenge, passion, and surprises. The character of Preacher is fascinating because of his complex personality. The plot is original and mirrors life: we don't always get what we want, but we usually get what we need.
If you're looking for a different kind of story, check it out —it's a page-turner.
November 15, 2025
BJ Sloan has crafted a redemption story that combines a cult-like religious group, a sinister pair of grifters, a voyeuristic pawnshop owner and a best friend of transient morality and sexuality. Sarah Berg bounces from dealing with this incredible cast of characters to try and reclaim her life after decades of missteps and questionable choices. Along this journey, Sarah discovers passion, crime, violence and a path to mending her life and most important relationships, while facing her demons and a family set on bending her to their will, not hers.
January 12, 2026
This book is such a fun read. Sloan has way of writing quirky, badly behaved characters in a way that also endears you to them. And let me tell you, the main characters in this are pretty badly behaved. They want to scam their families out of money, after all! But it's funny how things turn out. Sometimes, it's the folks with the prickliest exteriors who turn out to have a heart of gold.
This book is the perfect light escape from a grim reality. Fans of Janet Evanovich and Sue Grafton will love it.
This book is the perfect light escape from a grim reality. Fans of Janet Evanovich and Sue Grafton will love it.
October 28, 2025
BJ Sloan's latest work is an engrossing and thoroughly entertaining tale, full of unforgettable characters making bad decisions. What's a fair price for just revenge? Will it free you or destroy you? You've got family trauma, religious trauma, and destructive sexual desire. What happens if you are offered a plate of reconciliation just when you are about to serve a heaping helping of retribution? Can happiness be trusted? Can anyone be trusted? You will keep turning the page to find out!
November 4, 2025
An incredible tale from Texas that weaves themes of vengeance, personal growth, survival, and the importance of staying connected to your origins. It's an exhilarating journey filled with unexpected twists, emotional turmoil, and heartache. BJ Sloan excels at captivating her audience, guiding them through a thrilling rollercoaster of revenge and redemption.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews