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The Players Club: A Novel
For fans of Lessons in Chemistry and Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, a bold, big concept debut about a secret club of women who risk everything to ask the If you could be anyone…who would you dare to become?
Beth Greenwood has spent her life playing it safe. She’s been a graphic designer at the same company for a decade, she dutifully meets men from the apps for dinner and sometimes casual sex, she thinks about decorating her sterile, small apartment. Her comfort and joy are her Sunday catch-ups with her sister Elspeth, whose perfect life, very different from Beth’s, has recently started to unravel.
One day, Beth meets a woman who invites her to join a secret club. It’s not knitting or books; it’s living out an experience you’ve always wanted to have. Cirque du Soleil acrobat, gonzo graffiti artist, performer in the BDSM underground these women will get you everything you need in order to—temporarily—be the person you might have been, had your life taken one or two different turns.
At first Beth is dazzled by her new friendships and the opportunity they offer her to test the boundaries of her identity, to escape from her quiet, ordinary life. But even the best of clubs can offer only so much distraction, and when the stakes of Beth’s real life become uncomfortably high, she must ask herself, really and truly, who she’s going to choose to be, and who is going to nurture her when she needs it most.
The Players Club is a high-concept but grounded debut about the power of female friendship, the bonds that hold us in place, the human need for creativity, and the seductive possibility of reinvention. As immersive as it is incisive, it introduces Rachel Mills as a wise and warm chronicler of the human heart.
Beth Greenwood has spent her life playing it safe. She’s been a graphic designer at the same company for a decade, she dutifully meets men from the apps for dinner and sometimes casual sex, she thinks about decorating her sterile, small apartment. Her comfort and joy are her Sunday catch-ups with her sister Elspeth, whose perfect life, very different from Beth’s, has recently started to unravel.
One day, Beth meets a woman who invites her to join a secret club. It’s not knitting or books; it’s living out an experience you’ve always wanted to have. Cirque du Soleil acrobat, gonzo graffiti artist, performer in the BDSM underground these women will get you everything you need in order to—temporarily—be the person you might have been, had your life taken one or two different turns.
At first Beth is dazzled by her new friendships and the opportunity they offer her to test the boundaries of her identity, to escape from her quiet, ordinary life. But even the best of clubs can offer only so much distraction, and when the stakes of Beth’s real life become uncomfortably high, she must ask herself, really and truly, who she’s going to choose to be, and who is going to nurture her when she needs it most.
The Players Club is a high-concept but grounded debut about the power of female friendship, the bonds that hold us in place, the human need for creativity, and the seductive possibility of reinvention. As immersive as it is incisive, it introduces Rachel Mills as a wise and warm chronicler of the human heart.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published May 19, 2026
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May 18, 2026Thank you Atria books and Net Galley for this advanced reader copy.
The players club is about a woman named Beth Greenwood who lives an ordinary life until she gets introduced to life playing, where she can become anyone she dreams. While feeling more fulfilled with a new hobby and friends, her sister Elspeth’s life - who Beth thought was perfect - is unfolding.
Unfortunately this book missed its mark for me.
While I think this story had MAJOR potential was very lack luster for me. I went in expecting there to be magical realism because these women are transforming into other people. So when I realized that wasn’t the case I was still invested, but the things they were doing as I kept reading started to feel very unrealistic and outrageous.
Our main character Beth was dull while also being unhinged. It feels like she has no semblance of self identity so she was hard to connect to, even while she was going through extremely relatable things. A lot of the conflict between characters felt forced and very random, especially because we didn’t know a ton about our side characters lives outside of the club.
The intrigue of part one got completely lost in part two and three. Every time I thought the stakes were building it easily suppressed, and nothing really came of it. The story just kept dragging along. At the end there were no consequences for our characters. We just got info dumped on so the book could be wrapped up.
The only thing that kind of worked for me in the this book was the writing. But the story itself just didn’t add up.
The players club is about a woman named Beth Greenwood who lives an ordinary life until she gets introduced to life playing, where she can become anyone she dreams. While feeling more fulfilled with a new hobby and friends, her sister Elspeth’s life - who Beth thought was perfect - is unfolding.
Unfortunately this book missed its mark for me.
While I think this story had MAJOR potential was very lack luster for me. I went in expecting there to be magical realism because these women are transforming into other people. So when I realized that wasn’t the case I was still invested, but the things they were doing as I kept reading started to feel very unrealistic and outrageous.
Our main character Beth was dull while also being unhinged. It feels like she has no semblance of self identity so she was hard to connect to, even while she was going through extremely relatable things. A lot of the conflict between characters felt forced and very random, especially because we didn’t know a ton about our side characters lives outside of the club.
The intrigue of part one got completely lost in part two and three. Every time I thought the stakes were building it easily suppressed, and nothing really came of it. The story just kept dragging along. At the end there were no consequences for our characters. We just got info dumped on so the book could be wrapped up.
The only thing that kind of worked for me in the this book was the writing. But the story itself just didn’t add up.
February 8, 2026
Have you ever dreamed of being someone else for a day? Beth has, but she takes it further. She lives out the life of someone else. But she isn’t alone in this, and is invited to join a group of life-players, the term they use for it.
I was intrigued by the premise, the idea of a group who turn themselves into someone else. I wasn’t prepared for the story as a whole. It’s an emotional story of loss, loss of yourself, loss of family. But ultimately an uplifting tale. It’s well written and I would recommend it.
I was intrigued by the premise, the idea of a group who turn themselves into someone else. I wasn’t prepared for the story as a whole. It’s an emotional story of loss, loss of yourself, loss of family. But ultimately an uplifting tale. It’s well written and I would recommend it.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
2.75
Even though I did read this in a day, I had a hard time getting myself to feel hooked into the story. I expected a bit more magical realism and less glorified role playing. The concept and the plot were what pulled me into reading, and continuing to finish the book but I had a hard time convincing myself to keep going. I think I was expecting something more to come, and it did in the last part of the book, but at that point I was mostly ready for it to be over. I also just don't think I really understood how the life-playing worked TBH. The story had really interesting concepts and directions, just didn't really dive into any one specifically.
Even though I did read this in a day, I had a hard time getting myself to feel hooked into the story. I expected a bit more magical realism and less glorified role playing. The concept and the plot were what pulled me into reading, and continuing to finish the book but I had a hard time convincing myself to keep going. I think I was expecting something more to come, and it did in the last part of the book, but at that point I was mostly ready for it to be over. I also just don't think I really understood how the life-playing worked TBH. The story had really interesting concepts and directions, just didn't really dive into any one specifically.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 16, 2026
☆ ☆.5 | 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗖𝗹𝘂𝗯
𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁:
📖 debut novel
🪩 escapism
👯 sister dynamics
🌱 self-discovery
𝗦𝗻𝗮𝗽𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘁 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀:
I feel like this took me forever to read. On one hand I wanted to see where the life-plays would take Beth next - what other roles she and the “cradle” would they try to experience. How magical of an idea to be able to slip in and out of different roles and experience new things. Some were quirky but fun, some of them were kind of strange, and the more I read, the more I couldn’t shake that Beth and her new friends seemed a little unhinged. As a reader I felt I had to suspend quite a bit of disbelief on how things were executed without any consequences as well.
It was lighthearted and qwirky to start, and then the story took an abrupt and deeper/more serious turn. It felt a little jarring and I found myself feeling like the book should have had a bit of a clearer direction. I understand the “lesson” and growth involved but the way it was written it felt a bit disjointed.
Thank you @atriabooks for this gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. #AtriaPartner
𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁:
📖 debut novel
🪩 escapism
👯 sister dynamics
🌱 self-discovery
𝗦𝗻𝗮𝗽𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘁 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀:
I feel like this took me forever to read. On one hand I wanted to see where the life-plays would take Beth next - what other roles she and the “cradle” would they try to experience. How magical of an idea to be able to slip in and out of different roles and experience new things. Some were quirky but fun, some of them were kind of strange, and the more I read, the more I couldn’t shake that Beth and her new friends seemed a little unhinged. As a reader I felt I had to suspend quite a bit of disbelief on how things were executed without any consequences as well.
It was lighthearted and qwirky to start, and then the story took an abrupt and deeper/more serious turn. It felt a little jarring and I found myself feeling like the book should have had a bit of a clearer direction. I understand the “lesson” and growth involved but the way it was written it felt a bit disjointed.
Thank you @atriabooks for this gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. #AtriaPartner
June 11, 2026
"Then she was gone into the shadows, like a cat. I looked down at the slip of paper in my hand, A mobile number and a sentence underneath, in even, loopy handwriting: "I wish you delight in all your Lives.""
The Player's Club, by Rachel Mills
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I was excited for this one, as although it is a little outside my usual genres, the premise of a club that allows you to become anyone else for a day was so intriguing. And I wasn't disappointed. A quick and easy read, I found this one hard to put down. I loved the concept, the characters of the players, and the purpose Beth finds in being part of their group. Watching everything spiral from something initially exciting and fun, to something darker and more insidious felt like riding in a car and discovering the brakes wouldn't work. I desperately wanted to hug Beth, shake her, and tell her she needed to stop.
At the heart of this book, though, is a story of female friendship and how, whilst it might feel good to bury the parts of you that you don't want others to see, life is never quite as enriching as when you have true friends who know the real you.
If you like stories about identity, loss, female friendship, and self discover, this is the book for you. Thank you to @randomthingstours, for a gifted copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
The Player's Club, by Rachel Mills
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I was excited for this one, as although it is a little outside my usual genres, the premise of a club that allows you to become anyone else for a day was so intriguing. And I wasn't disappointed. A quick and easy read, I found this one hard to put down. I loved the concept, the characters of the players, and the purpose Beth finds in being part of their group. Watching everything spiral from something initially exciting and fun, to something darker and more insidious felt like riding in a car and discovering the brakes wouldn't work. I desperately wanted to hug Beth, shake her, and tell her she needed to stop.
At the heart of this book, though, is a story of female friendship and how, whilst it might feel good to bury the parts of you that you don't want others to see, life is never quite as enriching as when you have true friends who know the real you.
If you like stories about identity, loss, female friendship, and self discover, this is the book for you. Thank you to @randomthingstours, for a gifted copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
June 12, 2026
We’ve all had those moments where we’ve daydreamed about living someone else’s life, just to get a taste of what it would be like to experience things from their point of view. Honestly, why not? It must be rather fascinating to experience and learn the skills we’ve always wanted to learn or the places we’ve always wanted to go! Who would you be if you could swap lives for a day and why?
Beth feels like her life lacks spark. She’s stuck in a job that doesn’t excite her and a flat that isn’t her dream. One day, she decides to step into a fantasy of being a successful businesswoman. The thrill she feels from this impulse becomes addictive, and she starts imagining different lives. Then, she meets a woman who shares her passion and is introduced to a group of women called Life Players.
This story is a fascinating exploration of adopting different personas to ‘play’ in others’ lives. It’s a unique and intriguing concept that lets you experience someone else’s world. The idea of stepping into a fictional world and experiencing it was particularly wild, but the author pulled it off beautifully. I especially loved how the Life Players had set up rules for life plays and the different ways they found fulfilment in supporting each other.
This book is like watching Black Mirror—a really well crafted story that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Beth feels like her life lacks spark. She’s stuck in a job that doesn’t excite her and a flat that isn’t her dream. One day, she decides to step into a fantasy of being a successful businesswoman. The thrill she feels from this impulse becomes addictive, and she starts imagining different lives. Then, she meets a woman who shares her passion and is introduced to a group of women called Life Players.
This story is a fascinating exploration of adopting different personas to ‘play’ in others’ lives. It’s a unique and intriguing concept that lets you experience someone else’s world. The idea of stepping into a fictional world and experiencing it was particularly wild, but the author pulled it off beautifully. I especially loved how the Life Players had set up rules for life plays and the different ways they found fulfilment in supporting each other.
This book is like watching Black Mirror—a really well crafted story that I thoroughly enjoyed.
May 20, 2026
Thank you to netgalley for the ARC!!! I enjoyed the concept in this book of "living a different life" for a moment. Further into the read, I had a hard time keeping things straight. Loved the relationship between Beth and her sister, Elspeth, as well as, the tight knit the group of girls ❤️. Overall, it was an okay story.
July 2, 2026
CW: Death, Grief, Cancer
The Players Club by Rachel Mils was a great read. It went places I was not expecting it to go. I was sucked into this novel. It was such a fun and unique concept. I loved where Mils took the story from start to finish. It played (pun intended) with some many ideas about self and gender and how we present ourselves to society. I had a fantastic time reading this debut novel
I listened to the audiobook and really liked Shakira Shute's narration. She did a great job with all the different character, both with their voices and the different player's personalities.
I would recommend this novel to someone who is looking for a story that has a lot of character growth, is unique, and an interesting way to process grief and loss.
Thank you Atria for the eARC and physical copy to review! This review reflects my own opinions.
The Players Club by Rachel Mils was a great read. It went places I was not expecting it to go. I was sucked into this novel. It was such a fun and unique concept. I loved where Mils took the story from start to finish. It played (pun intended) with some many ideas about self and gender and how we present ourselves to society. I had a fantastic time reading this debut novel
I listened to the audiobook and really liked Shakira Shute's narration. She did a great job with all the different character, both with their voices and the different player's personalities.
I would recommend this novel to someone who is looking for a story that has a lot of character growth, is unique, and an interesting way to process grief and loss.
Thank you Atria for the eARC and physical copy to review! This review reflects my own opinions.
August 30, 2026
This book has fascinating promise - dipping a toe into a play- fantasy life for a day. It explores relationships, dealing with life, grief, family, friendships and tragedy. I enjoyed it, but wish some of the concepts were a bit tighter. I was thinking about this as a thought provoking fl book club book, but not certain it “landed” well enough.
> read on kindle<
> read on kindle<
July 4, 2026
This was…interesting! I feel about this book maybe how some people felt about The Husbands? I may come back with more thoughts soon.
August 7, 2026
Basically a book about shifting. Didn't meet my expectations 2.5
May 22, 2026
Take an interesting concept and add a dash of whimsy, a mostly unlikable FMC, grief, and found family, and this is what you get. Was it realistic? Not really. Magical realism? No. But a good time nonetheless? I think so!
Thank you to S&S and Libro.fm for the ALC! The audio was fun and well done.
Thank you to S&S and Libro.fm for the ALC! The audio was fun and well done.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Thank you Atria books for my physical ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Unfortunately for me, this was a DNF. I was initially drawn to the concept of the book. How exciting could it be to slip into another life - explore different facets of me, my world, my hopes and dreams, without having to constantly shift my entire life. But I found the story quite boring and our main character Beth was not nearly enchanting enough to keep my attention. I'm not sure if it was the style of writing, or the way that she was instantly jumping into other lives, but there was something missing for me. I think I was expecting something more magical, or with a touch of a fantasy element, and the story just isn't that.
All of this to say - I think this story may greatly impact other readers, and while I did not find it to be my cup of tea, I can easily see a different reader finding it to be worth the read.
Unfortunately for me, this was a DNF. I was initially drawn to the concept of the book. How exciting could it be to slip into another life - explore different facets of me, my world, my hopes and dreams, without having to constantly shift my entire life. But I found the story quite boring and our main character Beth was not nearly enchanting enough to keep my attention. I'm not sure if it was the style of writing, or the way that she was instantly jumping into other lives, but there was something missing for me. I think I was expecting something more magical, or with a touch of a fantasy element, and the story just isn't that.
All of this to say - I think this story may greatly impact other readers, and while I did not find it to be my cup of tea, I can easily see a different reader finding it to be worth the read.
June 6, 2026
I feel like this had such potential to be SO cool and I really wanted it to be more. I loved the premise but it feels like nothing happened the whole time???
June 16, 2026
This was an odd one for me. It was told in three parts and I thought that part one was very interesting but parts two and three were confusing and messy. In part one we meet Beth who is unsatisfied with her unfulfilling life. She is single and works mostly remote designing ads for a food delivery app. She has few friends and the only family that she has is her sister Elspeth with whom she meets once a week. Approaching 40, she decides that she needs to shed her persona and she spontaneously takes on the personality of an assistant to a high-powered female executive. She buys a ridiculously expensive dress and spends the day at a spa before returning to the store to return the dress as one that her boss didn't like. She feels energized by stepping into another life if only for the day and she tells Elspeth about it at their next lunch and she encourages her to try it again. She next decides to take on the role of famous fitness instructor who teaches classes that are sold out for months. She does a pop up at a local gym for one day only and there she meets Laila who instantly knows that she is life-playing. She invites Beth to join her life-playing club. When she attends, she meets Saoirse, Erika and Penelope who each have different skills that they bring to the club. When a life lust comes to one of them, a role that they want to play, they tell the group about it and as long as it fits within the rules they all use their skills to make the life play happen. Saoirse is in tech so she can create websites and social media feeds and occasionally hack into systems to advance the play. Erika is the costume artist and Laila does the make-up. Penelope is a mechanic who uses her skills as the mechanical engineer of the club, crafting any props that are needed. Since Beth works in graphic design, she begins by building design boards to fully visualize the life play. This goes on for at least a third of the book where the group meets, plans a new life play for someone, including a day as a graffiti artist or a traffic cop, and then follows it to fruition with Beth telling everything to Elspeth. I had no idea where the book was going at that point. I had never heard of the concept of life-playing so up to this point I was interested but is started to drag on as each new life play didn't seem to do much to advance any sort of plot. Then Elspeth got sick with the same mysterious cancer that their mother died of and Beth became her primary caregiver. She couldn't give as much time to the players and she couldn't tell them why since they were forbidden from talking about their root lives. But Elspeth wanted Beth to continue so that she could tell her of their adventures so Beth kept a hand in the group. But then Elspeth died and we moved into part two of the book where Beth decides that she is going to life-play Elspeth. Elspeth had been married to Cliff and they had tried for years to have a baby. When it didn't work, it strained their marriage and Cliff ran off with a younger woman. Elspeth decided to go to school to become a social worker so that she could help place orphaned children so Beth decided that she would continue Elspeth's dream. She never reported Elspeth's death so she took over her identity and staged Beth's disappearance. Soon there were multiple news articles about Beth's disappearance and slowly they started leaking stories about Beth's life-playing, generating a lot of online comments. While she is searching these comments, Beth/Elspeth finds a podcast that tries to redirect the conversation and show people that life-playing is not a cult to be afraid of but just another type of club that brings likeminded people together to socialize. Then Beth is miraculously found and she has a press conference with police and the story dies down. Beth/Elspeth knows that it is her life-playing friends playacting Beth. In part three, the club members find Beth/Elspeth and convince her to go back to her life as Beth and to register Elspeth's death. Laila tells her a story about a life-play gone wrong where she and original club member Jackson became a real life couple which ended when Laila became pregnant and Jackson left her to return to his root life where he was married with three kids. So was he really life-playing or just being a cheating husband who took advantage of a vulnerable woman? I don't know and I didn't really care by that point. We never got to know the club members well enough for me to care about them. It was a weird book for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
If you could become someone else for a day, wouldn't you? After a few strange episodes of taking on alternate identities, Beth Greenwood joins a club of women who have "Life-Playing" down to a science. It's exciting and nice to be understood, but as the Life Plays become increasingly extreme and Beth's personal life starts to infringe upon the fantasy, the lines blur and who knows if she can ever return to the self that she's been running from.
Hm. I have very mixed feelings. The premise is great and the first half of the book was super engaging. I do see the appeal of the Life-Plays, and I think the opening scene and some of the other early Plays really make you understand what Beth and the others get out of it. Beth's relationship with her sister and the proxy role that Elspeth has in coming up with Beth's Life-Plays are interesting and provide some much needed grounding. Then...I fear we severely lost the plot. I know that phrase is overused but I genuinely felt like the plot just dropped out of the authors hands and rolled off in a random direction while I was trying to scramble after it. It gets kind of fever-dreamy, and suddenly everyone is Life-playing and there are all these details that get mentioned and never followed up on and it just kind of doesn't go anywhere. I have so many questions at the end of this, and I love a story that's left open to interpretation but these are the kind of loose plot threads that don't feel intentional. The blurb also says that this is supposed to be a story about female friendships and like...I don't know, I guess so? We don't see a lot of intimate interaction between any of the characters on page. It's definitely alluded to in Beth's relationship with her sister, but I don't really see Beth as having a really deep friendship with the women of the Players Club at all.
Not bad and I think it started out really solid, but I was totally taken out of the story by the end. I'll update this review if I can get my thoughts together more on why exactly I had issues with this.
Thank you to Rachel Mills and Atria Books for this ARC in exchange for my full, honest review!
Happy reading!
*I also just have to mention the kink club scene because if you have any experience with that stuff there are just some glaringly weird things. For one thing, I would consider it a breach of consent to lie about being experienced with shibari (particularly suspension) before participating in a scene with someone, so I thought that was a profoundly gross thing for Beth to do. She also says at some point that she picked shibari because it's not as painful as caning or flogging, and I can tell you that that is just incorrect. I know a good amount about shibari, in fact I taught a class on it a few months ago! Being the bottom/bunny for suspension hurts, even if the rigger is not trying to make it painful (which is done intentionally in certain styles like semenawa), and I would venture to say pretty much all suspension shibari hurts as much or more than flogging. I know there's supposed to be a lot of suspension of disbelief in this story because it's kind of purposefully ridiculous, but in the case of things like kink I really don't think we should be misrepresenting it because there's already so much stigma and misinformation out there.
Hm. I have very mixed feelings. The premise is great and the first half of the book was super engaging. I do see the appeal of the Life-Plays, and I think the opening scene and some of the other early Plays really make you understand what Beth and the others get out of it. Beth's relationship with her sister and the proxy role that Elspeth has in coming up with Beth's Life-Plays are interesting and provide some much needed grounding. Then...I fear we severely lost the plot. I know that phrase is overused but I genuinely felt like the plot just dropped out of the authors hands and rolled off in a random direction while I was trying to scramble after it. It gets kind of fever-dreamy, and suddenly everyone is Life-playing and there are all these details that get mentioned and never followed up on and it just kind of doesn't go anywhere. I have so many questions at the end of this, and I love a story that's left open to interpretation but these are the kind of loose plot threads that don't feel intentional. The blurb also says that this is supposed to be a story about female friendships and like...I don't know, I guess so? We don't see a lot of intimate interaction between any of the characters on page. It's definitely alluded to in Beth's relationship with her sister, but I don't really see Beth as having a really deep friendship with the women of the Players Club at all.
Not bad and I think it started out really solid, but I was totally taken out of the story by the end. I'll update this review if I can get my thoughts together more on why exactly I had issues with this.
Thank you to Rachel Mills and Atria Books for this ARC in exchange for my full, honest review!
Happy reading!
*I also just have to mention the kink club scene because if you have any experience with that stuff there are just some glaringly weird things. For one thing, I would consider it a breach of consent to lie about being experienced with shibari (particularly suspension) before participating in a scene with someone, so I thought that was a profoundly gross thing for Beth to do. She also says at some point that she picked shibari because it's not as painful as caning or flogging, and I can tell you that that is just incorrect. I know a good amount about shibari, in fact I taught a class on it a few months ago! Being the bottom/bunny for suspension hurts, even if the rigger is not trying to make it painful (which is done intentionally in certain styles like semenawa), and I would venture to say pretty much all suspension shibari hurts as much or more than flogging. I know there's supposed to be a lot of suspension of disbelief in this story because it's kind of purposefully ridiculous, but in the case of things like kink I really don't think we should be misrepresenting it because there's already so much stigma and misinformation out there.
June 16, 2026
The Players Club by Rachel Mills was a cleverly written book and an enjoyable read. WoW. This was a book that was a lovely easy quick read and so addictive I ended up reading it until I had finished.
"Now, sit back in your chair and close your eyes. . . . . and dream about being someone else, someone you have always wanted to be, they could be someone close to you, someone who is famous. . . . . and be them just for 1 day or maybe more, just to sleep in their bed, eat and drink the food they love, wear their clothes and everything in their life is YOURS!.
The main character Beth Greenwood has spent all her life playing it safe. She’s been a graphic designer at the same company for a decade, she dutifully meets men from the apps for dinner and sometimes casual sex, she thinks about decorating her sterile, small apartment. But, never gets round to decorate her apartment. She enjoys her comfort and every Sunday catch-ups with her sister Elspeth who has the perfect life. Elspeth life is so different to Beth's.
Then, one day, Beth meets a woman who invites her to join a secret club. No one knows about this club and it is so different. It is living out of an experience
you’ve always wanted to have, to be a performer, an artist, someone who is rich etc. You dream of someone you've always wanted to be. . . . . . In this secret club
will get you everything you need be the person.
But, there is a catch! It is only Temporary. . . .
At first Beth is loving and is so dazzled by her new friendships and the opportunity they offer her to test the boundaries of her identity, especially to escape from her quiet, ordinary life.
But even the best of clubs can offer only so much distraction, and when the stakes of Beth’s real life become uncomfortably high, she must ask herself, really and truly, who she’s going to choose to be, and who is going to nurture her when she needs it most.
I highly recommend this book.
Big Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster UK for my ARC.
"Now, sit back in your chair and close your eyes. . . . . and dream about being someone else, someone you have always wanted to be, they could be someone close to you, someone who is famous. . . . . and be them just for 1 day or maybe more, just to sleep in their bed, eat and drink the food they love, wear their clothes and everything in their life is YOURS!.
The main character Beth Greenwood has spent all her life playing it safe. She’s been a graphic designer at the same company for a decade, she dutifully meets men from the apps for dinner and sometimes casual sex, she thinks about decorating her sterile, small apartment. But, never gets round to decorate her apartment. She enjoys her comfort and every Sunday catch-ups with her sister Elspeth who has the perfect life. Elspeth life is so different to Beth's.
Then, one day, Beth meets a woman who invites her to join a secret club. No one knows about this club and it is so different. It is living out of an experience
you’ve always wanted to have, to be a performer, an artist, someone who is rich etc. You dream of someone you've always wanted to be. . . . . . In this secret club
will get you everything you need be the person.
But, there is a catch! It is only Temporary. . . .
At first Beth is loving and is so dazzled by her new friendships and the opportunity they offer her to test the boundaries of her identity, especially to escape from her quiet, ordinary life.
But even the best of clubs can offer only so much distraction, and when the stakes of Beth’s real life become uncomfortably high, she must ask herself, really and truly, who she’s going to choose to be, and who is going to nurture her when she needs it most.
I highly recommend this book.
Big Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster UK for my ARC.
June 25, 2026
I think that’s when I read the book’s blurb I thought this book was going to be a magical reality storyline ,however this was not the case it is more natural ,direct and straightforward than I initially thought
The book starts with the narrator a young women finding that a group exists to help her doing what she has discovered by herself they arranging to live other lives for a day . They choose to an acrobat or a horse rider or to be a fitness instructor for a day .Theres lots of planning with costumes to make make up to hide your identity and new skills to learn .It all seems a fun hobby
There’s an apparent lack of Jeopardy or threat in the storyline and as I read I was beginning to feel that the book was going to stall because of it
The book however picks up considerably in the second half when there is a twist .The main character takes her play sessions deeper and starts to live the life she is playing leaving her own life completely behind .There is a reason the play sessions are designed only to last a day and it takes some time for this to become clear
I found the this section where she fully inhabits another life very touching .Its difficult in a review to explain why without giving up the storyline
The author has a clean flowing writing style the book is an easy read . It is a well crafted book This is the author’s first novel I shall be interested to watch her progress
I chuckled when the story mentioned fictitious books published by the actual publisher of this book an inside joke for bookish people
I particularly enjoyed the ending
I’d recommend for those who like character based novels with an interesting twist the book is quite unique so I struggle to find a recent novel to compare it to
I read an early copy of the novel on NetGalley UK. In return for an honest review The book is published in the UK on the 16th June 2026 by Simon and Schuster uk
This review will appear on NetGalley UK, Goodreads, StoryGraph, and my book blog bionicSarahsbooks.wordpress.com. After publication it will also appear on Amazon and Waterstones online
The book starts with the narrator a young women finding that a group exists to help her doing what she has discovered by herself they arranging to live other lives for a day . They choose to an acrobat or a horse rider or to be a fitness instructor for a day .Theres lots of planning with costumes to make make up to hide your identity and new skills to learn .It all seems a fun hobby
There’s an apparent lack of Jeopardy or threat in the storyline and as I read I was beginning to feel that the book was going to stall because of it
The book however picks up considerably in the second half when there is a twist .The main character takes her play sessions deeper and starts to live the life she is playing leaving her own life completely behind .There is a reason the play sessions are designed only to last a day and it takes some time for this to become clear
I found the this section where she fully inhabits another life very touching .Its difficult in a review to explain why without giving up the storyline
The author has a clean flowing writing style the book is an easy read . It is a well crafted book This is the author’s first novel I shall be interested to watch her progress
I chuckled when the story mentioned fictitious books published by the actual publisher of this book an inside joke for bookish people
I particularly enjoyed the ending
I’d recommend for those who like character based novels with an interesting twist the book is quite unique so I struggle to find a recent novel to compare it to
I read an early copy of the novel on NetGalley UK. In return for an honest review The book is published in the UK on the 16th June 2026 by Simon and Schuster uk
This review will appear on NetGalley UK, Goodreads, StoryGraph, and my book blog bionicSarahsbooks.wordpress.com. After publication it will also appear on Amazon and Waterstones online
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
Have you ever dreamed of being someone else? What if you could be—for just one day?
It’s an intriguing thought: the freedom to try absolutely anything, to step outside yourself and see the world through a different lens.
The Players Club by Rachel Mills was refreshing because it offered a storyline unlike anything I’ve read before. The author explored a whole new world, blending humor with an emotional roller coaster that pulled me directly into the characters’ thoughts and feelings. I truly felt placed inside their minds, experiencing their doubts, hopes, and fears alongside them.
There were twists and turns I didn’t see coming, and Mills does a great job of making you want to keep reading to find out what happens next. I appreciated the raw emotions the characters experienced and how honestly they expressed them. It was easy to put myself in their shoes, because at some point, we’ve all felt those same emotions. The story gently reminds you to appreciate who you are, to accept yourself as you are, and to recognize and respect who other people are too.
One of the strongest themes was the importance of being there for one another through both good times and bad. The book highlights that real life—and real happiness—is found in shared experiences, not in locking parts of ourselves away in pursuit of what we think happiness should look like.
That said, I did find that the jumps between character thoughts and dialogue to newspaper articles, news stories, websites, and talk shows occasionally interrupted my immersion. This may simply come down to personal preference, but it did pull me out of the story at times.
Overall, the characters were fresh and delightful. The book began as a mostly light read, moved into an emotionally rich middle, and wrapped up with a satisfying ending. The Players Club is thoughtful, relatable, and ultimately a story about connection, self-acceptance, and what it truly means to live.
It’s an intriguing thought: the freedom to try absolutely anything, to step outside yourself and see the world through a different lens.
The Players Club by Rachel Mills was refreshing because it offered a storyline unlike anything I’ve read before. The author explored a whole new world, blending humor with an emotional roller coaster that pulled me directly into the characters’ thoughts and feelings. I truly felt placed inside their minds, experiencing their doubts, hopes, and fears alongside them.
There were twists and turns I didn’t see coming, and Mills does a great job of making you want to keep reading to find out what happens next. I appreciated the raw emotions the characters experienced and how honestly they expressed them. It was easy to put myself in their shoes, because at some point, we’ve all felt those same emotions. The story gently reminds you to appreciate who you are, to accept yourself as you are, and to recognize and respect who other people are too.
One of the strongest themes was the importance of being there for one another through both good times and bad. The book highlights that real life—and real happiness—is found in shared experiences, not in locking parts of ourselves away in pursuit of what we think happiness should look like.
That said, I did find that the jumps between character thoughts and dialogue to newspaper articles, news stories, websites, and talk shows occasionally interrupted my immersion. This may simply come down to personal preference, but it did pull me out of the story at times.
Overall, the characters were fresh and delightful. The book began as a mostly light read, moved into an emotionally rich middle, and wrapped up with a satisfying ending. The Players Club is thoughtful, relatable, and ultimately a story about connection, self-acceptance, and what it truly means to live.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
It’s entertaining and intriguing like when the world stops and you have to quickly grab your iPhone to record what’s happening. The person in front of you may be doing something strange, funny, unusual and dangerous.
What if people were taking videos of us and we the ones doing an unusual act that may hit the news? Could we change into another role in life? It’s thought-provoking!
Beth, a graphic designer, was invited to join a group of four women in London who worked together to create life-playing roles. It wasn’t so simple. They would prepare with expertise from each other. Leila was an expert with makeup and prosthetics. Saoirse was a hacker. Penelope was a master with car mechanics and Erika knew fashion designs.
The group had a hand-book of rules to follow. Beth wasn’t sure about it but then decided she had to be a part of their secret life spins. What could go wrong…right? They all depended on each other and timing had to be perfect for their one-day fantasy. It made me worry for their safety as I felt like I was in the crowd watching a series of bazaar and risky acts.
This book was cleverly written: quick and playful. And then there was an unexpected serious twist. The dialogue with the characters was spot on. There were times when I was laughing and other times when I felt deeply sad. Yes, there were some holes with the details that had to be overlooked. However, it’s a story that would be fun to discuss.
Could we alter our lives just a tad? Rachel Mills is a literary agent representing best-selling authors. She knows what works and now has used her vast knowledge to change into the role of becoming an author. I will read whatever she writes.
My thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for this ARC with the expected release date of May 19, 2026. The views I share are my own.
What if people were taking videos of us and we the ones doing an unusual act that may hit the news? Could we change into another role in life? It’s thought-provoking!
Beth, a graphic designer, was invited to join a group of four women in London who worked together to create life-playing roles. It wasn’t so simple. They would prepare with expertise from each other. Leila was an expert with makeup and prosthetics. Saoirse was a hacker. Penelope was a master with car mechanics and Erika knew fashion designs.
The group had a hand-book of rules to follow. Beth wasn’t sure about it but then decided she had to be a part of their secret life spins. What could go wrong…right? They all depended on each other and timing had to be perfect for their one-day fantasy. It made me worry for their safety as I felt like I was in the crowd watching a series of bazaar and risky acts.
This book was cleverly written: quick and playful. And then there was an unexpected serious twist. The dialogue with the characters was spot on. There were times when I was laughing and other times when I felt deeply sad. Yes, there were some holes with the details that had to be overlooked. However, it’s a story that would be fun to discuss.
Could we alter our lives just a tad? Rachel Mills is a literary agent representing best-selling authors. She knows what works and now has used her vast knowledge to change into the role of becoming an author. I will read whatever she writes.
My thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for this ARC with the expected release date of May 19, 2026. The views I share are my own.
April 19, 2026
Thank you Atria Books @atriabooks Netgalley @netgalley and Rachel Mills @rachaldo for this free book! This ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. #AtriaPartner
“The Players Club” by Rachel Mills ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Genre: Domestic Fiction. Location: England.
Beth Greenwood’s been a graphic designer for Eat Now food delivery giant for 10 years. She meets men from apps for casual sex, but mostly loves her Sunday catch-ups with sister Elspeth. One day, Beth is invited to join a secret “Life-Play” club. Cirque du Soleil acrobat, gonzo graffiti artist, underground performer-they will help you be that imaginary person for 1 day. Beth is dazzled. But when her real life (her “Root Life”) unravels, she must choose who to be, and who will nurture her.
Author Mills’ book imagines a secret club of women who ask: If you could be anyone, who would you be? She explores female friendship, bonding, creativity, reinvention- the world of “Life-Lusts”. As her book continues, fantasy and reality blur, tilting toward dissociative escapes. Like Beth, I wondered: “Can something so addictive ever be safe?” As a child development specialist, I’m well aware of the cognitive benefits of children’s pretend play. So I wonder…can adults maintain their brains’ neuroplasticity by “Trying stuff-just because.”? Mills provides a glossary, but the narrative explains things so well, you don’t really need it. It’s a fascinating, unlikely premise (suspend your practical thoughts), its clever, and so uniquely strange that it’s 5⭐️s stars from me 📚👩🏼🦳 #theplayersclub
“The Players Club” by Rachel Mills ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Genre: Domestic Fiction. Location: England.
Beth Greenwood’s been a graphic designer for Eat Now food delivery giant for 10 years. She meets men from apps for casual sex, but mostly loves her Sunday catch-ups with sister Elspeth. One day, Beth is invited to join a secret “Life-Play” club. Cirque du Soleil acrobat, gonzo graffiti artist, underground performer-they will help you be that imaginary person for 1 day. Beth is dazzled. But when her real life (her “Root Life”) unravels, she must choose who to be, and who will nurture her.
Author Mills’ book imagines a secret club of women who ask: If you could be anyone, who would you be? She explores female friendship, bonding, creativity, reinvention- the world of “Life-Lusts”. As her book continues, fantasy and reality blur, tilting toward dissociative escapes. Like Beth, I wondered: “Can something so addictive ever be safe?” As a child development specialist, I’m well aware of the cognitive benefits of children’s pretend play. So I wonder…can adults maintain their brains’ neuroplasticity by “Trying stuff-just because.”? Mills provides a glossary, but the narrative explains things so well, you don’t really need it. It’s a fascinating, unlikely premise (suspend your practical thoughts), its clever, and so uniquely strange that it’s 5⭐️s stars from me 📚👩🏼🦳 #theplayersclub
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
As children, we easily become other people—a princess, a cowboy, a superhero, an astronaut. We “pretend play” those lives we may wish to pursue in adulthood—a teacher, a doctor, a soldier, a firefighter. For children, play is important.
In The Players Club, author Rachel Mills suggests that play is important for adults also. (This idea is backed by science.) The main character, Beth Greenwood, joins a group of women who work to make a dream come true for a day—be an acrobat, a traffic controller, an Elvis impersonator. But when Beth’s sister passes, this play becomes real for Beth.
Beth is an interesting character, although not entirely likeable. Readers can appreciate her devotion to her sister, but still be put off by her appropriation of her sister’s life. While her early life-playing is innocuous, her later lives take a darker turn. While we sympathize with the trauma of losing a sister, we find it harder to empathize with the actions Beth takes afterward.
This novel touches on several important ideas: grief, the life we’ve chosen (or had pushed upon us) vs. the many other lives we could live, the importance of true friends, the media’s capacity to spin a story for readership, and mental health. Some of these ideas make for—at times—an uncomfortable reading experience.
In the end, I appreciate how the author has crafted a story that begins innocently enough, and then becomes a much more complex examination of identity and transformation. My thanks to Atria Books for an ARC of the novel, which I received in a Goodreads giveaway.
In The Players Club, author Rachel Mills suggests that play is important for adults also. (This idea is backed by science.) The main character, Beth Greenwood, joins a group of women who work to make a dream come true for a day—be an acrobat, a traffic controller, an Elvis impersonator. But when Beth’s sister passes, this play becomes real for Beth.
Beth is an interesting character, although not entirely likeable. Readers can appreciate her devotion to her sister, but still be put off by her appropriation of her sister’s life. While her early life-playing is innocuous, her later lives take a darker turn. While we sympathize with the trauma of losing a sister, we find it harder to empathize with the actions Beth takes afterward.
This novel touches on several important ideas: grief, the life we’ve chosen (or had pushed upon us) vs. the many other lives we could live, the importance of true friends, the media’s capacity to spin a story for readership, and mental health. Some of these ideas make for—at times—an uncomfortable reading experience.
In the end, I appreciate how the author has crafted a story that begins innocently enough, and then becomes a much more complex examination of identity and transformation. My thanks to Atria Books for an ARC of the novel, which I received in a Goodreads giveaway.
May 21, 2026
First, thank you to Putnam Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Okay, this book had me hooked on the premise alone because tell me why I’m immediately sat for a story asking: if you could temporarily become the person you might have been, would you do it?
Beth is stuck in a life that feels safe but painfully routine, and when she’s invited into this mysterious women’s club where members get to step into alternate versions of themselves, I needed to know where this was going. A Cirque du Soleil performer? Graffiti artist? Someone completely outside your comfort zone? The possibilities were fascinating.
What worked really well for me was how much this story focused on identity, female friendship, and that quiet, uncomfortable question so many of us ask ourselves at some point: what if my life had gone differently? Beth’s journey felt relatable in a way that surprised me, especially the tension between staying comfortable and risking change.
Rachel Mills created such a compelling concept, and I found myself flying through this because I genuinely needed to know what would happen next.
This ended up being a 4-star read for me because while I really enjoyed the story and loved the themes, I wanted a little more depth in certain areas and a few things explored further. That said, for a debut, this was incredibly strong and definitely one I think will get people talking.
If you love books centered around self-discovery, complicated women, “what if” scenarios, and stories that make you reflect on your own life choices, this one is worth picking up. 📚
Okay, this book had me hooked on the premise alone because tell me why I’m immediately sat for a story asking: if you could temporarily become the person you might have been, would you do it?
Beth is stuck in a life that feels safe but painfully routine, and when she’s invited into this mysterious women’s club where members get to step into alternate versions of themselves, I needed to know where this was going. A Cirque du Soleil performer? Graffiti artist? Someone completely outside your comfort zone? The possibilities were fascinating.
What worked really well for me was how much this story focused on identity, female friendship, and that quiet, uncomfortable question so many of us ask ourselves at some point: what if my life had gone differently? Beth’s journey felt relatable in a way that surprised me, especially the tension between staying comfortable and risking change.
Rachel Mills created such a compelling concept, and I found myself flying through this because I genuinely needed to know what would happen next.
This ended up being a 4-star read for me because while I really enjoyed the story and loved the themes, I wanted a little more depth in certain areas and a few things explored further. That said, for a debut, this was incredibly strong and definitely one I think will get people talking.
If you love books centered around self-discovery, complicated women, “what if” scenarios, and stories that make you reflect on your own life choices, this one is worth picking up. 📚
July 8, 2026
‘The Players Club’ had one of my favorite premises of the year. A secret club where women can step into completely different lives for a day? I was immediately sold. The concept is imaginative, thought provoking, and full of possibilities, and I loved the questions it raises about identity, reinvention, and who we might become if no one expected us to be the version of ourselves they’ve always known.
Unfortunately, I never felt like the execution quite lived up to that incredible setup.
I kept waiting for the story to dive deeper, whether into the mechanics of the Players Club itself, the emotional impact of life playing, or the themes it introduced. Instead, it stayed more on the surface than I expected, and I found myself wanting more from almost every direction it hinted at. By the end, I understood what the book was trying to say, but I didn’t feel as immersed in the experience as I’d hoped.
That said, I was never bored. The premise carried me through, and I genuinely enjoyed spending time with the story even when it wasn’t fully delivering on its potential.
If you love character driven literary fiction that explores identity and self discovery, this is still worth picking up. Just go in expecting a more reflective novel rather than one that fully leans into the mystery or magic of its premise.
In the end, I walked away appreciating the ideas more than I loved the story itself, and wishing this brilliant concept had been explored a little further.
Follow @annie_lukey on Instagram and TikTok for more book reviews and content!
Unfortunately, I never felt like the execution quite lived up to that incredible setup.
I kept waiting for the story to dive deeper, whether into the mechanics of the Players Club itself, the emotional impact of life playing, or the themes it introduced. Instead, it stayed more on the surface than I expected, and I found myself wanting more from almost every direction it hinted at. By the end, I understood what the book was trying to say, but I didn’t feel as immersed in the experience as I’d hoped.
That said, I was never bored. The premise carried me through, and I genuinely enjoyed spending time with the story even when it wasn’t fully delivering on its potential.
If you love character driven literary fiction that explores identity and self discovery, this is still worth picking up. Just go in expecting a more reflective novel rather than one that fully leans into the mystery or magic of its premise.
In the end, I walked away appreciating the ideas more than I loved the story itself, and wishing this brilliant concept had been explored a little further.
Follow @annie_lukey on Instagram and TikTok for more book reviews and content!
August 3, 2026
The Players Club by Rachel Mills is a really unusual book, and one that lingered in my thoughts for quite a while after reading.
The premise is deceptively simple - Beth Greenwood is an ordinary woman who loves to imagine what life would be like as someone else, and one rainy day she impulsively decides to go a little further than just imagining it and instead becomes the persona. A one off impulse soon becomes something else and she begins to create different characters that allow her to experience new things, but things really move up a notch when she meets a group of "Players", like minded people who work together to create ever more expansive and encompassing experiences for its members, from becoming circus performers to literally stopping traffic in central London. Things take a turn for the weird and the book moves in a direction I was not expecting when the circumstances of Beth's personal life and the emotional trauma that follows push her past the point of experiencing another life and towards the point of losing herself completely.
In many ways this is a book that benefits from knowing very little before going in. The first half of the book is full of fun escapades and madcap adventures and is quite light hearted in tone but things definitely shift to a much darker tone in the second half, and it was this aspect of the book that stayed with me. Original, emotional and memorable this book was so much more than I expected and one that I think will surprise many readers if they give it a chance
The premise is deceptively simple - Beth Greenwood is an ordinary woman who loves to imagine what life would be like as someone else, and one rainy day she impulsively decides to go a little further than just imagining it and instead becomes the persona. A one off impulse soon becomes something else and she begins to create different characters that allow her to experience new things, but things really move up a notch when she meets a group of "Players", like minded people who work together to create ever more expansive and encompassing experiences for its members, from becoming circus performers to literally stopping traffic in central London. Things take a turn for the weird and the book moves in a direction I was not expecting when the circumstances of Beth's personal life and the emotional trauma that follows push her past the point of experiencing another life and towards the point of losing herself completely.
In many ways this is a book that benefits from knowing very little before going in. The first half of the book is full of fun escapades and madcap adventures and is quite light hearted in tone but things definitely shift to a much darker tone in the second half, and it was this aspect of the book that stayed with me. Original, emotional and memorable this book was so much more than I expected and one that I think will surprise many readers if they give it a chance
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
Conceptually, this story demands you suspend your disbelief since life as a part of the Players Club could only exist in movies or in the intelligence community. That said, the idea is intriguing and the author did a nice job of fleshing out some of the ups and downs of participation and also in using historical figures as a way of demonstrating her concept is not new. The book itself is divided into three parts. The first part (really about half of the book) sets up the idea and explains how it all works while also exploring the personal side of our main character, Beth's life. While necessary, it felt like it took forever to wade through and wasn't all that exciting. It was more vignettes of various events. Part two really picked up and was quite interesting, although I wasn't exactly sure where we were going yet. I enjoyed the twists that popped up and was relieved when part three explained a bit more about what I had just read. Once I got to part two, I didn't want to put the book down. Is the story plausible? Not really, but I think that the concept is an interesting step outside of the usual role playing that many people enjoy. The idea that you could become someone else for a short time is a fascinating mental exercise, but there is a fine line between fantasy and actuality. I think there are some very interesting discussions that book groups will have after reading this one!
June 4, 2026
If you are looking for a novel that offers something just a little bit different, The Players Club by Rachel Mills certainly delivers on that front.
Beth Greenwood is a fascinating central character. She’s spent much of her life wondering what it might be like to be someone else. She wants to be more confident and more successful. When she discovers the Players Club, a secretive group of women who make those dreams a reality, the possibilities suddenly feel endless. From glamorous lives to wildly unexpected roles, nothing is quite out of reach.
What follows is a clever and thought-provoking exploration of identity and of choice, and the consequences of those. There’s a real sense of fun running through the early parts of the novel; this idea of stepping into another life is really appealing. However, there’s also an undercurrent of something darker. As Beth becomes more involved, the line between reinvention and reality begins to blur, and the stakes feel increasingly real.
This is such a clever, original premise, and it’s executed with warmth and insight. It’s both entertaining and surprisingly moving, with moments that made me pause and reflect. I can absolutely see why it’s described as twisty and thought-provoking, and it really does leave you wondering: who would you choose to be?
A wonderfully layered and engaging read, and one that would spark some brilliant book club discussions.
Beth Greenwood is a fascinating central character. She’s spent much of her life wondering what it might be like to be someone else. She wants to be more confident and more successful. When she discovers the Players Club, a secretive group of women who make those dreams a reality, the possibilities suddenly feel endless. From glamorous lives to wildly unexpected roles, nothing is quite out of reach.
What follows is a clever and thought-provoking exploration of identity and of choice, and the consequences of those. There’s a real sense of fun running through the early parts of the novel; this idea of stepping into another life is really appealing. However, there’s also an undercurrent of something darker. As Beth becomes more involved, the line between reinvention and reality begins to blur, and the stakes feel increasingly real.
This is such a clever, original premise, and it’s executed with warmth and insight. It’s both entertaining and surprisingly moving, with moments that made me pause and reflect. I can absolutely see why it’s described as twisty and thought-provoking, and it really does leave you wondering: who would you choose to be?
A wonderfully layered and engaging read, and one that would spark some brilliant book club discussions.
June 9, 2026
Beth Greenwood has spent her life playing it safe. She's been a graphic designer for a decade, she dutifully meets the men from the apps for dinner and sometimes casual sex, she thinks about decorating her sterile, small apartment. Her comfort and joy are her Sunday catch-ups with her sister Elspeth, whose perfect life, very different from Beth's, has recently started to unravel. One day, Beth meets a woman who invites her to join a secret club. It's not knitting or books; it's living out an experience you've always wanted to have. Cirque du Soleil acrobat, gonzo graffiti artist, performer in the BDSM underground these women will get you everything you need in order to - temporarily - be the person you might have been, had your life taken one or two different turns.
I found the premise intriguing and I was quickly pulled into the story. This is quite an emotional read. I kept thinking how good it could be to be able to live a different life - even for just one day. Beth Greenwood joins a group of women in a secret club that allows them to live an experience you've always wanted to have - just for one day. The author found a way to keep you reading so that you could find out what happened next.
Published 6th June 2026
I would like to thank #NetGalley #SimionandSchuster and the author #RachelMills for my ARC of #ThePlayersClub in exchange for an honest review.
I found the premise intriguing and I was quickly pulled into the story. This is quite an emotional read. I kept thinking how good it could be to be able to live a different life - even for just one day. Beth Greenwood joins a group of women in a secret club that allows them to live an experience you've always wanted to have - just for one day. The author found a way to keep you reading so that you could find out what happened next.
Published 6th June 2026
I would like to thank #NetGalley #SimionandSchuster and the author #RachelMills for my ARC of #ThePlayersClub in exchange for an honest review.
June 15, 2026
This book by Rachel Mills has an intriguing premise: if you could be anyone else, who would you be?
Our main character, Beth, joins a secret club where its members can live alternate identities - in order to escape what she considers her ordinary, boring life.
This is a very character-driven story about sisterhood and thinking we could always do better in our lives, but at what cost?
Beth has always taken the "safe" route. She and her sister, Elspeth, we're orphans, and Beth likes stability. Her comfort comes in her weekly calls with Elspeth, but lately, even those calls are not giving Beth any joy. Enter a mysterious acquaintance who invites Beth into an exclusive, underground circle of women known as "The Players Club."
This club has women helping each other live out a life fantasy for a single day. At first, Beth is completely taken in by the rush of testing boundaries. But as things in her real life start to go off-the-rails, those boundaries begin to fog.
A "what-if" premise makes this story compelling as we have all likely wondered about the "road not taken." The strong sister bond was also interesting to me as the story unfolds. It evens out the over-the-top experiences that occur in the Club. The author writes this balance between real emotions and wild adventures perfectly.
This was a bit slow in parts, and sometimes the dialogue was cringe, but overall, a good read.
Our main character, Beth, joins a secret club where its members can live alternate identities - in order to escape what she considers her ordinary, boring life.
This is a very character-driven story about sisterhood and thinking we could always do better in our lives, but at what cost?
Beth has always taken the "safe" route. She and her sister, Elspeth, we're orphans, and Beth likes stability. Her comfort comes in her weekly calls with Elspeth, but lately, even those calls are not giving Beth any joy. Enter a mysterious acquaintance who invites Beth into an exclusive, underground circle of women known as "The Players Club."
This club has women helping each other live out a life fantasy for a single day. At first, Beth is completely taken in by the rush of testing boundaries. But as things in her real life start to go off-the-rails, those boundaries begin to fog.
A "what-if" premise makes this story compelling as we have all likely wondered about the "road not taken." The strong sister bond was also interesting to me as the story unfolds. It evens out the over-the-top experiences that occur in the Club. The author writes this balance between real emotions and wild adventures perfectly.
This was a bit slow in parts, and sometimes the dialogue was cringe, but overall, a good read.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I was immediately drawn to this book by its description, particularly the comparison to Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine. The synopsis sounded intriguing and different, and the central concept sparked curiosity.
The story follows Beth as she becomes involved in a secret club involved in "Life Play," the opportunity to temporarily step into another person's life and experiences. It's a creative and thought-provoking idea, and I appreciated the writer's writing style - especially the detailed descriptions of the settings, which added texture and atmosphere to the story.
While I found the premise compelling, I personally had a lot of difficulty fully settling into the book. I felt somewhat distanced from the characters for much of the story, and it took closer to the end for me to really connect with Beth's inner landscape. The "Life Play" moved around a lot, and although it may have been intentional, it sometimes made me feel slightly disoriented rather than immersed. It may have been more helpful for me to have more context on how "Life Play" worked.
Overall, this is a book with an interesting concept that may resonate with some readers more than it did with me. While I was not able to stay fully invested, I appreciate the originality of the idea and the thoughtful writing behind it.
Thank you to Atria Books via NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
The story follows Beth as she becomes involved in a secret club involved in "Life Play," the opportunity to temporarily step into another person's life and experiences. It's a creative and thought-provoking idea, and I appreciated the writer's writing style - especially the detailed descriptions of the settings, which added texture and atmosphere to the story.
While I found the premise compelling, I personally had a lot of difficulty fully settling into the book. I felt somewhat distanced from the characters for much of the story, and it took closer to the end for me to really connect with Beth's inner landscape. The "Life Play" moved around a lot, and although it may have been intentional, it sometimes made me feel slightly disoriented rather than immersed. It may have been more helpful for me to have more context on how "Life Play" worked.
Overall, this is a book with an interesting concept that may resonate with some readers more than it did with me. While I was not able to stay fully invested, I appreciate the originality of the idea and the thoughtful writing behind it.
Thank you to Atria Books via NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
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