The Players Club: A Novel

by Rachel Mills

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.

Genres: Fiction, Adult, Literary Fiction, Adult Fiction

288 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication May 19, 2026

About the author

Rachel Mills is a freelance writer who specializes in horror fiction for young adults. Although her books have been enjoyed by much older readers.

She currently resides in the UK and spends her time writing and plotting new ideas for the next book. She has always had a passion for dark creepy tales and thoroughly enjoys making the hairs stand up on the back of a reader's neck.

Reviews

[Victoria · Rating 2 out of 5]

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.

[Holly Tolley · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Aish · Rating 3 out of 5]

So the synopsis is definitely intriguing, thus explaining why I wanted to read this but the entire time, I was barely hanging on. My feelings on this book are meh - I didn't love it or hate it. It was cool to see how the author imagined "life-play" but the plot itself wasn't extremely action-packed which made the book feel slow to read (it took me twice as long to finish this book as it would for another book of similar page length). What I loved though was Beth and Elspeth's relationship - it was truly endearing to read about a tight-knit, special sister relationship.

Overall - this book simply doesn't align with my reading tastes. That is not to say this isn't a good read and I would definitely recommend this - it's a great book that follows a protagonist's journey of self-discovery. 3.5 stars!

Thank you to Rachel Mills, Atria Books, and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book!

[Melissa Schwartz Walsh · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Players Club was unique and unexpected. If I’m being honest, I was not entirely into it at first. It seemed irrelevant to the realities of life. But as time went on, it really got its groove and became more serious and committed to a unique perspective. As the plot describes MC Beth going through a more intense form of role playing called life-playing, and meeting others doing the exact same thing, we get into many themes including ethics. Ethics is brought up a great deal, and though the intention is to make life-playing as ethical as possible it is debatable whether or not it could ever be ethical. There is too much to give away by explaining more, but if you’re interested in the concept I’d recommend giving it a shot. Content warnings include dissociative disorders, loss of a family member, cults, identity theft, ethics violations. Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for this ARC.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Players Club had a really intriguing premise which hooked me right away. As I read more and more of the "Life Plays" and what the Players Club created, I found that this aspect of the book was a little repetitive. I really enjoyed the chapters that built on Beth and Elspeth's relationship. The last part of the book really drew me in and grabbed my attention. Overall I would rate this book 3 stars - I liked it but not as much as I'd hoped or expected based on the description. This may just be my own personal taste, however, so if it sounds interesting to you - give it a shot!

Thank you to Atria Books and Netgalley for an ARC of this book.

[Elida Liederbach · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you for ARC from goodreads giveaway. This story is not like any one I’ve read before. Simply a group of women bonding together to play for a 24 hour period a role of someone else. The preparation, the rules, and how to assist each other. But it also examines the roles we play everyday that complete who we are. Mothers, sisters, professionals and wife’s or mistresses. Can we be better in who we are. Can we escape who we are? The story of Beth and her sister Elspeth is a bonus! The story makes you laugh, think and cry! I questioned a lot of the roles in my life I have played as a child and an adult. Rachel Mills has written a story worth reading!

[Emmie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The entire concept of The Players Club really intrigued me, and I don’t believe it fell short there. I loved the whole idea of the club and how they pull off these elaborate schemes. I think the problem for me was that I didn’t feel compelled by most of the characters, especially Beth, until towards the end of part 2 of the book. Then, that whole final act hit me like a gut punch. I just wanted to feel compelled by her character earlier on and I didn’t. It was a pleasant and easy read, I just didn’t “love” it.

Thank you to Rachel Mills and Goodreads for this ARC!

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought the concept for this book was great, but I was expecting it to be a little bit more of a magical realism experience than it was. The Life Playing parts were interesting, but by halfway through, I was pretty ready to be done, and that was before it became somewhat chaotic and hard to follow. Overall, just not the book for me, but I appreciate the ARC!

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had a really interesting and intriguing concept. Once I started reading and got into the story I could not put it down! I really loved the sister bond seen between Beth and Elspeth. The beginning did read a little bit slow and repetitive, but it did pick up a lot during the end. Overall, I think it was a book worth reading!

[Bethany · Rating 5 out of 5]

What?! This is not at all how I saw this book going when I started it! The concept is fascinating and unique. Definitely kept me on the edge of my seat through the last page.

Big thanks to Goodreads and Atria books for this ARC!

[Olivia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid 3.5*, rounding up to 4 because of the ending. I struggled with the first 150 pages, didn’t feel much of a connection to any of the characters. And then WHAM, so much drama and emotion hits you at once I finished the book in one sitting.

[Kiersten · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had a really interesting concept that intrigued me. I really loved the sister bond seen between Beth and Elspeth. The beginning did read a little bit slow and repetitive, but it did pick up a lot during the end. Overall, I think it was a book worth reading!

[Alyce · Rating 2 out of 5]

From very early on, I just didn’t buy it. I’m not sure how to describe exactly what I mean other than to say that the vibes were off. It was somehow slow, chaotic, surface level, and trying a bit too hard, all at the same time. That’s not to say it’s an altogether bad book, it just wasn’t for me. I think a punchier climax would have helped.

[Threasa]

Well, I still don't understand the attraction of being somebody else for a day. I thought the first part of the books was boring, and I almost stopped reading it. I'm not sure it was worth my time to get through it. I do appreciate winning it though.

[Remi]

sounds like a club i'd be very interested to study but never participate in

*thank you to Atria Books for the ARC*

[Helen Doyle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a hard time buying into the premise of this book at first, but it pulled me in and I couldn’t put it down.