Girls Will Be Girls

by Sophie Stava

From the author of the Good Morning America Book Club pick Count My Lies, soon to be a Hulu series starring Lindsay Lohan and Shailene Woodley, comes a sharply addictive novel about a woman desperate to infiltrate an exclusive circle of mothers—until she realizes their magnetic ringleader has a dangerous game of her own.

Mallory Greene is drowning in her new normal: new house, new coast, young kids, and a husband who’s become increasingly distant. Which is why the Sweet Hill moms are so important.

Mallory’s heard the rumors—they’re exclusive, ruthless, and powerful enough to make or break anyone in town. So when their charismatic leader, Natalie, finally takes notice of her, Mallory is thrilled. For the first time in months, she feels seen.

Mallory soon learns that the Sweet Hill moms play a private game they call “confessions” at their evening gatherings, each woman revealing a secret the others could destroy her with. It’s intoxicating. And cruel. Mallory, with secrets of her own, must decide who she can trust and what she should reveal, including the real reason she wanted to join the Sweet Hill circle.

But as her friendships with the women deepen, Mallory begins to suspect she wasn’t invited into the circle at random. Someone wants her right where she is, and what she thought was a game is something far more deadly. Mallory will have to choose where her loyalties lie—and what she’s willing to do to prove it.

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Audiobook, Contemporary, Adult

320 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication April 6, 2027

About the author

Sophie Stava received her BA in English literature from UC Santa Barbara. She currently resides in Southern California with her family. COUNT MY LIES is her debut novel.

Reviews

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars!

I really enjoyed Sophie Stava’s debut, so I was excited to pick this one up, and it definitely lived up to my expectations! This was such a well-written, clever, and entertaining read. I especially loved the way the author gives her female characters both sass and heart. They have plenty of personality and attitude, but there’s also an emotional depth to them that made me really invested in their stories.

One of my favorite things was watching the main female characters shift from seeming like the villains to being the vindicators. I loved that evolution and how naturally the story unfolded around them. The pacing worked really well for me, and I appreciated that it never felt redundant or way too drawn out. It kept the tension going with plenty of twists along the way… many of which I genuinely didn’t see coming.

I also really enjoyed the girl-power aspect and all the sneakiness and scheming. There’s something especially satisfying about watching these women outsmart their way through things!

Overall, this is a really great read with strong female characters, plenty of suspense, and just the right mix of humor, mystery, and emotional vulnerability. I’ll definitely be looking forward to whatever Stava writes next!

** I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to the author and publisher for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book! **

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sophie Stava really knows how to make a group of seemingly ordinary suburban moms feel like the most dangerous people in the room. And honestly? I would absolutely pull up a chair, grab a glass of wine, and listen to their drama… preferably from a safe distance.

Girls Will Be Girls was such a deliciously entertaining surprise! I went in expecting a juicy domestic mystery, but the deeper I got into this story, the more I found myself questioning everyone’s intentions. Because apparently, making friends as an adult isn't complicated enough without secret agendas, suspiciously perfect social circles, and women who might know enough about you to destroy your entire life.

Mallory Greene is trying to find her footing in a new town while juggling motherhood, a marriage that feels increasingly lonely, and the unsettling realization that the life she imagined for herself doesn't quite resemble the one she's living. So when Natalie and her exclusive circle of Sweet Hill moms finally welcome her in, it's easy to understand why Mallory becomes so invested. Who wouldn't want to feel seen, included, and part of something when everything else feels a little broken?

But oh, these women. The conversations, the carefully guarded truths, the unspoken rules… and their little game of confessions? Let's just say I would be choosing my words VERY carefully. There is something deliciously uncomfortable about watching people reveal their secrets while knowing those same revelations could eventually become weapons. Nobody is entirely innocent, nobody is telling the whole truth, and trust becomes a very dangerous luxury.

What I particularly appreciated was the way Sophie Stava lets the mystery simmer rather than throwing every possible revelation at us immediately. The suspense builds gradually, with lies and hidden motives emerging at a satisfying pace. Each new piece of information changes the way you look at the relationships, and I loved watching the characters reveal different sides of themselves as the story progressed. The character development adds substance to all the social maneuvering, making the conflicts feel more personal than simply a collection of shocking secrets.

And the ending? OH, THAT ENDING. ❤️

I love when a mystery makes me reconsider what I thought I understood, and this one delivers a final twist that feels genuinely well served by everything that comes before it. The groundwork is there, the tension has been quietly building, and when the pieces finally come together, the payoff feels satisfying. I had my suspicions along the way, but the final revelations gave me enough to chew on that I finished the book feeling thoroughly entertained.

Beyond the mystery, I also enjoyed the complicated dynamics between women who are trying to navigate their own disappointments, ambitions, friendships, and frustrations. The story understands that relationships can be both a lifeline and a battlefield, sometimes with the very same person. And while the characters don't always make choices I would personally applaud, their imperfections make the drama all the more compelling.

If I have one weakness for books like this, it's that I can never resist trying to figure out what's REALLY happening before the author is ready to tell me. But this slow-burn approach worked well here because there was enough happening beneath the surface to keep me invested, even when I thought I had figured out a few things.

Overall, Girls Will Be Girls is a juicy, twist-filled domestic mystery with complicated women, dangerous secrets, evolving relationships, and a conclusion that makes the journey worthwhile. It kept me curious, entertained, and happily suspicious of practically everyone. Four stars from me! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Special thanks to NetGalley and Dutton for sharing this juicy mystery with me in exchange for my honest opinions.

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[Cynth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this one! So twisty and unexpected! Mean Girls meets Desperate Housewives. A must read and pre-order!

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really good book that I had trouble putting down. It centers on Mallory, who has recently relocated from the West Coast to her husband’s hometown on the East Coast. She is feeling lonely and isolated (and her husband certainly isn’t helping) when she becomes obsessed with befriending a group of chic, popular moms. She is thrilled when they finally notice her, but she quickly senses a darkness beneath what they show on the outside. It turns out Mallory has some ulterior motives of her own, so what looks like a new friendship on the surface turns into more of a cat and mouse game underneath.

This story was very clever because there was a deeper reason behind everything that was happening, and it took a while to figure out. It was a slow burn that initially seemed like a typical mean-girls-in-the-neighborhood story (which, don’t get me wrong, I also love), but it turned out to be so much more than that. Once the reasons behind the characters’ actions were exposed, it flipped everything I thought I knew on its head. Mallory was well characterized and definitely grew throughout the story, though some of the things she did early on made it seem like she hadn’t considered the consequences. Natalie was also a well-built character, and she’s the one who most had me rethinking everything she said and did once the truth came out. I do wish the other moms had been more fleshed out; they seemed a little surface-level compared to the two primary characters. The ending was great and pulled it all together. I almost want to go back and read it again now that I know everything I know.

Overall, this is a much deeper (and dare I even say feel-good) story than it seems on the surface, and I would recommend it to those who enjoy psychological thrillers. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Amanda’s_Good_Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Girls Will Be Girls
By Sophie Stava
Release Date 04/06/2027

5⭐️
By day, Mallory is a burnt-out mom barely holding it together who’s just discovered her husband is cheating on her.

By night? She doom-scrolls and borderline stalks the women in her neighborhood she’s become obsessed with.

Natalie, Gemma, Ivy, and Lila are the beautiful moms Mallory has been trying to befriend for months, so when she finally gets invited for drinks, she’s IN. The women start sharing confessions with one rule: whatever is said stays between them. No matter how bad it is.

Then Mallory finds out Natalie and her husband Graham have known each other literally since birth. Their mothers were best friends, and Natalie has had a thing for Graham since childhood.

And Graham? He plays their friendship WAY down.

🚩🚩🚩

Mallory knows something is off, but somehow she still likes Natalie. Honestly, it’s hard not to. Natalie might give mean-girl energy and she’s absolutely an eye-for-an-eye kind of woman, but dig a little deeper and you start understanding exactly why she is the way she is.

And the TWIST.

If you guess it, my hat 🎩 is off to you because I was feeling REAL smug at both 60% and 80%, convinced I had this thing figured out.

I did not. 😂

This was SO good. Told through Mallory and Natalie’s POVs, you’re basically trapped between two women who are both capable of being dangerous for completely different reasons. One has her reasons.

The other suspects absolutely everyone.

And apparently I suspected all the wrong damn people. 5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#sophiestava
#girlswillbegirls
#duttonbooks
#penguinrandomhouse
#5starbook

[Cortney - Bookworm & Vine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun one! I loved the idea behind it and really enjoyed the twists (a lot which surprised me). I do wish the author had gone deeper into some of the storylines instead of throwing so much at us, but it was a good read... and kudos for the gorgeous cover! 4.25 stars

[Julie Parks · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Maybe, if you think about it, I'm not the deer. Maybe I'm the hunter. It wouldn't be the first time.
The thought makes me smile."

This story was wild and entertaining, engrossing and captivating, and a fantastic way to spend a rainy weekend on your couch with some hot coco.

On the surface level, there's so much about girl power and friendships, and that popular "Bad Moms" energy but on closer inspection it's also a story about standing up for yourself and finding your voice, even if sometimes that means surrounding yourself with the right people first.

Sophie Stava's writing has such an easy and effortless flow to it, weaving chapters together one after another until you realize she's pulled you so deep into her world of mischief that you start questioning your own mom friends.

Thank you to Netgalley and Dutton for the chance to read this ARC. I'm looking forward to reading Count My Lies next!

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[Jaden · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

Couldn’t put this one down!!

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for a free copy of this ARC.

This was so good! I finished it in less than 24 hours because I could not put it down. Very addictive writing style and it wasn’t repetitive at all, which I feel like a majority of “thriller” books are. Unexpected twists and an ending that I loved.

[TJ · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

This was definitely one of my favorite suspense novels, and I’ve read MANY! It was very different from the rest for me. I flew through this and loved how twisty it was. There were so many unexpected turns and it kept me hooked from beginning to end. I also really enjoyed all of the women in this book, even the ones who seemed unlikable at first. I loved watching their stories unfold and seeing how everything came together. I feel like this book was almost perfect and I really loved it!

[Lu thrillskillsandchills · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mean Girls for adults, except these women have graduated from high school drama to something considerably more sinister. And I absolutely loved every minute of it!

I genuinely struggled to put this down. What initially looks like an exclusive clique of wealthy suburban mums, complete with their own social hierarchy, questionable friendships and enough secrets to keep the neighbourhood gossip mill employed indefinitely, turns into something so much more clever and layered than I was expecting. While there's certainly no shortage of mean-girl behaviour, this is far from exclusively a story about women being awful to one another.

I loved how the story explores sisterhood, friendship, revenge, deception, belonging and identity, all while balancing dark humour with psychological suspense. The women are wonderfully morally grey, their motivations are rarely straightforward, and the alternating perspectives of Mallory and Natalie add another layer to an already complicated web of secrets and manipulation. I particularly enjoyed how the same relationships could look so different depending on whose perspective we were getting, and how difficult it became to separate genuine friendship from self-interest. With this lot, even a seemingly innocent gesture deserves a healthy dose of suspicion!

What really elevated this for me was how much substance there was beneath all the secrets, lies and questionable decisions. The exploration of female relationships, particularly the lengths women will go to in order to belong, protect one another or settle a score, gave the story so much more depth than its initial premise might suggest. It's sharp, wickedly entertaining and populated by women who are as fascinating as they are difficult to trust. If you enjoy stories where everyone seems to have an ulterior motive, this is absolutely one for your TBR.

We've all heard the excuse "boys will be boys". Well, this is "girls will be girls", where friendship is complicated, loyalty comes at a price and revenge isn't always quite what it seems.

[Angela Staudt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an Advanced Reader Copy.

Can my entire review just be “READ IT”? Because honestly, I don't even know how to properly describe this book other than phenomenal, wild, and twisty And at the end of the day? Women supporting women and getting revenge. 👏👏👏

When I first started reading, I had major déjà vu during the first few chapters because it reminded me so much of The Hunting Wives, which I wasn't the biggest fan of. I was worried this was going to be more of the same, but I kept going, and thank goodness I did. I am so glad I didn't put this one down!

This book is full of badass women who have each other's backs and are willing to go to unbelievable lengths for one another. And the villain? Oh, you think you know who it is, but trust me, you are nowhere near the truth. The reveals had me rethinking everything, and I loved how the story slowly peeled back the layers to show what was really going on.

This was such a fast-paced, emotional, twisty ride, and every character had so much more depth than I initially gave them credit for. During the first third of the book, I was sitting there thinking, “Oh, okay, just a bunch of rich women being mean to each other.” Wow, was I wrong. There is so much more going on beneath the surface, and I loved watching everything unfold.

I genuinely could not put this book down, and by the end, I was completely sold. I went from being unsure about it to wanting to shove it into everyone's hands and tell them they need to read it.

Women supporting women? Check. Revenge? Check. Twists that make you question everything? Check.

Do yourself a favor and read it. I will be recommending this one to absolutely everyone! 👏

[Michael David (on hiatus) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don’t judge a book by its’ cover, name, or plot. This is a fantastic and unputdownable sophomore effort. I absolutely loved it, and I cannot wait to see what the author has in store for readers next!

[Ilyssa Tillotson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loooved this one! Sophie Stava’s sophomore book didn’t disappoint. It was giving big little lies in the best way possible. Can’t wait to see what she writes next.

Thanks NetGalley and Dutton for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Apparently one of my favorite thriller genres is now women who have absolutely had enough.

I LOVED this.

Mallory moves to a new town with her husband and two kids and quickly becomes fascinated with the Sweet Hill moms—the beautiful, exclusive group of women everyone seems to know about but no one can quite get close to. And because making friends as an adult is already hard enough, naturally Mallory decides these are the women she needs in her life.

Ma’am. There were signs. 😂

Then she gets invited into their inner circle and discovers their little game of “confessions,” where they sit around drinking and sharing secrets that could basically ruin their lives.

Whatever happened to having a couple drinks and complaining about your husbands like normal people?!

From there, this just kept getting messier, and I was completely invested. Secrets. Lies. Manipulation. Questionable husbands. Female friendships. Revenge. Women behaving badly. Every time I thought I understood what these women were doing, I realized I absolutely did not.

And I loved it.

This was fast, addictive, twisty and exactly the kind of thriller I can devour. But underneath all of the delicious messiness, there’s also a really good story about motherhood, friendship, loyalty, female rage and what can happen when women finally decide they’ve had enough.

Were these women making good decisions? Debatable.

Was I judging them? Sometimes.

Was I also rooting for them while they made those questionable decisions? Absolutely.

Girls Will Be Girls was messy in all the right ways, and Sophie Stava officially has my attention. Now I need to read Count My Lies because apparently I have been missing out.

Thank you to Dutton and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

[Alyssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I support women!!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

4.5 stars!

I loved this one. It kind of took me a little bit of time to get into it, not because I was bored, but because I didn’t really like any of the characters. I did not like Mallory because she didn’t seem like a great person, and at first I thought Natalie was so mean!

I really thought all of those girls were crazy, but in a fun way that I like to read about.

As the book went on, I could tell there was more than met the eye with those girls. Slowly I started to like them more and more. I really loved Natalie by the end of it! The other girls didn’t stick out to me very much, but I didn’t really dislike them. They just weren’t as fleshed out. I didn’t really connect to Mallory as a main character, but I liked her enough to side with her for most of the beginning. By the ending I took Natalie’s side, even if we were supposed to kind of be suspicious of her, I knew there was something to like.

I am a feminist, so if you are too, you will love this book. As always with these types of books, it is hard because I hate reading about how terrible men are, especially when sadly this does happen in real life. But I love to see women fight back and seeing them stick together and help each other out.

Everything that happened in this book was deserved to the men!

One thing I loved about this book was the breaking of the fourth wall. That was so fun. When done well I love it, and it worked really well in this book.

What was revealed at the end of this book was so sad, my heart was breaking. You could see something horrible was going to happen and nothing you could do was going to stop it.

I liked that the end was open ended, but you also know what Mallory is going to do. It lets you decide what you want to happen. I of course would go with Natalie’s plan.

I absolutely loved the ending! I didn’t expect what happened, but I love how it all came together so nicely. I was cheering at the end.

I loved the title of this book too. At first I thought it was just fitting in general, but at the end of the book I put it together on why it was named that and thought it was perfect.

I didn’t like the one mention of the use of AI. It just didn’t need to be in there. But that was my only complaint.

If you liked the author’s first book, you absolutely need to read this! I really liked her first book too, but this one was the better of the two. I listened to the audiobook for that one and read this one physically!

[Cindy (leavemetomybooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

* thanks to Dutton for the NetGalley review copy (pub date: April 5, 2027)

I hadn’t read anything by Sophie Stava before this, but just downloaded a copy of Count My Lies that I’ll be reading soon because I enjoyed this fast-paced, lightly twisty thriller so much.

Was this groundbreaking or mind-blowing? No, but I was in the mood for something quick and vengeful and easy to digest, and this delivered. i loved the dual perspectives that gave some clues about what was going on without giving the whole thing up from the get-go — I feel like this style is what FMcF *tries* to do, but has been done so much better here.

I will say that the “confessions” part was weird and felt kind of unnecessary— ladies, you can just have a drink with your friends and do some chitchatting and let it all out without getting all culty, but you do you. Definitely will be recommending we stock this in the store and will be pointing my thriller lovers to it (especially next summer because this is a perfect vacation/beach/poolside read).

[Anna Lupa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The twists and turns in this book were sooooo good! Each character had secrets and plans, and I loved getting to unravel them along with Mallory and Natalie. Sophie Stava did an amazing job using alternating perspectives without giving anything away. She dropped hints and tiny clues throughout the novel, and the breadcrumbs led perfectly to the ending. Feminist, funny, and dramatic, this hit every mark for me. 4.8/5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Trisha]

I loved Count My Lies! Can't wait to read this one! Pub date: 04/2027

[Lynne | bookedwithlynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Girls Will Be Girls was so messy and twisty in the best way. Wealthy neighborhood moms, complicated friendships, dark secrets, and revenge? Yes please. Every time I thought I had it figured out, something else was revealed. Such a fun, addictive thriller!

[Nicole Jacobs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Girls Will Be Girls was a really good read! I went into this book thinking it was going to be one thing, and it ended up being completely different—in the best way.

There were lots of twists and turns, and the story kept surprising me as it went along. Every time I thought I knew where things were headed, something changed and had me questioning what I thought I knew.

I really enjoyed that this wasn’t the book I expected it to be. It kept my attention and made for a fun, unpredictable read. Definitely one to pick up if you enjoy books that keep you guessing!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Rvth · Rating 5 out of 5]

J’ai adoré, je ne m’attendais pas du tout à une fin comme ça. Je l’ai trouvé très bien écrit et bien développé !

C’est mon deuxième livre et j’ai encore plus apprécié celui-là, il n’y avait aucune lenteur et je n’ai pas du tout vu venir la fin !

5/5 ⭐️

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sophie Stava, you got me again.

Her debut, Count My Lies, was utterly gripping, and Girls Will Be Girls was every bit as addictive. I binged this one in a day. I couldn’t look away from the absolute mess unfolding in front of me. The messier it got, the more I wanted to keep reading.

I love how diabolical and deceiving Stava’s characters are. Everyone is flawed. Everyone has an agenda. Everyone feels just unreliable. The chaos made me constantly question their motives, and I had the hardest time trying to figure out what everyone was really up to.

Twists, secrets, messy female relationships, toxic friendships, complicated motherhood, psychological manipulation, female revenge…this had SO much of what I love in a thriller and more. And the deeper I got into the story, the more twisted it became.

This was such a fun, bingeable story of power, privilege, friendship and revenge, with unforgettable characters and a story that completely sucked me in. Highly recommend!

A BIG thank you to Dutton for the advance reader copy. I appreciated the opportunity to read Stava’s brilliant sophomore novel in return for sharing my honest opinion.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, it truly kept me guessing the entire time. Is Natalie a villain? Is she the hero? Is Mallory the villain? Is there even a villain at all?!

Mallory, married 5 years, moves to her husband’s hometown after his mother unexpectedly dies and he inherits her house. She desperately wants to make friends. She’s a stay at home mom to two little ones, and has lost herself, somewhat since becoming a mom. Her marriage is less than satisfactory, and she suspects her husband is having an affair.

The Sweet Hill moms seem to have it all, and she badly wants into their clique. Surprisingly, Natalie invites her into the group, but there is a price to pay. Mallory is shocked at Natalie’s apparent bad behavior, and the group’s willingness to tolerate it, but nothing is quite what it seems.

I couldn’t put this one down. I love a good, twisty suspense, and this did not disappoint. I believe there is also a movie in the works, starring Lindsay Lohan and Shailene Woodley.

This is the best girl power plot twist I’ve read since the Last Mrs. Parrish.

[Cate Neiffer-Gygi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

I really enjoyed this one! It had me hooked from the very beginning and I flew through it. Female friend groups, lots of tea, revenge plots; all things I love. Lots of small twists that had me guessing what was really happening.

The only flaw in this is I feel like a lot of info was given in the last 20% which I thought could’ve been given throughout the book and with more detail. Overall this was extremely entertaining and I’ll be looking for more books from this author.


Will definitely be picking up a physical copy of this when it’s out in April.

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't want to say too much about this book because I liked going into it kind of blindly and letting the secrets unfold.

What I liked:
multiple povs
dirty secrets
revenge
women standing up for other women

What I didn't like:
nothing. This book was a ton of fun!

Thank you to Netgalley for the arc!

[Britney Ireland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh yes!!! Recommend!

Loved this mysterious, twisty story! 4.25 stars from me. Sometimes moving back home isn’t the best idea. Especially if you’re going back to hidden secrets and revenge! I really enjoyed this thriller. It was very suspenseful and had me questioning what was about to happen.

Thank you #NetGalley for the ARC to read and give my honest review on.

[Sara Archer]

Loved all of the twists in this! I liked how the author never let us fully know what Natalie was up to until the end. I also really enjoyed the sense of sisterhood in this. It felt like exactly what Mallory needed after the move! This was a fast read for me because I literally could not put it down. Definitely read this when it’s out next April!!!! Thank you, Net Galley, for the advanced reader copy to this book!

[skhye ♡ · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

This is the first thriller I’ve read in a while that actually had me questioning what was actually going on. It was fast paced and well written! Towards the end I do feel like a lot of things were just explained in an info dump instead of it being slowly told along the way but I didn’t mind it.

Girls Will Be Girls releases April 6th 2027!

[Cynshine · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

Gripping and shocking! Once that plot twist hit, I knew I wasn’t sleeping till I was finished reading.

People were right when they said this book was a mix of Mean Girls and Desperate Housewives, but in all the best ways.

I love thrillers that reveal secrets about the “perfect” suburban families. Their secrets are always dark, twisted and scandalous.