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The Rival
NOW:
Living in her home in the countryside HELENA is a career woman without a job and a mother without a baby. She blames ASHLEY for destroying her life. But is what happened really Ashley's fault?
THEN:
When Helena hires Ashley to work with her, she's startled but impressed by her fierce ambition. They form a dream team and Helena is proud -maybe this is the protégé she's always wanted to have? But soon Helena realises that nothing will stand in the way of Ashley's drive to get to the top. And when Helena discovers she is pregnant, she quickly realises how vulnerable her position is, with devastating consequences.
The Rival is an addictive psychological suspense about ambition, female rivalry, mental health and motherhood and how far you'd ever go to get what you want.
Living in her home in the countryside HELENA is a career woman without a job and a mother without a baby. She blames ASHLEY for destroying her life. But is what happened really Ashley's fault?
THEN:
When Helena hires Ashley to work with her, she's startled but impressed by her fierce ambition. They form a dream team and Helena is proud -maybe this is the protégé she's always wanted to have? But soon Helena realises that nothing will stand in the way of Ashley's drive to get to the top. And when Helena discovers she is pregnant, she quickly realises how vulnerable her position is, with devastating consequences.
The Rival is an addictive psychological suspense about ambition, female rivalry, mental health and motherhood and how far you'd ever go to get what you want.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published August 9, 2018
370 people are currently reading
1478 people want to read
About the author
Charlotte Duckworth
7 books269 followersCharlotte Duckworth is the USA Today bestselling author of The Rival, Unfollow Me, The Perfect Father, The Sanctuary and The Wrong Mother.
Connie, her sixth psychological suspense, will be published by Quercus in January 2026.
She started her career working as an interiors and lifestyle journalist, writing for a wide range of consumer magazines and websites.
She also writes contemporary bookclub fiction under the pen name Charlotte Rixon. The One That Got Away was published in the UK & the US in 2023. Translation rights sold to Brazil, Hungary, Romania, Ukraine, Israel, Serbia and Russia. The film rights have been optioned by a major US producer.
Charlotte lives in Surrey, UK, with her partner and their daughter.
Connie, her sixth psychological suspense, will be published by Quercus in January 2026.
She started her career working as an interiors and lifestyle journalist, writing for a wide range of consumer magazines and websites.
She also writes contemporary bookclub fiction under the pen name Charlotte Rixon. The One That Got Away was published in the UK & the US in 2023. Translation rights sold to Brazil, Hungary, Romania, Ukraine, Israel, Serbia and Russia. The film rights have been optioned by a major US producer.
Charlotte lives in Surrey, UK, with her partner and their daughter.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 198 reviews
September 13, 2018
Helena is happily married and a successful business woman. Her husband is desperate to have children but Helena doesn't want to give up her career. Not yet anyways even though he's been asking her for over five years. They're in their mid-thirties and her husband Jack doesn't want to wait much longer but she can't possibly sacrifice everything she's been working so hard for to simply be a mother.
Ashley is a young up-in-comer that Helena hires and takes under her wing. In the beginning Ashley showed such promise and reminded Helena a lot of herself. Her ambition seemed to know no bounds.
But what started promising becomes a cut-throat battle between the two.
"You're not in competition with her, I have to remind myself. The opposite, in fact. You're not rivals, you're meant to be a team."
Then, unexpectedly, Helena becomes pregnant and the lives of both of these women will never be the same again.
Can a woman choose career over children? Of course she can.
Does that make her less of a woman? Of course not.
Is the woman that decides to have one child any less of a mother than the woman that has a house full of them? Of course not.
Is it okay that after having a child a woman begins to question her place in the world? Of course it is.
As a mother of one 12 year old son I can't tell you how many times, especially when he was much younger, that I would be asked by family, acquaintances, and even strangers themselves...."So when are you having another one?" When I would tell them that I had no plans to have another one I would see the flash of disappointment or even pity as if I've let them down personally. I didn't quite make the mother cut in their eyes. Pfft, one kid, she mustn't know what she's doing.
INFURIATING, but enough about me.
This book was an unexpected surprise for me and I devoured it. The book is broken down into three parts, with dual narrators, and with past and present chapters between the two. Sounds confusing but Ms. Duckworth managed to do it seamlessly. This was a strange one in the sense that I felt much differently about these women at the end of the book than I did at the beginning. I could sympathize with both of their plights.
Also a big thank you to the author for including her authors note at the end explaining her own battle with postpartum depression and also the inclusion of helplines for any woman out their that may be dealing with it. You are not alone and never ever forget that. 4 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley & Quercus Books for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Ashley is a young up-in-comer that Helena hires and takes under her wing. In the beginning Ashley showed such promise and reminded Helena a lot of herself. Her ambition seemed to know no bounds.
But what started promising becomes a cut-throat battle between the two.
"You're not in competition with her, I have to remind myself. The opposite, in fact. You're not rivals, you're meant to be a team."
Then, unexpectedly, Helena becomes pregnant and the lives of both of these women will never be the same again.
Can a woman choose career over children? Of course she can.
Does that make her less of a woman? Of course not.
Is the woman that decides to have one child any less of a mother than the woman that has a house full of them? Of course not.
Is it okay that after having a child a woman begins to question her place in the world? Of course it is.
As a mother of one 12 year old son I can't tell you how many times, especially when he was much younger, that I would be asked by family, acquaintances, and even strangers themselves...."So when are you having another one?" When I would tell them that I had no plans to have another one I would see the flash of disappointment or even pity as if I've let them down personally. I didn't quite make the mother cut in their eyes. Pfft, one kid, she mustn't know what she's doing.
INFURIATING, but enough about me.
This book was an unexpected surprise for me and I devoured it. The book is broken down into three parts, with dual narrators, and with past and present chapters between the two. Sounds confusing but Ms. Duckworth managed to do it seamlessly. This was a strange one in the sense that I felt much differently about these women at the end of the book than I did at the beginning. I could sympathize with both of their plights.
Also a big thank you to the author for including her authors note at the end explaining her own battle with postpartum depression and also the inclusion of helplines for any woman out their that may be dealing with it. You are not alone and never ever forget that. 4 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley & Quercus Books for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
October 3, 2019
The only reason I wanted this book to end was so I could start the authors next book ( which is my next read ), I loved it
Think Single White Female ish but with subtlety, think stalking but it being more cleverer and ‘worming’ your way into every aspect of someones life
Meet Helena who has it all
Meet Ashley who wants it all
Nay she thinks she deserves it all
But does she?, really??
I liked Helena, I loathed Ashley
I liked Ashley, I loathed Helena!!
And thats exactly how the book had me, changing sides and allegiances as the clever narration by both had me up, down, right and left and full circle
And then the last part of the book is a massive surprise, you are given hints but I really was taken aback by what happened and how the book evolved and ended
Difficult to describe the writing style except to say its so involving and so real and believable, the characters burn themselves into your mind and stay there
Yep, fair to say, this is a superb book
10/10
5 Stars
October 8, 2019
In this corner we have HELENA....unexpectedly pregnant at the height of her career.🥊
In this corner, we have her protege ASHLEY, an ambitious woman determined to get the promotion she wants...🥊
In this DOG EAT DOG corporate world, only one can survive.
There cannot be a draw. 🥊🥊
OR, will both be KNOCKED OUT by their RIVALRY?!
Having never worked in the corporate world, the book did not really resonate with me...but there are many 5 star reviews so, perhaps it will resonate with you..
LONG, there is a sub plot that could’ve completely been edited out, to tighten up the plot and speed up the pace.
Though there is a bit of a twist in the end, I never rate over a three when I find myself skimming or wanting to skim, so I can finish and move on..
Thank You to Netgalley, Quercus books, and Charlotte Duckworth for the digital ARC that I received in exchange for a candid review! This book will be released in the US market on Oct. 17, 2019.
In this corner, we have her protege ASHLEY, an ambitious woman determined to get the promotion she wants...🥊
In this DOG EAT DOG corporate world, only one can survive.
There cannot be a draw. 🥊🥊
OR, will both be KNOCKED OUT by their RIVALRY?!
Having never worked in the corporate world, the book did not really resonate with me...but there are many 5 star reviews so, perhaps it will resonate with you..
LONG, there is a sub plot that could’ve completely been edited out, to tighten up the plot and speed up the pace.
Though there is a bit of a twist in the end, I never rate over a three when I find myself skimming or wanting to skim, so I can finish and move on..
Thank You to Netgalley, Quercus books, and Charlotte Duckworth for the digital ARC that I received in exchange for a candid review! This book will be released in the US market on Oct. 17, 2019.
October 7, 2019
In this corner we have HELENA....unexpectedly pregnant at the height of her career.🥊
In this corner, we have her protege ASHLEY, an ambitious woman determined to get the promotion she wants...🥊
In this DOG EAT DOG corporate world, only ONE can be victorious.
There cannot be a draw. 🥊🥊
Who will come out on top?
And, what is the price that will be paid?
Having never worked in the corporate world, the book did not really resonate with me.
AND, worse, it was LONG, with a sub plot that I felt could’ve completely been edited out, to tighten the plot and speed up the pace.
As written, it’s a S L O W burn... 🔥
Thank You to Netgalley, Quercus books, and Charlotte Duckworth for the digital ARC that I received in exchange for a candid review! This book will be released in the US market on Oct. 17, 2019.
In this corner, we have her protege ASHLEY, an ambitious woman determined to get the promotion she wants...🥊
In this DOG EAT DOG corporate world, only ONE can be victorious.
There cannot be a draw. 🥊🥊
Who will come out on top?
And, what is the price that will be paid?
Having never worked in the corporate world, the book did not really resonate with me.
AND, worse, it was LONG, with a sub plot that I felt could’ve completely been edited out, to tighten the plot and speed up the pace.
As written, it’s a S L O W burn... 🔥
Thank You to Netgalley, Quercus books, and Charlotte Duckworth for the digital ARC that I received in exchange for a candid review! This book will be released in the US market on Oct. 17, 2019.
September 3, 2018
Wow.. The Rival by Charlotte Duckworth was good!! Totally took me by surprise and did not want to put it down. I read 80% of it in one sitting and If it hadn't been for work this morning I would have finished it all. I was fully engrossed in the story and really couldn't see how it was going to end which is always a good thing.
The Rival tells the story of Helena and Ashley. Helena is a career woman with a husband and her work - that is all she thinks she needs. She hires Ashley who is a young, single and very ambitious girl. They become a dream team at their company...and then Helena falls pregnant. What happens next changes both the women.
There were times in this book that I was not a fan of either of the women, but as the story progressed my feelings changed. It is told from the point of view of both the women and jumps between then and now. And ending that you will not imagine and this is a brilliant book. Just loved it!
Thanks to Quercus Books and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased
The Rival tells the story of Helena and Ashley. Helena is a career woman with a husband and her work - that is all she thinks she needs. She hires Ashley who is a young, single and very ambitious girl. They become a dream team at their company...and then Helena falls pregnant. What happens next changes both the women.
There were times in this book that I was not a fan of either of the women, but as the story progressed my feelings changed. It is told from the point of view of both the women and jumps between then and now. And ending that you will not imagine and this is a brilliant book. Just loved it!
Thanks to Quercus Books and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased
September 24, 2018
'The Rival' is described as a crime thriller, but I would say women's fiction is much more accurate. The basis of the story focuses on the horrors motherhood can bring with it, gossip-y office politics and toxic relationships, all of which may be compelling to some, but that doesn't make it a thriller. Most likely due to that I found it rather tedious and predictable, and although the writing was solid and the characterisation more than satisfactory, I just didn't care about the outcome. I like some real grit to my crime fiction, but as I say this revolved around two bickering women and one of them wanting what the other has. If you enjoy women's fiction/chick lit this may be something you'd appreciate, however, I know seasoned crime readers will be thoroughly disappointed with this mundane, run-of-the-mill tale.
Many thanks to Quercus for an ARC. I was not required to post a review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
Many thanks to Quercus for an ARC. I was not required to post a review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
September 7, 2018
When I picked up The Rival I was in the most grumpy mood. I’d had little sleep the night before, my day had been turned upside down by interruptions and distractions and I had a headache. All this meant it took me five hours to read a mere 50 pages. Why am I telling you this, you wonder? Because that extremely grumpy mood only became worse the second I was introduced to Ashley and I’m still not entirely sure if my dislike of her was something the author meant to happen or if I was in the wrong state of mind to form a fair opinion of her.
We meet Ashley on her first day at a new job for a make-up company. It’s obvious from the start that she is a fiercely ambitious young woman. She knows what she wants and she’ll do whatever it takes to get it. Nothing wrong with that. But she also comes across as a bit sneaky, devious, selfish and slightly ruthless. Or does she? Her boss, Helena, initially enjoys working with her. But she soon realises Ashley will stop at nothing to succeed. And when Helena falls pregnant, things take a turn for the worse.
It’s no secret that something happens between these two women. Helena blames Ashley for ruining her life, for being a career woman without a job and a mother without a baby. But what exactly happened? Is Ashley truly to blame?
The Rival is told in three parts, from two points of view and switching back between the past and the present. This works incredibly well and I was trying ridiculously hard to pick up clues and unravel the mystery. But I wasn’t at all prepared for the way events ultimately unfolded and it left me reeling, questioning everything, feeling I’d misjudged some things along the way.
This story of female ambition and rivalry is well-paced and although I wouldn’t call it particularly tense, it is full of intrigue and suspense and part three had me flipping the pages faster and faster. It completely made me forget how tired and grumpy I felt and I was determined to finish it before bedtime. Sure, maybe Ashley has the rather typical background to explain why she is the way she is but that didn’t really bother me.
I think this a cracking debut by Charlotte Duckworth and I loved how it combined a psychologic thriller feel with the challenges of pregnancy and motherhood. I thoroughly enjoyed this one and very much look forward to what this author comes up with next.
We meet Ashley on her first day at a new job for a make-up company. It’s obvious from the start that she is a fiercely ambitious young woman. She knows what she wants and she’ll do whatever it takes to get it. Nothing wrong with that. But she also comes across as a bit sneaky, devious, selfish and slightly ruthless. Or does she? Her boss, Helena, initially enjoys working with her. But she soon realises Ashley will stop at nothing to succeed. And when Helena falls pregnant, things take a turn for the worse.
It’s no secret that something happens between these two women. Helena blames Ashley for ruining her life, for being a career woman without a job and a mother without a baby. But what exactly happened? Is Ashley truly to blame?
The Rival is told in three parts, from two points of view and switching back between the past and the present. This works incredibly well and I was trying ridiculously hard to pick up clues and unravel the mystery. But I wasn’t at all prepared for the way events ultimately unfolded and it left me reeling, questioning everything, feeling I’d misjudged some things along the way.
This story of female ambition and rivalry is well-paced and although I wouldn’t call it particularly tense, it is full of intrigue and suspense and part three had me flipping the pages faster and faster. It completely made me forget how tired and grumpy I felt and I was determined to finish it before bedtime. Sure, maybe Ashley has the rather typical background to explain why she is the way she is but that didn’t really bother me.
I think this a cracking debut by Charlotte Duckworth and I loved how it combined a psychologic thriller feel with the challenges of pregnancy and motherhood. I thoroughly enjoyed this one and very much look forward to what this author comes up with next.
November 13, 2019
Here's to strong women. May we know them. May we be them. May we raise them.
3.5 stars rounded down.
Divided into three parts and told from two perspectives...those of Helena and Ashley, The Rival goes back and forth from the past to the present. It was quite expertly rendered, as I was never confused about the characters or timeline. In fact, the characters were beautifully fleshed out, their actions and desires ultimately making both quite sympathetic.
This isn't a super gripping story...it wasn't one I just had to pick up, but once I was reading, I was always engrossed. Honestly, it wasn't at all what I was expecting. I was thinking we'd have two snarky characters battling it out in the office...but what I got was more of a character study about ambition, rivalry, and mental illness.
My main gripe, which isn't really much of a gripe at all, was that Part 3 of the novel felt like a completely different book. The writing, the tone, the voice...it was all COMPLETELY different. And while there is a "twist" at the end of the story, it really isn't much of one.
Worth reading, I think.
**Thanks to the publisher for my free copy in exchange for my candid review.
January 14, 2019
I thought this book was very good and entertaining. I liked the two women Ashley and Helena who were the main characters. I found part 1 a bit confusing as it was saying things about the past which I didn’t know what it meant but it was explained more towards the end. Part 2 was excellent I loved the alternation between the two women and their own points of view. Part 3 put everything together and explained what happened in part one which I didn’t understand. I really liked the twists and turns and I did feel sorry for Helena and I found the ending really good. A very interesting story and I would definitely recommended this book.
November 24, 2018
This book follows the stories of two women, a boss and her new employee.
Helena, the boss, is a very confident and successful career woman, but then everything changes. She has a baby, and something happens. Her life, and her mind, are left in tatters.
Ashley is a determined young woman, who seemingly cares about nobody else and will stop at nothing to get what she wants. And what she really wants is Helena's job, her beauty, her success, her friends and contacts.
This book was well written. I felt like the author knew the characters she was writing about and conveyed the feelings of anger, confusion, frustration and awkwardness prevalent throughout the book well.
However, I didn't like it. Not really. I found it to be quite boring, and I didn't really care about most of what was going on. I wasn't interested in the meetings or the office politics. It wasn't juicy enough or underhanded enough for what I wanted it to be. There was no grit, no real deceipt going on between these two women. Yes, Ashley wanted what Helena had, and she tries her best to get it. So what? There's nothing wrong with that. She worked hard for her achievements and actually didn't do anything wrong other than maybe spreading a bit of gossip and being fake. I could name plenty of people I've worked with just the same as Ashley. And it wasn't her fault that Helen became pregnant, she did that almost all by herself!
And now we come to the ending. I'm sorry, but it was ridiculous. The culmination of all the events leading up to it, described at great length, was so disappointing. I realised at the end that the author wrote the book with one specific thought in mind, one point to get across. I won't say what it is because it would be a huge spoiler. I don't think it had the impact or shock value she wanted it to have as far as I was concerned.
All in all, I struggled to read this book and didn't really enjoy it at all. The ending was especially difficult for me to get through because I was expecting something worth all my effort at the end, and I didn't get it. Sorry, but I'm not a fan of this one.
Helena, the boss, is a very confident and successful career woman, but then everything changes. She has a baby, and something happens. Her life, and her mind, are left in tatters.
Ashley is a determined young woman, who seemingly cares about nobody else and will stop at nothing to get what she wants. And what she really wants is Helena's job, her beauty, her success, her friends and contacts.
This book was well written. I felt like the author knew the characters she was writing about and conveyed the feelings of anger, confusion, frustration and awkwardness prevalent throughout the book well.
However, I didn't like it. Not really. I found it to be quite boring, and I didn't really care about most of what was going on. I wasn't interested in the meetings or the office politics. It wasn't juicy enough or underhanded enough for what I wanted it to be. There was no grit, no real deceipt going on between these two women. Yes, Ashley wanted what Helena had, and she tries her best to get it. So what? There's nothing wrong with that. She worked hard for her achievements and actually didn't do anything wrong other than maybe spreading a bit of gossip and being fake. I could name plenty of people I've worked with just the same as Ashley. And it wasn't her fault that Helen became pregnant, she did that almost all by herself!
And now we come to the ending. I'm sorry, but it was ridiculous. The culmination of all the events leading up to it, described at great length, was so disappointing. I realised at the end that the author wrote the book with one specific thought in mind, one point to get across. I won't say what it is because it would be a huge spoiler. I don't think it had the impact or shock value she wanted it to have as far as I was concerned.
All in all, I struggled to read this book and didn't really enjoy it at all. The ending was especially difficult for me to get through because I was expecting something worth all my effort at the end, and I didn't get it. Sorry, but I'm not a fan of this one.
July 8, 2018
The Rival is an excellent psychological thriller. Its premise is different from most in the genre by focusing on Helena, a successful career woman, who mentors Ashley, an ambitious young woman who will stop at nothing to achieve her aims in her own career. But when Helena gives up work having had a baby, the baby is never seen. So what has happened to the child and how is Ashley involved.? Why does Helena blame Ashley for all her woes? This is a story that doesn't fail to surprise, told from the point of view of both Helena and Ashley.
I highly recommend The Rival and look forward to reading more from Charlotte Duckworth. Many thanks to NetGalley and Quercus for the opportunity to read and review this book.
I highly recommend The Rival and look forward to reading more from Charlotte Duckworth. Many thanks to NetGalley and Quercus for the opportunity to read and review this book.
July 2, 2018
"The Rival" is tipped as a suspenseful tale about female rivalry. What it actually turns out to be is something quite different. The tale focuses on two women; Helena, who is a successful career woman, and Ashley, a younger woman in her twenties, who is starting her career within Helena's expertise. Ashley is determined to make it in her chosen career; in a sense, she is portrayed as being ruthless - she puts her work before making friendships/ relationships - but the line between her being ruthless and just ambitious seems a little blurred ultimately.
As a reader of many thrillers, personally, I found "The Rival" to be a little bland. As with many other novels in this genre, the plot flips between the present and the past. From Helena's situation now, we know that something has happened, and of course the suggestion is that Ashley has something to do with it. Like many other novels in this genre, the pace of the book is fairly quick helped by the structure of short chapters. But, now that I have finished it, I can't help but feel a little let down by it.
Personally, I think the characterisation was lacking something. Characters are clichés; Ashley, for example, is from a troubled background and this is given as the reason why she is so 'ruthless' now. For me, they didn't seem complex enough, meaning that although this was an okay read, it wasn't one that would stay in my mind long after finishing it. At the end of this book, what you actually have is a tale where not that much really happens, and a 'twist' that is a bit of an anti-climax.
As a reader of many thrillers, personally, I found "The Rival" to be a little bland. As with many other novels in this genre, the plot flips between the present and the past. From Helena's situation now, we know that something has happened, and of course the suggestion is that Ashley has something to do with it. Like many other novels in this genre, the pace of the book is fairly quick helped by the structure of short chapters. But, now that I have finished it, I can't help but feel a little let down by it.
Personally, I think the characterisation was lacking something. Characters are clichés; Ashley, for example, is from a troubled background and this is given as the reason why she is so 'ruthless' now. For me, they didn't seem complex enough, meaning that although this was an okay read, it wasn't one that would stay in my mind long after finishing it. At the end of this book, what you actually have is a tale where not that much really happens, and a 'twist' that is a bit of an anti-climax.
October 8, 2019
This is a story that flicks between past and present as well as alternates between Helena and Ashley.
Helena and Ashley are very much like each other. They are passionate about their work and their careers are something that comes first in their lives. To start with Helena quite admires Ashley but as Ashley seems relentless in her mission to get higher up, Helena starts to fear for her own job.
I think most women can relate to Helena. A younger woman on her heels waiting for her to trip up so she can step over her. Ashley does to a certain extent admire Helena but she also gets frustrated as she wants to get up the career ladder, quickly.
The story has an almost ‘Single White Female’ feel to it. You have that sense that Ashley will stop at nothing to get what she wants. It was really intriguing to see things from Ashley’s point of view as well as Helena’s. I was very interested in finding out more about Ashley’s past as well as what had happened in present day with Helena being jobless and motherless.
The Rival was a story that drew me in and held me captive until the last page. I enjoyed the build up of suspense whilst waiting for everything to unfold. The ending didn’t disappoint either.
My thanks to Quercus Books for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
Helena and Ashley are very much like each other. They are passionate about their work and their careers are something that comes first in their lives. To start with Helena quite admires Ashley but as Ashley seems relentless in her mission to get higher up, Helena starts to fear for her own job.
I think most women can relate to Helena. A younger woman on her heels waiting for her to trip up so she can step over her. Ashley does to a certain extent admire Helena but she also gets frustrated as she wants to get up the career ladder, quickly.
The story has an almost ‘Single White Female’ feel to it. You have that sense that Ashley will stop at nothing to get what she wants. It was really intriguing to see things from Ashley’s point of view as well as Helena’s. I was very interested in finding out more about Ashley’s past as well as what had happened in present day with Helena being jobless and motherless.
The Rival was a story that drew me in and held me captive until the last page. I enjoyed the build up of suspense whilst waiting for everything to unfold. The ending didn’t disappoint either.
My thanks to Quercus Books for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
January 7, 2022
I need to go stare at a wall for several hours.
July 8, 2018
Really enjoyed this book, it reminded me a bit of a drama that was on BBC one last year where a woman went off on maternity leave and her replacement took over her life...anyway, back to The Rival, the story centres around two women, Helena who is at the top of her game in her job, has the handsome husband, the nice car, clothes and is loving life. Then there is Ashley, with her vision boards and motivational quotes, she's desperate to have the life Helena has.
Ashley gets a job working for Helena but swans around like she is the manager, she is determined to oust Helena from her position. So when Helena gets pregnant, Ashley sees her chance...
There were some really important points covered in this novel, the transition from woman to mum, there's no guide book, no instructions, people warn you that you'll be more tired than you've ever known, but you can't imagine it until it actually happens, so how do you deal with that? Then Helena's struggle with her mental health after the baby is born and Ashley's jealously.
The ending to this book made me feel quite sad...these women could've been friends if they hadn't felt the need to compete against each other, which is the other important issue in this book, unfortunately women are still made to feel like they have to fight against each other rather that support each other.
Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to review this book, this is my honest opinion.
Ashley gets a job working for Helena but swans around like she is the manager, she is determined to oust Helena from her position. So when Helena gets pregnant, Ashley sees her chance...
There were some really important points covered in this novel, the transition from woman to mum, there's no guide book, no instructions, people warn you that you'll be more tired than you've ever known, but you can't imagine it until it actually happens, so how do you deal with that? Then Helena's struggle with her mental health after the baby is born and Ashley's jealously.
The ending to this book made me feel quite sad...these women could've been friends if they hadn't felt the need to compete against each other, which is the other important issue in this book, unfortunately women are still made to feel like they have to fight against each other rather that support each other.
Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to review this book, this is my honest opinion.
October 15, 2018
Helena is a confident and successful business woman heading her own department in an international make-up company. Then Ashley is interviewed and taken on and everything goes out of kilter.
The story is told in a present day and back a year or so style, and although I felt that sometimes the timeline wasn't quite clear (only realising we'd gone back/forward after a paragraph or two,) it worked well to show how quickly Ashley was taking over and Helena was spiralling down with pregnancy, childbirth and depression.
Both main female characters had their faults, pushy, deceptive, unfaithful etc., and the author making them both unlikeable at times made them feel realistic, more true to life, just a bad combination when they got together.
I thought the book was well written and well plotted, it had a couple of unexpected twists at the end and I enjoyed it very much.
The story is told in a present day and back a year or so style, and although I felt that sometimes the timeline wasn't quite clear (only realising we'd gone back/forward after a paragraph or two,) it worked well to show how quickly Ashley was taking over and Helena was spiralling down with pregnancy, childbirth and depression.
Both main female characters had their faults, pushy, deceptive, unfaithful etc., and the author making them both unlikeable at times made them feel realistic, more true to life, just a bad combination when they got together.
I thought the book was well written and well plotted, it had a couple of unexpected twists at the end and I enjoyed it very much.
September 4, 2018
Prior to receiving a copy of ‘The Rival’, I hadn’t heard of Charlotte Duckworth before. Sorry Charlotte. I’ve certainly heard of her now and then some. Dear oh dear ‘The Rival’ was certainly one hell of a read. I absolutely loved it but more about that in a bit.
The two main characters are Helena and Ashley. When we first meet Helena she seems to have it all. She is an ambitious career woman, who is at the top of her field. Helena also has a high flying boyfriend. Helena wants to hire somebody and take her under her wing as a kind of protégé. That’s where Ashley comes in. She gets the job and immediately starts impressing the right people. Initially Helena is pleased that she obviously recognises talent when she sees it but it isn’t long before doubts start to creep in about Ashley. Helena wakes up and smells the coffee and realises that she had misjudged Ashley and her motives. Ashley is somebody I wouldn’t trust as far as I could throw her and that wouldn’t be far on account of my dodgy back. Ashley is one of those characters that you wouldn’t turn your back on because she would soon be stabbing you in the back. Ashley doesn’t seem to care about who she tramples on to get to the top. Helena becomes pregnant and matters between Ashley and Helena soon come to a head. Fast forward a few years and Helena’s life has drastically changed. She is still the determined career woman that she was before but she has no job, she has no baby, she has a partner but she doesn’t seem to love him and she blames Ashley for all her problems. What happened years ago to drastically change the course of Helena’s life? Is Ashley really to blame? What happens to Helena and Ashley? Well for the answers to those questions and more you are just going to have to read the book for yourselves because I am not going to tell you.
‘The Rival’ is very well written. The storylines in this book take place in two different periods of time. One period of time describes things as they happened all those years ago and shows how matters came to a head. The other period of time describes things as they are in the present day. This way of telling the story works really well. The chapters interlink brilliantly and the story flows seamlessly.
The synopsis of ‘The Rival’ intrigued me and I just knew that this was one book that I needed to read sooner rather than later. Well blimey oh riley it was one hell of a rather scary and unpredictable rollercoaster ride of a read and then some. Just when you think that things had settled down then another surprise or twist was waiting just around the corner and off the ride/ read would go again. There were a couple of occasions where I didn’t want to turn the page because I feared what was going to happen next but realised that if I wanted to know how the story turned out then of course I would need to turn the page. Reading ‘The Rival’ soon became an addiction for me. I just couldn’t stop reading because I am nosy and I had to know what happened and who, if anybody, was to blame for how things turned out. It seemed like I finished reading ‘The Rival’ in next to no time but in reality was a matter of a few hours. I was disappointed to finish because I was loving the author’s writing style, the storylines and the characters so much that I just wanted the book to continue. A couple of times, I smugly thought that I had fathomed out what had happened and to whom only to be sent down another path entirely. It got to the stage where I suspected everybody and believed nobody. I wasn’t sure which person’s version of events was the truth. ‘The Rival’ certainly messed with my head a bit.
To conclude, I really enjoyed reading ‘The Rival’ and I would definitely recommend this book to other readers. I can’t wait to read what Charlotte comes up with next. Here’s hoping that we don’t have too long to wait. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a well deserved 5* out of 5*.
The two main characters are Helena and Ashley. When we first meet Helena she seems to have it all. She is an ambitious career woman, who is at the top of her field. Helena also has a high flying boyfriend. Helena wants to hire somebody and take her under her wing as a kind of protégé. That’s where Ashley comes in. She gets the job and immediately starts impressing the right people. Initially Helena is pleased that she obviously recognises talent when she sees it but it isn’t long before doubts start to creep in about Ashley. Helena wakes up and smells the coffee and realises that she had misjudged Ashley and her motives. Ashley is somebody I wouldn’t trust as far as I could throw her and that wouldn’t be far on account of my dodgy back. Ashley is one of those characters that you wouldn’t turn your back on because she would soon be stabbing you in the back. Ashley doesn’t seem to care about who she tramples on to get to the top. Helena becomes pregnant and matters between Ashley and Helena soon come to a head. Fast forward a few years and Helena’s life has drastically changed. She is still the determined career woman that she was before but she has no job, she has no baby, she has a partner but she doesn’t seem to love him and she blames Ashley for all her problems. What happened years ago to drastically change the course of Helena’s life? Is Ashley really to blame? What happens to Helena and Ashley? Well for the answers to those questions and more you are just going to have to read the book for yourselves because I am not going to tell you.
‘The Rival’ is very well written. The storylines in this book take place in two different periods of time. One period of time describes things as they happened all those years ago and shows how matters came to a head. The other period of time describes things as they are in the present day. This way of telling the story works really well. The chapters interlink brilliantly and the story flows seamlessly.
The synopsis of ‘The Rival’ intrigued me and I just knew that this was one book that I needed to read sooner rather than later. Well blimey oh riley it was one hell of a rather scary and unpredictable rollercoaster ride of a read and then some. Just when you think that things had settled down then another surprise or twist was waiting just around the corner and off the ride/ read would go again. There were a couple of occasions where I didn’t want to turn the page because I feared what was going to happen next but realised that if I wanted to know how the story turned out then of course I would need to turn the page. Reading ‘The Rival’ soon became an addiction for me. I just couldn’t stop reading because I am nosy and I had to know what happened and who, if anybody, was to blame for how things turned out. It seemed like I finished reading ‘The Rival’ in next to no time but in reality was a matter of a few hours. I was disappointed to finish because I was loving the author’s writing style, the storylines and the characters so much that I just wanted the book to continue. A couple of times, I smugly thought that I had fathomed out what had happened and to whom only to be sent down another path entirely. It got to the stage where I suspected everybody and believed nobody. I wasn’t sure which person’s version of events was the truth. ‘The Rival’ certainly messed with my head a bit.
To conclude, I really enjoyed reading ‘The Rival’ and I would definitely recommend this book to other readers. I can’t wait to read what Charlotte comes up with next. Here’s hoping that we don’t have too long to wait. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a well deserved 5* out of 5*.
September 1, 2021
Now
Living in her home in the countryside Helena used to be career woman but now she has no job and shes a mother without a baby. she lives in a beautiful home with her husband Jack, She blames Ashley for destroying her life. But is what happened really Ashley's fault? and can she ever get back the life she once had and the job she much loved?
Then
Helena is a confident and successful business woman heading her own department in an international make-up company.
When Helena hires Ashley to work with her, she's very impressed by her fierce ambition and strong personality They form a dream team and Helena is proud and their new business gets of to a strong start and everyone is impressed they even get the chance to go to New York - But soon Helena realises that nothing will stand in the way of Ashley's drive to get to the top to take her job her life. And when Helena discovers she is pregnant, she quickly realises how vulnerable her position is can she stop Ashley and save her job or will Ashley get everything she ever wanted leaving Helena with nothing and with shocking and devastating consequences.
Living in her home in the countryside Helena used to be career woman but now she has no job and shes a mother without a baby. she lives in a beautiful home with her husband Jack, She blames Ashley for destroying her life. But is what happened really Ashley's fault? and can she ever get back the life she once had and the job she much loved?
Then
Helena is a confident and successful business woman heading her own department in an international make-up company.
When Helena hires Ashley to work with her, she's very impressed by her fierce ambition and strong personality They form a dream team and Helena is proud and their new business gets of to a strong start and everyone is impressed they even get the chance to go to New York - But soon Helena realises that nothing will stand in the way of Ashley's drive to get to the top to take her job her life. And when Helena discovers she is pregnant, she quickly realises how vulnerable her position is can she stop Ashley and save her job or will Ashley get everything she ever wanted leaving Helena with nothing and with shocking and devastating consequences.
December 2, 2019
A very interesting read the whole way through, with an intense and unpredictable ending. I really enjoyed The Rival and look forward to future books by this author.
August 14, 2018
Loved the cover, which initially drew my attention to this book. I am not a lover of stories that are told from two different main characters and i do tend to avoid them. There are very few books whereby i have enjoyed this style of writing, but am sorry that on this occasion it didn't work for me. However, i did manage to finish the book.
I do thank Netgalley and the Publishers for my copy. This is my honest review.
I do thank Netgalley and the Publishers for my copy. This is my honest review.
July 17, 2019
If you are faint of heart, do not, I repeat, do not read “The Rival” by Charlotte Duckworth during anything but the brightest sunshine. This is an ultra twisty psychological tale about ambition and female rivalry that will blow your socks off, even if you’re not wearing any!
The pub note describes the story thusly: “Helena is a career woman with no job and a mother without a baby. She blames Ashley for destroying her life. But is what happened really Ashley's fault? Then, when Helena hires Ashley to work for her, she's startled but impressed by her fierce ambition. They form a dream team and Helena is proud - maybe this is the protégée she's always wanted to have. But soon Helena realizes that nothing will stand in the way of Ashley's drive to get to the top. And when Helena becomes pregnant, everything she has worked so hard for is suddenly threatened, with devastating consequences.”
Stay out in that sunshine until your trembling hand reaches that last page! 😱 5/5
Pub Date 01 Sep 2018
Thanks to Quercus Books and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are mine.
#TheRival #NetGalley
The pub note describes the story thusly: “Helena is a career woman with no job and a mother without a baby. She blames Ashley for destroying her life. But is what happened really Ashley's fault? Then, when Helena hires Ashley to work for her, she's startled but impressed by her fierce ambition. They form a dream team and Helena is proud - maybe this is the protégée she's always wanted to have. But soon Helena realizes that nothing will stand in the way of Ashley's drive to get to the top. And when Helena becomes pregnant, everything she has worked so hard for is suddenly threatened, with devastating consequences.”
Stay out in that sunshine until your trembling hand reaches that last page! 😱 5/5
Pub Date 01 Sep 2018
Thanks to Quercus Books and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are mine.
#TheRival #NetGalley
August 30, 2018
Riveting and completely unpredictable - this is an excellent debut.
The dual narratives of Ashley and Helena are fascinating - providing us with an insight into their day-to-day lives whilst also allowing us a private look into how they really view each other. Their relationship is complex, chilling and on the outside at least really quite relatable. However the beauty of this book for me lies within the simmering undercurrent of their emotions, emotions that swept me up until I frantically turned page after page desperate to reveal the truth of what happened THEN and how it has impacted on the NOW.
The narrative voices seem to grow stronger as we hurtle towards the conclusion, the prose almost cascading into a stream-of-consciousness and causing my anxiety to mount alongside Helena’s.
The twist literally had me gasping for air, leaving me completely oblivious to anything outside of this books pages.
This is a book that is quite simply unputdownable - highly recommended.
The dual narratives of Ashley and Helena are fascinating - providing us with an insight into their day-to-day lives whilst also allowing us a private look into how they really view each other. Their relationship is complex, chilling and on the outside at least really quite relatable. However the beauty of this book for me lies within the simmering undercurrent of their emotions, emotions that swept me up until I frantically turned page after page desperate to reveal the truth of what happened THEN and how it has impacted on the NOW.
The narrative voices seem to grow stronger as we hurtle towards the conclusion, the prose almost cascading into a stream-of-consciousness and causing my anxiety to mount alongside Helena’s.
The twist literally had me gasping for air, leaving me completely oblivious to anything outside of this books pages.
This is a book that is quite simply unputdownable - highly recommended.
October 9, 2018
Helena is a business woman who is focused on her work while her husband is ready to start a family and she isn’t she doesn’t want to give up her career. Ashely is a young up in comer that Helena hires and takes her under her wing. In the beginning Ashley is perfect and does everything Helena asks. But what starts as a friendship ends up being a cut throat battle between them. Especially after Helena falls pregnant what happens next will change both woman! Loved it sat and read almost the entire book in one sitting
July 24, 2018
I felt the story was a long time in the making at first and wondered when it would get to some sort of twist. When it happened, I hadn’t expected it at all and it became compelling to finish. I really kept thinking Ashley would do something really dark and that distracted me well from what really happened. A surprising strong finish, glad I stuck it out.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 6, 2018
How many psychological suspense novels have you read centred around the family home and driven by the events that occur there? The cheating spouse, the missing child, the spouse with a secret that could ruin everything? I bet loads of novels come to mind, well how about a novel centred around the workplace – a female rivalry; a novel so filled with suspense, you can’t turn the pages fast enough to find out what happens, and most importantly, a novel that satisfied when you do find out. That novel, ladies and gentlemen, is The Rival.
Our two main characters, Helena and Ashley, narrate this novel in alternating ‘then’ and ‘now’ chapters, and we see just how cutthroat the workplace can be. This dual timeline, accompanied with alternating perspectives, worked perfectly to give you a well-rounded view of the occurring events, yet never became confusing as each woman’s ‘voice’ was distinct. Helena is instantly likeable, whereas Ashley isn’t, there’s no denying her ambition but her behaviour is almost mechanical, lacking emotion, in that her priority is her career, and she’ll be damned if she’s going to let a little thing like her manager (Helena) stop her advancing. I’d be lying if I said this novel didn’t rile me up at times, have me thinking Helena was allowing Ashley a bit too much leeway. You know when you just want to jump into a book and have a word with a character – “Hey Helena, wake up, she’s coming for your job! Don’t let her take it, don’t have it, you’re trying to make friendship bracelets while she’s trying to replace you!” You know you’re reading a good book when you want to intervene!
Although I was Team Helena, Ashley was a very complex character and, though they weren’t explored in great detail, you could see there were many layers that made up her character and this shined a light on why she behaved the way she did at times. What’s scary about this novel is, you can picture these scenes happening in real life, the underhand tactics, how these corporate industries pit women against each other, how job security isn’t as secure as it should be. How some women feel they have to be ruthless to advance in their career, and the ever-present debate of career and motherhood, can you really have both?
The marketing around this novel got it so right, The Rival is full of suspense, and that suspense builds and builds, in fact, I was slightly concerned because it was so intense, I wondered what kind of reveal could match such a high level of suspense. But I needn’t have worried because, wow, this novel delivered. It’s so frustrating because I can’t fully explain to you just how good this novel is, the important issues Duckworth addressed, without giving anything away. So I’ll say no more than, the themes of women in the workplace and motherhood are explored in a way that stays with you, in the darkness and the light. You just have to read this one for yourself to see how Helena ended up a career woman with no job and a mother without a baby.
The Rival emotionally involves you in the plot, especially if you are a woman, because it’ll have you asking yourself what you would do in either women’s position. It’s a well-written, fluid read; a compelling tale and a very impressive debut! It has very up-to-date references, including those in relation to social media, while the characters may be fictional, the events reflect today’s society, so I highly recommend The Rival to those who like their fiction contemporary, those who want to explore the psychology behind the complex relationship of these women in the workplace, the ambition and jealousy that drives them, and what happens when it all goes wrong!
*My thanks to the publisher (Quercus) for providing me with a copy of this book*
Our two main characters, Helena and Ashley, narrate this novel in alternating ‘then’ and ‘now’ chapters, and we see just how cutthroat the workplace can be. This dual timeline, accompanied with alternating perspectives, worked perfectly to give you a well-rounded view of the occurring events, yet never became confusing as each woman’s ‘voice’ was distinct. Helena is instantly likeable, whereas Ashley isn’t, there’s no denying her ambition but her behaviour is almost mechanical, lacking emotion, in that her priority is her career, and she’ll be damned if she’s going to let a little thing like her manager (Helena) stop her advancing. I’d be lying if I said this novel didn’t rile me up at times, have me thinking Helena was allowing Ashley a bit too much leeway. You know when you just want to jump into a book and have a word with a character – “Hey Helena, wake up, she’s coming for your job! Don’t let her take it, don’t have it, you’re trying to make friendship bracelets while she’s trying to replace you!” You know you’re reading a good book when you want to intervene!
Although I was Team Helena, Ashley was a very complex character and, though they weren’t explored in great detail, you could see there were many layers that made up her character and this shined a light on why she behaved the way she did at times. What’s scary about this novel is, you can picture these scenes happening in real life, the underhand tactics, how these corporate industries pit women against each other, how job security isn’t as secure as it should be. How some women feel they have to be ruthless to advance in their career, and the ever-present debate of career and motherhood, can you really have both?
The marketing around this novel got it so right, The Rival is full of suspense, and that suspense builds and builds, in fact, I was slightly concerned because it was so intense, I wondered what kind of reveal could match such a high level of suspense. But I needn’t have worried because, wow, this novel delivered. It’s so frustrating because I can’t fully explain to you just how good this novel is, the important issues Duckworth addressed, without giving anything away. So I’ll say no more than, the themes of women in the workplace and motherhood are explored in a way that stays with you, in the darkness and the light. You just have to read this one for yourself to see how Helena ended up a career woman with no job and a mother without a baby.
The Rival emotionally involves you in the plot, especially if you are a woman, because it’ll have you asking yourself what you would do in either women’s position. It’s a well-written, fluid read; a compelling tale and a very impressive debut! It has very up-to-date references, including those in relation to social media, while the characters may be fictional, the events reflect today’s society, so I highly recommend The Rival to those who like their fiction contemporary, those who want to explore the psychology behind the complex relationship of these women in the workplace, the ambition and jealousy that drives them, and what happens when it all goes wrong!
*My thanks to the publisher (Quercus) for providing me with a copy of this book*
August 9, 2018
Many Thanks to Charlotte Duckworth, Quercus Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of The Rival, in return for an honest review,
In this book we are introduced to Helena, a middle manager in a tech start-up company, She is responsible for employment of some junior staff members, after some interviews we meet Ashley, who is a graduate, employed to increase online presence. It soon becomes apparent that Ashley is highly driven, focused and dynamic, but a poor team player who views her own success above all else, The book is set between "then and now" with the story being uncovered as we move between the two.
It is hard to like Ashley, as it becomes clear that her motivations lie with promotion above all else. Helena recognises that Ashley is not working for the benefit of the team and monitors her closely. With some success in her role, it is evident that Ashley has a strong dislike of Helena, part jealousy, part delusions of grandeur,
Ashley and Helena are then seconded to form a new team, and it is now that things begin to escalate. Ashley begins bypassing Helena and going straight to senior management with ideas and issues. This, of course, angers Helena and puts further strain on the relationship but Ashley's successes make it difficult to terminate her contract,
Helena finds herself unexpectedly pregnant and we see an marked escalation in Ashley's attempts to undermine Helena. As the pregnancy progresses we see frequent and escalating underhand tactics and manipulations in an attempt to make Ashley appear indispensable. Towards the end of Helena's pregnancy some issues require further time away from office, for medical appointments, and this places Helena in a vulnerable position as the maternity policy is poor to begin with, Ashley takes advantage of these absences and propels herself into a more senior position by proving on paper to senior management how indispensable she is, this is done without checking with Helena's opinion,
We reach the last day, before beginning maternity leave, and we see Helena being told that her role has ended and that she is effectively sacked. Ashley is set to take over her role, Heartbroken Helena is shocked.
As we move into present times we have Helena's voice, and it is obvious that there has been a major incident of some sort, There is no mention of the baby and it seems that the infant has died. There are obvious mental health issues with Helena and it becomes apparent that she has post-partum psychosis, The mental state of Helena, as voiced in the book, is first class, You really feel the confusion, upset and general poor mental health of the character and this provokes empathy and increases the sympathy for the character,
We are then led towards discovering the path of recovery, for Helena, and to find out where Ashley is at this point, Once this becomes clear you are left shocked and there is some definite sympathy for Ashley, which was not present in the earlier part of the book.
This book is told in the past and the present. There are frequent changes between these times yet the story flows well, Once we are in the present tense with Helena, despite the excellent depiction of mental health issues, there was some question as to the value of all this extra insight and its relevance to the relationship between Ashley and Helena, the rivals. This does, however, become clearer over the final few pages, Overall, though, a solid 4 stars. A very worthy read and I enjoyed the latter part of the book more. An excellent book.
In this book we are introduced to Helena, a middle manager in a tech start-up company, She is responsible for employment of some junior staff members, after some interviews we meet Ashley, who is a graduate, employed to increase online presence. It soon becomes apparent that Ashley is highly driven, focused and dynamic, but a poor team player who views her own success above all else, The book is set between "then and now" with the story being uncovered as we move between the two.
It is hard to like Ashley, as it becomes clear that her motivations lie with promotion above all else. Helena recognises that Ashley is not working for the benefit of the team and monitors her closely. With some success in her role, it is evident that Ashley has a strong dislike of Helena, part jealousy, part delusions of grandeur,
Ashley and Helena are then seconded to form a new team, and it is now that things begin to escalate. Ashley begins bypassing Helena and going straight to senior management with ideas and issues. This, of course, angers Helena and puts further strain on the relationship but Ashley's successes make it difficult to terminate her contract,
Helena finds herself unexpectedly pregnant and we see an marked escalation in Ashley's attempts to undermine Helena. As the pregnancy progresses we see frequent and escalating underhand tactics and manipulations in an attempt to make Ashley appear indispensable. Towards the end of Helena's pregnancy some issues require further time away from office, for medical appointments, and this places Helena in a vulnerable position as the maternity policy is poor to begin with, Ashley takes advantage of these absences and propels herself into a more senior position by proving on paper to senior management how indispensable she is, this is done without checking with Helena's opinion,
We reach the last day, before beginning maternity leave, and we see Helena being told that her role has ended and that she is effectively sacked. Ashley is set to take over her role, Heartbroken Helena is shocked.
As we move into present times we have Helena's voice, and it is obvious that there has been a major incident of some sort, There is no mention of the baby and it seems that the infant has died. There are obvious mental health issues with Helena and it becomes apparent that she has post-partum psychosis, The mental state of Helena, as voiced in the book, is first class, You really feel the confusion, upset and general poor mental health of the character and this provokes empathy and increases the sympathy for the character,
We are then led towards discovering the path of recovery, for Helena, and to find out where Ashley is at this point, Once this becomes clear you are left shocked and there is some definite sympathy for Ashley, which was not present in the earlier part of the book.
This book is told in the past and the present. There are frequent changes between these times yet the story flows well, Once we are in the present tense with Helena, despite the excellent depiction of mental health issues, there was some question as to the value of all this extra insight and its relevance to the relationship between Ashley and Helena, the rivals. This does, however, become clearer over the final few pages, Overall, though, a solid 4 stars. A very worthy read and I enjoyed the latter part of the book more. An excellent book.
September 14, 2018
We could perhaps say ‘plot twist’ or ‘pivot’ (you know, to be irritating like the cool kids) but either way you are getting a bit more bang for your buck than usual with THE RIVAL. It is very much like two novels found each other somewhere in the middle and decided to merge; one being a workplace psychological thriller, the other a drama piece about the horrors of new motherhood. We do have past and present perspectives so there is that fore knowledge that something horrific has happened to Helena since the motherhood train pulled into the station. We just don’t know during the read how that is connected to her working life. Were clues there all along?
Ashley prides herself on her keen ambition and sees no reason why she shouldn’t achieve what she feels she deserves. There is always a cost, but that doesn’t necessarily have to be a cost borne by herself. The other employees in her new firm need to be conquered either by charm or clever manoeuvring but as long as the end result is that she powers up the corporate ladder, Ashley considers that things are progressing exactly as they should be.
Helena welcomes the opportunity to mentor a new person on her team, and fully believes in the value of a happy and nurturing workplace. If she can bring out the talents of her colleagues in such a way that the company receives their best efforts, it’s a win-win all around. Inviting her new young colleague Ashley to assist in an exciting new project, Helena envisions that between Ashley and herself, magic will happen. What happens next is nothing of the sort.
THE RIVAL has a huge ticking bomb threaded throughout most of the read but it might not be what you think. It is definitely there (oh the wonders of hindsight when you’ve just finished a book) but the power of it is understated. Every single mother out there knows that your first pregnancy was the one where everyone began to look at you in a different way. You’ve suddenly been assigned a different role, and your own opinions on this altered status seem to have little or no relevance as to how people intend to newly perceive you. Also, every single woman out there knows that other women in the workplace are not necessarily there to support and lift you up. They too need to look after themselves first.
What THE RIVAL does extremely well is to keep the reader glued to the page. There’s a lot of subtleties and nuances here that will have you leaning one way or the other with your suspicions and sympathies. It’s possible to make the assessment that there are no outright bad guys, just different personality types and different approaches encountered. Just as you find in every large workplace. Odd bosses, easy going co-workers, paranoid desk jockeys etc. The creeping sense of unease that Helena is blindly walking into a nasty quagmire tensely propels a book that is not just all about women crawling over each other to get to the top. THE RIVAL is a reminder that when it all goes to hell, your safety and personal wellbeing are more important than any job. The earth is crumbling underneath Helena’s feet in this novel and she seems powerless to stop it.
British author Charlotte Duckworth has written a slow burn novel of what it means to confront a demon on more than one front at the same time. What are our strengths and who are our allies when life takes an unexpected turn? THE RIVAL will resonate with a broad spectrum of readers who will recognize that they’ve likely crossed paths with an Ashley at some point throughout their careers. It’s always an interesting question to put to yourself as to what lengths you are prepared to extend to when challenged.
Ashley prides herself on her keen ambition and sees no reason why she shouldn’t achieve what she feels she deserves. There is always a cost, but that doesn’t necessarily have to be a cost borne by herself. The other employees in her new firm need to be conquered either by charm or clever manoeuvring but as long as the end result is that she powers up the corporate ladder, Ashley considers that things are progressing exactly as they should be.
Helena welcomes the opportunity to mentor a new person on her team, and fully believes in the value of a happy and nurturing workplace. If she can bring out the talents of her colleagues in such a way that the company receives their best efforts, it’s a win-win all around. Inviting her new young colleague Ashley to assist in an exciting new project, Helena envisions that between Ashley and herself, magic will happen. What happens next is nothing of the sort.
THE RIVAL has a huge ticking bomb threaded throughout most of the read but it might not be what you think. It is definitely there (oh the wonders of hindsight when you’ve just finished a book) but the power of it is understated. Every single mother out there knows that your first pregnancy was the one where everyone began to look at you in a different way. You’ve suddenly been assigned a different role, and your own opinions on this altered status seem to have little or no relevance as to how people intend to newly perceive you. Also, every single woman out there knows that other women in the workplace are not necessarily there to support and lift you up. They too need to look after themselves first.
What THE RIVAL does extremely well is to keep the reader glued to the page. There’s a lot of subtleties and nuances here that will have you leaning one way or the other with your suspicions and sympathies. It’s possible to make the assessment that there are no outright bad guys, just different personality types and different approaches encountered. Just as you find in every large workplace. Odd bosses, easy going co-workers, paranoid desk jockeys etc. The creeping sense of unease that Helena is blindly walking into a nasty quagmire tensely propels a book that is not just all about women crawling over each other to get to the top. THE RIVAL is a reminder that when it all goes to hell, your safety and personal wellbeing are more important than any job. The earth is crumbling underneath Helena’s feet in this novel and she seems powerless to stop it.
British author Charlotte Duckworth has written a slow burn novel of what it means to confront a demon on more than one front at the same time. What are our strengths and who are our allies when life takes an unexpected turn? THE RIVAL will resonate with a broad spectrum of readers who will recognize that they’ve likely crossed paths with an Ashley at some point throughout their careers. It’s always an interesting question to put to yourself as to what lengths you are prepared to extend to when challenged.
June 20, 2018
The tale off Ashlie and Helena told from their individual angles, Helena from a priverledge background who doesn't get along with her Mum. Ashlie however didn't have a great upbringing a alcoholic Mum who died when she was just 15, so she spent most of her time looking after her younger brother Jason and he only gets harder work the older he gets.
Ashlie gets her dream job working under Helena and at a or rather the leading media company at the London office where she has to work hard and does well for herself and make her Gran very proud of her. Helena had a gifted husband who is a banker and also doing well.
This is a story that gets better and more compelling the deeper you get into and will take you where you never expected to go. You will be led from what seems a simple tale of a younger person pitching and pushing her way into a invaluable worker for the team rags to riches, but you will get a shock as one twist leads to another and well some deadends, you need them keeps us on our toes. However the twists that run into a journey you won't want to leave till you get to the end will not be what you expect. The last part of this thriller is some of the best and most gripping and unpredictable writing you will find anywhere. Charlotte has some chapters that tell the story of one of her characters spinning not knowing where to turn and you will feel it's you and that even as a man who obviously can not fully know what ladies go through with the trauma of a female life with complications that only you/ they go through. That will make a whole lot of sense when you read the book and see I'm not being sexists as both Helena and Ashlie would despise me greatly if I was and I would have to be on the wrong side of either. It will be hard to workout who is the goodie and then the bady as this may swap over several times but you need to read it for yourself. I really do recommend this book and hope that you are as gripped as I was. Thankyou for this book both to Charlotte and NetGalley. I can honestly say I have never read a thriller with the high quality of writing that you will enjoy it experience towards the end, absolutely incredible well in my opinion that is.
Ashlie gets her dream job working under Helena and at a or rather the leading media company at the London office where she has to work hard and does well for herself and make her Gran very proud of her. Helena had a gifted husband who is a banker and also doing well.
This is a story that gets better and more compelling the deeper you get into and will take you where you never expected to go. You will be led from what seems a simple tale of a younger person pitching and pushing her way into a invaluable worker for the team rags to riches, but you will get a shock as one twist leads to another and well some deadends, you need them keeps us on our toes. However the twists that run into a journey you won't want to leave till you get to the end will not be what you expect. The last part of this thriller is some of the best and most gripping and unpredictable writing you will find anywhere. Charlotte has some chapters that tell the story of one of her characters spinning not knowing where to turn and you will feel it's you and that even as a man who obviously can not fully know what ladies go through with the trauma of a female life with complications that only you/ they go through. That will make a whole lot of sense when you read the book and see I'm not being sexists as both Helena and Ashlie would despise me greatly if I was and I would have to be on the wrong side of either. It will be hard to workout who is the goodie and then the bady as this may swap over several times but you need to read it for yourself. I really do recommend this book and hope that you are as gripped as I was. Thankyou for this book both to Charlotte and NetGalley. I can honestly say I have never read a thriller with the high quality of writing that you will enjoy it experience towards the end, absolutely incredible well in my opinion that is.
January 13, 2021
Terrifying.... that is the first thought that comes to my mind when I think about this book. The book is told in two different parts, the "then" and the "now". Helena and her so-called work rival, Ashley. What is so fascinating about this is how different the old Helena is compared to the Helena from the "now". It is two completely different women. One is strong, ambitious, a boss, and in control of her job and her life. The Helena from the "now", is scared, confused, tired, walking in a cloud with no identity. Even reading the story, I have two completely different pictures in my head of this woman. And then let's talk about when they get into the chapters when Helena is having her baby. I do not have any kids, and the way everything described in this book, is the exact reason why I'm absolutely terrified have a child. Not only does it sound absolutely frightening, it sounds absolutely exhausting as well. This book also took a left so quick. I in no way did not see the outcome turning into this. During most of the book, you have a very clear picture of what's going on and then you read one sentence and everything about this book completely changes. I for one absolutely love this book. It was a wild ride and it was so on point.
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