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The Wine Club
Be ready to get hooked, with The Wine Club.
Most people can’t tell a good wine from a bottle of Two-Buck Chuck.
At least that’s what best friends Reggie and Audrey decide one night while celebrating their daughters’ election to the elite Mohave High Tigerette Pom Squad. But cheerleading in Scottsdale Arizona doesn’t come cheap, and both women are strapped for cash and going through a rough patch. Reggie’s husband has announced he’s gay and wants a separation. Audrey’s husband is entering rehab. But what if they could earn money by selling cheap wine in fancy bottles? How hard could it be?
As the housewives perfect their high-stakes con, their greed and mistrust of one another grow…as does the realization that they’ve become a small team of female criminals.
The Wine Club is a witty, wicked tale of crime in the suburbs. With its dark humor, twisted plot, creative use of satire, and female protagonists who turn to a life of crime, this women’s suspenseful crime novel filled with surprising twists and turns is a novel you won't put down, and one your book club will love.
Most people can’t tell a good wine from a bottle of Two-Buck Chuck.
At least that’s what best friends Reggie and Audrey decide one night while celebrating their daughters’ election to the elite Mohave High Tigerette Pom Squad. But cheerleading in Scottsdale Arizona doesn’t come cheap, and both women are strapped for cash and going through a rough patch. Reggie’s husband has announced he’s gay and wants a separation. Audrey’s husband is entering rehab. But what if they could earn money by selling cheap wine in fancy bottles? How hard could it be?
As the housewives perfect their high-stakes con, their greed and mistrust of one another grow…as does the realization that they’ve become a small team of female criminals.
The Wine Club is a witty, wicked tale of crime in the suburbs. With its dark humor, twisted plot, creative use of satire, and female protagonists who turn to a life of crime, this women’s suspenseful crime novel filled with surprising twists and turns is a novel you won't put down, and one your book club will love.
517 pages, Paperback
First published June 6, 2020
About the author
Laurie Lisa
6 books68 followersLaurie was born and raised in small towns in Southern Illinois. She obtained her B.S. in English Education from the University of Illinois, where she also met and then married her husband Steve. Laurie earned both a M.A. and a Ph.D. in English, 20th-century American Literature, from Arizona State University, where she also taught literature and composition. In addition to her eight novels, Laurie has published two academic books, several short stories and poems, and edited other's works. After much time spent in Academia and raising her three children (Anthony, Michelle, and Caitlin), Laurie returned to her passion for writing fiction. She is a prolific writer and typically completes one novel each year. Laurie resides with her husband, Steve, in Paradise Valley and Flagstaff, Arizona.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
July 27, 2020
"It just goes to prove that people really do believe what they choose to believe," is a statement from one of the ladies in the novel. Its a simple statement but I feel like it is the premise for this novel.
The women within this novel were all duped and almost brainwashed to believe that their husbands (and themselves) were living a great life. The sentence "turned a blind eye," comes to mind throughout various issues within this novel, which at one point in time we almost all do so as not to disrupt what is believed to be "the norm."
While reading the first chapter of this almost 600 page novel, I was convinced that it was going to be a clash of the movies Bring it On meets Sideways the novel however, became much, much more than that.
All of the marriages within this novel are without a doubt every woman's biggest fears, but are also some woman's realities, and are more common than we would like to believe- which is why I found this novel to be so enticing. It is a fantastic summer / COVID read, and reads very smoothly.
There are clues, and trailers left at the end of each novel to entice you to want to learn more about the women and each of their fantasies/ struggles with reality.
Although all of the women were very different they all came together for the love of wine, money, and deceit.
I found this to be a story of obsession and naivety, and how at times our materialistic made up world can take over one's life and take life out of perspective.
The chapters are short and sweet, they contain a lot of information and is told through an interview like setting, which sets this novel apart from others.
I found the character description to be very well thought out and entertaining, which also enhanced the story and its formation of the themes throughout.
All in all, a fantastic novel, and a worthy read.
Thank you for writing this novel.
The women within this novel were all duped and almost brainwashed to believe that their husbands (and themselves) were living a great life. The sentence "turned a blind eye," comes to mind throughout various issues within this novel, which at one point in time we almost all do so as not to disrupt what is believed to be "the norm."
While reading the first chapter of this almost 600 page novel, I was convinced that it was going to be a clash of the movies Bring it On meets Sideways the novel however, became much, much more than that.
All of the marriages within this novel are without a doubt every woman's biggest fears, but are also some woman's realities, and are more common than we would like to believe- which is why I found this novel to be so enticing. It is a fantastic summer / COVID read, and reads very smoothly.
There are clues, and trailers left at the end of each novel to entice you to want to learn more about the women and each of their fantasies/ struggles with reality.
Although all of the women were very different they all came together for the love of wine, money, and deceit.
I found this to be a story of obsession and naivety, and how at times our materialistic made up world can take over one's life and take life out of perspective.
The chapters are short and sweet, they contain a lot of information and is told through an interview like setting, which sets this novel apart from others.
I found the character description to be very well thought out and entertaining, which also enhanced the story and its formation of the themes throughout.
All in all, a fantastic novel, and a worthy read.
Thank you for writing this novel.
April 3, 2023
I really thought it would’ve been better than this, it had so much potential. This book was 512 pages of 3 women constantly complaining,making bad decisions, and repeated themselves constantly page after page.
July 23, 2020
I was drawn into this book pretty quickly as it wasn't hard to identify with some of the personal and family issues each woman was dealing with. Whether it was alcoholism, betrayal, blackmail, or crime, all three women had something chaotic happening in their lives behind closed doors. Because society is the way it is, it's easy to keep things hidden and away. For each of them, they know they have to step up and take control of their lives.
Through a mutual goal of making money and fight against financial ruin, they concoct a plan that should be an effortless plan to meet their common goal. Create a wine club, but swap it out with the cheap stuff, and nobody will be the wiser. Right? No, instead this causes its own endless amount of fiascos! When you throw in blackmailers, nosey neighbors, complex characters, and a few lessons along the way, you end up with quite a journey for the three of them. Overall it's well written, witty, down to earth, and real. I applaud the author for bringing to light hard topics and making the reader really reflect on not only the story but other things. Well done!
Through a mutual goal of making money and fight against financial ruin, they concoct a plan that should be an effortless plan to meet their common goal. Create a wine club, but swap it out with the cheap stuff, and nobody will be the wiser. Right? No, instead this causes its own endless amount of fiascos! When you throw in blackmailers, nosey neighbors, complex characters, and a few lessons along the way, you end up with quite a journey for the three of them. Overall it's well written, witty, down to earth, and real. I applaud the author for bringing to light hard topics and making the reader really reflect on not only the story but other things. Well done!
September 28, 2020
More drama than a surprise desert monsoon.
Reviewed in the United States on August 29, 2020
This book is a perfect roller coaster. it gives you a few ups and downs to start, but, that's just to start. You think you might know where it is going, but trust me, dear reader, you have no idea, and every time you gasp and go "no she didn't" Laurie Lisa is already about to one up your expectations. The characters are very well drawn for this kind of novel, and as a Scottsdale native, Laurie nails the place. But you don't have to be an Arizonan to understand this story of greed and ambition run amok among, perhaps, the three most desperate women in all of Arizona.
Literally its a laugh and gasp a minute, and I know Laurie calls her work elevated women's fiction, but this man enjoyed every page. Trust me, you think you know where its going, you don't! A beach read for all seasons, an evergreen piece of crime fiction, it might make you think, 'oh wow this is long' (and it is certainly a hefty book), but you'll never be bored, I promise. You get the bang, so spend the buck.
Reviewed in the United States on August 29, 2020
This book is a perfect roller coaster. it gives you a few ups and downs to start, but, that's just to start. You think you might know where it is going, but trust me, dear reader, you have no idea, and every time you gasp and go "no she didn't" Laurie Lisa is already about to one up your expectations. The characters are very well drawn for this kind of novel, and as a Scottsdale native, Laurie nails the place. But you don't have to be an Arizonan to understand this story of greed and ambition run amok among, perhaps, the three most desperate women in all of Arizona.
Literally its a laugh and gasp a minute, and I know Laurie calls her work elevated women's fiction, but this man enjoyed every page. Trust me, you think you know where its going, you don't! A beach read for all seasons, an evergreen piece of crime fiction, it might make you think, 'oh wow this is long' (and it is certainly a hefty book), but you'll never be bored, I promise. You get the bang, so spend the buck.
August 15, 2020
An intriguing scenario
This was one of those teachable moment kind of story. A lesson I was taught many years ago by a wise old man. That being never, ever go into business with friends and NEVER mix friends and money. It will only end in disaster and 99% of the time it will come back to bite you in the end. It sure did in this story.
This was one of those teachable moment kind of story. A lesson I was taught many years ago by a wise old man. That being never, ever go into business with friends and NEVER mix friends and money. It will only end in disaster and 99% of the time it will come back to bite you in the end. It sure did in this story.
June 29, 2020
This book was filled with tension from the first page- from the drama of narrow misses with their amateur fraud, to the husbands and daughters of the three main characters, this book is a page-turner. None of the characters are likable- in fact, they are mostly bad people- but you find yourself rooting for them anyway, right up to the end. By the end of the book, the plot line isn't surprising- but it isn't predictable when you are reading. All in all, well worth the read, even though it is a bit longer than average at well over 500 pages.
April 24, 2021
Great Book
I really had no idea this book was going to turn out so good. When I started I said 592 pages ..ugg well I will just start it and if it got to be boring I will just return it. Well it was great all the way through. Best book I've read in quite awhile. I highly recommend this book ..ty for the great read
I really had no idea this book was going to turn out so good. When I started I said 592 pages ..ugg well I will just start it and if it got to be boring I will just return it. Well it was great all the way through. Best book I've read in quite awhile. I highly recommend this book ..ty for the great read
September 27, 2020
Wow, what a fun ride! This well-written novel starts innocently enough, with two best friends trying to navigate the murky realities of their suburban lives. As they try to prop one another up through problems in their marriages, finances, and with their high-school cheerleader daughters (who seem to be drifting farther and farther away...), they make a few small bad decisions. Which turn into bigger bad decisions. Which turn into really really bad decisions.
This book cleverly reminds you that you never know what is going on behind closed doors, that all relationships are fragile and intricate (and at least a little bit messy), and that we are all teetering on the edge of a slippery slope.
This book isn't short on surprises, so pour yourself a glass of wine (or two!), and dive into this book.
This book cleverly reminds you that you never know what is going on behind closed doors, that all relationships are fragile and intricate (and at least a little bit messy), and that we are all teetering on the edge of a slippery slope.
This book isn't short on surprises, so pour yourself a glass of wine (or two!), and dive into this book.
September 28, 2020
Twists and turns GALORE! Such a fun book and structured interestingly through the viewpoints of numerous characters. I did not know what to expect as this is the first book I’ve read by Laurie Lisa but there really is no way to expect all the thrills she serves up in this dish of a book! As an Arizonan, I also loved all the little references to my homeland. Only $1?! What are you waiting for?!
September 29, 2020
This was a fun read! I got so wrapped up in the characters that I could picture them in my mind! I actually told my friend to read the book then we should discuss starting a wine club. Ha! And it is not just a girls' book. My husband liked it very much, too. Curl up with a nice glass of Two Buck Chuck and read away!
September 15, 2020
Great read
Not what I would call a suspenseful Story but wow is it a great read! Humorous, sad look at the wrong things ruling our kids and the fallout. DEFINITELY recommend!
Not what I would call a suspenseful Story but wow is it a great read! Humorous, sad look at the wrong things ruling our kids and the fallout. DEFINITELY recommend!
August 18, 2020
The Wine Club is a very good read. It’s multifaceted, thought-provoking and at times sad. The characters are relatable and interesting, and the book held my interest all the way to the end. Highly recommended.
December 9, 2021
Ugh. Could have been salvaged with an editor. DNF @ 48% for this book club pick. No one in my book club who finished it liked it. My problems were too much reiterating of the same information ("Gosh, if only we'd known sooner......"If only I had asked my daughter....."Had I just asked and found out.....) and also, too much crazy shit. Hostages. Teen victims. Burning boats. Blackmail. Bernie Madoff-esque scandal. Addiction. Gay spouse. Pick a premise (suburban wives needing money), add a curve ball (gay spouse/addiction) or TWO (rich wife gets blackmailed) but NOT EVERY CRAZY THING.
July 18, 2020
The Wine Club was a great read for me!! Anyone that really knows me will tell you that I’m not a big reader!! This book had me at the first chapter. Anyone of us can relate to one or more of the characters in this book.
I’m so glad Laurie wrote this book and I can’t wait to read her next one!!
Thanks Laurie for “kindling” my reading interest!!
I’m so glad Laurie wrote this book and I can’t wait to read her next one!!
Thanks Laurie for “kindling” my reading interest!!
June 19, 2021
Way too long
This went on forever, and while it did tell a story of a devolving group of women, and followed a logical thread, it was just way too much for a novel with 2-D characters. I really wouldn’t recommend it.
This went on forever, and while it did tell a story of a devolving group of women, and followed a logical thread, it was just way too much for a novel with 2-D characters. I really wouldn’t recommend it.
September 27, 2020
For a guy to like a book with female protagonists says a lot. I found myself staying up too late at night to finish it, and even though it is nearly 600 pages long, I finished it in 4 days. I think it is unusual to see a book written from the perspective of each of the three protagonists -- so this is not a book for those wanting a "recipe" plot that "gets to the point." This is an entertaining character-driven book, and I was surprised by the very different perspectives of each of the three characters -- none of them had the same view of any of the major occurrences. I also kept shaking my head at how deep these women were willing to go to keep the wine club con alive. Living in Arizona myself, I enjoyed the scene descriptions which were very accurate. As a lawyer and wine lover, I also found the research well done. Good job - I will read more from this author.
September 28, 2020
Wow! I could not put this book down. As a cheap wine lover, the title and premise of the book grabbed my attention. I found the characters fascinating, though I did not particularly want them as my wine friends! Laurie Lisa had a way of telling what can happen when you start something that seems harmless enough and quickly get in over your head. I loved how she alternated the points of view in the book, with each chapter being told by one of the three main characters. The ending was satisfying and tied up all the loose ends. Great read!!
September 7, 2022
It was interesting, a little predictable, but some twisted turns.
June 22, 2025
I would give this 0 stars if I could. It’s almost impressive how the author could’ve written over 500 pages about these people and not included one single redeeming quality. Terrible.
June 18, 2020
I had to sit on this review for a bit and let the dust settle. There is so much to take in, I feel like anything I say will not do the book justice. This was a #GoodreadsGiveaway that I just couldn't wait for. I pre-ordered it and then missed the release. So I regret not getting to this one sooner. All the more because it is one of the top 5 I've read this year.
Laurie did a phenomenal job of giving voice to 3 women who get lost in the competition of life. The biggest tragedy is the way they come together to reinforce the bad behavior, horrible choices and largely absentee parenting. Laurie does an awesome job of capturing the facade that is suburbia in the 1980s-to present.
It was a comically painful read, as I could easily seem glimmers of my own past behavior in each of the three. Paying $4800 for cheerleading costumes & competitions, watching a teenage daughter spiral out of control as she tries to fit in. Stress on my own marriage as we deal with autism, aging parents and a cancer diagnosis. I found myself stepping away only to be drawn back into The Wine Club. I simply had to see how it all ended. What resolution, if any, would there be? I found myself sympathizing while being horrified at the solutions Reggie, Audrey & Cynthia came up with.
Underlying it all is the theme of alcoholism and the tragedy that addiction plays in poor choices. I would have loved to claim authorship of this book. It was meticulously crafted for entertainment, as much as impact. It has layers that any reader can walk away from having enjoyed. The superficial 'Hollywood' movie layer, the shocking 'this could be real' layer, the layer that gave me the chills 'I KNOW these women!', then the deeper psychological layer, that I wanted to ignore...but couldn't! I am always intrigued by studies that allow us an honest glimpse into the failures of human nature. It is, indeed, so easy to delight in the fall of someone who supposedly deserves it... but then, what does that say about us?
At first, I was disappointed in the ending. I do not provide spoilers. Suffice it to say, Laurie knew what she was doing. It hit me nearly 24 hours after finishing the book, what she wanted the reader to understand about the Wine Club. I'm just embarrassed, that it took me so long to catch on. Sometimes, we never learn... It is a masterpiece of feminine literature, exposing every insecurity and ugly behavior we women can visit on one another. The unresolved childhood traumas. The destructive coping mechanisms we develop that work well in the short term, but destroy us in the long term.
Yes, Laurie did an outstanding job and I hope she continues to write more. I'm hooked.
I will be recommending this to friends & family and gifting hard copies to special friends. Yes, I do have those. We just don't drink wine anymore :)
Laurie did a phenomenal job of giving voice to 3 women who get lost in the competition of life. The biggest tragedy is the way they come together to reinforce the bad behavior, horrible choices and largely absentee parenting. Laurie does an awesome job of capturing the facade that is suburbia in the 1980s-to present.
It was a comically painful read, as I could easily seem glimmers of my own past behavior in each of the three. Paying $4800 for cheerleading costumes & competitions, watching a teenage daughter spiral out of control as she tries to fit in. Stress on my own marriage as we deal with autism, aging parents and a cancer diagnosis. I found myself stepping away only to be drawn back into The Wine Club. I simply had to see how it all ended. What resolution, if any, would there be? I found myself sympathizing while being horrified at the solutions Reggie, Audrey & Cynthia came up with.
Underlying it all is the theme of alcoholism and the tragedy that addiction plays in poor choices. I would have loved to claim authorship of this book. It was meticulously crafted for entertainment, as much as impact. It has layers that any reader can walk away from having enjoyed. The superficial 'Hollywood' movie layer, the shocking 'this could be real' layer, the layer that gave me the chills 'I KNOW these women!', then the deeper psychological layer, that I wanted to ignore...but couldn't! I am always intrigued by studies that allow us an honest glimpse into the failures of human nature. It is, indeed, so easy to delight in the fall of someone who supposedly deserves it... but then, what does that say about us?
At first, I was disappointed in the ending. I do not provide spoilers. Suffice it to say, Laurie knew what she was doing. It hit me nearly 24 hours after finishing the book, what she wanted the reader to understand about the Wine Club. I'm just embarrassed, that it took me so long to catch on. Sometimes, we never learn... It is a masterpiece of feminine literature, exposing every insecurity and ugly behavior we women can visit on one another. The unresolved childhood traumas. The destructive coping mechanisms we develop that work well in the short term, but destroy us in the long term.
Yes, Laurie did an outstanding job and I hope she continues to write more. I'm hooked.
I will be recommending this to friends & family and gifting hard copies to special friends. Yes, I do have those. We just don't drink wine anymore :)
November 12, 2020
The Review
A truly fun yet twisted read. Author Laurie Lisa does an excellent job of setting the tone and pace for this novel early on and blends family drama with corruption and crime thriller incredibly well. The way the author is able to showcase each character’s personal struggles adds depth and background to the cast of characters who help bring this story to life.
Character growth and story play equal parts in this narrative, with the novel taking readers through twists and turns as this late-night money-making scheme turns into a full-blown crime drama like no other. The shocking twists to each of the women’s families and the growing actions each character finds themselves participating in showcase how greed and power can turn anyone into a completely different person.
The Verdict
Entertaining, witty yet delightfully wicked, author Laurie Lisa’s “The Wine Club” is a must-read crime drama. With a cast of relatable characters and themes such as sexuality, body image, and family becoming key factors in the actions of the two protagonists, readers won’t find themselves lacking any incredible drama to sink their teeth into. With a shocking final chapter, fans won’t want to miss another smash hit from author Laurie Lisa, so be sure to grab your copy today!
A truly fun yet twisted read. Author Laurie Lisa does an excellent job of setting the tone and pace for this novel early on and blends family drama with corruption and crime thriller incredibly well. The way the author is able to showcase each character’s personal struggles adds depth and background to the cast of characters who help bring this story to life.
Character growth and story play equal parts in this narrative, with the novel taking readers through twists and turns as this late-night money-making scheme turns into a full-blown crime drama like no other. The shocking twists to each of the women’s families and the growing actions each character finds themselves participating in showcase how greed and power can turn anyone into a completely different person.
The Verdict
Entertaining, witty yet delightfully wicked, author Laurie Lisa’s “The Wine Club” is a must-read crime drama. With a cast of relatable characters and themes such as sexuality, body image, and family becoming key factors in the actions of the two protagonists, readers won’t find themselves lacking any incredible drama to sink their teeth into. With a shocking final chapter, fans won’t want to miss another smash hit from author Laurie Lisa, so be sure to grab your copy today!
June 19, 2021
It weighed a million pounds and I worried it would be a slog, but I really liked this book. It’s told in such a ridiculous, tongue-in-cheek way… it was funny and entertaining.
May 14, 2021
Excellent
Excellent page turner. This book is way better than I expected. I'd never read this author before and I'm sure happy I picked this one. I'd like to see how they all cope with what they've done in the long run I didn't want it to end. But the ending was good.
Read it!
I recommend
Excellent page turner. This book is way better than I expected. I'd never read this author before and I'm sure happy I picked this one. I'd like to see how they all cope with what they've done in the long run I didn't want it to end. But the ending was good.
Read it!
I recommend
November 30, 2020
Interesting
I was tempted to stop reading this book several times. It started out so slow. Finally started to get interesting and captured my attention. I did enjoy reading and glad I finished.
I was tempted to stop reading this book several times. It started out so slow. Finally started to get interesting and captured my attention. I did enjoy reading and glad I finished.
April 5, 2021
Desperate People Do Desperate Things
I enjoyed The Wine club. It’s an opportunity for some self analysis. After all, no one can predict how they would handle extreme changes with regards to personal circumstances.
I enjoyed The Wine club. It’s an opportunity for some self analysis. After all, no one can predict how they would handle extreme changes with regards to personal circumstances.
October 21, 2020
A great read that is difficult to put down. Full of dark twists and turns. If you liked Gone Girl and Girl on a Train then this is the book for you!
March 22, 2021
Funny
Thought the book was great. Couldn't put it down kept getting better and better. The plot was intriguing. The women were funny.
Thought the book was great. Couldn't put it down kept getting better and better. The plot was intriguing. The women were funny.
April 24, 2021
What a crazy ride; humorous in a dark way. Couldn’t help but think of who would play these characters in a movie.
August 19, 2023
4.5 rounded up.
Assertive, amusing, calamitous.
We follow three parent POVs, each with teens in high school. They all want to give their kids the best, but have vastly different resources in which to do so (both emotionally and financially). They are also projecting their own regrets on their kids while navigating unexpected family situations, leading to a sort of tragic chaos.
-Set in Arizona (Phoenix, I think?), USA
🐺🐕 Growls, Howls, and Tail Wags:
🤪 This is one of those books I enjoyed while reading, but it's hard for me to define why. I think it was pretty realistic in how it unfolded. A silly one-off idea founded on a mix of rebellion, curiousity, and desperation snowballed into bizarre crimes and back-stabbing with lots of failure and folly. It felt like something that could happen and become a Netflix true crime doc at some point. No criminal geniuses here! Yet somehow slightly relatable.
🙄🫢 Definitely giving suburban rage, rich-people-behaving badly, catty unhinged women drama and stereotypes that worked with the nudge of OTT energy, but sometimes the author flipped it upside down and made you feel for the characters you love to hate. Like, we have parents acting like their 16 year old will be traumatized if they don't get their own car for their birthday, but then the motivations get deeper and we see that they use these things like a bandaid for far more serious problems.
🤷♀️ The story didn't rely on the above tropes in a typical way, so you may not enjoy this so much if those tropes are your favourites, but you also may like this story even if you don't typically enjoy those tropes.
👍 It is a long novel but didn't feel unjustified to me. There weren't any sections that felt like a drag or repetitive, and the multiple POVs worked for me. Some predictability, some surprises. This is not necessarily a fast-paced read, mainly because each POV has time invested for character development.
😛 The characters initially seem to be telling the story directly to us, the reader. I usually love that in books but it can be cheesy if done incorrectly. In this case it was done well, and paired with a lot of fly-on-the-wall narration. At any given time we usually know more about what is going on than the characters, which is where most of the drama comes from.
Mood Reading Match Up:
-Rich and not-so-rich people behaving badly
-Suburban drama; arrested development parents raising teens
-Contemporary fictions about mother-daughter and female friendship dynamics
-White collar crime plots with consequences
-Plots that start off satirical and OTT, evolving to more serious crime drama with light social commentary
Content Heads-Up: Alcohol use (social drinking, binge drinking, parties). Alcoholism. Bullying. Psychopathy/emotional abuse of teens. Financial crime, corruption. Fire/fire injury. Loveless marriage. Infidelity. Stalking. Blackmail. Kidnapping. Divorce. Rep and fall-out from being gay but hiding it until 40s/50s (involuntary outing).
Format: Kindle Unlimited
Assertive, amusing, calamitous.
We follow three parent POVs, each with teens in high school. They all want to give their kids the best, but have vastly different resources in which to do so (both emotionally and financially). They are also projecting their own regrets on their kids while navigating unexpected family situations, leading to a sort of tragic chaos.
-Set in Arizona (Phoenix, I think?), USA
🐺🐕 Growls, Howls, and Tail Wags:
🤪 This is one of those books I enjoyed while reading, but it's hard for me to define why. I think it was pretty realistic in how it unfolded. A silly one-off idea founded on a mix of rebellion, curiousity, and desperation snowballed into bizarre crimes and back-stabbing with lots of failure and folly. It felt like something that could happen and become a Netflix true crime doc at some point. No criminal geniuses here! Yet somehow slightly relatable.
🙄🫢 Definitely giving suburban rage, rich-people-behaving badly, catty unhinged women drama and stereotypes that worked with the nudge of OTT energy, but sometimes the author flipped it upside down and made you feel for the characters you love to hate. Like, we have parents acting like their 16 year old will be traumatized if they don't get their own car for their birthday, but then the motivations get deeper and we see that they use these things like a bandaid for far more serious problems.
🤷♀️ The story didn't rely on the above tropes in a typical way, so you may not enjoy this so much if those tropes are your favourites, but you also may like this story even if you don't typically enjoy those tropes.
👍 It is a long novel but didn't feel unjustified to me. There weren't any sections that felt like a drag or repetitive, and the multiple POVs worked for me. Some predictability, some surprises. This is not necessarily a fast-paced read, mainly because each POV has time invested for character development.
😛 The characters initially seem to be telling the story directly to us, the reader. I usually love that in books but it can be cheesy if done incorrectly. In this case it was done well, and paired with a lot of fly-on-the-wall narration. At any given time we usually know more about what is going on than the characters, which is where most of the drama comes from.
Mood Reading Match Up:
-Rich and not-so-rich people behaving badly
-Suburban drama; arrested development parents raising teens
-Contemporary fictions about mother-daughter and female friendship dynamics
-White collar crime plots with consequences
-Plots that start off satirical and OTT, evolving to more serious crime drama with light social commentary
Content Heads-Up: Alcohol use (social drinking, binge drinking, parties). Alcoholism. Bullying. Psychopathy/emotional abuse of teens. Financial crime, corruption. Fire/fire injury. Loveless marriage. Infidelity. Stalking. Blackmail. Kidnapping. Divorce. Rep and fall-out from being gay but hiding it until 40s/50s (involuntary outing).
Format: Kindle Unlimited
October 18, 2021
This book was quite the surprise! What started out as a bit of ho hum let's just make it thru the book turned into an avid read that I couldn't put down. There was so much going on between the 3 protagonist's that it was a constant battle to contain my imagination with how it would all end.
Greed. It's what drives some to success and others to destruction. Best friends and neighbors, Audrey and Reggie are down on their luck in life. Cynthia just wants to fit in. With failed marriages, fraud and blackmail along with a storyline of the daughters of the main characters and a splash of husband saga.....you have one heck of an intriguing story! Everything is woven perfectly together and has it's own place in the story right up to the very end.
Greed. It's what drives some to success and others to destruction. Best friends and neighbors, Audrey and Reggie are down on their luck in life. Cynthia just wants to fit in. With failed marriages, fraud and blackmail along with a storyline of the daughters of the main characters and a splash of husband saga.....you have one heck of an intriguing story! Everything is woven perfectly together and has it's own place in the story right up to the very end.
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