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The Boys' Club
Sweetbitter meets The Firm in this buzzy, page-turning debut novel—already optioned to Netflix—about sex and power in the halls of corporate America.
One of Buzzfeed's Most Anticipated Books of 2020, Cosmopolitan's Best Summer Reads of 2020, and the New York Post's 30 Best Summer Books
Alex Vogel has always been a high achiever who lived her life by the book—star student and athlete in high school, prelaw whiz in college, Harvard Law School degree. Accepting a dream offer at the prestigious Manhattan law firm of Klasko & Fitch, she promises her sweet and supportive longtime boyfriend that the job won’t change her.
Yet Alex is seduced by the firm’s money and energy . . . and by her cocksure male colleagues, who quickly take notice of the new girl. She’s never felt so confident and powerful—even the innuendo-laced banter with clients feels fun. In the firm’s most profitable and competitive division, Mergers and Acquisitions, Alex works around the clock, racking up billable hours and entertaining clients late into the evening. While the job is punishing, it has its perks, like a weekend trip to Miami, a ride in a client’s private jet, and more expense-account meals than she can count.
But as her clients’ expectations and demands on her increase, and Alex finds herself magnetically drawn to a handsome coworker despite her loving relationship at home, she begins to question everything—including herself. She knows the corporate world isn’t black and white, and that to reach the top means playing by different rules. But who made those rules? And what if the system rigged so that women can’t win, anyway?
When something happens that reveals the dark reality of the firm, Alex comes to understand the ways women like her are told—explicitly and implicitly—how they need to behave to succeed in the workplace. Now, she can no longer stand by silently—even if doing what’s right means putting everything on the line to expose the shocking truth.
One of Buzzfeed's Most Anticipated Books of 2020, Cosmopolitan's Best Summer Reads of 2020, and the New York Post's 30 Best Summer Books
Alex Vogel has always been a high achiever who lived her life by the book—star student and athlete in high school, prelaw whiz in college, Harvard Law School degree. Accepting a dream offer at the prestigious Manhattan law firm of Klasko & Fitch, she promises her sweet and supportive longtime boyfriend that the job won’t change her.
Yet Alex is seduced by the firm’s money and energy . . . and by her cocksure male colleagues, who quickly take notice of the new girl. She’s never felt so confident and powerful—even the innuendo-laced banter with clients feels fun. In the firm’s most profitable and competitive division, Mergers and Acquisitions, Alex works around the clock, racking up billable hours and entertaining clients late into the evening. While the job is punishing, it has its perks, like a weekend trip to Miami, a ride in a client’s private jet, and more expense-account meals than she can count.
But as her clients’ expectations and demands on her increase, and Alex finds herself magnetically drawn to a handsome coworker despite her loving relationship at home, she begins to question everything—including herself. She knows the corporate world isn’t black and white, and that to reach the top means playing by different rules. But who made those rules? And what if the system rigged so that women can’t win, anyway?
When something happens that reveals the dark reality of the firm, Alex comes to understand the ways women like her are told—explicitly and implicitly—how they need to behave to succeed in the workplace. Now, she can no longer stand by silently—even if doing what’s right means putting everything on the line to expose the shocking truth.
416 pages, Paperback
First published August 4, 2020
723 people are currently reading
25361 people want to read
About the author
Erica Katz
4 books391 followers"Erica Katz" is the pseudonym for a graduate of Columbia Law School who began her career at a major Manhattan law firm. A native of New Jersey, she now lives in New York City, where she’s employed at another large law firm.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,721 reviews
April 6, 2022
I always enjoy to read legal thrillers, for having opportunity to get a closer look to the lawyers’ world and when the book’s blurb gives you some vibes: Devil Wears Prada (young candidate tries to prove herself, turns into workaholic and gets estranged with her boyfriend parts, but unfortunately we don’t have our Miranda Priestly in this equation) meets Firm ( a candidate gets in bed with corporate law evils, losing control of her life) and a little similarities with Escape Room. Who says no to the gripping, exciting, fast pacing page turner! Of course I didn’t.
BUT… (Yes I hate to start sentences with caps locked words)In the beginning you just root for Alex Vogel, chanting for her: Go girl, show those mother*ckers how a brilliant woman can climb to the career ladders and impress everyone with her extraordinary, exquisite ideas. Alex was idealist, naïve but also determined, hard worker, doing everything to find her place at corporate law management. She tells herself she will never change and her job will never affect her relationship with boyfriend. But at the second half of the book, our character turns into a real bitch, cheater, having affair with a married man (because she can and it’s fun!), corrupted by the system and being worse version of her colleagues.
I know it’s so natural to hate lawyers and we all know they’re so ambitious to win their ways but in this book: the lawyers are portrayed like real scumbags and worst kind of human waste. They are depicted more disgusting than politicians which made me stop right there.
The way of their celebration of their bonuses at the office parties reminded me of scenes from Scorsese’s Wolf of Wall Street. And also losing my connection with the character, turns into meaner and more despicable person at each page made me lose my interest. The book’s direction lost its way at the last quarter, kept repeating itself made me feel like a hamster chasing its tail and getting nowhere!
Don’t get me wrong! There is nothing boring, dull or flat about the subject but I think character developments were problematic and over exaggerated. I felt like I was reading a reality show script with so many scumbags and illogical, nonsense, unrealistic people.
I’m just rounding up 2.5 stars to 3 because the beginning was promising and I haven’t had any problem about pacing. Even though I hate the story’s progression and characters’ evolving, it was still fast read. I want to call this one in the middle, junkie food reading. There was nothing nutritional valued inside of it. But it was easily consumed even though later it will give me stomach burning, it was good as one time thing!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for sharing this legal Thriller ARC in exchange my honest review.
BUT… (Yes I hate to start sentences with caps locked words)In the beginning you just root for Alex Vogel, chanting for her: Go girl, show those mother*ckers how a brilliant woman can climb to the career ladders and impress everyone with her extraordinary, exquisite ideas. Alex was idealist, naïve but also determined, hard worker, doing everything to find her place at corporate law management. She tells herself she will never change and her job will never affect her relationship with boyfriend. But at the second half of the book, our character turns into a real bitch, cheater, having affair with a married man (because she can and it’s fun!), corrupted by the system and being worse version of her colleagues.
I know it’s so natural to hate lawyers and we all know they’re so ambitious to win their ways but in this book: the lawyers are portrayed like real scumbags and worst kind of human waste. They are depicted more disgusting than politicians which made me stop right there.
The way of their celebration of their bonuses at the office parties reminded me of scenes from Scorsese’s Wolf of Wall Street. And also losing my connection with the character, turns into meaner and more despicable person at each page made me lose my interest. The book’s direction lost its way at the last quarter, kept repeating itself made me feel like a hamster chasing its tail and getting nowhere!
Don’t get me wrong! There is nothing boring, dull or flat about the subject but I think character developments were problematic and over exaggerated. I felt like I was reading a reality show script with so many scumbags and illogical, nonsense, unrealistic people.
I’m just rounding up 2.5 stars to 3 because the beginning was promising and I haven’t had any problem about pacing. Even though I hate the story’s progression and characters’ evolving, it was still fast read. I want to call this one in the middle, junkie food reading. There was nothing nutritional valued inside of it. But it was easily consumed even though later it will give me stomach burning, it was good as one time thing!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for sharing this legal Thriller ARC in exchange my honest review.
August 12, 2020
*** Happy publication day to this fantastic book!! ****
Do you ever read a book and just wish it wasn't going to end? Yeah I don't have that happen much either. Usually I am really ready for a book to wrap it up, but I was a little sad to see this end. I was so invested in Alex's life, I really could have hung out with her for quite awhile more.
When you hang with the boys and you are the only girl, you are going to take some heat. In a man's world, Alex landed in with the big boys. How you ask? Did she sleep her way in? Did she do something sketchy? Nope she just worked damn hard. Every minute of the day, she thought about work. It paid off...well...very well.
Alex Vogel is not someone to be pitied by any means. She graduated Harvard Law School and landed a job at one of most prestigious law firms in the world. Klasko & Fitch is the place to be. As we move through this story we see Alex move from another unknown 1st year lawyer to......a girl with everything..Everyone knows Skippy. She is really good at her job and everyone knows it.
I think why I enjoyed this much is there was such fantastic character development. I felt I knew Alex. Some of you are going to hate her. Don't be haters...yes she partied and she partied hard. Yes she made wrong choices. Yes she did things that would make you think oh god Alex. Yet she was a young girl that suddenly found herself with unlimited money, a gorgeous apartment, surrounded by very powerful people. Well hello Bergdorf Goodman- don't mind if I do. This was her life. So she went a little crazy, most people would. The question is will she come out on the other side?
With the money, power, prestige...came lots of drugs and alcohol...and boys will be boys right? Hmmm...how far will Alex let this go to get the top? Will she stand up for herself and risk losing it all?
I loved this book so much. I had not even heard of this until it landed on my doorstep from the publisher, I swear HarperCollins knows my taste better than I do! You all are the best! Seriously an amazing debut. I LOVE finding a great debut author and here is one for you! You can tell she is a lawyer and I certainly have to wonder how much of this reflects real life, I wouldn't be surprised is all I can say. Highly recommend this one!
Do you ever read a book and just wish it wasn't going to end? Yeah I don't have that happen much either. Usually I am really ready for a book to wrap it up, but I was a little sad to see this end. I was so invested in Alex's life, I really could have hung out with her for quite awhile more.
When you hang with the boys and you are the only girl, you are going to take some heat. In a man's world, Alex landed in with the big boys. How you ask? Did she sleep her way in? Did she do something sketchy? Nope she just worked damn hard. Every minute of the day, she thought about work. It paid off...well...very well.
Alex Vogel is not someone to be pitied by any means. She graduated Harvard Law School and landed a job at one of most prestigious law firms in the world. Klasko & Fitch is the place to be. As we move through this story we see Alex move from another unknown 1st year lawyer to......a girl with everything..Everyone knows Skippy. She is really good at her job and everyone knows it.
I think why I enjoyed this much is there was such fantastic character development. I felt I knew Alex. Some of you are going to hate her. Don't be haters...yes she partied and she partied hard. Yes she made wrong choices. Yes she did things that would make you think oh god Alex. Yet she was a young girl that suddenly found herself with unlimited money, a gorgeous apartment, surrounded by very powerful people. Well hello Bergdorf Goodman- don't mind if I do. This was her life. So she went a little crazy, most people would. The question is will she come out on the other side?
With the money, power, prestige...came lots of drugs and alcohol...and boys will be boys right? Hmmm...how far will Alex let this go to get the top? Will she stand up for herself and risk losing it all?
I loved this book so much. I had not even heard of this until it landed on my doorstep from the publisher, I swear HarperCollins knows my taste better than I do! You all are the best! Seriously an amazing debut. I LOVE finding a great debut author and here is one for you! You can tell she is a lawyer and I certainly have to wonder how much of this reflects real life, I wouldn't be surprised is all I can say. Highly recommend this one!
August 24, 2020
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4.5 Stars!!!
A fast-paced and gripping read!
This story takes readers deep into the world of Mergers & Acquisitions at the prestigious law firm, Klasko & Fitch.
Alexandra (Alex) Vogel has always been a high achiever. After receiving her Harvard Law School degree, she accepts what she thinks will be her dream job at one of the world’s largest law firms, Klasko & Fitch. Alex is excited about her luxurious new apartment, her fancy wardrobe, and everything else her new salary will allow her to have.
Alex’s loving and supportive boyfriend, Sam moved to New York with her. Alex tells Sam how everyone says this new job is going to take over her life. Sam says it will be manageable…unless she matches with Mergers & Acquisitions (M & A).
For the first eight months at the firm, new associates will learn as much as they can about the different practice areas. This will help them make an educated decision on where they’d like to work for their career. You rank them, they rank you, and you match. However, there’s not enough space for everybody in the best practice groups. The competition is fierce. Associates have to find ways of standing out. Mergers & Acquisitions is the most competitive group to match. Alex is intrigued but reminds herself about the huge amount of hours they work and the demanding clients they deal with. However, she can see that the division also has its perks. Some of the M & A all-stars take an interest in Alex. Soon she’s working almost exclusively with them.
At first, Sam seems to be fine with the long hours, forgotten plans, interrupted dinners, and missed holidays etc. The hours are brutal and Alex often finds herself sleeping at the office. However, the money is fantastic. Socializing is also a big part of the job, and Alex's personal life slowly starts to bleed into her professional life. Days and nights blur, it's all-consuming.
But is it worth it?
If Alex is honest there are a few things that start to bother her. However, she brushes them aside. Until something happens that she just can't ignore.
Will Alex do the right thing? Even if it means she might lose everything she's worked so hard for?
An excellent read about power, sex, and money!!
I flew through this novel. I had so many questions and didn’t want to put it down until I had the answers. Interspersed throughout are parts of depositions, emails, etc. that give hints as to what might be coming in the chapters ahead. It was written in a way that also helped me to understand (mostly) what was being discussed. I feel I learned a little bit about the way M & A works.
An exciting and enjoyable read. The office antics had me raising my eyebrows and blushing at times. I can see why this has already been optioned for Netflix. I can’t wait to check that out too.
The Boys’ Club is Erica Katz’s (pseudonym) first novel. In my opinion, a terrific debut. I'm excited to read more from this talented author.
I'd like to thank the publisher for providing me with a copy of this novel. All opinions are my own.
September 29, 2020
Alex is ready to tackle her first job at a Manhattan law firm after graduating from Harvard. She finds out very quickly that M & A (Mergers & Acquisitions) is not the direction she should pursue if she appreciates her work/life balance. Yet, she can’t help herself when she gets called on to do some projects in M & A.
While Alex is making more money than she ever thought possible, and living in a gorgeous apartment in NYC, she quickly finds that to keep up with the pace of her job, there will be a price to pay. Going from a 1st year nobody at the law firm to well known, and one of the only females working in M & A, will change Alex’s whole life...but not necessarily for the better.
I was fascinated by this seemingly realistic portrayal of lawyers, a woman in a man’s world, and greed. I was afraid some of the law talk would fly over my head and make things dull, but I was picking up what the book was throwing down. The character development was insanely well written. Alex makes a TON of bad decisions (drugs, sex, emotional distancing), but you can’t help but root for her and hope she stays on top, and gets her life in order. This is the debut novel of a real-life lawyer, and I can’t help but wonder if any of these situations are more realistic than we might think.
4.5 stars.
While Alex is making more money than she ever thought possible, and living in a gorgeous apartment in NYC, she quickly finds that to keep up with the pace of her job, there will be a price to pay. Going from a 1st year nobody at the law firm to well known, and one of the only females working in M & A, will change Alex’s whole life...but not necessarily for the better.
I was fascinated by this seemingly realistic portrayal of lawyers, a woman in a man’s world, and greed. I was afraid some of the law talk would fly over my head and make things dull, but I was picking up what the book was throwing down. The character development was insanely well written. Alex makes a TON of bad decisions (drugs, sex, emotional distancing), but you can’t help but root for her and hope she stays on top, and gets her life in order. This is the debut novel of a real-life lawyer, and I can’t help but wonder if any of these situations are more realistic than we might think.
4.5 stars.
October 18, 2020
Freaking Insanity!
A Law Firm Thriller that will Blow You AWAY!
Ever wonder what may go on in the High Stakes world of an extremely powerful New York City Law Firm? Look no further than “The Boy’s Club” by Erica Katz.
Drugs, Sex, Scandals and lots of Money.
Alex Vogel is a First Year Associate at Klasko & Fitch, one of the top 10 law firms in the World. This is her dream job and upon being hired she soon realizes that she’ll do almost anything to rise to the top - including working in Mergers and Acquisitions - where the pressure is on, the rules go out the window and the perks are outrageous.
What happens here is .. well let me just say: WOAH! (I simply cannot spoil it - YOU MUST READ IT FOR YOURSELVES!)
Is this all true you ask? BAAHH!!!
Having worked in the legal field for over 25 years now, and having worked in two law firms that ranked in the Top 25 law firms in the world during that time, I might have screamed “OBJECTION!” more than a few times - but that being said, I was all in reading this suspenseful novel.
Wild, Crazy, Dark, Demented and Highly Entertaining, “The Boys Club” is one helluva fabulous read.
While some storylines in “The Boys Club are over the top, a good portion of them are not and are highly prevalent and I applaud the author, Erica Katz for bringing these to light.
“The Boys Club” is a brilliantly plotted, crazy and fascinating novel and I highly recommend it. I can’t wait to see what Ms. Katz comes up with next!
Thank you to my local library for loaning me a copy of this fantastic read.
Published on Goodreads on 10.18.20.
A Law Firm Thriller that will Blow You AWAY!
Ever wonder what may go on in the High Stakes world of an extremely powerful New York City Law Firm? Look no further than “The Boy’s Club” by Erica Katz.
Drugs, Sex, Scandals and lots of Money.
Alex Vogel is a First Year Associate at Klasko & Fitch, one of the top 10 law firms in the World. This is her dream job and upon being hired she soon realizes that she’ll do almost anything to rise to the top - including working in Mergers and Acquisitions - where the pressure is on, the rules go out the window and the perks are outrageous.
What happens here is .. well let me just say: WOAH! (I simply cannot spoil it - YOU MUST READ IT FOR YOURSELVES!)
Is this all true you ask? BAAHH!!!
Having worked in the legal field for over 25 years now, and having worked in two law firms that ranked in the Top 25 law firms in the world during that time, I might have screamed “OBJECTION!” more than a few times - but that being said, I was all in reading this suspenseful novel.
Wild, Crazy, Dark, Demented and Highly Entertaining, “The Boys Club” is one helluva fabulous read.
While some storylines in “The Boys Club are over the top, a good portion of them are not and are highly prevalent and I applaud the author, Erica Katz for bringing these to light.
“The Boys Club” is a brilliantly plotted, crazy and fascinating novel and I highly recommend it. I can’t wait to see what Ms. Katz comes up with next!
Thank you to my local library for loaning me a copy of this fantastic read.
Published on Goodreads on 10.18.20.
August 13, 2020
Audiobook... narrated by Julia Whelan
“‘Sweetbitter’ meets ‘The Firm’”...
....perfect blurb description.
[already optioned to Netflix]
Alex Vogel, is a first year associate at a prestigious Manhattan law firm: Klasko & Fitch.
A senior associate calls Alex, Skippy....
The other male lawyers at the firm eventually join in.
“Hey, Skip, can you bring me a latte?”
“Hey, Skip, coming out for drinks with us?”
“Great dress, Skippy”
Questions ladies? How would you feel about being called *Skippy*?
Be honest!
Would it make you feel like you’re part of the guys?
Might you find it flattering?... flirtatious? harmless?
warmly-intimate? Professionally inappropriate?
Would it piss you off?
Would you stop it?
What if part of you liked it... and a part of you knew it was wrong? How might you respond? Would you respond? Little face smirk? Or more?
Are you a woman who would completely detest the nickname - be angry as hell - and immediately put a stop to it? Kick your boss in the balls?
And ‘what’ is wrong with ‘liking’ the pet name?
Would you question yourself for having mixed feelings?
Alex was the youngest, the newbie, smart, Harvard grad, and beautiful.....
She was trying to climb the corporate ladder— ‘aware’ she was in a predominantly male dominated environment-
And truthfully... she felt insecure about how to be, what to wear, and choices to make.
The storytelling keeps spinning- held my interest - some of it predictable - ( not a problem for me—I actually liked looking and re-looking at familiar issues)... but definitely not everything was predictable.
I could feel Alex - on the edge - walking a tightrope - aware of her rights - aware of ‘women issues’ ( as in should be everyone’s issues)....
but the fact was....
“The Boys Club” was a powerful group to crack for any singular woman in an office.
There were are other female characters as well: Carmen, Vivian, and Nancy... but it’s Alex who shines the light of the men in the office.
And it’s Alex who finds herself in a pickle. She has a live-in boyfriend, Sam.
Initially, Alex was going to play it safe: with real estate.... but she ended up working with mergers and acquisition‘s (M & A)... a challenging finance job.... with other male senior BigSh#ts.
Ok, I’ll be nice - not every white male lawyer is a sh#t.
I know a few decent white male lawyers from my own family.
However .. this is fiction-fun...
Much ‘does’ sound like true life....
Long hours; little sleep, lots of drinking at the bar after work... and other naughty shenanigans.
Yes, it’s 2020....
but the Boys Club still exists.
The biggest client harassed a string of women, none spoke
Sound like a familiar theme?
“The Boy’s Club is a dangerous place to be...”
....a delicious - engaging story anyway!
What makes this Audiobook great ... (with Julia Whelan’s talented voice )....
is the freshness - sassiness - messiness -dialogue - sarcasm - humor - and curious suspense.
It was pure entertainment...
...putting a motor-zip-enhancement into my hilly trail steps.
Contemporary & fun!
4.5 stars... rating up due to that naughty- business-enjoyment!
“‘Sweetbitter’ meets ‘The Firm’”...
....perfect blurb description.
[already optioned to Netflix]
Alex Vogel, is a first year associate at a prestigious Manhattan law firm: Klasko & Fitch.
A senior associate calls Alex, Skippy....
The other male lawyers at the firm eventually join in.
“Hey, Skip, can you bring me a latte?”
“Hey, Skip, coming out for drinks with us?”
“Great dress, Skippy”
Questions ladies? How would you feel about being called *Skippy*?
Be honest!
Would it make you feel like you’re part of the guys?
Might you find it flattering?... flirtatious? harmless?
warmly-intimate? Professionally inappropriate?
Would it piss you off?
Would you stop it?
What if part of you liked it... and a part of you knew it was wrong? How might you respond? Would you respond? Little face smirk? Or more?
Are you a woman who would completely detest the nickname - be angry as hell - and immediately put a stop to it? Kick your boss in the balls?
And ‘what’ is wrong with ‘liking’ the pet name?
Would you question yourself for having mixed feelings?
Alex was the youngest, the newbie, smart, Harvard grad, and beautiful.....
She was trying to climb the corporate ladder— ‘aware’ she was in a predominantly male dominated environment-
And truthfully... she felt insecure about how to be, what to wear, and choices to make.
The storytelling keeps spinning- held my interest - some of it predictable - ( not a problem for me—I actually liked looking and re-looking at familiar issues)... but definitely not everything was predictable.
I could feel Alex - on the edge - walking a tightrope - aware of her rights - aware of ‘women issues’ ( as in should be everyone’s issues)....
but the fact was....
“The Boys Club” was a powerful group to crack for any singular woman in an office.
There were are other female characters as well: Carmen, Vivian, and Nancy... but it’s Alex who shines the light of the men in the office.
And it’s Alex who finds herself in a pickle. She has a live-in boyfriend, Sam.
Initially, Alex was going to play it safe: with real estate.... but she ended up working with mergers and acquisition‘s (M & A)... a challenging finance job.... with other male senior BigSh#ts.
Ok, I’ll be nice - not every white male lawyer is a sh#t.
I know a few decent white male lawyers from my own family.
However .. this is fiction-fun...
Much ‘does’ sound like true life....
Long hours; little sleep, lots of drinking at the bar after work... and other naughty shenanigans.
Yes, it’s 2020....
but the Boys Club still exists.
The biggest client harassed a string of women, none spoke
Sound like a familiar theme?
“The Boy’s Club is a dangerous place to be...”
....a delicious - engaging story anyway!
What makes this Audiobook great ... (with Julia Whelan’s talented voice )....
is the freshness - sassiness - messiness -dialogue - sarcasm - humor - and curious suspense.
It was pure entertainment...
...putting a motor-zip-enhancement into my hilly trail steps.
Contemporary & fun!
4.5 stars... rating up due to that naughty- business-enjoyment!
February 15, 2021
I’m just saying, be careful. You put a bunch of smart, hungry people in competition for the same prize and the result is, well, people are almost never what they seem around here.I liked most of The Boys’ Club. Alex Vogel is a well-developed, engaging character. The early portion of the novel, where we see her slowly fall in with the Mergers and Acquisitions group—out of competition, or simply her drive to be the best at everything—is interesting and often fun. The strain the work puts on her life and her relationships, and her fear that she’s changing, are quite believable. Even when she’s making mistakes, you’re rooting for Alex to succeed.
...
In that moment, I threw out any sense of morality or Girl Code. There was only loyalty.
But until the very end of the book (and if I’m honest, not even then), I wasn’t sure whether or not Alex and Carmen were actually friends or frenemies. And at about the 85% mark, the book takes a pretty dark turn that I would describe as being out of step with the rest of the story. Perhaps most disappointingly, after a lot of interesting buildup, the ending is rather weak and fails to pull everything together.
As a larger story about the pitfalls facing women in corporate America and/or so-called Big Law, I thought The Boys’ Club was all over the place. How much flirting is acceptable? Is it ever wiser to accept small moments of sexism, going along to get along? What should be done about the unequal consequences for men and women in office affairs? What should we think about women who tear each other down, through gossip or false rumors, rather than having each others’ backs? The book raises all of these questions and more, but various characters (and often just Alex again and again) handle them differently at different times with no clear picture about what’s actually right or wrong.
Goodreads describes The Boys’ Club as “Sweetbitter meets The Firm.” I don’t know that I’ve ever agreed more with that type of description. The problem is that Sweetbitter is not a very good book and, unfortunately, this book has the same flaws in unclear characterization and a weak ending. I’ll keep my eye out for Ms. Katz’s next book because there really was a lot to like here. Hopefully, her sophomore effort (like The Firm) will fulfill more of her promise.
November 25, 2020
Give me a good lawyer/courtroom drama and I'm happy. In fact, two of my favorite shows ever are "The good wife" and "The good fight", so when I learned about "The boys' club" I thought I would LOVE it, but I just merely liked it.
Alex is a woman in a male oriented world, and she's set to prove she has what it takes to be up there with them, but I couldn't help wondering...is it worth it? At the beginning she's presented as full of ideals, a little bit naive and not willing to compromise with certain things that go against what she stands for. But once she tasted power and money she turns into the total opposite, cheating, doing drugs and engaging in certain behaviors that made me dislike her so much (seriously are you justifying being groped by a client for the sake of the job?!). If that's what it takes to be part of the boys' club I certainly don't wanna be part of it! It's not until the last pages that she realizes what she's turned into and tries to redeem herself but, too late, girl! You had already lost me.
I will never understand these characters that boast about their salaries and bonuses but have to work a gazillion hours for them. What's the point of having millions in your bank account if you don't have time to enjoy them? Also, all this bulls*it about M&A being the hardest thing in the world got a little bit tiring. Reading about it one would think they were saving lives! It's just money, guys! As you can see I'm totally suited for the corporate world!
The fact that there was not a single character I liked and could root for made it a bit hard for me to get into the story. And when you add up all that legalese mumbo jumbo...
Although the story moved along, didn't stall for a moment and managed to kept me entertained, there was a lot of day to day office life and not enough action for my taste.
Maybe it was the fact that I listened the audiobook and if I'm not totally engrossed in the story my mind tends to wander, or that it was not in my first language (who am I kidding? As if I would have understood it in spanish), but this was me while listening to part of this book.
Alex is a woman in a male oriented world, and she's set to prove she has what it takes to be up there with them, but I couldn't help wondering...is it worth it? At the beginning she's presented as full of ideals, a little bit naive and not willing to compromise with certain things that go against what she stands for. But once she tasted power and money she turns into the total opposite, cheating, doing drugs and engaging in certain behaviors that made me dislike her so much (seriously are you justifying being groped by a client for the sake of the job?!). If that's what it takes to be part of the boys' club I certainly don't wanna be part of it! It's not until the last pages that she realizes what she's turned into and tries to redeem herself but, too late, girl! You had already lost me.
I will never understand these characters that boast about their salaries and bonuses but have to work a gazillion hours for them. What's the point of having millions in your bank account if you don't have time to enjoy them? Also, all this bulls*it about M&A being the hardest thing in the world got a little bit tiring. Reading about it one would think they were saving lives! It's just money, guys! As you can see I'm totally suited for the corporate world!
The fact that there was not a single character I liked and could root for made it a bit hard for me to get into the story. And when you add up all that legalese mumbo jumbo...
Although the story moved along, didn't stall for a moment and managed to kept me entertained, there was a lot of day to day office life and not enough action for my taste.
Maybe it was the fact that I listened the audiobook and if I'm not totally engrossed in the story my mind tends to wander, or that it was not in my first language (who am I kidding? As if I would have understood it in spanish), but this was me while listening to part of this book.
June 6, 2020
I received an ARC of this book for free from the publisher (Harper Books) in exchange for an honest review.
I give this book 4.5 stars which rounds up to 5 stars.
As a female law student who just took Mergers and Acquisitions this past semester, I was so excited to read this.
First off, you can totally tell that an attorney wrote this book. There were so many little things that harkened back to things I have been told in law school. There is a lot of talk (especially in the beginning) about what female attorneys should wear. That is so true. At another point, Alex disagrees with something the partner says and internally struggles with whether or not she should say something. That sounds like something straight out of my Professional Responsibility class. Another thing that gets mentioned is that everyone wins a deal if they do their jobs correctly. I’ve heard that many times in law school. One last thing that gets mentioned is knowing what you don’t know. That’s another topic in Professional Responsibility.
I loved all the legal touches to the book such as the deposition transcripts. The book is also divided up into the 6 parts of a failed merger. I thought that was a clever way to do that.
This book is also very timely because of the #MeToo aspects.
I found the book to be incredibly engaging. Once I started reading it, I just wanted to keep going and I didn’t want it to end. I was so fascinated by Alex’s world.
This book is already optioned to be a Netflix film and I think this book would make a great movie.
The only thing I didn’t love was that the ending was a bit anti-climactic. Since there was a lot of buildup, I was expecting something huge to happen at the end. However, I did appreciate that the ending was realistic.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book, especially all the legal aspects.
I give this book 4.5 stars which rounds up to 5 stars.
As a female law student who just took Mergers and Acquisitions this past semester, I was so excited to read this.
First off, you can totally tell that an attorney wrote this book. There were so many little things that harkened back to things I have been told in law school. There is a lot of talk (especially in the beginning) about what female attorneys should wear. That is so true. At another point, Alex disagrees with something the partner says and internally struggles with whether or not she should say something. That sounds like something straight out of my Professional Responsibility class. Another thing that gets mentioned is that everyone wins a deal if they do their jobs correctly. I’ve heard that many times in law school. One last thing that gets mentioned is knowing what you don’t know. That’s another topic in Professional Responsibility.
I loved all the legal touches to the book such as the deposition transcripts. The book is also divided up into the 6 parts of a failed merger. I thought that was a clever way to do that.
This book is also very timely because of the #MeToo aspects.
I found the book to be incredibly engaging. Once I started reading it, I just wanted to keep going and I didn’t want it to end. I was so fascinated by Alex’s world.
This book is already optioned to be a Netflix film and I think this book would make a great movie.
The only thing I didn’t love was that the ending was a bit anti-climactic. Since there was a lot of buildup, I was expecting something huge to happen at the end. However, I did appreciate that the ending was realistic.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book, especially all the legal aspects.
January 26, 2021
When recent Harvard law school grad Alex lands a job as a first year associate at Manhattan’s most prestigious law firm Klasko & Fitch, she’s well aware of the sacrifices she’ll have to make for the first few years until she catches the eyes of the Management Committee. As long as she steers clear of the “boys’ club” that is mergers and acquisitions, she should be able to retain some semblance of a personal life. The draw of big name clients, the competition within the new class and FOMO in general can be a powerful force, however, so when Alex is reassigned from her meager lease review tasks in the real estate group to being served a bigger slice of the pie in M&A she can’t resist.
Okay, normally books about lawyers or containing legal subject matter are just not my idea of a good time. I tend to be unable to suspend my disbelief enough to simply appreciate them for their entertainment value and can’t help but pick apart all of the inaccuracies. But this one?????????
I never read Sweetbitter which is mentioned in the blurb, but I was totally in the mood for something over-the-top like the other mentioned novel The Firm and was prepared for murderous partners and other bullshittery when I started this one. What I wasn’t expecting was how realistic this one came across. I didn’t have to use my imagination much to follow along with the plotline, which is actually quite terrifying.
That being said, please take my rating with a truckload of salt. The Boys’ Club may have only worked so well for me due to the fact that I actually work in the boys’ club every day as my 9-5 (minus all of the coke snorting). BigLaw is definitely a thing, M&A absolutely consists of men who could also be in J. Crew catalogs, the more “deal toys” you have on your shelves/window ledge the more powerful everyone will believe you to be, the tell-all blog exists (but is called Above the Law rather than the fictional Below the Belt) and the entire thing????? Oh so highly entertaining. I loved this freaking book and it did not lose my attention for even a second. It was so believable and now and it is very apparent that this author knows what the fuck she’s talking about.
Again, YMMV. It might only truly work this well for others who walk the pencil skirt shuffle every day. I’m giving it all the stars.
Okay, normally books about lawyers or containing legal subject matter are just not my idea of a good time. I tend to be unable to suspend my disbelief enough to simply appreciate them for their entertainment value and can’t help but pick apart all of the inaccuracies. But this one?????????
I never read Sweetbitter which is mentioned in the blurb, but I was totally in the mood for something over-the-top like the other mentioned novel The Firm and was prepared for murderous partners and other bullshittery when I started this one. What I wasn’t expecting was how realistic this one came across. I didn’t have to use my imagination much to follow along with the plotline, which is actually quite terrifying.
That being said, please take my rating with a truckload of salt. The Boys’ Club may have only worked so well for me due to the fact that I actually work in the boys’ club every day as my 9-5 (minus all of the coke snorting). BigLaw is definitely a thing, M&A absolutely consists of men who could also be in J. Crew catalogs, the more “deal toys” you have on your shelves/window ledge the more powerful everyone will believe you to be, the tell-all blog exists (but is called Above the Law rather than the fictional Below the Belt) and the entire thing????? Oh so highly entertaining. I loved this freaking book and it did not lose my attention for even a second. It was so believable and now and it is very apparent that this author knows what the fuck she’s talking about.
Again, YMMV. It might only truly work this well for others who walk the pencil skirt shuffle every day. I’m giving it all the stars.
November 19, 2020
The Boys' Club was a book that I was seeing everywhere and I knew that I had to read it. And believe the hype - this book is fantastic. It hooked me in right from the start and I just wanted to keep reading. I got completely caught up in the world of the corporate lawyers and their lives. A fantastic debut novel and I can't wait to see it on Netflix when it comes out.
Alex Vogel is an ambitious and smart Harvard graduate. She has landed herself a job at Klasko Fitch, one of Manhattan's top law firms. The pressure is on a a first year to make the right impression and stand out from the rest. She works hard and gives it her all. She soon finds herself being snatched up by the big boys for the big deals. Her world has changed to one of sleepless nights working at the office, after work drinks with the boys, mixing with the top clients. It soon becomes clear that she is going to have to go against her values and beliefs to be accepted - but for how long? Will she lose everything in order to get the job done and earn the big bucks?
Thanks so much to Hachette Australia for sending me this copy of this book to read.
Alex Vogel is an ambitious and smart Harvard graduate. She has landed herself a job at Klasko Fitch, one of Manhattan's top law firms. The pressure is on a a first year to make the right impression and stand out from the rest. She works hard and gives it her all. She soon finds herself being snatched up by the big boys for the big deals. Her world has changed to one of sleepless nights working at the office, after work drinks with the boys, mixing with the top clients. It soon becomes clear that she is going to have to go against her values and beliefs to be accepted - but for how long? Will she lose everything in order to get the job done and earn the big bucks?
Thanks so much to Hachette Australia for sending me this copy of this book to read.
August 3, 2023
In The Boys’ Club, Alex begins her career as an associate at one of the most prestigious global law firms in NYC. She starts working in the real estate practice but the demanding, cutthroat nature of M&A appeals to her competitive side, despite warnings from colleagues about the group’s frenetic pace and workaholic mindset.
Alex pursues M&A anyway and in addition to developing her legal knowledge, begins proving herself to more senior lawyers in the group. There’s competition among the new associate class as everyone is eager to be matched into their preferred practice, plus there are M&A clients who push past the line of what’s appropriate. Alex is determined to match with M&A but as the work continues to flow and client demands keep rising, she’s forced to consider at what cost is all of this worth it?
While I certainly think there’s some truth in this fictional story, the frequency of the drinking, drugs, and partying became tedious to read about. The point was made clearly but then repeated, I felt, more than it needed to be. Despite that objection, I really enjoyed this book! Alex made some questionable decisions and I felt the ending was a little neat but I was also rooting for her and felt the pressure on her behalf. I stayed curious to see what would happen in the end after everything that occurred— A culture of grind, the desire for money and power, corporate competition and politics, hush hush vibes, and more. The Boys’ Club is my first Erica Katz read and it won’t be my last!
Alex pursues M&A anyway and in addition to developing her legal knowledge, begins proving herself to more senior lawyers in the group. There’s competition among the new associate class as everyone is eager to be matched into their preferred practice, plus there are M&A clients who push past the line of what’s appropriate. Alex is determined to match with M&A but as the work continues to flow and client demands keep rising, she’s forced to consider at what cost is all of this worth it?
While I certainly think there’s some truth in this fictional story, the frequency of the drinking, drugs, and partying became tedious to read about. The point was made clearly but then repeated, I felt, more than it needed to be. Despite that objection, I really enjoyed this book! Alex made some questionable decisions and I felt the ending was a little neat but I was also rooting for her and felt the pressure on her behalf. I stayed curious to see what would happen in the end after everything that occurred— A culture of grind, the desire for money and power, corporate competition and politics, hush hush vibes, and more. The Boys’ Club is my first Erica Katz read and it won’t be my last!
July 21, 2020
If you are reading this, read this book. This book is totally un-putdownable and was such a wild ride. I am so excited it's also being adapted by Netflix.
September 10, 2020
Another solid choice by Sweetreads Box!!
I didn't want this book to end! It was THAT good! Thankful it has been optioned for Netflix because I'm going to need these characters in my life again ... well, some of them anyways. The make my skin crawl characters, no thank you. I wouldn't want to be the actor cast for that role, yikes!
Anyways!! The Boys Club needs to be on your radar. It's fast paced, has excellent character development, an engrossing storyline and the fact that it's written by a lawyer was the cherry on top!!
Trigger warnings: sexual abuse, sexism, suicidal thoughts.
I didn't want this book to end! It was THAT good! Thankful it has been optioned for Netflix because I'm going to need these characters in my life again ... well, some of them anyways. The make my skin crawl characters, no thank you. I wouldn't want to be the actor cast for that role, yikes!
Anyways!! The Boys Club needs to be on your radar. It's fast paced, has excellent character development, an engrossing storyline and the fact that it's written by a lawyer was the cherry on top!!
Trigger warnings: sexual abuse, sexism, suicidal thoughts.
August 4, 2020
Firstly got to say you can see why this has been optioned by ‘Netflix’, you can see the slick production in your mind as you read every page, it will be an instant TV success me thinks
Alex is a go getter and get she does as she starts at one, if not the, most successful NY law firm, she takes on everything and everyone and rises quickly through the ranks for someone so Junior....it is also a very male orientated arena and although she starts well soon the pressures get to her and as she takes on more work she takes on more alcohol, drugs and sex and less time at home with her partner Matt
The story progresses into the world of sexism and ‘the client gets what the client wants’ and she also starts an affair with one of the top partners, and here is where the book is different, she is not a wallflower, she wants as much as she can get, she plays ‘as hard as the men’ and enjoys it, she is not an unwilling victim in her lifestyle......until one night, everything goes nastily wrong and she is a victim, again differently though ( and am trying not to give too much away ) she doesnt weep and wail she does something about it, but then the books ends very differently to what I expected ( there is an ongoing Court Case that features throughout the book....)
Alex is shown as a fast player who fights back, a victim but not one who reacts in ways we would always expect
A hard book to put into words how it made me feel but it was enjoyable ( if thats the right word ) challenging and at times dark but also gave an unexpected look at some laws and lawyer terminology that was a bonus
It was interesting to have the victim as not some ‘feel sorry for character’ in fact at times it was totally the opposite, I also liked that not all the men were corrupt or corruptible
Very interesting read
I look forward to it on Netflix
10/10
5 Stars
Alex is a go getter and get she does as she starts at one, if not the, most successful NY law firm, she takes on everything and everyone and rises quickly through the ranks for someone so Junior....it is also a very male orientated arena and although she starts well soon the pressures get to her and as she takes on more work she takes on more alcohol, drugs and sex and less time at home with her partner Matt
The story progresses into the world of sexism and ‘the client gets what the client wants’ and she also starts an affair with one of the top partners, and here is where the book is different, she is not a wallflower, she wants as much as she can get, she plays ‘as hard as the men’ and enjoys it, she is not an unwilling victim in her lifestyle......until one night, everything goes nastily wrong and she is a victim, again differently though ( and am trying not to give too much away ) she doesnt weep and wail she does something about it, but then the books ends very differently to what I expected ( there is an ongoing Court Case that features throughout the book....)
Alex is shown as a fast player who fights back, a victim but not one who reacts in ways we would always expect
A hard book to put into words how it made me feel but it was enjoyable ( if thats the right word ) challenging and at times dark but also gave an unexpected look at some laws and lawyer terminology that was a bonus
It was interesting to have the victim as not some ‘feel sorry for character’ in fact at times it was totally the opposite, I also liked that not all the men were corrupt or corruptible
Very interesting read
I look forward to it on Netflix
10/10
5 Stars
January 17, 2020
The Boys' Club should be a riveting type of thriller but the characters portrayed here are the downfall of this book. The way lawyers are portrayed by Katz is over the top disgusting as they party their way to their $50K Christmas bonus, booze and drug it up and sleep with as many people as they can in their office. Alex, the main protagonist, at first is endearing and someone you want to cheer on. She soon becomes a character you end up despising. She becomes very unlikable as she falls into a depraved world without a care. She sleeps with a married man just because, and treats her long time lived in boyfriend as a nuisance. As she tries to get past her first year in this law firm, more shady than shady things occur with one of their clients who may or many not be a sexual deviant psycho.
The constant over the top scenarios and ridiculousness of those Alex surrounds herself with, including her actions doesn't have any appeal for the reader. I found no sympathy for what Alex goes through or the outcome of her actions, which when all is said and done make her weak, even with an ending that on the surface looks to be satisfactory, but instead is slim and fake and not believable at all.
Pass on this one.
The constant over the top scenarios and ridiculousness of those Alex surrounds herself with, including her actions doesn't have any appeal for the reader. I found no sympathy for what Alex goes through or the outcome of her actions, which when all is said and done make her weak, even with an ending that on the surface looks to be satisfactory, but instead is slim and fake and not believable at all.
Pass on this one.
September 10, 2020
couldn’t have loved this book more 💙 i was actually dreading finishing it simply bc i didn’t want it to be over!
the subject matter (big law, Wall Street) was fascinating and the themes (treatment of minorities in the workplace, sexual assault) were so important. also, the author is an absolute JOY.
full review to come on my Instagram @emilybookedup within the next few days!
the subject matter (big law, Wall Street) was fascinating and the themes (treatment of minorities in the workplace, sexual assault) were so important. also, the author is an absolute JOY.
full review to come on my Instagram @emilybookedup within the next few days!
October 2, 2020
4.5 rounded up to 5! (Yes I am back to using half stars, don't judge me)
All hail the queen of the legal drama which is apparently Erica Katz! The Boys' Club is so smart and I enjoyed everything from the pacing to the storyline, even though some of the content is hard to read, albeit very important. I didn't find myself truly loving any of the characters, but luckily Alex fully redeems herself by the end. There is a lot of legal jargon, but I thought Katz did a great job of explaining most of what it all meant, and I didn't find myself feeling lost at all. I am a huge fan of the legal thriller/drama genre, and this book totally worked for me.
I listened to the audio and was excited to see Julia Whelan as the narrator. She is one of my favorites, and I could listen to her all day every day. I thought she was the perfect fit for Alex, and she sounded exactly how I would picture that character to sound. I have recently found out that Netflix picked up The Boys' Club and is developing it into a film and that is something I can't wait to see. I think this book will make a PERFECT movie, and I only wish Whelan could play Alex in that too!
I loved Katz's clear way of writing and I thought the flow of the book was absolutely perfect. It's not fast-paced by any means, but you can't tell when you're reading (or listening) to it which was pretty amazing in my opinion. There's a lot of people behaving very badly in The Boys' Club, and while I wasn't completely satisfied with the ending, I know it was more realistic than some books and most of it was indeed very satisfying. Highly recommend to lovers of legal thrillers/dramas who don't mind a slower burn. I really hope this author writes a ton more books, and it was an amazing debut novel!
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an advance review copy of this book, all opinions and thoughts are my own.
All hail the queen of the legal drama which is apparently Erica Katz! The Boys' Club is so smart and I enjoyed everything from the pacing to the storyline, even though some of the content is hard to read, albeit very important. I didn't find myself truly loving any of the characters, but luckily Alex fully redeems herself by the end. There is a lot of legal jargon, but I thought Katz did a great job of explaining most of what it all meant, and I didn't find myself feeling lost at all. I am a huge fan of the legal thriller/drama genre, and this book totally worked for me.
I listened to the audio and was excited to see Julia Whelan as the narrator. She is one of my favorites, and I could listen to her all day every day. I thought she was the perfect fit for Alex, and she sounded exactly how I would picture that character to sound. I have recently found out that Netflix picked up The Boys' Club and is developing it into a film and that is something I can't wait to see. I think this book will make a PERFECT movie, and I only wish Whelan could play Alex in that too!
I loved Katz's clear way of writing and I thought the flow of the book was absolutely perfect. It's not fast-paced by any means, but you can't tell when you're reading (or listening) to it which was pretty amazing in my opinion. There's a lot of people behaving very badly in The Boys' Club, and while I wasn't completely satisfied with the ending, I know it was more realistic than some books and most of it was indeed very satisfying. Highly recommend to lovers of legal thrillers/dramas who don't mind a slower burn. I really hope this author writes a ton more books, and it was an amazing debut novel!
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an advance review copy of this book, all opinions and thoughts are my own.
July 30, 2020
"I'm pretty sure power just gives you license to be whoever you really are."
The Boys' Club sounded like it was going to be something I would enjoy, but I ended up having some issues with it. I was really interested at the beginning, and it had some fun Devil Wears Prada vibes. The main character turns into an insufferable asshole, and I was so tired of being in her head. This book felt long and exhausting. It was hard to have sympathy for the main character after a while, and I wasn't wild about the way the story ended up (I'm not saying anything else to avoid spoilers). All of the lawyers in this book suck, but the only one who was publicly a mess without any support was the one Black and gay character. It was an odd choice. For some reason, I thought this book was going to turn around, but it never happened for me. It seemed like there was going to be some sort of mystery or dramatic reveal with the courtroom transcripts between chapters, but it never really went anywhere other than predictable.
CW - sexual harassment & assault, drug abuse, physical abuse
The Boys' Club sounded like it was going to be something I would enjoy, but I ended up having some issues with it. I was really interested at the beginning, and it had some fun Devil Wears Prada vibes. The main character turns into an insufferable asshole, and I was so tired of being in her head. This book felt long and exhausting. It was hard to have sympathy for the main character after a while, and I wasn't wild about the way the story ended up (I'm not saying anything else to avoid spoilers). All of the lawyers in this book suck, but the only one who was publicly a mess without any support was the one Black and gay character. It was an odd choice. For some reason, I thought this book was going to turn around, but it never happened for me. It seemed like there was going to be some sort of mystery or dramatic reveal with the courtroom transcripts between chapters, but it never really went anywhere other than predictable.
CW - sexual harassment & assault, drug abuse, physical abuse
December 19, 2020
This novel, about a first year associate at a white-shoe law firm, held my interest enough to finish. Not much character development. Lots of working, sexism, drinking and cocaine.
October 22, 2020
The Boys’ Club by Erica Katz is a compelling legal thriller that, despite its page-turning fun, shines a cautionary light on how sex can be used as power in the world of law. Alex Vogel, an overachiever with a longtime boyfriend sets her goals for success at a big New York City law firm. As a young woman lawyer, she is faced with the gender specific challenges that exist, and soon realizes the importance of her social game amongst men. Running with the big boys, Alex keeps up shot for shot.
“I shoved the feeling that I was somehow betraying my own sex out of my mind. It was all too easily replaced by the sweetness of inclusion.”
With the absence of work life balance, a new love interest that threatens Alex’s relationship, and the drive to succeed in a leadership environment run by the men at the firm, we witness an excess of drug and alcohol use, sexual promiscuity and hidden secrets that fall into the disgraceful category of behavior exposed by the #metoo movement. When Alex learns something dark about the firm, she finally comes to terms with the inequalities amongst the sexes. With everything to lose, will she risk her hard earned success, challenge the complicit culture and speak up? The Boys’ Club is compelling read that hooks you in – I highly recommend this legal thriller!
Author Q & A
Q: The Boys’ Club was a great read, yet, for obvious reasons I found some things disturbing. How much is autobiographical? Read more at https://booknationbyjen.com/2020/10/2...
“I shoved the feeling that I was somehow betraying my own sex out of my mind. It was all too easily replaced by the sweetness of inclusion.”
With the absence of work life balance, a new love interest that threatens Alex’s relationship, and the drive to succeed in a leadership environment run by the men at the firm, we witness an excess of drug and alcohol use, sexual promiscuity and hidden secrets that fall into the disgraceful category of behavior exposed by the #metoo movement. When Alex learns something dark about the firm, she finally comes to terms with the inequalities amongst the sexes. With everything to lose, will she risk her hard earned success, challenge the complicit culture and speak up? The Boys’ Club is compelling read that hooks you in – I highly recommend this legal thriller!
Author Q & A
Q: The Boys’ Club was a great read, yet, for obvious reasons I found some things disturbing. How much is autobiographical? Read more at https://booknationbyjen.com/2020/10/2...
January 4, 2020
This is a readable and interesting book, but I’ve read it so many times before. The plot line is unbelievably predictable and derivative. Young, brilliant woman gets job in a predominantly male industry and suffers in her efforts to build her career. We have seen this in books about the stock market, bigpharma, government....so, there’s not much new here.
Sex and drug use are sprinkled in, as part of the recipe. Yes, it certainly is a jumping off point for good discussions, but nothing that will reveal anything new to a reader. I also thought the author chose to make this too simplistic, especially at the end.
Very disappointing and at times, too full of information that is simply not interesting to those outside of the profession.
Thank you Netgalley.
Sex and drug use are sprinkled in, as part of the recipe. Yes, it certainly is a jumping off point for good discussions, but nothing that will reveal anything new to a reader. I also thought the author chose to make this too simplistic, especially at the end.
Very disappointing and at times, too full of information that is simply not interesting to those outside of the profession.
Thank you Netgalley.
Read
December 13, 2021Maybe based on the cover, I have seen some people call this a thriller. Just a heads up that it is NOT a thriller.
It's The Devil Wears Brooks Brothers, an exploration of white male-dominated white shoe law firms and how a woman thinks she can be "one of the boys" and rise to the top. Spoiler: not a chance.
In terms of plot and format, this did feel a lot like The Devil Wears Prada at a law firm, but again: Vogue has shiny things to hold my interest, like clothes and shoes and beauty products, models, photo shoots, etc. Corporate law has ... contracts. Cardboard boxes filled with documents. Watching people work late and discuss legal matters. For me it that got a bit dry. Even deal toys aren't as racy as they sound, sadly.
Alex got staffed on deals, met clients, and went to meetings and business dinners at which guys misbehaved in various ways. She had a weird rivalry with a female classmate and started acting like one of the guys in all the worst ways. Her boyfriend felt neglected (just like Andie's in The D Wears P) and every so often she'd come home and placate him with sex.
By the end she has blown the lid off some bad boy behavior and discovered that maybe the world she wanted to be part of isn't all that.
It's The Devil Wears Brooks Brothers, an exploration of white male-dominated white shoe law firms and how a woman thinks she can be "one of the boys" and rise to the top. Spoiler: not a chance.
In terms of plot and format, this did feel a lot like The Devil Wears Prada at a law firm, but again: Vogue has shiny things to hold my interest, like clothes and shoes and beauty products, models, photo shoots, etc. Corporate law has ... contracts. Cardboard boxes filled with documents. Watching people work late and discuss legal matters. For me it that got a bit dry. Even deal toys aren't as racy as they sound, sadly.
Alex got staffed on deals, met clients, and went to meetings and business dinners at which guys misbehaved in various ways. She had a weird rivalry with a female classmate and started acting like one of the guys in all the worst ways. Her boyfriend felt neglected (just like Andie's in The D Wears P) and every so often she'd come home and placate him with sex.
By the end she has blown the lid off some bad boy behavior and discovered that maybe the world she wanted to be part of isn't all that.
February 4, 2023
After finishing this book I was a bit sad, because I know it will be hard to find another book that keeps me so interested in the story. It was a fast-paced read, with a fierce protagonist that I found likeable. Afterwards I felt like being a part of forceful woman’s club, ready to fight for our rights.
December 2, 2020
i’m glad so many people have raved about this book, because i’m not going to be one of them.
i found myself constantly thinking, “where’s the appeal in this?” while reading about big law, overworking, spending days on end in the office, not showering for so long you forget the last time you showered, getting wasted every night, doing cocaine… honestly, i could spend the rest of this review finishing this list.
alex is the main character and at first i liked her, but quickly (like within 15 pages) realized that 1. she isn’t well-developed as a character and 2. She’s constantly going back and forth on everything - she doesn’t want to work on the m&a team, but omg, now she does and she’s so desperate to be part of their boy’s club. she loves and supports her boyfriend’s business idea, but she also doesn’t think it’s a viable idea.
in short: i hated this book. i was annoyed and turned off by everything that happened. the more i read it, the more i hated it. i even skipped to the last part in hopes the ending would make up for it, and nope. it tried. the ending tried to make up for everything terrible that happened, but it just couldn’t and the epilogue only made it worse.
triggers: sexual assault, sexual harassment, rape, rampant drug use, alcoholism, cheating,
1/5 stars; 416 pages that i do not recommend.
i found myself constantly thinking, “where’s the appeal in this?” while reading about big law, overworking, spending days on end in the office, not showering for so long you forget the last time you showered, getting wasted every night, doing cocaine… honestly, i could spend the rest of this review finishing this list.
alex is the main character and at first i liked her, but quickly (like within 15 pages) realized that 1. she isn’t well-developed as a character and 2. She’s constantly going back and forth on everything - she doesn’t want to work on the m&a team, but omg, now she does and she’s so desperate to be part of their boy’s club. she loves and supports her boyfriend’s business idea, but she also doesn’t think it’s a viable idea.
in short: i hated this book. i was annoyed and turned off by everything that happened. the more i read it, the more i hated it. i even skipped to the last part in hopes the ending would make up for it, and nope. it tried. the ending tried to make up for everything terrible that happened, but it just couldn’t and the epilogue only made it worse.
triggers: sexual assault, sexual harassment, rape, rampant drug use, alcoholism, cheating,
1/5 stars; 416 pages that i do not recommend.
August 30, 2020
Hard to read. Horrible people doing horrible things to each other. In the end, the horrible narrator's life and career are "saved"—because someone tries to rape her. This is a sick kind of moral.
November 27, 2021
Kompletnie nie dla mnie.
February 18, 2022
Book Review
Genre: Fiction
Pub Date: 8.4.2020
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆.5
“He turned to me, and I laughed too loudly, to assure him there was no need to censor himself. I shoved the feeling that I was somehow betraying my own sex out of my mind. It was all too easily replaced by the sweetness of inclusion.”
If there was ever a quote that described a book perfectly, it is this one. I wasn’t sure what to expect from The Boys Club, but it was a roller coaster ride. I found myself fascinated and, at the same time, repulsed by everything within the Klasko & Fitch law firm. I knew that these groups exist, but it’s another way to read about all their inside deals.
I kept setting my book down to either take a deep breath at the nativity of Alex or tell my husband that latest crazy part that I had just read. Erica Katz is one heck of a writer, and I can’t wait to read the next book she writes.
Trigger warning: sexual assault, rape, and drug usage
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Genre: Fiction
Pub Date: 8.4.2020
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆.5
“He turned to me, and I laughed too loudly, to assure him there was no need to censor himself. I shoved the feeling that I was somehow betraying my own sex out of my mind. It was all too easily replaced by the sweetness of inclusion.”
If there was ever a quote that described a book perfectly, it is this one. I wasn’t sure what to expect from The Boys Club, but it was a roller coaster ride. I found myself fascinated and, at the same time, repulsed by everything within the Klasko & Fitch law firm. I knew that these groups exist, but it’s another way to read about all their inside deals.
I kept setting my book down to either take a deep breath at the nativity of Alex or tell my husband that latest crazy part that I had just read. Erica Katz is one heck of a writer, and I can’t wait to read the next book she writes.
Trigger warning: sexual assault, rape, and drug usage
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebookend....
Follow my blog: https://thebookenddiner.com/
Follow me on StoryGraph: https://app.thestorygraph.com/profile...
October 24, 2020
A very tightly woven story that keeps your attention and expectations on alert. Alexandra, a law student, recently graduated from Harvard is hired by a large firm with offices all over the word ld. As a first year associate she ends up working mergers and acquisitions. She learns to adjust to the social and political of life in male dominated world that involves sexual innuendos, harassment, rumors and backstabbing. Then an event takes place that directly involves Alexandra. She has to make a decision as to which path to take. Her career or her dignity.
A well though out story that deals with the integration of female attorneys into what has always been a male predominant world. It is not that much a legal story, even though some is discussed, but a commentary on sex relations in the work place. Some of the luxury clothing description felt unnecessary. There are some great characters in this story.
A well though out story that deals with the integration of female attorneys into what has always been a male predominant world. It is not that much a legal story, even though some is discussed, but a commentary on sex relations in the work place. Some of the luxury clothing description felt unnecessary. There are some great characters in this story.
March 30, 2021
3.5 stars rounded down. I had a love hate relationship with this book. While it was very readable and pulled me right in, all of the characters were so unlikeable and extremely hard to root for until the very end. It also didn’t have much going on plot wise until the end. There were parts that were entertaining and shocking as well as parts that made my stomach turn. I rotated between drinking up the gossip to being so drained by reading about people working 80 hour weeks and sleeping in their offices and I just think maybe I don’t love reading about workplaces lol.
I do think the author did a great job of describing many women’s experience in corporate America and while it was hard to stomach at points, I found this aspect of the novel particularly poignant. Katz is a talented writer and I can’t believe this is her debut. I would definitely pick up another book of hers.
I do think the author did a great job of describing many women’s experience in corporate America and while it was hard to stomach at points, I found this aspect of the novel particularly poignant. Katz is a talented writer and I can’t believe this is her debut. I would definitely pick up another book of hers.
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