Cover Image: Woman of the Year

Woman of the Year

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Member Reviews

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.

"Woman of the Year" by Darcey Bell is a psychological thriller that delves into the complexities of female friendship and the lengths one might go to for revenge. The novel follows Lorelei, a woman whose bright future was derailed by a single, manipulative event during her college years. Now, two decades later, her former friend Holly is living the life Lorelei once envisioned for herself, complete with a nomination for a prestigious Woman of the Year award.

Bell masterfully crafts a narrative that is as much about the past as it is about the present, with the characters' college days playing a significant role in shaping their current realities. The story is a compelling exploration of envy, obsession, and the human psyche, with Lorelei's unreliable narration keeping readers on their toes. As she plots her revenge during the Woman of the Year ceremony, unexpected twists and turns lead to a shocking conclusion that will leave readers questioning the nature of trust and betrayal.

The novel's pacing is tight, creating a sense of urgency that propels the story forward. Bell's use of suspense is skillful, making "Woman of the Year" a page-turner that's hard to put down. The themes of control and manipulation are woven throughout the book, echoing the dark side of human behavior that the characters studied in their college seminar.

Overall, "Woman of the Year" is a gripping read that offers a fresh take on the thriller genre. Darcey Bell has once again proven her ability to craft a story that is both entertaining and thought-provoking, solidifying her place as a noteworthy author in contemporary fiction.

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I found the story to be riveting. The story weaves with current day to college day, mystery surrounding what happened to main character and her college friend for her to seek harm to her. I found the storyline interesting and anything related to psychology is fascinating. The only thing I could have done without is the whole chapter on cats. That is way too info to spend a chapter since the storyline felt like it went off tangent about cats.

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I’m not sure how I feel about this one still. I liked it while I was reading it but I found it very forgettable. I did really like the characters and the story line.

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I really enjoyed A Simple Favor by this author (and the film) but did not enjoy this latest one. Thank you netgalley for the copy.

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This book lacked cohesion. The characters lacked depth, the plot was barely there, and the whole thing read like an outline. It's a very short book, so I kept reading, Not my favourite read by bell

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Quick read. Nothing too thrilling. I felt like it could have been better. It was an odd read and could have had a better ending.

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This is my first Darcey Bell book so I didn't know she makes characters that are actually deplorable. That's all fine and good and entertaining if it was actually entertaining and not just a long drawn out slow burn with eccentric show value events thrown in. Would not recommend and don't think I'd give the author another try.

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This book was kooky in a good way. It took me a few tries to get going but I ended up really enjoying this book.

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I was mildly entertained. At no point did I know where it was going ever really.

I read some reviews to try and get an idea of how I was feeling. Seeing if anyone had put the words to what I was feeling. And honestly I'm only just confused that cat haters are going off. Wdym you hate cats more because a cat attacked her in this, that cat was literally tortured and then thrown into her house to replace her old cat without her knowledge. No wonder the traumatized cat hurt her.

Thank you NetGalley for the eArc of this novel. My apologies for the very late review.

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I absolutely loved A Simple Plan so I couldn't wait to read Woman of The Year. It fell a little short for me. The characters were insane and so many weird things happened. I'm a cat lover but holy catman! So much cat talk!

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I’m trying to understand the target audience for this book, as it seems like it’s written for cat people and then contains everything that would be off putting to a cat person (I say this as a cat person who finished the book).

This book enraged me and made me sad. For being called “Woman of The Year” it really did focus on truly abhorrent men and the pain they cause and the women they abuse and manipulate both for their own gain and to hurt more women.

This book starts out focusing on the cat our MC Lorelei found after being raped and then truly just goes on to depict the worst people in the world, including her so-called best-friend, Holly. I felt so sad for the MC being tortured and abused over and over again and no one was ever on her side.

The writing was decent but this story just felt like rage-bait.

2 stars

⭐️ ⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria books for the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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DNF. It's too bad because A Simple Favour was so good!

Bell's writing is good, but the actual delivery of the story is awful. The main character is completely insufferable. The animal abuse was too much for me as well. There should be trigger warnings for the animal abuse!

One of the worst books I have ever read. No structure and simply unreadable.

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Lorelei attends a Woman of the Year benefit dinner to seek revenge on her former friend Holly. The novel delves into Lorelei's motives, allowing readers to judge her once they know the whole truth. Woman of the Year offers a creative twist on the revenge trope, relying heavily on its protagonist. The narrative, which alternates between past and present, captivated me with its inventive and conversational tone. Lorelei, the eccentric and slightly unreliable "crazy cat lady" protagonist, tells her story in a meandering yet enjoyable way.

The story itself is filled with intriguing and unique elements. From a disturbing Thanksgiving dinner scene to a #MeToo plot, animal experimentation, and mind control discussions, there are many captivating and thought-provoking aspects. However, I would have liked Lorelei's friendship with Holly to be more developed. Nevertheless, the story is designed for readers to trust Lorelei's perspective, which might explain the lack of emphasis on their friendship.

Overall, Woman of the Year had an intriguing behavioral psychology theme and its ability to keep me engaged with its offbeat nature.

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I was lucky to receive an advance copy of Woman of the Year by Darcey Bell from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review and opinion. Heads up on this one as there is animal abuse in it which was sort of disturbing. Other than the animal abuse, I thought this was intense story that kept you turning the pages to see what was going to happen next. It's a another great read by Darcey Bell!

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Woman Of The Year
By Darcey Bell
Review and Rating 3

I am finally back to reviewing! Throughout my personal chaos, I have been reading, though slowly, and I actually finished Woman Of The Year awhile back. Gaslighting, revenge, lonely cat lady? Yes, please! It wasn’t quite what I was expecting, though I love a good revenge thriller. This one seemed a bit all over the place, and not to the level I expected from Darcey Bell. It took me a bit, but of course I finished it and I will definitely be back for Darcey’s next novel. I rounded up from 2.5 to 3 ⭐️!

I want to thank NetGalley and Atria Books for the eARC. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.



Book Rating Key
⭐️ Not Recommended
⭐️⭐️ Readable Book
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Good Book
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Excellent Book
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Near Perfect Book
***Note*** I seldom give ⭐️or ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ratings. If I feel a book is a ⭐️sometimes I just prefer to not finish reading it and not rate it. As for 5 ⭐️books, I think of those as books I would want to take with me to a deserted island 🏝️, and this means I read a whole lot of ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️star books. Happy Reading!

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Love this cover - but the book fell flat for me.
Lots of triggers - check them out before reading.
A very creative and unique book - just not for me.

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Lorelei and Holly, both recognized for their academic excellence, were once close friends during their college years, where they shared a psychology class and forged a strong bond with their professor. Yet, an undisclosed incident caused a rift in their friendship, one that has endured for years. Now, as the prestigious "Woman of the Year" event looms, Lorelei sets her sights on retribution. The question looms: will her pursuit of revenge unfold as planned, or could she too find herself ensnared in unexpected trouble?

The narrative predominantly unfolds in the present, while offering fleeting glimpses into their shared past. As the tension escalates, the book explores the complexities of their relationship, leaving readers to ponder whether things take a catty turn or not. Ultimately, it is left to the reader to form their own judgment. One thing is certain, though: this is a fast-paced and one-of-a-kind read.

3 Stars for it's unique and enigmatic storyline.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for sending a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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I don’t feel entitled to content warnings necessarily but if a book involves animal harm I think it needs to be hinted at in some way on the plot summary

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I had attempted to read this author’s previous book and had to DNF it. But I thought I would give it another try. Turns out it’s just a bad case of it’s not you it’s me. Because I just did not vibe with this.

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I did not finish this one, it was not for me, I couldn't relate to the characters, and just did not care for the story.

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