I feel like I've read this sort of story before. A fish out of water story....

Nicole has been having a bit of a hard time and decides to take a trip to Europe. Her seatmate on the flight over is James, who at first is annoying, but by the end of the flight, there is a spark between the two.

After a whirlwind trip in Paris, the now couple travel to England and meet up with James's school friends. This is when the familiar starts to kick in. The new girl AKA Nicole is the butt of jokes and that become even more prevalent when James's first love joins the crew. Nicole learns more and more about this past relationship and woman and eventually, the two women argue. And then tragedy....that will haunt the rest of the book. :)

This is an engaging, quick read and while it was familiar, the storyline still had a few tricks up its sleeves.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
This one was a slow burner but worth the wait.
I enjoyed it. You just have to trust it will pick up.

This was a VERY slow book for me to get through, I found it hard to follow at times because the dialogue was all over the place and every main character had two names (legal name and a nickname) that I struggled to keep straight. The author did a good job of writing the characters in a way that made me love to hate them but I also found myself not liking the main protagonist which I don't believe was intentional. I don't even know if I would call this a thriller as it mostly was just domestic drama. I had high hopes for this but in the end I did not enjoy.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in advance of publication.

It’s probably a good idea to have *that* conversation about ex-lovers before meeting all the close friends who knew and adored them. Too bad Nicola was ambushed by party-crashing Juliet before James found the time to explain their relationship history. And since everyone is acting incredibly thankful for Juliet’s sudden return, Nic has a reasonable case of jealousy, although James pleads “ancient history.” Nicola and James have just met the long absent Juliet at a house in the country, complete with shooting party, the home of Hugo and Trez, future earl and countess of the manor.

The story, set in 1980 (no cell phones or Googling, but they have a mate named Badger full of useless trivia, and all The Beatles are still alive), is told with the alternating viewpoints of Nicola and Trez, although this felt at first like primarily Nicola’s story.

Trez had been friends for years with Juliet while at Cambridge and then Juliet dumped a heartbroken James, took off for Hong Kong and ghosted Trez and Hugo. Nic just can’t get over how perfect Juliet seems to be or how many times Juliet reminisces about the old days with “Jimmy.” And both Nic and Trez are constantly being subtly undermined by Juliet even though neither quite initially believes it. Juliet insinuates herself into both women’s most personal moments. Is it a game? What’s Juliet’s goal? To break apart both Nic and Trez’s relationships and lay claim to their partners?

We never really get to understand Juliet’s motives, except to constantly be validated that she’s an awful person. As the tension builds, the book becomes unputdownable. 5 stars!

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): YES Nicola has greenish/hazel eyes.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): YES Where did the florist find spring tulips in winter?

"From the author of Tell Us No Secrets comes a twisty new novel. A young American woman is thrust into the closed social circle of English aristocrats, but beneath their charm and glamor lay secrets and dark betrayals that follow them - and her - around every corner. Perfect for fans of Lucy Foley, Sherry Lapena, Ruth Ware, and Gilly MacMillan.

To everyone else it was "just" a weekend house party - complete with a pheasant shoot, inside jokes, and after-dinner games. But for American Nicola Harris, swept off her feet by aristocratic Englishman James Shuttleworth, the weekend is her first chance to penetrate his close-knit circle of posh friends - people with names like Badger and Trez, people who will soon have the titles of Earl and Countess. Nicola is eager to fit in, but she can't seem to navigate this insular world, where everyone speaks a private language and secrets are hinted at behind the jolly jokes and witty barbs.

Just as Nicola begins to feel welcome, Juliet arrives. Mysterious, stunning, charismatic Juliet is also James' first love - the one who left him heartbroken ten years before. Juliet holds the men in thrall and the women under her spell. And although it seems she can do no wrong, outsider Nicola senses something poisonous in her presence, something that sparks insecurity, jealousy, betrayal, and violence. Because Juliet is a champion game-player, able to lure you into her circle by finding your most vulnerable spot...and when the game she plays turns deadly, everyone is a suspect."

Oh, this sounds like the most recent season of You. I'm sold!

Set in 1980, an American women falls in love with a Brit she meets on a flight to Paris and ends up living with him in London. A couple weeks in, they head to the country home of his friends to spend time with his college friend group. The charismatic Juliet shows up unannounced, back from a life in Hong Kong to upend everyone's lives. A death does occur, but this is far from a who-dunnit. I would consider this a story more about manipulation, gaslighting, and the fragility of trust in relationships. I'm not sure why the author set it in the past, it could play out just as well in the present day. With the exception of a poodle skit mentioned and the lack of cell phones, it didn't really scream 80s to me. I enjoyable read of fairy tale vs reality.

It's 1980 and Nicola Harris was just dumped by her boyfriend and fired from her job. She decided that a change was needed and going to Paris was just the cure. On the plane, she meets James Shuttleworth, who is going to France and then home to London. It was "like at first sight" and she was invited to go along with him.
In London, James was invited to a friend's estate in the country. A few others from his Cambridge days were also there with Nicola feeling out of place, especially when James' ex, Juliet, arrived.
And so starts a tale of friendships, passions and secrets that unfold in the games they are all playing.
Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins for this e-galley of "The Game She Plays".

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Nicola is nervous about meeting her boyfriends friends. She does not trust or like Juliet when she meets her. I liked the different characters in this book.

I really enjoyed this book. It was gripping and hard to put down. The twist left me speechless. Highly recommend!

Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for my ARC.

This book GOT ME! I didn’t know what to expect while reading it and how it was all going to end. I found myself rooting for Nic and James. But that twist was just too good. Thanks for a great read!

When Nicola meets James on a long flight to Paris, it’s love at first sight. Soon they are engaged, living together in London and planning their wedding. Then they are invited to a shooting party and meet James’ friends. Hugo and Trez (soon to be Earl and Countess), Badger and Nigel seem strange to American Nicola. She doesn’t understand their accents or their dry sense of humor even though Nigel’s new girlfriend Bella tries to help her. Then Juliet walks in and sucks all the air out of the room. Juliet. Everything revolves around her. She’s beautiful, charismatic, witty and…she was James’ girlfriend and broke his heart when she ended their relationship.

What follows is a masterpiece of manipulation with some gaslighting thrown in. You’ll think you know what’s happening in The Game She Plays but you will not see the conclusion coming. Trust me, you will read this in one sitting! 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow and Siena Sterling for this ARC.

This thriller was one of the best that I have read this year. It sucks you in at the beginning and holds you hostage til the very last word. This was so so good!
I just reviewed The Game She Plays by Siena Sterling. #TheGameShePlays #NetGalley
[NetGalley URL]

Title: The Game She Plays
Author: Siena Sterling
Publisher: William Morrow
Pub Date: 6.6.23
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

📚Synopsis:
✨The year is 1980 and Nicola has just had her heart broken. Her long term boyfriend left her for a divorcee, leaving Nicola reeling and wondering about her future. Feeling she needs to do something unexpected and unpredictable, she plans a two week trip to Europe using her savings. She says goodbye to her hippie, pot smoking parents and boards a plane.
Once in Europe, Nicola meets Englishman James on her flight. They quickly find easy conversation and James invites Nic to accompany him on his travels. Since Nic has decided to be more outgoing, she says yes. The two embark on a whirlwind romance and life is going well until James invites Nicola to join him for a weekend in the country with his childhood friends Nigel (and Nigel’s current girlfriend Bella), Badger, married couple Hugo and Trez, and Juliet.
✨Early in the weekend, Nicola connects with Bella, Nigel’s girlfriend, because she too is an outsider to the close nit group. The two women are surprised to see the over the top reaction the group has to Juliet who has recently returned from Hong Kong. It seems everyone in the group is smitten with Juliet and Bella and Nic cannot figure out why. All they see is a selfish and arrogant woman and whenever Nic tries to talk to James about it, he defends Juliet and her actions.
✨As the weekend, weeks, and months pass Nic learns more and more about Juliet and just how horrible she is. The story continues with an affair, a pregnancy, an engagement, betrayal, and ultimately murder.

📚Thoughts/Recommendations:
✨I rated this four stars and not five because of my profound disdain for several of the characters. While that was probably on purpose, it made it difficult to connect to the characters because I didn’t care about them. By the end of the story, many characters had positively developed but not in a manner that wrapped up with a happy ending. If you enjoy novels with challenging friendships, people who have no problem stabbing friends in the back, and characters who are self centered then I would highly recommend this book! I will certainly read other books by this author.

📚I would like to thank NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ahead of its release date in exchange for an honest review.

I received this book from William Morrow and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Well, I really enjoyed this book. I was up till 1 am this morning reading it cause I could not put it down and I wanted to finish it.

The book has many plot twists and turns, the ending just blew me away!! I loved the build up of the characters and how Nicola tried to fit in with James friends.

Nicola is headed overseas on vacation and meets James on the plane. Next thing you know they decide to travel together and hook up with James friends. So many personalities, and differences in culture for Nicola to absorb.

I would read another book from this author!

The Game She Plays by Siena Sterling
Publication: 06 June 2023
4 ⭐️

I enjoyed reading this, but it was a bit slow. There were moments throughout the book the helped build towards the central plot of the book, but nothing truly big happened until the end of the book. With that being said, the ending fascinated me. Especially with that surprise POV being thrown in, in midst of all the chaos. Then, with the last few chapters specifically the last line of the book, it has me wanting to know more. I'm very curious to know what might be next for these characters. Thanks Netgalley, HarperCollins, and William Morrow and Company for this ARC.

Synopsis:
After a cruel heartbreak and leaving her job due to her unsavory boss, Nicola finds herself on a plane to Paris hoping to find adventure. On the plane, she meets James and the spark between them ignites, and her adventure for one quickly becomes one for two.

James invites Nicola with him when he visits his oldest friend's estate for a shooting weekend. They get there and everything seems simple and innocent, the group relaxing, chatting, and drinking. When, unexpectedly, another person shows up and Nicola finds out they are an integral member of the group who shows up after some time away.

Everything in the moment is bright and they are all living in their bubble. It's all games, fun, and drinking, but eventually little things here and there start going sideways. Turns out, that even the brightest moments are dulled with secrets, lies, and feelings.

Reviews are also posted to my Instagram blog (bibliophiles_elite).

This was my first read by this author and I think i will read again. This was a good book. I didn’t love it but I liked it. It had a slow burn which usually isn’t my thing but it still held my focus and had me wanting to know more. It gave me one by one or an unwanted guest vibes being a secluded location. The characters were well rounded although Juliette was immediately unlikeable. I was thrown off in the beginning with Nicolas conscious talking it was a little confusing but I got used to it. The ending was a nice surprise too. 4 stars from me.

I received a free copy of, The Game She Plays, by Siena Sterling,from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Nicola's new love James, live a whole different lifestyle then her. Rich people live different lives then everyone else. Nicola and James are doing well until his ex Juliet comes back to town, and then Juliet is found dead. Such a good read, i enjoyed it.

Review posted to Instagram, Goodreads, and The StoryGraph under the name of The Wandering Book Nerd:

What would you do if a handsome, single man grabbed the empty seat next to you on a plane and then invited you to a weekend getaway in London’s countryside? Now, I get it... women don’t typically run off with strangers. But, sometimes we do. This story was a lot of fun to journey through! The complexity of The Club’s members and their history together doesn’t leave much room for Nicola, an American who doesn’t know all the unspoken rules and social norms. It kept me guessing, a real “Whodunit” mystery. The characters are suspicious, and my guess of the guilty culprit was totally wrong in the end!

This was a gripping tale with an enticing introduction with many unexpected twists and exceptional character development! The ultimate story of betrayal and the test of friendship and romance. At first, I thought the amount of characters would be overwhelming, but the cohesion of each of their back stories helped create this thrilling piece of literature. I have never passionately disliked a character so much and I grew so agitated with her behavior (kudos to the author for portraying such a detestable character - it was crucial to the storyline!!) This book has opened my eyes to another talented author and I will be looking for more titles from this brilliant novelist!

This book is twisty fun from beginning to end. Multiple layered storytelling covering friendships and differences between the classes. Deeply satisfying and chillingly creepy vibes throughout. Don't skip this one. 4.5 stars