I love a book that can make me laugh while also making me think, and The Glow does exactly that. Jessie Gaynor takes a hilarious, sharp look at the wellness industry and the way we chase self-improvement, following a woman who gets sucked into the world of influencers and self-care gurus. It’s funny because it’s true—if you’ve ever rolled your eyes at a trendy wellness fad but also kinda wanted to try it, you’ll relate.

What makes this book so good is the perfect mix of humor and insight. It’s entertaining, but it also makes you question what it really means to be "your best self." If you love stories that poke fun at modern life while still feeling real, The Glow is a must-read.

This book was not for me. I thought it'd be a fun play on the wellness trend but it was just odd. I thought it'd have more plot but sadly it didn't.

Gaynor writes, “Jane had tried therapy a few times, but it never stuck. She always wanted the therapist to give her the secret to becoming a different person. She wasn’t interested in a belief system that told her she was already enough, that the bare facts of her were not the real problem. She wanted action items. She wanted a chemical peel for her personality.”

This is just a sample of Gaynor's writing and the way she highlights the contradictions at the heart of wellness culture. Wellness conflates happiness,
healing, and beauty, as if they were all interconnected and achievable through figuring out an expensive and precise method or chemical compound. You can’t buy your way into being better–even though Jane seems to think that you might be able to sell your way there.

The bad behavior, the self-delusion, and the silly righteous seriousness exhibited by many of the characters made this book hard to read at times, but for its comedy, its timeliness, and Gaynor’s talent, I’m glad I stuck with it.

*The Glow* by Jessie Gaynor is a sharp, satirical look at wellness culture and ambition. Witty, insightful, and impossible to put down!

Could not get through the first couple chapters. Wasn’t drawn in fast enough. There were lots of back and forth without knowing who the writer was talking about.

A funny and quick LitFic read, though unfortunately, the tone and wit of the writing was one of the main driving factors pushing me through. Plot points were minimally impactful, which was somewhat to be expected for the genre, but I didn't find myself particularly enthralled with Jane or Cass either to make this successfully character driven.

This was an interesting and satirical exploration of the wellness industry, women's experiences in the modern workplace, and the impact of social media on society. I love the cover, but the book itself was not my favorite.

This book was right up my alley. I love all things self-care and wellness, but the story fell flat for me. I don't regret reading it however and it was definitely entertaining. *I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

This novel was not for me. While I am sure there are many people who read Jessie Gaynor's work and enjoyed it, I could tell from the first page that I was not going to enjoy the story. In my opinion the shock value of sexual acts written into the plot and the use of "scandalous language" was so blatant that I couldn't even focus on the development of the characters.

Satirical look at the influencers and the whole wellness business. I enjoyed the storyline and the characters. especially the narrator's inner dialogue.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Random House, Random House for the ARC!

ARC Review - The Glow

Thank you @randomhouse for my copy of this book - it’s out now! 🥂

I was so torn in my feelings for this book! I thought the way the main character behaved was hilarious but so unrelatable, I spent most of my time shaking my head at how ridiculous she was.

The culty vibes were so spot on, I could seriously see how the founder of the wellness retreat in the story was able to rope everyone in! The overall commentary on Instagram and influencer culture was shockingly spot-on and had me cringing a bit knowing how right the author got it.

If you’re looking for a funny read that might making you feel a little bad about your social media obsession, this one’s for you!

Read this if you:
- Want to be shocked by every plot point
- Would do anything to look youthful and glowing
- Want to feel better about how much you love your favourite influencer

Jane is desperate to make it in the PR world so she can pay off her medical debt. After a huge flub with her biggest account, Jane is looking for anyone to represent when she comes across Cass on Instagram. Cass and her husband Tom run a wellness retreat and Jane can tell by the way all of Cass’s followers are obsessed with her that she can turn it into the next big thing.

I totally get what Gaynor was going for with The Glow, however it just missed the mark for me. I'm honestly so over making women a satirical subject and while I can understand why people would think this book is funny and witty it just wasn't for me in the end.

Ok hilarious. Jane, the MC, is so snarky and her commentary was always 100% on the nose. While she grew into somewhat of a villain, she still had me laughing. Glow reminded me of Nine Perfect Strangers + Rouge (M. Awad). My one downside was I wish it was longer/more of a solid conclusion instead of a cliffhanger! Hope this author writes more books

I really enjoyed this satirical look at influence, the wellness industrial complex, and the unique elements of the millennial experience of constructing one’s identity and beliefs. I loved reading Gaynor’s protagonist’s wry, self-deprecating inner monologue, and have numerous highlights of passages that made me laugh. Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this digital ARC.

A cutting satire, The Glow captures such a prominent sense of malaise and cynicism with late-stage capitalism. As someone who believes the "wellness" scene is almost always bullshit rebranded, AND as someone who has worked in marketing for 15 years and seen the transitions in the field, I intensely related to Jane's struggle. (Though not her penchant for the cult, though it's never too late.) Gaynor's writing was insightful and hilarious. I loved it.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! No spoilers. Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to. Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Maybe even a book club pick.

This book was right up my alley! I loved the narrator and felt deeply connected to her; even during her moments where she was unlikeable. There was so much I related to from her inner dialogue and feelings.

I really liked this books. There were elements that weren't explored more which was disappointing, but overall really good. Liked that it was culty but not too focused on it.

A sharp/witty tale about the beauty industry, and capitalism, and so much else. I immensely enjoyed this book, and look forward to whatever Jessie Gaynor does next!

Thanks to the publisher for the e-galley!

Unfortunately this book didn’t work for me and was a DNF but I am sure other readers will feel differently! Thank you for the ARC!