I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect from Laura Hankin’s newest book, but I knew that Happy And You Know It gave me all the feels and so I was thrilled to receive an eARC of A Special Place For Women!!

Hankin brings her signature wit and commentary to this book, but instead of a focus on motherhood, this time it is commentary on being a woman in America and the sisterhood that exists - who has the ability to shape it and how - and what happens when there’s more at stake than meets the eye. I don’t want to give too many details about this one because I think it’s best to go in a little blind about the major plot details, but I will say this about the plot: if female empowerment, concern for our global consciousness, and a little bit of witchiness are your jam - then this book is for you.

It’s a little bit of mystery with some thrill thrown in, along with a dash of romance and all of the power of womanhood, mixed together to create a magical story that is definitely going to stay with me for a long time. And for sure, I know that I will always have a place at the fire.

A huge thanks to Net Galley and Berkley Publishing for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Bonkers, and felt like it was trying to be too many genres. It was okay but I did not love it. I liked her previous book more.

I will not give any spoilers as this book is needs to be blind. So the short synopsis is that Jillian Beckley, a journalist, is investigating a secret, exclusive all-women club, Nevertheless, filled with powerful and successful women for a juicy tell-all story. But as she gets more involved, everything gets blurry.

This book. Whoa. My mind was blown. First of all, there is nothing better than reading about driven, successful, influential women and their fancy lives. Second, there is such a major twist that I did not see coming and I was floored and could not read fast enough. I if an intense need to know what was going to happen. Third, I want to be a member of this super secret club with its totally stocked bathroom, delicious food and motivational and interesting program. And, lastly, I laughed so many times with the clever humor and I swooned over Raf, Jillian’s best friend. It really hit every possible genre.

This was a fun, if sometimes a bit odd, take on secret societies and female friendship. From the opening chapter, you know one bit of the end, but how you end up getting there is a journey through wealthy elitism, politics, and a bit of romance. This is a great follow up to last year's Happy and You Know it by the author, and it's definitely showing how well she can capture these quirky aspects of New York wealth.

“There is a special place in hell for women who don't help other women." - Madeleine Albright

Happy Wednesday, and happy publication week to Laura Hankin and her sophomore novel, A SPECIAL PLACE FOR WOMEN!

I finished reading this book over a week ago, and I've still been thinking about and processing it, which I think speaks volumes! It follows Jillian, a journalist who's recently been laid off and needs a juicy story to help keep her career afloat in cutthroat New York City. Desperate, she becomes determined to be invited into a super-secret, elite women's club called Nevertheless. Secrets and rumors abound about this society - the members helped elect the city's first female mayor, Rihanna once had her aura read during one of the meetings, and the dues are sky-high - but Jillian wants to get to the truth, and she knows she not only has to be invited in, but has to make it to the inner sanctum to figure out what's really going on. The more she digs, however, the more she realizes this story may be far bigger and darker than she signed on for.

This book not only spoke to my heart as a journalist, but as a feminist, as well! I loved the idea of women supporting women, helping them break the glass ceiling and reaching the pinnacle of success (and there were definitely moments of that!), but underneath, there were also a lot of shady and things going on. I really liked Jillian's motivations for getting into Nevertheless and some of the deeper stories, too. The tension and edge-of-your-seat feelings Hankin creates had me speeding through this book, eager to figure out exactly what was going on, and whoa, THERE IS A LOT.

Full of great writing, a propulsive storyline, characters you'll both love and hate, and a great sense of mystery, I highly recommend you check this one out! Thank you so, so much to Laura Hankin and Berkley publishing for my gifted e-ARC, and to @berittalksbooks @letstalkbookspromo @whimsicalyme and so many others for this incredible buddy read! I absolutely loved it and am so excited to participate in more!

This book follows Jillian, who tries to infiltrate a women’s secret society in NYC for an undercover assignment for her old boss, Miles. To Jillian, this assignment would be pure gold. She begs her best friend Raj, an up and coming chef to pretend to get her boyfriend to secure an in with these women.
The book started off fantastic, but took a serious bizarre turn. I loved Hankin’s first book. This one was just not my speed, pick it up if you want a dust of “magic spells” and “secret society!”.

Hankin can really write women so well! If you haven't read Happy & You Know It please go read it! This second novel really has so much in it that you must consume it to know what will happen in the end! And boy does she know how to write a twist! In this book, she rights a group of women that are all different and unique but so relatable and likable. I could totally see myself getting a drink with Jillian. Overall this novel is about womanhood, trust, grief, and in some ways, it's a coming of age. I loved every aspect of the club and the facade of what it was intended to be. It did have serious sorority vibes but with such a twist. Without giving too much away, those last few chapters were so fascinating and well written that you almost want to believe it's possible that all of this is real.
This follows the story of Jillian a journalist who is still healing from her mother who passed from cancer and is in the process of grieving and moving on when she thinks of an idea for a story. The Nevertheless club is a secret club for women that is rumored to have a hand in not just base level activities like gallery openings but also the reach to affect politics. Jillian decides to go undercover to find out just how powerful this club really is. One of the many things I loved about this novel was Jillian's humor and then her unknown need to be surrounded by women. The book moves quickly and has you thinking anything just might be possible.

I think I am in the minority when I say that this book was just OK for me.

A brief summary: out-of-work journalist Jillian Beckley decides to bluff her way into NYC’s most exclusive (and mysterious) women-only social club. It’s rumored that its members wield secret influence, including handpicking the city's first female mayor. But no one knows for sure.

With her career in freefall, Jillian needs a juicy scoop. But the deeper she gets into this new world—where billionaire "girl bosses" mingle with wannabe witches—the more Jillian learns that bad things happen to those who dare to question the club's motives. The select group of women who populate the club may be far more powerful than she ever imagined. And far more dangerous too.

Honestly, Jillian was not a character I liked (which was a bummer, considering we share a name). For one, I had a little trouble with her lusting after a married man. As well, I am super uncomfortable with dishonesty and deceit, and this book is mired in both. I can’t even watch hidden camera shows, they make me so uncomfortable, so watching Jillian lie to everyone in her life—even her supposed friends—made me super squirmy.

By the time we get to the big “twist,” I was really looking forward to seeing what the women would do with their powers. The answer is nothing. Yawn.

Thank you @letstalkbookspromo for the chance to join in this buddy read! Hey, can’t win them all. #BerkleyWritesStrongWomen #BerkleyBuddyReads

I loved Happy and You Know It, and it was actually my first bookstagram review! I was so excited for whatever came next for Laura Hankin, and A Special Place for Women certainly did not disappoint! In this book, we get another look at the elite women of NYC, but in a very different way. In this book, the main character Jillian tries to infiltrate a secret society for the chicest and wealthiest 20- and 30-something women of New York City, and she is certainly not ready for what she discovers.

This book has laughs, romance, twists, and heartstring pulls that will keep you turning the pages. If you are looking for a fun read that will take you on a unexpected journey and you love books set in NYC as much as I do, then this is the book for you! Also, you’re going to want to read it before the TV show comes out! I think this is going to translate so well into a series!

Thank you Berkley and Netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

This took me a bit to get into, but then i couldn't put it down. I had to find out what was going to happen with Jillian and the secret society. I was surprised at the turn it took when she was admitted to the inner circle but I was fascinated with what kept happening.

This would make a great book club book because there are so many avenues for discussion.

This book was unexpected! When it started, it reminded me a lot of Happy and You Know It; a bunch of rich ladies in an exclusive group and an outsider struggling to fit in; but as it progressed it took a total left turn! I was so excited when the group was revealed to be a coven of witches, I wish I had read this during spooky season because it took me on a JOURNEY! I loved Margot and Jillian but I did wish we got to see more of Raf. I felt like the Raf/Jillian romance was a little rushed. I loved the unfinished nature of the ending, it makes me want to keep reading more of Laura Hankin's books! Overall, a very enjoyable read that I would recommend to the right person. I don't feel like it is very universal, but definitely entertaining. 3.5 stars rounded up!

New York journalist Jillian has lost her job after her publication folded and her editor Miles moved on to greener pastures. It comes as yet another blow, following on from the death of her beloved mother.
At an opening for her friend Raj’s restaurant, Jillian meets one of the founders of a secret, exclusive club for women. Jillian is hoping to wangle an invite so she can write an expose and discover if these well-connected women did indeed destroy the career of the first female mayor. But will Jillian be willing to betray her new sisterhood?
The premise of a journalist infiltrating a secret society of NY’s elite was an enticing concept but what they were up to never seemed high stakes enough. Then, while I was waiting for some clever, edgy explanations to tie it all together, it instead takes a peculiar turn. Somewhat intriguing but weird.

This book is about Jillian, a journalist, who sets out to get invited, join and learn the inner workings of Nevertheless, a secret club for New York’s most elite women. There’s definitely some weird stuff going on, but that’s one of the reasons the book is so interesting.

This book is written in a style that is highly engaging and kept me wanting to turn to the next page. I also really liked Jillian as a main character. She is tenacious and resilient. Throughout the story she discovers a lot about herself and learns a little about friendship and love along the way.

I also really enjoyed the ending. It was a little surprising how it turned out, but I was highly satisfied with how it all wrapped up.

Overall, this book was a highly engaging and interesting read. Would definitely recommend to fans of Hankin’s Happy and You Know It.

Laura Hankin does it AGAIN! I loved reading her last novel, "Happy and You Know It". Honestly, I was obsessed with how intricately she crafted the entire storyline, and I feel the same way about A Special Place For Women too. 4.75/5 🌟

There's something really fascinating about elite women clubs, so getting the chance to read a book centering around "Nevertheless", a secretive women club was such a treat! In ASPFW, we follow Jilian, a struggling journalist, as she joins the Nevertheless club to write town a story (that might be the pathway to career's success) about New York's upper-class women. Secrets get revealed, the story dives into shocking twists and turns and what we get in the end is a breathtaking tale of feminism, power, success and (maybe 👀) betrayals.

Laura Hankin's writing style is so flawless - it always feels as if all the events in her book is playing out in front of my eyes like a movie. The plot is immensely entertaining and grabs your attention from the very beginning of the book. What makes Laura's books so different from other Women's fiction novels is the ability of the characters to be realistically flawed and relatable. You can't help but feel a sense of empathy with them.

If you're looking for a book with a gripping tale, A Special Place For Women will be your best friend.

Jillian is a down-on-her-luck journalist who needs a shiny new story if she's going to keep her career going in New York City. She thinks she has a line on a good one, a hyper-secret, elite club called Nevertheless, where only women meet, and more rumors are circulated than truth is known. What is clear is that the women of Nevertheless have power, the dues are expensive, and this is the story that's going to make or break Jillian's career. It's not enough for Jillian to be in the club, she has to get to the inner workings, where the real power and influence is, to see how deep the rabbit hole goes, and unveil it for the world. The more she digs, the more she discovers, and the more she discovers, and the closer she gets to the truth, the more she realizes she may be in for more than she bargained for. Jillian may have a story, but it might take everything she has to avoid becoming one.

The elite of New York City, women in the upper echelon, supporting each other as they make important decisions and climb the social ladder on their way to ultimate power? That seems to be the clarion call of this mysterious Nevertheless club, and Jillian's determined to uncover the truth of it. I felt like Jillian's motivations for going into this club to try to expose it were good, and I liked that I started feeling nervous along with Jillian as she started to find more odd stuff within it.

There are moments of feminism and positive aspects within the club at times, sure, but there's a lot of shady stuff as well, and the women aren't always out for each other either, as each of these women is powerful, and they all have their own ambitions. Then, a bit over halfway through, the story takes a sharp turn into a darker and, dare I say, a stranger path that puts Jillian on the defensive. Nevertheless, she persists, and finds out more about herself, and the club, than she ever imagined possible. I recommend A Special Place for Women for readers who want a taste of the brighter and darker shades of feminism, who want to laugh one moment and contemplate the next, and who appreciate stories that aren't afraid of big reveals that change the course of a story.

3.5 ⭐

Jillian is a struggling journalist who thinks she’s stumbled upon a story that will catapult her career. She just needs to figure out how to infiltrate a secret club of elitist NYC women and air out their dirty laundry. Things actually seem to be falling into place . . . but then she uncovers way more than she ever thought possible.

Jillian was realistically flawed and the perfect character to show how far someone might be willing to go to fit in. Her life was in turmoil - she was grieving the loss of her mother, trying to salvage her career, looking for a new place to live, and feeling unsure about what she wanted in a relationship. It’s no wonder she was so enticed by a secret world of wealthy and powerful women. The club members were also extremely well-developed characters, and I enjoyed their interactions and the ways in which their different personalities played off one another. The workings of their inner circle were fascinating to say the least!

The intriguing plot and mysterious tone made this book unputdownable. I needed to know what was going on!! I’m not even sure what genre this book falls into, but it was refreshingly unique and I couldn’t have imagined the shocking turn it took! Just be prepared for a wild ride!

Best way I can think of to describe this book: Female empowerment with a dark twist and a bit of romance!

READ THIS BOOK! I loved everything about this story. The fun New York setting, the crazy women who think they could rule the world, and the amazing writer who was just looking for a story to get her back on track.

Jillian has had a rough go lately and is looking for a way back into the writing world. Her in is joining a private club of women who think they are in charge. These women have money and power, and Jillian has neither of those but somehow, she does what she sets out to do. She joins this club to write a tell all and learns so much more than what she expected.

The relationship of Jillian and her best friend had me hoping for what was to come. I loved how much they had each other’s backs and did what they had to help them succeed in their dreams. A friendship that stands through the years is one that is special and Jillian is lucky to have that person.

Just over halfway into the book a twist was thrown, and it was perfect. I stopped for just a second to think about what was happening and then dug right back into the story and never put it back down. As I finish the book, I am still thinking about it.

Genre Blending done right!!!

To save her career and impress a man, down on her luck, journalist Jillian decides to follow the rumours and infiltrate a secret club for some tastemaker women of New York. Laura Hankin takes real-life ideas and adds the right amount of satire to create an interesting, outrageous, fun story that addresses powerful women, feminism/white feminism, women supporting, uplifting and empowering women. She adds a bit of fun romance to have us rooting for whose team we are on with Jillian and two characters. There is a surprising twist and a turn to the story (be careful what reviews you read as not to spoil that twist and turn). Unfortunately, I read one and knew what turn the story was going to take. Bummer for me!!!

I love the story’s premise, and Laura Hankin plays on some tropes, giving them a refreshing and fun take, but mostly stays away from them being oblivious. The story starts off intriguing with the opening scene. It did slow down a bit for me, but when that twist and turn comes, the pace picks up, and I couldn’t put the book down. It does feel a bit “far-fetched,” but thats in the fun and the irony/satire is what drives the story forward. The ending could be a bit much to buy into, but it plays into the tone of the story. I liked how it all wrapped up, and it felt nice to get lost in the ending. I highly recommend it!!

It has a cinematic feel to it, and it is being developed into a TV series.

The beginning of this book immediately grabbed my attention, and I loved the mysterious set-up. The fake dating storyline was fun, and I enjoyed a lot of elements of this book. The club members were pretty cringey, but that was the point. I wish it felt more sinister, and I felt a little let down by the reveals. The second half of the book was lackluster. I feel like there was an attempt at more depth other than seeing how ridiculous rich white feminists can be, but I'm not sure what it was.

CW - misogyny, cheating, drugging, death of a parent

A huge thank you to Penguin Random House International, Berkley Publication and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review!!

“𝗜 𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗻’𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁, 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗶𝘁. 𝗜 𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗻’𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘂𝗹, 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲, 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱.“

𝘼 𝙎𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙋𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙒𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣 follows Jillian as she struggles after the death of her mother and her recent unemployment. When she learns of the rumors about an exclusive NYC women’s club where only the important can be invited, she’s determined to get back into the journalism game by finding a way to get invited and spill all the club’s dirty little secrets.

From the synopsis and from what everyone was saying about this book, I was intrigued from the get go! There’s so much realness and humor in Jillian’s narration and the way she approaches the challenges presented to her that I found myself flying through this book because of how intrigued and determined I was as her in getting to the source of all the secrecy. There’s also a level of skepticism in her voice that I enjoyed because it just makes her so much more genuine in the situations she was in.

I devoured the first half of this book so fast and when I reached the 60% mark that makes it or breaks it for a some reviewers, I found myself liking the “weird” turn it took! Though I was preparing myself already and making up the weirdest theories on what it could be prior, I actually like what it ended up being!

I initially felt that this had a light thriller vibe to it so I was pleasantly surprised by side of romance it had! Hankin’s take on the childhood friends to lovers, fake dating turned real trope was so good that I was satisfied towards the end.

The portrayal of women in this is so realistic and relatable! It was fascinating to read about all these amazing women and these female boss bitch figures interact with each other in such a way that made them each feel so powerful and belong. This was feminism at its finest but at the same time addressing the darker side of it.

Overall, the concept of this book was so unique and crazy in such a refreshing way! I loved how it became entirely different from what I thought it was getting into it. I highly recommend if you’re looking something new, wild and empowering all at the same time!