THE GLOW by Jessie Gaynor delivers a delicious bite. It's a quick read, in part because the main character Jane has such a distinctive voice--and, wow, does she make mistakes. Jane is very critical of herself, yet also hilarious, especially when she creates and narrates her personas, like PR Jane.

As Jane discovers her soon-to-be Instagram Wellness celebrity Cass and enters the world of Cass and Tom, Jane becomes bolder, yet still makes big mistakes. The choices she makes are clearly her own and it's very compelling to see how her life changes in comparison to others' in her life. The ending left me feeling a bit empty--and that seemed to be the point.

The journey from page one to the end is time well spent.

I am in the social media industry, so I was immediately intrigued by the description of this book. The actual book felt very different to me than the description. Really didn't know what I was getting myself into. The writing is absolutely incredible and if I were only rating it on that, it would be a 5 star book. I swear I can picture FortPath/Opeia perfectly in my brain.

The themes and commentary are so much bigger than the plot itself. I definitely came away thinking about the false god of social media, where everyone and everything is perfectly curated, but behind the sheen of it all is just a human with flaws and faults just like the rest of us.

Outside of the immaculate writing, this was very close to a DNF for me.

The thing that kept me going was how much I despised every single character, which honestly isn't at all why I read. It wasn't an enjoyable experience, and I know it wasn't meant to be! It was just so jarring to read a book where not a single person does anything redemptive. For me, without anyone to root for, there was no victory in crossing the finish line. Because I didn't really care what happened to anyone, it made the entire underlying commentary fall flat and fail to actually fully realize itself.

In all, while this book wasn't for me, I do think the author's writing is noteworthy and I look forward to their next project!

“They were dull in everything but their skin.”

Jessie Gaynor’s “The Glow” is chock-full of quotable lines on the farce that is the wellness industry.

The book’s cleverness lies in its satirical nature, told through the lens of protagonist Jane, who, prior to meeting ethereal Cas who seemingly speaks in riddles, is dull, mediocre, and forgettable, both physically and “spiritually.” Despite Jane’s mediocrity, she understands the delicate balance between the effortlessness and intentionality in how upper-class white women hope to portray themselves, and makes a career out of it. Juxtaposed against the structural failure of the US healthcare system, Gaynor problematizes the conflation between wellness and healthcare as she unveils the lack of credentials or research required to market products in the pursuit of an ill-defined sense of wellness, and how much of the industry’s power lies in its marketing.

While I enjoyed reading Gaynor’s book, there were some portions of the book that left me wanting more. First, while there was some exploration of tom’s character, I wasn’t left with a clear takeaway on what his character was meant to achieve in the storyline. I wish Gaynor had ended the novel with something more conclusive in terms of the commentary on the men Jane interacted with throughout the novel (particularly Tom and Byron). What were these relationships meant to offer by way of the larger examination of the façade that is the wellness industry? This felt like an unanswered question in the novel.

I don't think this book is a huge takedown of the wellness industry in the manner some will be expecting it to be, and I don’t think anything being said is necessarily new or novel; many of the ideas discussed in the book have been discussed before. I do, however, appreciate that the topic Gaynor tackles in this novel is a mighty one, and thus one novel won’t be able to get to it all.

Nevertheless, I enjoyed reading the book, and loved the feeling of pulling back the curtain on elusive, mysterious, and physically and spiritually “well” Cass. As someone who’s been enamored with influencer culture, found themselves scrolling through Instagram an unhealthy amount, and has coveted the lives of unknown women whose digital selves seem so simultaneously effortless and yet so intentional, this book spoke to me. I have spent many hours picking at my face and scrolling through lists of products that will allegedly even out my skin tone, give me an effortless glow, and rid me of any type of odor (because God forbid I smell like anything other than a light floral scent when I physically exert myself). I’m glad this book exists.

TW: ED. Although it’s not explicitly referred to, there are references that may be triggering for some. Proceed with caution if needed.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I thoroughly enjoyed the main character of this book. I found tidbits of her meanderings in the first few chapters highly relatable. Her perspective as a marketing professional in a world where wellness and capitalism have fully collided was hilarious and spot on. I wanted to see what Cassie looked like and experience FortPath/ Opeia for myself, even though it was insane. Great story.

Really good read - I enjoyed this book. I'm so glad that I got the chance to read it early and will definitely be recommending it to multiple people who enjoy these types of novels. I enjoyed the characters and especially enjoyed the writing by this author. I'm excited to see what the author comes out with next as I'll definitely be reading it! Thank you to the publisher for my early copy of this book!

Everyone sells out, evenutally.

Jane is two different people. Actual Jane is 29, struggling at her PR job, and in almost $100K in medical debt. PR Jane is 25 and full of catchphrases, hashtags, and fun. The two collide with Jane, on the cusp of being fired, books a (free) weekend at FortPath, a wellness retreat in New Jersey.

FortPath is bare-bones. There is goose poop all over the yard, tiny bits of food - mainly consisting of zucchini, and the methods are all a little off... But Cass, the FortPath guru, is glowing. She glides through life, like the main star of a movie. Jane lands herself in a bit of hot water in an effort to connect with another guest when she badmouths one of her clients. After being fired via a phone call, Jane needs a new plan. She asks to stay on at FortPath and help increase their 'brand."

The Glow by Jessie Gaynor is funny and full of awkward moments. Jane, as a lead character, is unhinged and...that's totally okay. She is focused on herself - and how to maximize the income of Opeia, the new version of FortPath.

This is a very tongue-in-cheek look at the wellness industry, the American healthcare system and millennials. I loved it.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I have mixed emotions on The Glow but it's clear that Jessie Gaynor is a fantastic writer. The Glow takes a in depth look at what it takes to make a "wellness" brand through the eyes of Jane — a PR account manager who is struggling to know Who she is and where she's going.

After getting fired, she takes it into her own hands that she wants to build the next big wellness social media brand and finds her perfect muse in Cass. Cass, and her husband Thomas, run a retreat that Jane believes she can cultivate into the perfect getaway for a new clientele.

The writing was clever, witty, and had jarring lines that left me breathless. While the plot was compelling, I found it lacking during the middle section. I took a several week pause from the book and struggled to get back into it.

However, once I did pick it back up and pushed through the slower part, I started to really enjoy myself again and found myself racing towards the end.

The Glow is a good social commentary on what happens when one becomes so obsessed with their own/society's goals that they lose who they are. It also touches on how much of what we engage with on social media is, for lack of better words, bullshit. It's not one with a necessarily happy ending but it's also the only ending that would make sense.

I took down stars because of the slowness and just my general struggle to get through certain parts of it. Though I resonated with the message, I don't see this as a novel that is going to Stick with me forever, if that makes sense? However, it's a very solid read, is compelling, and makes the reader think about what they're consuming.

received an e arc from netgalley in exchange for an honest review. 3.5 rounded up to 4
the satire is BITING. gaynor's background writing essays and articles really comes through, especially at the beginning--i don't typically care if a work tells rather than shows, but the first half, the depiction of jane's thoughts and emotions frequently felt formulaic, not in content but in style. still, it was frequently funny, and i kept thinking about the characters, particularly tom, over the weekend break i took in reading. i was surprised and pleased by the depiction of queerness, and also have never in my life been so attacked as when jane neglects her medical debts to donate to her local KERA affiliate

A semi-engaging book with themes about the wellness industry and influencers. I had high hopes for this book but for me it was just "meh."

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

We’re to assume Jane could be any 21st century woman. She is on the hunt for self-actualization while hoping to get out from under crushing medical debt. We meet a couple iterations of Jane. Initially she takes on Poetry Jane, going the cerebral route with a PhD in poetry, but drops out for PR work in women’s healthcare, becoming PR Jane. But she is flailing, until she’s scrolling through Instagram (like any 21st century woman does) and comes across a woman that it entrances her. Is it sexual desire or is it jealousy over that enchanting glow? Hard to tell, but she ends up going to the retreat this woman runs in the hopes not only getting that “glow” for herself, but landing a job as the retreats PR manager.

The ridiculousness of Cass’s retreat is a great satirization of Goop culture. I think these were my favorite parts of the novel. The story dragged in the middle, especially during Tom’s narrative. I’m not sure I get his role or if it’s even necessary. Is Tom righteous or is he spineless?

Jane is mostly is an unlikeable character. Her self-loathing is annoying, and we keep hoping that she gives up the act. But she doesn’t. She won’t, because then what is she? A directionless loser. But is she already that? Overall it was a decently put together satire of the commodification of wellness culture, social media influencers and the resulting female insecurities caused by both.

This was fast paced and surprisingly entertaining! I went in with no real expectations, but I enjoyed the sharp satire of the wellness industry and would recommend this as a fun and engaging weekend read!

A clever novel about Jane, trying to find her footing in the workplace, befriends Cass through Instagram and forms a relationship with this skincare/retreat guru. The novel was funny and entertaining. Thank you, NetGalley, for an advanced copy of this novel.

This book had me captivated me from the very beginning. Immediately it felt like Ottessa Moshfegh's My Year of Rest and Relaxation, which is an old favorite. In fact, it was even funnier. I was laughing out loud at the narrator's observational humor around the over-the-top ridiculousness of the wellness industry.

Our main character Jane is a melancholic and desperate NYC PR girl. She's on a mission to save her job by scoring a new client, which is how she stumbles on this out-of-the-way wellness retreat that provides healing for a stressed out clientele of well-to-do NY women involving near starvation, sparse communal accommodations, and bizarre group rituals. Jane is fascinated by the group's beautiful and mysterious leader Cass, and makes it her mission to lead Cass to wellness commodification stardom.

My favorite part of this novel was the author's insanely clever metaphors. The writing is top-tier. Although the plot felt a little too slow at times, I remained interested in where this wellness journey would take Jane. Highly recommend this if you're like cultish novels with characters who are more than they appear.

I really wanted to root for this book. I felt that Jane was a very realistic character that a lot of readers could relate to. But unfortunately all the back story both for Jane and Tom and Cass never really went anywhere. Jane's time at Fort Path seems more like a premise than an executed plot. Her motivations don't really evolve at all through the book even as certain dynamics within the threesome change. I think had this book come out before there was a glut of books taking down the girl boss/influencer lifestyle it might have stood out more. The author is clearly a talented writer but this novel missed the mark for me.

I was expecting The Glow to be a rehash of the Teal Swan cult, but the novel stands apart from true events or other works one might find similar. Quintessential Millennial Jane Dorner connects with the alluring Cass and her husband Tom, who run a wellness retreat in dire need of Jane's PR expertise. As she tries to build the brand, which dances on the fine line of being a cult, into the next lifestyle must-have, she grapples with who she really is and how that relates to those around her.

The Glow was an incredibly enjoyable read. It does a great job poking fun at Millennials without relying on that as its only trope, and I saw myself (on the younger end of Millennial) in quite a few of the characters. I felt that the ending wasn't as powerful as it could have been, which is the reason I scored 4/5.

Note: I received a free ebook copy of The Glow from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Jane works for a PR firm, and although she's not the best employee, she sets out to find 'the client' who will put her back in her boss' good graces and continue to help pay off her mounds of medical debt. She finds FortPath, the wellness retreat centered around the ethereal albeit enigmatic Cass. Even with a warning that the retreat has cult-like tendencies, Jane is sure that this is the ticket to success, so long as she can convince the partners of the retreat to let her take them on as a client.

This was an interesting read about the nature of the influencer world and follows the story of the influencee becoming the influencer. There were aspects of Jane that I felt were very relatable to the average mid-twenties woman floating around trying to find her place both in the real world and the online version. There were other parts of Jane that I felt were so incredibly shallow and superficial that I couldn't fathom how I was supposed to relate to this character. I got lost a little bit throughout the middle of the book as it just seemed to drag on for a good bit and really only picked up at the end. I really loved Tom's character and I did enjoy that we slowly unveiled layers of him as Jane spent more time at FortPath.

I didn't really pick up on any commentary about the topic other than the obvious and written out for us to see. That even though Jane has been on the side of the screen desperately getting influenced by any and everything around her, she just can't help the power that comes with being on the other side of it. I'm not sure if there was supposed to be more to the conversation than that. Overall, it was a fair read.

Dark and full of relatable quips. I really hoped to like this one more. As a skincare enthusiast and someone interested in holistic healing I was excited about this one, but somewhere after the halfway point I think it started to fall short and I was losing some of my interest. I really hoped for more after that ending.

This book was smart and asked a lot of ethical questions about our world of wellness influencers, beauty, social media, and the cost of appearances. Not my favourite book I've read lately - I found it a bit slow and hard to get into, but it was topical and I can see this being enjoyed by the right audiences!

I was drawn in by the premise of THE GLOW, but sadly didn’t love this as much as I wanted to. However, I enjoyed the tone and would recommend this to anyone looking for an interesting story about the wellness industry.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Expected publication: June 20, 2023

Perhaps it's just a "me" thing, but I am getting tired of books with no likeable characters. I enjoy the 'influencer space' and the projection of everyone having no redeeming qualities just isn't an enjoyable book for me. I did not end up finishing this book.