I enjoyed this story about the dark side of girl-bossing (Is there a bright side to that world? Unclear). Though there were a few times I wanted to scream at Harper for her decision-making, I also laughed (and cringed) as the story played out. Sometimes, you have to let people make mistakes for themselves, even if they're fictional, and a lot of her story will be all too familiar for many millennials working today. Though some may not want to read about toxic workplaces in their downtime, when it's written about skillfully, it can also be comforting to know you're not the only one — and that it could always be worse.

What a nice find. This was the first book I've read from this author and I really enjoyed it. The story was different from anything I've read recently and really captured my attention. It was so well written and the characters were fantastic.

Weirdly, this reminded me of one of those horror movies where you are yelling at the girl onscreen not to go down to the basement cause that's where the killer is. But in this case, you're yelling at main character Harper not to accept a job with a social media influencer because it's going to be bonkers. And it is. But not wacky bonkers.

Though obviously exagerrated (I hope) I would reccommend this book to any fans of satire or those who like to hear about the dark side of our internet culture.

The story leans into the ridiculous nature of influencing and its consequences for money and celebrity. Charlotte is an absolute mess of a character but her actions justify the story more than being obnoxious. I appreciated Harper's family and Filipino culture with the spirit of wanting to succeed and give more to your family. The subplot of Harper and Aaron did not live up to its potential. Otherwise, the story delves into the perils of women trying to make themselves somebody and the costs that can come with it.

Okay I admit it - I really don't care at all about influencers or social media. I apparently am too old to find anything engaging about this trend, mostly I see it as a sign of the End Times and the radical decline of civilization - never in the world has more time and attention been wasted on being popular.. and to what end?

Apparently to the end of writing a novel about it.

I don't know what drew me to this one. I had no idea who Rachel Hollis was or any of the drama surrounding her. I didn't even realize that until I was almost finished with the book and by chance happened to come across a mention of it in a review, leading to a Goggle search.

I found the book to read like a very very thinly veiled retelling of The Devil Wears Prada set against a backdrop of social media. The writing style is easy and engaging. The characters were aggravating and infuriating, but I expected that going in. Nothing about this book should have held my attention for longer than 5 minutes, yet somehow it did and I read through even if, at times, for no other reason than just to see the uppance eventually come.

Come it did and with all the predictable results. There is nothing particularly unique or surprising here, beyond the fact that it turned out to be a more entertaining read than expected.

The Devil Wears Prada meets The Assistants is the perfect description for Under the Influence! Charlotte Green’s character was perfectly written as a sympathetic villain; so many times I found myself “drinking the kook-aid” just like all the previous Greenhouse employees! Her inspirational quotes truly were motivating, despite her intentions.

Harper’s professional career taking unexpected turns in New York and Nashville is very relatable and as she navigates her own moral compass and self doubt she grows into a character I was rooting for IRL! #teamharper

The employer/employee dynamic while seemingly exaggerated does allow the reader explore their work cultures and environments and assess whether their own boundaries that may have been crossed. This is the perfect book to laugh at, swoon over, and learn from!

As a millennial, I should relate to stories about social media and influencers, etc. but I really don't. This fell flat for me, but think younger readers will enjoy.

I love books about the dark side of social media, so this one was right up my alley! Fittingly, I saw someone post about it on Instagram & knew I wanted to read it! I loved the look behind a mega-influencer’s business and the craziness it portrayed. Many of this book’s reviews mention it’ may be based on a certain real-life “girl boss” & that made it even more fun to read!

This book caught my attention after Grace Atwood shared it. Living in the whole "influencer" world is interesting and I wanted to read about how the author would talk about the influencer culture. As soon as I read this book I got Rachel Hollis vibes and come to find out, she worked for Hollis as her brand director!!!

Charlotte was kinda down and out and wasn't having the best of luck, so when this job offer is presented to her, she quickly jumps at the chance to have a fresh start in a different type of environment and career. What seems too good to be true, normally is.

The Greenhouse is a total vibe. It honestly gave me creepy vibes after a while. What was supposed to be a positive environment seemed very toxic in my opinion. I couldn't wait to see what was going to happen.

A good story. Very quick read. Interesting, even more, now that I know she worked for Hollis!

An unputdownable story about what it's like to work for an influencer, get all swept up in the glossy facade, and then come face to face with the ugly realities of working in a field where narcissists make their personality and existence into a "brand". Knowing that this was "inspired by" an actual influencer who had a spectacular implosion a few years back made it even harder to put the book down, and I gobbled it up in less than a day. The ending felt a little tacked on and too neatly tied up, but it was nice to have a happier ending for characters I'd grown to feel very sorry for over the course of the book. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this one in advance!

I really enjoyed this book and the characters. I do wish they had been more fleshed out in certain moments. I also felt like the ending was somewhat rushed even though it was all technically wrapped up. It also felt like some moments were thrown in and never fully realized. It did feel very realistic though and reminded me of my time working for an influencer (very accurate in that aspect).

I didn't really know anything about Rachel Hollis or her brand beyond seeing her books occasionally come up in customer orders, and I definitely didn't know about all the ways in which her brand imploded until I heard about this book and decided to give it a go for some low key distant schadenfreude. While there's something entertaining about spending time with a character who is so casually self-absorbed and offensive, there's something that feels kind of grimy about taking your experiences that have already been so publicly experienced and turning them into something thinly fictionalized. Perhaps writing just a memoir would have been to libelous and making it fictional in the most liberal sense covers everyone's butts. There is a sweet little subplot romance that doesn't feel particularly realistic, but overall it adds a little more padding for the main character. I can see this being a fun summer hit, and if you're in the mood for insider-gossip vibes, then this book is a treat.

Summary:
When Harper, down her luck, gets the opportunity of a lifetime to work for the enigmatic Charlotte Green of The Greenhouse, she jumps at the chance and moves from New York to Nashville. Charlotte is a self-made influencer who encourages and inspires other women to better themselves by investing in themselves. Her headquarters, The Greenhouse, is described as a summer camp on steroids with a bit of cult mixed in. Harper finds herself drawn in by both Charlotte and the office environment. With its dance parties, share time, and green garden, The Greenhouse centers on community and honesty. Charlotte's cult-like followers are enraptured by her relentless optimism and her encouraging spirit; however, the longer Harper works for Charlotte, the more she uncovers about her life and story. As Harper joins Charlotte's worshipers, she suddenly finds herself outside her family and friends. As Harper is pulled deeper into Charlotte's world, the more of herself she gives up. Can Harper have the job of her dreams and keep her true self? Or will she fall under Charlotte's demanding influence?

Review:
Let me begin by saying this book is hilarious and on the nose. I was cracking up while I was reading Charlotte's newsletter and Green-blasts. Charlotte's thoughts and speeches read like a self-absorbed, fake-humble influencer. When her staff members have Garden Time, she demands that they read aloud her followers' testimonials about meeting her, then she nods her head and touches her heart like she is more inspired by their stories than she is obsessed with herself. Charlotte, much like other cult leaders, is charismatic and enigmatic. She, herself, is a brand - a brand that demands a complete commitment to work and her. Harper's outside perspective offers an interesting take on The Greenhouse. Another cultish thing Charlotte does is hone in on vulnerable people who are down on their luck. Much like other leaders, Charlotte has an uncanny ability to pick up on vulnerable people and offer them her help. These people are then devoted to her and see her as a guru rather than a guide. They hold her in such high regard, that they often look the other way when she does unseemly or inappropriate things. For instance, after Harper makes her mom's Filipino cookies, Charlotte pretends they are from a recipe she got from her Filipino nanny. She even goes on a morning talk show to tell her made-up story inspired by Harper's life. I think this is precisely what makes this book so spot-on. How many times have we seen influencers or celebrities appropriating others' cultures or even plagiarizing someone's story to market themselves? Then, they apologize, and people forget their transgressions, much like Charlotte's employees. Or, they go too far and get #canceled. The insane hashtags and over-the-top Instagram stories are what make this book. Noelle Crooks does a phenomenal job relaying the life of an influencer. Her ability to write with such a distinctive voice that easily differentiates between characters is based on her previous roles at Sephora and Dolce Vita. Crooks nails the influencing world on the head, and I commend her for such an achievement.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time reading Crooks's story. I loved the mixed media aspects of it and genuinely liked Crook's voice. I have two problems with the novel: the last chapter and the absence of a darker story. I hate when books end with a "fill-in-the-blank" months later chapter. It seems cheap and weak. I did not read almost 315 pages to randomly jump ahead 18 months to where Harper's life has worked out perfectly and all the pieces have fallen into place. Secondly, I hoped Crooks would take the story to a slightly darker place. Not all influencers have ulterior and darker motives, but to me, it felt like Charlotte had darker secrets she did not want to be uncovered. I mostly read dark thriller and horror novels, so my preferences could have jaded my opinions. However, I was hoping that the novel would have gone just a little darker.

My issues, however, do not completely diminish the fun I had while reading. Overall, I give Under the Influence four stars. I enjoyed my time reading and would certainly recommend the novel. If you are looking for a fast read and a fun time, definitely check out Crooks's novel.

Under the Influence will be out on August 8. Follow this link below to Amazon to pre-order the novel. Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy.

I definitely don't want to hear the words bad ass boss babe and inspiration ever again!
I was going to give this book 3 stars, as I've never heard of Rachel Hollis before. But finding out this book might be more of a memoir than fictionally intended, I bought way deeper into the drama, upping my rating to 4!
Harper is a 27 year old, trying to get her life together in the publishing world of NYC but manages to get a ridiculous job offer in Nashville for a lifestyle influencer, Charlotte Green. As mentioned by others, very moden day Devil Wears Prada-esque.
Wish Charlotte's downfall was packed into more than just an explanation in the final chapter. The love story was pretty weak. And the ending was just a little too convenient for everyone. But I enjoyed the drama of it all...if this is, in deed, based on truly life events.
Thank you, Netgalley, publisher, and author for the ARC.

I love social media and I loved this book. I think it's a fictional work that probably accurately describes the real life influencer world. Harper wants to be a writer but she's having no luck in New York in a series of dead end jobs when her best friend spies the ad to work for influencer, Charlotte Green. Harper isn't really in the world of social media but she figures out, "why not?" and fills out the application. In a whirlwind of events, she's hired and moves to Nashville to join The Greenhouse.

I loved this book which is written from the view point of a person who starts out skeptical and slowly drinks the KoolAid. Yes, shades of cult of personality because Harper takes a job working for a huge personality called Charlotte Green, a social influencer, who’s persona has been skilfully created by herself but also with a lot of help. This cult of personality, who built her business on a “if I can do it, you can do it” soapbox with the expert use of social media, wants Harper to leave New York and work for her. The Greenhouse is home to all the worker ants who support Charlotte and her books and her social media and help sell Green to all the women who will listen and will spend their money to be like Charlotte.

Hard to believe this was the author’s first book because it’s well-written and the characters are so very clearly defined that it all was believable. You could understand how people get swept up into believing in themselves if only they had someone to show them the way, even if they had to pay for the guidance.

This unevenly paced first novel is rumored to be based on a real-life lifestyle guru. It is fun and interesting at times, but ultimately it didn't fully capture my attention.

As a human who loathes Rachel Hollis I highly appreciate this book. It gives such an interesting insight on influencers and the value we give them. It also sort of gives a new profile of what else the term ghost writer connects to.

The Devil Wears Prada is one of my favorite books (and movies) ever so when I heard this was being compared to that, along with The Assistants (another favorite series), I was all in.

Harper is feeling directionless in NYC when she learns of a job opening for a hugely successful self help influencer named Charlotte Green. Though Harper knows nothing about Charlotte, she applies and within days she’s moving to Nashville to work at The Greenhouse. She quickly realizes that the behind the scenes is not at all like what Charlotte portrays on social media and the cult-like company is hugely competitive and toxic. But Harper is determined to make it work and do whatever she can to succeed and gain Charlotte’s trust.

The comparisons I mentioned previously are definitely apt here, and maybe even a little too close for comfort at times - however maybe that’s what really happened! In researching the author and learning that she used to work at the Hollis Co., you can absolutely see Rachel Hollis all over these pages. As someone who watched the rise and fall of Hollis, I found this aspect of the book deeply intriguing. Plus, it’s always great when you can actually picture the characters.

The book is at times shocking - the lengths that Charlotte will go to manipulate her followers - but also not, as we know that Instagram doesn’t often showcase real life. The writing could probably have used another editing pass, but overall was fine. I don’t expect this book to win any pulitzers but if you’re at all interested in the behind the scenes of influencer life, this will be a perfect beach side read.

Now the only question left is just how much of this book is autobiographical?!

This book will be featured on episode 92 of the Reading Through Life podcast.

Under the Influence was a fun mix of The Devil Wears Prada with influencer culture. As someone who loves critiques of influencer culture, it was a very fun read. The main character takes a job as an assistant of sorts for an inspirational Girl Boss kind of influencer, and gets really wrapped up in the whole operation.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book.

I would normally rate this closer to 3.5 stars, but I rated it a 4 because it totally surpassed my expectations. I think Ms. Crooks did an excellent job with the "influencer-speak." Loved the Greenhouse and all the references to planting seeds, blooming, getting rid of weeds, and so forth. I also enjoyed the conflict between the departed employees and the employees who stayed behind, as well as Harper's gradual transformation from doubter to true believer.

The one drawback is that it's a little TOO "Devil Wears Prada" at times. One of the tasks Harper had to do was the exact same thing Andy had to do to Emily in TWDP.

Overall, this was a great debut. It's well-paced, and the author does a great job drawing you into the influencer world.