I am thankful to have been given an early ebook of Under the Influence, and I didn't mind it as a non-fiction novel, unfortunately, it was supposed to be fictional. The story was a quick read that seemed like you followed Harper around throughout her day at work, a little like the Disney+ docuseries "One Day at Disney". That was the books strength: showing us what work was like at this company. It's failing was trying to be a fictional story about Harper.

Harper was given no characterization whatsoever. I'm not exaggerating when I say the first paragraph of the book is already about Charlotte Green. We know nothing about Harper besides she has a rich best friend - who quickly becomes irrelevant. We don't find out more about her as the story goes on so when a romance tries to be forced into the story, it seems horribly out of place. Not only was I not invested in the romance, I was annoyed it was interrupting.

Under the Influence did not read like a fictional novel. Being a person who doesn't know very many influencers by name, even I pretty quickly thought this book reads like an ex employee of Rachel Hollis turned her Glass Door review of working at Hollis's company into a published novel.
The blurb makes it sound like it's supposed to be any influencer, a general look into the hidden back stage parts of the industry, but the way Charlotte was set up it was hard to see her as anyone else: she claims to be a self made small town girl (ignoring husbands wealth and connections), is a mom of multiple children maker her older than most influencers, has published multiple self help novels, and husband was a executive for a large company that quit and worked at her company.

Who would I recommend this to? If you are obsessed with Rachel Hollis or other influencers like her and want to read a tell all about what it's actually like working for an influencer, this is for you.

"Under the Influence," by Noelle Crooks is a story about Harper Cruz, a 26-year-old trying to make it in the New York City publishing world when she is offered a job in Nashville to work for Charlotte Green, a multi-millionaire self-help Social Influencer, As Harper becomes more involved in Charlotte's business and life, the more she overlooks questionable and unethical decisions to the point that Harper becomes almost unrecognizable to the people who love her..

While this book was an easy read, I did find that it dragged on to the point that the theme felt overdone - young woman who loses herself as she becomes more enamored and manipulated by celebrity,

Nevertheless, thank you Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for the Arc.

Extremely readable and believable. This look at the dark realities of influencers is engaging and has us question what is real online.

I was caught up in the story and related to the overworked and poorly conditioned employment. This kept bringing me back to my time working at a tech company who wanted us all to drink the kool-aid too. But while I enjoyed this story. It felt a little surface level and left me wanting more.

Debut novelist Noelle Crooks’ Under the Influence is one of this year's buzziest books. For fans of The Devil Wears Prada and A Hundred Other Girls, readers follow Harper Cruz, a struggling writer and former publishing professional who gets the opportunity to work for mega Nashville-based influencer, Charlotte Green.

Based out of The Greenhouse, her role as a Visionary Support Strategist includes everything from running errands and selling journals, to writing global newsletters and organizing a conference for thousands of Green’s adoring fans.

It’s the job thousands of others would kill for, and one that Harper is specially handpicked to do by Charlotte herself, which is why she feels she needs to do just about everything in her power to stay at The Greenhouse.

It doesn’t matter if at the beginning, that means turning a blind eye to the toxic workplace, cult-like environment, and Charlotte’s poor management skills. She revels in the feeling of instant gratitude, and there’s certainly no shortage of gratitude, or attitude, at The Greenhouse.

#GirlBoss moments, influencer battles and breakdowns are a plenty in Crooks’ debut, and even a subtle romantic subplot add some spice to the narrative.

At the core of Under the Influence there are themes of family, friendships, and prioritizing yourself, and your sanity, ahead anything else. This year’s ultimate beach read.