An enjoyable comedic revenge story following four middle-aged women. Think The First Wives Club. Four men who’ve given it all and prioritised men suddenly find themselves short changed and unjustly forced out of their roles. But they refuse to take defeat. They plot revenge.

This was a fun read. Topical and timely, but not in a bleak manner. It was quite wholesome and more cosy comic-vengeful. At times however I did find the writing felt kinda white feminism. I also didn’t like how it dismissed younger women and presented them as competition and bimbo-like. But in the second half when twists are dropped you see the four women grow and ally with the younger women. It could’ve been more punchy and had more bite (it felt insular at times cause of how narrowly it reflected an exclusive white female experience) yet it was a fun read.

EXCERPT: After a series of mistimed kisses involving rouged cheeks colliding across the table, we three old friends settled back into our chairs, genuinely happy to see each other. I'd been nervously expecting a lingering tension, a friction that would smack of scorched hearts, betrayal and unfinished business. But all I felt was residual love and affection.
Still, my default position is chippy humour, so, after ordering a bottle of wine, I added, 'Well, this is like a noirish trope from one of my own novels. An unexpected invitation heralds a murder mystery with personalities from the past assembled to expose skeletons in the cupboard and settle old scores in blood . . . I just hope I'm not about to become a ghost writer, literally.'
Cressida and Penny gave a little titter, but the tinge of truth in what I said sent a small chill around our table. Why had Jo summoned us back together after all these years?

ABOUT 'THE REVENGE CLUB': WHEN THE ODDS ARE AGAINST YOU, IT'S TIME TO GET EVEN.

Matilda, Jo, Penny and Cressy are all women at the top of their game; so imagine their surprise when they start to be personally overlooked and professionally pushed aside by less-qualified men.

Only they're not going down without a fight.

Society might think the women have passed their amuse-by dates but the Revenge Club have other plans.

After all, why go to bed angry when you could stay up and plot diabolical retribution? Let the games begin...

MY THOUGHTS: My initial comment, when I first began this read, was 'From the moment I read the dedication and the opening lines of the first chapter, I knew this book was going to be fun.' But, by the time I had reached the 25% mark I wanted to strangle the author. The constant puns and quips were wearing. I could only cope with reading a few pages at a time. I felt pummeled by not only what quickly became ridiculous statements posing as humour, but by the stereotypes of both men and women. There is not a realistic main character to be seen.

It's a pity really, as there is a great storyline buried under the incessant inanity. The characters are constantly over the top, and a lot of the humour totally missed the mark with me. Some of it I found to be just plain cruddy, one example being - ' . . . that Giles twat is clearly the most misogynist wank stain publishing has to offer.'

Not an experience I want to repeat in a hurry despite the rather wonderful Dedication: For the Sisterhood . . . Especially my three actual sisters, Jenny, Liz, and Caroline; my cherished mum, Val; dear daughter, Georgie; all my many warm and witty gal pals and, of course, all those courageous, inspirational feminist heroines who fight to make the world a fairer place for women.
No men were harmed in the making of this book, well, only a couple of misogynists and they totally bloody deserved it.

Sorry, Kathy, but IMHO, you have set feminism back years.

⭐.7

#TheRevengeClub #NetGalley

MEET THE AUTHOR: Kathy Lette divides her time between being a full time writer,
demented mother (now there's a tautology) and trying to find a shopping trolley that doesn't have a clubbed wheel.

She lives in London with her husband and two children and has just finished a stint as writer in Residence at London's Savoy Hotel.

Kathy says that the best thing about being a writer is that you get to work in your jammies all day, drink heavily on the job and have affairs and call it research! (Although her husband says he should have the affair as it would give her a better book!)

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Aria & Aries via NetGalley for providing an e-ARC of The Revenge Club by Kathy Lette for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

The Revenge Club was a fast paced, entertaining read from start to finish. It’s clear that the author knows how to write a cracking one-liner, there are gags on every page. The four women are good fun to read about and their madcap plot to disguise themselves and show up our skewed society which discounts women over 50 but lauds men of the same age was inspired. There were some interesting stories between the women too including long buried truths and grudges which all added to the drama and dynamics of the story.

Kathy Lette’s The Revenge Club is a sharp, sassy, and surprisingly empowering novel that dives into the lives of four women betrayed by the men they once trusted—and what happens when they decide they’ve had enough. As someone in her late fifties, I found this book both wildly entertaining and quietly cathartic.
The story revolves around a group of friends, each smart, successful, and done being taken advantage of. When their personal heartbreaks reach a tipping point, they form a pact—equal parts support group and mischief-making operation—to take back control of their narratives, and, yes, seek a bit of poetic justice along the way.

Really unusual storyline but I loved the way all the women banded together to get their revenge - some real laugh out loud moments

Did not enjoy. Too bitchy, too deprecating, trying too hard to 'prove' a point and harping on about it in ways that are just cringe-worthy. It wasn't comedy or funny or even entertaining at all, sadly.

Why have I never read Kathy Lette before! I have seriously been missing a treat.

Cressida, Penny and Matilda, three decades-old friends reunited with Jo, a former bandmate from their college days, you just know revenge is on the menu. Now trundling headlong towards their 60's they realise the time is Now. Time for Retribution and Revenge with plenty of hilarity thrown in. Tired of being treated as “just women” they devise ways to avenge for their mistreatment at the hands of men.

Could I relate? You betcha! This had me laughing out loud, to the bemusement of the man in my life, and this author now has a place in my List of Authors to Recommend.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to experience and enjoy this book.

I was lucky enough to read a preview of this book and was so excited to receive the full book.
It was an easy read though some parts dragged and I found myself losing interest in the middle.

Having read some of Lette's media columns I decided to request this book as I was hoping for some of the same. Unfortunately this book did not engage due to the 'over the top' adult nature. I'm sure there is a large market for this but it is not to my personal taste.

The story follows Matilda, Jo, Penny, and Cressida, four women in their post-menopausal years, who refuse to be sidelined by society. We kick off with a lively reunion at a chic London restaurant. Three of the women arrive punctually, but Jo shows up fashionably late. When a mysterious man occupies Jo's reserved seat, the plot thickens, leading to a series of unexpected twists.

The central question of the book is: How far would you go to reclaim what you’ve lost due to age and gender?

It's a thought-provoking premise wrapped in Kathy Lette's signature humour, making for an engaging and entertaining read.

http://thesecretbookreview.co.uk

I love this kind of book, so I was so excited to pick this one up! Unfortunately though, I was left disappointed. The Revenge Club reads like a caricature, with no characters that I was interested in rooting for. And a plot that just gets worse and worse. The whole thing was over dramatic - and not in a good way, since done well that can produce a fantastic read. It also wasn't anywhere near as funny as it thought it was, and I just ended up annoyed. Not the book for me, although I went 2 stars because I loved the premise!

First of all thank you for approving my request!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The authors writing style had me hooked throughout this book.

I didn't want it to end, a book I really couldn't put down.

2.5 raised to 3

From the cover and description, I was getting a ‘First Wives Club’ feel. Four college roommates, now in their 50s, being tossed aside for younger women or men being promoted over them. These women band together to right this wrong. I loved the idea of older women as protagonists.

This was a new author to me. The beginning started off strong, learning the backstories of each women as they reconnect. But, and I’m not exactly sure why, I found it difficult to follow all the dialog and found myself constantly rereading, especially in the beginning. It could have been the author’s love of vocabulary, just over the top for me. Puns, OMG enough already. There were quite a few references to people/slang that I didn’t understand. I love books set in the UK, and normally don’t have any issues. While I had empathy for situations and found it them realistic, I couldn’t connect with the characters. Yes, there were parts I found funny, but for the most part this was a miss for me.

Thanks to Aria & Aries and NetGalley for this ARC. This is my honest opinion.

I was lucky enough to read a section of this earlier and so to read the whole book was great as I'd been waiting for it! I enjoyed it, the female characters were the standout the men were very stereotypical male personas.

Kathy is very quick witted and that shows in her books, lots of one liners that could be too much, but I read the book over a few weeks in chunks so wasn't overpowering.

I'd recommend this to people looking for a fun tale of feminism and tongue in cheek revenge.

"The Revenge Club" by Kathy Lette is likely a sharp, witty, and empowering novel that delves into the lives of women who decide to take matters into their own hands after being wronged. Known for her humorous and bold writing style, Lette is likely to craft a story filled with strong female characters who bond over their shared experiences and devise clever, and possibly outrageous, plans to seek justice or revenge against those who have wronged them.

The novel probably explores themes of friendship, empowerment, and the complexities of modern relationships, all while delivering plenty of laugh-out-loud moments and biting social commentary. The characters might range from professionals to homemakers, each bringing their unique skills and perspectives to the group as they navigate the challenges of getting even while maintaining their everyday lives.

"The Revenge Club" would be a great read for fans of contemporary women’s fiction who enjoy stories with a mix of humor, sass, and a touch of rebellious spirit. It's likely a novel that celebrates the strength and resilience of women, wrapped up in a fun and fast-paced narrative.

Four women who were friends at Uni but fell out (but can’t remember over what) meet up for a reunion. They discover they have now reached that age where women however successful they were become invisible and discriminated against and badly treated.

They have all been badly treated badly by men be it husbands, work colleagues or agents and they set up the Revenge Club to get their own back.

I really enjoyed this book, my first by this author and I will certainly read more of their books.

Had a lot of fun. I enjoyed the peek but the entire book was a lot of fun featuring well developed characters and a lot of humour
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I'm sorry, this book put me into a slump, I thought I would love it and I loved the preview, but I just couldn't get through it. I might come back and try it again though. I did try the audiobook AND the physical book as well.

The title and synopsis of this book interested me. The idea of four women, Matilda, Jo, Penny and Cressy, at the top who are passed over by men and what they plan to get even.

I found the author to be repetitive and the story dragged in the middle. There was definitely humor and female friendship, but it was also predictable. The author relied on stereotypes to get the laughs. I had high hopes and was, unfortunately, disappointed.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Aria, for an ARC. The review is my own.

I’m afraid I struggled with this book. It took me ages to get through as it didn’t really grab me. I was maybe expecting too much as the description really interested me. It wasn't a bad book, just maybe too long? The way the women got their revenge was creative and interesting
. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for giving me access to an early copy of this book.