1⭐️ Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an advanced copy of A Girl Like Us.

Maya a reality television star has just married Colin and his family is very wealthy and they also have a lot of secrets but so does she. Someone in the wealthy family has been murdered and the family goes into survival mode. Who would have wanted the family member dead?

This book was way too slow for me. It was also very repetitive about events unfolding in the plot. I did not like any of the characters so it was really hard to be invested. I was not a fan.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark, Anna Sophia McLoughlin and NetGalley for the gifted ARC of A Girl Like Us. It was a wild ride!

4.5 rounded down to 4.

What a fantastic, fast-paced thriller! I can't believe this is a debut. A Girl Like Us is so complex and twisty, I couldn't keep up! I had no guesses until the 75% mark. And didn't begin thinking a few of my hunches might be right, until about the 85% point. There were so many suspect possibilities I was hopping around from one person to another for most of the book. I loved the locked door, billionaire elite setting. And the MC rising up from a nothing kind of family life made me question her reliability the entire way!

A Girl Like Us is an addictive, high-stakes thriller that seamlessly blends glitz, power, and deadly secrets. With a sharp and compelling protagonist, Maya Miller (now Sterling), at its core, the novel unravels a murder mystery set against the opulent yet ominous backdrop of the Sterling family’s ancestral estate. As Maya navigates a world of privilege, deception, and ruthless ambition, the tension never lets up. McLaughlin masterfully crafts a gripping page-turner filled with jaw-dropping twists, making this a must-read for fans of glamorous thrillers with a dark edge. Secrets and family drama galore!

Thank you Anna Sophia McLoughlin, Sourcebooks Landmark, and Netgalley for the advanced copy!

Packed to the gills with rich people behaving badly, long-buried secrets, and epic twists and turns, A Girl Like Us had my attention from the very first word. And let me tell you, this family was the secret sauce in what was a killer story. Dysfunctional in the extreme, they were cold, calculating, and cunning in the best possible way. All except for Colin—who had my heart right from the start—and Maya, of course. Well, maybe she had just a few of those traits. Morally gray and with a love for winning at all costs, she was the perfect addition to this ruthless pack of wolves, which made the plot come alive right before my oh so riveted eyes.

As for the plot, I adoringly ate most of it up one heaping spoonful at a time. So much so, in fact, that I finished this 400+ page stunner in just under twenty-four hours. With twist after twist shifting the storyline in first one direction and then another, the conclusion was 100% unguessable for this thriller lover. That’s not to say, though, that I didn’t see through many of those stunning reveals. It didn’t, however, ruin the book for me even the slightest. After all, with ever-present foreboding, complex group dynamics, and a pace that soared higher and higher, I wouldn’t have wanted to actually be there with the Sterlings, but I absolutely loved being a fly on the wall.

The only tiny hiccup that stood out to me other than my ability to see through the twists was the need to suspend all disbelief. You see, while I’m sure there are families out there that could rival this obscenely wealthy, vile clan, the events took coincidence a step too far more than once. That being said, I still found it utterly addictive and I sped through this psychological thriller in no time at all.

Ultimately, by the end of Ms. McLoughlin’s stellar debut, I was undeniably floored. With well-plotted dual POVs, realistic characters, and a deliciously unhinged storyline that kept me in the palm of its hand, it gave me a Stone Cold Fox meets Succession feel with a bit of Kaira Rouda thrown in. The best piece of all, though? That was the locked room thriller premise. Claustrophobic, creepy, and undeniably chilling, Silver House gets my applause for a dynamite setting laced with an atmospheric vibe. So run—don’t walk—to grab your copy today. A sure fire win for this newbie author, you don’t want to miss out on a minute with the Sterlings. Rating of 4.5 stars.

Thank you to Anna Sophia McLoughlin, Sourcebooks Landmark, and NetGalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

'Maya's been around long enough to know that gentility is mostly a smokescreen for power grabs and treasure hoarding'.

Maya Miller grew up with trouble, lucky to have made it through high school, she managed to find prominence, popularity, and parties after landing a party on a reality tv series. Her real coup, however, was landing, and marrying, star bachelor Colin Sterling, from a multi-million dollar media dynasty. Maya may have married Colin but she had a long way to go to be a part of his grand family, who are so quick to label her 'them' instead of one of 'us'. That is, until Colin's cousin Arianna is found dead. Arianna, wasn't just a cousin, she was the heiress to the Sterling fortune. The funny thing is, is that although Maya had never met Colin's cousin, she's discovered that she's just inherited everything. Whereas once Maya was disregarded as a nobody, she's now become the prime target, but Maya has secrets of her own and she can be just as clever and underhanded to be a worthy opponent in this game of deceit.

This story is told in alternating POVs, between Maya and Arianna. Slowly a web of deception and lies is revealed, with plenty of twists along the way. I enjoyed this story, which does give off the Succession vibes it claims to, however, I did find it spinning its wheels at times. A good read for people who enjoy twisty mysteries.

'Maya is a different species...A nobody from nowhere...A little thief who learned early that if you want something, you just have to take it...'.

3.5 ⭐️

If there’s one thing I love, it’s a story rich in murder, wealth, and secrets and damn, this book had it all!!! There was a slower burn to the thrill of this story but I was invested in Maya and the crazy cast of Sterling family members. Def give this one a read!

Thanks NetGalley for an ARC!

This riveting and suspenseful page-turner delves deep into the intricacies of family relationships, exploring the complexities of power dynamics, and the devastating consequences of long-held secrets. The captivating narrative will resonate with readers who are drawn to stories that explore the multifaceted nature of human character, the intricacies of family drama, and the allure of thrilling mysteries. With its rich tapestry of interwoven plotlines, unexpected twists, and emotionally charged revelations, this novel promises an unforgettable reading experience that will stay with readers long after the final page is turned.

This one sounded so interesting especially when being compared to Succession. That was what sold me, as that is one of my favorite shows ever! I would say that this delivered on that comparison. My main complaint would be that it felt like the book was a tad long and could have been edited to help keep my interest and help the story move better. But other than that, I enjoyed it! The characters are the uber rich and they are utterly despicable. No matter how many rich behaving badly books I read, I still enjoy them! This had some interesting twists and I liked how it ended and tied up all the loose ends! This is a fun debut that has me excited for what’s next by this author!

The book was enjoyable but there were things that seemed drawn out that did not add to the book. It ilea’s hard to appreciate the cast of characters and that could be what the author wanted. I did root for one but then it just ended with out any solid answers. Maybe a second book?

I do appreciate that I was given the opportunity to read this early from the author and NetGalley.

Damn!

This was soo good. Kept me hooked from the start.
The caracters was so great, and loved them.

A good thrillers with lots of Rich family drama.

A Rich Thriller to DIE FOR.

Former reality TV star Maya Miller is now living a life of luxury, recently married to Colin Sterling, a member of British royalty. The story kicks off with the shocking murder of Colin’s cousin, Arianna, with Maya quickly becoming the prime suspect. As Maya delves deeper into the Sterling family's secrets, the suspense builds.

I’m always on the lookout for a good thriller, but while this book started strong, it ultimately fell flat for me in the middle. It Girl Like Us alternates between the past, told in Arianna's perspective i in a mental hospital, and the present, following Maya Miller. Normally, I enjoy this type of narrative, but in this case, it felt like it weakened the overall pace.

The characters were somewhat one-dimensional, and I didn’t feel particularly invested in any of them, not to mention there was so many to keep track of.

What really bothered me, however, was the abrupt ending. The big reveal happens around 85%-90%, and the resolution is wrapped up in just one chapter followed by the epilogue. This rushed conclusion left me feeling unsatisfied.

Despite this, I did enjoy the chapters from Arianna’s perspective, particularly her diary entries. However, the book ultimately lacked the suspense and plot twists that make a thriller truly gripping for me.

3.5 rounded up.

"Protocol 202, Maya - it means there's been a murder."

Former reality star Maya Miller has just married into the extremely wealthy Sterling family. Her and her new husband Colin are on their way back from their honeymoon when they learn the Sterling heiress was just murdered. They immediately divert their course to London to meet up at the family estate where they'll be under constant watch until the murderer is apprehended.

A GIRL LIKE US is a debut mystery from Anna Sophia McLoughlin and oozes wealth and chaos.

This book is very much a slow (sometimes trudging) burn. As a reader, we get to learn the pasts and secrets of Maya and the Sterling family as they're all brought together under tense circumstances.

The ending goes crazy and redeemed the overall story for me a bit.

However, I think for the most part, this story was missing a lot of answers and raised even more questions that came from a rushed conclusion.

A fine debut, but one that I think will only really work for certain readers!

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an ARC in exchange for an honest review - out February 11!

I love a twisty, old money story. Throwing a reality tv star into the mix was fun, and I loved how the story progressed and the ending was great.

This novel got crazier with each turn of the page! Maya was on a popular reality show and now she is married to Colin Sterling. Colin is wealthy and they have a daughter named Becca. Colin's cousin Arianna is found dead. Who is killed her and why? Everyone in the story is unlikable to some extent, except for Becca. The Sterling family does weird rituals and traditions, everyone is not so nice to Maya.

Nothing really happens in the beginning of the book as the story builds. After that, everything happens. There are lots of twists and turns in the last third of the story. This book will keep you on the edge of your seat! It is a drama of rich people that is told in two POV.

Shocking, Mystery-Thriller, and Dark! 3.5 stars!

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy! This book will be released 2/11/25.

I had to gather my thoughts before I wrote this review. I really wanted to love this book. It had so much potential and it really drew me in at the beginning. There were twists, turns and shocks just like any good thriller. This book however could have 100 pages shaved off and still get to the point. It just dragged on and on and it was things that weren't even important. Also, I understand there were nannies, etc. but it bugged me to death that Maya never had her kid with her. It was like the kid was an afterthought and not even important to the story in the grand scheme of things. The ending was lackluster and somewhat disappointing.

2.75 stars rounded to 3.

A pretty decent read, it had lots of twists and kept me engaged. I didn't really connect with any of the characters but maybe that's to be expected and they are definitely intriguing either way and to be fair I did actually quite like Maya

Old Money meets Reality TV

Maya finds herself embroiled in her husband's extremely rich family after a cousin's death. Her reputation as a reality tv star doesn't sit well with the family and she wonders if she'll ever be considered a "Sterling."

This was juicy and fun! There's always another secret hiding in the walls of the Sterling manor and I loved following this plot. An extremely compelling cast of characters in a locked room scenario. Overall a great mystery thriller novel!

comparing this to succession and saltburn is wiiiiiild. while there are a FEW aspects in this book that touch upon themes in both those, it's not nearly enough to be blurbed as such. here you have the typical story of an outsider, maya, marrying into an upper echelon family, the sterlings, and mysteriously being named the heir to inherit the entire family fortune after the previous heiress dies.

the writing was super clunky. there was a lot of telling and not showing which, in a mystery/thriller, basically negates those aspects of the book. the first few chapters were filled with nothing but paragraphs of info dumping (and before any of you say a single thing, YES I READ PARAGRAPHS). i understand that was necessary to set up the world/characters, but it made it hard for me to get into the story. the pacing was very slow - we hardly got anything worthy of note to do with the actual plot until about 30-40% in. the middle was filled with repetitive scenes of the wealthy family making the new wife feel like the gum on the bottom of their shoes. like we GET IT. she's "never be a sterling". ugh.

the last third of the story was when things finally started to pick up. right as i was finally getting into it, the plot twists that were revealed felt...boring? lackluster? it wasn't anything i didn't kind of guess was going to happen. i wasn't truly shocked by it. and then immediately after the big reveal, we cut straight to the epilogue. now that actually was a surprise because i didn't expect such an abrupt ending. it also felt a bit unsatisfying. i wanted more closure with the endings of certain characters because the set up was there for a bigger conclusion and we got none of it.

this story takes place in 2004 and i do have to hand it to the author - she did capture what the world and culture was like during that time perfectly.

overall, there wasn't anything about this book that really stood out. nothing that i haven't already read before.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review. I tried to get into this one, but it was so slow and every single character was unlikable, so it was a bit of a slog. I think this is mostly an editing issue. We could have had 30% less of Maya wandering hallways in the Sterling castle and that would have done wonders for the pacing of the book. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to recommend this one.

good mystery about a family and a murder. Miss mayhem is trying to solve the case and dealing with family issues. loved colin and their family. Loved that the mystery was solved.