Why did Ariana name Maya as her heir? That's the question that sets off this tale of a wholly dysfunctional family. Maya is the real outsider-an American who married into the incredibly wealthy Sterling family. She's not very likable but neither is anyone else. Who killed Ariana? How can Maya keep herself and her child safe? Secrets and lies about. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This is set on a completely implausible premise (anyone with these holdings would have a significantly more layered will among other things) but it's an entertaining read.

3 out of 5 Stars!

Maya Miller has just accomplished the American dream. Well, to some. Maya Miller, a former reality TV star, just married into a rich family. But not just any rich family, but the globally famous Sterling family. Just after getting married, the unthinkable happened. A Sterling is found dead, the heiress to the family’s immense fortune, Arianna. When it is exposed that Maya is the next heiress, all eyes are on her. Did she murder Arianna so she could have all the fortune for herself? So far, she is the prime suspect.

I LOVE debut novels, so when I saw “A Girl Like Us” by Anna Sophia McLoughlin on NetGalley, I was quick to request it! Plus, with a synopsis like that, I was hooked prior to even reading it. This book started off gaining my attention, with the storyline building up to the big moment of Maya finding out she is the heiress. But after that moment, the book kinda fell flat for me. Overall, I thought this book was very theatrical with most twists I unfortunately saw coming.

Maya, our main character, was not my favorite. She seemed hypocritical when saying how powerful she was, but then failed to show it. She also kept hinting at her past and her dad, so I was waiting for something crazy to happen. But, nothing ever came to fruition.

One thing I really liked about this book was the change of perspective. Throughout the novel, there will be a chapter told by another character. I don’t want to say who, as it would give away some of the storyline, but it did keep the book going for me. I will admit, it was confusing at first to understand what the person was saying, but it did make sense later for me in the book.

Unfortunately, I guessed most of the twists throughout this book. Which was a huge bummer, as I love a good jaw-dropping moment. For me, they seemed a little obvious, which is a shame, because I think the book could have gone multiple ways and surprised the reader more. The twists I didn’t figure out, didn’t have me gasping for air. I was like, oh, yeah I can see why that would be that person.

“A Girl Like Us” by Anna Sophia McLoughlin is out February 11th, 2025!

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark, Anna Sophia McLoughlin, and Netgally for a digital ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

This one was not for me, it was slow and meandering and I was never invested in the story or the characters. There were also too many characters to keep track of and I found myself confused. I also found it to be predictable and not very exciting. Meh.

Reading the synopsis of the book, what's not to love? Succession meets Saltburn? A murder in a high-up, wealthy family that's too big and rich to touch? A girl--Maya "Miss Mayhem" Miller, former reality TV star-turned-sudden heiress of the entire Sterling fortune--tries to find out what really happened to the murdered heiress whom she's never met before? All of those things seem right up my alley, yet I felt like there was much left to be desired.

I feel like absolutely nothing and everything happened at the same time while reading this. This was honestly a drag to get through and finish. The pacing felt off at times. A lot of the book felt like a repeat of the same events: Maya going around trying to find out more about Arianna, the recently-dead heiress, Maya getting caught by one of her in-laws, her in-laws shame her and making shady comments about how she'll nEvEr Be a StErLiNg and how she didn't grow up in wealth, Maya going off to look for more clues around the house, rinse and repeat. The writing also felt somewhat choppy at times but this is a debut novel so I'll give the author some grace on that.

I felt like the last 25-30% of the story was when things started to pick up and feel like a thriller. There were lots of twists and turns in the last third or so of the story, but I did see a lot of the plot twists coming ahead of time which affected my enjoyment of the book overall. Sure, the book did keep me on the edge of my seat but it was mainly because the characters made me so uncomfortable and not because of the plot.

Everyone in the story is unlikeable to some extent, except for Becca, Maya's infant daughter. The Sterlings made me uncomfortable with their weird rituals and traditions and the way they treated Maya like the scum of the earth. (The pickaxe you see on the front cover? There's a reason behind that, and all I'll say is that it's some nasty, nasty work.) I can see where the Succession vibes come in with the family trying to fight over the inheritance and trying to get Maya to give it back to them, but based on what I know about Saltburn it doesn't really feel that way to me. Even Maya was unlikeable. I found myself rooting for her to get to the bottom of the mystery towards the end, but once we started learning more about her past and her history with some of the Sterling family members, I immediately knocked out 2 stars from my rating.

I think part of the reason why I didn't like any of the characters was because there were so many to keep track of, and none were prominently featured and in the spotlight except for Marcus, Gigi, Julian, and Helen. Even Colin, Maya's husband, felt more like a side character than a main one, and he's MAYA'S HUSBAND! His cousin, little sister, aunt, and uncle were more featured in the story, and because of that, a lot of the characters fell flat and felt one-dimensional. I wish there was some sort of family tree in the beginning of the story to keep track of who's who. I was almost tempted to do it myself at some points.

Also, I think it's worth mentioning that the ending felt very...abrupt. I remember reading the very last chapter and next thing I know, it's the epilogue and it's set a week or two into the future? I wanted to find out more about what happened immediately after that chapter ended because way too much happened in the last couple of chapters to just not finish the story and round out the plot. It didn't feel complete.

The 2 aspects I gave 2 stars to this book for: the upper-class/top 1% of the 1% vibes and the chapters we got to see from Arianna's POV. I love a good story that takes place in an uber-wealthy family and we get a peek into their lives and what sort of drama they're trying to stir up, but I enjoyed hearing from Arianna's diary entries and what her life was like before the main story starts. I honestly wish we had more chapters from her POV because it was so interesting to read. The gaslighting and brainwashing she had from her family was starting to gaslight ME, to be quite honest.

Overall, if you're not a big thriller reader I feel like you might enjoy this one more than me because you probably wouldn't be able to guess where the plot is going. I've read my fair share of thrillers so a lot of the plot and tropes felt predictable. I enjoyed the upper-class/luxury vibes the Sterlings gave and Arianna's POV and that was pretty much it.

Please note that this ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I’m not sure where to start with this one. Ultimately, I liked (but didn’t love) this book. The premise was definitely interesting- it very much reminded me of the show Succession on HBO. As popular as the “rich messed up family” plot line is, the author still does a great job of portraying Maya and the Sterlings. Some of it still felt a bit underdeveloped. I think we could’ve gotten more of Gigi (she wasn’t super relevant but I did find her intriguing) and Maya’s dad (not directly impactful to the plot but good background). The twist at the end was not shocking but it definitely worked.

Upon finishing this, I feel like she could find a way to make a sequel. The Sterling’s are messed up enough for more stories :)

3.5 rounded up.

Overall the story was good. I love a good "rich people problems" story and this one has some super interesting characters that were fun to get to know. Unfortunately the characters weren't used to their full potential and 99% of the story was predictable so it ruined the "mystery/thriller" genre tag that comes with it.
Former reality tv bad girl marries the richest and most eligible bachelor on the market. On the flight home from their honeymoon, there is news the current heiress was found dead and the entire family is being sequestered at the family home in England during the investigation. Who did it? Who inherits the family fortune next? How deep do the secrets go?

thank you to the publishers and netgalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review!

i was really excited about this one, and there are aspects that worked for me. setting the story in 2004 was a smart move and gave the author a lot more room to sidestep modern conveniences like smart phones that would've rendered the story impossible. i also liked maya as a character and rooted for her to come out on top.

but it wasn't perfect. as with many thrillers, so much of the action is packed into the last 10-15% and the ending feels rushed. there were also some plot holes or plot points that were just way too convenient - thinking specifically about "caro"/arianna somehow being able to pose as a doctor at the mental facility without any money or credentials. that puts it at about a 3.5 for me. still entertaining, though!

Maya, a former reality tv star has married the world’s most eligible bachelor, a Sterling. His family and the world call her a gold digger. When a Sterling cousin is found murdered, it’s revealed the fortune was left to Maya, who has never met the cousin.

The pacing with this one was a bit slow for me at parts, but when it picked up, it really picked up. If you like wealthy dysfunctional families with secrets to be revealed, give this one a try. Honestly I picked it up because I saw the main character was a reality tv character and I love that trope, but that was the past and not much in the current storyline.

“Memory is a house fire, one I shall never leave.”

A Girl Like Us comes out 2/11.

Yes! Finally, a solid 5-star book this year! This one had me hooked with its rags-to-riches MC, who married into an uptight, ultra-rich and mega powerful family with lots of salacious secrets and hidden agenda. The fast-paced setting of this locked room thriller kept me glued to the pages. I loved the feisty and realistic Maya Miller — she’s the kind of badass MC that you love to root for. She’s not perfect but she knows how to get what she wants and she isn’t afraid to fight dirty. I love the whole story, especially the plot twist! It’s the kind of thriller that you wish will be made into a movie. So happy I got to read the arc —-thanks @bookmarked for my early copy.

From the start, A Girl Like Us has a great premise. Newlywed Maya is with her millionaire husband when one of his family is murdered. They immediately jet to England to circle up the wagons with the rest of the family. Is someone in the family the murdered? And what really happened 20 years ago? Maya is set on figuring out both of these questions, but it means ruffling a few feathers.

Overall I liked Maya as a character and was interested in her background. The setting of Silver House was great and wish the house was explored more. I also love that this takes place in 2004. It has a nostalgic feel, and also makes you remember how much simpler life was before the rise of smart phones and constant media access.

That being said, the surprise twists are pretty easy to solve early in the story and were pretty unbelievable. I also understand why baby Becca was a character, but where was she the entire time? It seemed like Becca was only included as a prop for Maya. There were only a couple scenes of Maya and Becca interacting and those were the only ones that even mentioned a baby. Didn’t love that.

A Girl Like Us is a fun read that is easy to digest. It’s a tale of wealth and privilege and shows just how much those can corrupt you. Thank you to Anna Sophia McLoughlin, NetGalley, and the publisher for this ARC.

O M G imagine some stranger just gives you all their money and you become suspect number one in her murder investigation!! All the secrets that get uncovered and the twist at the end had me invested from cover to cover

this just keeps getting crazier and crazier. the twists get very peculiar by the end but in general they work well. 4 stars. tysm for the arc.

This was an easy mystery with a couple of fun twists! It was maybe 50 pages too long, however. I would definitely read Anna Sophia McLaughlin again.

"Succession meets Saltburn in a crackling locked-room thriller of inconceivable wealth, unchecked power, and the secrets poised to bring a powerful family down.

It's 2004 and former reality TV star and party girl Maya Miller has just married the most eligible bachelor on the planet: Colin Sterling, of the globally famous Sterling family whose history of aristocratic titles and land holdings rival a British royal and whose media empire is comparable to the Murdochs. To some, Maya represents the American dream. To others, a gold digger. But when Colin's cousin Arianna, the heiress to the family's immense fortune, is found murdered, Maya is thrust into the spotlight: first as she is revealed to be the next heiress to the fortune, and then as the prime suspect.

Swiftly, the entire Sterling family goes into lockdown at Silver House, the family's ancestral estate in the English countryside. They're told it's for their own safety - but Maya becomes convinced that it's not to keep threats out, but to keep secrets in. Now, she has no choice but to find and expose the truth hidden within the Sterling family, and why Arianna, a girl she had never met, chose her to take her place. But Maya has secrets of her own. And she knows that in order to survive the Sterlings, she'll have to beat them at their own game."

Always be wary of marrying wealth!

"How could a girl like her become a girl like them? Except more famous and way richer. It seemed to really haunt them."

Maya thought she was her own rags-to-riches story when she went from poor to a reality TV star on a show similar to Jersey Shore. Then she marries into the aristocratic family of Sterlings and finds herself mysteriously named as the next heiress in a Sterling will.

Part mystery and part scathing commentary on the rich lifestyle I was enthralled from the very first page.

I thought this story was just okay. I don't think necessarily it was a bad thing, just not entirely something I find enjoyable. It felt like our main characters kept repeating the same things about themselves and their past. The first three chapters alone could have been combined into one with the repetitiveness that was going on. I do think this would be a great addition for book clubs that look for mystery/thrillers that don't always wrap themselves up in a neat little bow.

3.5 stars! The gorgeous cover and the plot description had me intrigued to find out more about A GIRL LIKE US, and it did not disappoint. When Maya Miller marries Colin Sterling, the most eligible bachelor and member of the infamous, affluent Sterling family, the world can't get enough of their love story. But not everything is what it seems, and as their honeymoon draws to a close, Maya and Colin—and all the Sterlings—are shaken by the murder of Colin's cousin, Arianna, heiress to the family's fortune...who's also named Maya as the next heiress. The entire family soon goes into lockdown at their luxurious estate in the English countryside, where as they're sequestered together, secrets are revealed and lies are unraveled. Can Maya beat the Sterlings at their own game?

This is a twisty thriller about rich people behaving badly, which is always right up my alley! I also enjoyed the 2000s setting and the reality TV angle—main character Maya is a former reality TV star, which added an interesting layer to her character, how she fits in with the Sterling family (or perhaps how she doesn't), and how she navigates different situations within the story. In terms of the overall vibes of the book, I can definitely see the Saltburn and Succession comparisons, but it also reminded me of another book I really enjoyed, STONE COLD FOX by Rachel Koller Croft, with a dash of Gossip Girl in the overall tone/feel! In my opinion, all of this made for a great combination. I did struggle with the pacing a little bit—the beginning had me hooked, but the middle felt a little slower, and then things picked up again by the end, so it was slightly up-and-down in that regard. Still, I would recommend A GIRL LIKE US, particularly for fans of thrillers and/or domestic dramas, as well as fans of reality TV and 2000s settings in books! I would definitely read more from Anna Sophia McLoughlin in the future, too. Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC.

I had a hard time getting into this book if I am being honest. I was hoping I was going to love it. I may try this book again at a later date.

I thoroughly enjoyed this layered, suspenseful book. It kept me guessing and I loved the atmosphere. I would definitely read more books by Anna Sophia McLoughlin in the future.

3.25 stars

It was alright. I didn't think it was anything like Salt Burn.

While I did enjoy it, I also found it a little bit boring. Especially in the middle. It seemed like it just dragged on and on and was a bit repetitive.

There was nothing wrong with the story itself, I actually enjoyed the mystery and twists, it was just pretty slow moving. Which is okay, sometimes a slow burn is perfect.

Overall, not bad.