Chiara and Adrienne are twins who had a tough childhood. Their mother did her best but struggled with her own demons. Neither sister dealt with this in a healthy way. One day, Chiara meets a guy, gets pregnant with twins, and turns her life around. Meanwhile, Adrienne continues trying to numb her pain with drugs and alcohol. Despite her sobriety, Chiara still faces challenges—she's battling postpartum depression. After going viral on Instagram, she's invited to a "mom-fluencer" retreat where she disappears.
A year later, Adrienne—newly sober and frustrated by the lack of answers—decides to attend the same retreat to investigate. What she uncovers is disturbing and cult-like. It's a place where authenticity is encouraged, but only to a point. You're not just a mom; you're a brand. You're expected to be a stay-at-home mom while also earning money ("join my MLM"). You need to be relatable, making mistakes but "smart" ones. You should homeschool your kids, prepare Instagram-worthy meals, and, of course, "stay hot." Some moms are literally willing to kill for a viral post. I could easily picture these women—they're the ones you see on your TikTok FYP if the algorithm pegs you as being over a certain age.
I had an inkling from the start about what might have happened, but the real enjoyment in "Follow Me" wasn't in uncovering the truth. It was in the portrayal of this community. The characters are simultaneously outrageous and very real.
Chiara and Adrienne rarely share scenes, yet their bond is palpable. They may not get along or even like each other much at this point in their lives, but their love is undeniable. It's this love that drives Adrienne to do whatever it takes to uncover Chiara's fate—a beautiful and heartbreaking relationship.

In this thriller, Chiara attends a "mommy-influencer" retreat aimed at helping new moms connect with their roles. However, she feels uneasy as the other women seem overly enthusiastic about the program’s teachings. When she fails to return home, her husband grows concerned and, a year later, enlists her sister Adrienne—who has overcome a troubled past—to investigate. Together, they uncover dark secrets about the retreat, raising doubts about the reality behind such programs.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

After her twin sister, Chiara, goes missing at a mom-fluencer weekend, Adrienne Shaw will find her no matter what it takes. They may have been on the outs, but no one comes for her sister and gets away with it.

It’s been a year, the authorities have no answers, and her brother-in-law is useless in the matter. It’s time for Adrienne to take the case into her own hands. Following in Chiara’s last footsteps, Adrienne goes undercover, infiltrating the same influencer retreat as the last thing she wants to be: an Instamommy.

The remote ranch in Northern California is certainly welcoming—in a cult-adjacent kind of way. A charismatic leader, communal crafts, fixed smiles—and a lot of dead eyes......

This was an interesting one - when I first started reading it I had to come back and re-read the plot as it started as a mum novel and it wasn't at all what I expected. It did then turn into the thriller I was hoping for and started picking up - turning into a pretty enjoyable read. A few funny parts, centering around the unhinged mummy instagrammers . I enjoyed the different POV's between Chiara, Adrienne and the Detective assigned to the case, peppered with side characters - all different types of mum which added interest and hilarity.

A slow start but a good read.

Adrienne and Chiara are twin sisters raised by a single mom. They have always relied on each other for absolutely everything. But when Chiara gives up the lifestyle of partying, drinking, and drugs and settles down into a white picket life with twins of her own, their relationship begins to splinter. By the time Chiara decides to attend a Mom-influencer retreat weekend, the sisters are not speaking to one another.

But then Chiara never comes home from that weekend. And Adrienne doesn't buy that she drove off the road or that she abandoned her family, despite her documented mental health struggles prior to the retreat. More than a year later the case has gone cold and Adrienne has maxed out the lead detective's patience, so she decides to attend the next retreat herself to try and get information.

She is stunned by the behavior of these moms who will do literally anything to get the attention of the "Mom Squad" -- the picture perfect leaders of the community. They've all drunk the kool aid, and Adrienne has no real plan for getting answers.

This turns into a true horror show very quickly -- Moms will do anything to protect their kids but they will realllly do anything to protect their brand.

i was a little bit uncertain at firts but i was very glad to be surprised by this story. it jumps POVs a bit, but it works well. 4 stars. tysm for the arc.

I enjoyed this book. It is of course in the vein of all the podcast thrillers, a very social media centered book. With the action centered on an influencer retreat, it reads like the author wants to try and make fun of influencers but it comes off to me as a little bit of jealousy. That being said it was entertaining and well written. I do think the last quarter of the book is not the same vibe as the first 75% and it caught me off guard and took me out of the story a bit. I will definitely check out this author again but this one was just ok for me.

Wow… this was not the cozy mystery story I thought I was going to read; this was more of a dark tale about a mom of twins that just magically disappeared.
This is what I image the momfluencer community is like but, I know it’s not. I have no triggers and I actually like reading about heavy topics but if you have triggers then be mindful when reading this book. It talks about drug addiction, postpartum psychosis, gruesome death(s), blind followership to people with power, and betrayal.

Ugh. I was so hoping for a happy ending. For it to all be a mistake and her sister to be fine. Loved this book though. So good.

I liked this book even though it was pretty clear what was going to happen from the very beginning. It was a fun book and there was one twist at the end that I didn’t see coming which I appreciate.

'Follow Me' is a dark comedy in which Adrienne infiltrates the cult like world of social media yummy mummy's in search of her missing twin sister, Chiara.

Our two main characters are troubled, having a rough upbringing and struggling with drink and drug problems later in life sets them worlds apart from the influencer mums Chiara follows online. After having and struggling to raise her twins - she needs a break. Winning a spot at the best event for social media aspiring parents was supposed to be time for her to relax and finally meet other mothers to bond with and escape feeling so isolated from her wilder twin sister Adrienne. But all is not what it seems...

One year later, Adrienne reinvents herself to disguise as one of these mothers herself, going back to the last place her sister was seen before she went missing. What she discovers is a dark, twisted, cult like group who will do whatever it takes to gain approval of the mums at the top. Who knows what happened to Chiara and could they also be back this year too?

'Follow Me' not only shows Adrienne's obsession with finding her sister, but her journey of personal growth and being finally ready to accept the new, mature mother Chiara has become - leaving their past behind them for good. I loved the characters within this story and it's true crime feel. The satirical and sarcastic writing style was hilarious to read throughout, however I do think the book grew weaker towards its conclusion and became kind of rushed and messy towards the last act but maybe this was just mirroring Adrienne's behaviour.

I would definitely recommended this book to others and I am interested in seeing more from Elizabeth Rose Quinn !

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this ARC !!

*All opinions are my own !!*

Follow Me by Elizabeth Rose Quinn is a thrilling mystery. The story centers around Chiara, a new mom eager to take part in an influencer retreat designed to help women rejuvenate and embrace their new roles in motherhood. But when she arrives at the retreat, she quickly realizes she doesn’t quite fit in with the other attendees and starts to question why she ever decided to go. Things take a dark turn when Chiara disappears without a trace, leaving her husband and family in despair.

A year later, with no sign of Chiara, her husband turns to her sister for help. As they dig deeper into what happened during Chiara’s time at the retreat, they uncover a web of secrets, sketchy characters, and buried truths. The further they investigate, the more shocking revelations come to light, taking them down a path they never expected.

Overall, Follow Me is an engaging and suspenseful read that I would definitely recommend to fans of thrillers and mysteries. The plot is well-crafted, the characters are multi-dimensional, and the story keeps you guessing until the very end. If you enjoy books filled with secrets, surprises, and a dash of social media intrigue, this one is worth picking up!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review!

Maybe don't put two of the best stories every in your description for your mid novel. This may habe been better if I wasn't constantly hoping for quality I wasn't going to receive but it needs to become normalized that fiction should function on it's own merit, not what came before it.

Follow Me by Elizabeth Rose Quinn follows Adrienne as she goes undercover at a Mom-Fluencer retreat, trying to determine what happened to her twin sister, who disappeared from the summit a year prior. The book begins with Chiara's journey to the summit, setting the stage for tensions between her and Adrienne, as well as the Stepford-esqe aura of the other moms.

The concept of this book is great, and I could see it doing well as a movie. The CoMOMmunity is vivid, and Adrienne's dedication to her sister is admirable. However, it does fall a bit flat on the page. The side characters and overall plot-line are lacking nuance and the dialogue reads pretty stilted. The other moms don't feel realistic, which lends itself well to Adrienne's belief system and dislike of the group, but makes it hard to get too deep into the novel. Another critique is the shifts in perspective. This book would have felt successful just through the lens of Chiara and Adrienne - the detective's perspectives were a bit too spread out, and did not add much to the overall narrative.

Where this book feels the strongest is in Chiara's portrayal of motherhood, and the few glimpses we get of motherhood behind the veneer that most of the moms display. Chiara is a fully realized character, represented through her relationship with her sister, her children, her mother, and a bit through her relationship with her husband (or DH, as Adrienne refers to him). Additionally, the sibling bond really shines. These family ties, and the levels that Adrienne will go to in order to solve the mystery of Chiara's appearance make the book worth the read. Thank you to NetGalley for the advance copy of this book.

3.5/5

read if you like:
🕵🏻 missing people
🤰🏻mom culture
📱 influencers

summary:
This book reminded me of NINE PERFECT STRANGERS and I kinda loved it! It’s about Chiara, a mom who heads to a “mom influencer” weekend away after being encouraged by her husband to do something for herself. When she never returns, her sister Adrianne decides to return to the event to investigate what happened and where Chiara could be. But it’s clear once she arrives that the group will do everything to hide whatever happened the year before — even if it means getting rid of Adrianne too.

Adrianne is a recovering drug addict, but it’s hard not to feel empathy for her as her story flashes back to her and Chiara’s broken childhood. The book is intended to be over the top, which it is, but in a comical and amusing way. If you’ve ever been jealous of an influencer or wanted to mock the influencer culture, this book is definitely for you. The story itself is a little unrealistic (or maybe a lot unrealistic) but serves more as a social commentary about social media and the depths of desperation it can drive some people to. While the end is even more unrealistic, it wraps up nicely with a satisfying finish, which is all you can really ask for.

Thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the ARC. If you like mommy influencers, check this book out when it releases on May 6!

The premise of this book sounded SO good. I was expecting a lot of dark humor and well-crafted characters. Instead I found myself rolling my eyes a lot and was never invested in the story or the characters very much. Great premise, just not executed as well as the synopsis suggested.

Mommy Influencers never cease to amaze me or shock me at all. That being said a cult like retreat for mommy influencers being the background for a missing persons case and murder is a recipe for an edge of your seat thriller.

While the plot is pretty solid there were parts that felt a touch long and drawn out but still over all a pretty solid and quick read. Overall a good experience!
Will continue to follow this author and see what they come up with.

This was a pretty good book. Wasn't bad. Wasn't the best. But good. Thank you so much Netgalley. I appreciate the acceptance.

That cover is spot-on and grabbed my attention immediately. I thought the story was current and well-written. The themes made so much sense for the times we are living in. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Wowowowow. This had me HOOKED. I literally could not put this down and was very disgruntled when my family kept interrupting me reading this. You think you know what's going on and then BAM! Surpriiiiiise!! I loved the twists and turns this took you on and the emotional turmoil that Ade goes through and the self reflection, growth, and introspective journey she goes through. Don't skip your chance to read this crazy roller coaster of a story!!

Chiara Shaw is struggling with motherhood. She is exhausted, overwhelmed, and lonely. Her twin and only real friend, Adrianne, is falling deeper into her drug use and barely speaks to Chiara anymore. Chiara wins a trip to an exclusive mommy blogger retreat where she hopes to make real connections with moms who are also just trying to get by.

A year later, Adrianne is grappling with the disappearance of her sister. Chiara went to the Instagram mommy retreat and never came back. Dismissed by Chiara's husband and the police, Adrianne decides to infiltrate the retreat and get answers and proof that Chiara was met with foul play.

Follow Me by Elizabeth Rose Quinn is one part thriller and one part social commentary. Quinn expertly captures the darker side of mommy bloggers and the toxic belief systems and behaviors that keep Instagram stars afloat while also relieving the pressure of this reality with humor.

It's no surprise to me that before this book is even published (May 2025) it has already been optioned for a movie and is in production. Follow Me was definitely entertaining, but I did find the pacing to be extremely slow for about 65% of the book. Because the two main characters are not together, we have to be told a lot of information instead of shown. If telling the reader information is not done well it can result in too much exposition which Follow Me seems to suffer from in part. I wish there had been a bit tighter editing to be honest. Overall it was a quick and easy read, especially during some parts where I just skimmed quickly.