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Member Reviews

First of all thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine books for the advance copy.
This is a story of a 20-something woman named Virginia who is a bit adrift in her own life. Her sister is a drug addict, and so her family is not really there for her. She is currently living her ‘dream’ by performing on the Buffalo Bills’ dance team, called The Jills. She spends all her time either practicing, performing for attending events related to the Jills- even though she earns very little money. Virginia also tries to work with others as a trainer and still isn’t earning enough. She has newly discovered her strength and ‘bravery’ through her Jills teammate, Jeanine. However, when her best friend Jeanine goes missing, she will stop at nothing to figure out what happens. In this, Virginia finds herself mixed up with the seedier side of Buffalo and the crime families/factions.

I was surprised a bit by the ending and the way the mystery was resolved, but overall did not find it particularly compelling. I was surprised to learn how little the dancers for pro football teams make while at the same time having their life and choices dictated by that entity. It just reinforces that in many ways it still is a man’s world.

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“The Jills” by Karen Parkman is a debut that’s premise intrigued me immediately. It centers around two best friends from the NFL Buffalo Bills defunct cheerleading/dance squad called the Jills. It speaks to the unique camaraderie and solidarity this team of women had and the very strong bond created by being part of a system that took tremendous advantage of them.
The story is part drug culture mystery, part family drama, and part self realization of one’s self worth. A complex read that could have been a bit tighter but still very enjoyable. I am looking forward to reading this authors next book!

Thank you NetGalley and Ballentine for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

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I was so drawn to the concept of this book however I wasn't particularly drawn to keep reading, the mystery didn't pull me in.

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This book took me longer to read than any book I can recall in my recent reading history. It felt interminable, honestly. Objectively, the story is a good one, involving the cheer squad of the Buffalo bills, the Buffalo Jills. It’s a thriller with some ok twists and turns, but the rising action felt like it took 75 percent of the book to go anywhere. I feel that the protagonist could not decide whether the story was about her family, or her purportedly missing friend. Folks, I hate to say it, but the whole thing bored the heck out of me. Perhaps if it had been shortened by half and had benefitted from some prodigious editing, I would’ve enjoyed it more. It truly hurts my heart to give any book a two star rating, because authors and books are so important. I am grateful to netgalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this arc. Perhaps some editing can happen before pub date, and this will turn into a snappy little thriller. The bones are there!

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Suspenseful, thought provoking, exciting - I couldn’t put it down!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7600950817

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The Jills is a thought-provoking read that balances intrigue with social commentary. Its exploration of team unity and the inner workings of NFL cheerleading offers a fresh perspective.

The depiction of the team's camaraderie and the unspoken bonds formed amidst the pressures of performance and public scrutiny adds depth to the narrative. This exploration offers a glimpse into the overlooked aspects of cheerleading, highlighting themes of resilience and solidarity.

The mystery element is engaging, with a plot that maintains suspense without resorting to sensationalism. Virginia's journey is not just about uncovering the truth behind her friend's disappearance but also about confronting personal and systemic challenges.

Overall, this was 4 stars for me. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

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Virginia is a Jill which is a professional Buffalo Bills cheerleader. This is the life she always wanted. Her best friend Jeanine is also a cheerleader who sone day does not show up for a game. This takes Virginia on a search into craziness. This books takes you into the world of cheerleading and football and all the messiness. It also is a search for a friend and the mystery of that. This was fun, drama filled and a bit thrilling all rolled into one!

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Wow, I just finished a good read. The Jills by Karen Parkman was so much fun. I loved it. It's available next year.

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I loved this insider look at NFL cheerleading. The day to day crap these women go through to do something they love is insane! They would lose me at weigh-ins! Plus, most have to work a full-time job just to stay afloat! But that is not the main part of the story. We have Virginia and Jeanine, besties and Jills, a.k.a. Buffalo Bills cheerleaders. One day Jeanine fails to show up for a game. Virginia does not feel the police are doing enough so she goes in search of Jeanine herself. The search takes her into the Buffalo underbelly and the drug world. While not quite the exciting thriller I had hoped for, this is still a suspenseful story and the insights into female friendships and the need to be perfect was spot-on, I felt. Also, read the notes at the end. Great piece on the actual Jills!

Thank you to #NetGalley, Karen Parkman and Ballantine Books for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

I will post my review to Amazon, Instagram and other retail and social media sites upon publication day of January o6, 2026.

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3.5 stars

Virginia is a Jill, a cheerleader for the Buffalo Bills (yep, that is really what they were called before they went defunct. They have an interesting real life story. They tried to unionize, got slapped down, then were disbanded when they had the nerve to speak up about pay and working conditions….those women always mouthy!). She does it because she loves to dance, but it sounds like a pretty crap part-time job that you pretty much have to pay to do. Oh, and weigh-ins!

Her best friend and fellow Jill, Jeanine fails to show up for a game and appears to have disappeared…into a world of drugs, disturbing people (some from Virginia’s past) and many, many questions.

This was quite good for a debut, part mystery, part character study and a soupçon of a look a the city of Buffalo, a rust belt town that never quite reinvented itself, all hung on the frame of life as an NFL cheerleader, which was a great set up. I really liked Virginia and I kept turning the pages. I’ll definitely look for more from this author.

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I had no idea who The Jills were, and I was fascinated to learn about them from this story. If you like cheerleading, dance teams, and the wild world of professional football teams, you should give this book a shot. It's about friendship and sacrifices and has a lot of mystery. Parkman's writing style was propulsive, and I couldn't put this down.

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Sports and Mystery! As an athlete and lover of suspense and thriller, this book was a must read when I read the description! Even though the Buffalo bills are not my favorite team, I enjoyed how realistic this book was and the authors writing style had me flipping the pages seamlessly searching for clues!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this piece of work
Thank you Net Galley, Karen Parkman and Random House Publishing Group for allowing me to review this advanced copy of The Jills. I was not influenced or paid in exchange for this honest review.

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Loved this one! The Jills are professional dancer/cheerleaders for the Buffalo Bills and Virginia loves the spotlight. Then suddenly one of them--Jeanine--goes missing, and no one knows what happened to her. Virginia is of course concerned but figures the police will do their jobs and find her. But she has no idea what craziness is involved in this industry or what those at the top will do to keep the "girls" under their thumb to perform and give the fans what they want!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

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Virginia is living the dream — or at least that's what she tells herself. As part of the iconic Jills, the professional cheerleaders for the Buffalo Bills, she performs under stadium lights at every home game, adrenaline and choreography flowing in sync. But being a Jill is more than just a sideline gig — it’s a sisterhood. A legacy. And for Ginny, it’s the beating heart of her weekends, a chance to be admired and loved.

Together with her best friend and fellow Jill, Jeanine, Ginny has found her people — a vibrant circle of women who quite literally lift each other up. The glitter, the grit, the grueling practices — it’s all worth it. Until the glitter fades.

Because one morning, Jeanine has disappeared. No warning. No goodbye. Just... gone.

As days pass with no answers, Ginny finds herself spiraling — desperate to understand what happened to the person who knew her best. With suspicion swirling, the spotlight intensifying, and whispers starting to rise inside the close-knit world of the Jills, Ginny starts to wonder how well she really knew her best friend. Finally she takes it upon herself to follow the trail Jeanine left - into the underworld of Buffalo littered with mobsters and drugs.

Set against the electrifying backdrop of game-day culture, The Jills is a thriller about loyalty, image, human nature and the family you have and the family you choose. Karen Parkman delivers a tense, whip-smart novel pulsing with suspense and laced with sharp insights about the price of perfection. This is a complex novel that you are sure to enjoy!

#Ballantine #KarenParkman #TheJills #cheerthriller #sisterhoodsuspense #BuffaloBills

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Virginia is a Jill, the cheerleading arm of the Buffalo Bills NFL team. When her best friend Jeanine goes missing, she must take stock of the many personalities around her including a personal connection with the mob that she holds close. Can she save her friend and herself?

Virginia is motivated by her savior complex, stemming from her time watching after her sister Laura when they were young then continuing as her sister began her road to addiction. The action of The Jills, of searching for Jeanine, is often, compared to her experiences with Laura who she was once incredibly close with. Virginia made many choices that I found myself incredibly frustrated with, definitely not a likable main character.

This book was different than I was hoping for and I felt the length could have been trimmed as there were quite a few spots where I felt the action slowed and the timing was too plodding. A huge swath of the plot dealt with hard drugs which I wasn't expecting and may have colored my opinion. I found the postscript information about the real Jills more engaging than parts of the book which is never a great sign.

I was quite interested in the story after I read the blurb, but it just didn't translate into the taut suspense novel I was hoping for. Two and a half stars.

I received this advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

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