This was a very fun end of summer listen! Absolutely unrealistic private school insanity, but incredibly entertaining. The audiobook narrator did a great job of differentiating each mom and I would definitely recommend a listen. Thank you Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for my listening copy!

Mean Moms by Emma Rosenbaum is pure, unfiltered chaos in the absolute best way. Think Real Housewives meets Big Little Lies, with a generous splash of biting sarcasm, scandalous secrets, and PTA moms behaving badly. From start to finish, this audiobook is packed with juicy drama and razor-sharp wit, making it the perfect guilty pleasure listen.

The story unfolds through multiple POVs, keeping the pacing even and the tension deliciously high. It’s satire at its finest—darkly funny, slightly outrageous, and thoroughly entertaining. Each character is messier than the last, and while I’d never want to actually befriend these women (or cross them!), I couldn’t get enough of their unhinged antics, over-the-top rivalries, and high-stakes gossip.

The narration brought it all to life brilliantly. Every snide comment, fake smile, and whispered threat was delivered with just the right amount of drama. It felt like binge-watching your favorite scandal-filled show, only better—because the writing is just that sharp.
While the setting may be a far cry from my own reality, the satire hit home more than once. If you're in the mood for something fast, fun, and fabulously dramatic, Mean Moms is a must-listen. Buckle up and enjoy the ride—you won’t regret it.

Thanks to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

4.25 rounded down. Entertaining, good story. Good narration.

It’s hard to not be reeled right in by a group of wealthy moms being bad. Mean Moms was no exception. However, these moms are not all bad, and in fact, are shown to be as vulnerable and flawed as anyone else.

The wacko part of book appears to be one person but it’s another. (Which wasn’t really a surprise.) Then, that personality unravels and we see what really has been going on.

Advanced listener copy provided by Macmillan Audio but all opinions are my own.

This book gave me reality tv vibes along the like of Real Housewives on steroids filled with gossip, friends, enemies, frenemies, scandal and more! It is the epitome of moms gone wild! This clique of NYC moms make you want to steer clear of the carpool pick up line.

Mean Moms is a claws out book. Packed full of catty drama and twists, this book is a fun, yet dark tale of high society at its craziest! I listened to the audio version of this book, narrated by January LaVoy who did a tremendous job bringing the different characters to life and keeping me invested from start to finish. It is not my typical read, but it sure was a lot of fun!

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the ALC of this book. This was such an entertaining listen. The production team did a wonderful job of putting this presentation together. I felt like I was right there in the heart of all the drama and chaos!

爪乇卂几 爪ㄖ爪丂 by Emma Rosenblum
⭐️⭐️⭐️
(Narrated by January LaVoy)

Did you think you left all that school-related-drama behind when you graduated? Well, parenthood will quickly prove that theory wrong. Being a parent means you have a wonderful mix of school drama paired with that mama-bear mentality! Mean Moms is a suspenseful novel about a clique of wealthy private school moms. When they welcome a new mom into their group, that’s when things start to get interesting.

I think the story itself was a bit cutesy, but it had a LOT of characters and just a LOT going on… For me, the narrator is what really gave this book life. January LaVoy did phenomenal job!


Thanks to Net Galley and Macmillan Audio for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

#meanmoms #netgalley #macmillanaudio #audioarc #audiobook #bookreview #audiobookreview #drama #mysterythriller

A deliciously catty, rich private school moms satire novel filled with the hottest and juiciest drama Atherton has to offer 💁🏼‍♀️

Honestly, that’s all I needed to hear to read it but in case you need a little more: the queen bees of the Atherton moms find themselves with a new mom in their circle. But ever since she joined their little clique, things just keep going wrong. Obviously she’s to blame, right?

If you want to read something snappy and drama filled and just plain fun (if you enjoy rich people behaving badly), then this is for you. It was even better as an audiobook! The narrator did a fantastic job!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan audio for this arc!

I was honored to have the opportunity to get the audio version of this book instead of the print. I was pleasantly surprised by the narrator January Lavoy, she had all the right voices for each character and she brought this story to live for me.Not to even mention the author Emma Rosenblum, She is a fantastic writer of complex characters. Each of these women are so, just wow!

This is a story about four unique women and a few of their husbands. They are, of course, rich and snobby. They are in NYC and it mainly takes place in and around the children's private school. These four mom's make bad decision after bad decision. One making sure the others fashion show goes completely all wrong and then there is all of the accidents that seem to start happening to all of them. Very suspicious, yes I think so!

Thank you to NetGalley and to Macmillan Audio for the early read.

What a wickedly addictive read! I can never resist a “wealthy people behaving badly” trope, and this one delivers every ounce of drama, privilege, and delicious pettiness. A biting social satire wrapped inside a murder mystery? Absolute perfection.

I experienced this through the ALC while following along with the print copy, and I can’t recommend that format enough—the mixed-media elements are chef’s kiss.

With its razor-sharp dark humor and binge-worthy messy moms, this story is a total vibe and one you’ll fly through in no time.

As I texted a friend: if you like reading satirical-ish commentary on rich people doing bad things, this book is for you! As is, frankly, all of Emma Rosenblum's work, of which I suddenly find myself a completist. I'd rank Mean Moms above Bad Summer People but not quite as good as Very Bad Company--but all three are very fun.

Here, we primarily follow three moms--Belle, Morgan, and Frost (which, is there a cooler name, literally/figuratively? I love it)--who all have children at Atherton Academy, a 1%-er prep school in Lower Manhattan. Suddenly, new single mom Sofia enters their orbit straight from a nasty divorce in Miami, with two kids at NON-ENTRY ages--what is her story? As the school year unfolds, things keep happening to these moms that suddenly seem less unfortunately coincidental and more coordinated or even targeted. Who is behind these sinister acts, and WHY?

This book is legitimately funny on top of being thriller-creepy, and I appreciated that we got glimpses into some of the side characters' inner lives and monologues in addition to the main moms whose story is the focus. My biggest beef is that the ending felt... abrupt? Unsatisfying? It's not Carrie in the gym, but maybe that's a more realistic finale than something more cinematic. Still, if you've spent any time in Manhattan, if you are eager to poke fun at the ridiculousness of the uber-rich, or if you just like a good mystery with a side of fashion, this is definitely one you'll want to read.

I listened to this book and have high praise for the narrator, January LaVoy. She inhabited these characters such that it was easy to tell just by her voice who was speaking. I loved the nuance and artistry she brought to her performance--it really made these characters pop! Highly recommend the audio if you're interested in this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advance review audiobook. All opinions are my own.

Rich women (and men!) behaving badly? Say less. I love Emma Rosenblum, and I love that you are supposed to absolutely detest her characters so much, but literally cannot stop reading the story. Masterful execution.

Mean Moms follows --- you guessed it -- a group of NYC moms at an elite private school making horrible decisions. Whether its sleeping with her friend's husband, lying about having money, or secretly sabotaging a friend's clothing launch, this book has it all.

The only thing I could have done without -- the obvious digs at Hill House Home's founder.

Four stars.

Audiobook review: January LaVoy was perfection. No notes.

Thank you, NetGalley and the publishers.

I was really looking forward to this book as it sounded like a really fun and drama filled plot unfortunately I found it to be very slow and not as exciting as I was hoping for. Even though January LaVoy did a good job narrating this audiobook, I could not muster up any enthusiasm for this story. I thank Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio with Flatiron Books as well as the author for this audio ARC in exchange for my honest review.
#NetGalley #MACAudio25 #FlaironBooks #EmmeRosenblum #MeanMoms #JanuaryLaVoy #audiobook #Books #BookReview #Fiction

Title: Mean Moms
Author: Emma Rosenblum
Format: Audiobook
Narrator: January LaVoy
Publisher: Macmillan Audio with Flatiron Books
Publication Date: July 29, 2025
Themes: Parenting, human as monsters, wealthy living
Trigger Warnings: mental illness, eating disorders, stalking, plotting, conflicting parenting choices, bullying, attempted murder, gossip, mean girls, body shaming, alcohol and some other drug use, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, sexual content, infidelity

We all love a good mean girl story regardless of our ages. This one is perfect for the mom with school age kids, a gossip lover, or any fans of Big Little Lies. Meet the “In crowd” moms of an elite private school in New York. Frost, Morgan, and Belle. Their lives revolve around their theme parties and socializing. When Sofia moves to New York City from Miami, FL, the other moms are instantly fascinated and threatened by her incredible beauty and kindness. She quickly becomes a member of their clique and the moms are plagued by a sudden run of bad luck. It slowly becomes clear that this mom group is being targeted by someone. Is it Sofia?? Who knows?

This is perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty’s “Big Little Lies” or “Mean Girls”. It’s funny because it’s true. It’s just like high school. The popular, bitchy girls grow up to be bitchy women. This book made me laugh out loud and cringe at the same time. The antics are over the top and so ridiculous. Alongside the humor is some surprisingly dark commentary about mental illness, making this a more interesting read.

This audiobook is narrated by January LaVoy, who is a top five narrator for me. I love her! She’s great at doing different character voices. She has great comic timing. It's an audiobook delight. Highly recommended as an audio experience.

All in all, an enjoyable read with both humor and light thrills. Great for fans of “Big Little Lies”.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance audio copy of this title. This is the story of a group of wealthy moms whose children attend an elite school in NYC. On the first day of the school year they meet a new mom, Sophia, who has recently moved from Miami. As the school year progresses, strange things happen to and around this clique. Is is the fault of Sophia, or a result of their shallow, deceitful ways? An engaging read.

Mean Moms by Emma Rosenblum is juicy and frothy and sometimes a bit tense. The moms of Atherton Academy are so filthy rich and rarely honest. It was so fun to see what these ladies would do and say. Every time I turned on the audio, I just had to listen to a few more minutes to see what dramatic thing would happen next. I started to guess who was the major pot stirrer, but it still unfolded in a highly entertaining finale. I previously read Bad Summer People by this author and that was a great read too. It seems she writes quintessential stories of rich people behaving badly and sometimes that is the perfect cat nip for me!!

Thank you Macmillan Audio for my advance audiobook! Mean Moms is out now!

Thank you to MacMillan audio for the free copy of this audiobook. I want to say this looked like such a fun book and listening to it was just so good. Here we go- Rich New York City, Mom‘s behaving badly. These moms all have children at Atherton Academy, a very exclusive private school in New York City Three moms who would be like the queen bees of the school Frost, Nell and Morgan they’re kind of running everything and then comes a new mom at the beginning of the school year. Her name is Sofia. Nobody quite understands how she was able to get her children in the school. So the real question is did things start going wrong when Sofia came and is she the reason that there’s been bad luck with the Mom’s or is something else going on? These moms are so self-centered and while they want the best for their kids, they’re having affairs. they’re doing all the things wrong and their backstabbing bitches when it comes down to it! This book was easy and fun to listen to and I highly recommend.

This author has become my go-to for fun, fast-paced summer thrillers! I absolutely loved "Bad Summer People" and "Very Bad Company," and I’d definitely recommend this latest novel as well. Set in the world of elite private schools in New York City, the story dives into the deliciously scandalous lives of wealthy moms whose picture-perfect lives start to crack. When a glamorous single mother from Miami joins the group, strange—and increasingly outrageous—incidents begin to unfold, sparking suspicion and turning the moms against one another. It’s a wild, twisty ride from start to finish. January LaVoy delivers a stellar audiobook performance that made the experience even more entertaining!

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

OH-THE-DRAMA Emma Rosenblum is truly the Queen of Drama! She has such a way of plopping you right in the middle of it. So you can buckle in and get the tea!

This is such a tangle of events and I enjoyed every moment of it. A group of mom friends, money and bad decisions…

Audio narration was done by January Lavoy… need I say more?!?

Big thanks to MacMillian Audio, Emma Rosenblum and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this audiobook production.

I love stories of over the top moms going nuts. Mean Moms was so much fun. I loved every second of it. It is the story of a group of moms at a fancy private school in NYC caught up in a mess, trying to figure out who is sabotaged them. I loved how the book just makes fun of these kind of moms and everything is so exaggerated. The group chat parts had me cackling out loud. Maybe it is the LA mom in me who has seen some of this in real life but I could not get enough. I did the audio and I highly recommend it.

3.5 stars for Mean Moms by Emma Rosenblum.

I received an advance audiobook copy of Mean Moms from netgalley.

The narration for this audiobook was very well done. The narrator kept me pulled into the story.

The characters are well written, but not very interesting. The plot is interesting, but didn’t bring the suspense I was hoping for.

I do recommend if you're looking for a suspense on the lighter end, with a small side of smut.

I thought this was a juicy fun book. If you're looking for a story about rich people behaving badly, you've come to the right place.

This novel centers around the prestigious Atherton academy, the private school in NYC all of the wealthiest children attend. School is starting, everyone has returned from their summer homes and all of the moms are present for drop off that first day of school. They are shocked when they see a stunningly gorgeous mom dropping off her two children. Mid-cycle admissions are not a thing, and they have never seen this woman before. Sofia is from Miami and quickly becomes a part of the clique. When strange and unsettling things begin to happen, all eyes go to Sofia--but is she really responsible?

I listened to this as an audiobook, narrated by the amazing January LaVoy. There are a large number of points of view from the different moms and LaVoy deftly handles them all, giving them unique voices and characterizations.

I have to admit, I love books featuring the dark sides of wealthy people. This is a fun popcorn thriller that pokes fun of itself and others along the way. It felt realistic, but also very sarcastic and a commentary about our society and the factions that make it up. This world of the wealthy elite in NYC is about as far removed from my own life as it could be, so I just played voyeur to this privileged elitist group. The book made me laugh and the mystery of who was responsible for the bad things kept me invested to see how it would all shake out.