Atherton Academy is the best private school in New York City and the competition within is intense, both academically and socially. The school is ruled by three Queen Bees: Morgan, Belle and Frost. When new mom Sophia arrives from Miami the action intensifies. Suddenly things start going wrong for the friends. Is someone out to get them?

I absolutely loved everything about Mean Moms. A enjoyable poke at the rich in Manhattan, the action is as fizzy, frothy and fun as a great drink. The characters are well crafted and believable and even the machinations and foibles in the friend group ring true.

The narrator January LaVoy does a wonderful job imbuing each character with different personalities and voices. If you have a chance to listen to this one, you should absolutely take it! Mean Moms is a lively, engaging story that you won't want to miss. 4.5 stars for this fun summer read.

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

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced audiobook.

Frost, Morgan, and Belle are the Queen Bee moms at the cool downtown Manhattan private school that their kids go to and are a closed loop to the other parents. So it's unusual that when Sofia, a new mom whose kids have gotten coveted last minutes spots in the school, arrives on the scene she gets pulled into the group. After several bad things befall each of the women--Frost is knocked down by a scooter, Morgan's new business venture gets robbed, and Belle's new clothing line gets sabotaged--they have to wonder whether Sofia is a bad luck charm or whether someone is out to get them all.

MEAN MOMS joins the legion of books skewering rich mommy culture, especially around private schools. The secrets around the characters are juicy enough to keep the pages turning but the reveal of who is behind all the sabotaging felt very forced and not at all believable (in in this heightened reality). Ultimately, this story unraveled and didn't hit the right note of fun+satire.

Mean Moms is out July 29, 2025

This fast-paced setting & story got my attention and pulled me in. The narration had just enough voice variation to tell the difference between characters, but it wasn’t over the top — unlike a lot of families at this school. Definitely a different world.

If you like female drama, how the 1% live, and a little intrigue, this book may be for you. A little love-hate with several of the main characters. A little, who’s manipulating who. All in the privileged world of downtown Manhattan.

Thank you to NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for a free ARC of the audiobook.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4!

VERY entertaining listen. The narrator does a great job of bringing life to these pretentious, bitchy moms. This was a fun listen getting a sartorial insight into the rich of New York (since it’ll never be me)
Very timely with the inclusion of AI/deepfaking photos as part of a scandal. I will say even as a Swiftie maybe a couple less references to our lord and savior?

Enjoyed the inclusion of the school group chat. Just thought it added a fun element to the story, especially the audiobook.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an opportunity to listen to this ALC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Mean Moms by Emma Rosenblum was a great listen . It’s out soon and it’s one you won’t want to miss. Pick it up!

3.5 Stars round up

This was one of my most anticipated summer releases, and I’ll admit that I’m a little disappointed. The setup had all the makings of a juicy satire thriller full of elite NYC moms, social drama, and a new woman whose arrival seems to bring chaos. The pacing was quick and the premise was fun, but the twist felt a bit one dimensional and didn’t quite pack the punch I was hoping for.

That said, I did enjoy the commentary on performative friendship and the cattiness of wealthy parenting. The characters were entertaining. It’s a solid read overall being entertaining, gossipy, and easy to fly through, but not a standout for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

4.75/5

In short 𝙇𝙊𝙑𝙀𝘿 𝙄𝙏!!!!!! I legit didn’t want it to end. The drama was on point. It was so easy to get caught up in all of the nonsense with these women.

Sophia is divorcee and new to the Tribeca area from FL. To everyone’s surprise her children are somehow granted 2 non-entry spots (pretty much unheard of) to a coveted school, Atherton Seminary. She’s the talk of the schoolyard amongst the moms…MEAN MOMS because how did she get such a coveted spot!? The women are already skeptical of her but it gets worse when odd things start to happen upon her arrival. All fingers are pointing to Sophia. Although one of the woman befriends her and honestly seems better for it.

Since Sophia arrived there have been strange and alarming “incidents”: the homeless man spitting (read it to be totally grossed out), the incident with Frost and the e-scooter, the Morgan’s sound bath stick up, nude pics, a cut braid, Belle’s itching dresses. The list goes on and on. What the hell is going on!?!

Initially I didn’t think the women seemed all that bad, but you quickly see why the book is called 𝗠𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗠𝗼𝗺𝘀.

Frost a jerk for sure but she doesn’t seem so bad after she befriends Sophia.

These women are wild many of them cheating on their husbands but their husbands are cheating too. It’s like a f@&kfest. One of the women (Frost) is sleeping with her close friend Morgan’s husband Art.

So much sex, drama, cheating, pretentiousness and savagery. It was so very entertaining! So many characters that you’ll love to get to know and grow to love/hate.

Settle in and get ready for all the drama! It’s a perfect summer read. I’d totally be down for more books with these characters.

What a wild ride!
This definitely reminded me of Gossip Girl, but with moms. At first I was a little hesitant because I don't particularly enjoy books with cheating in them, but after realizing that literally everyone was doing it, I just was along for the ride.
We mostly follow a group of 4 women whose children go to the "it" school in Manhattan. They are the richest of the rich except for the new mom, Sophia (though the others don't know this). These women were so pampered and used to the good things in life which just made the whole dynamic of the book really fun. They were "best friends" but kept a lot of secrets from each other. There were other moms from the school as well as the dads and the headmaster. While they weren't super important, it created a great vibe.
The plot of this book was so engaging. After Sophia arrives, things start happening to this former trio turned quartet. One of the moms, Belle, is trying to be a fashion designer and when people put on her dress, they end up incredibly itchy. One of them gets hit by a man on a scooter. Things like that. I thought it was one person, but it ended up being someone totally different. Even after we figure this out, there is still a good portion of the book left and it was fun to see how it all turned out.
The last chapter was something I was totally not expecting, but fit it with the rest of the book. The epilogue lost me though. I didn't really see the point of it.
The audiobook narrator was January LaVoy who I LOVE. She always does a fantastic job and makes the story really come to life.