The Namaste Club by Asha Elias
Narrators: Jaime Lamchick; Amanda Dolan; Soneela Nankani; Sharmila Devar; Dani Martineck; Carrington MacDuffie; Stephen Graybill
Rating: 4 stars
Pub date: 7/1

Thank you so much to William Morrow for my advanced copy and to Harper Audio for my complimentary audiobook.

This book is a sharp and hilarious satire that takes aim at the glossy world of wellness retreats. Set at an exclusive Florida yoga center where secrets are buried and an alligator named Bubba lurks in the lagoon, Asha Elias tells a chaotic and clever story.

Five women head to the Namaste Club for a yoga retreat: Indira, newly divorced; her best friend Jessica, also newly divorced; Barbara, an heiress who’s taken a vow of silence for the week; and Carol Anne, a proudly armed trad-wife with a suspicious past. Add an influencer named Shakti and her man-bunned apprentice Daniel, and you’ll be dying to know who doesn’t make it out alive.

I read Pink Glass Houses by this author, which pokes fun at PTA moms, and I was hoping this book would have the same wit and hilarity, and it did not disappoint. Told in multiple POVs, we see the events from everyone’s perspective and get a close look at topics like privilege, grief, friendship, and the messiness of midlife reinvention. The tension simmers from the first page, as we know someone won’t survive the week, but the fun part was watching everyone unravel.

I listened to this on audio, and I loved the full cast narration! Everyone played their parts perfectly, making the listening experience extra fun.
Perfect for fans of White Lotus and Nine Perfect Strangers, this is a wild ride with a killer twist. It’s definitely worth checking out.

The Namaste Club is a slow burn packed with drama, self-reflection, and secrets unraveling under the guise of a peaceful yoga retreat. The story follows Shakti, a yoga instructor leading a retreat at the Namaste Club, joined by five very different guests—all carrying emotional baggage and making questionable life choices.

There’s Indira, a business owner and mom who recently cheated on her husband; Jessica, her best friend and employee, who’s reeling from her own cheating ex-husband; Barbara, who takes a vow of silence (and somehow still manages to stir up drama); Carol Ann, a proud trad wife with a few surprises of her own; and Daniel, Shakti’s eager apprentice.

Each chapter switches POV, so you get deep into each character’s head and feel their messiness firsthand. The retreat setting becomes the perfect storm for introspection, tension, and, yes—plenty of drama. I was 100% here for it.

If you love stories where secrets come to light, characters are delightfully flawed, and the drama simmers until it boils over—this one’s for you. 🧘‍♀️💥

The Namaste Club it’s a fun novel set on a week-long yoga and spirituality retreat. As the novel is set in Florida, the wildlife is almost as dangerous as the participants.

I really enjoyed this fun little novel. The characters were well-written and interesting, and the storyline flowed seamlessly.

If you’re looking for a great summer read and a bit of time spent with characters you will love to hate, The Namaste Club is for you!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Um. Meh. I love the premise behind this one, but it did not keep me engaged. It took me longer than normal to finish, and at first, I had a hard time keeping all the characters straight. Daniel had a major ick-factor. Ew. And, Carol Ann was too much. Interesting characters. A lot going on. Hard to keep straight at times.

The narrators did a nice job with all the characters. Like the character, Carol Ann’s narrator was extreme. 😆😆

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Audio for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
2.5 ⭐️⭐️

The Namaste Club is a fantastic thriller told from multiple female perspectives. Each character is so unique and likeably unlikable in their own way.

This thriller kept me captivated and intrigued from the beginning, eager to discover secrets and anticipating the clashes that are bound to happen. If you are a thriller lover, or just exploring female centered stories, this book is for you.

I listened to the audiobook version of this story when was performed by multiple narrators. I highly recommend the audiobook version, because it was so well done, and really brought this story to life in audio format. I listened at 1.5-1.75x speed (my normal audiobook listening speed is 1.75x).

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Audio Adult for this advanced listeners copy.

What better setting for a darkly comedic satire than Florida? And how better to get a reader’s attention on page one than with a man eating alligator? This is exactly the right book at the right time when I was craving a deliciously decadent escape from reality.

I loved PINK GLASS HOUSES so I expected another snarky, wickedly smart book from Asha Elias and she did not disappoint. Welcome to THE NAMASTE CLUB where wellness and meditation take on whole new meanings. It’s Transcendence Week and the guests are arriving.

The cast of characters reads like a BRAVO reality show. There’s Shakti who runs the wellness program and who may not be quite as zen as she seems. Indira is recently divorced and figuring out how to spend her ex’s fortune while running her own business. Her friend and employee, Jessica, is also divorced and looking to add some spice to her life. Barbara is an enigma who has vowed to remain silent for the entire retreat, but not speaking doesn’t mean not watching. And then there’s Carol Ann, a gun toting, anti woke, trad wife who is running away from a little scene she created back in Vero Beach. Just to spice things up, we also have Daniel, the yogi in training whose hands and man bun attract lots of attention. What could go wrong with a cast like this? Just ask Bubba the alligator about his most recent snack.

Readers, sit back and enjoy this one because it’s a wild ride. Like any good Andy Cohen BRAVO show, the fun really gets going the longer the group is together.

The audiobook is a particular treat narrated by Jaime Lamchick, Amanda Dolan, Soneela Nankani, Sharmila Devar, Dani Martineck, Carrington MacDuffie, and Stephen Graybill. Their performances are sheer perfection.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Audio, and William Morrow for the advance copies. All opinions are my own.

This one started out interesting, but in the end it missed the mark for me. Too much political stuff happening and the satire did not hit for me. That being said, the audiobook had decent voices and I still did want to know what happened in the end.

Anytime a book starts out with the words ,"Florida man..." you know you're in for some wild times. Who knew a yoga retreat could be so drama and excitement filled? Not only are there sun salutations - but fighting, friendships, shooting, scandal, sex and murder... To say there's a lot going on would be an understatement.

I super enjoyed this book with all it's "White Lotus" vibes. It was a good time from start to finish and would make an excellent beach read. I listened to the audio version and the narration was excellent. The story was told from multiple POVs - making it super engaging but it wasn't at all hard to follow. I recommend putting this book on your TBR list. It's the total package.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc and alc.

I really adored Asha Elias' debut novel, Pink Glass Houses, so I was excited to be approved for this book. While I don't think I enjoyed it as much as her debut book, it was still a good read worth at least 3.5-4 stars. I also enjoyed the voice cast and I thought they all did a great job! I would be definitely interested in reading more by Asha Elias in the future!

I could not get into this book. I listened for awhile, stopped, and tried to come back to it. Just did not grab my attention at all. I really liked her previous book, but I couldn't finish this one.

*The Namaste Club* by Asha Elias sets the scene at a prestigious yoga center, pitched as the perfect getaway led by Shakti, a blonde Instagram influencer, who holds retreats for Miami residents. This place is supposed to be all about peace and relaxation. However, the book immediately signals its unserious and humorous tone by kicking off with a news story about a man being partially eaten by an alligator! The story follows a full cast of characters who come together for this retreat, exploring the dynamics of diverse people with very different views, and what happens when you have a bunch of female yogis with one male instructor.

This book started off very light-hearted and humorous, which I really appreciated. As an audiobook, I loved the multiple narrators. This was especially helpful because there were so many character POVs that it was genuinely hard to keep track—I even had to keep some notes to help me follow everyone involved. Despite that, I really enjoyed the description of this little resort. The book definitely has some great satire in it, and it features a full cast of characters to love and hate, perfectly hitting on all the yoga instructor stereotypes you can imagine. This cast was really fun to follow, showing how such diverse people come together for what's supposed to be a relaxing trip. Overall, a humorous and engaging read!

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Thanks to NetGalley for the ALC and Harper Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review. Release date 7/1/25.

DNF @ 38%
I went into The Namaste Club expecting more of a thriller, but what I found was heavy on character development and light on suspense—at least up to the point where I stopped. I quickly realized I’m not the target audience for this story. I had a hard time connecting with the characters, which made it difficult to stay invested. This one might work better for readers who enjoy slow-burn narratives and deep dives into interpersonal dynamics, but it just wasn’t for me.

Asha Elias’s The Namaste Club is a darkly comedic take on the wellness industry and the tangled lives of those seeking inner peace. Set against the backdrop of what’s supposed to be an idyllic, soul-healing yoga retreat, the novel quickly sheds its serene surface to reveal a simmering cauldron of ego, secrets, and dysfunction.

With distinct White Lotus energy, the story introduces a colorful ensemble of characters, each arriving at the retreat with their own emotional baggage and personal agendas. What begins as a quest for mindfulness devolves into a chaotic clash of personalities. Tensions mount, old wounds are reopened, and hidden pasts resurface — all over the course of seven increasingly unhinged days.

Elias deftly balances satire and suspense, peeling back the layers of spiritual posturing. The characters’ interactions feel both hilariously real and deeply uncomfortable, especially as the retreat’s promises of healing give way to paranoia and betrayal.

The Namaste Club is a wickedly entertaining novel that skewers wellness culture while exploring the very real human need for connection, redemption, and truth. It’s a perfect pick for fans of character-driven thrillers with a satirical edge.

Overall an ok book. A lot of unneeded sexual dialogue that’s not exactly needed or necessary. The characters are likable and interesting. The story itself is ok but kinda lacking.

Overall a quick listen

Thank you NetGalley for the copy

Thank you Harper Audio and Netgalley for an early listen to this book for review purposes. This book is great. Indira and Jessica work together at Indira’ s Bouggie Jewelry business. They are both single parents and have been friends for years. Carol Ann did *something at her kids’ Christian school* but she is a trad wife and feels like it is her personal job to make sure her children respect God and the Flag, maybe in that order. These woman are all part of the same yoga class and when their teacher offers a week long retreat, who are they to say no. Their teacher, Shakti brings along her apprentice, Daniel, a man who has a hard time keeping his shirt on. Shakti and crew head north of Miami and the chaos ensues. Jessica sends off a ring to an influencer whose anti-Semitic comments threaten the company. Carol Ann is taking righteous indignation a little too far. Barbara has taken a vow of silence for the retreat. This would be wonderful for book club. We are all the same underneath. Lots of similarities to explore in unlikely places, just like life. This would also be a good beach read. This was a quick read and I loved it. Get it and thank me later!

This is a playful and satisfying take down of yoga and wellness influence culture. Readers will equally root for and laugh at the larger than life characters and setting

I listened to this book via an advanced audiobook copy from Netgalley. Thank you, Netgalley!

I was really excited to be granted early access to this book as the premise sounded right up my alley -- gossipy, light hearted about women at a yoga retreat.

I can understand how this book would work for others, but it didn't work for me. The story feels very reminiscent of Big Little Lies in the sense that you're hearing from multiple POVs and you know something bad has happened. Throughout the book you're trying to piece together what event took place and who was involved. The POVs of the women were too caricature like - spiritual yogi teacher, uber Republican woman, overly sexy woman, etc... and we watched as these characters clashed against each other and got into spats. Thankfully I enjoyed the ending when the women banded together, which was it's saving grace.

I encourage others to pick it up if it sounds like it'll work for them. I'm sure it'll find it's audience!

The Namaste Club, written by Asha Elias and performed by multiple narrators, was an absolute blast to listen to! The characters each had very distinct personalities and I found myself laughing out loud at some of the things that came out of their mouths. It didn't take long for me to become completely hooked. My favorite was Jessica and the character I most loved to hate was Carol Anne. Highly recommend!!! (and that cover- gorgeous! I might have to buy the hardcover just to enjoy on my shelves!!!!)

3.5/5

Thank you @williammorrowbooks @harperaudio #partner for the gifted copies of this book!

I knew the minute I saw The Namaste Club that I had to get my hands on it. I read and loved Pink Glass Houses last year, and as a yoga-loving girly whose love language is basically savasana, how could I resist?!

While Pink Glass Houses still holds the top spot for me, this one delivered the exact kind of messy, toxic drama I love to devour in the summer. The characters? Absolute disasters. The kind of people you’d block on Instagram but secretly stalk or talk about to your bestie. I was cackling at the snarky dialogue and totally invested in who was going to stab who in the back next. Asha Elias weaves humor into the cattiness so well, I found myself chuckling more than once.

It’s a fast, gossipy, no-brain-power-needed kind of read — which is exactly what I’ve been craving these last couple weekends. The cast of characters is wild, each a little more unhinged than the last, but Asha does a great job keeping them distinct so you’re never confused about who’s talking trash about who.

If you loved Pink Glass Houses, adore dysfunctional rich people drama, or just need a juicy summer mystery set at a supposedly “peaceful” retreat, grab your mat, your yoga pants, and snatch this one up on July 1st!

This was a quick fun listen. I will say that at first it was a little confusing to keep everyone straight in my head lol, I think reading this will be easier to grasp the characters, some of them likable some not, but I was throughly entertained non the less. there's always something going on in Florida lol