This book was like being stuck in the middle of a soap-opera and I highly enjoyed it. The plot was very straight forwarded and I liked that. No guessing what was going on and just fully immersed in the drama of what was happening. If you are looking for a book that doesn't take itself too seriously then this is the book for you. This will definitely find its way too many book clubs once released. Thanks, NetGalley.

I went into this book blind, i knew it was a mystery and that it involved a book club, i didn't need any more convincing, cause those are the two things i love :3
i hate Lydia with all my heart, i can't even lie, the whole time i was praying for her downfall.. but the author is clearly talented if they can make you root for one main character and make you pray for the others downfall so.. it was a very fun read, the chapters were short and the plot was really fast paced, i enjoyed reading it

This book was such a fun read, showing off girlbossery from many aspects. Housewives in a bookclub should be a tame and safe group, right? Not if a stale marriage on the one hand meets blatant money hunger on the other. Because then it becomes tension-filled explosive.

The main plot line of the book is the weeks leading up to and following the murder. However, the “who’s done it” becomes secondary after a while, because the real story is the life behind the façade for both women. This was a very intriguing read, raising real grey-zone issues without venturing into offering a ready-made judgement.

I’m a sucker for books about books and book lovers! This was full of surprises as the story unfolded. A toxic man taken down by the woman he has wronged.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hera Books for providing this book, with my honest review below.

The Woman From Bookclub is more devious that expected! A group of women, including Emma with her outwardly perfect life, have a Bookclub that welcomes a new member - Lydia. Lydia wants what Emma has without realizing some of the baggage that comes with it. Let’s be clear, Lydia is a love to hate read character, given we get her viewpoint alongside Emma’s, with the other members of the Bookclub playing minor roles as the story goes on.

I found the story very entertaining and thought that Carrie Hughes did a great job structuring the events. While Emma was a more that meets the eye character (which I expected given the genre) I wasn’t sure what I would get and loved all the discoveries the book revealed along with some sweet comeuppance.

I saw this book and thought this book is absolutely for me!! I was so excited to read this as loved the idea of a book club that helped each other out.
I really liked the two povs and found myself rooting for Emma much more than Lydia due to her dislike of dogs!
I will say the book lacked any major twists which I okay if the book has other wow factors but I feel it truly lacked a wow factor. The ending was messy and rushed and it was as if it was added in last minute like oh yeah we forgot about her let’s just say this is her ending.

This is for readers who like their domestic thrillers rich, sharp, and a little wicked. What really hooked me was how untrustworthy everyone felt. The main character dances that fine line between vulnerable and calculating, and just when you think you know who’s being played… the story tilts again.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hera Books for this ARC! I absolutely devoured The Woman from Book Club. It’s a deliciously twisted revenge thriller that had me giggling and gasping in equal measure. Lydia’s audacious plot to infiltrate the group and steal someone’s husband made her delightfully conniving and utterly entertaining. The dual perspectives kept the tension high, and the secrets and betrayals felt like a sharp book-club roast—immensely fun and impossible to pause. If you’re craving a darkly funny, fast-paced read with juicy drama, this one’s a total home run.

Couldn't put it down, I was so curious! Throughout the book I had mixed feelings about how some of the characters were portrayed, felt a bit stereotypical and elitist but overall it kept me up at night in that "just one more chapter" loop.

The Woman From Book Club was a little bit of a mixed bag for me. While I found it unpredictable and kept turning those pages until the end, there was something missing. I found the writing style a little too direct and the reveals overdone and explained repeatedly. We could have got away with cutting 1/4 of the book but I also didn’t want to put it down. Plus it has a book club so this one I’m landing on a ‘maybe recommend’

The first rule of book club Protect the Sisterhood.
The second rule No husbands
Third rule No Murders.
When perfect wife Emma gets arrested for murder of her husband, the book club is reeling from the shock. Newcomer Lydia has something to hide. But what will the book club uncover the murder mystery.
Told from both Emma and Lysias perspective, this was a real page turner. I loved the ending and the twist. Plenty of dark humour along the way, I really enjoyed this one and I cannot wait to get the paperback edition as this was so good.

I really enjoyed this thriller style, dual POV story and it had me intrigued from pretty early on. I liked that it was set fairly local to me and that the author is from an area close to my home town.

There weren't really any shocking moments for me personally, no huge twist I didn't see coming but it still had me entertained until then end. I did feel like the end was a little rushed, but it was a very quick read for me, all done in two sittings.

Without giving too much away, I kind of wished that Emma was the bad guy and it all totally flipped at the end, and although she wasn't blameless, I think it would have been more exciting for her to have driven Lydia crazy in the shadows.

Overall, this was a fun, quick read, a little out of my usual comfort zone, and although it probably won't rate well with die-hard thriller fans, it will be an interesting read for those new to the genre.

The woman from book club


The Woman From Book Club is an entertaining and quick moving story. Emma is arrested at the beginning of Book Club for killing her husband. The story continues in alternating POVs; Emma’s journal, and Lydia, the new member who is determined to take Emma’s husband and lifestyle. The plot is fairly simple, yet this domestic thriller takes many twists and turns. What I found enjoyable is the friendship between the club members and love between Emma and her twin daughters. An added treat was the author referring to so many main characters in classic books. With thanks to Netgalley and Hera Books. My opinions are my own.

This was a super fun read.

Emma is the perfect wife and mother, handling the house and children for her successful, handsome and high-earning husband. As an avid reader, Emma always looks forward to book club, and her vicarious escape to literary worlds.

Lydia is new in town and joins the local book club. But Lydia isn’t that interested in books, but she is interested in the lives of the well-heeled women who host the book club in their palatial homes, and getting closer to her goal of wriggling her way into their perfect lives. After all, marrying into money is much easier than earning your own. Unfortunately, a poorly timed murder may upset Lydia’s plans for trading up.

This story alternates between Emma and Lydia’s point of view, and following the story from the points of view of the wronged wife and the wife stealer makes for a highly engaging story. Highly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy - all thoughts are my own.

The Woman From Bookclub was such a wild ride. Until the very last page it kept you guessing and you never knew which way you were about to turn. Each character was so fun and so dynamic, yet so untrustworthy. Every single chapter had you switch up sides.

When I first finished I was unsatisfied because I didn’t feel like the antagonist got what they deserved, but after sitting on it a few days I realized maybe I was wrong with who the antagonist actually was. So even after you finish this one it’ll still be stuck in your head, and have you guessing.

This was an okay, pretty fun time. I enjoyed the first half a little more than the 2nd and 3rd halves, at first it was reminiscent of a desperate housewives episode. I wanted a little more of the book club, and sometimes the story just seemed way too unrealistic for me. But overall, I did enjoy my time with this!

The Woman from Book Club by Carrie Hughes - 3.5/5

The Woman From Book Club is a mystery novel in women’s fiction by Carrie Hughes. The book follows Emma, a woman from a wealthy neighbourhood, her sister and her three friends who get together to talk books. Into their lives barges Lydia, who couldn't care less about the books and is determined to get close to rich people (mainly men) to set herself up for a comfortable life.

The story is a fun read with simple and easy to follow writing which makes it an fast read. The plot is full of drama, twists, and emotional tension, and these moments feel natural to the story. I liked the twists introduced in the second half. Anyway, after seeing Emma grow and gain confidence, it was a little frustrating to see her compromise in ways that didn’t fully match that empowerment. That said, other readers might interpret her choices differently, so just see this as a personal reaction.

Overall, The Woman From Book Club is an entertaining read, perfect for anyone who enjoys stories about friendship and women navigating complex lives.Thanking Netgalley and Canelo for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

Every book club promises drama — but this one starts with a murder.

From the very first chapter, The Woman from Bookclub sets Emma and Lydia against each other, and the tension between them drives the entire story. I loved how bookish it felt — the consistent references to other novels made it true to the heart of a book club and gave the story an authentic, layered edge.

I read this in less than a day; the pacing kept me turning pages easily. That said, it didn’t land as a full five-star read for me. Some moments felt a little repetitive, and I didn’t walk away with the knockout punch I usually crave in a thriller.

Still, the premise is brilliant, the writing has plenty of sharp wit, and that constant question — am I Team Emma or Team Lydia? — had me hooked right to the end.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (3.5 stars)

Thank you to NetGalley & Carrie Hughes for my early access to this debut!

This is the tastiest onion that is peeled back with the greatest care revealing more and more of what you never imagined. The twists and turns, the unexpected, all perfectly timed. What will you find within these pages?
* a handsome, successful husband
* a loving wife and mother
* a caring sister
* a book club, book club friends, and books
* twin daughters - very different, much the same
* a determined lover
* two lovely British towns
* a loving, exuberant dog
And as the sister always says, always read between the lines!

This was a really addictive, fast-paced book. Lydia joins book club with a scheme to steal another woman's husband. I liked her as a character. She is delusional, resourceful, morally grey, and conniving (and most importantly, entertaining).

The story is told in dual POV. There is scheming, betrayal, secrets. I enjoyed the references to other books and quotes and the ladies from book club.