The storyline was interesting and the two main characters had well developed personalities. I did, however, find aspects repetitive and unrealistic. The speed which Lydia was able to overthrow a 20 year long marriage seemed unfeasible. I found the description of abuse refrehsing though and highlighted that abusive relationships aren't always violent and heated but, sometimes quiet and calm threats to slowly break someones character. Overall a good plot.

The Woman From Bookclub by Carrie Hughes is a clever and entertaining read full of twists, secrets, and dark humor. The dynamics between the women are sharp and engaging, and the mystery kept me guessing until the end. It is both witty and suspenseful, making it hard to put down. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and rated it five stars.

I liked the book. The idea of a murder mystery really interests me and that’s what this book is about. Who did it?
The book tells a good story about Lydia and Emma. They also made me wanna be in a book club. I still want to be.

But for me it was taking too long to get to the plot. And the beginning was kind of confusing me.

The Woman From Bookclub is a fun, twisty cozy mystery that blends friendship, secrets, and suspense with perfect timing. Carrie Hughes keeps readers hooked as the book club’s sisterhood unravels under the shadow of murder. The mix of humor, intrigue, and unexpected plot twists makes every chapter a page-turner. Clever, entertaining, and full of surprises, this is a must-read for fans of witty, female-driven mysteries.

Things I loved about this book: I loved how the story develops through the POV of the two. main characters. I also loved the way the mystery was built up, and as you read more, you find out more about the victim and his relationship with both Emma and Lydia, and I particularly enjoyed how so many of the characters had names that gave a nudge to Jane Austen.

It was fun to see the other members of book club, such as Lucy, Jules, and Marianne, develop their roles in the drama unfolding. The author did a good job of letting the reader think one thing about these characters, when actually, you found out something completely different a few pages later. For most of the book, the characters and plot were well developed. What I didn't love was the way it ended. It seemed to be tied up in too much of a neat bow - you watch Emma develop her strength over the course of the novel, and then she succumbs once more, and you watch Lydia develop as a bad character, and yet it all works out well for her too. The ending felt too pat, as if the author was not sure how to end it and didn't take the time to work it out. The ending is what keeps this book a 4-star review instead of 5 stars. I thank NetGalley and Canelo for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Ah. So this book. It was like a roller - coaster ride. Either you were very, very high or very, very low.
The first part was very annoying. Because of the characters and the way they acted and behaved and I couldn't believe my eyes how stupid and naive or manipulative some of them are. But I kept reading-
Then Part 2 started and everything changed. It was this high part of roller - coaster ride. This was probably the best part of the book, the twist was there and took me completely by surprise. Completely. This part was quick, run forwards, so much happened there.
And then came the end. And I mean, I expected something totally different. I was disappointed. It felt as if the author has chosen the easiest way out. Until then it was a solid 4 stars read for me. After that, unsolid and unsatisfying 3.

Novertheless, I was deep into the story, it kept me sucked, I wanted to know what has happened and why. The switch between the different POVs was really well done, the writing was engaging and while some situations felt forced, overdone and very convenient I still enjoyed it enough to read it deep into the nights. I have a mixed feelings about this book, the characters, the ending, however it you're into unhing and cunning characters and books exploring complicated relationships, just try it.

I’ve not had such a visceral reaction to a book in a long time! During part 1 Lydia infuriated me, I wanted to throw my kindle across the room, and I almost stopped reading due to hating her character choices so much. But with more context and backstory added to the who done it in part 2 & 3, I was less angry with her. Super easy to read and get absorbed into. Ending felt a little rushed but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

This was a really clever thriller involving a murder told across three parts from two different point of views - those of two very different women. Lydia, a manipulative grafter, has decided that Chloe's husband will be the perfect meal ticket - she just has to make sure she finds her way into every part of Chloe's life and where else to start but with the book club Chloe's sister Jules has established. Chloe, wife and stay at home mother of twin teenage girls appears on the surface to have it all. She is married to the man of her dreams, Elliot, a super successful divorce lawyer. No wonder Lydia wants to take her man but you have to be careful what you covet. I was really intrigued and horrified in equal parts at various points in the story. There were a couple of times when past and present collided for a moment and drew me out of the story - however this did not prevent the book from being a well told thriller. The characters were interesting and you certainly wanted to see how it was all going to unfold and be explained as from the outset you knew there had been a murder - just what really happened and who would pay the price was not quite clear. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep you turning the pages and wondering who is going to pay for this death. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc in return for my honest opinion. A book worth indulging in - highly recommend.

📚ARC from @netgalley @hera_books 📚

Lydia wants it all. The luxurious life and, most importantly, the rich husband who would fund her dream lifestyle. However, this husband she is on the hunt for has to be married. A divorced man is a no-no because she is uninterested in ‘someone else’s cast-off’. According to her, ‘…the right target had to be married…A man worth keeping was a man worth taking.’ So, she joins a book club with rich women as members, hoping get closer to her goal.

Emma is a devoted housewife and mother whose life revolves around her family, except for the occasional book club meeting, which provides her some respite from her duties. She seems content with her life and sometimes gets lost in fictional worlds for distraction.

When Lydia sets her sights on Emma’s husband, Elliot, she believes she has found her dream man. She spreads lies about Emma and swiftly sinks her claws into Elliot, causing Emma to be kicked out of her home. What Lydia doesn’t realise is that there is more to ’subdued Emma who has let herself go,’ and Elliot has other plans.

Things take a chaotic turn, leading to an unexpected murder.

👍🏾
- The portrayal of good female friendships between the women in the book club is one of the novel’s highlight.
- The novel also highlights that some women may not realise they’re being abused, as domestic abuse is often understood to be limited to physical harm
- Although I didn’t like Lydia’s character, there were moments when her level of delusion made me laugh out loud.
- The name-dropping of books was a nice touch and it made me smile every time I recognised something I’ve read.
- A dramatic but straight forward plot.

👎🏾
- Some sections could’ve been more concise.
- The portrayal of Elliot’s character didn’t align with the outcome of certain aspects of the story.

📚Overall, this one was a mixed bag for me especially because of how it ended.

📚If you enjoy books featuring unhinged and cunning female characters, then this is worth checking

I really enjoyed getting into this storyline and how the characters were used to tell the mystery concept. I enjoyed the idea of book club and how the characters were used during this. I was engaged from the first page and it had that tension that I was wanting from this type of book. Carrie Hughes was able to create a strong story and characters that I cared about. It worked well in this genre and can't wait for more.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an arc of this book.
This thriller was unhinged in the best way. I don’t know if I’m team Emma or Lydia, both of them made some choices I don’t agree with. I liked the dual POV, Emma and Lydia are very different characters with unique voices. This is an engaging thriller, I liked the pacing and how the story was divided in 3 parts. The ending is somewhat predictable, but there’s still some informations you learn at the end. Overall, I really enjoyed it !

The premise—two women, Emma and Lydia, one seemingly(?) perfect man and a book about a Book Club! I couldn’t resist picking up The Woman From Bookclub.
Emma, housewife, book lover, mother of two. Lydia? Lydia was everything I struggle with in real life—manipulative, self-absorbed, and painfully real. Hughes paints her with such precision that I found myself squirming through her scenes. It was almost too much. I’ll admit it: I did the unthinkable. I flicked ahead. I had to know what happened. And when the twist hit, it was worth every skipped page. I raced back to where I left off, hungry to see how it all unfolded with fresh eyes.
The book reminded me of The Book Club for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick, which I recently listened to. Both explore the dynamics of female friendship, secrets, and the power of a well-timed revelation.
This isn’t a cozy read. It’s a sharp, sometimes unbearable, but ultimately rewarding look at how people reveal themselves when the stakes are high.

I was sent a copy of The Woman From Bookclub by Carrie Hughes to read and review by NetGalley. I enjoyed this novel, it was an entertaining easy read, however there were certain things that dropped my rating. It could be somewhat predictable in places and also quite repetitive. Having said that, knowing that it isn’t ‘literary fiction’ it is a good beach read that you can easily whizz through and enjoy.

Who doesn’t love a woman scorned? Emma seems like a mousy bookworm, but there’s more to her than that. I am definitely team Emma all the way. This was a fun, quick read.

3.5 ⭐️

This is Sweetpea meets None Of This Is True meets Meredith Blake.

We are reading the perspectives of two women: Emma who’s the perfect housewife with the perfect husband, and Lydia, the new comer to Bookclub, who wants to steal her life.

This was a fun read with enough intrigue to keep me turning the pages. We learn quite early on that both women might be unreliable narrators, which I found made it hard at times to fully follow what was going on. I think this is why I found the ending unsatisfying.

There were a few parts a found a bit boring, but the way we switch between POVs meant I still binged this in two days.

If you’re in the mood for a “chick flick” thriller, this is for you!

had a weird feeling reading this book as I really disliked the beginning. The characters’s actions did not make sense to me and I almost DNF it.
So, I skipped a few pages to see if it was going anywhere… and it actually did! Ultimately, the story turned out to be okay with a plausible twist and it did become entertaining after a while.

It was an interesting reading experience, for sure. And not at all what I was expecting: a cosy mystery — for some reason, maybe the vibe of the cover. We mainly focus on two perspectives of the same event happening, and the perspectives are vastly different. Quite early on, I kinda picked up a side. Because from the start, I absolutely hated Lydia — and I believe she was meant to be this unlikeable, downright hateable actually. Or at least I hope so. She was a manipulative, delusional and nasty character, she played the victim when she’s clearly not that. And I’m not saying that Emma, the other perspective, is flawless because she isn’t. But she’s been wronged at the beginning so it was easier for me to understand her.
I would encourage thriller readers to pick this one up. It is full of deceptions and the author gives you two deep versions of the same story. It’s up to you to believe in one, in the other, or in none…

Thank you to Netgalley for an e-ARC in exchange for a honest review.

Welcome to Book Club. Emma has it all. Jules knows it all. Rosa's seen it all. Marianne's done it all. Lucy watches it all. And newcomer Lydia wants it. All. When perfect wife Emma gets arrested for the murder of her husband at Book Club, the group is reeling. But as the women turn from the murder mystery on the pages to the hidden secrets in the group, will they discover a killer plot twist that none of them saw coming?

This was a fast paced, soap opera-y read. It had my blood BOILING when I read Lydia’s POV, what an awful human being 🫠 It kind of reminded me of The Last Mrs Parrish! It was a bit more over the top though but still entertaining. I liked the mentions of different books and authors throughout. It was just ok! (2.75 ⭐️)

If you’re looking for a fast, binge-worthy read with the same addictive pull as reality TV, The Woman From Book Club by Carrie Hughes absolutely delivers. This is one of those books you pick up "just to see what it's about," and then suddenly it's two days later and you're done, despite working overtime and telling yourself you'd only read one chapter so you can get a full nights sleep.

The writing is simple and incredibly accessible, making it easy to fly through. While it's not the most literary or complex novel out there, that's honestly part of its charm. It knows what it is: a punchy, drama-filled, twisty read that keeps you turning the pages. The plot is straightforward, yet full of dramatic moments that are not just there for pacing, but integrated into the story in a way that feels deliberate, earned and absolutely wild.

That said, the simplicity sometimes works against it as there are moments where the narrative feels a bit repetitive.

The ending also left me slightly disappointed. After watching Emma grow and strengthen throughout the book, it felt frustrating to see her seemingly give in to someone else’s wants at the very end. It undercut the personal journey she’d been on and left me wishing for a conclusion that matched the empowering arc we’d been following. (Although arguably she did also do the right thing for her. I feel this is much more down to personal opinion so I’ll be interested to hear what others think!)

Still, this was a fabulously wild little read: fast, dramatic, and unexpectedly feel-good. It has its flaws, but they’re easy to forgive when the ride is THIS entertaining. Perfect for fans of light thrillers, sisterhood stories, or anyone who just wants a juicy, satisfying page-turner with women at the center of the drama (and ultimately, the power).

Highly recommend for a weekend escape or a mid-week binge.

I didn’t enjoy this book and I’m DNFing it because the characters are awful and writing really wasn’t good. One thing that annoyed me is like how the woman wanted to touch Elliot instead of the dog and about the cleavage and all that blah blah blah. It was so bad.