The Revenge Club by Kathy Lette (2024)

A fresh take on The First Wives Club, The Revenge Club is pure fun and satirical delight for our protagonists, Matilda, Cressida, Penny and Jo (or Joe, depending on who’s asking). These old friends are catching up for the first time in 30 years, last seeing each other when they left uni to follow their big dreams. Once reunited, they bond over the hurdles they are facing as women of a certain age in a society that has decided they are no longer useful. The four women realise it’s time to take matters into their own hands and quickly put their revenge plans into action. I loved how fast paced and highly satisfying this story was – it’s one of those books where everything you want to happen plays out in the perfect way. The Revenge Club is over the top and obviously too idealistic for real life, but that’s what makes it so good! In addition to the fun of the story, the characters are all flawed in ways that make them far from perfect but so likeable.  The story is all about loyal and committed female friendships, women taking back their lives and having a laugh while doing it. This is a great read for when you’re wanting a book that is not too serious but still has some substance.

I gave it 4/5 (one point taken off because some of the jokes were a bit cringey!)

Hey, Hun: Sales, Sisterhood, Supremacy, and the Other Lies Behind Multilevel Marketing by Emily Lynn Paulson (2023)

Spilled secrets, inside goss and all the dirty tactics of multi-level marketing (MLM) schemes revealed? Yes please! I loved Emily Lynn Paulson’s truly authentic account of her years spent in an MLM where she found herself at the top of the pyramid until she couldn’t ignore her conscience any longer, so gave it all up. Emily dives into how she was lured into the sparkly facade of Rejuvenate* at a stage in her life when she was seeking community and meaning outside her somewhat lonely life as a stay-at-home-mom. What seemed like the answer to everything that was missing in her life, turned out to be highly problematic and she’s not staying quiet about it. I have heard criticism of Paulson’s story in reviews on goodreads where readers comment on how terribly she behaved while in the MLM. However, I value Emily’s honesty so highly and it’s this raw account that makes the book so good. Emily doesn’t hold back about the insidious practices of her MLM, or about her own part in the damage she caused. From my point of view, she shares the worst of herself so readers can fully grasp the complexity of MLM mindsets and she has gone on to do the work it takes to address the harm she caused. A truly engaging and fascinating account while also pulling back the curtain on MLMs.

*Not its real name but a quick Google will reveal the actual MLM.

I gave it 5/5 because it is so authentic. The author was so honest despite it making her look bad and I learned so much.

The Opposite of Success by Eleanor Elliott Thomas (2023)

The Opposite of Success is like eavesdropping on a conversation between two best friends but even better because you are privy to both their innermost thoughts & secrets! Lorrie and Alex have been best friends for two decades and are now in their late 30s. Lorrie is content with her marriage, two young kids and somewhat mundane council job. Alex has had the more exciting life of travel, an artistic career, and trail of short term romantic relationships. As the reader, we get peek into the window of one day in Lorrie’s life when everything she thought she knew veers spectacularly off course. Alex‘s story fill in the gaps with her own life drama until it reaches its highly entertaining climax. While I wouldn’t say this is the most enthralling story, I found it highly relatable, real and honest. I always love books that position friendship as the key relationship of the plot and The Opposite of Success delivered this perfectly.

3/5 I enjoyed reading but wasn’t blown away.

It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey (2021)

Full disclosure: this one is steamy. Ooee, it is steamy.

At 28 years old, protagonist Piper Bellinger has little to show for her life. She has spent her adult years partying as a rich LA socialite and posting her life on social media. We meet Piper the day her stepfather decides it’s time for her to grow up, forcing her to return to the small seaside town where her family has their roots and prove that she can stand on her own two feet. Of course, while she is here, she encounters Brendan, the rugged but broken-hearted fisherman who likes what he sees (this is where it gets spicy!). The main characters in the story are all in their 20s, so the target reader would be in this demographic. However, I am not anywhere close to being in my 20s and I still enjoyed this book far more than I expected. The plot is pretty much the standard girl-meets-boy trope and the romantic couple are very stereotypical – a slim, gorgeous feminine girl and tall, muscly masculine man, but ultimately, it is what it is and doesn’t pretend otherwise. The sexy content will appeal to some readers more than others but it’s a great read if you are seeking something an easy and fun. It certainly ticked the boxes for a lighthearted book to read on holiday.

4/5 for a spicy romance that delivers on the spice!