I really loved the way this was a thriller but had a much slower pace and shallower incline than a lot of thrillers I've read. This novel lets you get to know the characters and their world fully before you jump to any sinister goings on and what a world that is. I love that we are getting more and more books about the dark side of social media and the dark side of the people behind those accounts now because you just don't realise how this world is until you are in it.

Emmy and her family are intern et sensations. She is a queen mum influencer and her little pod on Instagram is equally big in the world of mum's online. She looks like she has it all on the surface because of the following, the merch and the everts she hosts and attends. She knows the world inside out and her manager makes sure that she maintains her spot at the top. But what about how her husband feels about ti all, what about the people she is influencing and what happens if all that world starts to crumble.

Emmy really is just like any other mummy you know aside from the fact that she turned her experience in the magazine world around to help her build her online platform and her own personal brand. I think that is what is so compelling about this book, she could be just like you and me. I really loved getting to know Dan as well. He is in a really unique position of having his own life and career but being better known for being Emmy's husband and Coco and Bear's dad. Its a really unique position and I am glad that his perspective was included in the narrative.

This book is structured in such a way that you really can't put it down, you have to keep turning the pages. We get to hear from Emmy, Dan and the follower. You never know who this follower is but you know their words are written in malice and so its just so easy to keep turning those pages because you have to find out what is going to happen next.

This book really does get quite dark and definitely comes with care warnings for baby loss. At the same time though if you are a fan of contemporary novels that get a little bit darker I think this is a great transition book because it has the action and pace of a thriller but you aren't thrown in at the deep end and there is still plenty of characters and situations that are easy to relate to. I would compare this to The Wives or The Girls in The Garden by Lisa Jewell. I read this in 2 sittings and I loved it, I'm sure you will too!

I was so disappointed thought it was going to be a thriller but definitely not I skipped over many pages as was quite boring all about social media how it can affect a person had to keep reading as wanted to know if Emmy and Dan were okay it was a bit far fetched to say the least couldn’t wait to finish it thank you to Netgalley and the publisher sorry wasn’t for me.

I’m not sure why I feel I have to give this book 5 stars, but I do. It is beautifully written, skilfully plotted, and had me hooked. Saying that, I didn’t enjoy reading it because of the very strong emotions I felt - despair, anger and sympathy. However, I was compelled to finish it to find out what happened in the end. I disliked the characters intensely, probably because I cannot abide the horrors of the social media world and the pretentious people who think that others are interested in their artificial lives. Parts of the narrative made me chuckle but I found most of it unsettling, if not stomach churning. Full of tension and suspense, there was one point in particular where I felt sick and I had trouble sleeping. I kept telling myself ‘It’s only a book …’, but even so I woke up in the night thinking about it. Even though some of it was unbelievable, it was believable! An interesting and compelling read, and I look forward to reading more from Ellery Lloyd (on a different subject please).

Wow! Where do I start with this book? How will my review do this book justice?

This book has completely exceeded my expectations and been a read which I have been completely unwilling and unable to put down! I have literally devoured this book in just one sitting.

I have been completely captivated by the unique plot of this one. As someone, who likes a good nose on Instagram I really have been intrigued. However, I have really felt connected to Dan. He's that sensible character that you just want to give a big hug to.

I have found Emmy a real frustrating character, mainly due to her treatment of "best" friend Poppy. This book throws twists and turns when you least expect them. Definitely filled with suspense and keeps you guessing.

I've been really shocked to find that the authors are co-writing this book. The transition from one chapter to the next is done superbly, you'd never know it's two authors.

I love the cover, it's classy and raises intrigue to the book. Definitely makes you want to pick it up and know more.

This book has definitely converted me as a fan of the authors! I definitely need more and already eagerly anticipating book news.

I have loved this book so much, it is one that I will definitely be recommending to everyone!! A book which really does deserve the absolute highest ratings. This book has made my Book of the Month for December 2020.

People Like Her is a gripping story about the truths (and untruths) that make up the world of influencers. It’s a topic that is very intriguing, as it’s something many of us come across every day: even if we don’t use social media platforms such as Instagram ourselves, we likely are aware of these people who make careers out of being a social media personality – or ‘influencer’.

Emmy is one of these people. Followed by millions of people on Instagram as a ‘mamabear’, she makes a living out of posting about being a new mum. Often, the images she posts – with carefully staged scenes of messy houses and her unkempt appearance because she’s ‘just so tired’ – are a complete fabrication, but she knows that’s what the British public want to see – someone else going through the same difficulties being a new mother as they are. Often, people following her don’t realise the full extent of how much is edited, and what Emmy posts can have a very significant affect on people’s lives.

The novel focuses mainly on Emmy and her writer husband Dan’s perspectives, but we also see the occasional passage from an uknown person who is watching Emmy, and has a real grudge against her. We know Emmy, and possibly her children too, are in danger but we don’t know exactly who is the real threat.

Emmy herself is very hard to like as a character, I found. I much preferred her husband Dan, but I knew when reading the book that they were both just trying to do the best for their family and make a living. But the way Emmy deals with some issues with her oldest friend, and the way she behaves after this, really highlights to the reader that she will do almost anything to further her career.

It’s an interesting book as it really got me thinking about the dark side of internet fame, and how much of what we see online is edited or, in some cases, completely invented. I really liked the ending and I felt that, although there were obviously some very dramatic moments, it somehow didn’t feel too crazy. I would definitely read more from writing duo Ellery Lloyd!

‘People Like Her’ -Ellery Lloyd
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“Followed by millions, stalked by one.”
To what extent are social media influencers putting their families and loved ones in jeopardy? This is something I have been wondering for a while now. As a new mummy myself, I admittedly consume more than my fair share of family vlogs and parenting hacks on popular platforms such as YouTube, Facebook and Instagram.

Emmy is one of those people I would undoubtedly follow. She is the figure-head of ‘Mamabare’, a mumspiration platform, she is, by all accounts an ‘instamum’ with a penchant for exaggerating the truth. Emmy shares solicited advice with her staggering one million followers around parenting and the like. But what happens when advice is unfounded and ill-supported by medical advice?

I found this thriller incredibly relevant to our current consumer driven society where ‘merch’ and unprecedented fortune is only a couple of thousand followers away...

Should we see an immediate end to ‘Sharenting’ and the deliberate exploitation of children and their privacy, without their consent, for financial gain and mass-public notoriety?

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this Advanced Reader’s Copy.

Good premise but just did not deliver for me. Did not enjoy the writing style or relate to the characters. Sorry found it hard to get to the end. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

🐾🐾🐾
...
People like her
...
Ellery Lloyd
...
Frighteningly dark thriller debut from this writing duo.
...
The novel begins quite slowly, and a little repetitive. However it does move at pace for the last third of the novel, and with blog-like and colloquial writing, it was not to my personal taste for a novel, but it is a rapid page-turner.
...
Written from three perspectives, social media ‘mama’ Emmy, her author husband Dan, and a revenge-seeking plotting third perspective. None of the characters are likeable, in fact, I would say are egotistical, manipulative, deceitful and envious evoking disgust from the reader. I struggled to engage with any character which meant for me that the novel was less gripping and impactful.
...
There are difficult themes in this novel, with trigger warnings for mental health, suicide and the loss of a child.
...
With themes of honesty and deceit, loneliness, friendship, loyalty, sadness, loss and identity, Ellery Lloyd explores the concept of Instagram vs reality through this novel.
...
Instagram, is portrayed almost as a fourth protagonist...the power of which in the wrong hands being dangerous and quite terrifying. With this in mind, it doesn’t feel like a timeless novel, but definitely one with currency and relevance now and I imagine we will see a lot more of these ‘social-media-themed-thrillers’.
...
I would like to thank Netgalley and Pan Macmillan and eARC in exchange for an honest review.

People Like Her is a novel of its time and a cautionary one at that. Emmy is a former fashion editor turned influencer. Her husband Dan is a struggling author and they have two young children but Emmy's success means they can live affluently thanks to her over-sharing of their private lives.

But things go awry when a stalker threatens to destroy Emmy's perfect life. Who is the stalker and why have they picked Emmy out?
The story is told from the perspective of Emmy and Dan as well as a mystery narrator.

People Like Her is a well written and thought-provoking read. I recommend it highly. Many thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan/Mantle for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Fantastic story, slightly different from many other books which keeps you intrigued as to how things are going to play out.

I thought the book started off well and although I don’t think the characters are actually meant to be liked I found it made me struggle to keep reading and in fact I did not finish it. There are lots of other positive reviews of this book so I think this one was just not for me.

Thank you to #NetGalley for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. #PeopleLikeHer

3.5 Stars. A gripping multi-layered story that has all the elements of a thriller, nicely written and full of unreliable narrators, that spins its tale around debates in parenthood and Instagram culture. The plotting is well executed, although at times it felt formulaic. Completely gripping, though, and the ending (particularly the penultimate chapter) is excellent.

Emmy is Mamabare, a hugely successful Instagram influencer, the number one "Instamum" and has a million followers. She is married to Dan, who has been a successful writer. They also have a young daughter, Coco, and a baby boy, Bear. The family unit is a brand and are unashamedly used to increase Emmy's following and income. It took me quite a while to feel empathy with the family. It's hard to like a mum who so blatantly exploits her children, even if it does pay the bills and keep a roof over their heads. This is, however, a fascinating insight into this most modern of careers and the influence it has on so many people. The storyline is clever and intriguing. This will, in my opinion, be one of the number one thrillers of 2021 and would translate well to screen. See past the difficulty in liking the main character and you will be rewarded with a clever story which keeps you guessing throughout.

Gripping thriller that feels even more realistic in today's Insta-obssessed world. Loved the commentary that it gives about the so controversial instamummy world. It has a few plotwists that I enjoyed, with realistically unlikeable main characters.

The suspense just kept me turning the pages. The world you become sucked into is amazing, a total escape!

I loved this book and couldn't put it down. A gripping story, well-told, with (sadly) entirely believable characters. It's also an entertaining commentary on the (to me) mad world of social media. I will be recommending this to all my friends.

Well...thank you NetGalley for my copy of this book that I have not been able to put down. Cleverly written, plenty of twists and lots of cliffhanger chapters.
The story is told by 3 people - Emmy, a mummy insta influencer; her husband Dan, a writer; as well as an unnamed (for most of the book) character, who appears to have a special interest in the lives of Emmy, Dan and their children....
I was engrossed by this book and would recommend it.

A heads up - as I read this book as an ebook I am unsure as to what the blurb would say - that this story does contain strong themes including miscarriage, which could be quite triggering, as well as suicide and the death of a young baby. These may be distressing for some readers.

I saw this book on a list of ‘ books to look out for in 2021’ by Emma Gannon on The Bookshop (coincidentally a great place to source books if you want the convenience of online shopping, but would to avoid ‘that’ retailer and support a local bookshop at the same time). So I asked NetGalley for an advanced review copy and my wish was granted #earlyChristmaspresenttome.

I hadn’t read the blurb once I’d seen that as well as Emma, the author Clare Mackintosh had also recommended it, and wondered on the context of the potentially homophonic sentence. Did ‘People Like Her’ mean ‘People Love Her’ or ‘People Similar To Her’. It would appear it could mean both, as here’s the blurb:

“People like Emmy Jackson. They always have. Especially online, where she is Instagram sensation Mamabare, famous for always telling the unvarnished truth about modern parenthood.
But Emmy isn’t as honest as she’d like the fans to believe. She may think she has her followers fooled, but someone out there knows the truth and plans to make her pay. Because people like her have no idea what pain careless words can cause. Because people like her need to learn what it feels like to lose everything.”

I also, then, checked out the author – and it’s a combined husband and wife writing team – which I thought could be very interesting.

When I had my first kids, Instagram wasn’t a thing at all (shocking, I know!) and in fact ‘Mummy blogs’ were only just a thing. I remember being super impressed when one of the school Mums in our village was featured in Red Magazine as one of these new fangled Mummy bloggers in probably 2008ish. In the subsequent decade those sharing an opinion – and making a living from this opinion – on parenting has ballooned – particularly on Instagram, and that is the whole premise of this book.

Emmy has contrived to be an InstaMum – with her posse of fellow InstaMums, selling their views on parenthood. Emmy brands herself as being ‘honest’ – but this is definitely for the Mamabare brand – and not what really goes on behind closed doors. Her husband, Dan, is an author – although his last published success was many years before – and so, whilst he doesn’t necessarily agree with all of Emmy’s actions, he also recognises that it pays the mortgage for them.

The book is told from the point of view of Emmy, Dan and a third person who is obsessed with Emmy and blames her for something awful. (I did wonder if the husband and wife author team wrote as Dan and Emmy respectively – and who wrote the third voice? Who knows!)

There are also other characters – Emmy and Dan’s children, Coco and Bear (such Instagram friendly names – you can imagine them up in lights already). Emmy’s mother – who has branded herself as an InstaGran (yep, there are loads!). Emmy’s best friend, then her agent, their new nanny, Emmy’s new PA and, of course, her ‘pod’ of fellow InstaMums. All of the characters are very different – and very well written – many could be someone you know (or someone you follow and feel like you know!).

I have to say that none of the main characters were particularly likeable – I thought I was Team Dan for a while – but not 100%! However this lack of likeability wasn’t an issue – and kind of drove the story forward.

There are some huge twists and turns, and some great red herrings – and there is a real pace to the book – I devoured it really quickly. It’s a thriller – but also a fabulous social commentary. It’s very clever, very well written and a great read.

I have a feeling it will be a little too close to the bone for some in the InstaMum community – but for mere mortals, is a great read. And I LOVED the epilogue and ending.

A massive thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my advance review copy – and I would highly recommend you pre order it for when it’s released in January 2021 – we all need something to look forward to. Let’s hope for more #yaydays than #greydays in 2021!! #injoke

I love a 'his & hers' story and how two people can view the same thing so different. And, this was no exception as husband and wife, Dan and Emmy, have polar opposite views on their family and insta-celebrity life. I also found the whole influencer thing fascinating and thought-provoking - who knew people buy followers and have a 'pod' of other influencers to get the coveted likes and shares? I was also weirdly drawn to both Emmy and Dan, despite them both being really quite self-obsessed, unlikeable characters. And, I enjoyed the contemporary narration.

As a thriller, however, it was a bit lacking. First off it was a bit slow - apart from a few interspersed chapters from the point of view of an as yet unidentified third person clearly hellbent on revenge, the actual thing didn't get going until some way into the book. I also found the conclusion a bit unsatisfying and extreme (although sadly there are a lot of damaged minds out there and the author(s) portrayed this sensitively). But, I would still recommend this book because for all the reasons first mentioned it’s a compelling and enjoyable read.

I really enjoyed People Like Her. It's an easy read which passes quickly in the best possible way: like shoving popcorn in your mouth at the cinema with a good film. The dual voices of the male character and female character juxtapose really well: two writers covering the two POVs is really effective, and the plot remains intricately woven, with well-placed reveals and great use of cliffhangers.