"She made my world brighter, and I clearly made hers more real."

I don't usually read reviews before starting a new book, but since this was going to be my first experience with Tara Brown, I decided to read them. There were not what I was expecting, they made me feel unsure whether to read the book or not, but at the end, I decided to give it a try... and OH BOY, it was so GOOD! The perfect mix of funny, sweet, and hawt—with just the right amount of angst to keep me glued to my kindle. I enjoyed it immensely.

Ashley and Cherry were so adorable together—their chemistry was totally off the charts funny and sexy, although it was not just their chemistry what hooked me in, but how the story progressed with them trying to fight the pull they felt toward each other, which was inevitable from the start.

In this club, you have to follow the rules. But what happens when reality hit you hard, and you decide to burn them all.

Fling Club was a total page-turner. The story and writing just flowed, and once I started reading it, I didn't want to stop. I not only fell in love with the main characters but with the amazing secondary characters as well. Here's hoping Ella gets her own book!

A socially evil read full of revenge, emotional growth and the art of becoming your own person.

I enjoyed this cute but deceptively adorable romance! This was Mean Girls and Cruel Intentions 2.0!! The Fling Club was an invention of boredom and cruetly of sime of the most rich and powerful young adults that summer in the Hamptons! I was kind of blown away that this can actually happen and girls and guys would actively seek it out?!?

At the start, you read about the main character, Cherry, planing and reminiscent about her "perfect" on paper, boyfriend, Griffin (who is her latest fling). She is going to surprise him at his place at school, but she is the one surprised when he's "bumping N grinding" with the her best friend and Fling Club inventor, Cait! Well, that was unexpected and she calls her brother, Andy to vent and the shenanigans begins!!!

I liked reading this book because it put me in mind of all those 80s movies that I love (Sixteen Candles, Heathers, Pretty in Pink, Some Kind of Wonderful, and Just One of the Guys) especially the charcter of Ashley (hot nerd), Cherry, Andy, Cait and, Ella were the quintessential the cast of Cruel Intentions!!! Their only saving grace is they're flawed but likeable! Cait may be the cruelist of all with her pretentious Fling Club rules (if he doesn't belong to the county club, he doesn't belong in your pants, etc)!

I actually rooted for Cherry and Ashley write from their initial meeting! Personally, this was a departure from the typical YA romance books that I have read, which was refreshing! I know cruel drama is mot anything to cheer, but when love wins; I cannot help but cheer!?! 😍

Cherry had made a connection with Griffin and she wanted to back out of the Fling Club. Cherry wondered how she was going to back out of the Fling Club and not become a social pariah. Cait wouldn’t take Cherry’s resignation lightly as she had been one of the founding members. Fling club had been her entire life in the summer in the Hamptons since she was fifteen- six years- running the boys, ruling boys. Choose a guy for a fleeting summer romance each summer to take them to functions and other events of their choice . This was to have been her last year. Cherry was breaking the fundamental rule, one that had been in place from the start - anyone who left the group was an cut. Griffin was Cherry’s first real boyfriend. Griffin had given Cherry a key to his apartment that week when she needed to drop off his dry cleaning. When she went in she found Griffin having sex with Cait. Cherry ran down four flights of stairs to just get away from what she had seen. Cait had been cherry’s friend but had betrayed her. Now all Cherry wanted was revenge. This wasn’t the first time Cait had stolen a gut from Cherry but it was the first time it was a guy Cherry cared about. Cherry’s little sister was Ella and she was merciless when it came to the upper crust and she assured Cherry, the plan and Ella assured cherry her plan would ruin Cait and Griffin. Andy was picking her up with their chauffeur. Also Cherry had to run and post the ad that Ella insisted their plot required. Cherry ahd broke up with Griffin by text. Cherry had grown up in a world that arranged marriages were still in place. Cherry was determined to take down Cait. She told Andy she had a plan- she was going to make sure Cait break every last rule of Fling Club and publically and humiliate herself in the process. Andy suggest that Cherry use the Community Post It Board as she had to get a guy that Cherry chooses to hit on her in front of Cait. Cherry ends up with Ashley was a robotics engineering student at M I T.
I couldn’t get into this book. I didn’t really like or connect with the characters. This had too much drama for me to really enjoy it. It was also a little too predictable for me. I like surprises and twists and turns that I like or do surprise me. This could also be a little confusing at times and repetitive. I am sure there are others who will enjoy this it just wasn’t for me.

Tara Brown introduces readers to an exclusive club in the Hamptons where women hold all the power. One woman in particular holds too much power and steps over the line when she sleeps with Cherry's boyfriend. Cherry is rallied by her unconventional siblings to take revenge and a crazy plot is hatched that could end Cait's tyranny once and for all. If the Fling Club is dismantled in the process then all the better!

Fling Club is one wild story! I don't usually gravitate toward stories with mean girls or obnoxious elitist antagonists, but I was really curious to see how the romance would play out. It was better than I expected and I loved how fiery and adorable Ashley and Cherry are together. Their differences are profound, but the biggest issues were Cherry's insecurities and disconnect from everyday life.

Even as the story dives into the world of the extremely rich and privileged, there's a surprising depth to the characters. The deeper into the revenge plot the more is revealed about Cherry and the club that defined her Hampton summers. Her fake friends become true friends as they unite against a common enemy and drop pretenses.

I'm eager to see how the Serendipity series continues because the intro to this series is pretty epic already. It definitely fits into the New Adult genre, so if you love that then it's perfect for you. Fling Club is a fun, intriguing summer read that you won't be able to put down once you dive in!
*ARC provided in consideration for review*

Cheryl "Cherry" Kennedy is left devastated after finding her boyfriend with another woman. The other woman is supposed to be her lifelong friend, the same friend who is the head of the fling club. Cherry wants revenge in the worst way.


Ashley Jardine needs to find a summer job to pay for his final year of MIT and to ease the burden on his parents. He never imagined what he was getting himself into by accepting the offer of the beautiful redhead.


This story is a web of emotions and deceit from the get-go. With a list miles long, the plan is set into motion immediately and requires all hands-on-deck.


I liked the hero in the story and how he was able to stay grounded among the rich and elitist. His identity is never lost though he's playing a part. I liked the heroine's ability to find her way out of the mess created by years of habits and upbringing.


This is a new author for me. I would be interested in seeing stories about some of the minor characters mentioned in the book.

I wanted to like this book a lot more but unfortunately I just found too many of the characters unlikable. It's hard to connect with a story when you really dislike one of the main characters but I just couldn't make myself like Cherry enough to get emotionally invested in this story. I liked Ashley enough to want him to stay away from these amoral, soulless characters and find love somewhere else.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Another phenomenal book from Tara Brown. Fling Club is Mean Girls on Spring Break in the Hamptons, College style lol I really loved this story I could see the drama play out in my mind. I think Fling Club would make a good book to movie adaptation because Tara's words were so vivid. Once I started this story, there was no putting it down, there was so much drama unfolding at each turn of the page, I had to know more. The twists and turns it took from the middle to the end, majority I did not see coming, I love a book that isnt so predictable and Tara Brown brought us that with Fling Club. I loved that she brought us romance, humor, drama and so much more. Im definitely calling dibs on Ashley, loved his character and definitely my fave out of them all. Although, I wouldnt mind reading Andy's or Ella's story, I feel like those two have more to tell us. I can't wait to see what else is in store for the Serendipity series.

After finding her best friend in bed with her boyfriend, Cheery sets out to plot the perfect revenge. For years this particular friend has ruled the Hamptons as well as the group of girls in the Fling Club. But with the help of her siblings, Cheery sets out to bring her down not realizing how deep the betrayals run.

Ashley needs money to help out his family and is desperate for a summer job. When he responds to a post looking for someone who can turn their back on their moral values in a quest for vengeance, he replies and opens the door for a summer unlike any he ever expected.

Cheery was a complicated character, trying to find herself and who she really was after years of living up to her friend’s social standards. She was a hot mess and there were times I wanted to smack her on the head to snap her out of her second guessing. There was a lot of back and forth with what she wanted and thought and sometimes it was a bit repetitive. Ultimately, I did like her and loved that she found the strength within to take the steps needed to end the abuse in a manner I never predicted when starting this book.

As for Ashley, a nerdy hero who didn't quite fulfill all my nerdy requirements - it was more on paper than in real actions - was definitely the light in the story. A bit judgmental at times, with reason, he was also quick to admit to his shortcomings and looked beyond the surface at what lay beneath Cheery’s fake smiles. He brought a touch of humor to the story that was desperately needed at times. And his own strength in the face of adversity endeared him to me even more so than his personality.

This is a relatively fast paced read but I still found myself skimming some when thoughts were repeated. Cheery’s siblings were freaking awesome but I couldn’t find myself trusting any of the other secondary characters in her circle of acquaintances and that became a bit tiring. However, Ashley stole the spotlight here and along with him the steam level increased.

While I am not a fan of the “mean girls” storyline, I was curious to see how everything would play out in the end and I was satisfied by the ending.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book provided by NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

3.5
I would like to thank Netgalley and Skyscape for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.


I’m mixed on this book. It was a good story line and full of drama, which is a good thing. Yet, it was full of drama. This is basically a book about a bunch of rich girls who have too much time on their hands and spend each summer in a fling club. Each girl chooses one boy to date all summer. Sounds pretty innocent until you meet the Queen of the mean girls who has it out for Cherry.

Cherry is set on revenge and puts an add out for a good looking nerd “type” guy to help in taking down the club and the mean girls in it. As in any good romance, Cherry and Ashley (good looking nerd “type”) fall for each other but the cub is set to tear them apart.

It was a pretty fun read with a lot of drama. It would be perfect for those who are into that type of story. I love Tara’s work so this would not stop me from picking up anything she wrote.

Cherry comes from a rich family and spends her summers in the Hamptions. Every summer she is a part of the Fling Club, but this summer she has a boyfriend and is scared to tell Cait (the Fling Club founder) that she doesn't want to partake ... that is until she finds Cait in bed with her boyfriend. Now she ... along with her brother who was Cait's boyfriend in high school ... hatch a plot to pay a guy to be Cait's fling this summer and then dump her. Ashley, a MIT nerd, picks up Cherry's flyer and decides to apply for the job. But the plan goes haywire when Cherry and Ashley can't fight the electricity between them any longer.

Unfortunately it was a struggle for me to finish this book because I found it very predictable and I just couldn't connect with the characters. The writing was good, just not the style I like. In my opinion the writer should take out the sex scenes and gear it towards the teens age group ... and I'm sure a young teen would thoroughly enjoy this book.

I received an ARC courtesy of Skyscape through NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.

I have a really hard time not finishing a book. It's almost a compulsion to make it to that last page, but as stubborn as I am, I can admit defeat and am doing so with this one. The blurb sounded so promising. In fact, I was hooked from the first line promising the beginning of a "wickedly funny series." Maybe it's just me, and it's quite possible that I just don't have the right kind of sense of humor (whatever that may be), but by the fifty percent mark, I realized I hadn't laughed a single time - not a smile, not a chuckle, nothing. I did find a boatload of slut and body shaming, a so-called romantic interest who is a complete jerk, and a slew of other characters who just weren't likable. The story is reminiscent of movies like Mean Girls, Cruel Intentions, Heathers, and the like. In fact, those are mentioned more than once in the book, but everything was just way too over the top for me. So much so, that the earlier mentioned fifty percent mark is where I gave up.

As a new to me author I wasn't sure what to expect when 'cracking the spine' of this novel.

What initially presents as 'privileged fluff' develops into a voyage of self-discovery and, at times, loathing.

This insight into the lives of the privileged set seems too scary to be true but I suspect there is a large element of 'truth' contained within.

Cheryl 'Cherry' Kennedy is undoubtedly a young lady of privilege but after she catches her boyfriend cheating on her, she is determined to make changes to the way she has been living her life and the people who have influenced her actions and decisions.

With her brother and sister she sets out to avenge the wrong that has been done at the hands of her 'friend' and organiser of 'Fling Club'

Ashley, a student at MIT, is looking for a job to help pay his tuition and allow him to visit his sick father who has returned to the UK for treatment. Being 'employed' by Cherry and Andy is a financial dream come true.

However, as you might expect, the plans made by the 'rich kids' don't exactly come to fruition and new relationships fall apart at the seams.

Don't despair though, Cherry and Ashley get their HEA and their story is worthy of the few hours it takes to travel through their journey to love.

Although slightly different from Brown's other romance series I still enjoyed her storytelling. This was edgy, angsty, bitter, ruthless and creepy. With references to classic rich kid movies it certainly brought back girls night in high school. Rich kids behaving badly, one of them finds their soul and attempts to correct poor choices. While the theme of the story wasn't new I was enthralled with the revenge angle and Ashley, our sexy nerdy guy. I really liked the characters Andy, Ella, Ashley and Cherry had personalities that jumped off the page. Should be a few more books from this crew, would love to see who's next. I received my copy through Netgalley, review given voluntarily.

This book was okayyyy. Initially it was hard to like the MC and sympathize with her, but you can see her change throughout the book. The storyline was at times ridiculous and there are a few things I'm still questioning.

Overall, this book was a bit difficult to get through, but some parts are still enjoyable to read. Others were cringeworthy, and others were just confusing.

Thank you NetGalley and Skyscape for this eARC in exchange for an honest review! (:

Think Fight Club meets Mean girls and you have a recipe for a great revenge plot line that will have you scratching your head at times and wondering...do people really think like this? My guess is that yes, we have those wonderful, super rich elite who think nothing of playing games with other people and to some extent, damaging other's psyches in order to gain what they believe is rightfully theirs. Cherry finds the perfect guy to help her exact her revenge on the Queen but will she end up hurting herself and Ashley more than the one who is supposed to be the subject of humiliation in this revenge plot. And really? Who is the catalyst for everything that seems to be going down. One woman will find her strength, another may find herself in true emotional pain and there are secrets that will threaten everyone's game and lives. Sexy story with plenty of intrigue. To say that I'm head over heels with Ashley is an understatement. How can you not love a nerd that is sexy as heck.

While this is said to be a new adult read, I'd say that the realness of the story told here is something even young adults might need to hear.  The story itself, while adding some much-needed lightness to an otherwise difficult story, is exactly what young girls will need to know about.  Actions have repercussions and those wronged can break in ways you can never expect or understand.

I must express for younger readers that there are some sex scenes, so if you are not ready for these, maybe keep it on your reading list for when you're a bit older.  If you are ready, know that some harsh truths might come out about friendship, loyalty and wanting to fit in and belong.

Tara's writing is intoxicating.  As soon as I started reading, the story started with a bang you won't expect and spiral out from there.  This is the best coming of age story that I've read in a while.  I'll keep up with this series and hope that we get more soon.

The characters are real people.  You'll see flaws and cracks and wrong choices and right ones.  You will love them and hate them and possibly scream at them to stop this nonsense and grow up!  And they will not listen...  And you'll keep reading.

It is 100% worth the day I spent sucked in by the incredible story that will turn you inside out in the best way possible!

***ARC received in exchange of an honest opinion***

It's a testament of a good book when you're into 55% of it and you message the author to say it's the best thing she's ever written.

I've been a huge fan of Tara for years now and we became friends here on Goodreads many years ago. But despite all that I've never been one to sugarcoat my feelings for a book.

The Fling Club is different from any book I've read. It has a lot of elements I love in books, but the plotline is refreshing and different. I always say Tara is the Queen of Plot Twists, she has a knack for changing up a story in a way you wouldn't expect, so she's good at plotlines. This time though, I can see this one was thought throughly (not that her other books weren't) and she wrapped the whole story up in such a perfect way.

In her usual fashion the book has some plot twists, but this time it is not the focus. The Fling Club is more than a romance, it's more than Cherry and Ashley's story (which I LOVED, but we'll get to that soon). This is also a story about friendships and finding yourself.

Cherry is a senior at college, who is a also a spoiled and privileged girl. And through an elaborate scheme to get even at someone, she'll discover more than she bargained for, mostly about her own self. Ashley...oh my! Don't let Eli hear tjis, but I think he's my favorite book boyfriend Tara wrote so far. He's nerdy and funny, gorgeous, sexy and very very real. He's excatly what Cherry needs, but didn't expect at all.

The Fling Club is The OC meets Gossip Girl meets Cruel Intentions meets Tara Brown's genious mind. We're talking about a world so f***ed up, but that could be any elite's neighborhood around the world. The beauty of it is that it's a book quintessentially relatable. Even if you're not rich, or if you haven't been through what these characters have. Everyone is more than they seem to be, for better or worse.

It was so easy to read this book that I never wanted it to end. Itfeltlike hugging a friend. It's one of those stories that are so well built and well written that you forget you're reading it and feel like you're experiencing it.

Even if you're notrichand spoiled, this book will make you relate to it and you'll feel connected. It'll remind you of being young and in doubt and clueless about what to do with life. In one end we have Ashley who is so sure of himself and secure in hs decisions and what he wants to do with his life and in the oher end we have Cherry, who isn't sure of anything anymore, besides maybe how blind she had been about what was all around her. And these two opposites will not only attract, but remind us that life is not black and white. There's more to everyone and their attitudes and mistakes. Some might not be excused, though.

I absolutely loved Cherry because despite her thinking Ashley waa the real one, I think she is quite real. She owned up to her mistakes, she's not always secure and we all have moments of self-doubt and insecurities. She's flawed and she doesn't make excuses for it. She's unabashedly herself. A little spoiled, a lot real and human after all.

Then we have Ashley...I fell in love with him the moment he sees the raspberry buns. He seems like my perfect guy. He's gorgeous and smart and nerdy and super honest. He calls people, specially Cherry, on her bulls***t. And I love that. I would love if he could be real because that's a guy I'd love to date. I love his interactions with his family. I love everything about him, because although he seems perfect for me (and Cherry), he's a normal guy, living his life and trying. Which is the most we can do.

I truly think Tara has found herself (not thatshe was ever lost) with this book. Her voice was never so strong and her writing isoutof this world with this one. Everything fits perfectly. Everything is wrapped around so well that you smile when it's approaching the end. I hate seeing a good book end, but this time I felt so satisfied with the ending. It just fitted.

It's hard to explain the feeling of a book accomplishing it all. And The Fling Club did that for me. I could see the effort and work behind every page but it read and felt effortless. The story and the writing just flowed. Even though I could see how much work Tara put into this story, it didn't seem like a work at all, it felt natural, because, just like Ashley and Cherry, it feels very very real.

Congratulations Tara. You've done a marvellous job with this one and I can't wait to read the next book in this series!

In regards to this book, the humor is what kept be engaged and reading this book. It is funny that there was several references to Cruel Intentions as that is the vibes I got from this book. Cherry and her brother are the main leads but they don't sleep with each other. Whereas, Ashley is in the role that Reese Witherspoon played. You can't feel bad for Ashley as he knew from the start what he was getting himself into with offering to play a part.

Yet, as much as I liked the humor, it was the characters that I didn't care for. I found most of them to be self-absorbed and unappealing. This did include Cherry to a point as well. Ashley is the only one I liked right from the moment I met him. Overall, I would classify Fling Club is a light hearted chick lit book.

Every year Cherry spends her summer in the Hamptons and every year her summer revolves around the “Fling Club”. The point of the club is that its female members get to choose a guy for a fleeting romance each summer who will then accompany them to functions and other events of their choice. This year is supposed to be Cherry’s last summer in the club but instead of just finding a guy for a short summer romance, she’s out for revenge this time around. Revenge on the club’s founder who slept with her ex-boyfriend. Cherry has a plan but for that plan to work she still needs to find the perfect guy and Ashley, a nerd from MIT, seems like the right candidate. But what happens when after some time, Cherry and Ashley realize they’re more than just business partners and the plan unravels?

The plot of “Fling Club” unfortunately was very predictable. The first third of the novel was actually alright and I was very interested in seeing where the story would go, but then everything just started going downhill from there. All the plot twists were pretty unoriginal and none of them surprised me. Especially the last 10% after a certain bigger plot twist were incredibly boring and I had to force myself to even finish the book despite only having a few pages left to read. There was also lots of slut shaming in this book and overall, the story was just overly dramatic and too much for me. I have to say though that for the most part, this was a very quick read and I flew through the majority of the book.

As for the characters, the two MCs Cherry and Ashley were okay characters, but I have to say that neither of them left a lasting impression and I ultimately didn’t really care about them. The same goes for most of the other characters except for Cherry’s younger sister Ella, who seemed like a very interesting character and quite unlike all the other flat characters in this book. I definitely would’ve loved to still read a little more about her.

The writing style was fine and didn’t bother me too much. It was a little repetitive at times but while I’ve definitely read books from author’s whose writing style is a lot more to my liking than Brown’s, I’ve also definitely seen worse before.

Overall, this was a pretty disappointing read but I’m still giving it two out of five stars because of the promising first third of the novel and because of Ella. If you’re looking for a very dramatic revenge summer romance novel though, this is definitely a book you might enjoy a lot more than I did. But in my opinion, it was simply a very unoriginal and boring book.

Unfortunately this was a miss for me. The premise sounded like fun, but it was mean spirited and stereotypical. They characters were caricatures rather than real people I could connect to. And every one of them was beyond judgemental. I ended up DNF @ 37%.