. I was sucked into this one right away when Nicole, a lawyer who is not performing well according to her firm, gets an email to join a group of women leaders. It bounces between two timelines of then and now. And now she is stuck in a woman’s apartment with a dead body. How do these two stories intersect? This one was entertaining and has me too movement themes. Unfortunately the end was a tad disappointing to me.

Though this was not the most original plot - a woman joins a women’s empowerment group to further herself and her career - it packed quite a punch and was an entertaining read. The plot never lagged and I especially enjoyed the ending. For fans of Shari Lapena and David Bell.

This book had me guessing even after I finished it which is a bonus when you read a mystery/thriller. Loved the setting of this "cult-like" organization. The ending was jaw droppingly good I am still trying to process all the dark twists it took. I loved the New York City setting, it is one of my favorite cities to read about. I really enjoyed this one.

This book was like a sandwich:

Had me: as the story was getting started and putting everything into place

lost me: it went on for awhile and nothing happened, I remember thinking "what's happening? nothing is happening? is anything going to happen?"

brought me back: then about 70% in it picked back up and I enjoyed the rest and ending.


Pretty much made me think if wealthy Mean Girls was a Cultish type group.

My 37th read of 2022 was @catherinemckenzieauthor’s latest book. Thanks @netgalley for this read as well. There were a lot of characters and intersecting plot lines to keep track of in this book, and this made it challenging for me as I was recovering from having my wisdom teeth out. I really think this struggle was just my own though. Some great twists along the way, even when I thought I had everything figured out. I couldn’t put this book down. I loved the last @catherinemckenzieauthor’s book I read — 6 Weeks To Live — and was so glad that I read this one. Be prepared to flip between the past and present. It’s interesting to see how everything lines up. This book was a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read for me. #avivaandfriendsrecos #bookstagram

I went into this book not having any idea what to expect and what a ride it was! A powerful, suspensful and unique story. I devoured it. Highly recommend!

This was slow and the I had a really hard time following it. It could just be but this this is not something I would be recommending to others.

Please Join Us by Catherine McKenzie is a thriller about Nicole, a lawyer who is having a hard time at work. She's invited to join a women's networking group, and things start to get a little strange. Can she outsmart this group before they end her career? This was a fast-paced read, and I enjoyed it. Thanks to NetGalley for the free digital review copy. All opinions are my own.

I had a very hard time getting into this book. The premise sounded so interesting, but in reality it fell flat for me. When I repeatedly pick up a book and then put it down, I realize I am not connecting. And that is the gist of the issues with this novel.

I wasn’t engaged with any of the characters. The characters are flat, one dimensional, They didn’t seem authentic nor was the dialogue. The motives were not developed, either.

In addiction to the characters lack of depth, the plot also lacked depth. While the storyline was intriguing at first blush, the pacing slowed down considerably and became repetitive.

Sorry for the negative review. This particular book did not hold my interest. I was not engaged with the characters nor was I invested in the storyline.

Nicole is a lawyer who is in the cross-hairs of her boss because she isn't producing enough billable hours. She receives an invitation in the mail, to join a group of prestigious women in a very exclusive club. She decides to take a chance and go to a retreat where she will meet other women in this group, even though she is a little hesitant. Is this a club? cult? NXIVM? As she gets deeper into the club, she realizes that these women might not have her best interest at heart. Please Join Us is a fun thriller, easy read with a satisfying ending. (The scene with Sullivan at the end was my favorite)

I enjoyed this look into women advocating for themselves and the retreat storyline is always a fun one (Nine Perfect Strangers anyone?) The dynamics were mysterious and kept you guessing along the way of where the story would end up. Would recommend for someone that wants a slow burn with a little cult and revenge thrown in!

<i>Please Join Us</i> asks the question would you trade success and loyalty for access to your freedom. Nicole has reached a roadblock in her career and decides that a group of highly successful women who are helping you to succeed can only lead to female empowerment. Until it doesn't.
I had very conflicting emotions throughout this book. Am I reading about the uneven power struggle between men and women, is it more of an exaggeration that women can't have it all unless they have to use unethical powerplays, is every path taken to succeed also directly linked with someone failing?
But ultimately I finished the book wondering if anyone can be trusted and is our access to our freedom really ours to control.
This is a very modern take of battles females, especially those in competitive careers have to fight, whether they realize they are or not.

I enjoyed the surprising twists and turns of this novel. Attorney Nicole gets an anonymous invitation to join a women’s networking group. She revels in her new friendships and the fortunate events that follow. Until it seems like too much and she’s asked to do too much.

I'm a huge Catherine McKenzie fan but this one fell flat for me. It might've been because it was more of a corporate /cult thriller which isn't an interest of mine. It was very surface level, I wish the author added more depth to the characters and the plot. It just unfortunately wasn't enough for me.

Wickedly enthralling, keeps you guessing even after it ends. I've enjoyed all of McKenzies novels and this one is just as superb. Honestly I'd love to see this and several others made into a mini series.

Please Join Us was a fascinating read. Leaning on "Girl Boss" type characters and tropes for a secret group was a great idea for a plot. I did find the plot dragged a little especially in the middle and wish there was a little more too it or the book was slightly shorter.

This gripping novel explores the dark side of social media and the impact it has on our lives. If you're looking for a thought-provoking read this summer, be sure to check it out!

An interesting thriller with a cult-style premise. Good twists and turns and a lot of cerebral work into creating the plot. There is some pretty smart manipulation of the narrative here and the writing feels pretty solid.

Unfortunately, the pacing was a little slow for the first half and there were moments that seemed to be a bit over the top for shock value that didn't really feel fully believable. There seemed to be a few moments where Nicole's judgment just wasn't logical, so these questionable moments pulled me out of the story. It was a very intense read with some decent stakes and there was definitely a lot packed into the story with an emotional load that felt like it was swinging all over.

The ending was okay with some great surprise twisting, but ultimately it just felt a bit rushed and didn't really fully flesh out the circumstances.

Overall, a decent read and some good writing that makes me think I may have to give McKenzie's backlist a glance.

Written in dual timeline until they merge. It is interesting to see how the MC us unknowingly manipulated by the group. The writer kept me curious so I could not stop reading.

Another fantastic book by Catherine McKenzie!

Full of well developed characters, this book is an excellent read that will keep you guessing to the end. And then even after the end you will go back and read again because it's so cleverly done.

Get into this one, you won't regret it.