A really quick read, but a somewhat predictable thriller.

Nicole Mueller is having a difficult time at work and just when she is at the lowest of lows, she receives an invitation to join, what she thinks, is a women’s empowerment group. Why wouldn’t she jump at the chance? It was a choice she would regret.

The story kind of highlights the idea of a woman scorned, which is what makes it predictable. None of the characters were particularly likeable, but there was enough there to hook me in. There are many characters in the story and the author does a good job of weaving everything together, but does sacrifice some depth.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. Thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Canada for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed the premise of this story when I started. I kept asking myself is this about a woman’s cult full of influential women?

When Nicole receives an email to go on a retreat in Colorado it sounded like a perfect vacation. But it wasn’t a vacation.

The story was very interesting from the beginning but then it felt as if it was dragging. I did not care for any of the characters. I really wanted to end the book to find out what happened. This book was more a mystery to me than a thriller. The ending for me had no Wow factor.

I want to thank @netgalley and @simon&schusterca for my gifted copy for my honest review.

Please Join Us by Catherine McKenzie was a page turner. This book definitely left me guessing until the end. An invitation only society for women, what could possibly be wrong with that. Women helping other women. However, sometimes things are too good to be true.

I enjoyed this book. It was a bit of a slow burn, but by the end I wasn't sorry to have read it!

A secret shady organization, you could almost call it the old *girls* club.. I couldn't help myself lol

An enjoyable and riveting thriller, I read it in one sitting. I look forward to more books by this author!

I received an ARC from netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

After being passed up for a raise at her law firm, MC Nicole takes things into her own hands and goes on a career boosting retreat for women at a dude ranch in Colorado. This retreat, run by Panthera Leo, promises to change her life and boost her up the corporate ladder. Moving forward from this retreat with her new support group, Nicole awaits her test to prove her loyalty to her “Pride”. These ladies vow to do anything for each other and that’s exactly what they do. Fast paced, intriguing and well planned! The twists and turns had me reading this in one sitting. A fantastic book ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC copy of this book by Catherine McKenzie in exchange for my honest opinion and review

This was my first Catherine McKenzie book and I loved it! An empowered women, a secret club and suspense what more could you ask for!

Please Join Us is fast paced, I read it in a day, and keeps your attention. Highly recommend for a good thriller with a strong female lead.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Please Join Us comes out August 23, 2022.

When Nicole receives an invitation to join a secretive women-only networking group, it feels like a lifeline. Her career has stalled, and she is willing try to anything to get back on track. Soon, the group's other members have given her a solution to her work issues, a beautiful apartment, and a group of successful, powerful friends. Once they start asking her to repay their favors, she quickly finds that she's in over her head. Was she invited to Panthera Leo to help the members take down a shared enemy, or is she just a pawn in their much larger game?
Please Join Us is a taut, twisty thriller with I will recommend to fans of People Like Her by Lloyd Ellery and Unfollow Me by Charlotte Duckworth.
Thank you to Atria Books, Catherine McKenzie, and NetGalley for an advance review copy.

Nicole Mueller, a lawyer, just received bad news at work, her numbers are slipping and if she can’t bring them back up, she’s headed for the door. That, coupled with her rocky marriage and the impending loss of her and her husbands beloved apartment, sends Nicole into a downward spiral.

But as fate would allow, an email lands in her inbox inviting her to join an elite women’s networking group called Panthera Leo. It is an anonymous group but promises powerful and well-connected women who will work with you to boost your career. She immediately decides to join despite her husband’s concerns and gets placed in a pride with an actress, a congresswoman, a CEO, and a strong woman in finance.

Things start to improve for Nicole. The pride provides her a luxury apartment, new clients at work, and the day-to-day support of a group of friends. The favors she provides in return seem innocent enough until she is called in to help the congresswoman cover up a serious crime. From there the twists don’t stop coming until the final page!

Reminded me of both the Whisper Network by Chandler Baker (women taking on the “boys club” and sexual harassment in the corporate world) and The Herd by Andrea Bartz (an elite women only coworking space where the CEO suddenly disappears). This women-centered workplace mystery/suspense novel touches on women’s issues in the workplace, sexual harassment, and family issues while still providing an entertaining plot that leaves you reading “just one more chapter” several times in a row. The last third of the book did a really nice job of tying everything together and wrapping the story up in a very satisfying way. I really enjoyed reading a novel centered on smart, powerful, and driven women working together to right wrongs.

This book was an absolute pleasure to read. Anything by Catherine McKenzie is actually. I highly recommend this book.

Such a fantastic book...didn't take me long to devote this one..great storyline that keeps you on the edge of your seat.
Definitely one of the best from this year

Thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for an early release of this book.

The first thing that caught my eye was the cover. I love it and the title alone makes me want to know more about it.

I’m so glad that this novel really overcomes all my expectations.

From the first chapter to the last, step by step, this twisted story holds me captive for the grand finale.

And what a ride altogether! I’m half /half partial to secret societies and hidden secrets and everything related to it.

This story hits the marks in the most unexpected way for me.

The all-female members of the society are such an interesting mix of characters.

I don’t know if I would’ve accepted that invitation if I were Nicole. Would I be intrigued by it? Definitely.

And that's why I loved it so much. I could live this fictional life through Nicole.

I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a thrilling ride on an intense read.
4.5 stars
Very grateful to the publisher for my review copy

I loved six weeks to live so when I saw this book I had to read it! This was a very enjoyable book fast pace, suspenseful legal story with intriguing characters and threads. Kathryn yet again does a brilliant job of explaining legal jargon without making it fly over the top of your head where are you barely know anything about it. The very last section of this book in my personal opinion was very clever and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing everything will fall into place with a few surprises to add in. I wish I had been longer but I feel like I’m always saying that about Brooks these days 300 to 400 pages just isn’t enough for me!

I adore McKenzie's books so this was an auto-choice for me! Nicole is in a mostly-happy marriage and is an attorney who gets notice that she isn't billing enough hours at the law firm. But suddenly she's invited to a retreat for Panthera Leo which is a group of strong-minded women who are determined to make it in a primarily "man's world." She is excited to be involved but is wary of some of the practices (like dunking themselves in ice-cold water to prove they can survive). But these women are a "team" or as they refer to themselves--a Pride--and vow to always help each other and stick together. This sounds great to Nicole until she realizes at some point she must endure The Test, which will bind her further to these women and is a challenge of her mental (and maybe physical) strength. Enough said. So many twists and turns that I didn't know which end was up until the final few pages. It's as riveting as all of her others so be forewarned; you won't be doing anything worthwhile until you finish it!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

Special thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this digital ARC of Please Join Us.

I love a good mystery/thriller so this synopsis definitely peaked my interested. A dead body, a secret society that demands obedience, and a talented attorney determined to get ahead—what could possibly go wrong? This book truly shines! Its tense, whip-smart tale of ambition, loyalty, and ethics, and how personal boundaries can turn hazy when success is on the line. A perfectly plotted stunner. Great for anyone that loves a good thriller for sure!

Catherine McKenzie does it again! Fans of hers will not be disappointed with her latest book. The story sucks you in quickly and you'll find it hard to put down. Highly recommend!

Down with COVID as I read this book so it was great to read something so entertaining and gripping that was set following these pandemic times. The plot was interesting and the writing easy to become immersed in. The book moves fast and is pretty believable or realistic until the end where it got a bit convoluted and unconvincing. That said - if you are looking for an easy escape - I recommend!!

An unexpected email drops into your inbox. It offers you a chance to become a more influential woman and grow in your career. This is what Nicole finds at a low point in her career.

Nicole meets several woman at the retreat to teach them to harness their power. What follows is a story that is very hard to put down. The story is told from Nicole POV so you can’t tell what the others are thinking. I normally love multiple POV stories but this one was perfect for a single POV. It is not a light or quick read and I enjoyed that. I would love to read more by this author.

I thought this book started out quite strong. I was quite engrossed until about the last quarter or so. I did get a bit confused over all the stock talk, and unsure as to how it was so relevant. I did find the very end a bit too unbelievable.
As a Christian, I usually search books on my kindle for the Lord's name before I decide to read it. If it is used in vain more than once, I won't read the book. However, since I obtained this book as an arc on Netgalley, I felt it wouldn't be fair to do that, so I read the book and was disappointed to find it used about half a dozen times. When I see that in print, it jolts me and distracts me from the story.
Other than that I mostly liked the book. I thought it was interesting that she mentioned "The Vow" and Nexvium, but again, that noun is very similar to the name of a company in the book, so I wasn't sure if that was supposed to be a connection.
To sum up, I think most readers will enjoy this web-tangled tale and will rate it at least 4 stars.