This was a quick read and held my interest so I couldnt put it down until I knew the final outcome! The story was a little predictable at times but I still enjoyed reading. This book took Mean Girls to a whole new level!

Thanks to NetGalley for advanced copy.

For my thoughts and opinions read my review on goodreads.

Something about teen centred murder mystery novels really hype me up (in a normal way I swear)! This was no different!

Lovely Girls was a gripping thriller that albeit not the most inventive or unpredictable, was great. This read super quickly and is a thriller fan’s dream.

This was a well-written thriller. It was a believable “mean girls” spirited novel, with both likable and despicable characters. Kate and Alex move to a new town for a fresh start after the car crash death of Kate’s husband/Alex’s father. The details of the crash come out as the story progresses and, without giving anything away, some of the details are important. Kate makes new mother friends quickly, while Alex struggles to fit in at her new high school. Alex keeps a video diary at the recommendation of her therapist and she catches many interesting events on camera. When the bullying of Alex gets out of hand, Alex retaliates by sharing a video of one of the mean girls in a compromising position. There is plenty of betrayal and meanness in this book, but also a present and loving mom who does her best to help her daughter adjust and fit in. The big twist was surprising and made this book even better. Well done!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book.

Daphne, Callie and Shae are the queen bees of Shoreham High School. The trio are quintessential mean girls, and their latest victim is new kid, Alex Turner. Alex and her mom, Kate, have left their home in Buffalo, for a fresh start in Shoreham, FL. But Alex immediately gets off on the wrong foot with Daphne, who quickly makes life miserable. Meanwhile, Kate becomes close friends with the girls' mothers, Genevieve, Ingrid and Emma. The women are so warm and welcoming to Kate. Their daughters couldn't possibly be monsters....could they?
I love a good mean girl story. This one took on a new perspective by also showcasing mean moms. Lovely Girls explores the frightening question of what happens when bullies never grow up.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for an ARC of this title in exchange for my honest feedback.

I enjoyed the book. It was a pretty standard suburban drama, family secrets, teenage troubles leading to murder. No real questions about where it was headed, no whodunits, just a read to take your mind off the world.

I did really appreciate two references from the novel (not sure if they were purposeful) :

1. Shoreham, the town in the novel, was once upon a time the home of the Happy Hollisters from my childhood.;
2. Calusa County, used by one of my favorite authors of all time, the late-great Ed McBain, as the fictional Florida setting for his Matthew Hope novels.

I received a complimentary copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.

This book was definitely binge-able; I read it in just over 24 hours! I thought it read a little more YA, though. I wish there would've been more of a thriller aspect, but the drama was good, although some parts seemed a little implausible to me. I also wish the ending would've felt more conclusive; it left me a little bit unsatisfied. Overall, I would recommend this if you're looking for a quick page-turner!

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC!

"After the sudden death of her husband, Kate Turner is looking for a fresh start for herself and her teenage daughter, Alex. They relocate to the beachside town of Shoreham, Florida, where all is not as sunny as it seems."

This is my first book by author Margot Hunt, and it will not be the last. Her writing was gripping and suspenseful, keeping you entertained throughout the whole book. Mean girls never really go away - especially when they become mothers.

Great read. Thoroughly enjoyed this one!

After the sudden death of her husband, Kate Turner is looking for a fresh start for herself and her teenage daughter, Alex. They relocate to the beachside town of Shoreham, Florida, where all is not as sunny as it seems.

I could not put this book down, in fact I took it to the gym and read it while on the treadmill. I was hooked. It had me invested since the first page , and continued to be a well written, thrilling book until the very end.

I really warmed to Kate and her struggles as a mother, and while Alex seemed a typical moody teenager, there was a lot more to her and I found myself rooting for her. The teenagers in the story were terrifying, and teenagers scare me a lot more than adults. Although their parents weren't much better....

It was a interesting, well written thriller. Enough twists to keep me on my toes, without being unbelievable. A glimpse into real life mean girls, and the fact they grow up to be mean mothers. An easy five stars from me.

This was a fast paced and easy read. I didn't expect it to capture me as much as it did, I stayed up so late reading. I first thought the writing was a bit juvenile, with some of the descriptions, and unnecessary details, but it didn't take away from the intensity of the story. Thoroughly enjoyed!

Such a great fast-paced thriller by one of my favorite authors! I found it so easy to get caught up in the storyline, that I couldn’t put it down until I finished it.

Kate & her teenage daughter, Alex move from NYC to Shoreham, Florida for a fresh start following the death of Kate’s husband. Once they arrive, they quickly realize this town is not as sweet and quaint as it initially seemed. Kate was initially surprised by the kindness of the women who quickly befriended her, only to find out that their 3 daughters are quite the opposite when introduced to Alex.

Kate quickly learns that things are not as they seem, and before she knows it, Alex is caught up in drama that she just can’t seem to get away from. What surprises Kate is how quickly her supposed friends have turned on her, were they even friends to begin with?

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book is out February 7th, 2023

Margot Hunt has crafted a heart-pounding story! Recommending this to all of my thriller and suspense readers.

"A mother and daughter try to start over in an idyllic town only to get caught up in cliques, mind games…and murder.

After the sudden death of her husband, Kate Turner is looking for a fresh start for herself and her teenage daughter, Alex. They relocate to the beachside town of Shoreham, Florida, where all is not as sunny as it seems.

Although Kate makes fast friends with a trio of fellow moms, their daughters take an instant dislike to Alex, who attempts to document their bullying in her video diary. Kate brushes off Alex’s concerns—until she receives a series of chilling warnings about the clique of moms from other parents and neighbors. As it becomes harder for her to ignore the malicious undercurrent she senses among her new friends, Kate grows increasingly unsure of who to believe—and who to trust.

As small-town gossip weaves a harrowing web of jealousy, deceit, and betrayal, Kate and Alex discover that whether you’re in or out, the status quo can turn on you deadly fast.

"

Thank you to NetGalley for letting me read this in exchange for an honest review.

I have read and enjoyed Margot Hunt’s thrillers and clear prose before, and this book might be my new favorite of hers. Split between mother Kate’s perspective and scenes from her teenage daughter Alex’s video diary, this thriller establishes clear villains: three mean girls on Alex’s tennis team, whose mothers initially befriend Kate. When someone winds up dead, the plot grows ever twistier and more addictive— I confess I read this in a couple of hours, needing to know more.

Margo Hunt enough said! She’s amazing her writing is out if this world! She can’t ever write a bad book ever! I have been a fan since day one! This one was just as amazing as all the rest! I’m ready for the next one lol!

Well written page turner. The ending was predictable to me, but there was a good twist at the end I didn’t see coming. 4 stars, definitely recommending it for friends who like thrillers.

Newly widowed mother Kate moves to Shoreham, FL with her teenage daughter, Alex, looking for a fresh start. Upon arrival in Shoreham, Kate makes friends with three women, mothers to the mean girls of Shoreham High. Alex on the other hand, clashes with the daughter's of her mother's new friends, causing a thrilling, out-of-control spiral of events. Kate soon discovers Shoreham may not be the new start she was hoping for.

This book is like Mean Girls & Pretty Little Liars combined and made into a Lifetime movie that you absolutely can NOT look away from. I could not put this book down. I was drawn in from the first page, which is huge for me. The entire time, I wanted to know what was going to happen next. It was an easy read, which I appreciate. This is my first Margo Hunt book, but it will definitely not be my last. I definitely suggest this book to those of you who love thrillers and quick, interesting reads!

Thank you Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for this ARC and the opportunity to preview and review!

The title of this book is a bit deceiving, the "girls" are anything but lovely. This book blew my away it was fantastically written. I felt the characters.

Kate and Alex move from the East Coast down to a tiny Florida town in hopes to start a new life after Kate's husband tragically dies in a car accident. Alex is a star tennis player and would love to join the team, however, the team is run by "mean girls" and would love nothing but to make Alex's time unpleasant. I too played tennis so I also loved that part of it.

Meanwhile, Kate starts to make friends with the "mom's of the town of who is who. Alex starts to make a video diary of her experience and Florida and we truly can see how this affects her, When tragedy strikes, Alex is the first to blame as everyone knows she was the social outcast.

This brought back so many feelings for me, while I wasn't bullied quite as bad as Alex, I was not in the cool clique in high-school. I did receive jabs about my weight and looks. I felt Alex throughout the entire book. Kate did her best as a mom to defend her child and saw the mom's for who they really were.

This was one of the best books I have read all year. Cheers to Margot for writing such a phenomenal timely book on what bullying does to a person.

"You don't think there are some people who are fundamentally damaged? Who are just born wrong? I do."

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle by Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley, and I'm so excited for it's publishing date in Feb 2023! This was my first Margot Hunt novel, and I will be checking out her backlist for sure. This story about mothers and their daughters was fast paced and captivated my attention until the very last page. I liked the dual perspectives between Kate and her daughter Alex (through her video diary - which is an interesting concept I may have to explore) and the ending was very satisfying.

If you like Mean Girls, Pretty Little Liars, or backlist SVU episodes, then this one is perfect for you!

#NetGalley #Thomas&Mercer #MargotHunt #LovelyGirls

Absolutely riveting story. Loved this book.Seems to start off like most stories of a close death and a teenager. But the more you dive in to this story, the more facts are presented that makes one want to keep devouring the pages up. Great story, most people will relate to the characters in this story on a certain personal level.. I will be recommending this story to many people this winter.

Wow! I did not expect this book to go the way it did! What a story! This book had light suspense, intrigue, and many twists and turns! The storyline was so very interesting! It was a twisted crazy tale! Omg I did not expect that ending either! This book wasn't a crazy heart pounding action type book but geez the storyline made up for that! It was definitely different! I really enjoyed reading this book! I will definitely recommend reading it! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!