Carve out some designated reading time before starting this read as you will find it difficult to put it down. Moving to a new town in hopes of shaking off a tragedy, a mother and her teenaged daughter each make different connections with a group of girls and their mothers. I found Alex to be such an interesting character, so very wise for her years, while Kate seemed so naive. I am certain that mean girls exist, hopefully not to this extent. I found myself cheering for Alex throughout this read, as I am sure Margot Hunt expected.
I loved the style of Hunt’s writing and the feelings she invoked in me as a reader. Can’t help but think that social media in today’s world causes so many issues for teenagers.
Many many thanks to Margot Hunt, Thomas &Mercer, and NetGalley for affording me the pleasure of reading an arc of this fast paced read soon to be published. I will definitely be reading more books by this author.

Popcorn thriller that I flew through this one. Mean girls with mean moms. Alex and her mom recently moved to Florida to make a fresh start after the husband/dad was killed in a car accident. Alex starts to get bullied by three girls her age while her mom becomes friends with their mothers. One of the girls end up dead and the story follows in the typical "who dun it" fashion. Easy read and enjoyable to mix in after some heavy read.

*Thank you Thomas & Mercer for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Lovely Girls is a fast-paced, easy-to-read domestic thriller/suspense that centers on Kate Turner and her daughter Alex. After the death of her husband, Kate has moved them to a Florida coastal town for a fresh start. Alex isn't excited about starting her senior year at a new high school, and after she gets off on the wrong foot with the three resident "mean girl" bullies, things go from bad to worse. Meanwhile, Kate develops a friendship with their mothers, despite warnings from her neighbor that these women and their daughters are monsters . As the conflict between the girls escalates, Kate learns for herself that maybe the apple doesn't fall far from the tree and discovers just how far the girls will go to protect their status, and the mothers to protect their daughters.
This is my first book by this author, and I really like her writing style. The pace was good, the characters were believable, and the plot twists were subtle but unexpected.

Margot Hunt returns following Tell Her Story, with her latest twisty domestic suspense of a mother and daughter duo who meets the "mean" girls/moms in LOVELY GIRLS (anything but lovely!)— Bullying, backstabbing, jealousy, deceit, betrayal, drama, and MURDER.

My seventh book by the author, and since I am a Floridan, I always enjoy revisiting the fictional beachside town of Shoreham, Florida. I love her audiobooks as well.

Meet Kate Turner and her daughter, Alex. They are relocating from Buffalo, NY, to Shoreham, FL, after the death of Kate's husband. We also hear about events that led up to the accident and the aftereffects. They want a new fresh start away from grief and regret.

However, what they get is a NIGHTMARE. Kate is on the tennis team at the new high school and gets on the wrong side of three mean girls.

When they lived in NY after the father's accident, Kate was going to a therapist for the trauma and she thought it would be helpful to keep a video diary.

Broken out "Before She Died" and "After She Died." So we know in the beginning, someone dies.

Alex keeps a video diary, leading her into trouble with the girls when she videos one of them in a compromising situation. Alex does not want to go to school due to the bullying and torture by the girls. She does not want to tell her mom, which will worsen matters.

Kate, the mom, is getting along well with the mothers and does not understand why these girls are so bad. Others have warned her about these moms. Who can she trust and believe?

Bad girls grow up to be bad moms with evil daughters! OMG! Mean girls and mean moms. Tensions mount with backstabbing—A girl is found dead on the beach. A MURDER. Who is dead, whodunit, and the motive?

Told from Kate’s POV, with excerpts from Alex’s dated VIDEO diary.

We also learn more about Kate's complex relationship with her husband and Kate with her dad. Also, an in-depth look at how women raise their daughters and how cruel teens can be to one another.

This was more of a popcorn mystery soap opera drama with teenage girls and mom drama. I would like to see more sarcastic dark humor; however, not a massive fan of adolescent drama. Especially teen girls, as why I always wanted boys, which is what I have. Thank goodness I was lucky not to have to experience the girl drama.

While this was not my favorite by the author, I highly recommend her books. For fans of Pretty Little Liars and fans of YA books.

Thanks to #ThomasandMercer and #NetGalley for a gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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My Rating: 4 Stars
Pub Date: March 1, 2023
March 2023 Must-Read Books

Kate Turner and her teenage daughter, Alex, move from Buffalo, New York to a small beachside town in Florida. Kate's husband died suddenly and both mother and daughter are looking for a fresh start. Alex immediately gets on the wrong side of the Queen Bees of her new high school, but Kate is befriended by their mothers. Kate and Alex both end up in the middle of drama and Kate realizes she doesn't know who she can trust. However, when that drama heats up into something dangerous, Kate is determined to protect her daughter.

This story is told from two different timelines with a prologue letting you know right up front that things are not going to turn out well for at least one of the characters. I was drawn into the story from the beginning, but it was a tense read. I was worried about what would happen next. As bad as the bullying and poor decisions by some of the characters were, you knew it was going to get worse. It was hard reading about some of the bullying that went on by some truly horrible characters, but the story kept my interest. I liked the intriguing and somewhat ambiguous ending. This is the second book I've read by this author and I would like to read more of her work.

I received an advance copy of this ebook from NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer at no cost. My review is voluntary and unbiased.

Lovely girls is a psychological thriller in the vein of a light Megan abbott, or liane moriarty and Harlan coben. Katie and her daughter Alex move to a new town to start over in the wake of Alex’s fathers death, what they find when they arrive are vicious cliques between the moms and their daughters in their community and jealousy and rumors. Halfway through the book, a murder occurs and Alex and Kate become far more involved than either ever bargained for. The book is readable and the writing is accessible, but the plot is somewhat unoriginal and feels as if it’s been done before and done better. The twists are predictable but this is still a quick read and has its merits!

After a tragic accident. Kate and her daughter Alex relocate to Florida for a new start. Kate quickly makes friends with the three women who seem to lead all school activities. Alex, however, gets off to a bad start with their daughters and is viciously bullied. She hides most of the bullying from her mother while making a video diary describing how she is treated. That will lead to a not so surprising conclusion to this thriller.

I liked many things about Lovely Girls. Alex is creative, talented and brave. Kate tries to do the right thing but is misled by Alex. Her new relationship with a local chef is funny and romantic. I found it hard to believe that the school officials were so clueless about the bullying. Hundreds of copies of a disturbing news story are all spread all over the gym and no one notices? A team coach favors an attractive student and no one complains? A mother and daughter move to another town because of horrific bullying? If a neighbor without a child in the school can try to warn Kate, why hasn’t thenadministration noticed? 3 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer and Margot Hunt for this ARC.

I am very thankful that the publishers allowed me to read and review this ARC! I loved this book! The mean girls were so twisted and sinister, and their moms? Ugh! Women you just loved to hate! I had a hard time putting this book down and just had to stay up late tonight to finish it and find out what happened! I loved the twist at the end too! Chilling!

Two errors I found in reading….
Chapter 30 - Joe is accidentally called Jon.
Chapter 45 - It reads “she turned to Callie” but at that point Callie is already dead and they are talking about her. I believe it was supposed to read “she turned to Daphne.”
Hopefully these were caught before printing.

Thanks again for providing the ARC! I will definitely recommend it to my reading buddies!

A mother and daughter move to what appears to be an idyllic town. However, looks can be deceiving and Kate and her daughter, Alex, soon find that there’s an undercurrent of malice.

I found this to be an easy read that moves along at a decent pace. It’s not an exciting read, but, a decent one an perfect for holiday / beach read. More a domestic drama than thriller.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Mercer for the opportunity to preview.

Kate and her daughter, Alex, as they acclimated to their new town and the difficulties with a group of moms and their daughters. It was suspenseful and exciting and well written

A thrilling story that follows a mother and daughter seeking a fresh start after the tragic death of her husband. They move to a new town, and though Kate, the mother, is quick to make friends, Alex finds it much harder. A group of 'mean girls' takes an instant dislike to her, and they make her life a living hell.

We have a body found on the beach, we have mean girls and their mean mums, we have a daughter keeping secrets, and a mother trying to move on with her life - all the makings of a fabulous read! Told in two POVs, this story is fast paced and kept me enthralled. The last few chapters were devoured as everything came to a head. Well written, easy-to-read, with a story that keeps you wanting more.

Loved it.

If you thought that people grow out of being bullies and all adults are reasonable, this book will certainly change that impression!
*
Synopsis: After the sudden death of her husband, Kate and her teenage daughter Alex move to Florida, where Kate immediately befriends a group of mothers, and Alex ends up being horribly bullied by the daughters of those same mothers. The situation gets dark very quickly, and someone ultimately ends up dead.
*I really liked the beginning of this. It's quick and it sucked me in immediately. It's interesting to see the mean girl mentality playing out in adults, and it was well done, showing how easy it was to get sucked into that mentality.
*
I knocked my rating down some because some elements of the end felt a bit forced, like the author got to a certain point and was like "oh shoot, now what?" It was still good, just didn't seem to flow quite as easily. And the reveal in the epilogue was fairly predictable.
*
Overall, this was quick and engaging, and certainly disturbing. A good read for fans of domestic thrillers!

Lovely Girls is a fast paced read with twists and plenty of drama.

Kate and her daughter Alex having lost their husband/father are making a new start in Shoreham Florida.

Things for Alex go badly from day one when she meets three girls from the tennis team.

Mean girls is an understatement.

Jealousy and deceit prevail.

Gossip is rampant.

Alex fights back the only way she knows how by recording everything on her phone.

What will happen to Alex? Will she be a victim of bullying or will she survive. Does her Mom believe in her.

Highly recommend you get your copy of Lovely Girls and clear your schedule : you wont want to put it down

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for a highly paced read.

When Kate and Alex move south to the sunny state of Florida, Alex immediately gets on the wrong side of the popular girls on the tennis team. It seems silly, but if you've been a teenage girl, you get it. The simplest things are worth dying over!

As they get deeper into this community, will they make it better or will they become more poison in the well? They have their own skeletons in the closet.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read and review! Looking forward to the audiobook.

Lovely Girls by Margot Hunt tella the story of Kate, recently widowed, who moves to Florida with her teenage daughter Alex. Alex has been withdrawn and depressed since her dad died and Kate feels like they both need a new start. Alex unfortunately gets off on the wrong foot with her new high school’s clique of “mean girls”. They set their minds on destroying Alex and what ensues is a horrific game of backstabbing and cruelty. In the meantime, Kate has been taken in by these three girls’ mothers, invited to join the homecoming committee. She tries to be friendly with them, but senses an undercurrent of malice. Pretty soon Alex and Kate are both fighting for their reputations and lives. There are so many secrets and lies in this book, and each one was a revelation.
This book was so much fun to read! I could hardly put it down. It is very fast paced. The dynamic between Kate and Alex was very real and relatable. I enjoyed the structure of the book — the chapters alternating between Kate’s point of view and Alex’s video diary. You should definitely read this book and the author’s other books because they are all exciting domestic thrillers. . Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

3.5 ⭐️‘s
What happens when mean girls grow up and have girls of their own..,you’re about to find out! Three mothers meet in a birthing class and make a pact to raise strong girls. The girls, now in high school, along with their mothers basically run both the school and the town! When Alex Turner and her mother, Kate, move to Shoreham, Florida, Alex isn’t happy about the move. Kate and Alex have an ulterior reason for the move, one that Alex has not dealt with and one Kate is hoping stays in their past. Entering her senior year, Alex is nervous about going to a new school in a new town where she knows no one. Alex immediately gets off on the wrong foot with the three daughters, Callie, Shae and Daphne, while the exact opposite happens with Kate and their mothers, Genevieve, Ingrid and Emma. Alex, an aspiring tennis player, is planning on trying out for the school team, a team that is basically owned by the mean girls. The girls will go to any length to come out on top and Daphne, the leader of the pack, calls all the shots. Unfortunately, you can never underestimate how far mean girls and their mothers will go to keep their own secrets quiet, even if it means murder! Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

This is my first Margot Hunt book. I like her writing. It's easy to read and follow along with. A well-crafted thriller that managed to evoke a lot of emotions. This was a quick page turner and read like a Cozy but topics of bullying, emotional abuse of a child, and murder contrasted the disarming writing style. An interesting juxtaposition in my opinion.

Lovely girls? Not so much!

Kate and her daughter, Alex, make the move from Buffalo, NY to Shoreham, FL following the death of Kate's husband and Alex's father.

A fresh start or so they say.....

While Kate is fast to make friends Alex struggles to be accepted, in fact, the queen bee's of the school are down right hostile to her. Kate on the other hand has been accepted with welcome arms into the queen bee's mothers elite group. Kate can't understand why Alex is acting so aloof, why she doesn't want to go to school, the girls can't be that bad when their mothers are so welcoming. Until she meets them.

"Their lives were so easy, so blessed. It's why they could afford to be so casual with their cruelness."

Kate, now having met the girls, is starting to see glimpses of that cruelness even among the mothers. It appears the apples didn't fall far from the tree if you know what I mean.

Now a girl lies dead on the beach. Who is it, what happened, and by whom? You'll have to read this to find out!

Well that was a popcorn popper of a book. I claimed to have been burnt out on the mean girls trope but this one was actually successful and I was tearing through the virtual pages. Am I glad to not be in high school anymore. Geesh, these girls were simply the worst but I have to say that they learned from the very best, their mothers. Yikes! 😧 Margot Hunt definitely got my anxiety kicked into gear. Having said that, there was nothing all that surprising that happens. Once I found out *who* was on the beach I knew by who and the reason why. Still I have to admit to being thoroughly entertained by this one, predictable or not, it was fun. The biggest issue I had with this book is this:

"Could I have a dozen everything bagels and a one pound container of cinnamon raisin cream cheese?"

WHAAAAAT in fresh hell is this? Cinnamon raisin cream cheese on an everything bagel? No, just no.🤢

Jokes aside I am happy to have delved in to the world of the most awful women ever and relieved that I don't have anyone that toxic in my real life. Phew! 4 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for my complimentary copy.

This was such an intense psychological thriller I have read!

Kate Turner and her daughter Alex move to a new town in Florida from Buffalo after an event caused them to move away. They wanted to start over in an idyllic town. Kate Turner become friends with a trio of women, Genevieve, Emma and Ingrid but their daughters instantly disliked Alex and soon Alex started recording about her bullying incidents. Then an event would change both the mother and the daughter life.

I like how fast paced this story was. The whole story itself was realistic--bullying, is the central theme of the story and how some of the mothers would think that bullying is OK. However it was a bit disturbing to read as it all tells a story of bullying and murder. The plot was interesting and intriguing and it was quick to read and I have to say this was quiet a page turner. This is the first time I am reading from this author and I will be looking forward to read more books written by her in future. Overall a four star rating!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Thomas and Mercer for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

Mean girls is an understatement here. Enjoyed this popcorn thriller, perfect palette cleanser between heavy books.