Thank to NetGalley and HarperCollins books for the advanced reader copy of this book, all opinions are my own.

This was the first of Teddy Wayne's books I've ever read, and I will definitely be visiting his novels again. Loved this slow burn of a thriller about a young man who unwittingly gets into romantic entanglement with a very wealthy mother and daughter. I really admired the way the author initially presented Conor as being this hard-working earnest guy, struggling to make ends meet while attending law school and taking care of his chronically ill mom, to -as the book rolled on--a deceitful sadist with a sincere lack of morals. Yet, the reader somehow still feels compelled to root for him. I love when the authors create bad guys you like to pull for, that's some talent. Would recommend this book as it kept me guessing all the way to the very last page.

Not a typical book I would find myself reading, as the genre of sexual books like this just doesn't really pique my interest too much, but this is really saved by a mid-book twist on the genre that really made me not want to put the book down. This book is pretty raunchy at times (though nothing too taboo takes place) but the addition of the thriller element into the book made it a blast.

The Washington Post called The Winner, the "top 10 thriller of the year" and it is a remarkable blend of literary fiction and a brilliantly executed thriller plot. Conor O'Toole is an intriguing character who is dropped into Cutters Neck, an elite playground for the seriously rich in Cape Cod. It's a modern day F. Scott Fitzgerald world where money rules and lifestyles are lavish. Conor manages to snag a job as a tennis pro but quickly realizes he is going to have to do more to keep up with the residents. Will he have to throw morals and self-respect aside to fit in with the new crowd? Could one mistake change the odds? Highly recommend this captivating thriller.

The Winner by Teddy Wayne is a sharp, compulsively readable novel about ambition, privilege, and the price of success. If you love cutthroat drama with a satirical edge, this one’s for you!

This book was just “meh” for me. I felt like I was reading it because I had to finish it instead of reading it because I wanted to finish it. I can’t quite put my finger on what it was.

Wasn’t too crazy about this book. The description was promising but it didn’t believer. I will say the book started out great! The middle to the end is what made me rethink if I like this book or not.

Saltburn + Patricia Highsmith, The Winner is like a classy psychological thriller from yesteryear, dressed up with topical, contemporary elements (tennis, the ultra-rich, salacious activities, and on a less pleasant note, Covid-19). Not at all twisty, but a slow burn human drama that builds steadily towards a pivotal incident, and letting the reader along for the ride as the protagonist trying to untangle from its aftermath. Highly recommend the audiobook—the narrator really embodies the protagonist's persona, and the prose flows smoothly as a listening experience.

The downside of The Winner is its lack of a true surprise—not only is its own synopsis overly explicit (glad I didn't read through it before starting), if I go through a particular Patricia Highsmith novel (it would be too much of a spoiler to mention), I can potentially match up the equivalent characters / events between the two novels. Still, personally I have a soft spot for stories about a morally-ambiguous underdog scheming the riches, and this one, even with the déjà vu, remains handsomely assembled and engrossing.

This started off as a lovely, demure book about a summer age-gap romance. And then things got complicated and murder-y and I’m here for it!

I absolutely devoured this book. A tennis pro studying for the bar exam while living in a guesthouse in super-wealthy private enclave during the first Covid summer? An absolutely perfect setup. An unimaginably wealthy “older” (lol in her 40’s) woman chasing him? A murder? A cover up? So much deception?

The setup was perfect. And once the suspense started, it built all the way to the end of the book. Even when it ended, I had no idea how things would turn out after the book closed and the characters went on their way into the after.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper for providing me with an eARC of The Winner in exchange for my honest review!

Right from the start, The Winner crafts an alluringly affluent world for Conor O'Toole to explore as he takes up residence in the gated community of Cutters Neck for the summer and becomes mesmerized by the enigmatic Catherine. The marketing's choice to draw comparisons between this and The Graduate is fitting (although I must admit that I haven't seen the movie yet), but this doesn't stop The Winner from spreading its wings and becoming its own riveting creation. Class warfare, the tempting power of wealth and sexuality, the ample privilege that's possessed by rich people and men, and the shields that such people boast against COVID effectively comprise the foundation for this narrative. There's a certain point where it heads in a specific direction towards the second half, and I'm glad to see how superbly it's able to pull that off, extending all the way to a suitable conclusion.

Overall, I'm officially rating The Winner four out of five stars. I'll make sure to look out for more of Teddy Wayne's books.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this as an ARC. I can understand why some might not love this book. But I really enjoyed it. Conor heads out to Cutter’s Neck for the summer. He is going to work as a tennis pro while studying to take the Bar exam in the fall. He meets Catherine, a rich, spoiled woman who is definitely not easy to like or understand. They embark on a sexual relationship (albeit paid). However, Conor also meets Emily, who is his age and also lives on the Neck. He develops feelings for Emily even though their lives are worlds apart. There is a lot more to say- but I won’t because I don’t want to give any spoilers. What I will say is I wish I had read this as a book club read. There is a lot to discuss about this book. So if you’re in a book club, consider choosing this as a read. I think you will have a lively meeting if so!

At the beginning of "The Winner" we are very early into COVID days on Cutters Neck, a very wealthy East Coast community. (because of course).
Conor O'Toole got a cushy summer job as a tennis instructor at an exclusive gated community by the sea to make money while he studies for the bar. At the beginning he was motivated by trying to help pay for his mom's insulin and his student debt. Soon enough, an older divorcée offers to pay him double for his lessons and then he realizes she wants more than just tennis...he actually agrees and embarks on a torrid love affair with her...
However, whenever a woman that is closer to his age that ends up being ...interesting.
I loved how steamy it was, but feel like it didn't really TRULY pick up until the end.
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC!

I didn't love this one. The female characters felt pretty one-dimensional, but I stuck it out — however, the misogynistic tone was hard to get through, even if it was a "choice." There was also a LOT of tennis in the beginning of this book, and though I happen to like tennis, it still felt like too much.

The Winner is one of those can't-put-it-down summer books, bet enjoyed while lying down by a body of water or on a porch swing. It's not a mystery, but it is a thriller, one that plays on the class divide between the summer tennis pro and recently graduated law student Conor and his clients in Cutter Neck, a well-to-do beach town where the wealthy go to while away the days between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Conor becomes entangled with a wealthy divorcee, Catherine, who pays him for tennis lessons and sex, and then Catherine's daughter, Emily. Neither know about the other's involvement with Conor, setting up an inevitable explosion. The only quibble I have with this book is that the ending comes abruptly—so much so that I thought my copy had cut off. But this book is a great bit of summer suspense, and very fun.

Rich people behaving badly? Sign me up!

The Winner is literary fiction with an element of mystery and my first read by this author. I was immediately sucked into the story of class divides and ambition, with love-to-hate characters and surprising twists. I'll be diving into his backlist for sure!

Thanks to Harper for the copy to review.

I really didn't expect to root for a sociopath, but alas, I did.

The COVID framing got a bit old, but it was definitely a fascinating story.

This was a spicy psychological thriller that I could not put down! It was a slow-burn when it comes to the thriller aspect of the story, but it REALLY took off in ways I did not expect!! The spiciness level cranked up to a 10 pretty quickly, and even though it was cringey at times, the paranoia was intense. I really liked the affluent vs poor element to the storyline, and how the characters use that to their advantage. I wasn't a fan of the politics thrown in, but it didn't ruin the story at all. The suspense and anxiety build-up was fantastically written, and that ending had my jaw on the floor. Definitely recommend!

Ok. This book. I feel like it gave You vibes without the stalking. A man wrote this. It’s so obvious. I feel like he was possibly writing out some fantasy he could only dream of, and I hope it was good for him because it wasn’t great for me.
Also, goodness gracious, could you be more political? And disrespectfully political at that.
It’s a huge turn off when an author makes his reader revisit Covid. #toosoon
All in all. Not my fave. I think the story could have been so good and interesting, but the graphic sex, Covid time period, and over political statements really ruined it.
Thank you netgalley for this ARC.

This book started off slow. But once it got going - I couldn’t put it down. The twists and turns had me on the edge of my seat and up all night.

When I saw this book described as 'The Guest' with a male protagonist, I knew I had to read it! You go back and forth between rooting for Conor and wanting to shake some sense into him, but you won't be able to put the book down. Highly recommend - perfect summer thriller!

This was so poorly written that I had to DNF at 70%! I couldn't even be bothered to continue to finish the story.