This was a wild ride of a book! This is a fantastic depiction of the toxic culture in the corporate world, gender inequality in the workplace, and power dynamics. I really enjoyed getting a glimpse into the mind/personality of each of the characters, and I feel like it's what made the book so entertaining. I felt like I was watching a reality TV show with all the secrets, drama, and betrayals. There were funny moments, upsetting moments, suspenseful moments. Overall, it's a super fun read!

I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was wonderful. The differentiation between characters was on point. Thank you Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Very Bad Company by Emma Rosenblum is a fast-paced story with captivating narration and a cast of quirky characters, including a narcissistic boss fixated on Winston Churchill. Despite the author's skill in crafting unlikeable yet intriguing characters, I was disappointed with the ending, particularly with the storyline of the victim. While the book keeps readers engaged throughout, it ultimately falls short.

The corporate world is not at all my scene, and I almost DNF'd this book, but I kept listening and actually liked it more by the end. At first I didn't relate at all to the setting and characters, but the more I got to know the colorful cast of characters, the more I found their antics equal parts hilarious and abhorrent--simultaneously! At points I felt that some of the scenes were giving The Office vibes, with zany characters who say and do things with no regard for any consequences that they would have to face. It ended up being a pretty fun read.

Thanks to netgalley for providing me with an advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

#netgalley #VeryBadCompany

A group of executives gather for a work retreat where lots of scandal, gossip and secrets abound. I had high hopes for this book as it sounded right up my alley but I think there were just too many people to keep track of in the book which dampened my listening experience. The narration was extremely well done but I wonder if this book might be better read as opposed to listening for a better experience.

Thank you MacMillan for the review copy of Very Bad Company, this was a big win for me in terms of the perfect rich people behaving badly (and eccentrically) audiobook, this got me through a terribly long commute! While I liked the author's last book, Bad Summer People, I found this to be a much stronger, to me, book, more tightly written and with solid pacing. The missing person/maybe murder plot develops within a group of fairly awful people, I am not sure I fully liked anyone though I was cheering on Debra, Head of People, for most of the book... and yet, as someone who usually needs to like characters, the soap opera type drama, the secrets and escalating hilarity blended with tension, the corporate retreat from hell... this was fun. I laughed a few times at the escalating silliness of the retreat and the truly eccentric leader, got mad at people making truly bad decisions, and hoped for the best for a few of the characters

The audiobook was the perfect way to enjoy this soapy mystery, excellent narration and simply the kind of frothy mayhem that entertained and kept my attention on a long drive. This is the perfect drink a cocktail and enjoy the drama summer read. Highly recommend!

This was a super fun read and loved the narrator on audio. Similar to her first book, this was a fun thriller with stupidly rich people behaving badly. Not sure any of the characters were remotely likeable, but that made it all the more entertaining. If you’re looking for a fun, fluffy thriller this is a great pick.

Thanks NetGalley,

I definitely liked this one more than her first title, Bad Summer People. I felt the timing just worked better with this one and there was a little bit more twists and turns that i didn't see coming. I felt from the description it was going to be more about Caitlin but it switched POV frequently. Also, I wish there was a bit more creativity with the naming of characters because it got confusing when everyone has the most basic names. It was hard been hard to differentiate even while listening to the audiobook because the characters were quite a bit alike as far as personality which from the title is also a prefect description of each character. I love to hate a character and that basically applied to all of the above.

Every year executives at the trendy tech startup Aurora gather the company’s top employees for an exclusive retreat in Miami and this year, Caitlin Levy—Aurora’s newest hire—is joining the team. The benefits are outstanding: a seven-figure salary, stock shares, a discretionary bonus, and limitless vacation days. What could possibly go wrong?

When another high-level executive vanishes after the first night, the disappearance has the potential to derail the future of the company’s sale and cost everyone on the team millions. Now more than everyone must continue the charade—partaking in team-building exercises, group brainstorms, and dinners—to keep the future of Aurora afloat amid the fatal speculations.

Very Bad Company indeed. I really enjoyed the characters and their backstories. I also enjoyed the drama throughout. However, there was not enough action or plot for me to get invested in the story. I do like workplace dramas and this brought to mind The Whisper Network and Sellevision. It was a fun read, but not a great book.

I really liked Bad Summer People so I jumped at the chance to read another one of Emma Rosenblum's books hoping it would be in the same vein - terrible people doing terrible things. And it was similar but totally different, which is good and bad.

What I liked: Everyone had secrets, everyone was selfish, everyone was terrible. The book was short and fast paced. It took place over only a few days and was packed full of action.

What I didn't like: There were too many characters, which was confusing, and the tech world is a little boring to me. I liked her first book better, it was just rich socialites doing crazy summer things. If you don't care about start ups, IT, and people making millions, this probably won't appeal to you.

Unless you just like reading about people lying, cheating, stealing, killing, etc. Then, you just might enjoy it no matter what.

As always, January LaVoy is a wonderful narrator. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC. Can't wait to read more from Emma!

Very Bad Company is a dynamic women’s fiction/suspense with a cast of morally ambiguous characters. I enjoyed all the different perspectives the story was written in, allowing information from various angles to both allow the reader knowledge and keep the reader puzzling over the mystery of the story.

I thoroughly enjoyed Emma Rosenblum’s last novel, which added to the anticipation of reading this story. It did not disappoint! It was so very different, and yet, crafted with the same intricate details. This is definitely one to add to your TBR if you like morally ambiguous characters, secrets, lies, and competition between coworkers.

I listened to the audiobook, which was well done. I listened at 2x speed (my normal audiobook speed is 1.75-2x speed).

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this advanced audiobook copy.

DNF

I made it through 45% of the audiobook but chose not to finish. January LaVoy is a great narrator and one of my favorite, which is why I hung in for as long as I did. I was almost halfway though the book and realized nothing was happening yet- characters were still being introduced. Very Bad Company may end in a good way, but I couldn't make it there.

Thank you Netgalley, Emma Rosenblum, and Macmillan audio for the advanced listener copy. All opinions are my own.

This was a fun one. Packed with characters that have zero redeeming qualities! The title says it all, it's a bad company filled with bad people. The book follows a tech company as they prepare for a multimillion dollar sale. Secrets unfold and each character is more terrible than the last.
This was a really different plot than most books I've been reading lately. It was a nice change of pace, but ultimately I couldn't connect with the characters. Everyone was so unlikable that it was hard to care. I didn't really care either way what happened because they were all such terrible people!

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan audio for an advanced copy of the audiobook!

This was a quick listen. I love the narrator. There were a lot of characters to keep track of. The all are morally questionable and have things to hide. I tthought it was an entertaining read but it ended abruptly without a twist or super satisfying resolution.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5

Tech giant John takes his executive team for a retreat. Things get crazy quick. Each member has their own secrets and agendas and the drama ensues.

Honestly, I really enjoyed this one. It gave major White Lotus (season 1) vibes. All the characters are outlandish and selfish and rich. Anything to get themselves ahead. Usually not my cup of tea but this one grabbed me. It felt like reality TV. Will everyone get what they want or will everything implode?
This book will pair well with a pool and an adult beverage.

Spice level: 🌶️🌶️/5
Audiobook: 🎧🎧🎧/5

"Very Bad Company" offers a thrilling glimpse into the high-stakes world of tech startups, where lavish perks and cutthroat competition collide. As Caitlin Levy navigates the intricacies of Aurora's elite retreat in Miami, readers are drawn into a web of intrigue and suspense that keeps them guessing until the very end. While the story is undeniably gripping, the abundance of characters may prove challenging to keep track of at times. Nevertheless, the novel's sharp satire and compelling mystery make it a compulsively readable page-turner that sheds light on the darker side of corporate culture.

If you liked the author’s debut, Bad Summer People, you’ll love Emma Rosenblum’s follow up novel Very Bad Company.

This thriller follows the C-suite of a recent startup tech company, Aurora. I don’t think we ever really learn what it is exactly that Aurora does, but it doesn’t seem to matter. The story takes place mostly in various trendy locations around Miami, the host city for Aurora’s executive retreat. The drama starts early and keeps coming, especially when one of the executives goes missing.

None of the characters is a main character and none are likable. This seems to be par for the course with Rosenblum’s style, as Bad Summer People followed the same framework. This is not a bad thing, per se, however if you need a main character to root for, this one might not be for you. Everyone is pretty terrible, though some more than others. All are rich in detail, especially the CEO, who really jumped off the page (err…earbuds) for me.

The audiobook narrator, January LaVoy, did a fantastic job. LaVoy also narrated Bad Summer People and I think this narrator and author pairing is a great match. The pacing is great and perfectly switches between character POVs without confusion.

This book is the perfect summer thriller that will keep you coming back to find out what shenanigans these people get into. Though this is not a romance there are some definite NSFW parts, so be advised if you have little ears around that might hear your book.

DNF - I was excited for a good workplace drama, but I was not enjoying certain parts of the story and didn't want to continue. I'm giving a 3-star review, as I probably should have expected the storylines.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #MacmillanAudio for a free copy of #VeryBadCompany by Emma Rosenblum. All opinions are my own.

I was gifted the ARC of the audiobook of this book (thank you Net Galley!). I read Emma Rosenblum's Bad Summer People last summer and found it a quick entertaining read. This book read the same way. Terrible characters doing terrible things, but goes down easy. The audio version of the book clearly worked for me as I finished it in a few days.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4

Caitlin gets hired by a tech firm and before her official start date, she goes on an executive retreat in Miami. The first night of the retreat, one of the executives overdoses on cocaine. Was she murdered? Was it an accident? Why was an event planner hired for "virtual" events? Is the pending sale to a bigger tech company going to happen? Will everyone get rich? What dark secrets are each of the executives hiding?

Those are the questions in Very Bad Company by Emma Rosenblum. I loved some parts of this book and didn't love other parts. Overall, I thought it was an interesting story. The author clearly did her research on dotcoms and scams like Theranos. The book is told in the third person and from multiple character's points of view. The descriptions of the activities at the retreat and the corporate speak she peppers throughout the book are fantastic. Her portrayal of the CEO as an oddball, potential conman is so spot-on. Her portrayals of the other executives is a picture-perfect satire of corporate life and groupthink.

I was not impressed with sex scenes and found some of them unnecessary. But that's just me. They weren't super spicy, just a bit unnecessary. I did really like the relationships between the female executives. They stuck together no matter how much they may not personally like a woman or their actions. I appreciated that. Especially the all-male, frat boy atmosphere that exists in many, many companies, in and out of tech.

I received an audio ARC of this book and the narrator was wonderful. She performed multiple characters and made them each unique and gave them all their own voice. I particularly appreciated that.

𝑩𝒚 𝑬𝒎𝒎𝒂 𝑹𝒐𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒃𝒍𝒖𝒎
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 💫

This one was fun 😂 a light hearted mystery riddled with dark humor and plenty of shameless rich people behaving badly. And also being forced to engage in team building activities fit for summer camp 😂

Picture Michael Scott leading a trendy tech startup company - and everyone on his team is up to no good. I was getting huge White Lotus vibes from the lies, scheming, affairs, drugs, and general debauchery going on amongst the colorful cast of characters. They’re the kind of people you love to hate and hate to love. & The Miami backdrop made for a very atmospheric reading experience.

It’s a quick read (less than 250 pages) that will have you chuckling aloud and antsy to solve the case! A perfect quick and easy summer read.. I especially enjoyed the audio, January LaVoy’s narration was excellent.

Thank you NetGalley and MacMillan audio for this ARC! Grab it when it’s out on May 14th!

𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒅 𝒊𝒇 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆
💻 Corporate drama
🔎 Mystery
📺 The Office/White Lotus
👯‍♀️ Multiple POV
😂 Dark humor