Hate Follow by Erin Quinn-Kong was a cute story that read like a Young Adult or a New Adult novel. The story was straightforward, without poetic prose or creative phrasing, it didn’t drag on and on or try to be something it’s not.

This book was fun, and if you are looking for a weekend read, grab it. It’s what I would call a beach read, except it's almost November, and no one is headed to the beach with a novel for the afternoon.

What I liked most was taking a very relevant and timely topic — kids being used in influencer blogs without their consent- and writing a novel about it without casting the parent in a negative light.

It’s a quick read and I can easily see this being turned into a mini-series!

Synopsis:

To her one million Instagram followers, influencer Whitney Golden’s life looks just about perfect. But her curated existence explodes when her teenage daughter Mia sues her for invasion of privacy. The monumental case throws their relationship into a tailspin and has mother and daughter grappling with what it truly means to be in the public eye.

Influencer Whitney Golden has it all: beautiful, photogenic children; a handsome new boyfriend; a gorgeous house; and designer clothes and beauty products that arrive on her doorstep every day. After spending years building her brand as a widowed mother of four (including twins!) to over a million followers, the thirty-seven-year-old is at the peak of her career.

But it all comes to a screeching halt when Mia, her teenaged daughter, announces she’s tired of the social media life. She wants nothing more to do with her mother’s online brand — and demands that not just she, but her siblings and their deceased father be removed from Whitney’s Instagram, blog, and just about everywhere else on the internet.

When Whitney doesn’t agree, Mia does the unthinkable: She sues her mother. What started as a family spat turns into a monumental case about child privacy, individual agency, and modern parenting that shatters Mia and Whitney’s relationship and wreaks havoc on both their lives. As the case ignites a media firestorm and unrelenting online bashing from a Greek chorus of internet snarkers, Whitney has to decide whether she’s willing to risk everything she’s built to win back her daughter.

Give me a book about the behind-the-scenes chaos of social media or the unforeseen consequences of the influencer industry, and I am sure to love it. So when I read the summary about a daughter no longer being on board with her mom sharing the family’s most private moments online, I pounced. Written in contemporary/commercial style, this novel is the perfect “toe dip” for starting discussions around what will likely be a massive child influencer backlash.

I would like to thank NetGalley and William Morrow for providing me with an advance e-galley of this book in exchange for an honest review. Look for it in your local and online bookstores and libraries on October 8, 2024.

Whitney Golden is an influencer, a mom of 4 who shares her life online, blogging and sharing photos on Instagram and writing about the struggles of being a single mother. She had started writing when her husband died suddenly, and she was able to find others who were interested in her story. She grew her audience, and became a full-time influencer, able to afford a big new house and an assistant as well as her manager.

Her daughter Mia did not enjoy it as much. She didn’t pay all that much attention to what her mother posted until she was supposed to be part of a family photo shoot and didn’t want to. Kids at school started teasing her about the things her mother was posting online about her, so Mia finally looked up her mother online. She was stunned to see how many followers her mother had. And then she saw the picture. Her mother had posted photos of her father’s funeral, including one that showed Mia’s raw sorrow. Mia was furious, and she asked her mother to take down the pictures from the funeral immediately.

Whitney understood Mia being upset about it, but she didn’t think it was that big of a deal. All the other influencers share pictures of their family. And Whitney was just writing about her own experience. But the rift with Mia is stressing her out, so she’s looking forward to her monthly spa afternoon. It’s as she’s leaving the spa that she gets served.

Mia’s best friend’s father knows an attorney who he thought might be able to help Mia, so he introduced her. Mia told him that she wanted to sue her mother for emancipation. The attorney explains that she’s too young, and the court would expect her to be living on her own with her own money. But he does think that she has a case, and agrees to work on her behalf to sue Whitney to take down all her social media and to pay her back pay for all the times Mia had helped her with a sponsored photo shoot or post.

Whitney is completely blindsided by the lawsuit and isn’t sure what to do. She decides to fight the lawsuit, so she hires an attorney of her own. But the lawsuit and ensuing attention for it makes both Whitney and Mia vulnerable in unexpected ways. Whitney starts losing sponsors, and Mia finds herself under the kind of public scrutiny she’d been trying to avoid by getting her mother’s online presence taken down. And as the trial date gets closer, the more pressure they both feel to do what they they think is right.

But will that ultimately bring the family back together, or will the lawsuit rip them apart forever?

Hate Follow is a smart twist on the story of an influencer, asking important questions about privacy and how much is too much to share online. Told in alternating viewpoints between Whitney, Mia, and a group of internet trolls, this story explores the stories we tell online and how it can effect others, in positive and painful ways.

I was sucked into Hate Follow from the beginning, and I raced through it to see how just how the story wrapped up. I really liked Mia and wanted her to be okay through all this, and while I had less of a connection with Whitney, I couldn’t help but empathize with her situation and be impressed at how hard she worked to keep her family together. This is a really beautiful book that brings up things we need to be thinking about, as we post our lives online. Anyone interested in the effects of influencer culture should check it out.

Egalleys for Hate Follow were provided by William Morrow through NetGalley, with many thanks.

This was a fantastic, oh-so-relevant debut about a teen girl who sues her influencer mother when she refuses to stop posting and sharing pictures about her on social media. What follows is a contentious lawsuit where feelings are hurt, betrayals happen and the mother-daughter pair learn what's really important in life. Great on audio narrated by Carolyn Jania, the author does an excellent job exploring both sides of the debate over the privacy rights of minors and whether their parents should be allowed to post about their offspring without consent. Highly recommended for fans of stories about social media influencers and family drama. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review! I'm excited to read what this author writes next!

A single mom making her income as an influencer is trying to hold her life together after her resentful daughter sues her for unpaid labor and lack of privacy. She must decide if she is willing to give up everything she is built in order to keep her daughter in her life. This book gave a great point of view and made interesting and powerful points about childhood privacy and mom influencers. I hope that a lot of people read it and begin to understand what it's like for those growing up on the internet without providing permission.

I am so into the idea of books that take on topics like the impacts of the children of family bloggers! I could not put down this book! I absolutely devoured it! I wanted the ending ot be more dramatic, but I also thing the ending was the right move.

I highly recommend this to anyone fascinated by mom-fluencers! Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow Paperbacks for granting me access to the ARC!

Thank you very much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for my honest review.

Somehow I liked this book and disliked the book at the same time. I think that was probably the point though. The characters were written to be unlikeable. I felt sorry for the daughter because her mommy blogger mother aired all of her dirty laundry out on her blog for all the world to see. Yet somehow I also felt sorry for the mom as well.

Overall, this was a juicy guilty pleasure read that is sure to keep you up until you read the very last page.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of this book!

This was an interesting read with the main topic being a teen daughter wanting her privacy when her mom is an influencer. Social media is such a big thing in todays time and so many people put their kids on their social media and it can teeter the line of invading their privacy. The mom is more concerned with keeping her followers and the money that she makes from posting her family on social media. I did enjoy the look into the influencer lifestyle and complicated family relationships.

Hate Follow written by Erin Quinn-Kong was supposed to be one of my anticipated reads for 2024 after receiving a widget from Netgalley and one of their marketing people saying it was one of their favorite books, but unfortunately I didn't love it. I was so excited to get my hands on this book, but I'm so disappointed to say it wasn't a favorite for me, Hate Follow wasn't a horrible book by any means, but it wasn't the best either. When I saw the beautiful cover and read the synopsis, I was jumping with excitement that I finally got to read this book, but I don't know, it just felt like something was missing. I just wanted more from this book, but it missed the mark for me. What really bothered me about this book was the ending, it just ended so abruptly, like I wanted to know what happened after the whole fiasco, but I was left with unanswered questions. Hate Follow was a pretty good story for a debut novel, but I just needed more. I know many people loved this book by looking at all of the positive reviews, so don't let my review stop you from reading this book, please do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of this book if you are looking for something quick. These are my OWN opinions, if you don't like what I've said, kindly keep scrolling, please. There's absolutely no need to be rude and leave nasty comments.

THANK YOU TO NETGALLEY AND WILLIAM MORROW FOR AN ARC OF THIS BOOK IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW!!!!!!!

"I remember high school like it was yesterday. It's a complicated time for everyone, especially when your mother is a gorgeous influencer."

"This case could change internet privacy laws for children forever."

"You've got to fight for what is right."

Whitney Golden is a widowed mom to four children ten year old twins, Chloe and Charlotte, three year old, Mason, and fifteen year old, Mia. Whitney's husband, Michael unexpectedly passed away four years ago, and now Whitney has a boyfriend of six months, Ace. Whitney's relationship with Ace is a bit rocky and unstable, Whitney has four children and Ace doesn't want kids, he's not ready to be a step dad just yet, even though no one has asked him to jump into that role, he was just jumping to conclusions way too quick. Whitney's youngest sister, Rosie also lives with the Golden family while she attends college in town and help out with the kids. Whitney is an influencer mom, she has one million followers on Instagram, Whitney also has Tiktok, and her own blog where she posts family photos, make up reviews, clothing try on's, cute videos of the twins dancing, life hacks, and parenting tips. Whitney is a grieving mom, she felt like she was swimming in the ocean, struggling to breathe, wave after wave crashed over her, but let's be honest, Whitney cares more about social media, being tipsy, and being sunburned more than she cares about her own children. After Michael died, he left Whitney in debt, so she vows to never financially rely on a man ever again. Whitney does social media to provide for her family, but I was not okay with the things she posted on social media at all.

Whitney posted her dead husband's open casket photo on social media, she also posted pictures of her two twin daughters naked in the bathtub on social media, this just doesn't sit well with me at all. The photos of the twins have found their way to the walls and lockers of Mia's high school, Mia decides to have a talk with her mom about the things she has been posting, Mia asks her mom to delete these pictures, but when Whitney doesn't, Mia decides to sue her mother. Mia wants to sue her mom for violation of privacy, but if Mia decides to follow through with this case, she would be the center of attention all across the world because she's fighting for children's privacy on social media. Mia Golden never gets her way, she wanted to decorate her bedroom with Harry Styles posters, Broadway ticket stubs, and vision boards, but instead she gets lavender and mint colored walls. Mia wants to be a cardiologist, and Mia also wants to attend her dad's alma mater for undergrad. I absolutely felt so bad for Mia, she has a whole group of people judging her, strangers on the internet, and even students at school. Let's just say school for Mia is an absolute shit show, bullies are absolutely heartless. There's a website called HateFollow.com which is an online forum where people bash influencers, and as you can guess many people bash Whitney on this website. I just wanted to reach into my kindle and give Mia the biggest hug.

It's a bit weird to post about this book since the focus of the book is a battle between a mommy influencer and her teen daughter who decides to take a stand for her own privacy. It does sensitively look at both sides- the kids have a right to privacy, but for the mom in this book- a widow with a high school education- it's hard to imagine a similarly lucrative work from home option. This book doesn't present a perfect solution, but will definitely give readers food for thought on a very current topic.

3.5 stars! I loved the premise of the book, but the execution didn't entirely work for me and I'm not sure why? HATE FOLLOW explores the complexity of mother-daughter relationships against the backdrop of the social media age, tackling issues of privacy, agency, and what it's like to grow up online. Influencer Whitney Golden seems to have it all: the perfect family, the perfect house, the perfect wardrobe, the perfect life. She's thriving in her career and gaining more followers than ever. But Whitney's world turns upside down when her teenage daughter Mia decides that she wants nothing to do with the social media lifestyle anymore—in fact, she wants herself, her siblings, and their late father completely wiped from Whitney's extensive online presence. When Whitney refuses, Mia decides to sue. Will Whitney be able to save her relationship with her daughter, even if it means risking the loss of the empire she's built?

I love books about influencers/social media culture, so the plot of this had me totally hooked! I also really liked the author's writing style—I think this is Erin Quinn-Kong's debut novel, so I would be super excited to see what she writes next. That being said, I feel like the execution fell a little bit flat, especially in terms of the ending. I just felt like there was something missing, but I couldn't exactly put my finger on it. Still, if you love books about influencers, social media, and complicated familial relationships, definitely give this one a try! I think it will resonate with a lot of readers. Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC.

Hate Follow written by Erin Quinn-Kong ask a lot of profound questions with not many resolutions. Mia is 15 an tired of being her Instagrammer mom‘s prompt doll in all her posts. At least that’s what she says it isn’t until she starts being bullied at school due to her moms profile that she really takes a stand. She even goes as far as filing a court case against Whitney her mom. On the other hand Whitney lives in a lavish home she really can’t afford supports her mom who lives in an elderly home her sister who is in college and even helps keep her wayward brother Brandon out of jail to make matters worse if Whitney should decide to stop posting their lavish lifestyle would definitely come to an end. Thankfully Mia has a best friend Camila and Camila‘s parents Eve andOmar give her a soft place to fall in the safe place to be during the chaos. I really did enjoy this book for the most part but thought Mia con fighting in her aunt Rosie was a tilted balance especially due to the fact Whitney pays for her college it seems however in the same vein I think Eve and Omar should have minded their own business especially since if Whitney owned a grocery store and wanted Mia to work there no one would bat an eye and as far as the twins being in a tub of bubble bath Bing pornography I think that’s people wanting to make mountains out of mole hills because plenty of parents have done that and as long as private parts isn’t being shown there’s nothing pornographic about it. Ultimately I think this is a lot of who shot John if you love a book that is thought-provoking about the new questions we face as an Internet society then you will probably love the book as I said I liked it and do recommend it.#NetGalley,#William Morrow, #ErinQuinnKông, #HateFollow,

Influencer books are a must read and this had such an interesting take on what the fallout may be in the future. This was a timely novel with new protections coming out for children of influencers (see the recent laws put into action in California.) I thought the dynamics between Whitney and Mia were very relable - I am always glad that I do not have a teenager daughter because they are truly a breed of their own. This would be an excellent book club choice as it is ripe for discussion!

Highly promising story with sadly very little payoff at the end. It was entrainment enough but superficially at best.

📕: Hate Follow-a standalone

✍🏾By: Erin Quinn-Kong -debut author

✨Rating: 4/5

Format: eBook 349 pgs.

🌍Setting: Austin, TX

📅 Publication 10/8/24, Read 10/4/24

👆🏾POV: dual

🙏🏾Thanks to NetGalley, William Morrow Paperbacks, and Erin Quinn-Kong for this ARC❤️! I voluntarily give my honest review, and all opinions expressed are my own.

Genre: Women's/Adult Fic, Contemporary

Tropes:
-social media influencers
-privacy
-modern day parenting
-family drama
-mom/daughter relationship


⚠️ TW: death of spouse, grief/loss, online and school bullying

💭Summary: Whitney has amassed one million followers on Instagram featuring her family and makeup and clothing brands. Her teenage daughter Mia has had enough of her life being so public, so she tells her mother she no longer wants to be on her blog. When Whitney refuses to take pictures down Mia is forced to sue her own mother for privacy.

🎭The characters

Whitney Golden-(37) 1 mil Instagram followers, brand deals, new boyfriend-Ace (42) she met 3 years ago, 4 children

Mia- 15, Whitney's daughter. Doesn't want her or her family's life on display.

Camila Garcia-Mia's BFF. Eva and Omar are Camila's parents

Michael-Whitney's deceased husband-married 11 years, died of heart attack 4 years ago

Rosie-Whitney's younger sister, lives w/ her and Whitney pays for her college

Whitney's children - Chloe and Charlotte-Whitney's 10-year-old twin daughters and Mason 3-year-old son, never met his father

Gabby -Whitney's assistant

Tawny-hair/makeup artist she's known for 20 years.

Taylor-Whitney's manager

Caleb Bradford-a lawyer who takes Mia's case pro bono.

Brendan, Stephanie, Tom-Whitney's siblings she had to take care of as the oldest. Her father (deceased 2 years ago) was a gambler, and her mother Sandy (living in a retirement community Whitney pays for) had to work 16-hour days to support them financially.


🤔My Thoughts: This was a great conversation starter, especially if you are a parent. I'm so glad I was raised before the internet because I was able to have a childhood without a 24 hour "news" cycle where anything is available with the press of a button. I sympathized with Whitney because she didn't want her children struggling financially. She provided for her family and didn't apologize for it. Mia's view was a little narrow because she's 15 and didn't know much about life or sacrifice.

Hate Follow by Erin Quinn-Kong was so addicting, I could not put it down. The topic was so interesting and it was so well-written. I loved the idea of this story and how relevant it was.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.

After the sudden death of her husband, Whitney Golden begins a career as a momfluencer and is remarkably successful. It doesn’t hurt that her four children, young twin girls, a toddler son and Mia, her fifteen year old daughter, are photogenic and eager to take part in photo shoots. Until Mia rebels. She’s horrified and embarrassed by the amount of what she considers personal information that she finds on her mother’s blog. Confronted by her daughter, Whitney argues that she has to make a living and her children are helping her, not being exploited. Mia reacts by filing a lawsuit.

Hate Follow takes a serious look at an issue unique to our times. Many bloggers feature photos of their cute children to illustrate the articles they have written or to advertise products placed by a sponsor. What rights do the children have? What happens to their pictures on the internet? What on the surface looks like fun (who hasn’t followed an instagram story or a blog post?) Is behind the scenes, hard work. Scheduling, editing, professional photography, clothing changes, etc. take time, time when children should be, well, being children. While Mia and Whitney find a solution to their conflict, this issue will not go away. Hate Follow will leave you thinking about this long after you finish the final page. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow and Erin Quinn-Kong for this ARC.

I was intrigued by the premise of this women’s (general) fiction story. The story of Witney, a widowed mother of four, who makes her living as an influencer. She likes engaging with her over 1 million person fan base, sharing the carefully curated life of her family and surviving a tragedy. When teen daughter Mia pushes back and no longer wants to be part of any social media campaigns she is shocked and a little tone deaf.

The issues are relevant today as children are growing up and finding their parents have shared their entire lives on the internet. Mia decides to fight back. Her best friend's father is a paralegal and helps her find a lawyer who takes the case pro bono as it could be ground breaking. There are issues and thoughts on both sides. Mia is a little naive in not understanding this is how her mother provides for their family. And Whitney is so caught up in her social media she doesn’t realize the negative side for Mia and her other children.

I think my only disappointment is how easily everything gets resolved. It becomes less about case law and more about listening and understanding the relationship between mothers and daughters. I found it easily readable and breezed through it in one sitting.

Whitney is a widowed mom of four who’s curated the picture-perfect life for her one million Instagram followers. When her 15-year-old daughter, Mia, decides she no longer wants to be part of the charade, she decides to sue her mom for invasion of privacy. The case garners national attention and raises questions about internet privacy and parental rights, potentially setting groundbreaking legal precedent.

The book was thought-provoking with regard to influencer culture and its impact on families. It’s the first time I’ve seen this subject in fiction. I especially liked the blog snark sections as a storytelling device. While I enjoyed it, I did wish it went deeper into the ethical complexities of the situation. Everything felt a bit too easily resolved and surface level.