Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for an advanced copy to honestly review.

The Anti-Heroes by Jen Lancaster is a contemporary novel that explores themes of personal transformation, fearlessness, and female friendship. The story follows Dr. Emily Nichols, a former eco-activist turned disillusioned professor, and her best friend, Liv Bennett, a real estate agent who struggles with always putting others first. When they witness an ordinary woman perform an extraordinary act of bravery, they are inspired to enroll in a self-empowerment class called Fearless, Inc., where they embark on a journey to reclaim their confidence and redefine their lives.

Lancaster’s signature wit and humor shine through in the novel, making it an engaging read for fans of character-driven, lighthearted fiction. The dynamic between Emily and Liv is a strong focal point, offering moments of both comedic banter and genuine emotional depth. The novel also touches on self-improvement culture and the challenges of midlife reinvention, adding a relatable layer to the narrative.

While The Anti-Heroes provides plenty of entertaining moments, some readers may find the character development somewhat predictable, as the storyline follows familiar self-discovery tropes. Additionally, the class and its mysterious instructor, Zeus, may feel exaggerated at times, bordering on satire rather than a realistic depiction of personal growth. However, those who enjoy witty dialogue and uplifting themes will likely appreciate the novel’s charm and message of empowerment.

Overall, The Anti-Heroes offers an enjoyable mix of humor, friendship, and self-reflection. It is a suitable read for fans of contemporary fiction looking for an inspiring yet lighthearted take on reinvention and bravery.

Unfortunately this book was not for me. I don't even know how I managed to finish it because I wasn't enjoying it. I think It was just because I as hoping that until the end it would be better, but the end was just meh.
I laughed a lot, but that was it. Nothing more.

I'm really sad to be writing this review because I'm such a fan of Jen's previous books, but this really missed the mark for me. There were funny parts and I definitely cheered for Emily and Liv at times, but the plot just didn't flow for me. And the Taylor Swift references felt forced and got annoying. I love Jen's memoirs and her social media postings - its where she really truly shines!!!!!

⭐️⭐️1/2

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for an ARC in exchange for my honest review of this book.

Best friends Emily and Liv are stalled in their lives, and after experiencing an attempted robbery, they decide to embrace fearlessness. Literally. They join a mysterious group called Fearless, Inc. and start training to overcome their fears, one unconventional self-help lesson at a time.

THE ANTI-HEROES is a fast read. It is really quite ridiculous and silly. But I loved the cast of characters. I laughed out loud throughout. It was also a touching reminder to embrace courage and honor your true self. With that said, I'm starting to feel about the overt references to Taylor Swift in publishing the same as the myriad of Rey-lo fanfics......it's enough. It's starting to be too much. Feels a little cringey and negates some of the emotional depth of the plot.

Thank you to the publisher, ——————, and Netgalley for providing me with an early copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review.

Much respect to those who enjoyed, but this book was not for me. I’m sorry, the writing was so painful and really not good. I thought the premise was so fun and really wanted to power through in spite of the writing but I just couldn't.

I have enjoyed reading Jen Lancaster since Bitter Is the New Black, and I was all in on the connection to Taylor Swift. This particular book, however, just missed the mark for me with its uneven character development and generational dialogue misses.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me.

I first picked this book months ago but didn't read it and when I started reading again I expected a non-fiction children's book based off of the cover and title. Turns out this is something completely different which I can't really compartmentalize into genres or tropes but there's a lot of friendship and self-discovery. I think the two MCs who's POVs we get are brilliant and I loved their character arcs.

Being a passionate environmentalist, (Dr.) Emily brought many interesting insights and facts to the book while giving the character a good background. I found it intriguing how both POV MCs have seemingly opposite personalities and are yet so close. It's then even more fun to see the group dynamic at the mysterious class.

A lot of this book feels very random and although I found it entertaining, I have to say that it's got a good deal of issues. The story is mainly lighthearted, but it tries to touch upon some bigger issues like environmentalism. There's also the theme of character arcs and I understand where the author is coming from, seeing that this is a COVID project. I find a lot of the execution messy and incoherent with so much happening with the characters. I don't know how to put this, but the characters felt a little cartoonish and 2D, maybe similar to kids playing dress up with adult attributes.

I can't hate on this because like I said, it was pretty engaging, but it's far from perfect and I can't guarantee that you'd like it if you pick it up.

3.5 stars rounded up. This was a quirky, often funny book. I liked both of the main characters. The secondary ones were great too. The group's antics were a lot of fun. I found the drama entertaining and occasionally relatable. The social commentary was on point at times, if a bit harsh. It's the kind of book that's goofy and fun as long as you don't try to take it too seriously.

I read an ARC of this book from NetGalley. All comments are my own.

Emily used to be an environmental activist, working on the front line for an organisation to save the whales and rainforests. Now she’s a lot more timid, teaching disengaged university students, and dating her rather staid colleague, Miles.
Her best friend, Liv, is a real estate agent who gets walked over by her bosses, colleagues and hypochondriac mother.
One day the friends are in a coffee shop when there is a hold-up, which results in them attending Fearless classes with the other victims and a mysterious instructor named Zeus.
This is a somewhat disjointed story about two women who have become stuck and are not living up to their earlier potential. Alongside a ragtag band of Fearless comrades, they embark on a course of self-improvement.
It’s all written tongue-in-cheek with over-the-top situations to highlight the women relearning how to embrace their strengths. But it all becomes a bit too ridiculous, culminating in an epilogue that didn’t make much sense at all.

This book, wow, it's got a lot to unpack! It focuses on two friends, Emily and Liv, who are each healing from their own traumatic pasts. It's a bit of a self-help book, as the characters attend the same life coach class focused on enriching their lives. One looks to the future to become a new, better version of herself; the other seeks to reclaim the strength of who she used to be. It's a fun journey to go on with these ladies as they are each dynamically different from the other but fit so well as friends. The book also has a lot to say about environment conservation, as it's mentioned in various forms throughout the story from rallies and protests to other efforts for this movement.

"Anti-Heroes" is a very modern book with a lot of contemporary pop culture references, from Stanley cups to Taylor Swift. It also explores the concept of making friends in unexpected situations with people you may not have otherwise met. I would recommend it for anyone who enjoys the self-help genre or for anyone who feels a little lost in their life for one reason or another.

Self-help isn't typically my genre, but this book was good on its own in spite of that and has an open ending so it could become a series. I give it a solid 4 out of 5 stars.

Thanks for NetGalley, Little A and Jen Lancaster for the ARC.

Excellent book, loved it! Looking forward to more from this author! Apologies for the lateness of my review

I found this book slow to begin with, but once it started picking up the pace I really enjoyed it. It was so wonderful to see the growth the characters made and to hear all about their stories. I’m sad we didn’t get to explore the Jeremy plot twist in more depth though and the epilogue has confused the hell out of me, but overall it was a lovely story of overcoming fears and gaining the confidence to be who you want to be and I loved that.

The Anti-Heroes was a fun read. I appreciated the author's insight into facing your fears and fighting for yourself. well done

Thanks to NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for my ARC in exchange for my honest review. This book was published October 1, 2024.

This is the 18th book I’ve read by the hilarious Jen Lancaster. I have to say her autobiographical memoirs were so fun but I have not liked her more recent fiction books.

This book started off good and ended strong but the middle 85% was slow and boring. The story begins in a coffee shop in Chicago where there is an attempted robbery that was stopped by a mom with a stroller. The customers who were there later bond over the event and begin taking “Fearless” classes. What they learn is something more - the power of community and being seen.

Taylor Swift fans will like all the references.

I really enjoyed reading this book, it had that concept that I was looking for and enjoyed overall. The characters were what I was looking for and enjoyed about the genre. Jen Lancaster was able to weave a great story and characters together and I enjoyed reading this.

Interesting book and very literary in some fun ways. I would recommend it, though at points it was disappointing.

Fans of Ali Brady's The Comeback Summer will love this redemption story! I loved the idea behind the FMCs regaining their inner strength through the series of challenges. I was a bit confused by the ending, though. I must have missed something throughout. I am so happy to have another release by Jen Lancaster! She's an all-time fave of mine.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC for review.

Full disclosure that I did not finish this book. I have always been a huge fan of Lancaster's memoirs, and I always appreciate the snark and sarcasm that runs rampant there. But I just cannot say the same for when she switches to fiction. I found these characters grating and didn't find anything particularly exciting about the plot.

I love Jen Lancaster’s snarky writing and while the story in this one isn’t my favorite, the characters in this one more than make up for the mish-mash of themes. I enjoyed the Gen Xer poking fun at the millennials struggling to cope with the next generation but once Emily and her friends joined the class, the story kind of lost me. Still, the characters, as varied as they all are, really shine through and Jen Lancaster’s trademark humor balance the story well.

This is the type of book that makes you laugh, and if it finds you at the right time in your life, it will resonate. I enjoyed this light read because I love the sarcastic humor, the self-reflection, and the vulnerable moments that sometimes define outcomes and we tend to downplay them. While this book is funny, I really enjoy the underlined message of self-advocacy, not letting others pressure you in any way, and respecting yourself enough not to let others do whatever with you. I also enjoy the many cultural references of the Lululemon moms. It's hilarious and reflective, and I love this type of book. It's a perfect quick read.