I am usually a huge fan of Jen Lancaster’s work but this book is absolutely awful. I would give it zero stars if that were an option.

I loved this one! Who doesn't love a book about someone finally becoming who they were meant to be and the people they were meant to be surrounded with.

A group of random people, sitting in the worst coffee shop are held up at gunpoint and realize that they need to find or regain their courage. Enter Zeus and Fearless Inc, whose weekly lessons are a delight to read. Along the way, they find not only strength, but also friendships.

A fun and uplifting story!

This was a cute book…easy to read, lots of feel good moments. Liv and Emily were both quite annoying in their own ways, but it was nice to see their growth by the end.

Thank you, Net Galley and Little A for giving me the chance to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

While it’s a good story about overcoming fear, I found it to be mostly average. The characters are decent, with a few humorous moments sprinkled throughout, but nothing really stood out to me—except for the ending.

The mysterious character Zeus is the one who truly piqued my interest. I found myself wanting to know more about him, and I’m hoping there might be a follow-up book focused just on Zeus. That would definitely make for an intriguing read!

Overall, while the story itself isn’t extraordinary, it’s a solid read with some good lessons on facing your fears. But if you're like me, you’ll finish the book wanting more about Zeus.

I would like to express my deep gratitude to Little A and NetGalley for their generosity in allowing me to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

"How did I get here?" A question that both Emily and her best friend, Liv, have each asked themselves a lot lately. Neither of them seem to be living the life they had planned, and wonder how they could have strayed so far from the path they thought they'd be on at this point in their lives. While having coffee one afternoon, they witness an attempted robbery at their local coffee shop. Frozen in fear, they don't know what to do, but the robber is foiled by a yoga mom wielding a baby stroller. Their hero attributes her bravery to a mysterious class called Fearless, Inc. The complex and mysterious instructor, Zeus, is now fully committed to helping Emily and Liv overcome their fears, too―one thrilling self-help lesson at a time.

Along with a ragtag group of other wimps, Emily and Liv must embrace the passionately unconventional methods of the leader to harness their powers, gain a bracing new perspective on life, act on their impulses, and be the no-holds-barred anti-heroes of their dreams.

I thought this book was wonderful! Definitely one that I'd recommend - the blend of humor, positivity, and you-go-girl attitude was a breath of fresh air and I flew through the pages. I loved hearing the perspectives of both women, and I could relate with some of their issues in their lives as I saw them in my own world too. Much easier to diagnose what they 'should' do than to tell myself, but it was a great opportunity to make those connections!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this Advance Copy in consideration for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

 “The Anti-Heroes” by Jen Lancaster.

Once upon a time, Dr. Emily Nichols—the academic kind, not the physician kind—was an eco-crusader who faced water cannons, poachers, and bulldozers. But now? Emily lives in a bland condo with gray walls, teaching disengaged students alongside her risk-allergic boyfriend. She asks herself daily "How did I get here?

Enter Liv Bennett, Emily’s best friend and a people-pleasing real estate agent. Their lives take an unexpected turn when they witness an attempted robbery at their local coffee shop. A yoga mom wielding a baby stroller stops the robbery, attributing her bravery to a mysterious class called Fearless, Inc. The enigmatic instructor, Zeus, is committed to helping Emily and Liv overcome their fears—one thrilling self-help lesson at a time.

Joined by a ragtag group of other wimps, Emily and Liv embrace unconventional methods, gain new perspectives, and become the no-holds-barred anti-heroes of their dreams. Jen Lancaster’s wildly funny novel explores facing fears to the extreme, blending humor, adventure, and self-discovery.

Jen Lancaster, known for her clever and hilarious writing, delivers a fresh take on self-improvement and friendship. With quirky characters and unexpected twists, this novel invites readers to laugh, reflect, and cheer for the underdogs. So grab a cup of coffee (or tea) and join Emily and Liv on their fearless journey! 📚✨

2 best friends are in a coffee shop and are brought together with three others by an incident. With a nod to Taylor Swift, they meet up for a course Fearless with a mysterious leader called Zeus. A fun romp of bonding and facing your fears be it clowns or bugs or saying no. The story is told through the two best friends in alternating chapters. A fast and amusing read with plenty of current day references. Likable characters who you will root for while they find themselves.

Copy provided by the publisher and Netgalley

Lowkey this book was just really boring. I don't have a ton else to say. I don't know what exactly fell flat for me, but it just felt like the story was made out of cardboard rather than three dimensional. Wasted potential.

I loved this quirky and funny story about a group of people trying to get their lives together. It’s light-hearted, a bit absurd, and full of heartfelt moments. Following Emily and Liv’s journey to rediscover their fearless selves, this book is a hilarious and entertaining read you won’t regret.

This is a well written book, with some fine lines and a few well-conceived set pieces. That said, try as I might I found neither the characters, nor their situations, nor the overall narrative engaging enough to arouse or hold my curiosity and attention. As a consequence, it doesn't seem fair to write much more of a review, apart from encouraging inquisitive readers to give the book a try.

A zany story about two best friends stuck in respective ruts. After witnessing an attempted robbery, Emily and Liv sign up for a class promising to help them become their best selves. The premise intrigued me and the opening chapters were funny and promising but, overall, I found the story and characterizations to be a bit too quirky and I wasn't sure what to make of the ending. I think readers up for a quick, cheeky read about self-discovery and learning to stand up for yourself will enjoy.

Thank you to Little A and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy.

Emily and Liv are best friends from college who are stuck in their lives as as adults. Emily, a college professor, is living a boring life compared to her former life as an environmental activist. Liv is a realtor who lets her clients walk all over her. They go to a coffee shop, where they are talking about how they used to live fearlessly, when suddenly the shop is robbed. Everyone in the coffee shop are thrown together in this life or death situation and become fast friends. Through this they learn what they’re made of and how they can get back to being the fearless people they used to be.

Who doesn’t love reading about best friends? Jen Lancaster introduces us to Liv and Emily, two best friends who live in Chicago, both of whom are lost in one way or another. Liv lacks the ability to say “no,” while Emily’s fight for all things environmentalist has dimmed. Enter Zeus, the leader of Fearless Inc., who leads them back to who they are, or could be, through a course of unconventional methods. Along the way, they meet a cast of characters who turn out to be more important than they initially thought. Told in alternating perspectives, Lancaster provides the space for you to question you own choices and relationships while simultaneously building you up.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed reading this book by Jen Lancaster! I loved her early books and then lost track of her books due to work/ motherhood/ life. It was so awesome to see her name pop up with a new book to read!

I enjoyed reading about 2 best friends and their widening circle of friends as well as them joining the Fearless group and tackling some of their fears and learning what is important in life. Overall, a great book!

Do you feel stuck in your life? Are you a people pleaser and feel like a doormat? Do you want to get over your fear and have a more fulfilling life? Well, Emily and Liv do and this book is their story on how they are stuck in the hamster-wheel that is everyday life and they can't figure out how to get out. One day just takes the next and the next and so on.

Emily Nichols is a university professor who is teaching environmental science, a subject she was so involved with, protesting and standing on up for the Amazon, chaining herself to trees for days in protest. It is still her passion, but a past tragedy dealt her a hard blow and current living circumstances as sucked the spark out of her.

Olivia 'Liv' Bennett lives in a house with her hypochondriac mother and older sister and her twins, and her family exploits her to a painful degree and her employers and coworkers are even worse. She has her dream job but her living situation and workplace has worn her down.

Both women are stuck and they acknowledge a change is needed, but they don't know how to break the vicious cycle that is their daily life. It is toe curlingly relatable, so when they join Fearless, Inc. I cheered them on, along with the other misfits in their group, each with their own impediment tripping them up in life. They come from all walks of life, and they all have one relatable fear holding them back, so if you can't relate to Emily or Liv, you can likely relate to one of the others.

Following the journey of self-improvement of our everyday heroines is intriguing and the challenges are hilarious. To get out of a slump something big and uncomfortable needs to happen, to push the boundaries needed to create the momentum to make the changes they need in life. I may have <s>seal clapped</s> applauded a few times when this group of strangers came together and faced their fears by building each other up.

I loved the pop culture references that peppered the story! Some might have gone over my head but having Liv quoting Encanto when she mentions not talking about cousin Bruno made me involuntarily laugh out loud.

Despite it being a lighthearted story of breaking the mold and becoming a better you, the story still tackled the heavy subject of climate change, seen and experienced through Emily's POV. Fear itself is also an intrinsic part of the story. Zeus, their teacher, tells Emily something really thought provoking:

"Fear is self-perpetuating, and it's the biggest problem we face as a society. Fear is why we hide behind our cameras instead of acting when we see something bad going on. Fear is why so many are sheep instead of sheepdogs. The wolves thrive on fear. They cultivate it. Fear is why we don't know our neighbours. Fear is what closes us off from outsiders. Fear keeps us stuck, keeps us crouched behind the couch in the dark. Fear keeps us isolated and alone. And the pandemic? That took our collective fear to an entirely new level."

If that's not something to think about, I don't know what is. It is definitely something I will be remembering long after I've read this book.

4 stars

Wanted to like this more.
Thanks author, publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book. While I got the book for free it had no bearing on the rating I gave it.

The Anti-Heroes is a funny yet thought provoking book about people who are surviving but not thriving in their lives. Emily and Liv are best friends who are in the wrong place at the wrong time when an armed robber tries to hold up a coffee shop. One woman in the shop takes down the robber, and her quick act of bravery inspires all the other people in the shop to want to be like her. She tells them that her take charge mindset and quick response came from taking a class, which serves as a call to action for the rest of the people there. They all sign up for the class, too, and learn how to overcome the obstacles that are holding them back in life. In the end, this crazy band of misfits form a tight bond and help each other become better versions of themselves...under the instruction of a huge, muscled, UFC-fighter looking man with a serious addiction to Taylor Swift and exotic birds.

The book is lively and entertaining though heavy on social messaging, just an FYI for people weary of finding talking points when wanting to escape into a good book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little A for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little A for the ARC and chance to review this one, not out till fall.

I loved this spirited, wacky story about a group of sad sacks trying to get their shit together. It was light-hearted, a little absurd, very funny and heartfelt all rolled into one silly adventure. As always, I love a book (or show, or movie, or whatever) about mostly good people mostly doing their best, with a dash of humor and this definitely fit that bill.

4 grown man Swiftie selfies 🤳🤳🤳🤳

Jen Lancaster's "The Anti-Heroes" is a brilliantly funny and heartwarming novel that captures the essence of reinvention and fearless living. Emily and Liv, two best friends stuck in life's ruts, find themselves on a wild, self-help adventure led by the charismatic Zeus. Lancaster's sharp wit and relatable characters make this book a joy to read. It's an inspiring and laugh-out-loud journey that reminds us to embrace life's challenges and live boldly. Fans of Lancaster’s previous work will find her signature humor and warmth in abundance.

The Anti-Heroes by J. Lancaster, published by Little A, is a witty and fun stand alone.
Emily, a former tree hugger and now living in a condo, teaching at college and her best friend Liv, a people pleaser witnesssing an attempted crime. Impressed with a yoga mom, thgey sig up for a class hoping instructor Zeus will reinstore their old ways and glory.
An entertaining story, well written, funny, sometimes hilarious, a fantastic read.