had high hopes for this book based on the premise, but unfortunately, it didn’t quite live up to my expectations. While the mystery at the heart of the story had potential, the writing style felt stiff and lacked the fluidity that makes a thriller truly gripping. I found myself disconnected from the characters, who felt more like typical archetypes than fully developed individuals.

The plot, while interesting, didn’t offer the twists and turns I was hoping for, and the pacing was inconsistent—slow in places and rushed in others. It wasn’t a bad read, but it didn’t offer anything particularly unique to make it stand out in the crowded mystery genre.

This book is full of twists and turns that will keep you on your toes—I loved not being able to predict them all! Maya is such a layered and dynamic character, and uncovering her complexities felt like unwrapping a gift. She’s slick, smart, and so much fun to watch in action.

The way the story unfolds is masterful, and I appreciated that it didn’t tie everything up with a bow. It leaves you thinking, questioning, and wanting more. A deeply satisfying read that stays with you!

It's 2004 and former reality TV star and party girl Maya Miller has just married the most eligible bachelor on the Colin Sterling, of the globally famous Sterling family whose history of aristocratic titles and land holdings rival a British royal and whose media empire is comparable to the Murdochs. To some, Maya represents the American dream. To others, a gold digger. But when Colin's cousin Arianna, the heiress to the family's immense fortune, is found murdered, Maya is thrust into the first as she is revealed to be the next heiress to the fortune, and then as the prime suspect.

Swiftly, the entire Sterling family goes into lockdown at Silver House, the family's ancestral estate in the English countryside. They're told it's for their own safety—but Maya becomes convinced that it's not to keep threats out, but to keep secrets in. Now, she has no choice but to find and expose the truth hidden within the Sterling family, and why Arianna, a girl she had never met, chose her to take her place. But Maya has secrets of her own. And she knows that in order to survive the Sterlings, she'll have to beat them at their own game.

Loved it

honestly the characters were all insufferable and most of the book was boring. the big plot twist was easily guessed.
the writing isn’t coherent.
sorry friends. just didn’t care for this one.

WOW, What a rollercoaster! I couldn't put it down, and it had me hooked from the very first page. The plot is packed with twists, deception, and a family full of secrets that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Maya Miller, a former reality TV star, suddenly finds herself at the center of a storm when she’s named the beneficiary of her new family’s fortune after the death of an estranged heiress, Arianna. Maya has never even met Arianna, and yet, she's accused of everything from gold digging to murder.

What really kept me captivated was Maya herself. She’s a morally grey character—someone you can’t fully trust but somehow root for at the same time. Her journey to uncover the truth about the Sterling family and the mysterious circumstances surrounding Arianna’s death was a wild ride. The family dynamics, the twists between past and present, and the secrets slowly revealed were all perfectly executed, and I couldn't stop turning pages to see what happened next.

There’s definitely a bit of suspension of disbelief needed for some of the plot twists, but the author does a great job of making them seem plausible within the context of the story. It's got a soap opera vibe, but in the best way—high drama and suspense, with enough heart and character depth to make it more than just a guilty pleasure.

The ending definitely left me wanting more, and while the cliffhanger is intriguing, I was hoping for a little more closure in the epilogue. Still, this was a fantastic debut, and I'm eager to see what this author does next.

#AGirlLikeUs #Netgalley

Rating: 4 stars (rounded up from 3.5). "A Gurl Like Us" unfolds as a gradual mystery. Newlywed Maya finds herself taken to the secluded retreat of the Sterlings following the shocking murder of heiress Arianna Sterling. To the astonishment of both Maya and the Sterling family, Arianna's will unexpectedly designates Maya as the new heiress. The private estate transforms into a labyrinth of hidden passages and unearthing secrets. The narrative is filled with numerous plot twists; some I anticipated while others caught me off guard. It proved to be an engaging read for a chilly winter afternoon!

“Lighter” than the typical psychological thriller but still enjoyed. It gave me Succession x Saltburn x Gossip Girl vibes.

What to expect:
- Locked room mystery
- Unreliable narrator
- Family secrets
- Fish out of water
- Dark past
- Love triangle
- Comeuppance
- Twist ending

Thank you Sourcebooks Landmark for granting me an ARC!

Maya is a reformed bad girl who is now married to an old money, irreconcilably wealthy man living in 2004. What a fun timeline, first of all! Quite the vibe. As wealthy families tend to do, half of them deem Maya a gold digger while the other half tends to skew toward "shameless party girl". When the next heiress in line, Arianna is murdered, Maya and Colin have to immediately return to his home of Silver Side to learn Maya was named as the beneficiary of the estates. This is a locked room murder mystery that is full of family tension, early aughts vibes, and juicy secrets- which is really all I needed from a book with this description. Some aspects were quite obvious, but overall I'd consider this book a success. Thank you so much to Netgalley for the eArc!

I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Maya is a ruthless, former reality TV star who knows how to read and play people to her advantage, and she's met her matches when she married into the prestigeous Sterling family who rivals royalty in terms of wealth and fame. She finds herself in the eye of the hurricane when she's named the next heir after the murder of the last heiress.

Its a must- read for fans of rich people problems, family sagas and twisty plots.

A girl like Us was a very fun, popcorn thriller that was also smart. I loved the MC, the old English mansion setting, the diary parts were also very intriguing and haunting.

This book was addictive! Maya Miller, the main character, is compelling and smart but far from perfect, which makes her feel real. Her transformation from a reality TV star to the center of a murder mystery within the ultra-wealthy Sterling family is fascinating to follow. The story does a great job of showing Maya’s strengths and vulnerabilities while adapting to the ruthless Sterling family.

The twists kept me guessing the whole way through. Just when I thought I knew who to trust or what was really going on, another layer of the family’s dark history would come to light. The setting of Silver House adds to the tension, creating a sense of isolation and unease that matches Maya’s situation perfectly. At the same time, the book manages to explore interesting themes around power, privilege, and identity without losing its edge or pacing.

While I did find some of Maya’s decisions a little questionable or out of character at times, those moments ultimately worked to push the story forward. They didn’t take away from the experience and might even have added to the overall suspense. I had a hard time putting it down because there were so many things to be revealed!

Maya is a former reality TV star who is newly married to Colin, who is a member of the ultra posh Sterling family. When the news reaches them of Colin's cousin Ariana, the heir to the bulk of the family fortune has died. They find their way back to the family estate only to discover that Ariana has a left left most of her money to Maya, a woman who she has never met before.

Now she is accused of being a gold digger but also of murder. She must figure out what is going on in order to save herself and in doing so she uncovers a lot of family secrets. This family has a lot of proverbial skeletons in the closet.

There was a lot of really heightened suspense in this book that really added to the reading experience. I will say there were a couple twists that you would sort of. Have to suspend belief to fully enjoy but it really doesn't take away from the story itself. Maya is an incredibly strong character who is morally gray but also likable and you find yourself rooting for her to succeed over all of the terrible members of the Sterling family.

I would definitely say if you're a fan of domestic thrillers then this is something you should pick up.

A gripping locked room thriller! The claws come out when reality star Maya marries Collin Sterling. The Sterling family are rich and powerful and have plenty of secrets. They will do whatever it takes to protect the family. A story of greed, power, murder and so many secrets.

A Girl Like Us mixes old money royalty vibes with new school reality tv all with a dark twist. The story follows Maya Miller, a quick and smart protagonist with a knack for unwinding a complicated family past. The story takes many turns, some a bit predictable but others come out of nowhere. I thought it slowed down a bit in the middle, but picked up in the last few chapters and I enjoyed the ending. Definitely had a mysterious air to it, and the characters were compelling.

4⭐️

I loved this book

I fell in love with Maya, the main character, instantly, and I was pulled in from the first chapter wanting to know what had happened and how things would resolve.

The ending was satisfying, the intrigue was compelling, and the characters were so entertaining, highly recommend!

I will be picking up this author's other books 👀

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Former reality TV star Maya Miller is newly married to Colin, a scion of the ultra-posh Sterling family, when major news draws them back to the family’s estate. Colin’s cousin Arianna, heir to the bulk of the family’s fortune, has died…and she’s left her riches to Maya. No one is more confused than Maya, who’s never met the heiress. Now she’s being accused not only of gold digging, but of murder. She must uncover the family’s secrets to solve the mystery before she lands in hot water—but the skeletons in this family’s closet are beyond what she could imagine.

This was an overall enjoyable read with a heightened, soap opera style plot. Some of the twists require a bit of suspension of disbelief, but I do feel like the author does a good job of making them somewhat plausible. Maya is a morally grey yet likeable main character, and I had a lot of fun watching her battle against the villainous Sterlings.

If you’re into the high drama and big twists of Freida McFadden’s thrillers, I think you’ll like this one as well.

I enjoyed reading this book. It was very suspenseful and thrilling with lots of different twists and turns. This locked door mystery was entertaining, especially due to the fact it was this mega rich family. I thought the pacing was very good


Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complementary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!

Maya Miller, a former reality TV star notoriously known for her party girl reputation, marries Colin Sterling. The Sterling family is famous and wealthy, almost like royalty. A death in the family gathers the Sterlings to the family estate, where the family is on lockdown until they learn more about the death of Arianna, the Sterling heiress. Maya soon learns the many secrets within the Sterling family and not everyone is as they seem.

The characters are well-depicted and I love the dysfunctionality of the family. It gave me a bit of Knives Out vibe. There are many shockers to be revealed -- some not very believable. The book alternates from present and past and we see snippets of Arianna's life through her diary. It is different from previous thrillers I have read so it was kind of refreshing to be honest.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and author Anna Sophia McLoughlin for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

This was an absolutely thrilling book to read! Truly, the cover doesn't do it justice. To me, the cover just gives it that yet-another-thriller vibe about a privileged family/girl navigating through hidden secrets. Mind you, it did have that but the book was laid out and written so well. I really enjoyed the author's writing style and kept thinking that she was a well-rounded thriller author that people should definitely check out.

This might have started a little dragged out, but the pacing was you as the reader learning the unraveling of Maya's world along with her so then the pace picked up, bit by bit. This was so fun to get into, such a salacious buildup of what eventually will make you want to keep reading and reading until the end. I was so glad that the thrilling high kept afloat and the characters just got better and better. There was always a curiosity of the dynamics of ridiculously rich people within their four walls and this book gave you all the tea and my attention was up front and ready.

Pub date: February 11, 2025

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for an eARC of this great thriller. All opinions are my own.

This was a solid thriller that was just twisty enough. I would have liked some more character development, but I enjoyed it thoroughly regardless.