I enjoyed the character development and the coalition of young women on the outskirts of the family fighting and clawing to become recognized and valued. Well-written, fun, and poignant.

Thank you, SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for the copy of A Girl Like Us by Anna Sophia McLoughlin. I’m not sure why I couldn’t get engaged with this book. I loved the premise but the story unfolded so slowly it didn’t catch my interest. While we got a lot of description about the house and the grounds, the character development was missing so it was hard to care about the characters. If you love surprising reveals and wealthy people behaving badly, you might love this book. 2.5 stars rounded up to 3.

I always enjoy a story about rich people behaving badly as well as young stars, so I was looking forward to this one. Sadly, it missed the mark for me. The plot was overly convoluted and hard for me to follow. The twists were either obvious or completely out of left field- nothing inbetween. It was definitely a slower burn, which I don’t mind. It kept my interest throughout. I just never really connected with any of the characters and that may have caused my lack of investment at the end of the day.

Think "Succession" meets "Saltburn" in a mansion full of secrets. That's A Girl Like Us, Anna Sophia McLoughlin's electric new thriller that'll keep you up way past bedtime.

When a wealthy family gets together in their luxury estate, things get messy fast. Everyone's got something to hide, and nobody's quite who they seem. McLoughlin builds her characters like master chess pieces - each one complex enough to keep you guessing about whose side they're really on.

The writing? It's gorgeous without being fancy. McLoughlin knows exactly when to pull you in close and when to hit you with a twist. And that ending? Let's just say you won't see it coming.

Sure, these rich folks' problems might seem far from our everyday lives, but the story hits home where it counts - family, loyalty, and the crazy things we do to protect what's ours. If you loved watching the Roy family tear each other apart in "Succession" or got caught up in the dark glamour of "Saltburn," you'll devour this book in one sitting.

⭐⭐⭐½ (4.5/5)

Perfect for: Anyone who likes their thrillers smart, stylish, and seriously twisted.

What a fun one! Is it really worth marrying into money when this is the family you get with it?! The lies, the manipulation, the drama. I had a hard time putting it down. Some of the twists are easy enough to see coming, but it was still an enjoyable ride to get there. Would definitely recommend!

A great story if you love dysfunctional family dramas, particularly wealthy families too. A brilliant story with lots of dark secrets unearthed.

The review below will be shared on social platforms closer to the books publishing date.


“A Girl Like Us” follows Maya Miller, once star of a hit 2000’s reality show, now married into one of the richest and most powerful families in the world. The day after her wedding, she is flown into her new family’s home as the heiress is declared murdered. And Maya has no alibi.

A twisting and gossip juicy book, perfect for fans of DeuxMoi or The Real Housewives. Despite its flaws, this book was a gripping and truly enjoyable read from start to nearly end.

Where the book fell a little flat for me was in its depiction of Maya herself. She’s described as smart, sneaky and possessing this alter ego called Miss Mayhem, who can stir up any media worthy drama. However we never truly see any of that come to fruition in the book. I was excited to see where her mayhem might lead as the threads of the plot unwound, but felt quite underwhelmed by the end.

As well, the final moments of the book felt like a letdown. The climax took a twist I could’ve never predicted, and I was thrilled to see what would happen next. But the book suddenly ended, as if the final two chapters were rushed to a conclusion.

Despite this, it was a fun and quick read. And I look forward to what the author puts out next.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 stars)

Rich people drama, family secrets, and murder? A Girl Like Us by Anna Sophia McLoughlin is the kind of twisty, high-stakes thriller that grabs you from the first chapter and doesn’t let go. Think Knives Out meets Succession, with a side of reality TV star-turned-Cinderella who suddenly finds herself at the center of a deadly family power struggle.

It’s 2004, and Maya Miller has seemingly hit the jackpot: marrying Colin Sterling, heir to one of the world’s most powerful media dynasties. But the dream turns into a nightmare when Arianna, the family’s golden child and original heiress, is found murdered—and Maya becomes both the next heiress and the prime suspect.

The book dives into the cutthroat dynamics of the Sterling family, and let me tell you, these people have skeletons in every closet. As the family retreats to their secluded English estate, the tension is palpable. Is the mansion meant to protect them, or trap them? Maya’s journey to uncover the truth and prove her innocence is gripping, and her outsider status gives her a sharp, relatable edge in this world of cold power players and opulent deceit.

What makes this story really shine is Maya herself. She’s clever, resourceful, and no stranger to playing the game to survive. But she’s also carrying secrets of her own, and watching her navigate the Sterlings’ web of lies while staying one step ahead of them is both satisfying and nail-biting.

McLoughlin’s writing is sleek and cinematic, with a perfect balance of glamour and suspense. The twists are well-paced and kept me guessing until the end—just when I thought I had it all figured out, another layer of intrigue unfolded.

Thank you to Anna Sophia McLoughlin, SOURCEBOOKS Landmark, and NetGalley for this thrilling read. If you love murder mysteries set against the backdrop of obscene wealth and deeply buried family secrets, A Girl Like Us needs to be on your list.

The Succession descriptor in the blurb ensured I was going to pick this book up, and I definitely felt the Roy family vibes throughout. The story was giving Gossip Girl (specifically Blair) with Maya's scheming, party girl antics interspersed with her being one step ahead of them throughout. This was easily a one sitting read for me – the pacing kept you interested without being TOO unrealistic. I liked it a lot!

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!