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A Special Place for Women
As seen on Good Morning America and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
“One of the smartest, sharpest, and funniest books I’ve read in years... Some books are meant to be devoured—this one does the devouring.”—Emily Henry, #1 New York Times bestselling author of People We Meet on Vacation
One of Summer 2021's Most Anticipated Novels
Good Morning America, Cosmopolitan , Good Housekeeping , Real Simple , theSkimm, E! Online, Oprah Daily, The New York Post , Woman's Day , Parade, Bustle, Yahoo!, The Stripe, Popsugar, Medium, Lithub, Book Riot, The Nerd Daily, and more!
It’s a club like no other. Only the most important women receive an invitation. But one daring young reporter is about to infiltrate this female-run secret society, whose bewitching members are caught up in a dark and treacherous business. From the author of Happy and You Know It .
For years, rumors have swirled about an exclusive, women-only social club where the elite tastemakers of NYC meet. People in the know whisper all sorts of Membership dues cost $1,000 a month. Last time Rihanna was in town, she stopped by and got her aura read. The women even handpicked the city's first female mayor. But no one knows for sure.
That is, until journalist Jillian Beckley decides she's going to break into the club. With her career in freefall, Jillian needs a juicy scoop, and she has a personal interest in bringing these women down. But the deeper she gets into this new world—where billionaire "girlbosses" mingle with occult-obsessed Bohemians—the more Jillian learns that bad things happen to those who dare to question the club's motives or giggle at its outlandish rituals.
The select group of women who populate the club may be far more powerful than she ever imagined.
And far more dangerous too.
“One of the smartest, sharpest, and funniest books I’ve read in years... Some books are meant to be devoured—this one does the devouring.”—Emily Henry, #1 New York Times bestselling author of People We Meet on Vacation
One of Summer 2021's Most Anticipated Novels
Good Morning America, Cosmopolitan , Good Housekeeping , Real Simple , theSkimm, E! Online, Oprah Daily, The New York Post , Woman's Day , Parade, Bustle, Yahoo!, The Stripe, Popsugar, Medium, Lithub, Book Riot, The Nerd Daily, and more!
It’s a club like no other. Only the most important women receive an invitation. But one daring young reporter is about to infiltrate this female-run secret society, whose bewitching members are caught up in a dark and treacherous business. From the author of Happy and You Know It .
For years, rumors have swirled about an exclusive, women-only social club where the elite tastemakers of NYC meet. People in the know whisper all sorts of Membership dues cost $1,000 a month. Last time Rihanna was in town, she stopped by and got her aura read. The women even handpicked the city's first female mayor. But no one knows for sure.
That is, until journalist Jillian Beckley decides she's going to break into the club. With her career in freefall, Jillian needs a juicy scoop, and she has a personal interest in bringing these women down. But the deeper she gets into this new world—where billionaire "girlbosses" mingle with occult-obsessed Bohemians—the more Jillian learns that bad things happen to those who dare to question the club's motives or giggle at its outlandish rituals.
The select group of women who populate the club may be far more powerful than she ever imagined.
And far more dangerous too.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published May 11, 2021
About the author
Laura Hankin
5 books1,029 followersLaura Hankin is the author of HAPPY & YOU KNOW IT, A SPECIAL PLACE FOR WOMEN, and the upcoming THE DAYDREAMS. She's written for outlets like McSweeney's and HuffPost, while her musical comedy has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and more. She lives in Washington, DC, where she once fell off a treadmill twice in one day. Contact her on Instagram/Twitter: @LauraHankin or Tiktok: @laura_hankin
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,285 reviews
June 25, 2021
I thought this entire book was satire until I realized by the end that it… wasn’t.
This is definitely a chick lit book in the simplistic way it depicts working women, friendships, and romance, which is not a bad thing per se. The disconnect here is that it seemingly promises critique of white feminism and girlboss culture, as shown by the cartoonish portrayal of the all-women’s group and the protagonist’s outspoken scrutiny of their elitism. Yet there is little follow-up to these criticisms, and worse, the latter half and conclusion become the very thing that the book had been mocking previously. It’s almost like these comments were only made for the sake of appearing self-aware, then going on ahead with being obtuse anyway. The “twist” is just weird and silly, so much so that I thought the book was going all in on satire, until I realized this was supposed to be serious. Any potential thoughtful commentary on lean-in feminism or the wealthy elite becomes diluted with a corny message instead about being accepted — without tapping into what that really means.
This is definitely a chick lit book in the simplistic way it depicts working women, friendships, and romance, which is not a bad thing per se. The disconnect here is that it seemingly promises critique of white feminism and girlboss culture, as shown by the cartoonish portrayal of the all-women’s group and the protagonist’s outspoken scrutiny of their elitism. Yet there is little follow-up to these criticisms, and worse, the latter half and conclusion become the very thing that the book had been mocking previously. It’s almost like these comments were only made for the sake of appearing self-aware, then going on ahead with being obtuse anyway. The “twist” is just weird and silly, so much so that I thought the book was going all in on satire, until I realized this was supposed to be serious. Any potential thoughtful commentary on lean-in feminism or the wealthy elite becomes diluted with a corny message instead about being accepted — without tapping into what that really means.
November 12, 2020
Hi, I wrote this! It’s wild and genre-bending and twisty, with plenty of comedy and romance (yes there IS some fake dating involved!). Think Never Been Kissed meets the insular society of The Secret History, with some Practical Magic vibes to boot. I really hope you enjoy it, and I’m more than happy to answer any questions about it, come to your virtual book clubs, tell you about the time I went to a psychic for research, etc… so please feel free to reach out. Also, the beautiful cover is out TODAY! Thank you for reading!
May 11, 2021
Genre Blending done right!!!
To save her career and impress a man, down on her luck, journalist Jillian decides to follow the rumours and infiltrate a secret club for some tastemaker women of New York. Laura Hankin takes real-life ideas and adds the right amount of satire to create an interesting, outrageous, fun story that addresses powerful women, feminism/white feminism, women supporting, uplifting and empowering women. She adds a bit of fun romance to have us rooting for whose team we are on with Jillian and two characters. There is a surprising twist and a turn to the story (be careful what reviews you read as not to spoil that twist and turn). Unfortunately, I read one and knew what turn the story was going to take. Bummer for me!!!
I love the story's premise, and Laura Hankin plays on some tropes, giving them a refreshing and fun take, but mostly stays away from them being oblivious. The story starts off intriguing with the opening scene. It did slow down a bit for me, but when that twist and turn comes, the pace picks up, and I couldn't put the book down. It does feel a bit "far-fetched," but thats in the fun and the irony/satire is what drives the story forward. The ending could be a bit much to buy into, but it plays into the tone of the story. I liked how it all wrapped up, and it felt nice to get lost in the ending. I highly recommend it!!
It has a cinematic feel to it, and it is being developed into a TV series.
I received a copy from the publisher through NG.
To save her career and impress a man, down on her luck, journalist Jillian decides to follow the rumours and infiltrate a secret club for some tastemaker women of New York. Laura Hankin takes real-life ideas and adds the right amount of satire to create an interesting, outrageous, fun story that addresses powerful women, feminism/white feminism, women supporting, uplifting and empowering women. She adds a bit of fun romance to have us rooting for whose team we are on with Jillian and two characters. There is a surprising twist and a turn to the story (be careful what reviews you read as not to spoil that twist and turn). Unfortunately, I read one and knew what turn the story was going to take. Bummer for me!!!
I love the story's premise, and Laura Hankin plays on some tropes, giving them a refreshing and fun take, but mostly stays away from them being oblivious. The story starts off intriguing with the opening scene. It did slow down a bit for me, but when that twist and turn comes, the pace picks up, and I couldn't put the book down. It does feel a bit "far-fetched," but thats in the fun and the irony/satire is what drives the story forward. The ending could be a bit much to buy into, but it plays into the tone of the story. I liked how it all wrapped up, and it felt nice to get lost in the ending. I highly recommend it!!
It has a cinematic feel to it, and it is being developed into a TV series.
I received a copy from the publisher through NG.
November 12, 2020
Laura Hankin just officially became one of my favorite authors. This book is tense, spooky, unsettling, sexy, fun, and heartwarming all at once. Hankin is a fantastic writer, not to mention truly FUNNY.
December 14, 2022
I LOVED this book. Even after, as other reviewers mentioned, things got weird! The book is a fictionalized portrayal of The Wing, an elite women's-only club in NYC. The portrayal of the club and the women in it is so painfully spot on, this book "gets" NYC. I won't spoil anything, but there's a major twist at around 60%. At first I was unsure how I felt, but I ended up really liking the direction the book went in. HIGHLY recommend.
March 7, 2021
2.5 stars. At first I wondered if this would be too similar to 2020's THE HERD, and while they were different enough in the end, they still both suffer from the same problem, if anything this one is an even worse offender. They want to be like "ugh white feminism, amirite?" but only in the most shallow way. Ultimately this book is not all that interested in taking down the idea of a secret, highly influential, all-women's group made up mostly of the ultra-wealthy and white. In the end it is not about the self-serving nature of this type of lean-in style feminism or how it allows well-off women an excuse to avoid doing actual good in favor of their own self-care. It's just about how nice it feels when you do get included. I would actually be just fine with that if the book didn't take great pains to make it clear that it knows how problematic the idea of this club is, if it embraced it it would probably work a lot better to find that human story. Instead, it doesn't seem to have all that much to say in the end.
Of course you know even before our protagonist, just-fired journalist Jillian, infiltrates the group that they have definitely Done Bad Things. Otherwise there wouldn't be a story. And it doesn't feel like yet another twisty female thriller that has the exact same kind of tone and characters and setting as every single other twisty female thriller (a lot of it is that, but enough of it isn't to be notable). And I will allow that the twisty elements of it are not the same old things, which is a nice change of pace. And it's not even like I need a thriller to have a point, most of them don't and that's fine. But if you are going to give me so much of Jillian looking around and seeing how bullshit this group is, you have to at some point explain to me what and why and how and it never actually does that because it is really just the table setting for the deeper plot. If the beginning moved faster, if the deeper plot went deeper, I can see how this could have worked. But it never really did either.
I will remain here, anxiously awaiting a thriller that actually will be like "destroy white feminism from the inside," I am hopeful that someday we will get it.
Of course you know even before our protagonist, just-fired journalist Jillian, infiltrates the group that they have definitely Done Bad Things. Otherwise there wouldn't be a story. And it doesn't feel like yet another twisty female thriller that has the exact same kind of tone and characters and setting as every single other twisty female thriller (a lot of it is that, but enough of it isn't to be notable). And I will allow that the twisty elements of it are not the same old things, which is a nice change of pace. And it's not even like I need a thriller to have a point, most of them don't and that's fine. But if you are going to give me so much of Jillian looking around and seeing how bullshit this group is, you have to at some point explain to me what and why and how and it never actually does that because it is really just the table setting for the deeper plot. If the beginning moved faster, if the deeper plot went deeper, I can see how this could have worked. But it never really did either.
I will remain here, anxiously awaiting a thriller that actually will be like "destroy white feminism from the inside," I am hopeful that someday we will get it.
September 19, 2021
Jillian, a twenty-something year old journalist, has an idea for a tantalizing exposé. She wants to try to crack into an exclusive, secretive, powerful, all female club, and then write an article about its members, their influence, and their connection to New York City's first female mayor. This fictional book is about Jillian's efforts to join the club and the secrets she learns along the way.
SPOILER ALERT: don’t read further is you don’t want to be spoiled.
I thought the story was promising. I like the idea of having a group of wealthy and well-connected women trying to support female candidates and influence politics. This interesting idea, however, was ruined by an improbable, illogical, and far-fetched plot. Firstly, the book makes a great deal about the fact that the club is very secretive, with no one knowing its location, its members, and whether indeed it actually exists. Despite all the secrecy, Jillian somehow manages to become a member and is drawn within its inner circle in a matter of weeks. That is hard to imagine. Often exclusive, private clubs require sponsors, a few meet and greets, a thorough background check, member feedback, and years to be accepted, but Jillian bypasses all that and becomes a trusted confidant within days. (Jillian does have a special reason to be on a fast-track, but still, considering the nature of the club's activities -- criminal and supernatural -- it is highly unlikely that they would trust a new member and let her join so quickly.)
Rather than just relying on the women's wealth and influence, for some reason the author decides that the inner circle of the club is a coven of witches; go figure. I found that strange considering that many men use their wealth and connections to effect change. Do women need to have magic, spells or special powers in order to achieve these goals?? It's as if the author is implying that women who want to exert influence must be strange/abnormal, even possibly insane.
My understanding was this book was intended to be funny. It wasn't. I honestly didn't laugh once. Finally, it seems as if every other contemporary chic-lit book I read is about some 25-35 year old single female living in a city, grieving the loss of her mother, needs a new job, can't pay the rent, and is debating between two love interests. Can we please move beyond this character.
TL;DR: I do not recommend this book.
SPOILER ALERT: don’t read further is you don’t want to be spoiled.
I thought the story was promising. I like the idea of having a group of wealthy and well-connected women trying to support female candidates and influence politics. This interesting idea, however, was ruined by an improbable, illogical, and far-fetched plot. Firstly, the book makes a great deal about the fact that the club is very secretive, with no one knowing its location, its members, and whether indeed it actually exists. Despite all the secrecy, Jillian somehow manages to become a member and is drawn within its inner circle in a matter of weeks. That is hard to imagine. Often exclusive, private clubs require sponsors, a few meet and greets, a thorough background check, member feedback, and years to be accepted, but Jillian bypasses all that and becomes a trusted confidant within days. (Jillian does have a special reason to be on a fast-track, but still, considering the nature of the club's activities -- criminal and supernatural -- it is highly unlikely that they would trust a new member and let her join so quickly.)
Rather than just relying on the women's wealth and influence, for some reason the author decides that the inner circle of the club is a coven of witches; go figure. I found that strange considering that many men use their wealth and connections to effect change. Do women need to have magic, spells or special powers in order to achieve these goals?? It's as if the author is implying that women who want to exert influence must be strange/abnormal, even possibly insane.
My understanding was this book was intended to be funny. It wasn't. I honestly didn't laugh once. Finally, it seems as if every other contemporary chic-lit book I read is about some 25-35 year old single female living in a city, grieving the loss of her mother, needs a new job, can't pay the rent, and is debating between two love interests. Can we please move beyond this character.
TL;DR: I do not recommend this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 30, 2021
This book isn’t about influencer women, or a journalist trying to uncover wrong-doing, or even about whether women can support one another. It’s shallow YA witchcraft nonsense that’s been miscategorized. #disappointed
May 7, 2021
Is this a thriller? No.
Is this book filled with an intense feeling of needing to know what in the world is going on? YES!
I flew this book in almost a day.
Jillian wasn't necessarily the most likeable character in the world. That didn't matter though because I definitely wanted her to succeed.
I thoroughly enjoyed this read.
Thank you so much to BerkleyPub and Netgalley who provided this EARC in exchange for an honest review.
Is this book filled with an intense feeling of needing to know what in the world is going on? YES!
I flew this book in almost a day.
Jillian wasn't necessarily the most likeable character in the world. That didn't matter though because I definitely wanted her to succeed.
I thoroughly enjoyed this read.
Thank you so much to BerkleyPub and Netgalley who provided this EARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 10, 2020
The first 60% of this book was AMAZING and I couldn’t put it down, but then it took a strange turn and I felt like I was reading a completely different novel. 3.5 stars.
Shelved as 'dnf'
July 5, 2021DNF almost immediately. This is the cheesiest book I have ever picked up.
January 11, 2022
Uhhh, what the hell.
This book was NOT for me, I almost DNF about 82 times because my eyes were hurting from rolling so much.
There were so many praises that it was genre blending done right, but I’m having a hard time even figuring out what ones - fantasy? YA? Mystery???
And Jillian, my GOD. She was f’ing insufferable- whiney, talking about how much she needs to have sex every time she even looks at a male (seriously, I do *not* care), her ridiculous inner dialogue & bratty attitude. Also if I had to hear/read the phrase “her eyes turned red” in reference to someone crying I was about to stick a fork in my eye.
I felt the premise was weird as hell - like the author forgot what the club was about so she would randomly mention “feminism” (in quotes because there was really no follow through) to remind the readers that despite all the witchy shit going on (also wtf) these women were trying to do good. And politics was also involved..? Like, I can see the potential but the execution was definitely not there.
Honestly I don’t even want to waste anymore energy on this review lol if witches, bad dialogue, an audiobook narrator who is smiling the whole time she’s reading (why was this so frustrating for me???), a terrible attempt at a love triangle and “feminism” is up your alley maybe you’ll enjoy this one. 1.5 stars only because of Libby and her sweet persona.
This book was NOT for me, I almost DNF about 82 times because my eyes were hurting from rolling so much.
There were so many praises that it was genre blending done right, but I’m having a hard time even figuring out what ones - fantasy? YA? Mystery???
And Jillian, my GOD. She was f’ing insufferable- whiney, talking about how much she needs to have sex every time she even looks at a male (seriously, I do *not* care), her ridiculous inner dialogue & bratty attitude. Also if I had to hear/read the phrase “her eyes turned red” in reference to someone crying I was about to stick a fork in my eye.
I felt the premise was weird as hell - like the author forgot what the club was about so she would randomly mention “feminism” (in quotes because there was really no follow through) to remind the readers that despite all the witchy shit going on (also wtf) these women were trying to do good. And politics was also involved..? Like, I can see the potential but the execution was definitely not there.
Honestly I don’t even want to waste anymore energy on this review lol if witches, bad dialogue, an audiobook narrator who is smiling the whole time she’s reading (why was this so frustrating for me???), a terrible attempt at a love triangle and “feminism” is up your alley maybe you’ll enjoy this one. 1.5 stars only because of Libby and her sweet persona.
May 16, 2021
Here’s the sign of a great, unputdownable book: I got up early on a Saturday—a SATURDAY—to keep reading. I also went to bed past midnight (super late for Grandma Megan over here) to keep reading. Basically, I couldn’t stop. A SPECIAL PLACE FOR WOMEN revolves around a secret society for elite millennial women, and the journalist with nothing left to lose who’s determined to infiltrate their group and expose their rumored shady practices. I loved Laura Hankin’s last book, HAPPY AND YOU KNOW IT, so much that before I even knew her new book’s premise, it became one of my most anticipated of 2021. And it does not disappoint! The writing is continuously witty, funny, and engaging, the characters are intriguing and, at times, intriguingly suspicious, and the story itself offers so many surprises. Seriously, at one point, you will have to put the book down to be like, “I’m sorry, WHAT?” and then you’ll immediately pick it back up and keep racing through it. I love how the book seemed like it would be about skewering performative feminism (and, in part, it is), but then took a turn into something even more fascinating. I had the most fun reading this book, and I’m certain you will too.
May 3, 2021
What the heck did I just read?
This book is described as journalist Jillian infiltrating a secret society for rich, influential, feminist women in New York City. Rumors have been swirling that this cabal got the first female mayor of NYC elected, and then got her booted from office when she attempted to tax their wealth, and Jillian wants to get to the bottom of this.
For the first half of this book, I was torn between attempting to appreciate it as a novel, and feeling compelled to analyze it as a sociopolitical commentary. And then at 60% in... I don't even know what happens. It just goes off the rails. There's a twist that's so absurd, so random, I don't even know how to wrap my head around it. And there's no way for me to further discuss it here without completely spoiling the book, which I don't want to do. Especially since so many other readers seem to be a fan?
Instead, I'll say, if you're a realist or pragmatist, or even just a mystery/romance fan, looking for the story described in the blurb... this might not be the book for you. If you're a fan of the unexpected, the surreal, and fantastical--sure, give this a try. The writing wasn't bad, the characters were interesting, it's just... the plot... left something to be desired.
Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for my eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
3 stars - 6/10
This book is described as journalist Jillian infiltrating a secret society for rich, influential, feminist women in New York City. Rumors have been swirling that this cabal got the first female mayor of NYC elected, and then got her booted from office when she attempted to tax their wealth, and Jillian wants to get to the bottom of this.
For the first half of this book, I was torn between attempting to appreciate it as a novel, and feeling compelled to analyze it as a sociopolitical commentary. And then at 60% in... I don't even know what happens. It just goes off the rails. There's a twist that's so absurd, so random, I don't even know how to wrap my head around it. And there's no way for me to further discuss it here without completely spoiling the book, which I don't want to do. Especially since so many other readers seem to be a fan?
Instead, I'll say, if you're a realist or pragmatist, or even just a mystery/romance fan, looking for the story described in the blurb... this might not be the book for you. If you're a fan of the unexpected, the surreal, and fantastical--sure, give this a try. The writing wasn't bad, the characters were interesting, it's just... the plot... left something to be desired.
Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for my eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
3 stars - 6/10
May 29, 2021
Actual rating: 3.5 stars
This is not typically a genre I read so keep that in mind with the rating I gave it. My best friend read this and loved it so I decided to give it a try. The mystery aspect of this book was the best part. I definitely was intrigued and wanted to know what was going on. I also appreciated that this turned out to be a positive story about women.
I didn't love the main character at first but she grew on me. She did have some growth by the end which was good. Some aspects of the romance in this book did not work for me. I would say that was probably my least favorite part. Overall, this was an easy and entertaining read. If you regularly read this genre, you will probably enjoy it.
This is not typically a genre I read so keep that in mind with the rating I gave it. My best friend read this and loved it so I decided to give it a try. The mystery aspect of this book was the best part. I definitely was intrigued and wanted to know what was going on. I also appreciated that this turned out to be a positive story about women.
I didn't love the main character at first but she grew on me. She did have some growth by the end which was good. Some aspects of the romance in this book did not work for me. I would say that was probably my least favorite part. Overall, this was an easy and entertaining read. If you regularly read this genre, you will probably enjoy it.
September 5, 2021
Maybe stop reading at 70% and make up your own ending in your mind.
November 11, 2021
This book had a lot of buzz and that intrigued me. A secret sisterhood that both empowers women and can take them down? I'm interested.
Jillian Beckley is a journalist who quickly finds herself out of a job and in desperate need to pivot into something soon. She plots to infiltrate the secret women's group, called Nevertheless to expose them and how they took down a presidential candidate, Nicole Woo-Martin.
I enjoyed the story and the premise. It all felt a little too convenient, but setting that all aside I enjoyed the relationship between Raf & Jillian, and the women. It sort of jumped the shark a bit once the curtain to the secret room was exposed, and it was harder to suspend belief. I wanted to go deeper into some of the characters, none of them were truly fleshed out. I'd definitely pick up another book by Hankin, and appreciated the interesting premise.
Jillian Beckley is a journalist who quickly finds herself out of a job and in desperate need to pivot into something soon. She plots to infiltrate the secret women's group, called Nevertheless to expose them and how they took down a presidential candidate, Nicole Woo-Martin.
I enjoyed the story and the premise. It all felt a little too convenient, but setting that all aside I enjoyed the relationship between Raf & Jillian, and the women. It sort of jumped the shark a bit once the curtain to the secret room was exposed, and it was harder to suspend belief. I wanted to go deeper into some of the characters, none of them were truly fleshed out. I'd definitely pick up another book by Hankin, and appreciated the interesting premise.
June 28, 2022
“I understood that to be a woman in the world was to spend so much time trying to act the right way. Be loud enough, but not too loud. Stand up for yourself, but pleasantly. Beauty was everything, but you shouldn’t rely on your looks.”
Meet Jillian Beckley, a journalist who has not had the best of luck. She currently lost her mom to cancer, and her job due to unfortunate events. She really needs to catch a break. So, she approaches her old coworker Miles, who now works for the New York Standard, with a desperate plea to let her do an article on the Nevertheless club, and work her way in the door at the Standard and get back to doing the thing she loves most, WRITING!
There was just one issue, how is she going to pull this off? This is a women’s only club, with some of the richest, most elite members of NYC. Jillian is far from elite. No one knows where this club is…you must get a personal invitation. At the opening of her childhood Raf’s new restaurant, she gets the perfect chance. One of the known members of the club comes over and invites Raf to one of their events. Jillian tells him that he must take her as his date. They are now a “pretend” couple. And just like that, she works her way in.
While I like the writer’s style and I literally laughed out loud at things Jillian said from time to time, the plot fell short for me. Think a bunch of rich women, hanging out each week, doing weird crap and paying membership dues. Throw in witchcraft (or wannabe witchcraft) and some loads of drama. I think there was great potential for the book but after the midway point, the plot continued to fall short for me.
Thank you to Goodreads and the author for my copy of this book.
Meet Jillian Beckley, a journalist who has not had the best of luck. She currently lost her mom to cancer, and her job due to unfortunate events. She really needs to catch a break. So, she approaches her old coworker Miles, who now works for the New York Standard, with a desperate plea to let her do an article on the Nevertheless club, and work her way in the door at the Standard and get back to doing the thing she loves most, WRITING!
There was just one issue, how is she going to pull this off? This is a women’s only club, with some of the richest, most elite members of NYC. Jillian is far from elite. No one knows where this club is…you must get a personal invitation. At the opening of her childhood Raf’s new restaurant, she gets the perfect chance. One of the known members of the club comes over and invites Raf to one of their events. Jillian tells him that he must take her as his date. They are now a “pretend” couple. And just like that, she works her way in.
While I like the writer’s style and I literally laughed out loud at things Jillian said from time to time, the plot fell short for me. Think a bunch of rich women, hanging out each week, doing weird crap and paying membership dues. Throw in witchcraft (or wannabe witchcraft) and some loads of drama. I think there was great potential for the book but after the midway point, the plot continued to fall short for me.
Thank you to Goodreads and the author for my copy of this book.
May 22, 2021
After so many great reviews and initial hype around this book, I was thrilled to crack the spine on it and dig into the story. However, this narrative quickly unravels due to a complete misrepresentation of feminist ideas and story plot holes so big not even catchy descriptions and character development could save. My biggest issue with the plot itself was that the author asks readers to believe that this top secret, female run society is so elusive and powerful that it can elect major political figures and make people billionaires. However, the author then asks readers to believe that this all powerful society is filled with dim women who cannot bother with a background check on new members and invite a woman in simply because her fake boyfriend is an up and coming chef. Come on! Then, this elite women's group capable of social disruptions is intellectually about as aware as the curtains in their Manhattan penthouses. The whole first third of the book was so unbelievable, incoherent, and uninteresting, I made the rare choice not to finish a book I had been so excited to read.
February 28, 2022
3.5 ⭐️ Well, this was delightfully strange and unexpected! I honestly had no idea what this book was about but as soon as I saw it mentioned I immediately placed an order because: 1) I really enjoyed Laura Hankin’s Happy and You Know It and 2) THAT COVER DESIGN!
I love going into books totally blind but I’m pretty sure no amount of pre-reading research could have prepared me for this one. While I definitely wouldn’t classify this as a thriller, it was unique, twisted, funny, and downright weird at times. I was initially a little apprehensive about all the “millennial girl boss” vibes but I think it was pretty well done- just enough funny details without shoving too many millennial cliches down our throats. I was a little underwhelmed by the secret society at the beginning and a little weirded out towards the end. The ending felt a bit abrupt, but overall this was fresh and perfectly weird. Even with some flaws, I couldn’t not enjoy it. The book is incredibly well written and I’m very excited to see this plot play out on TV.
I love going into books totally blind but I’m pretty sure no amount of pre-reading research could have prepared me for this one. While I definitely wouldn’t classify this as a thriller, it was unique, twisted, funny, and downright weird at times. I was initially a little apprehensive about all the “millennial girl boss” vibes but I think it was pretty well done- just enough funny details without shoving too many millennial cliches down our throats. I was a little underwhelmed by the secret society at the beginning and a little weirded out towards the end. The ending felt a bit abrupt, but overall this was fresh and perfectly weird. Even with some flaws, I couldn’t not enjoy it. The book is incredibly well written and I’m very excited to see this plot play out on TV.
June 20, 2021
I know they say don’t judge a book by the cover, but as soon as I saw this cover with its glorious title and captivating description, I knew this book was for me! Laura wrote a hilarious, witty book that takes readers on a freaking JOURNEY! And I loved every single part of it! The characters in this book shine along with a plot I could’ve never predicted. I was up until 3:30 am finishing this book and I have zero regrets!
May 29, 2021
I loved this so, so much.
May 6, 2021
I received a gifted galley of A SPECIAL PLACE FOR WOMEN by Laura Hankin for an honest review. Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review!
A SPECIAL PLACE FOR WOMEN envisions a secret underground club just for women named Nevertheless. They’re rumored to have all the power and influence to ensure their candidate get elected to office and to sway public opinion to bring down their enemies. No one has been able to pin them down, but reporter Jillian just might give it a try. While attending her childhood friend’s restaurant opening, she happens to meet a woman most assume is key to the club and she decides that this might just be the answer to her career woes after her employer goes under.
Soon Jillian is being escorted blindfolded into the clubhouse, initiated into the secrets of Nevertheless. While she balances the draw of the club with the intrigue of a potential groundbreaking story, Jillian seeks to gain even more access to the inner circle.
I enjoyed the author’s HAPPY & YOU KNOW IT last year, so I was eager to pick this one up and I think I enjoyed this one even more. While I didn’t always agree with Jillian’s choices, I could really feel for her predicament. Jillian has recently lost her mother and her job and she’s struggling to make ends meet in the wake of her mother’s medical bills. The draw of Nevertheless and the promise of women helping women also has a very strong draw.
This book takes some wild turns a bit past the halfway point and I’m not entirely sure still how I feel about them. It certainly threw a curveball at me that I did not see coming! It made for a very entertaining and gripping read and I really could not click through the pages fast enough!
A SPECIAL PLACE FOR WOMEN is out today and I highly encourage adding this one to your TBR list!
A SPECIAL PLACE FOR WOMEN envisions a secret underground club just for women named Nevertheless. They’re rumored to have all the power and influence to ensure their candidate get elected to office and to sway public opinion to bring down their enemies. No one has been able to pin them down, but reporter Jillian just might give it a try. While attending her childhood friend’s restaurant opening, she happens to meet a woman most assume is key to the club and she decides that this might just be the answer to her career woes after her employer goes under.
Soon Jillian is being escorted blindfolded into the clubhouse, initiated into the secrets of Nevertheless. While she balances the draw of the club with the intrigue of a potential groundbreaking story, Jillian seeks to gain even more access to the inner circle.
I enjoyed the author’s HAPPY & YOU KNOW IT last year, so I was eager to pick this one up and I think I enjoyed this one even more. While I didn’t always agree with Jillian’s choices, I could really feel for her predicament. Jillian has recently lost her mother and her job and she’s struggling to make ends meet in the wake of her mother’s medical bills. The draw of Nevertheless and the promise of women helping women also has a very strong draw.
This book takes some wild turns a bit past the halfway point and I’m not entirely sure still how I feel about them. It certainly threw a curveball at me that I did not see coming! It made for a very entertaining and gripping read and I really could not click through the pages fast enough!
A SPECIAL PLACE FOR WOMEN is out today and I highly encourage adding this one to your TBR list!
May 9, 2021
Do you ever read a book or watch a show and desperately want to call/text all your girlfriends and OMG WE NEED TO TALK? That was me after reading to the halfway point of this new book by Laura Hankin. I had no idea where this book was going to go next and happily, for me, every twist and turn did not disappoint, and I thoroughly enjoyed this wild ride.
Jillian Beckley is a down on her luck journalist who shows up for a grand opening of a trendy new restaurant to support the owner and best guy friend, Raf. After a chance meeting with a prominent New Yorker who is purported to lead an elite secret woman’s club, Jillian comes up with a plan to infiltrate and write an exposé on the club. The club is allegedly so powerful they can orchestrate rise and fall of a mayoral candidate and Jillian is determined to find out if any of it’s true.
Reviewer mea culpa, I judged this book by its cover. Squinting at a tiny book cover photo on my mobile was a silly error in judgement on my part because after finishing the book, I get it. It is perfect. This book is not a female version of the secretive all-male Bohemian Club but a thought-provoking, discussion-worthy examination of women’s empowerment, both good and bad—and at what cost?
If you are looking for something unique and fun and with a little romance threaded through, I highly recommend this book!
Thank you @laurahankin @letstalkbookspromo @berkelypublishing and @NetGalley for the eARC of this book. Opinions are my own.
Jillian Beckley is a down on her luck journalist who shows up for a grand opening of a trendy new restaurant to support the owner and best guy friend, Raf. After a chance meeting with a prominent New Yorker who is purported to lead an elite secret woman’s club, Jillian comes up with a plan to infiltrate and write an exposé on the club. The club is allegedly so powerful they can orchestrate rise and fall of a mayoral candidate and Jillian is determined to find out if any of it’s true.
Reviewer mea culpa, I judged this book by its cover. Squinting at a tiny book cover photo on my mobile was a silly error in judgement on my part because after finishing the book, I get it. It is perfect. This book is not a female version of the secretive all-male Bohemian Club but a thought-provoking, discussion-worthy examination of women’s empowerment, both good and bad—and at what cost?
If you are looking for something unique and fun and with a little romance threaded through, I highly recommend this book!
Thank you @laurahankin @letstalkbookspromo @berkelypublishing and @NetGalley for the eARC of this book. Opinions are my own.
May 4, 2021
3.5/5
Ok this one was unexpected! From the description I knew it was gonna be juicy, but I had no idea just how bat shit crazy it would actually be. I don’t want to give anything away, but things took a really surprising turn at one point and went in a wild direction that I mostly liked?! 🤨
I was thinking this would have mostly thriller vibes, even if I expected them to be on the lighter side with most of the action coming in towards the end. I was mostly right, but there was some fake dating, which I really didn’t even expect any romance so I was pleasantly surprised, but just know that’s a very minor part of the story. This really focused on women and the way the interact with one another and it was a fascinating look at powerful, boss bitch females. It was super unique too, I can’t even think of another book to compare it to actually. Try this if you’re in the mood for something fresh and weird, because things get really weird!
Ok this one was unexpected! From the description I knew it was gonna be juicy, but I had no idea just how bat shit crazy it would actually be. I don’t want to give anything away, but things took a really surprising turn at one point and went in a wild direction that I mostly liked?! 🤨
I was thinking this would have mostly thriller vibes, even if I expected them to be on the lighter side with most of the action coming in towards the end. I was mostly right, but there was some fake dating, which I really didn’t even expect any romance so I was pleasantly surprised, but just know that’s a very minor part of the story. This really focused on women and the way the interact with one another and it was a fascinating look at powerful, boss bitch females. It was super unique too, I can’t even think of another book to compare it to actually. Try this if you’re in the mood for something fresh and weird, because things get really weird!
February 18, 2023
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Format: Audio (thank you @prhaudio for the complimentary audiobook)
4.5🌟 - I really liked it!
This book is so fun! I knew it was going to be one I really liked, and I’m so glad I finally got to it. I love a high society with dark secrets story and this one checked all the boxes for it! It gave humor and feminism, and was the perfect audio listen!
Format: Audio (thank you @prhaudio for the complimentary audiobook)
4.5🌟 - I really liked it!
This book is so fun! I knew it was going to be one I really liked, and I’m so glad I finally got to it. I love a high society with dark secrets story and this one checked all the boxes for it! It gave humor and feminism, and was the perfect audio listen!
March 17, 2022
Perfect read for Women's History Month. Lots of good quotes & moments where I laughed out loud. It was a tad underwhelming, but then one of my favorite tropes appeared towards the end & saved a star 🤷🏽♀️
June 18, 2021
A Special Place for Women is the story of Nevertheless, an exclusive club for millennial women at the top of their game in New York City. Jillian, An ambitious journalist with a knack for bad luck one day finds herself inside the walls of this exclusive club, on the hunt for a story about what makes this group so special: You can't speak about the club in public, and no one knows who's really a member until you step inside. When Jillian becomes a member, she gets swept up in the magic of the club. Until she finds out what's behind a locked door...
This was a really fun read from an author who brings a lot of humor to her writing. It's definitely a light story - a sort of mix between GIRLBOSS and FIGHT CLUB, with plenty of moments to laugh along. But Hankin loves a good twist, and for those of you who fell in love with BIG SUMMER last year, here's a summery option that absolutely takes a turn worth sticking around for. It'll definitely make you wonder just what is it that powers those megawatt smiles on the faces of influencers, executives, and celebrities that we've come to know and love.
I liked this book - but I didn't love it. I do think many others will absolutely adore this twisty tale!
This was a really fun read from an author who brings a lot of humor to her writing. It's definitely a light story - a sort of mix between GIRLBOSS and FIGHT CLUB, with plenty of moments to laugh along. But Hankin loves a good twist, and for those of you who fell in love with BIG SUMMER last year, here's a summery option that absolutely takes a turn worth sticking around for. It'll definitely make you wonder just what is it that powers those megawatt smiles on the faces of influencers, executives, and celebrities that we've come to know and love.
I liked this book - but I didn't love it. I do think many others will absolutely adore this twisty tale!
June 25, 2021
What a wild ride! A secret society? An in over her head journalist? A pretend boyfriend? This book has it all! It’s funny & spooky & witty & had a little bit of everything. Plus it takes place in NYC!
I don’t even have the WORDS for what this book meant to me while I was reading it! Wow. Any woman in their twenties or thirties will likely identify with this book. I cannot recommend this book enough to all young adult women. Finding yourself & not letting men or careers define you… it’s hard. But hang on to your girlfriends. & believe in magic.
I don’t even have the WORDS for what this book meant to me while I was reading it! Wow. Any woman in their twenties or thirties will likely identify with this book. I cannot recommend this book enough to all young adult women. Finding yourself & not letting men or careers define you… it’s hard. But hang on to your girlfriends. & believe in magic.
January 16, 2023
Este es un libro que realmente me dice por qué no creo en el feminismo moderno, ya que algunas mujeres lo echan a perder. Pensé que era una sátira hasta que leí el final y me di cuenta de que todo el libro era completamente en serio.
Trata de un club social sólo para mujeres en la ciudad de Nueva York. Es muy exclusivo, tienes que pagar un montón de dinero para convertirte en un miembro de élite. Y esto es algo que realmente existe en la vida real. Se trata de fomentar una comunidad de girlbosses y mujeres apoyando a mujeres. Pero obviamente, como cuesta 1000 dólares al mes hacerse miembro, hay algunos problemas de clasismo aquí. La demografía de estos clubes sociales tiende a ser qwhite interesting sin la Q, si saben a lo que me refiero.
La protagonista es una periodista que decide irrumpir en el club y desenmascarar a estas chicas por lo que son, y por eso pensé que era una sátira, porque pensaba: "Oh, va a señalar el feminismo blanco y el elitismo y la fachada de la cultura girlboss y cómo es sólo una forma de feminizar el capitalismo". Y al principio, realmente lo hizo. Como la protagonista era crítica con todas esas cosas, observó que este club estaba formado mayoritariamente por mujeres blancas y lo ridículo que era que pagaras cuotas de socio tan caras. Las mujeres de este grupo eran tan caricaturescas hasta el punto de que pensé que esto tenía que ser una sátira.
Era muy franca sobre lo erróneo que era, pero luego cuando leí la segunda mitad del libro, me dije: "Oh, no, esto se está volviendo real". La forma en que la segunda mitad del libro se desarrolló, se convirtió exactamente en lo que la primera mitad se burlaba en primer lugar. Los temas en el libro no son en realidad las críticas que el personaje principal hace en la primera mitad, pero resulta que sólo trata de amistades, y de encontrar un lugar al que por fin puedes pertenecer.
Y yo estaba como: ¿Eh? ¿Qué pasó con literalmente todo lo que critica en la primera mitad? ¿Esas críticas son porque no pudiste encontrar un grupo de amigos? Porque chica, hay clases de gimnasia ahí fuera. Puedes tomar clases de yoga o algo así y unirte a un club.
Al final, se convirtió en un tema raro y cursi sobre ser aceptada finalmente. Pero es como, bueno, ¿qué significa realmente ser aceptado? ¿Por qué sólo ciertas personas son aceptadas en ciertos grupos? ¿Cómo es que no profundizamos más?
Y entonces me di cuenta de que la autora nunca tuvo la intención de hacer un mensaje como ese, lo cual es raro porque lo mencionó al principio. Así que mi teoría es que probablemente decidió hacer esos comentarios en la primera mitad del libro para parecer self aware de ello. Lo cual es una tontería, porque el hecho de serlo no te exime de nada de lo que te burlas.
Es como cuando la gente blanca es como, "Ugh, la gente blanca, ¿tengo razón?" Es como, vale, ¿qué vas a hacer al respecto? ¿Vas a seguir permitiendo que haya racismo? O es como cuando los hombres dicen "Ugh, los hombres son lo peor". Vale, bueno, sigues siendo un hombre, sigues participando en esta cosa que te está beneficiando. Entonces, ¿cuál es el punto de esto? Todo el potencial comentario reflexivo sólo va por el desagüe.
Trata de un club social sólo para mujeres en la ciudad de Nueva York. Es muy exclusivo, tienes que pagar un montón de dinero para convertirte en un miembro de élite. Y esto es algo que realmente existe en la vida real. Se trata de fomentar una comunidad de girlbosses y mujeres apoyando a mujeres. Pero obviamente, como cuesta 1000 dólares al mes hacerse miembro, hay algunos problemas de clasismo aquí. La demografía de estos clubes sociales tiende a ser qwhite interesting sin la Q, si saben a lo que me refiero.
La protagonista es una periodista que decide irrumpir en el club y desenmascarar a estas chicas por lo que son, y por eso pensé que era una sátira, porque pensaba: "Oh, va a señalar el feminismo blanco y el elitismo y la fachada de la cultura girlboss y cómo es sólo una forma de feminizar el capitalismo". Y al principio, realmente lo hizo. Como la protagonista era crítica con todas esas cosas, observó que este club estaba formado mayoritariamente por mujeres blancas y lo ridículo que era que pagaras cuotas de socio tan caras. Las mujeres de este grupo eran tan caricaturescas hasta el punto de que pensé que esto tenía que ser una sátira.
Era muy franca sobre lo erróneo que era, pero luego cuando leí la segunda mitad del libro, me dije: "Oh, no, esto se está volviendo real". La forma en que la segunda mitad del libro se desarrolló, se convirtió exactamente en lo que la primera mitad se burlaba en primer lugar. Los temas en el libro no son en realidad las críticas que el personaje principal hace en la primera mitad, pero resulta que sólo trata de amistades, y de encontrar un lugar al que por fin puedes pertenecer.
Y yo estaba como: ¿Eh? ¿Qué pasó con literalmente todo lo que critica en la primera mitad? ¿Esas críticas son porque no pudiste encontrar un grupo de amigos? Porque chica, hay clases de gimnasia ahí fuera. Puedes tomar clases de yoga o algo así y unirte a un club.
Al final, se convirtió en un tema raro y cursi sobre ser aceptada finalmente. Pero es como, bueno, ¿qué significa realmente ser aceptado? ¿Por qué sólo ciertas personas son aceptadas en ciertos grupos? ¿Cómo es que no profundizamos más?
Y entonces me di cuenta de que la autora nunca tuvo la intención de hacer un mensaje como ese, lo cual es raro porque lo mencionó al principio. Así que mi teoría es que probablemente decidió hacer esos comentarios en la primera mitad del libro para parecer self aware de ello. Lo cual es una tontería, porque el hecho de serlo no te exime de nada de lo que te burlas.
Es como cuando la gente blanca es como, "Ugh, la gente blanca, ¿tengo razón?" Es como, vale, ¿qué vas a hacer al respecto? ¿Vas a seguir permitiendo que haya racismo? O es como cuando los hombres dicen "Ugh, los hombres son lo peor". Vale, bueno, sigues siendo un hombre, sigues participando en esta cosa que te está beneficiando. Entonces, ¿cuál es el punto de esto? Todo el potencial comentario reflexivo sólo va por el desagüe.
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