A Special Place for Women by Laura Hankin

Brenda’s review

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.