People Like Her

by Ellery Lloyd

A razor-sharp, wickedly smart suspense debut about an ambitious influencer mom whose soaring success threatens her marriage, her morals, and her family’s safety.

Followed by Millions, Watched by One

To her adoring fans, Emmy Jackson, aka @the_mamabare, is the honest “Instamum” who always tells it like it is. 

To her skeptical husband, a washed-up novelist who knows just how creative Emmy can be with the truth, she is a breadwinning powerhouse chillingly brilliant at monetizing the intimate details of their family life.

To one of Emmy’s dangerously obsessive followers, she’s the woman that has everything—but deserves none of it.  

As Emmy’s marriage begins to crack under the strain of her growing success and her moral compass veers wildly off course, the more vulnerable she becomes to a very real danger circling ever closer to her family.

In this deeply addictive tale of psychological suspense, Ellery Lloyd raises important questions about technology, social media celebrity, and the way we live today. Probing the dark side of influencer culture and the perils of parenting online, People Like Her explores our desperate need to be seen and the lengths we’ll go to be liked by strangers. It asks what—and who—we sacrifice when make our private lives public, and ultimately lose control of who we let in. . . .

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Audiobook, Contemporary, Suspense

288 pages, Hardcover

First published January 12, 2021

About the author

Ellery Lloyd is the pseudonym for New York Times Bestselling husband-and-wife writing team Collette Lyons and Paul Vlitos.

Collette is a journalist and editor, the former content director of Elle (UK) and editorial director at Soho House. She has written for The Guardian, The Telegraph, and the Sunday Times.

Paul is the author of two previous novels, Welcome to the Working Week and Every Day is Like Sunday. He is Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Greenwich.

Reviews

[Lisa of Troy · Rating 3 out of 5]

See my video review here: https://youtu.be/gm6gtdXYhgA

In People Like Her, we are introduced to a UK family: Emmy, Dan, Coco, and Bear. However, Emmy has an unusual job--she is a social media personality! She has a large following and plays into her fans, crafting a polished story to be portrayed and offering placating support. One fan is not that happy with Emmy which puts her entire family in danger. How will this story end?

This book had one of the strongest beginnings-I was laughing so much that people were asking me, "What's so funny?" When I was at university, it was funny to see people taking these over-the-top and extremely fake pictures for social media, obviously trying to prove to someone that he/she was much happier than actuality. Additionally, this book raised some great points for discussion. What do you post online? What are the rules/guidelines? How do you safely post material online? What are the rules with kids and the Internet? This book really would have been great to read in a book club. This book also provided additional information about social media--apparently, the social media personalities can have agents and can receive all kinds of free stuff.

This book also had some serious flaws. The format of the book was that Emmy and/or Dan would have 50 pages and the fan would have 1-2 pages leaving the book in an undefined genre: Was this book a fiction story about social media or is it supposed to be a thriller? The thriller components were not evenly balanced so it seemed a bit off. Additionally, the characters in the book were not particularly likeable so it was hard to feel very invested. And last, but most importantly, the ending didn't make sense. At all.

If you are interested, Ellery Lloyd does have a new book coming out March 31, 2022 called The Club.

2024 Reading Schedule
Jan Middlemarch
Feb The Grapes of Wrath
Mar Oliver Twist
Apr Madame Bovary
May A Clockwork Orange
Jun Possession
Jul The Folk of the Faraway Tree Collection
Aug Crime and Punishment
Sep Heart of Darkness
Oct Moby-Dick
Nov Far From the Madding Crowd
Dec A Tale of Two Cities

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[Val ⚓️ Shameless Handmaiden ⚓️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Underrated.

Starting with a tangent: In my 2022 quest to downsize my physical tbr, I did a GR looksie at my physical tbr shelf and found the lowest rated books I own.

Spoiler alert: out of 236 total books (at the time I was doing this) this was the third lowest rated at something like 3.35 stars. So I considered just decluttering it without giving it a go; however, before doing so, I checked to see if any of my friends had read/rated it. And, not only did I see that a couple super discerning friends of mine liked it...I saw that my homie, Kelly the Book Boar really liked it. As in, rated it 4 stars. High praise indeed.

So I sat down that same day and started this thing, and well...In my opinion, and as I said above, this book is super underrated.

I could write an extended social commentary piece about this thing to rival an old college paper, but alas, I will save you all the long-winded pretentiousness and outright boredom and just say this:

This book has a lot of great things to say about social media and the way in which it's changing our world. It covers all sides of so many aisles, in so many different ways. And within the walls of a thriller-esque chick-flick novel, mind you.

Who would have thought.

Anyway.

I was really impressed with this book as a whole. As someone equal parts perplexed, fascinated, and disgusted by the modern advent of the influencer/vlogger/You-Tube/IG/TikTok star phenomenon, this book both solidified my concerns...and challenged them.

And I really thought the ending was well done as well.

Ignore the cover (it doesn't really suit the the book, in my opinion) and take a chance on this if the blurb sounds interesting to you. I personally really enjoyed it and have found myself thinking about it a lot since finishing it.

[Michael David (on hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

#Mamabare
#Influencer
#Instamum
#Hashtaganythingandeverything

As the #hashtags indicate, this book is about a social media influencer named Emmy Jackson. She’s the proud mother of two young children, and has made her way from magazine fashion editor to having her own influencer brand.

Her shtick? Mamabare - A mom who bares her soul about how difficult it can be with young children. Sleepless nights, vomit on clothing, bags under eyes. Her 1 million followers love how honest and relatable she is. Before Emmy knew it, her Instagram profile took off as her “fans” loved hearing her motivational speaking about how all of the negatives are worth it to have her wonderful children.

Problem #1 is that she exaggerates. Emmy really does love her children and her husband, but she isn’t as harried as she likes others to believe. It’s what makes #s. Nobody in the UK wants to see a happy mother who has it together, so she fibs here and there.

Problem #2 is that because Emmy wants to be loved by everyone and says whatever is necessary to increase her influence lifestyle (without thinking of repercussions), someone has a vendetta against her. This person will do whatever it takes to make Emmy pay for the injustices she carelessly causes.

Ellery Lloyd, a pseudonym for wife-and-husband authors Collette Lyons and Paul Vlitos, does a stellar job revealing the darker side of social media. It can be dangerous and addicting - mentally and physically - for some people using sites like Instagram (or Insta...as the cool cats like to call it). Not to mention, most social media in this day and age really isn’t that fun due to the state of our world right now. 🤦‍♂️

But I digress.

The story gets quite dark as things progress, and it’s easy to get lost in the pages as the suspense increases. You know what else increased? My hatred for the characters. There is no question that some people will do anything for fame and influencers, and that is evident here. Despite my disdain towards these folks, it’s an intriguing and sometimes emotional tale that that hooked me...and kept me on my feet. I was never sure how everything would wrap up.

#Dark
#Diabolical
#Realistic
#EndOfReview

#OneMore

#3.5stars

Review also posted at: https://bonkersforthebooks.wordpress.com

[Frank Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, let me put it out there that I think social media is incredibly silly, and influencers are not professionals in any way, except maybe in the art of illusion, so I believe any advice an influencer gives should be taken with a grain of salt. With that being said, I was apprehensive to pick up another book about an Instastar (Instagram Star), but I'd heard and seen so many great things and it was also a December BOTM selection, so I decided to give it a shot, which I am so glad I did!! What a sinister, wickedly well-crafted tale this was about the potential harm influencers can cause with idle words and just how dangerous it can be to have complete strangers like, and even worse, follow your every move. This book hit close to home, as several years ago I was the victim of a robbery at my home (thankfully when I was not home), on account of my roommate at the time's posting and oversharing our personal details, including where we lived! I mean, who else would have known we would be out for a two hour window in the middle of the day on a Sunday? Our online 'friends' and 'followers,' that's who!
Moving on, this was most likely my favorite thriller of 2020, and I absolutely recommend anyone looking for dark, edge-of-your-seat entertainment, go out and get this ASAP! I was literally enthralled and stayed up until the wee hours of the morning New Year's day reading this to completion. That's saying A LOT, because I love my beauty rest!!
The perspectives provided came from our protagonist Emmy Jackson, aka @the_mamabare, a #1 Instamum influencer with millions of followers. At the beginning of this novel, the perspectives alternate between her and her struggling novelist husband Dan, illustrating how envy can creep up in a marriage when one spouse, especially the wife, succeeds and the other spouse flails (or fails, you decide). After a few chapters of thinking this would be about what was once a happy marriage, and has now become a toxic and negative one, we are introduced to a third and unidentified perspective. This is when things picked up, and all hell broke loose and I became enthralled. This perspective is definitely not a fan of Emmy's and is actually an obsessed stalker, with vengeance planned, but we aren't told why or how until the last quarter of the book, and at that point I was in for the long haul! This was the most intense read I read in 2020, because there was just no telling how events would transpire, which had me hooked! I love it when I know that the good guy might very well perish unexpectedly, it adds an element of surprise that I crave! As one can probably imagine, I went through a wide range of emotions while reading this, which is always a sign of great storytelling, IMO, and I was blown away with the final reveal and how events unraveled. I especially enjoyed the slight hint of perhaps a follow-up story at the end, fingers crossed!! Bravo Ellery Lloyd, you have gained a steadfast fan, and I simply can't wait to read more of your work!!

[Jennifer · Rating 1 out of 5]

Another waste of a BotM pick.

This sounded good, but isn't. First of all, I don't know who edited this, but they need a new job. I actually, for the first time in my life, felt the need to highlight all of the errors in the first 50 pages before I gave up on this book. Here are some examples:

1. In the first Dan chapter, he says, "I am not calling my wife a liar." Then he goes on in the next paragraph to explain how she goes about lying to her fans. He says there's a difference between bullshitting and ly ing, and gives examples of both, which are both lying. There is no difference. She is flat out lying to everyone the way he puts it. In pages that follow, at least the ones I read, she continuously lies to everybody.

2. The first time you find yourself reading from the stalker's point of view, there is no header, and they start talking in the middle of a Dan chapter. Legit, the header says Dan, so you expect it to be Dan's POV, and it all of a sudden starts this small section in all italics for absolutely no reason, and with no explanation of what just happened. Sure, I'm smart, I can figure it out eventually, but why is this in a Dan section? I don't care what you have to title it, but you title it something and don't put it in someone else's POV section.

3. This one made me very confused: "an evening so hot that most people were standing outside on the pavement."
......... Wait it's so hot outside that these people are all standing outside in the heat, on the pavement, which is no doubt putting off probably the most heat compared to, I don't know standing inside where the air conditioning was? Or in the shade on the grass? Wtf is this?!

There's more, but I want to get to the more important issue at hand: neither, I repeat neither, MC is likable. The authors spend SO MUCH TIME telling us why Dan and Emmy are terrible people. She flat out lies to her child. During an interview he stands aside and reads his own book and chuckles randomly. Even in the story of when they first met, she lies about being single and he finds out she's been dating someone else for three years and she just kind of goes oh, oh well, I just hadn't gotten around to telling him I'm seeing someone else. How is that not a huge red flag for Dan?

Lastly, and then I'll be done with my rant on this horrible book, the prologue is unnecessary and pointless because we can just figure out on our own that there is a stalker coming. And speaking of the stalker, at least the parts I read, her parts are unnecessary as well. The book can go through from Emmy and Dan's point of view and still have readers understand there's a stalker without their point of view.

This is a terrible book, and I'm starting to really question the choices book of the month makes. If I strike out a third time like this with an awful book I've had to spend money on, I'm going to stop subscribing. That's how bad this book was: I want to quit the place that gave it to me.

[Ceecee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emmeline Jackson is ‘mamabare’ an Instamum and a huge ‘brand’ with many followers. She is married to Dan, a writer and they have a daughter Coco who is four and a baby boy named Bear who are used in the brand. Their story is told in alternating points of view, interspersed with an as yet unknown person on a revengeful course of destruction.

The story hooks you in immediately, you know something awful is happening and it then backtracks and unfolds well. The alternating perspectives is absolutely fascinating as their perception of events is almost polar opposite. My sympathy for much of the book lies with Dan until the end when I realise that these two deserve everything they get. Have they no boundaries? Emmy’s life is a bilious inducing micromanaged, manipulated one and so forced and fake it confirms everything I’ve always thought about ‘Insta stars’. Yeah, yeah, I know, paint me green and call me The Grinch 😂. Then she starts to get somewhat tired and jaded with it all - well, boo, hoo! There’s one unforgivable thing she does to her oldest friend Polly that shocks to the core as it’s cynical and a vile betrayal. There are some really good moments of creepiness, there’s alarm, panic and tension as the obsessive revenge seeker ups the ante and how. There are several really good twists as you reach the finale and well played Ellery Lloyd as you sure fool me!!! It’s clever and leaves you wondering and pondering just when ..........

Overall, it’s a well written novel with a good premise and plot. It’s a compelling, easy to read psychological thriller which I recommend to fans of the genre.

4-5 stars.

With thanks to NetGalley and Pan McMillan/ Mantle for the arc for an honest review.

[JanB · Rating 4 out of 5]

Followed by Millions, Watched by One

Set in London, Emmy is a successful influencer, a mummy blogger who is showing the world all the struggles and challenges as a mom –the good, the bad, and the ugly. But mostly the ugly, which makes her much loved and relatable among moms over the world.

Who wants to see the perfect mum and family? " when it comes to online life, mothers just don’t respond well to other mothers’ success – if comparison is the thief of joy, Instagram is the cat burglar of contentment.”

Her platform is based on total honesty - Right?!

There are 3 narrators:
Emmy, aka “mamabare” the wildly successful “Instamum” influencer. You will not like her, which is, of course, the point.
Dan, the fed-up husband who is sick of his wife’s monetizing every mundane moment of their family’s life. But Emmy’s job pays the bills. He struck just the right note of snark and serious which I loved. His commentary, especially in the beginning, was hilarious.
The nameless stalker: a person who is obsessed with “mamabare” and has a personal vendetta against her. She is plotting to take her down. Emmy must suffer as she has suffered. But why? The why and how she does so ramps up the tension and makes for riveting reading.

*As an aside, their children’s names are Coco and Bear. Who names their kids Coco and Bear? In the beginning when I’d hear their names I thought they were talking about their dogs 🤷🏻‍♀️

But, back to the story. This was a brilliant look into social media while also being a thrilling page-turner. I was hooked from the beginning, and the tension only grew as I listened. The alternating viewpoints was a device that worked brilliantly in this book and kept the pages flipping furiously (metaphorically speaking, since this was an audio). The last half of the book is when the story begins to take some dark twisty turns.

I listened to this on audio, with a cast of narrators. Their performances were excellent and definitely enhanced the experience of reading this book. It was pure fun, and I HIGHLY recommend listening to this one!

4.5 stars

Ellery Lloyd is a pseudonym for two authors, Collette Lyons and Paul Vlitos, a husband and wife team. I can’t wait to see what they do next.

[Jennifer ~ TarHeelReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick thoughts:

A thriller about a social media mom influencer, People Like Her is exciting and addictive right from the very start. Emmy has mastered being an influencer and appearances of the perfect life, but underneath it all, there are cracks and troubles bubbling away.

This is a book I devoured in one sitting; dark, troubling, full of secrets, intriguing, and even emotional at times. Also, can I just say, I love that title with double meaning!

I received a gifted copy.

Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader

[B · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maybe a 2.5, but I’m leaning towards 2.
I just felt so unsatisfied in the end. The great reveal of the mystery stalker was anticlimactic and honestly just sad (like depressing sad, not poorly done- though the motive seemed a little loose). The parents were both bad people most of the time, too caught up in their own heads and annoyed with each other to make me want to root for either of them. And the take on being an influencer? I mean, I’m sure that’s true for some people, it just felt like the most extreme scenario to me.
Also the twist at the end? All I could think was “… okay?” It didn’t even feel like a twist. where was the intimidation?

[Eva K (journeyofthepages) · Rating 2 out of 5]

First. TRIGGERS: EVERYTHING related to fertility and babies - multiple miscarriages, multiple abortions, fertility treatments, infertility, death of an infant, motherhood and some condescension of all of the above.

I know for a fact that being triggered by this book plays a big role in my mostly ambivalent but overall negative take on it. Being in the throws of my own fertility battles, this book was a difficult one to read without getting choked up in anger and in sadness. 

To be clear, People Like Her by Ellery Lloyd (a pseudonym for husband and wife co-authors) is a very interesting read - the concept is brilliant for a thriller and I believe most thriller lovers would enjoy it! At times, the writing was a little choppy and I got lost in the train of thought but overall, it really grips the reader. The story is exceptionally relevant to our times and especially to everyone who maintains a public Instagram account. 

In no way, shape or form, is it my intention to insult the authors! They wrote a debut thriller that as a thriller is great! It is definitely a nail biting, stomach churning suspense with several interesting twists. I can absolutely see why this book was picked for BOTM and many people like it. The topic just wasn't for me. 

It is unlike me to write a somewhat negative review but I felt it was needed as this book is growing in popularity but, like most books, comes without trigger warnings. If my warning protects just one mother or a woman aching to be a mother from unnecessary hurt then my review is worth it.

Thank you for reading my review on Goodreads! Follow me on Instagram (@journeyofthepages) for further bookish engagement! www.instragram.com/journeyofthepages I hope to meet you there!

[ReadAlongWithSue recovering from a stroke★⋆. ࿐࿔ · Rating 4 out of 5]

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To me this was a very good, well written topical online media suspense.

We never know just what we are giving away, revealing to the world on the Internet. Not one of us are excempt from this. I’ve seen people put online they are on holiday yet in the past has added photos or check in maps revealing where they live.

This veers around a young mother on Instagram who ends up with a huge amount of followers. She adds more and more photos and plenty of her young child.

Her husband had many reservations and concerns about this.

But this mummy grew and grew in popularity and she’s now earning big money.

We all know that there are plenty online who have “opinions” and they certainly make them known!

We know how things can spread from one social media platform to the next! It’s full of gossip, backbiting and lies. And pretence.

Those are some of the downside.

I was hooked to this book not so much on the story but how topical this in and relevant in this day and age.

Letting our guard down online can reach consequences that are awful.

Made me think.

[Mando Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m annoyed.

[Arna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eye opening book into the world of influencing.

⚠️ Possibly mild spoilers below ⚠️

I’ve seen all your mixed reviews and was looking forward to seeing if I would love it.

And for the first half I did, after I got passed how annoying Emmy is but then it went downhill.

I found Emmy to be insufferable, there wasn’t anything she wasn’t willing to exploit for the sake of the gram, including miscarriage. How that whole situation was handled was insensitive and horrible.

The big twist and person/reason behind it all was also so crazy. Though, it does highlight a very real issue of society putting ‘influencers’ on a pedestal and taking their word as gospel even though everything they’re posting and saying is due to a big pay cheque and staying ‘on brand.’

When you really think about it the whole concept is unsettling, which I do think this book highlighted well. It’s a reminder that someone’s opinion whether they have 100,000 followers or 100 followers is worth the same. And that it is just an opinion. Not expert advice and should be taken with a grain of salt.

Okay, rant over. 🤗 though People Like Her is fiction and extreme, I recommend if you want a behind glimpse of the world of influencing.

Thank you Pan Macmillan Australia for a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. 💖🌿

[Brittany · Rating 2 out of 5]

Is this considered a thriller? I don’t know. If it is, it shouldn’t be. The first 200 pages were so boring. All this build up. All this suspicion. Betrayal. Emmy sucked. Straight up sucked. And Dan hated her for it. But then once he can use it for his advantage to be the breadwinner, he turns into everything he hates? And the break in/photo scam had nothing to do with the abduction? Eh. Why even put that in there. It serves no purpose. You’re also telling me Dan and Irene solved this crime in 10 minutes. I don’t think so. I appreciated the look into the life of a real life instastar and the backlash, pressure, and intrigue that brings but that was probably the only part of the book I enjoyed. I wanted to like this but I just wasn’t there.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my December BOTM and just so happens to be the second book in a row I've read where the protagonist is a rabid social media influencer, who lives a pretend life with the singular goal of more followers, clicks, and likes. And while it makes for a great storyline, it's also horrifying and despicable.

"Followed by Millions, Watched by One" is the catchy back cover blurb. Emmy Jackson (mamabare), is the "honest" British mum of two young children, who always tells it like it is on Instagram. Her husband, Dan (papabare), is a washed-up novelist, who knows just how "creative" Emmy is with her truth; but as she is the breadwinner thanks to all of her endorsement deals and appearances, he goes along with the game, but he is also growing increasingly bitter with his wife and their fake life. If that isn't enough, to one of Emmy’s obsessive followers though, she’s the woman that has everything, but deserves none of it, and this person is determined to make her pay dearly.

In this debut revenge thriller, Lloyd does a chillingly brilliant job at monetizing the intimate details of the Jackson family life, and Emmy's obsession with her social media platform. The story is told by three narrators: Emily, Dan, and the mystery follower, who definitely helps to moves the plot along. You know from their chapters that this person feels deeply hurt by Emmy, but you don’t know exactly who it is or what their motive really is. Through the three narrators, Lloyd probes the dark side of the influencer culture and the perils of living your life wide open to everyone online and how easily it then becomes to lose control of who we let in to our "inner circle." I can't say that I really connected with any of the characters - Emmy and Dan are both self-centered narcissists (I would never follow either one of them on Instagram lol), and they never seem to learn their lesson; however, they are both memorable and make for good protagonists you love to hate.

I did think that the reason behind the obsessive follower was a bit extreme and not overly plausible (although there are a lot of crazies out there), but the eerie cliffhangers kept me reading, and the last few pages had one of those "wtf" moments that I didn't expect.

Overall, an addictive, quick read that comes with a warning label about technology, social media influencers, and the way we live our real and virtual lives. I look forward to what Ellery Lloyd will come up with next. 4 stars!

[Kelly (and the Book Boar) · Rating 4 out of 5]

All I needed to know about this was that it was about an “Influencer” and I was all like . . . .



In case you don’t know me, here is a gif featuring a cuter version of myself that sums things up in a nutshell . . . .



I am a voyeur to the nth degree and absolutely get off on reality trash any time I’m not reading. I will confess that my Peeping Tom status remains pretty stilted when it comes to the intertubes – mainly because I find the majority of users who think they are big shit to be absolutely insufferable with only an unhealthy addiction to social media to show for it, along with some fairly shady behaviors such as like swapping or just being gross humans by following to unfollow. (I do, however, watch those gals put makeup on ALL. THE. TIME. over on the YouTube . . . even though I still don’t know how to do it myself.)

But I digress. While I don’t wish to engage with the self-proclaimed Influencer, I do remain amazed that there are those who can make their living shilling others’ wares and becoming the next Cady Haron . . .



While I sit in my house attempting to register for the next Dr. Rick seminar thanks to the likes of Joanna Gaines and others on HGTV . . . .



But again I digress and declare I was allllllll in as soon as I read this . . . .

I just go about my business, sharing my unfiltered family life and hopefully starting a more authentic discussion about parenting. I built this brand on honesty, and I’ll always tell it like it is.

Dan: Bullshit. Bullshit bullshit bullshit bullshit bullshit.

So pretty much I thought this was going to be all Instagram vs. Reality . . . .



Unfortunately that wasn’t the only thing going on. In case you haven’t heard me mention 85,000 times already – I am not much of a fan when it comes to the revenge trope. My rating here is an obvious reflection of that. What this story had going for it was the “normal” stuff about social media that has such a trainwreck allure. Users who sell their souls for “likes,” or buy thousands of bot followers to appear popular, or declare their phony fake personas and lifestyles a “brand” and have to think real hard about whether they are okay with going “off brand,” or oversharing their children’s lives (who clearly have no say in the matter because they are generally babies or elementary aged at the most since those are the only ones who will create quality cute “content” for the stalkers fans, and speaking of fans – how quickly the masses can turn into haters should their favorite account post the wrong thing or not appear “woke” or sensitive enough with regard to any hot button issue of the moment, or the Influencer becomes “internet famous” only to find their accounts hacked or stolen because at the end of the day they are using a site that belongs to someone else - for free, no less – and that entity isn’t really in business to help other people create a business. I mean, come on, it’s the internet - everybody is out to get you, or at least troll you. Take it from the original Turtle Sucker herself! There just wasn’t any need as far as I’m concerned for an actual “I’m gonna get you, sucka” narrative.

So there’s my therapeutic ramble featuring nearly zero booktalk and a shitton of social commentary. This book would have been 4.5 Stars for me without the addition of an actual bad guy. As it sits, I’m going with 3.5 and rounding up because I’m a real swell gal. Just ask my 14 Instagram followers ; )

Dear NetGalley, you can go ahead and decline my request that has been pending for the last eleventy months. I already read it.

[Melissa (Semi Hiatus Until After the Holidays) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a very intriguing look at the modern world of Instagram influencers centered on Emmy and her mega-following of fellow moms. Emmy "bares all" on her "Momstagram" page MamaBare, where she tells life as it is raising two young children. Or so she wants her followers to believe. The reality is a much more staged, much more structured work, complete with an agent, sponsors, and a personal assistant.

People like Her is a pretty cynical look at Emmy's life, mostly through the eyes of her husband Dan, who is a novelist from many years before who has yet to come up with another book. He pulls the curtain back for the reader to peek behind and shows just how much of the life Emmy portrays online is curated (which is pretty much all of it).

I liked this book because I'm familiar with people who are Social Media-Famous. I cannot even imagine how much more than a full time job this would be, and how challenging it would be. Fame comes with a cost, and all of these characters pay for it in some way.

That said, I didn't care much for any of the characters. The book gets really dark toward the end and I did gasp out loud when I thought the authors were going in a particular direction. Even then, I still had a great deal of difficulty mustering up any bit of sympathy for them because this is a life they chose to live and the perks seemed to outweigh the drawbacks (for Emmy and Dan), at least until the bad things began to happen, yet even then...

Overall though, it's a worthwhile read in a very voyeuristic way, particularly if you know anything about social media or have people you follow regularly online. It will definitely open your eyes to what really goes on and how there is an ugly side of the fame.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.

[JaymeO · Rating 3 out of 5]

⚠️Warning⚠️

Social media is hazardous to your health and safety!

Emmy Jackson is the_mamabare, an Instagram influencer who blogs about the trials and tribulations of being a mommy. Known for keeping it real, she details her family’s everyday life with constant posts, delivering sage advice to her followers. But all is not what it seems, as Emmy fakes her way to the top. Her husband Dan is fed up with the exploitation of his family, but is relying on Emmy’s income until his next book is published. When Emmy’s advice has a negative impact on a follower named Grace, her mother takes matters into her own hands. Watch out! There is a price to pay for popularity and fame.

This book starts off really slowly, alternating narrations from Emmy, Dan, and a mystery woman. Although I couldn’t figure out where the plot was headed, I plowed through. The pace really picks up closer to the end than I would have liked, but if you can get there, it is worth it! Emmy is not a very likable character, so it is difficult to really pull for her. Dan also puts her down an awful lot, which made me dislike him too. Trigger alert for those who don’t like to read about kidnappings, because this book has those as well. Fortunately, I really liked the direction the book went in the end and the final twists are cleverly plotted. This book gives the reader a good look inside the real life of a social media influencer, showcasing its many rewards and dangers.

3.5/5 stars

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW I was completely hooked from the first to the final page and nothing could drag me away from this book!!

I’m not a fan of Instagram and have never paid influencers much notice, but this book opened my eyes to the horrors of social media.

Emmeline Jackson an instamum has many followers, she is married to Dan and has 2 children, Coco who is 4 and baby Bear. Dan is not keen on his children’s pictures being online but knows his wife’s career is important to her. But someone is out there in the background watching and planning revenge!!

The story gave me goosebumps, I loved how it is told in alternate chapters, you know something bad is going to happen but it’s told in bite size pieces that slowly builds the tension up to boiling point!!

If you are a fan of psychological thrillers then you will love this book.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review

[Mandy White (mandylovestoread) · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Followed by millions, stalked by one" really does sum this book up so well. I had heard such great things about this book and I couldn't wait to dive in. The hype is real people, this is one book that you do not want to miss. It is a clever story, told from multiple points of view that ramped up the suspense.

Emmy Jackson is an "Instamum" with over a million followers. She is married to Dan, a writer , and they have 2 small children. She has built up a following with her "real" struggles as a mother. But what you see on social media is not always the truth is it? She is relatable to other struggling mothers and makes a living out of bearing it all online. But it is not all likes and free products. Somebody is out to get her, and becomes obsessed with hurting her.

People Like Her is an addictive and fun read. The main character of Emmy is not particularly likeable and her decisions are questionable. But it does highlight the dangers of putting your life on social media and tweaking the truth.

Thanks to MacMillan Australia for my advanced copy of this book to read.

[Dannii Elle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emmy is a wife to writer husband, Dan, and mum to two adorable little ones, Coco and Bear. But, to her millions of Instagram followers, she is @mamabare. Whilst so many social media users attempt to make their lives appear more perfectly filtered and artfully lit, Emmy has cultivated a constructed chaos as her brand. She is the relatable face of motherhood who, or so she appears, deals with all the same sleepless nights, public meltdowns, and leaking maternity bras as everyone else. The fact that she now also earns a living from sharing her woes online is merely a fortune by-product of aiding others with her authenticity. Honest.

I found this to provide such an interesting insight to what is still a relatively new profession. The fakery of the influencer lifestyle was often galling to read about and I sometimes felt myself riled by Emmy's attempts at appearing to empower others when really her aim was to cash in on the charged emotions of the mamas who followed her.

Emmy made horrendous choices throughout this novel but, for me, the ultimate villain remained social media in general. Emmy is merely a cog in their machine and she is very well aware for how quickly she can be deemed a spare part and tossed into the scrapheap. Leading the 'instamum' pack does not come without a gruelling, full-time, and overwhelming workload!

This thriller also opened the other dark side of social media - the one where nameless and faceless individuals are provided with a visible and much followed target to hurl their abuse and pain at. Some of these were mere keyboard warriors but sometimes they were not. Sometimes they wanted some of the seemingly effortless success that Emmy had created. Sometimes they wanted so much more from her.

I was sometimes sickened, sometimes angered, but always engrossed in the events unfolding here. Lloyd has crafted a cleverly constructed thriller and the multitude of evils, in varying degrees, that featured also ensured this to be also a thought-provoking read.

I achieved a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Ellery Lloyd, and the publisher, Pan Macmillan, for this opportunity.

[Chelsey (a_novel_idea11) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emmy is an Instamum - a famous Instagram social media influencer - living in England. With over a million followers, she’s the leader in her niche. She prides herself on her honesty and real-ness, but really, it’s all a facade to make her more likable and more relatable in order to gain more followers which translates into more dollars.

Dan, Emmy’s husband, is a struggling writer. His first novel eight years ago was quite a success but his second novel has been in progress ever since. For as much as his wife’s career troubles and annoys him, he can’t deny it pays the bills and provides them with lifestyle that he cannot.

A third, unknown character slowly reveals herself by sharing information about her traumatic and tragic past. Through these pages, we also learn that she attributes the root cause of her pain directly to Emmy, and that Emmy must pay for this.

What unfolds is a sinister, twisty novel about an internet famous family pretending to be “regular people” and what happens when a follower decides to take a step beyond the screen.

I could not flip the pages fast enough. I was completely absorbed by the stories of Emmy, Dan, and the mystery narrator and love that they each told their stories from their own perspectives. The story took turns I wasn’t expecting which I also absolutely loved.

Though the novel on the whole was dark, much of the story was fun and wildly entertaining. As a humble #bookstagrammer trying to make my mark in an impressive community, I was absolutely fascinated by the workings of a full time, professional influencer. I know how much time and effort goes into my small page and I just can’t imagine what goes into getting and keeping that many followers.

I also loved how “real” the story felt. It was a totally plausible concept and the build up and execution all worked perfectly. Even though Emmy and Dan took every precaution, they were still exposing themselves to millions of strangers, making themselves and their children vulnerable and exposed. I thought much of the backlash and effects of being instafamous were well addressed and also well researched.

This is one that can’t be missed and I wholeheartedly recommend!

Thank you to HarperCollins and NetGalley for a copy of this fantastic novel.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

People Like Her is a fantastic, thought provoking thriller that raises some great issues about sharing family life online. Unlike most Instagram lifestyle thrillers, this one isn't a condemnation of sharing online but instead asks what is "real life" when it's carefully created and orchestrated to look perfect or maximize engagement? Is it wrong to do this when it's clear that *no one* posting on social media is ever totally truthful?

It's also a great thriller with complex, fascinating main characters. Emmy, who worked in magazines before pivoting to be an Instamum, and Dan, her husband who was once a semi successful novelist who wants to be famous on his own but is now living off Emmy's tightly packed and extremely well orchestrated online life.

Emmy and Dan both are manipulative and seem to use each other while unaware of how deep each other's deception, self and otherwise, runs. It makes for fascinating reading, especially as People Like Her is all about how we try to create ourselves and our lives. And throwing the creation of a perfect life online adds even more complexity.

The thriller part is pretty standard but Emmy and Dan's reactions to the person determined to hurt them and what they do is brilliant! I also loved the twist at the end.

In case it wasn't obvious, I loved this and think People Like Her is an absolute must read--I hope this clever novel finds the audience it deserves! Very highly recommended and one of the best books of 2021.

[Nila (digitalcreativepages) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whoa!! A thrilling debut that kept me enraptured from the beginning. Social media and its dangers were completely explored in this book.

Emmy was a successful influencer with her own brand. Her husband Dan did not like the children's pics on social media, but couldn't do much in the force of Emmy's personality. Entered the darkness which soon followed Emmy and laid down its claws onto her. Destruction was the foregone conclusion.

Having read many books in this genre, it was wonderful how the author could make her words express the emotions she wanted to convey. The story might seem familiar but its treatment was certainly different. It was quite thought-provoking. The characters were well developed, each one was contrary to the author. I couldn't help feeling scared for them as danger tightened its web.

The author dove into the human psyche to show the workings of the damaged mind. Emotions came through while reading. I was always wary of social media, post reading this I was petrified.

Overall, the book dealt with the good and the bad aspects of social media. I was especially engrossed as I wanted to get to the end and unmask the psycho terrorizing Emmy and her family. Quite unexpected was the end, I had to hold my breath for that one.

[M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprisingly one of the more creepy thrillers I have read this year, People Like Her really leans into the paranoias of being a parent. It also has some really interesting conversations involving the ethicality of being an "Instamum" and the cons to constantly documenting your children online.

I first found this book really hard to get into, mostly because of the constant use of the hashtags and these very cringey influencer terms like "blogger mommy". But in that way, I definitely think it was written in a way that was supposed to make you cringe and was supposed to make you feel like this entire life Emmy is living in is so artificial and childish.

But I really did enjoy reading the different perspectives. They were varied and each had a great use in propelling the story. I'm also happy that Lloyd wrote from a male perspective which we close to never see in current day thrillers.

Another thing that really works is there is a massive amount of suspense throughout reading. The messages we get from Emmy's "stalker" only bring up tiny pieces of information, but doesn't spoil their evil plans. So while we usually get the perspective of the stalker later on, that perspective never ruins the shock of the "incidents" that occur.

I'll also probably be in the extremely unpopular opinion here, but I wish the author hadn't included the epilogue. I'll try writing this without spoiling anything, but if the epilogue hadn't been written it would be more of a gut punch and a lot more of a hard-hitting and effective ending.

Anyways, I had a lot of fun with this very suspenseful book from Ellery Lloyd. If you want to read about the very strange life of an Instagram mom and all of the reasons to not be an online influencer, I think this book has a lot of interesting conversations about that.

[Jayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

QUESTION: Are all books about Instagrammers created equal?

ANSWER: No!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just like this fictional Instagrammer's Instagram feed, PEOPLE LIKE HER soars and sizzles. It's witty and snarky -- yet also brilliantly serves as a compelling commentary on social media's powerful impact on lives and one's moral compass.

Well written and fast-paced, PEOPLE LIKE HER is humorous, suspenseful, and disturbing -- all at the same time. Some chapters had had me LOL...while other chapters had me guessing and gasping. I did feel that the book's ending was "convenient" and not very believable -- but overall, PEOPLE LIKE HER was a 5-star read for me.

The story unfolds from three different POVs and the author's character development was strong. My favorite character in the book was the Instagrammer's novelist husband because I always enjoyed his humorous comments about his wife's uncanny ability to be "creative with the truth" and monetize even the most mundane details of their family's daily routine.

In addition to the POVs of the Instagram Mom and her husband, the POV of a sinister and manipulative nameless/faceless "mystery character" is also featured. This "mystery character" despises the Instagram Mom and wants revenge; vowing to destroy the Instagram Mom's platform and life. Throughout the entire book, readers know something horrible is going to happen but are clueless as to what will happen and when.

I listened to the book's audio edition. I always love it when a book has multiple narrators and all of this book's narrators were superbly cast and did an outstanding job.

According to the Goodreads bio, this book's author is a husband/wife team and I will definitely be looking forward to their next novel.

[Caroline · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ rounding down, enjoyed this one in general but didn’t love it. kept me interested most of the time, just a bit choppy at the end..

[Resh (The Book Satchel) · Rating 4 out of 5]

LOVED it!! I have already found what will definitely be a favourite book of 2021. Writing about social media and making it a convincing piece of work is surely difficult and Ellery Lloyd duo have certainly pulled it off. Also what a clever play of words on the title! People Like Her.

What to expect?
Emmy is an Insta-mom. She is famous, has a million followers, and a group of Insta-pod friends—fellow influencer mommies. Her husband Dan is a writer and not v keen on the children’s pics being on social media. She has got two kids—Coco and Bear. Someone seems to be obsessed with her life and activities—spelling danger for her life. This reads like a very contemporary Insta novel that morphs into a thriller.

What bothered me:
I’ll say what I didn’t like first because I loved so many things in the book.
- I am trying to be as vague as possible because of spoilers. There's a semi-big climax, but I wasn't sure how believable it is. I liked the way Dan's mind worked in tracking it down. But also there are loopholes (if you've read the book, you know)
- Polly; Emmy's friend who isn't an Insta presence but is an old friend, bridesmaid, supportive person etc was a wonderful character. She had too little space. I really wanted a bit more of Polly. At the end, she was reduced to 'the person who screams at Emmy the bad effects of social media'. I wish she had more purpose.

Things I especially Loved:
- How the two sides of social media were explored. The influencer life vs the fan who might harm the influencer they look up to.
- Also loved how Emmy was passionate about building a business. It was hilarious reading about her meeting an agent and being advised ‘have a breakdown or a baby’ to establish her career. I really liked the non-glamorous side of influencer life. The get-togethers that Dan is tired of, the packages that keep coming, trying hard to be accessible to her followers, answering DMs and always being supportive and helpful.
- Emmy and Dan decide early on that when the kids are big and when they say no, this Insta-family thing has to stop. There's a wonderful scene where Emmy asks Coco to say something at an interview and she doesn't want to. And Emmy goes on to think should she give in to Coco? But also being a parent is about making your child do things they don't want to—eat what they don't want, wear a diaper etc. I loved how Lloyd wrote about dilemmas of a career in the limelight and parenting as a career vs the trials of parenting.
- The agent and the whole business side of influencing. I LOVED this part. The Insta support group of fellow mommies who give each other visibility and grow together, Emmy’s desperation to climb up the ladder and be on TV/talk show etc and how her agent does her best, scheduling posts at least a fortnight in advance, having parties to ‘appeal’ to the audience etc. I also loved how Emmy says she is too tidy that she has to mess up her house a little or not get a new hairstyle to be ‘relatable’ to other moms. Also nice touch with how the party invites are made/given out based on ‘influence’. ALSO Emmy’s agent is literally a genius. She knows how to save her client in every way possible.
- Winter—Emmy's assistant who wants to an Insta star was a nice touch and I enjoyed how her arc turned out.
-The pacing was great. You are in the middle of the problems between Dan and Emmy and at the same time there’s someone WATCHING. Oooof! It tingles.
- The book shows the good side of social media and also the bad side—the trolls, the desperation to make it ‘click’, creepy fans, fake accounts on social media ‘that do not disregard Instagram’s policies and hence can’t be taken down (haven’t we seen that so many times?)
-I love how the book ends. It made me ponder a lot of things. When you say you don’t want your life to be on social media, to another person, does it really really apply to you as well? What if you got the fame? Would you give up fame? Fame is so addictive!

I would’ve loved it if the ending bits were more stretched out. So many things came to a halt, subplots started moving quickly towards the end. But really, I am not even complaining because the book was v enjoyable. 100% recommending People like her for everyone. I really enjoyed it. And I hope to see more of Ellery Llyod—they sure know how to write a good story.

Much thanks to Pan Macmillan for an e- copy of the book. All opinions are my own.

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[Alexa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A compulsively readable banger about terrible people, social media, and obsession. Loved it! I went in knowing very little and was pleasantly surprised the first time it went dual POV... the ping-pong between Emmy's "mumfluencer" bs and Dan's telling it like it is was FUN. Then the mysterious third POV coming in, the one with an axe to grind against Emmy... a fun thread of tension that held off just long enough, re: the who and why--the whole book was well-paced and sucked me in.

Read this is you're a fan of domestic suspense, but are intrigued by the social media influencer angle. I LOVED all the little ins and outs and details that felt SO REAL and also so gross at times. The dichotomy between who Emmy really was vs. her online persona... but also how the book makes you question where the lines blur? The tension just from "what horrific thing will Emmy do that is completely normal to her in this world?" was GREAT. There's so much material to mine from influencer moms specifically.

But I liked what the book had to say at many points about serious topics. There were some gut punches. The tension in the last act was LEGIT. I was so scared of what might happen. (to that end, content/trigger warning related to children be wary to read if baby-in-peril isn't your thing. The book also discusses miscarriage and an infant dying. Funnily enough, I hated baby-in-peril in Ruth Ware's The Lying Game, but here it felt organic and super high stakes.

It has a nice, soapy finish with some not-so-nice takeaways, but that's kind of delicious? It did surprise me in the sense I was fully hooked in for a grounded ending and then the book really turned it around. Though I can see it not landing with some, and it almost didn't with me because I did have the instant gut reaction that Dan becoming the new Papabare was totally against his character? It's tough for me/I'm vaguely skeptical especially b/c we get the final POV from Emmy of how much he loves it. I'm not 100% sold but it didn't ding my enthusiasm enough to dock a star.

So excited to see what Ellery Lloyd does next (it's a husband/wife writing team) b/c this was a fantastic debut.

[Brittney Rae · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don’t trust people who trust influencers.