Big fan of Jane Fallon so I was excited to read her new novel. I was instantly struck by how effortlessly readable it was, I slipped straight into the story with ease. The main character Laura, is wonderfully sarcastic and very likeable and her insecurities were very honest and relatable. I struggled with some of the other characters as they seemed so far removed from anyone I've ever encountered, but that doesn't mean they weren't believable to a certain extent.
I did spend most of the book expecting Laura to have got the wrong end of the stick but fortunately I was wrong, however I did feel that the ending fell a little flat.
Thoroughly enjoyable summer read that I would not hesitate to recommend. Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Michael Joseph UK for the ARC.

Laura moves onto the Close. A group of rich entilted women run the street and Stella, the Queen Bee, decides Laura wants her soon-to-be-husband, Al. Laura runs a cleaning firm and turns detective in a bid to find out why Al told Stella that Laura gave him a book with a steamy message inside. Laura soon finds out Al is up to no good and tells Stella, her nemesis who then becomes her friend when Laura shows her how to manage her own finances and learn to cook for herself. In the end Stella returns to type and marries a rich older man and Laura finds love with a paramedic. This book made me want to read on and the story captivates you. Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me review this book.

Light, fluffy holiday read. Not my favourite Jane Fallon novel but was easy reading and I enjoyed it.

This is a good summer read. I am a fan of Jane Fallon and I did not like this book as much as some of her previous books. This book is still a good read. There is a lot of drama and likeable and unlikeable characters which all come together in this easy read.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy,

Three big fluffy stars! I enjoyed reading Queen Bee very much. I've not read a Jane Fallon book in many years, but she is an author I hold dear to my heart as she was one of the first adult contemporary authors I read as a teenager.
Queen Bee was a light and easy read that was also engaging and had me clinging onto the page to find out what was happening next. I love the characters and the "how the other half live" aspect to the book. My only criticism is the main character was a bit judgemental and there was some body-shaming going on through the story - however I think that this was addressed more to the end.
Overall, Queen Bee was a fun and interesting read, peak Jane Fallon. I recommend you to pick this up if you're a fan or you're looking for a light read.

Although there isn’t much depth to the plot or the characters, I think this book would appeal to the holiday market. Not a lot of deep thinking or remembering the storyline is needed, which lends itself to that market. I have read other Jane Fallon books previously and found them more entertaining.

Once again, Jane Fallon proved herself as a perfect go-to author for book clubs with her newest book Queen Bee.

As I already stated in my reviews for her other novels, I think Fallon's work is great to read along with friends, as her novels often demand to be discussed about.
However, this time there wasn't too many things people could argue about, but still it would make a perfect choice to read together and just comment things that were served.

I started this book and immediately knew I wouldn't let it go until I finish that last page.
But life doesn't happen as we planned it, so I gave birth somewhere in the middle of my Queen Bee journey, and too pause from it to get to know my baby and get better from that exper.
Once I finally took some time to read again, I was so happy to continue, as I was really looking forward to it, and didn't forget anything that happened.

I enjoyed spending time in the neighborhood along with Laura. I think fans of Desperate Housewives would enjoy this story, because of the setting and mentality of characters.

The book is written in first person, following Laura's POV.

I think it was a great choice because it made me really invested in the story.

I also really enjoyed how children of main characters were involved and I was looking forward to read about them.

I really recommend Queen Bee to readers of women's fiction and I can't wait to read more from this author in the future.

What a great read, funny, made me laugh out loud. Loved the characters, not everyone should be taken at face value.

Jane Fallon is one of my favourite authors and can do no wrong in my eyes. Her latest offering, Queen Bee doesn’t disappoint. Gently mocking and poking fun at the super privileged in society, I read about the characters of The Close with a sense of wry amusement, one eyebrow permanently raised as if to say ‘are these people for real??’
Set in The Close, home to the super wealthy and privileged in society we are introduced to a variety of characters whom you’ll love to hate, but provide the reader with great entertainment in what is a storyline dominated by revenge. It is Laura, newly separated from her husband David who is the unwitting catalyst in this revenge drama and it’s a cracking good read which I found difficult to put down.
Stella is a dream character in many ways and in my opinion steals the show. She is the epitome of all that is faintly ridiculous about a certain type of wealthy married women and the kind of lifestyle they embrace. Botox, facelifts, housekeepers, nannies and swimming pools are de rigueur for Stella and her acolytes who all live in The Close. Most definitely the Queen Bee, her friends swarm around her, like bees to honey, following her lead. If she says jump they say ‘how high?’which is the reason why poor Laura, temporary resident of the close is ostracised from the start. When she’s more or less accused of being the mystery woman with designs on Stella’s fiancé Al, the whole pack want nothing to do with her. Desperate to clear her name ,Laura, owner of a small cleaning company, embarks on a mission to find out who really should be on the receiving end of Stella’s vitriol, with hilarious and surprising results. As we all know hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.
With some unexpected twists thrown in, I thought this was well written with the author’s trademark wit and in this instance loved the thinly veiled mockery, aimed
especially at Stella’s expense. Fallon has observed all the very worst traits of the mega rich to create the likes of Stella and ridicule their shallow lifestyles which I found wickedly funny. All these women with the exception of Laura and her landlord Gail are as bad as each other and quite frankly deserve all that’s coming to them. They are so alike that they could be interchangeable to the point where names don’t really matter. Together with their equally vile husbands they prove to be narcissistic in the extreme with Stella’s children perfect examples of a spoilt,over indulged upbringing.
I think the contrast between the way Laura’s marriage has disintegrated and the position that leaves her in,as opposed to very wealthy marriages that collapse with the women still able to maintain lavish lifestyles, is very telling. Laura’s ordinary life and the civilised way in which she deals with shared custody of their daughter provides a counterbalance to Stella’s ostentatious lifestyle and I loved their unlikely friendship. I think the author has captured perfectly the conflict between solidarity and friendship and revenge and comeuppance with her usual astute observations of the way women interact with each other. Ultimately though you have to ask the question whether a leopard can ever really change its spots and once a queen bee can you ever countenance anything else??
If you are already a fan of this author I think you will love Queen Bee and if not then what are you waiting for??
My thanks as always to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read.

The latest offering of Jane Fallon is a fun and easy read, it starts slowly and builds up throughout. Well written with some great characters too.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

A book by Jane Fallon is guaranteed to be a great read. The characters are all well described with some being great and others the worst that you would ever want to know, but all making a great story. I loved it. Highly recommended

I really love Jane Fallon’s books and was really excited to get hold of this one and it definitely didn’t disappoint! Queen Bee follows the story of Laura, whose life has just fallen apart after her husband leaves her. She rents a tiny studio flat for six months while she finds herself a house to buy and this brings complications in having her daughter, the roles are reversed, and she becomes a part-time mum.

Where she lives for those six months, on The Close, is a beautiful street of mansions where life seems to be perfect. Everyone married, rich, with wonderful husbands and perfect privately educated children, it’s a million miles away from where Laura’s life is.

Stella is the undisputed Queen Bee, planning to marry the man of her dreams after many years and two beautiful (though very spoilt) daughters’, all her dreams are about to come true but that’s not the way life goes!

Jane paints such a beautiful picture you can imagine yourself being in Laura’s shoes, the description of the houses and the close makes you feel like you know where it is and can clearly picture it… the place where everyone wants to live and some beautiful friendships that we would all love to have. Then things change and all is not what it seems and those friendships, while lasting don’t always provide the best support… there are secrets everywhere and lives more entwined than you imagined.

A light read that you can sit back and relax with, a great book to read before bed and despite its ups and downs one that feels comforting, like an old friend.

A fabulous read, perfect for a long summer afternoon’s reading. One of the best contemporary fiction writers out there.

A brilliant, addictive, laugh out loud read from the Queen Bee of revenge novels! 5 stars all the way!

Jane Fallon does it again! I literally could not put this book down, with page after page of twists and hilarious one liners, the juicy storyline will keep you gripped until the final pages.

Laura has recently separated from her husband and now must find somewhere to live as their marital home has been sold. As she arrives on The Close, where she is to rent a studio flat for 6 months, she can’t quite believe what she is seeing. The whole close is lined with huge, beautiful mansions and the women in the street all look like they’ve just been airbrushed in real life! Big bums, boobs and inflatable lips, bounce around all over the place.

The studio flat is attached to a mansion that is owned by Gail and Ben, being the most down to earth people in the close, they make Laura feel very welcome and throw her a mini party. It is after this party that Laura suddenly finds herself accused of trying to get her claws into Al, the husband of Stella, who is the Queen Bee of the close. Suddenly Laura is shunned by others and is made to feel very un-welcome.

Determined to clear her name, Laura gets wind of what Al is really up to. After she decides it is only fair Stella knows her husbands secret, the two form an unlikely friendship! This is where the drama unfolds.

I struggle to think of many who wouldn’t enjoy this book. It is a light-hearted, easy read. Jane has the knack of feeding her readers with enough exciting info and plenty of plot twists to keep you turning the pages.

A cross between Desperate Housewives and The Real Housewives TV shows, this book will satisfy any lovers of scandal and gossip!

Thank you so much to Jane Fallon, Penguin UK – Michael Joseph & NetGalley for my ARC of this book. Publication date July 9th 2020.

Queen Bee was an interesting read. I found it difficult to identify with the main character, and some of the story threads seemed loose.I normally really like Jane Fallon's writing, but I felt that this was not one of her best novels, and das disappointed by the ending

Queen Bee is wickedly funny, searing, smart and so satisfying. Jane Fallon has delivered another scorcher, perfect for a back garden sun lounger read.

Oh My God, this book is an absolute riot! I picked it because I wanted something light hearted, funny and uplifting after finishing a really gritty psycho thriller and I wasn't disappointed. Laura's marriage has collapsed, and she rents a tiny, tiny studio flat above her new landlady's garage on The Close. Surrounded by multi-million pound mansions and their inhabitants, Laura thinks she's landed on some sort of parallel universe. The women are all Stepford Wives types, with the exception of landlady, Gail who seems pretty normal. The 'Queen Bee' is Stella. Married to Al, Stella has it all. She's the one everyone wants to be near and be like. When Al falsely accuses Laura of something, she becomes completely ostracised by Laura, and quickly everyone else follows suit. With the help of her friend, Angie, Laura sets out to clear her name and what she discovers along the way is set to rock Stella's world forever. A hilarious yet still very touching and heart warming look at class divide, and how at the end of it all, we're just people. A very, very good read.

Yet another fabulous page turner by this author. Neighbourhood drama with unexpected twists and turns. Jane Fallon is definitely the woman who tells it how it is with women.

Super rich, tick. Secrets, tick. Lots of twists, And add a touch of humour. Nothing not to like about this read. Laura's marriage is over and she rents a garage flat in a road filled with mansions and the super-wealthy. Unwittingly she becomes entangled in the marital affairs of the Queen Bee and finds herself ostracized, until she uncovers some dark secrets and begins to hatch a plan.

I found this quite addictive, even though I kept shouting at Laura to behave more rationally and stop sticking her nose in other peoples affairs. An over-the-top, thoroughly enjoyable, scandalous escape.

I am a very big fan of Jane Fallon novels but this one didn't do it for me. Don't get me wrong - the story was kind of interesting and I felt that were was a plot about to unravel before my eyes but I simply couldn't get into it. I don't think I liked the main character that much, which is a very personal feeling, of course. Maybe it's one of those books you need to pick when you are in a specific mood.

Thank you for the ARC review though!