Not well written at all and this is not how the PR (or politics) works at all. I barely finished this and wasn't really a fan. Thanks to NetGalley!

A political satire book based of current time and was really entertaining read.
Involving a PR Crisis Manager whose job was to keep his leader out of trouble and to spun stories if and when he gets into one. A very interesting take on media frenzies and politics of our time.

Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for giving the eARC in exchange of an honest feedback.

I struggled with the voice in this book. The narrator was not very likeable or relatable. The events were ridiculous. Although both of these things might have been purposeful in order for the author to make a point about our world, the whole combination was difficult to enjoy.

I did not finish this book as it wasn't hooking me in the first few chapters. I am sure that many people would like this book, but sadly I was not engaged.

With thanks to NetGalley & the publisher for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

Spoiler free review.

Blake Hamner (silent ‘N’) is a PR genius for the current president, commonly referred to as ‘our leader’ (who happens to be a little power mad). After many brilliant moves to cover for the slightly unhinged leader by manipulating the media with his fellow PR members, Blake finally starts to crack after one of the presidents cyber dogs almost rips him limb from limb which sets off a chain of events in Blakes life, from marriage woes to the new intern trying to get him fired.

Slightly bonkers, this dystopian and very satirical novel is full of both comedy and touching looks at relationships, especially how work can take over our lives. The moment Blake is made to choose between work or going to a funeral especially hit home as my old workplace actually did that to me!

The book is a very quick read, well written so that it has a very good flow without any filler moments. Things are set up early in the book to great pay offs later. The characters are all good fun (Mel and Scott especially) and the use of diverse characters is not cynically used for brownie points. The plot and the world is bonkers on paper but scary in how close it feels to being real. However overall the book is great fun, I am certainly interested to read more by the author and would recommend to pretty much anyone no matter their genre preferences due to it being short and good enough I think anyone can enjoy or be a good starting point in the dystopian genre as it doesn’t take itself seriously like many do.

I absolutely loved it. A great mix of utopia/dystopia science fiction and day-to-day life of a busy PR person. Very unique and reminded me of many sci-fi classics.

🏍 Utopia PR by Adam Bender 🏍
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Wow wow wow!!!

This story was so fascinating and unique. I’m so excited I read this one because normally I wouldn’t go for dystopia. I saw this one was available on NetGalley and I’m so glad I got to read it. It was definitely something I never read about and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Blake Hamner was honestly such a great and intriguing character. I really appreciated following him in this book. I think Adam Bender did such an amazing job writing this. This story seriously has it all: romance, humor, science fiction, action packed, and dystopia. It was such an amusing one.

I would highly recommend this if you’re into dystopian novels. This one was fantastic!! Also, the writing style was so beautifully done. I flew through this because of the way it was structured. If you’re wanting to find your purpose, then give this book a try. You won’t be dissatisfied or disappointed. I absolutely adored the comedy in this and every moment of diversity. I definitely had a good laugh with this one!!

**Huge thank you to NetGalley and Adam Bender for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.**

Kooky and irreverent, Utopia PR gives the reader an absurd take on what it takes to keep an administration afloat when complete incompetence, disregard for any sense of duty to others, and the US Presidency collide.

Blake Hamner is a PR extraordinaire. He can take the most insane political crisis and immediately turn it into a non-issue. Whether you have a killer robotic dog that has escaped your Presidential compound and murdered two hardworking American citizens or you're lacing your country's milk supply with opiates to keep them subdued and loyal, Blake's got your back. So when the King--ahem, President--of the US begins doing exactly these things and more (becoming more unhinged as the novel goes on), Blake has to keep coming up with new distractions and deflections to keep his administration afloat.

Of course, anything that can go wrong, will go wrong. After a while, all of these disasters just start to seem a little too...convenient. But convenient for who? Once a mysterious man in a jetpack (Jetpack man!) starts showing up at the scene of every incident, and showing up Blake and the rest of the PR team by making a scene of his own, Blake starts to see his entire career (and marriage) unraveling before his eyes. His intern gets promoted to be his boss (and, boy, does she rub it in), his wife gets fired, and he nearly lands himself in a dungeon that may or may not exist alongside a coworker who may or may not be missing. As the mysterious Jetpack man continues to make the President look awful at every turn, Blake's wife starts to think maybe she's seen him somewhere before....

The characters in this book are something else. Blake's a quirky dude who will never pass up an opportunity to remind people that the 'n' in his last name is silent. He's got a Chief Wiggum-level affinity for jelly donuts and an aversion to cursing that can rival Ned Flanders. Overweight and with a face "more suited for print journalism," Blake is also somehow married to a perfect news anchor. While he's got a one-line quip for every disaster, he's not exactly the funniest guy and is always stunned into silence by any banter with his wife. Maria, his wife, is smart, funny, beautiful, and basically his exact opposite in every way. The only truly likeable character in the whole book. Blake's best friend/closest coworker Scott has the mind of a middle schooler and zero filter, but he sure is loyal. But one of the most confusing points for me is that you don't actually get much of a glimpse of Our Leader/the President. I definitely expected him to have a bigger role in this novel.

Overall, I was disappointed that the speculative aspects were so unoriginal. There's one big tech company, Woozler, that basically owns everything from the main social media platform (which is basically Twitter) to the main ride-share service to the main search engine to GPS-based phone apps and digital personal assistants, etc. It's basically just condensing our current state of technological surveillance into one company (which we are already very close to). There is amplification ad absurdum, but there's no new ideas or anything like that.

That said, it's well-written and well-edited in a way that makes it a quick and engaging read. I found it an enjoyable read even though I wasn't all that invested.

My appreciation to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for the review.

Blake Hamner (silent 'n') is a PR genius. If there is a PR disaster, he's the man to turn it all around and restore the faith of the public. He works for 'Our Leader' who is the President of the United States. Our Leader was discovered after winning a television singing talent show. After huge success and an off the cuff remark from a showbiz reporter, he decides to run for office. With a lot of help from his PR team he was elected, even though he has no idea how to do his job.

This is an absolutely bonkers satire. It's really great fun to read. Such a mix of personalities from the super professional to the out of their depth, to the fake it till you make it. Throw in a social media mogul and it makes a wonderful story. It really shows there is no such thing as bad press, especially with such an inventive team behind you.
Behind the scenes ego battles, Jet Pack Man the real life superhero and a figure head who has an out of control thirst for power and the attitude of a spolit child.

My favourite character would have to be Maria, Blake's news reporter wife. Although I love the whacky people around her, she is the normality that's needed. She's ambitious, successful, driven, honest and kind hearted.

This was a thoroughly entertaining book, lots of laughs and utter disbelief. The perfect light relief during these hard lockdown days.

Woukd definitely recommend to anyone looking for a quick pick-me-up or someone looking to escape into something a bit silly. Maybe this could become our potential reality? Who knows what the future may hold. Hopefully not robotic guard dogs. They sound utterly terrifying!

This book was an entire ride.

Blake 'The Hammer' Hamner (the 'n' is silent) was a fun character to follow through the woes of his crisis managing employment. I'm sure a lot of recent aides elsewhere can relate to as the disasters pile high.

I enjoyed this book, it was a nice casual read that I flew through in a day and a half and enjoyed the journey of life goal-reaching. 4 stars!

Firstly, this book sounded right up my street. I'm a bit of a sucker for a good dystopian yarn and love getting lost in the worlds of speculative fiction. I also like a dash of humour with my other-worldly adventures. This book delivered.

The story centres around Blake Hamner (if you've read the synopsis, you'll know the n is silent). He's a PR guru with a mammoth task. His employer, a buffoon of gargantuan proportions, happens to be the President of the nation and presents Blake with inconceivable scenarios to navigate on a regular basis. (I'll leave you to draw the inevitable comparisons...).

Whilst I do usually tend to enjoy a heavier read, I thoroughly enjoyed this book for what is was: some much needed light relief at a time when the World seems to be going crazy. I would have like for some of the characters and their relationships to have been explored a little further. It feels like some of that development was a bit rushed but then, that may have stopped #UtopiaPR being the fast-paced romp that it was.

It feels like there would be room for another story in this world and I would definitely be up for that!

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book!

Utopia PR by Adam Bender. Sometimes it takes a Ham(n)er to solve a problem. A first glance a seemingly silly book that is actually a well written and thought provoking political satire with a cast of weird, wacky and oddly engaging characters. Many laugh out loud moments that is a welcome respite during these troubled times. Not to sure about robotic dogs....

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

This was off-the-wall, zany but so engaging! It took me a minute to get into the mindset of the narrative but once I saw what was happening, I was all in. Equal bits bizarre, funny, and very human. Hammer's marriage vs career tension adds a nice bit of reality to the story. Definitely worth a read for a good laugh.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

This was a short, off-the-wall comedy satire. Kind of like if you took <i>Wag the Dog</i> and cranked it up to level 10 insane incoherency.

The main character, Blake, is the emergency PR fix-it man for an incompetent, authoritarian presidency. The whole book vacillates wildly between Blake's wholesome desire to build his relationship with his wife, and the steadily escalating crimes that surround him at work. The distraction speech was a high point, and the story also ends happier than it has any right to.

Deeply weird, but overall enjoyable.

I do love me a drop of bonkers in a book and this offering definitely has that - and then some! It's also very clever and well executed, starring some of the weirdest but slightly compelling characters I have met in time.
Blake Ham(n)er is a "Crisis Communications Manager" for The Leader. His job is to keep him out of trouble and to spin things when he gets himself into it. Which is often as we learn. Oddly enough, he is married to a TV News presenter, the very person he is trying to protect his boss against. He has an army of assistants and colleagues whose very raison d'etre is pitting their wits against the hoi polloi to keep them in the dark about the Leader's nefarious dealings and, well, his simple screw-ups. Like that time one of his robot dogs went loopy and there was that accident... It's a full time job and then some. But is he happy...?
This is a ripping yarn, funny at times, poignant at others and, actually, rather close to home in these dark and troubled days of pandemic... Spin doctors, truth twisting, protecting the unprotectable (Dominic Cummings, I thought of you often during this book), infighting amongst the ranks, and even though certain of the situations described herein were a bit on the far fetched side, I am ready to accept anything considering the things I have already witnessed happening in various governments throughout the past year or so.
It also made me think though too. Something I feel that the author maybe could have got a bit deeper into one or two things but I guess maybe he wanted it not to be too political, rather focusing on the satire. Which also worked for me.
Often silly, genuinely bonkers and also thought provoking, this book did surprise me along the way during my time spent with it. Looking forward I also feel that certain of the characters may have more to give and would love to see them in future books. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

"Have you read 1984?” With a clearing of the throat the professor declared: “What you’re doing is dystopia PR.”

Utopia PR is a comedy-dystopia that follows the story of Blake Hamner at his Crisis communication job, while he tries to balance his job with his personal life.

I enjoyed this book, it's a short novel that engages the reader in Blake's dystopian world. Some positives of this novel: Firstly, there was some amazing criticism on current society and how bureaucracy & PR works. The replaciveness of personnel in dystopian regimes and how a lot of people work hard behind the scenes to manipulate facts were good points of criticism. The diversity in this book was also done well. The book even made me laugh out loud at times.
However, this book did have some flaws in my opinion. I was really hoping that there would be more exploration on 'Our Leader' himself, everyone who works for him just seems to roll with everything he does. Blake doesn't seem to question the morality of his own actions and just does everything that's asked of him without reflecting on his own actions. Secondly, Victoria's character arc wasn't well explored and felt very rushed. There wasn't any good reason for Scott and Blake to massively hate on Victoria in the beginning.
Lastly, the ending and the reveal also seemed very cookie-cutter and felt very unrealistic. This ending felt like a Disney-happy ending.

This ARC copy was provided to me by Netgalley

What happens when the Dr of Spin, gets spun out? Blake Hamner (the n is silent), is the best of the best, from his days of writing his blog to working for the President, there is no problem he can't fix. That is until a masked avenger starts causing trouble for Blake and his communication team.

I really enjoyed the growth of Blake and his realisation that maybe somethings are more important than work. Maria is a firecracker and my hero in this story. I will say there are often too many references to Blake being fat and his eating habits, so if that is a trigger for you please be warned. Overall an enjoyable and quick read.

"The idea was that they'd call me in to finesse the worst PR disasters. And to be clear, that's not a part-time role in this administration."


Utopia PR is a dystopian novel that, like many classic dystopian novel, describes the rise of an authoritarian government. The only difference: this one is wholly incompetent. The novel is written in a casual style which allows the humor to be amplified to level that had me laughing out loud more than I have laughed reading a book as far as I can remember. With plenty of allegory to the current state of politics in the world (and the US), this novel is relevant while also being light hearted and enjoyable.

The Plot:
Instead of following a common citizen or Our Leader himself, we follow Blake Hamner (with a silent n), an unfortunate fellow who has to work as PR for the leader. While juggling his personal life and his marriage, he is tasked with dealing with the constant blunders of the current administration.

Since the novel is quite short, my copy being 197 pages, I never felt bored or as if something should have been left out. Every line had a purpose, every joke made me chuckle, and most importantly: every scene advanced the plot in a meaningful way. The pacing felt perfect for what it is and it always kept me flipping the pages to find out how Blake was going to deal with the garbage heaps he had been handed.

The Characters:
The characters in this novel felt fully realized and all had wonderful personalities that differentiated them well, but my personal favorite was Blake and his Wife. I will try to limit what I say to avoid missing out on all the fun of the story, but their relationship is delightful and very real as there are many who are in similar relationships in the US who find their jobs at odds with those they love. The context of their relationship makes their interactions that much more humorous and also that much more meaningful.

The Bad:
If you are looking for a serious, complex satire that heavily critiques authoritarianism and government regimes, this is not it. The satirical elements of this novel are all rather shallow and 'knee-slap' humor, but that really does not make it any less enjoyable!

My Rating:
I gave this a 5/5 for one main reason: I can't name a single thing about the book I did not like. The plot was interesting, the characters were relatable, and I found the humor to be genuinely funny. While this doesn't rank on the "best-of-all-time" shelf for me, I can't justify rating it anything less than 5 stars simply because of my enjoyment while reading it.

I highly recommend obtaining a copy of this and giving it a read, I know I will be getting one and checking out more by this author.

This book was a lot of fun! I was not sure honestly what to expect but overall I think without giving anything away you will not regret picking it up. The characters are easy to get to know and you want to know every detail from start to finish.

Utopia PR was a quirky and wonderful confluence of the reality of the last four years under a certain U.S. president and a comedic version of Orwell’s 1984. Blake Hamner (the n is silent) is a public relations wizard, “the government’s go-to guy whenever things go way south.” He’s married to the lovely Maria Worthington, a TV news personality, and the pair have recently put off expanding their family in favor of expanding their careers. Neither is particularly happy about this decision, but Maria is breaking barriers as a newscaster and Blake wants validation that he’s “good enough” to play with the big boys. Hopelessly optimistic, he finds gratification in his demanding job by trying to contain a president who’s a walking PR disaster.

When a PR intern named Victoria downplays a tragic accident involving the president’s evil robot guard dog and two innocents, “Our Leader” (the delusional narcissistic authoritarian president/singing sensation who rules the US from the “Compound”—there’s no White House in this dystopian world) fires his Press Secretary and promotes Victoria to Communications Director. As his new boss, Victoria humiliates Blake by sending him to clean up ridiculous messes while the president rails against resisters who didn’t vote for him by “calming” them with opioid-laced milk and babbling incessant nonsense on Woozle, a futuristic version of Twitter. Along the way, a mysterious, Batman-like figure called JetPack embarks on a mission to take the president down after several of Our Leader’s enemies disappear. The swirl of chaos that follows would be fun to watch if it didn’t overlap so ominously with reality.

In many respects, Oscar Wilde’s quote—“Life imitates art far more than art imitates life”—rings true for this book. After the real-life events of January 6, 2021, it was particularly chilling to read parts where Our Leader tries to manipulate the masses to do his bidding through coercion and oftentimes flat-out threats. Though the story is meant to reveal a caricature of an inept and deeply flawed “leader” elevated to the highest office by a vacuous society consumed by its Romanesque, never-ending thirst for entertainment, it hits closer to home than it should.

I enjoyed Utopia PR and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys satire dressed up in a designer suit cut from the cheap polyester-blend fabric of modern reality.

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.