3.5 stars. A fun page turner.

I was hooked from the beginning and the pace kept me interested in this thriller. Definitely worth checking out.

If you mix a thriller with Love Island vibes, you’ll get People Pleaser - and what a brilliant result you get.

This was a fun and engaging book with elements of mystery and some tense moments. As an avid thriller reader, there wasn’t personally the big twists and turns that shocked me, but it was really refreshing to read something a little different within the genre.

I enjoyed the multiple POV as you got to know the stories and struggles behind each character. Some were directly linked to Maggie and her murder, whilst others had their own sub-plots which added to the character development. I particularly enjoyed the flashback chapters from Maggie’s POV which told us as the reader about what happened when she was on the reality show LoveShack and how this was the catalyst to so many things happening in her life.

This book does a great job at showcasing the dark side of fame, reality TV and influencer culture. It highlights the pressure to be perceived in a particular way in the public eye, the need for approval and how things are not always as they appear on social media. This is such a brilliant, modern and relevant topic to cover and I think the author did it so well.

This is a superb debut by Catriona Stewart and I look forward to hopefully reading more from her in the future!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

This a hugely entertaining, easy read that is perfect for holidays. Maggie, a reality star who won a series of Love Shack, has been murdered in LA. Her sister Emma is distraught and desperately wants to find out what happened. Told from multiple POVs, it becomes clear that Emma did not know everything that was going on in Maggie’s life and that she needs to dig deeper into her Love Shack experience to find out more. I really enjoyed this and struggled to put it down.

I have to confess I love a bit of reality tv, so combine that with an element of mystery and this was always going to be a book I had to read - and it definitely didn’t disappoint!

A former winner of “Love Shack”, Maggie is leading a seemingly perfect life, having married Theo who she met on the show, and together they have built a successful and lucrative career. But when she is found dead, and the police close the case a few months later due to lack of leads, her sister Emma takes it upon herself to investigate, aided by the creator of Love Shack Amanda - and Emma soon discovers that she didn’t know her sister as well as she thought she did.

Told from multiple points of view, interspersed with flashbacks of Maggie’s time on the show and beyond, the author does a great job of bringing the characters to life. The dark side of reality tv and influencer life - and the way in which it impacts personal identity - is at the heart of the story. Add to that the suspense that builds in the hunt for Maggie’s killer and it all adds up to a real page turner and a thoroughly entertaining read. Definitely one to add to the summer reading list!

I loved how this book explored the dark side of reality TV and influencer culture. I was completely invested as Emma uncovered shocking secrets about Maggie’s 'perfect' life, where fame, deception, and danger all collided.

People Pleaser is a slick, contemporary mystery with a strong hook—an influencer found dead in an LA warehouse, her sister left to untangle the truth behind the glossy Instagram facade. I was drawn in early by the premise and the dual timelines, especially Maggie’s behind-the-scenes view of a reality dating show that quickly turns toxic.

There’s something unsettling but compelling about how fame, self-worth, and manipulation are explored here, and Stewart handles that side of the story with bite. That said, not everything lands.

Some of the supporting characters feel more like plot devices than people, and while the book moves quickly, I occasionally felt like I was being told rather than shown, especially in emotional beats. Still, it’s a solid debut—ambitious, timely, and not afraid to dig into uncomfortable territory, even if it doesn’t always go as deep as it could have.

People Pleaser is a dark, twisty mystery with a sharp edge of humor. The story follows the aftermath of reality star Maggie’s shocking murder, told through the perspectives of three women, her sister Emma, TV exec Amanda, and fellow contestant Jill.
I loved the way the book mixed POVs, reality show scripts, and media articles to slowly reveal the truth behind Maggie’s life and death.
The writing is witty and smart, especially with Amanda’s hilarious deadpan comments. Even though I didn’t exactly liked most of the characters, I was fully invested in their messy lives and secrets. The story pulls back the curtain on influencer culture and the darker side of reality TV, and it felt both entertaining and unsettling.
This book was a fun and thought provoking read with lots of twists, some creepy moments, and a surprising amount of depth.
A great pick if you enjoy dark humor and murder mysteries.
Very grateful to the publisher for my copy through NetGalley, opinions are my own

We start with the fallout of the death of Maggie Lathrop, reality star and influencer who, along with husband Theo previously won TV reality show LoveShack. I say death, I actually mean murder, which, months later, has yet to be solved. Leaving her sister Emma still in limbo grieving, unable to move on with her life.
When she hears that the investigation is being scaled back, and by that I actually mean consigned to being a cold case, Emma is incandescent and, along with best friend Jill and her boss Amanda, take it upon themselves to carry out their own investigations...
Well... wasn't this an absolutely cracking read. So many secrets and lies to uncover/expose. And quite a healthy dollop of dysfunctional behaviour to boot. The story is told by multiple viewpoints, as well as recaps from the LoveShack series that Maggie and Theo starred in, and won. Along the way, we also find out a lot about the characters' pasts and how that influences who and what they are today. That in itself would have been totally griping but when you also throw in an unsolved murder, well, grab the popcorn, sit back, you're in for a wild old ride!
Characters are, shall I just say, interesting and really did keep me on my toes throughout. I took to Emma right from the off which really helped cement my connection to the story. Jill and Amanda are both also strong characters who develop nicely throughout the story. Theo is a bit more complex so I will leave you to meet him as the author intended. Likewise Finn who muddies the water of LoveShack somewhat. And then there's Maggie who, like a lot of people who live their private life in the public eye, is not who people thought she was, but I'm saying nothing more there.
The story is compelling and obsessive, keeping me guessing all the way through, even as the author chipped away at all the secrets and lies, eventually exposing the whole sorry truth. There are many shocks and surprises delivered along the way which really did make it hard to put down, and made me REALLY need to know what happens in the end. An ending which, when it eventually came, wholly satisfied.
And then I find out it's a debut book. Wow. Consider me even more impressed. So much that I am definitely excited to see what she serves up for next time. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

This sensational debut thriller had me on the edge of my seat from the very first page. Told through the perspectives of three complex women, the story revolves around solving the mysterious murder of Maggie, a reality TV star whose chilling fate is revealed immediately — no spoilers here, it’s right at the start.

What makes this book stand out is its unique structure, weaving together multiple POVs with episodes from Maggie’s reality show Loveshack and news articles. This approach builds an eerie connection to Maggie, showing her vulnerable and manipulated side before her murder, which adds a haunting atmosphere to the story.

Stewart skillfully explores the dark side of fame and influencer culture, exposing the toxic environment behind reality TV with raw detail. The characters—Emma, Jill, and Amanda—are richly drawn, flawed, and utterly human, driving the suspense with their determination to uncover the truth despite personal risks.

The novel’s dark humor is brilliantly woven throughout, providing sharp, funny moments amid serious themes. I particularly loved Amanda’s deadpan reactions and the almost absurd juxtapositions that lighten the mood without undercutting the tension.

The plot twists were expertly handled, keeping me guessing until the very end. The only small mystery left unexplained was how Jill gained access to Finn’s house, but it didn’t detract from my enjoyment.

Overall, People Pleaser is a gripping, clever, and darkly comic whodunnit that I couldn’t put down. Highly recommended for fans of layered characters and innovative storytelling.

This book was absolutely sensational. From beginning to end, I was on the edge of my seat and I had no clue what was coming next. It's told through the perspective of three incredibly interesting women and they are all collectively trying to figure out who killed Maggie and why.

I genuinely found this book so gripping and my jaw was on the floor for at least half the time I read it. The plot starts with Maggie essentially being killed (this isn't a spoiler, it happens on the first page) and is such an incredible start. It really kicked off the momentum and cold plunges the reader into a rollercoaster ride that is maintained for the entirety of this book. Despite Maggie's POV not being covered in the book, we see Maggie so much through her experience on the reality TV show 'Loveshack'. The episodes are interspersed between the POVs and it was such a clever way of building emotional connection and familiarity with Maggie without her being apart of the central plot. It almost made the whole plot feel a bit creepy, because we knew Maggie's tragic ending but you get to see her in a pretty vulnerable position as a puppet in this reality TV show before she's mysteriously murdered.

I loved how Stewart chose to explore the themes of fame in the modern context of influencers and reality TV stars. It did really pull the curtain on how toxic of a working environment reality TV sets can be and the almost zoo-like quality of observing/scrutinising humans living in confined quarters. There were so many excellent details about Maggie's experience with being essentially starved on the show, prodded and teased by producers and squeezed dry for gossip. I really liked that the not so glamorous aftermath of being an influencer post-reality show and not only how poorly sponsorships can pay but how empty pushing random products to pay your rent can feel.

The dark humour in this book is unmatched. It's phenomenal. There are so many funny moments where serious things are occurring in the plot but there's just something that a character say/does or an observation that is truly hilarious. When Emma and Jill visit Amanda in her office for a serious chat about if she can help solve the mystery of Maggie's murder, both Emma and Jill are almost distracted by a screen print of Amanda's vagina that is hung above her desk. It's such an unserious visual in the context of something that is meant to be very serious.

Another dark humour moment that really tickled me was when it is revealed the horrible things Trevor has done to women with a rose quart dildo (I'll try not to spoil it) but Amanda's reaction is 'why the fuck did Trevor have a rose quart dildo? Why did rose quart dildos exist and what kind of wellness bullshit was that?' Amanda's candidness and bluntness is the source of much humour throughout the book because she is so deadpan but equally such a caricature of an LA tv writer/exec, in the best way possible.

Not to make this whole review about Amanda but it was also hilarious when she meets her ex-dealer after being sober and admits she only wanted to meet him to find out info about Trevor's whereabouts and her dealer is proud of her sobriety ('her ex-dealer was proud of her and she was crying? For fucks sake'). It's these almost inappropriate and odd juxtapositions that are so funny to read.

To quickly talk about the other characters, both Jill and Emma were amazingly formed characters. It was great to watch Emma be so hardheaded and determined to essentially quit her job and become a private investigator eventhough her relationship with her sister Maggie was imperfect at best. That woman has guts. She isn't afraid to walk straight into the face of fear and unknown which was really fun to read and really drove the plot forward. But one thing I truly loved about Jill, Emma and Amanda was how human and flawed their characters are. They all make very bad choices at points in the plot and sometimes walk straight into danger without realising it until it's too late. But their joint dedication for solving Maggie's case makes them such badass characters.

The plot was expertly crafted and I was genuinely so impressed. I'm usually hesitant with three POVs because I can find it hard to keep up but the plot was woven so well that it didn't feel clunky in the slightest. There were so many plot twists that I didn't see coming and I loved all the cliffhangers that were left at points in the plot when the POV was shifted, it really added to the overall suspense and intrigue. I was also a huge fan of the mixed formats of storytelling. We got to put together the pieces via the Loveshack episodes, three POVs and news articles which was such a refreshing way to read a plot. The only small hiccup I have is that I have no idea how Jill got into Finn's house - that's one thing that makes no sense and isn't explained at all.

Such a shocking and glorious whodunnit! I couldn't turn the pages fast enough and the ending was so satisfying but even then, I didn't want it to end.

If I could give six stars, I would. This book had me hooked from the start. The three dimensional characters are totally believable - in fact I think I know a couple, at least. The storyline is well thought out and the writing is engaging and slick. Never did I feel the drag that you sometimes get in other books, particularly in the middle. It’s the kind of book that makes you miss appointments, stay up later than you intended and then rave to your friends about. Looking out for more from Catriona Stewart

Liked it . Due to health issues cannot not but will write a proper review at a later time
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This was 100% a cover pick for me. Without reading even a word of the synopsis, I was drawn in by the bright colours like a little kid and the style of the cover spoke to me. Thankfully, it was a good choice and I ended up enjoying the story.

My favourite thing about this plot was the exploration of how toxic the world of really TV and "influencers" is. Of course this is a work of fiction and I imagine slightly exaggerated in places, but I'm sure some of the scenes (especially those on LoveShack) would feel frighteningly real to anyone who has experienced that world. The mystery itself wasn't that much of a mystery to me and I had more than strong suspicions about who had killed Maggie from very early on. The play out of that was quite slow and I think that the pacing could have been tweaked a little to create more tension.

I trusted absolutely nobody in this. book. The characters were unreliable at best and downright shady at worst. They all had their own drama and in some cases their messiness made me really dislike them. To be honest, I don't think I actually liked any of them (maybe Emma at a push) but I was quite happy to dislike this dysfunctional and unadjusted bunch.

This book was a good time and although the pace was a bit slow, I got through it quite quickly. It was a stark reminder that we live in a world where fake is normal, social personas aren't real and the term reality TV is astoundingly ironic. Don't be influenced people...but also, I recommend this book.

I requested this because I am definitely a people pleaser. The title shouted at me, and i just had to read it. I had a great time with it and thought it was such a fun read. I loved the mystery of the book and also how it looks at the darker side of fame.

I fell asleep reading this book multiple nights in a row, not because it was boring, far from it. I couldn't put it down! It is weird to say that it was fun? Because it was super fun and intriguing. I loved the multiple perspectives and seeing the behind the scenes of a Love Island type show. Also lowkey proud of myself for sussing out who the murderer was.

Reads really fast and if I hadn't been travelling, could've easily binged this in one sitting, it was that gripping. Highly recommend.

People Pleaser by Catriona Stewart is a gripping, emotional and twisty reality TV thriller that will deliver chills behind the glamorous life of reality stars.
This book is told in present from Emma's perspective and in past from Maggie's perspective. This gives us a chance to unfold the story slowly, learn about the characters and the motivation behind their actions.
Exciting start, drags you in straight away. Now you just must know what happened, who did it, and who is lying?
We are learning about the harsh truth behind the golden scenes. We believe what they make us believe without knowing how much pain and heartbreak are happening in real life. People will do crazy things for fame and money! I liked the representation of social media and the life of influencers, I think it is relevant in this generation.

Maggie is taking part in the reality TV show LoveShack and ends up winning the show and marrying Theo, one of America’s most eligible bachelors. Their life is picture perfect. Their TikTok account is blooming, money keeps coming, and everyone looks incredibly happy and satisfied...
Three years later...
After Maggie's murder, Emma can't accept that her sister's case is closed after only 3 months without finding the guilty one. She is dedicated to finding who kiIIed her sister. This journey opens a Pandora's box of secrets and lies, and soon Emma realises that she doesn't know her sister at all.

It was so interesting to follow Maggy and her experience through a reality TV show and the aftermath.
It was so interesting to discover the harsh reality that no one wants to show.
It was so sad to discover how much broken life hides behind the glamorous lifestyle.

Thank you, NetGalley, Random House UK, Cornerstone | Penguin, for this copy.

Ah this one was a little difficult to get into for me. I stuck around to get introduced to all the characters. And started in on Megan's reality TV parts but I just couldn't get into it.

The characters were just a little too flat for me. I'm sure it'll be a people pleaser for many, not my cup of tea.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.75

The way I binged this book, my god! I was obsessed!! If you love a Love Island-esque reality show with a dark twist, this one’s for you. When Kansas sweetheart Maggie Lathrop wins America’s biggest dating show, her life looks picture-perfect: a hot husband, a mansion in LA, and a glittering social circle. But when she’s found murdered in a desolate warehouse, the façade starts to crack, and her sister Emma is left to uncover the chilling truth behind the cameras.

I loved how the story flipped between different characters’ POVs and actual “episodes” from the show. It added so much depth and suspense, revealing what was really happening behind the scenes. I flew through the pages I literally couldn’t put it down.

Beautiful, glamorous, and deadly this is reality TV like you’ve never seen before.

Thank you so much @penguinrandomhouse and @netgalley for the advance reader e-copy!

Murder, influencers and a recovering addict ✔️

I wasn’t sure what to expect with this as it’s pitched as Love Island X The White Lotus and I’ve not seen either 🤣

The book opens with Maggie getting killed. The problem was, I had no connection to her so I wasn’t really bothered.

The book splits between chapters from Maggie’s point of view during filming Loveshack and the present day from her friend’s pov.

You get to learn more about Maggie throughout the book and although you gain that connection, a lot of it was negative. Her character didn’t have much depth. It did the opposite of making me care about her murder.

The book showed influencers & tv personality in a poor light, which kind of agreed with my pre-judgement 😆 I can’t say I really liked many of the characters in this book.

I really enjoyed Theo’s storyline. I thought it was well integrated with the story and threw suspicion and guilt on him. It was realistic.

I loved Emma & Liz’s relationship. As the sister to Maggie, Emma was struggling with her death and Liz was there for her even though many in that situation would not be so kind. Their friendship was sincere.

Amanda was probably my most likeable character in terms of reading her story. The difficulties she went through were highlighted and i felt her pain.

Rose Quartz 👀 IYKYK

I wasn’t amazed by the reveal of the murderer. It was very unexpected which can be a great twist, but there were no clues whatsoever! It felt rushed and had there been more hints i could have really rated it.

3.5⭐️

I enjoyed this book. Light fun reading. The story moved at a great pace and even though a bit predictable, very enjoyable and I can't wait to read more from this author