Under the Influence

By: Noelle Crooks

Narrated by: Midori Francis, Noelle Crooks

The Devil Wears Prada meets The Assistants in this “compulsively readable, frightening, but addictive” (Shelf Awareness) debut following a young woman who takes a job working for an enigmatic influencer and quickly discovers there’s an ugly side to being a #GirlBoss.

After a series of go-nowhere jobs in the New York publishing world, Harper Cruz is desperate for a salary that won’t leave her scrambling to make rent each month. So when she stumbles across a job posting from an influencer offering triple her last paycheck, she automatically submits her résumé.

Harper may not be familiar with self-help guru Charlotte Green, but her relentless optimism and charismatic can-do spirit has created a cult-like following of women across the country. When she selects Harper among thousands of other applicants in less than twenty-four hours, it’s obvious she sees something she likes. Harper decides to take a leap of faith and become the newest member of The Greenhouse.

Accepting the job means a move to Nashville, and Harper is quickly dazzled by the glamourous world Charlotte has built in Music City. The Greenhouse is more than a workplace—it’s a family—and Harper soon finds herself swept into its inner circle. At first, she loves working in such an inspirational environment, where mandatory dance parties, daily intentions, and group bonding activities make up for long hours and Charlotte’s persistent demands for loyalty. But the deeper Harper is pulled into Charlotte’s world, the more she realizes that having it all comes with a price in this “magnetic story” (Publishers Weekly).

Full of cliches

I struggled with the narration, especially for male characters and for Charlotte, the influencer. I also didn't like that the author ends chapters with cliches. The dialogue was sometimes over-the-top and not realistic. Who speaks that way? There was a chapter that sounded like a cheesy romance novel, saying something along the lines of our tongues exploring. The author also does a lot of telling and not showing.

Nice insight into the Influencer world.

I've had this on my list for a long time. I read it with an open mind knowing who it was about. Didn't disappoint!

Creative

I found myself rushing through so I took a small break… finished it over two more days. Great read and fun.
Loved the Inspire yourself… well said
Maybe we can get Oliver, Bella, Mandy and Tiffany’s next ;)

Super fun listen!

I love that this book is not only fun and well performed, but that is gives us an insider view to the real life career of you-know-wholis! Engaging, laugh-out-loud. #mustread #newromcomauthor #girlboss #takethatnda

We see you, GIRL!

The author presents the ‘grass isn’t always Greener’ scenario in a fun and ‘Relatable’ way. I enjoyed it very much. It’s a cautionary tale pointed at social media with a fun an engaging delivery. We all know WHO this book is about. It’s about RH. It is a compelling look into what happens when you think no one is looking.