The Party: A Novel

I was totally enraptured by this story from the start....then I reached the end. It fell flat! Thus, 3 stars. Great story, fast paced. The two main female adult characters were well written. Both deeply flawed and swimming in self loathing, easy to dislike them and yet waiting for them to each find salvation. I was disappointed for it really never came. Quite a disappointing ending considering the rest of the book was quite good. Then again, I didn’t like any of the characters and it was hard to root for most of them.

I LOVED this book. It was suspenseful and had twists that I didn't expect. I loved how chapters switched between the characters and how they were dealing with the aftermath of the horrible accident that happened at the birthday party. It was an honest look into the differences between parents and teenagers, how you think you know someone but then discover their secrets, and how to salvage relationships-if you can. I think this will be my favorite book of the summer.

A birthday party with a teenager and her friends. What could go wrong? Apparently more than Hannah's parents bargained for. Jeff and Kim appeared to be the happy couple until the party. Then things fall apart and escalate quickly. The situation of teens at a party was realistic but then the unfolding events and repercussions went to the extreme in some cases. I enjoyed the read but I didn't love it. I don't know who the heroine was in the story.... I would definitely read more from this author.. 3.5 stars.
I received an ARC in exchange for a honest review.

Families suffer consequences after accident occurs at a Sweet 16 sleepover. Who was at fault? The parents? The party girl? The lax mother of the party girl? The nice girl who just wants to be popular? Who should claim responsibility, and try to make it better?

"The Party: One invitation. A lifetime of regrets."

This one would make for a good book club discussion!

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for a free ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

'The Party' is a cautionary tale about how everyday events can lead to exposure of family secrets. It's a well-written page turner and I enjoyed the plot. The only downside was that I didn't find myself pulling for any of the characters - adults or children. It would have been nice if at least one of them was more sympathetic or likeable. A good airplane read though.

Hannah Sanders is turning sixteen. She’s a good student, she gets good grades and has nice friends, and so her parents trust her. Rather than a big flashy party, they decide to have a sweet sixteen party at their multimillion-dollar home in a wealthy Bay Area suburb (I’m picturing Lafayette or Orinda). She invites four girlfriends over for a slumber party with pizza, cake, and movies. What could possibly go wrong?

Hannah’s parents, Jeff and Kim, have a tension-filled marriage, revealed by Kim’s regular use of Ambien to get to sleep: “…there was far too much tension in her marriage to handle without a good night’s sleep.” Jeff seems to wonder how their marriage got to where it is: “Once, they’d gone to Mexico and Kim had downed tequila shots and danced on the bar in her bra. And then Kim became a mother and it was like flicking a switch. Overnight, Kim became responsible, earnest, doting…boring.”

Kim sets the ground rules for the night, giving a little speech that clearly spells them out: no boys, no booze, and no drugs. Then they pretty much leave the girls to have fun in the rec room. But Jeff wants to be the “cool Dad” so he picks up a bottle of champagne and sneaks it to them, figuring one bottle will give each girl a small glass – again, what could possibly go wrong?

Of course, things DO go wrong, with a tragic accident in the middle of the night that starts the unraveling of the façade of their picture-perfect life. Much like Liane Moriarty’s Big Little Lies, my guess is that for many readers there is a bit of schadenfreude as they watch things fall apart. Life in the perfect suburbs – it really can’t be THAT perfect, can it? Doesn’t this family have some of the same issues, flaws and problems as the rest of us? As things spiral downward in the story, we learn of the deception, lies, and betrayal that lie under that façade, for the girls as well as the adults. When the victim’s mother reminds her “You’re the victim here,” her daughter asks her (next sentence censored by the Big A) “Don’t you remember high school at all?…No one likes a f^&*ing victim!”

After the party, “Hannah had experienced a perspective shift. Despite the values her mother had tried to instill in her, getting straight A’s wasn’t actually the most important thing in the world. Survival, that’s what mattered. Getting through the gauntlet of tenth grade with your self-esteem intact was what counted.” When she is encouraged by her counselor to do the right thing socially following the party, she’s torn: “Hannah didn’t want to be the girl with strength of character. She wanted to be the cool girl, the popular girl, the girl with the hot boyfriend.” At the same time, Kim (Hannah’s mom) finds her self dealing with both the teenagers and the adults and realizes “There is only one thing as mean as teenagers: soccer moms.”

Told from the alternating perspectives of Hannah, each of her parents, and the victim’s mother, the pacing of the story is just right. We lean of the horrific accident early on, and we know exactly what caused it. And details about both current and past behaviors of individual adults are revealed subtly, and only later do we learn how these will impact the unfolding drama.

I was in the mood for some escapist fiction, something that was not overly challenging but was completely entertaining. This fit the bill on all counts, and I appreciate having an opportunity to read an advance copy of The Party, thanks to Gallery/Scout Press and NetGalley. Five stars for the combination of domestic suburban drama, moral dilemma, suburban skewering, and all-around good story.

Sorry, no. Reads like an after school special, and a somewhat gutless one at that. One note characters and clichés all over the place, and none of the teenage characters ring true me as a mother of one and someone who works with teens. I got this book on the strength of the Big Little Lies comparison, which I enjoyed, and it just doesn't stack up.

The Party by Robyn Harding was an interesting read about what happens when something goes terribly wrong and the repercussions to a once picture perfect life. More of a family drama then a suspenseful read.

Told in multiple points of views, we get an interwoven story of what happens when a teenage girl has a sweet sixteen party that goes goes bad and what happens next. Rules are set by the parents. No drinking. No drugs. No boys. But teenagers like to push boundaries. What happens when the kids do not follow the rules and someone is terribly hurt?

Who is to blame? How far do you push? Now both sides are fighting for what they feel is right and just. But what if it's taken to far?

This is the story you get in The Party. The fallout of a terrible incident and how it affects the parties involved. This story shows how we sometimes behave terribly and the costs of our actions. How one incident can change family dynamics and nothing will every be the same.

I really enjoyed getting the perspective of the parents and Hannah (teenager). It gave readers a well rounded view of what was happening and how it is affecting everyone. Though most of the characters were not likable most of the times, the story will intrigue you. I wanted to know how it would all end.

We see a family fall from grace, a mother going for the kill, no matter who is destroyed and a teenage daughter who puts being popular above all else. We see their lives shattered.

This is a great family drama. Though there is no mystery, the actions of all involved will leave you shaking you head and wondering what society truly values.

Happy reading

Hannah Sanders is turning sixteen. She’s a good student, she gets good grades and has nice friends, and so her parents trust her. Rather than a big flashy party, they decide to have a sweet sixteen party at their multimillion-dollar home in a wealthy Bay Area suburb (I’m picturing Lafayette or Orinda). She invites four girlfriends over for a slumber party with pizza, cake, and movies. What could possibly go wrong?

Hannah’s parents, Jeff and Kim, have a tension-filled marriage, revealed by Kim’s regular use of Ambien to get to sleep: “…there was far too much tension in her marriage to handle without a good night’s sleep.” Jeff seems to wonder how their marriage got to where it is: “Once, they’d gone to Mexico and Kim had downed tequila shots and danced on the bar in her bra. And then Kim became a mother and it was like flicking a switch. Overnight, Kim became responsible, earnest, doting…boring.”

Kim sets the ground rules for the night, giving a little speech that clearly spells them out: no boys, no booze, and no drugs. Then they pretty much leave the girls to have fun in the rec room. But Jeff wants to be the “cool Dad” so he picks up a bottle of champagne and sneaks it to them, figuring one bottle will give each girl a small glass – again, what could possibly go wrong?

Of course, things DO go wrong, with a tragic accident in the middle of the night that starts the unraveling of the façade of their picture-perfect life. Much like Liane Moriarty’s Big Little Lies, my guess is that for many readers there is a bit of schadenfreude as they watch things fall apart. Life in the perfect suburbs – it really can’t be THAT perfect, can it? Doesn’t this family have some of the same issues, flaws and problems as the rest of us? As things spiral downward in the story, we learn of the deception, lies, and betrayal that lie under that façade, for the girls as well as the adults. When the victim’s mother reminds her “You’re the victim here,” her daughter asks her (next sentence censored by the Big A) “Don’t you remember high school at all?…No one likes a f^&*ing victim!”

After the party, “Hannah had experienced a perspective shift. Despite the values her mother had tried to instill in her, getting straight A’s wasn’t actually the most important thing in the world. Survival, that’s what mattered. Getting through the gauntlet of tenth grade with your self-esteem intact was what counted.” When she is encouraged by her counselor to do the right thing socially following the party, she’s torn: “Hannah didn’t want to be the girl with strength of character. She wanted to be the cool girl, the popular girl, the girl with the hot boyfriend.” At the same time, Kim (Hannah’s mom) finds her self dealing with both the teenagers and the adults and realizes “There is only one thing as mean as teenagers: soccer moms.”

Told from the alternating perspectives of Hannah, each of her parents, and the victim’s mother, the pacing of the story is just right. We lean of the horrific accident early on, and we know exactly what caused it. And details about both current and past behaviors of individual adults are revealed subtly, and only later do we learn how these will impact the unfolding drama.

I was in the mood for some escapist fiction, something that was not overly challenging but was completely entertaining. This fit the bill on all counts, and I appreciate having an opportunity to read an advance copy of The Party, thanks to Gallery/Scout Press and NetGalley. Five stars for the combination of domestic suburban drama, moral dilemma, suburban skewering, and all-around good story.

Sorry, no. Reads like an after school special, and a somewhat gutless one at that. One note characters and clichés all over the place, and none of the teenage characters ring true me as a mother of one and someone who works with teens. I got this book on the strength of the Big Little Lies comparison, which I enjoyed, and it just doesn't stack up.

The Party by Robyn Harding was an interesting read about what happens when something goes terribly wrong and the repercussions to a once picture perfect life. More of a family drama then a suspenseful read.

Told in multiple points of views, we get an interwoven story of what happens when a teenage girl has a sweet sixteen party that goes goes bad and what happens next. Rules are set by the parents. No drinking. No drugs. No boys. But teenagers like to push boundaries. What happens when the kids do not follow the rules and someone is terribly hurt?

Who is to blame? How far do you push? Now both sides are fighting for what they feel is right and just. But what if it's taken to far?

This is the story you get in The Party. The fallout of a terrible incident and how it affects the parties involved. This story shows how we sometimes behave terribly and the costs of our actions. How one incident can change family dynamics and nothing will every be the same.

I really enjoyed getting the perspective of the parents and Hannah (teenager). It gave readers a well rounded view of what was happening and how it is affecting everyone. Though most of the characters were not likable most of the times, the story will intrigue you. I wanted to know how it would all end.

We see a family fall from grace, a mother going for the kill, no matter who is destroyed and a teenage daughter who puts being popular above all else. We see their lives shattered.

This is a great family drama. Though there is no mystery, the actions of all involved will leave you shaking you head and wondering what society truly values.

Happy reading

This was purely a voyeristic look into the lives of a family behind closed doors. The characters I felt were pretty intriguing and it was a quick read about how horrible/desperate/angry most anyone could be in the situation of the story line. Ending was a bit rushed but all in all it was entertaining.

A page turner for sure, and a truely twisted finale. I love books with a genuinely earned twist or surprise, and this one delievered. There are no truely likeable characters here, and *spoiler* there is no tidy resolution or payback here.

This is a great read, but also a thought provoking one. My kids are a little older, but the issues brought up here about what we value and how we show that we value it still resonate. The characters are beautifully drawn. I felt like I knew those women (and men and teens). They felt so true and real. The decisions good and bad that people made made sense even when you were screaming at them not to make them!

A novel of teenage girls and their parents. The level of mean these teenagers are is unnerving. I do not remember being that horrid to people. Full of vapid, angry people. Not what I was expecting. Not sure how to rate.

This book was juicy good. The writing grabbed me from the get go and I could not put it down. Is it perfect? No, but it was an engrossing and thought provoking read. There are a lot of domestic drama books out there and this one is very good. In some ways, the writing (such as the shifting perspectives and inner monologues of the characters, their views on marriage, parenting, etc.) )reminded me of a Tom Perrotta book, but without the wicked humor of his books (which I love). Still, I definitely recommend The Party which is more serious and suspenseful. Enjoy!

This book was maddening to me so many times! While teenagers do sometimes make poor decisions, the parents were making just as many as the kids! If everyone would have just told the truth from the beginning, it would have changed everything, but then the book would have been a short story ? Not a bad read, it was just unbelievable. Thank you to Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

was Really looking forward to reading The Party. The premise is right up my alley; I love books where secrets are exposed, values are tested, altercations occur & I already know the gist of the climax- that way, I know what I’m getting Into.

I read The Party in one day & it’s a good summer read. I loved how Robyn told the story of The Party through the eyes of a few different characters; I felt it added some depth to the story. I’ll be honest, there were parts of this book that were hard to read. These are not the most likable characters & these high school girls are awful! Drugs, sex, lies, manipulation, a law suit & more. These characters were a challenge to connect with & even more of a challenge to root for.

I’ve heard The Party likened to my homegirl Liane Moriarty’s Big Little Lies, but I didn’t think there were many similarities. Robin’s characters carry sadness & a bit more weight around than Liane’s. The cast of The Party is a messed up bunch of folks, more similar to Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney’s The Nest.

While The Party was a good read, it didn’t stick with me. There were parts I just didn’t buy, parts that made me roll my eyes & the ending wrapped up really quickly. I re-read the last bit twice & it left me with a furrowed brow, confused & frustrated. When I give my time to a book, I don’t like guessing at the end. I could see why someone could be Really Into This book, but it just wasn’t for me.

Set in affluent Marin County, California, "The Party" centres around a 16th birthday party gone wrong. A student at a local private high school, Hannah Sanders invites some girlfriends to her home for a birthday sleepover party. While her parents lay down strict rules for the party, the girls ignore the rules, invite some boys over, and use both alcohol and drugs. Everything would likely have been fine except that one of the girls, Ronni, is seriously injured as the result of the behaviour of the evening. The heart of the book is the reaction post-accident.

This book is an easy read and had my attention from the beginning, but I found most of the characters unlikable.
That said, no doubt such parties happen and such accidents occur.

Thank you so much to Gallery Books for providing me with a copy of The Party by @rhardingwriter for my honest review. I had heard nothing but great things about this book and it didn't disappoint. I have a sixteen year old and the plot of this story really hit home for me. I really loved how this story was told from four different perspectives. Jeff and Kim Sanders throw a party for their daughter, Hannah. There are so many questions that can be asked while reading the book. What would you do if someone got injured at your house during a party? Would you do what Jeff did for Hannah? It really seems like Jeff and Kim have the perfect little life, but it all starts falling apart after Hannah's party. There were so many things that happened that had me questioning whether I would do the same or would I respond completely different. I think I know the answers for some, but for others I guess I wouldn't know until I was in that situation. The book touches on a lot of things teenagers face today like bullying, drugs, alcohol use, texting, etc. This was a fast read for me and I loved every page!