In this stunning and provocative domestic drama about a sweet sixteen birthday party that goes horribly awry, a wealthy family in San Francisco finds their picture-perfect life unraveling, their darkest secrets revealed, and their friends turned to enemies. One invitation. A lifetime of regrets. Sweet sixteen. It’s an exciting coming-of-age, a milestone, and a rite of passage. Jeff and Kim … passage. Jeff and Kim Sanders plan on throwing a party for their daughter, Hannah–a sweet girl with good grades and nice friends. Rather than an extravagant, indulgent affair, they invite four girls over for pizza, cake, movies, and a sleepover. What could possibly go wrong?
But things do go wrong, horrifically so. After a tragic accident occurs, Jeff and Kim’s flawless life in a wealthy San Francisco suburb suddenly begins to come apart. In the ugly aftermath, friends become enemies, dark secrets are revealed in the Sanders’ marriage, and the truth about their perfect daughter is exposed.
If you loved Liane Moriarty’s and HBO’s Big Little Lies, you’ll love The Party by Robyn Harding. This fast paced book exposes how even the most perfect of families can be shadowed by lies and betrayals. This is one page-turner you’re going to want to bring with you on vacation, to the beach, and add to your nightstand to be read.more
I liked it a lot. Lots of stuff I wasn’t expecting but enjoyed when it happened.
I really enjoy the whole concept of “BookBub” because if I choose wrong and get a book I don’t like it’s not too much, or nothing at all, of a financial hit for me to just forget about it and read another one.
I really enjoyed this book but felt the ending left me hanging.
Characters acted a bit unconventionally – especially the parents.
A good read on people’s characters and flaws and the fight to do the right thing and how some people can’t do the right thing no matter how hard they tried!
Parents of teens need to read this!
I loved this book, I love the character development ,also the way Robyn wove the storyline so it kept you wanting to read more and not to have the story end.
I seem to be on a bit of a kick with “books that make you cringe” and this one is no exception. Any author who can make me both feel sympathy for and want to smack a main character–even as I can see myself in that character–is talented as far as I am concerned. And having parented 3 children through their teenaged years, I can relate on so many levels. I was somewhat disappointed in the ending at first but after I thought about it, I think it’s really the only way to do it while keeping the whole thing real.
The story kept me reading because I wanted to see the outcome. And the plotline was fairly well developed. But the ending didn’t quite satisfy. The story is told from the point of view of four main characters and I wanted to see some resolution of these characters’ issues. In the end, it was like the story ended but the characters had no tidying up. A quick read. Not a bad read. But not one I’d rave about.
Did not care for ending
Purchased due to great reviews, but felt that it was written for a younger audience. The ending ….very lack luster.
wooden writing style
Kept my attention, but depressing story. Found it made me angry and sad.
This book was just okay. I think the author ran out of ideas and could not think how to finish it. Unsatisfying.