Reviews with content warning for Racism - Counterfeit

This story follows Ava and her college roommate Winnie as they create a counterfeit luxury handbag business.

This book is split into two parts. The first half sees Ava being interviewed by the police as to her involvement in the business. We see a bored and bitter housewife who gets manipulated by an old friend. She comes off as the innocent party who was completely taken advantage of.

Then we get to the second part which is from Winnie's POV and the entire story shifts. I liked the shift in the story. The second part was much more interesting than the first.

I really liked that this story focused on a strong female friendship and the drive of these women. Winnie and Ava are both extremely hardworking and driven women who will do whatever it takes to achieve their goals.

I really enjoyed the audio version.

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thenovelmaura's review against another edition

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lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

One of my favorite audiobooks of the year! This book was so entertaining; the characters were fun and morally gray, and I love a good "listen as I tell my side of the story, Detective" framing. Ava was sometimes frustrating but you had to respect her hustle, and I loved how the dynamic between Ava and Winnie evolved as time went on. Since the focus was mainly on these two women, they were solidly fleshed-out and I could relate to different elements of their lives and histories without supporting all of their decisions. There was a twist right at the point where the story starts to lag, so that was perfectly timed.

My one issue is that I don't understand how they made any money from the central scam of the book... how is it profitable to return an exact dupe and then sell the real handbag online and retail? It might be less risky but you're not making any additional money. Honestly, I mostly overlooked this detail because the storytelling was engaging and I was along for the ride!

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debosmitathereader's review against another edition

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funny fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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kshertz's review against another edition

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emotional tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

I love thrillers with plot twists that you never see coming. I couldn’t stop listening to this one. It was a thrilling ride and I was very invested in the characters. I’m a sucker for an unreliable narrator too. Definitely recommend. Some inaccuracies in character development is the only reason it’s not a 5.0. Read it! It’s great!

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lilycollings's review against another edition

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lighthearted relaxing slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

I think this is a 2.5 or 3 star read. There were points that I was hooked but at other points it felt like I was reading things that weren't necessary for the story.

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vaniavela's review against another edition

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adventurous funny

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This is an easy read. The story begins with a first-person narration by Ava, who narrates her experiences with Winnie to the detective. Ava is not really likable, but she had good character development. That said, aside from her and Winnie, the other characters have no personality at all. They all seem really one dimensional.

Through this book we not only get an interesting premise, but insight into complex issues such as family expectations, consumerism, and labor exploitation.

Unfortunately it was a bit difficult to read because there were no quotation marks through most of the book. Being honest, I don't like that style of writing, especially since there is a lot of talking and no action.

Overall it was a great book, but I'm hoping for better!

tw: toxic friendship, toxic relationship, xenophobia, racism, alcoholism, medical content.

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