Noelle Crooks is a good influence...plus a book giveaway

Credit: Alexa Lena Photography

Today we are pleased to introduce Noelle Crooks and celebrate the publication of her debut novel, Under the Influence. Thanks to Gallery Books, we have THREE copies to give away!

A California native, Noelle Crooks’s love of books started at a young age with coveted trips to the local library with her late father. Before publishing her debut novel, Noelle has held roles at Sephora and Dolce Vita, and was the brand director at The Hollis Company. An education activist, Noelle is passionate about supporting youth literacy within marginalized schools. Noelle resides in New York City with her sidekick pup, Cooper. Visit Noelle on Instagram and TikTok.

Synopsis:

The Devil Wears Prada meets The Assistants in this compulsively readable 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 broke, lonely, and 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. Despite the pressure to accept the offer just as quickly as she’s been given it, 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 and being it all comes with a price. (Courtesy of Amazon.)

"Hey, girl! Are you looking for a fast-paced read that will entertain you AND make you think about how much influence certain people have on your life? Of course you are! So stop whatever you’re doing RIGHT NOW and grab a copy of Under the Influence. You’ll fly through this fun insider take on the influencer industry the same way you did The Devil Wears Prada."

— Catherine McKenzie, USA Today bestselling author of Please Join Us and Spin

“A very fun read...did not want to put it down. The book explores some of the darker sides of the [self-help influencer] industry: assistants who don’t get credit, plagiarism, toxic positivity, I could go on. I really enjoyed this.” 

— Grace Atwood, The Stripe

In one sentence, what was the road to publishing like for you?
It was a serendipitous journey. 

How is Harper similar to or different from you?
Harper and I are similarly ambitious, and both have that “teacher’s pet” energy. Plus, I can really resonate with her journey and feelings throughout the novel. 

If Under the Influence were made into a movie, who would you cast in the leading roles?
I love this question! For Harper, I’d love someone like a Lucy Hale. For Charlotte, someone like a Reese Witherspoon or Rachel McAdams. 

Which TV series are you currently binge-watching?
I am really loving the new Real Housewives of New York on Bravo!

If we were to visit you right now, what are some places you would take us to see?
That’s a loaded question when you live in New York City! The first things that come to mind are walking around Central Park, getting a NY bagel, and finishing the day with a big bowl of pasta.

What is your favorite social media outlet?
TikTok for discovering new people and things or Instagram for connecting with friends and family. 

Thanks to Noelle for chatting with us and to Gallery for sharing her book with our readers.

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using Rafflecopter on our blog, enter the giveaway here. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway ends August 13th at midnight EST.

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