Inside Zoë Foster Blake's snoozefest $80 book tour as attendees brand event 'absolutely woeful'

Zoë Foster Blake's latest book tour was billed as the ultimate girls' night out - promising unfiltered conversations, special guests, freebies and plenty of laughs.

But some attendees have been left less than impressed, with disgruntled fans complaining about what they described as an awkward and underwhelming experience.

The author and skincare entrepreneur, 45, is currently touring Australia to promote her new novel Group Chat, which celebrates the complexities of female friendship and the importance of getting the girls together.

However, some guests have questioned whether the experience was worth the $80 admission fee, with one Perth attendee describing the event as 'absolutely woeful'. 

The online user said she had already been sceptical about the ticket price but decided to give the event a chance.

'It was absolutely woeful,' she wrote, describing the evening, which featured journalist Monique Bowley interviewing Zoë, alongside beauty and lifestyle personality Tracey Vo.

The attendee claimed Monique was 'absolutely painful' and 'hyper and very out of step with Zoe, who was a fair bit more reserved'.

She went on to complain that there were 'very few questions' and some 'awkward audience input' before guests were ushered into a queue for book signings and photographs after less than an hour.

The fan added that guests received a hat and three sample-sized Go-To products from Zoë's skincare brand as part of the $80 ticket price.

'I left with a cute hat and goodie bag of go-to products (gotta cross promote!) at least,' they added.

Another attendee who claimed to have attended the first Sydney event shared a similarly disappointing assessment.

At the Sydney show, Zoë was joined by journalist Justine Cullen, one of her longtime friends and former colleagues.

'I went to the first Sydney event about a month ago and felt much the same,' the attendee wrote.

They claimed guests had to queue for an hour to have their books signed, while the conversation on stage felt 'pretty forced'.

'A lot of in-jokes between Justine Cullen and [Zoë] that really didn't translate to the audience,' they added.

'Happy with the hat, but couldn't care less about the three tiny Go-To samples.'

The attendee said their group of girlfriends had all agreed the event was not worth the $80 ticket price.

'Honestly, I'd rather spend $80 on dinner with my actual friends and listen to them gripe about life in their 30s and 40s. At least we'd get a decent meal out of it,' they quipped.

The ticket price was another source of criticism, with one commenter questioning why the event cost so much when Zoë is already a successful businesswoman. 

Another guest said they regularly attended literary events that cost well under $50 and often included food and drinks.

'This didn't even include a welcome glass of sparkling,' they complained.

The criticism is a far cry from the event's promotional material, which promised an entertaining evening celebrating the 'chaos, splendour and undeniable magic of female friendships'.

Promoted as Bring Your Group Chat - A Night Out With Zoë Foster Blake, the tour was advertised as featuring conversations that were as 'candid, honest and unhinged' as messages exchanged between girlfriends. 

The tour has travelled through Sydney, Melbourne and Perth, with further appearances scheduled in Canberra, Brisbane and Adelaide.

The events are designed to be enjoyed even by people who haven't read the book, with organisers explaining that conversations would cover topics including friendship, relationships, careers, menopause and children.

The tour is centred on Zoë's latest novel, Group Chat, published by Allen & Unwin in September.

The paperback retails for $34.99, with copies available for purchase and signing at the events.

Described as 'part Bridesmaids, part White Lotus, and part Mamma Mia', the book follows five female friends navigating their 40s.

Zoë has described the novel as a love letter to female friendship and an exploration of how women's relationships with themselves and others evolve through midlife.