In my review on the first book in the series <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5332853617">here</a>, I already commented on how wonderful this series is and how I liked different aspects of both books. Of the two books, this one had a slightly higher entertainment and enjoyment factor for me, but they were both fantastic reads.

This book is set at the organization The Fixers, which has a questionable reputation when considering ethical aspects, or in Eden’s words: “it’s an evil organization”. But Eden is not aware of this fact at the start of the book and that is what made this book start with a bang for me. It was so funny to see Eden interact with everybody in the company. Where I thought Eden a bit one dimensional and naïve in the first book, it totally worked in this setting and she really came to life. Still, Michelle’s redemption arc steals the show, it was such an emotional rollercoaster. The book has some slow parts, it’s a very very slow burn overall, but it works the way Winter takes the time to turn Michelle into the person she wants to be, instead of the person (she thinks) she needs to be.

I’m not going to say anything about the storyline because of spoilers, but I would like to comment on the added secondary characters in this book. I already lover Michelle’s safta in the first book, but here we also get an Irish bruiser with a secret very soft heart, which gave the story some extra flavor.

After reading the “On The Record Series” and the “The Villains” series back-to-back I think I’m now going into a huge book hangover. So, for those that also want a book hangover, you know what to do.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Picking up right after The Fixer (I maintain that these really would have been better as one longer story instead of two separate books), this was a thoroughly enthralling read that I enjoyed more than the first part. I love how angsty the relationship between the two MCs was - Winter definitely knows how to write good angst - but I'll say it again, it was just a bit too slow of a burn for my taste. A fantastic duology that I would definitely recommend to Winter fans and newcomers alike - you won't regret it (best enjoyed after reading the Red Files and Under Your Skin).

This book was so engaging I finished it in one sitting, only taking short comfort breaks! This was an extremely slow burn with the two main characters meeting in the previous book, but once they actually got together the chemistry between them burned hot. There was a good amount of angst and the two characters felt so real I felt I knew them and was sad to see their story conclude. The supporting characters were also interesting. Highly recommend this book.

Another brilliant novel by Lee Winter! This book picks up where The Fixer left off and we are reunited with Eden and Michelle. A very gripping, unpredictable read that kept me engaged till the last page.

This is an excellent book! Chaos agent is the second part of the Villains Series and it's easy for me to say that this series is my second favourite after The Red files.

Book two of the villain series and we are reunited with Eden and Michelle. I thoroughly enjoyed the first book in the series so I was very excited to get stuck into book 2 to see where Eden and Michelle's lives had taken them. I'll be honest I did find this book much slower at the start and it didn't grip me as much as book 1 but saying that I still enjoyed the story hence the 4 stars.

I definitely felt that the feel of this book is quite different from the Fixer and focuses more on the character development side and getting into the mind of Michelle more. This at times moved quite slowly and was repetitive at times. However, I did find it did make the reader more sympathetic toward Michelle and make her character more likable. In part of the book, we see Michelle's view of herself as unworthy of love and this definitely makes the reader feel for her. I think we see a less harsh Michelle in this and more of a character with a conscious. Eden on the other hand's character doesn't change a whole pile from book 1 and is still as loveable. I really enjoyed Eden's character throughout.

Although the title of the book is Chaos Agent, there wasn't a whole lot of chaos in this book! But saying that once I got into the book it did have me gripped and I couldn't put it down near the end!

Picking up where The Fixer left off, book two of the Villain series starts Eden off as The Fixers’ newest employee. Of course, Eden’s ideologies do not mix well with the company’s work and from the get go, Michelle and the rest of her employees are bending over backwards to hide the truth from her. Smooth waters can only last so long.

Right off the bat, the intensity and stakes in book two are turned up to 11. We still have the same two main characters that we were introduced to in book one, but their lives feel even more intricate thanks to the new ensemble of characters and challenges. I’m glad we got to see more of Michelle’s backstory in book two as well, and I really believe it made the novel stronger.

I enjoyed the constant unpredictable nature of this story. Though the end goal for Eden and Michelle was obvious, how they were going to get there was not. Winter gave us an intense enemies to lovers plot with a real ‘hate to love you, love to hate you’ attitude. Watching it unfold was ever so amusing.

I have no major concerns with the novel and consider it a great read.

I received an ARC from Ylva Publishing through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

WOW.

I have so much love for this book that it shouldn't be a hard review to write, but at the same time, I'm up to my ankles in denial. I don't want it to be over. I don't want to have to leave these characters behind.

Chaos Agent has all the sizzle that one could expect from it, as the sequel to The Fixer (and as a book set in The Red Files universe). Clever twists? Political machinations? Some serious forces of antagonism? You bet. And every element works to pull together a believable romance between our Fixer and our Chaos Agent.

We thought Michelle was the worst of the worst. We've even been told as much in a little villain tête-à-tête, as Michelle reminds us in the epilogue. Chaos Agent takes on all those shady dealings, all the pain of innocent people getting hurt or used, and reminds us not to give up on humanity... not to give up on anyone's humanity, that is. No person who can still choose their course of action is beyond redemption. Nobody deserves to be told that they are nothing but evil. In this story about people who've made careers out of crime, I wasn't expecting to be gifted such a hopeful message. Yet it's exactly what we need as we root for Michelle and her journey beyond an existence mired in self-loathing.

Having a panda help her along doesn't hurt. I love how much Eden, too, grows over the span of the story. The embodiment of everything-in-black-and-white figures out how to let go of her unhelpful dichotomy and accept herself, accept others with even grayer pasts than she could have stomached before... or at least the ones she cares about. I don't particularly care about seeing all enemies given their spotlight and opportunity, but it would have been nice if one of our protagonists could acknowledge that the bad, bad people who get their just desserts might someday be reformed.

So yes, there's some heavy, thought-provoking content here, enough to chew on for a while after putting the book down. There's raw pain, artful enough in its delivery to have me crying. And there are also fun moments that had me laughing at an unreasonable volume in the middle of the night (because of course, I couldn't put the book down), and heartwarming moments that had me smiling goofily at the page. I have to give a shout-out to the last two chapters especially for delivering everything a reader could ask for in Michelle and Eden's path forward, and my favourite fictional cameo of all time. Lee Winter always delivers on every emotional front, yet somehow it feels like this book has packed the biggest punch out of all her work. The Villains series, and especially Chaos Agent, has been one of the highlights of my month. Thank you so much to Ylva for this ARC.

Eden Lawless and Michelle Hastings are back in this follow up to The Fixer. After Eden’s successful mission (and Michelle’s growing attraction to her), she’s offered a job with The Fixers. However, Michelle wants to shelter her from the kind of work they really do, so she’s only assigned smaller jobs, and they may not be completely honest with all the details. Eden quickly makes friends with the gruff and standoffish employees, but when she finds out what they really do, she wages war on Michelle and the company. The two still can’t fight their attraction, though, and Michelle’s growing misgivings about the shady work they do might inspire her to have a change of heart, and maybe invite something more between her and Eden.

Just like the first book, I tore through this one in two days, well technically in just about twenty-four hours. This is the slowest of slow burns, but whoa is it worth it. I loved the deep dive into the characters and both of their transformations, not just bad to good but rigid to open and learning to see the world from more than one point-of-view. Plus, the romance is amazing. It made me want to go back and re-read Winter’s previous books, and I’m always excited with whatever she’s going to do next. This one is out on February 16, so catch up with The Fixer, then have this one close by if you want to continue the adventure. If you’re anything like me, you’ll need it immediately.

Book 2 is even better, Chaos Agent pick up where The Fixer left off with Eden joining the morally questionable Fixer’s . All the office interactions and banter as Eden gets to know her work colleagues were so fun and many made me laugh with joy. There were some very unexpected twists that I didn’t see coming. The many heartwarming moments offset when things did get a bit darker. The redemption of Michelle comes full circe and was pull off beautifully. We get the great romance arc and Michelle treats Eden so wonderfully. The ending was wonderful and hopefully set up so oneshot shorts or another book because i don’t want to be finished with these characters yet. Another 5/5 masterclass. I received a copy of Chaos Agent from NetGally a fair review.

Michelle Hastings and Eden Lawless are now both working at The Fixers after Eden’s successful bid to stop her arch nemesis in Wingapo. Eden though is increasingly confused about what exactly her new company does for its clients and how Michelle chooses which clients to accept. As Eden finds out more, danger follows and threatens everything for both her and Michelle.
I really liked Michelle and loved seeing her in a new light after reading Under Your Skin, in which she plays a pretty major role. Her character’s reputation as a villain is jeopardized as we learn more about her motivations and her history. Her Grandmother, Hannah, is so much fun and their interactions really brought Michelle to life and added a lot to the story. I love the way the office rallies around Eden as they get to know her even though their job would have you expect they be cold and unfeeling. I have mixed feelings about this being split into two books as it really felt like one long one to me. I see some potential for shortening it and creating one longer book but I also really liked the plot for both and shortening that may have made the story feel rushed. I think that Michelle is complex enough a character to carry both books though Eden was a bit too simplistic, I’d have liked a bit more depth from her. It was a great series and one I’d expect to be reading again in the future as with most of my Lee Winter collection. Though it can be read as a standalone series I’d highly recommend reading the On The Record series first as I think it adds a lot to the story and makes it that much better.

So I'm in love with Michelle Hastings.

At first I was a little skeptical about this whole slow burn broken into two books thing. I am not a patient person. I hardly ever read duologies/series. So, it should not be taken lightly that I finished this book less than 48 hours after finishing The Fixer. In fact, I am a little embarrassed that I ever doubted that I would hang on to every word Winter wrote.

I wish that I had reread The Red Files before reading this series because I don't totally remember everything that happened, and I wish I had more context. If you haven't picked up The Red Files, don't worry. This series can be read as a standalone.

The only issue I had with this book is that Michelle gives Eden some of her safta's chicken noodle soup (Hannah is the only Jewish grandma I know whose signature soup is chicken noodle and not matzo ball, but that's beside the point). Eden's vegetarianism is made clear throughout the book. I can't imagine Michelle would be cruel enough to give Eden chicken, especially given the context of the scene.

Given that this is my only complaint, I'd say this book is pretty slay. I really enjoyed the utilization of River at the end of the book and am glad we closure on that storyline. Also, I just really want to give Michelle a hug. She worked her way onto my top 5 ice queens list alarmingly fast.

Big thank you to Netgalley and Ylva Publishing for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

NetGalley ARC Educator 550974

A delightful tale. The second in the series that can be read as a standalone and out of order. This is the story of Michelle's redemption and renewal. Enter Eden a good and wholesome activist who turns Michelle's life and business up side down. You will be sucked in and look for all of the stories and off shoots of this series. I hope Ottile and Hannah get a book of their own and we read more of Eden's and Michelle's adventures.

I just read 4 Lee Winter books back to back and I’m definitely enjoying my Winter book hangover. :)

This story is the second bin the Villain series and you need to read the Fixer first. Chaos Agent picks up immediately where the Fixer left off. Chaos Agent focuses on Eden Lawlesss being offered at a job with the Fixers Organization. This happens because Michelle Hastings is enamored with Eden’s personality. Eden is a shining star in Hastings horrible life and she can’t get enough of her. Hastings has committed one of the worst acts that any person can do to someone they love- betray them!
In this story we learn why Michelle did what she did and how much she is suffering from it mentally and physically.

Hastings is super protective of Eden and that was one of my favorite parts of the book.

The side characters are very well developed and add a great deal of depth to the story. My favs were Michelle’s grandmother and her Irish enforcer.

Eden learns that the world isn’t black and white and that there is some grey in most people and that’s ok.

The beginning of this book was hilarious and I found my self laughing out loud at the chaos Eden causes. Winter brings so much to this series humor, despair, love and a little bit of mystery.

I highly recommend this series to all of Winters fans.

Although The Villians series is standalone, I strongly suggest you read the "On The Record" series first, then the short story "First-Class Villains" from Sliced Ice. These will give you a glimpse of Michelle Hastings, plus the On The Record series was so good to read. I was so excited when I learned there would be a book about Michelle. She was a fascinating character(however evil she seems in the On The Record series) with so much potential. And well, Lee Winter never failed us!

Now that I have finished the series. The Fixer seems more like a prologue; then Chaos Agent kicks off the show. Both of them are brilliant! It revealed the mysterious organization we were looking for from 'On The Record', and we received the disclosure we wanted, as well as Michelle Hastings' redemption. Michelle Hastings is one of the grumpiest and evil(sort of) ice queens I have ever read. She is nothing that I imagined. I thought she would be the worst character and wondered how she would redeem herself. But in the end, I'm so glad Lee built an incredible, charming, and heartbroken character with so much depth for us. And Eden Lawless, probably one of the sunniest and most native characters (in an ethical way) I have ever read. And they are perfect for each other. You cannot not love the delicious opposites-attract, age-gap, grumpy/sunny, and ice queen trope here(and there's so much more!)
Highly recommend. I can not wait for this series' physical book to arrive on my bookshelf.

Oh.My.God! There’s redemption and there’s Michelle Hastings’s redemption. And achieving it is quite a feast. It all starts in the Fixer and it’s brilliantly continued in Chaos Agent. Eden gets hired by The Fixers on a temporary basis because Michelle can’t bear to not see her again. Of course, pure hearted and optimistic Eden is not aware of what The Fixers actually and her ‘employment’ with the Fixers is peppered with fun and charm. And we get to meet an array of excellent secondary characters with Phelim and Ottilie the 2 standouts for me. This slow burn road to redemption is a fitting conclusion and it gives us full closure not only on Michelle and Eden but Catherine and Lauren and the Fixers. A must read, along with the previous books including the On the Record series.

Free ARC via NetGalley

I loved this series. I devoured both books in like 4 days despite having a full time job I should've bee focusing on :) We get to see some thawing of our ice queen, we get lots of answers about the Fixer organization, some resolution for all of the villains, and we get a glimpse of what the future may hold for our beloved mc’s. What a great surprise to start the year; two unexpected and amazing books by one of my favorite authors.

In Chaos Agent Eden and Michelle are back together. Clumsily continuing their work with The Fixers. A dubious DC group that has their fingers in many different pies.

Eden is thrilled to be reunited with Michelle after her successful stint in Maryland. And ready to bring her “good vibes” to her stuffy office mates in her new corporate job. However, unbeknownst to her she’s bungling assignments left and right under her assumption of her jobs “do gooder” status.

Michelle is slowly thawing as she desperately tries to hold onto her newest employee. But her past in alphabet espionage and her work with The Fixers is starting to weigh on her.

I wasn’t at all dubious whether Winter could redeem the cold hearted Hastings from The Red Files. The slow burn continues between our love interests but also in development of the main characters.

Lawless and Hastings cultivate reckonings with their prospective pasts. And emerge into people who are worthy of each others love.

I felt so spoiled being able to rip through both of these in two days. And needless to say, I’ll be waiting patiently for another Winter’s masterpiece.

Thank you to Ylva Publishing and NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for and honest review.

I don’t even know where to begin to describe how bleeping fantastic The Villains Series is; I’m still trying to shove my brain back in my head after finishing the last installment Chaos Agent. To say Winter has outdone herself would be a gross understatement. She knocked it so far out of the park, it went home for a snack and strolled back before anyone could even figure out what direction it went!

When I sat down to write my review for The Fixer, book one of this series, I thought that it was one of the best books Winter has written, and that’s saying something because she’s amassed a long list of awards for her work. Chaos Agent, however, is a unique book. In this final book of the series, she not only ties up the loose ends efficiently and effectively, she does it with supreme skill and genius. It’s easy to see the beauty in this novel; it’s definitely award worthy.

Most sapphic fiction tends to be formulaic; writers have a tried and true approach to building the story and arriving at a HEA. Winter likes to toy with the formula though. She likes to play with archetypes, and it makes the storytelling very exciting; it’s riveting. But in Chaos Agent, it’s beyond exciting. She plays with archetypes in ways writers seldom do. She turns Michelle Hastings, her protagonist, inside out, stretching her shades of good and evil. I was often left wondering, “How is she going to write her way out of this one?” She does though, and Michelle’s character development expands the storytelling in ways that are jaw dropping. She is definitely one character readers will not soon forget.

When readers first meet Michelle in The Fixer, she is an ice queen like no other. She is ruthless, cruel and cold. In the beginning, readers can’t fathom finding any sympathy for her. Yet, by the end of Chaos Agent, readers will throw down and fight for her willingly. Why? Because Winter takes readers on an incredible character arc ride. She breaks Michelle down until she is almost unrecognizable. Yet, she is still very much worth knowing. Eden, her one time nemesis, even thinks she’s worth loving. Eden’s mother sums it up best when she tells Michelle, “Eden has a beautiful heart. And you, Michelle, ache to have one too.” In that ache, readers find compassion for her. They also find an ice queen that isn’t as icy as they had once believed.

As much as I love Michelle and the way she’s developed on the page, I find Eden equally as compelling. She’s a captivating and charming character; her goodness is hard to resist. However, she’s a bit too trusting and naive for her own good. Perhaps that’s why readers like her. She does have some “mommy issues” though, and the way Winter addresses them near the end is masterful. She scripts a big moment between the two that not only resolves their family’s tensions but pushes their character. It’s just one scene, but the story is made a bit softer for it.

As much as I enjoyed the character work in this book, I came to appreciate Winter’s use of literary devices even more. The way she deftly and craftily integrates secondary characters, dialogue foreshadowing and irony into this story and series is quite remarkable. Seemingly without knowing it, readers are pulled farther into the story, making them connect to the characters and storytelling on a deeper level. Be warned: Book hangover is a thing and this one will cause it.

As I mentioned earlier, the use of secondary characters is stellar. Safta, Ottilie (Tilly), Phelim, Aggie, River, and Eden’s dad Peter—though only secondary—are all important to the story. Each are interesting and unique in their own way, serving the story well. Most of all, their presence enhances the storytelling. They aren’t shoehorned in. Readers develop a fondness for them, but Winter never allows these characters to overtake the stage. Ultimately, it’s a testament to Winter’s talent as a writer and a storyteller.

Final I remarks…

The Villains Series got my attention in ways that few books do. Chaos Agent is a fantastic closer for the series and gives readers something they may not expect but certainly will appreciate. I’d encourage everyone to read it!

Strengths…

Well-written
Well-plotted
Great characters
Fantastic storytelling
Engrossing storyline
Must read

Exceptional! I can’t recall the last time I stayed up to finish a book! Well written and developed plot between Michelle and Eden. Book one (The Fixer) sets the tone with background information regarding the characters and firm. Book two (Chaos Agent) immerses Eden in Michelle’s world as an employee. Highly recommend if you like the enemies to lovers/opposites attract romance.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Ylva Publishing in exchange for an honest review.