The Temp is the story of television producer, Carrie, and Adrian, her writer husband. An unexpected pregnancy catches them off guard and Carrie is determined to return to work as soon as her maternity leave has expired. When a talented temp, Emma, is hired to fill in, Carrie’s plans change and she returns to work early. To her dismay, the temp has already become a valuable part of the team. The suspense builds slowly as Carrie begins to question Emma’s intentions – both towards her job as well as her husband.

The Temp was an enjoyable read, there are several unanticipated twists, and the story was steady and suspenseful. The characters are varied and my attitude towards them changed as the story progressed. However, the final twist seemed to be a little too abrupt and came out of nowhere. It did resolve the issues nicely and made for a good ending. Overall, I enjoyed The Temp and I would bump the rating up to 3.5 stars.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for this early copy!

I recommend this well-done thriller to those who love the genre. I took unexpected turns and was well written.

May contain spoilers!



Full disclosure, I did not like the first 80% of this book, like at all- but that's not the fault of the author. I'm just so, so sick of shitty powerful men who are desperate to stay powerful. They assault, they emotionally abuse and manipulate, and they pretend that they are the only ones allowed creativity and success (looking at you, Ryan Adams*)... and that it's somehow all a woman's fault that they're like this. The male mc could fit right in with all the predators being outed recently.

But. That ending. I don't think it's too much of a spoiler to say that he gets his. As he should, and as they all should. The way it happened, though? SO SATISFYING that I cackled with glee.

And what's not to love about a sub sub sub plot involving a Mafioso librarian?

*or whoever the next asshole in the news is by the time I finish writing this review

So, this was one of those books where I smugly thought I knew exactly what was going on...until I didn't.

Very pleased that the author took this in an unexpected direction.

While I didn't love every turn the plot took, I appreciated that the author had me so very curious to see what was going on and how it all would end!

Suspenseful read!

*ARC provided via Net Galley

The author wrote a thriller that started with a bang and just kept going! The twists kept coming, so I couldn't put it down. I cannot wait to read more from this author!

2/5 🌟 REVIEW
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Thank you @netgalley and @kensingtonbooks for my copy of The Temp by Michelle Frances. I had seen this all over #bookstagram and the cover drew me in, being so bright and powerful making me excited to read it.
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This was such a frustrating read to begin with and it took me over a week to finish it. Once I had read about 3/4, the pace fastened and I couldn’t put it down until I had finished. The story started off really well, but it wasn’t particularly interesting, although the settings, characters and job roles were unique which was a nice change.
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Unfortunately, this wasn’t as creepy as I had hoped. The tag line and blurb made this book sound like a thriller but it was not. There were no real twists or turns other than the big reveal at the end which wasn’t really original. The chapters were split into 4 sections for the 4 main characters but I didn’t see the point of this. Each chapter was from the point of view of different characters and not just the named character for that section. The sections weren’t specifically about the named character either, so I’m not sure what the author was trying to do here.
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I didn’t connect with any of the characters and I felt they didn’t really develop throughout the story. I feel it ran a little long and lacked in suspense. After seeing all of the good reviews I was left disappointed as it felt like an empty read. I gave it 2/5 as the story was an easy weekend read that was just missing something to make it wow.

I received this book from NetGalley to read for free but this review is of my own thoughts. I really enjoyed this book, I loved watching Carrie and Adrian's lives being turned upside down and trying to figure out everyone's place in that.

There are a few negative things I have to say, that prevented it from getting a 5 star rating from me.

First, I didn't really like any of the characters. I liked Carrie the most, but even she went against the original plan with her husband regarding children.
Emma was too hell bent on getting revenge...and I get it, I get that Adrian stole her idea. But even though it was her idea, he still turned it into a popular series. Not to mention what she did with Adrian.
Adrian was awful but not in any way we haven't seen before.

Unless I missed some clue in the beginning, I was surprised at the final twist and I like when that happens. I usually can predict things coming but this one was interesting to unravel.

This book was a little too long in my opinion, it could've been cut down in length easily without missing any key points. I also didn't understand why the Parts were named for the characters because they seemed to flow like the rest of the book.

Overall, it was interesting enough for me to finish, and I have no problem stopping a book that I don't want to continue. It was easy to read and the writing was decent.

If you like stories of revenge and unreliable characters, this book would be a good pick for you.

After struggling to get into my last book at all, I was craving something that would hook me immediately. This one delivered that perfectly.

It's nice to read a thriller that doesn't actually become much of a thriller until a decent chunk of the way through. Until that point, it's just the reader getting to know the characters - watching each narrator become more reliable and more unreliable in waves (a favourite trope of mine), and feeling one's allegiance shift between them constantly.

The tension, when it starts to properly kick in, builds at a good pace that sucks you in.

***Vague spoilers below***

The final twist... I don't know my feelings about it. It seemed to come too out of the blue to me; I didn't see it coming at all. Maybe I missed clues, or maybe they weren't obvious enough to begin with. Looking back, there are a few very subtle pointers, but still possibly too subtle.

I also struggle to get my head around Carrie fully forgiving Emma by the epilogue, but don't want to delve more into my reasoning here for fear of turning "vague spoilers" into full-on spoilers!

A decent, character-driven read that will grab you within the first couple of chapters.

This was a really quick read, and a page-turner, as the author kept you wondering where this story was going to lead. There were several fun character and story twists, as we slowly figured out Emma's endgame...and it was great that it wasn't what the cover synopsis leads you to believe. My only issue is the final Emma\Carrie twist, as it feels like it comes out of left field and tacked on to get certain characters to a happy ending. Other than that, it was a fun read.

The Temp by Michelle Frances was a bit of a letdown. I was looking for a thrill ride of a thriller, and this book fell short on every level. The premise was decent, but the characters were written in such a way as to be completely unlikable. Not my cup of tea, and I had to give up about half way through. Thanks to Netgalley for an advance copy.

What a great book!
I was given this book by NetGalley for an honest review-
Carrie and her husband work together - he has written an awesome storyline they want to produce - when she finds herself pregnant, they need to find a temp to fill in.
Husband is not excited about the baby and the changes it will make in their lives.
The temp is awesome and Carrie begins to worry about her job and her husband. When the temp is caught snooping Carrie decides she must get back to work sooner.
But is what you see really what it is ?
What an awesome book - I could not put it down!

Carrie is a producer and her husband is a BAFTA award winning writer on o successful television program. Carrie falls pregnant but Adrian is, to say the least, less than thrilled - he is happy with their no kids lifestyle. Along comes Emma to fill in for Carrie while she is on maternity leave. Emma is doing a great job. But Carrie suspects Emma is after her job ...and more.
For me, this really was a slow burn thriller. Unfortunately I kept putting the book down and it took me ages to read it. Not that the story wasn’t good - it actually was. It just took me a while to get into it
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

The Temp is the story of a love triangle complete with psycho. It's a good story about jealousy, fear and ambition. Some people will do anything for their idea of success. The story is engaging and suspenseful. The characters are complex and mysterious. Overall a good read. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Carrie is a television producer and her husband a very successful writer. Carrie has it all and when she realizes she is pregnant, wants to include a baby in that mix. Adrian does not. In comes young Emma. She is eager to work in television and to stand in for Carrie while she is on maternity leave. Carrie’s radar goes up and she feels as if Emma wants her job and more. Emma does have her own agenda but it might not be exactly what Carrie thinks it is.

This was great fun. There is a lot of cat and mouse going on throughout the story. You get a few All About Eve vibes. You get a lot of vibes that are totally wrong! There is one big reveal that I do have to say I figured out very early on but that was okay. It made a lot of things more understandable. You definitely feel for Carrie and for Emma in various ways. You will not get the feels for Adrian. He is one of the jerkiest characters you will read and I kept wondering just what Carrie saw in him in the first place.

This is another good book from Michelle Frances. I always look forward to them and am never disappointed.

Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington for a copy of this book.

I must confess, when I started reading this book, I assumed I knew exactly what would happen in this story (it seemed to be the premise of a story told many times). I will admit, I was completely wrong (for the most part). This story is a complicated one with quite a few different storylines at play. I thought this was original (which is actually something they discuss in the novel). I enjoyed reading this. I did not understand the titles of each part, as they were all about everyone and not a specific character. Recommend!

3 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was my first Michelle Frances book. While it didn’t “wow” me, I did like it a bit.

Carrie and Adrian are a married couple in the television industry. When Carrie gets pregnant - to the disappointment of her husband - their office hires Emma - the temp to fill her position while she’s out on maternity leave. Emma does a fantastic job. She is well liked by her new colleagues. So much so, that Carrie starts to feel her job is threatened. But Emma has plans. Plans that Carrie and Adrian did not see coming.

I’m not really a fan of slow burn thrillers. There are very few that I have raved about. This one started off with a lot of promise, but started to drag a bit towards the middle. I would categorize The Temp as more of a domestic drama rather than a thriller. Maybe I’ve just been reading too many thrillers, but the final twist was really lackluster - and it was totally unexpected. I wish it could’ve been more fast paced, but I did enjoy the story and will read more from Frances.

Thank you to NetGalley, Kensington Books and Michelle Frances for the advanced copy to review.

I have been reading a lot of thrillers lately and while this one was decent and some things happened that I wasn't expecting, I wasn't completely hooked on this book. It took me awhile to get through it and while for the most part it held my interest, I wasn't really thinking about when I would have my next free moment to continue reading like I usually do when I'm submerged in a story.

Overall, it was a decent read and I have her other book on my tbr list.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the arc!!

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to.

For someone who rarely reads suspensful thrillers, it was a nice change of pace.

The story will keep you on your toes the whole time. Certain things and items that are mentioned made me think that this book will have a very obvious and predictable ending, I couldn't have been more wrong. I read like a maniac and couldn't get enough as I just had to know what was going on and what was happening.

The opinions on characters will definitely change as time goes on with this book. It certainly did for me. I loved some at first, ended up thoroughly hating some in the end. Definitely didn't see a lot of the things happening.

It's a gripping story that delves into the world of TV and how easily some people lie, it's like second nature to them. And with no shame whatsoever.

Very enjoyable book all in all, it has reignated my interest in thrillers, that's for sure.

Carrie, 42, and her husband, Adrian Hill, are attending the BAFTA awards when he is selected as a winner for his writing. Carrie is a producer and together they will soon be working on a series. So, when Carrie tells him that she’s pregnant, he is shocked because he thought that they had agreed to not have any children. He is not happy about it. Carrie is not sure herself, but knows this will certainly be her last chance to have a child. However, she is so involved in her work that she cannot think of being away from it while she’s on maternity leave.

Emma Fox, 24, is sitting with her parents watching the BAFTA awards. Her parents are pleased that Adrian won an award because they like his show. Emma has always dreamed of writing for television. Her parents both have professional jobs in the medical field and are tired of Emma sitting at home two years after college graduation with no job. She writes during the day but has nothing to show for it. But when she sees an ad that grabs her interest, she applies for it.

Carrie is nearing delivery and worrying about her job and who will be covering it. She knows that being away from her job in this industry can be perilous to her career. But she now learns that Emma will be her maternity cover.

Even after Carrie gives birth to Rory, she is constantly stressed. She sees Emma as the enemy and feels she is trying to take over her job. In addition, she can’t help but think that Emma is after Adrian.

Wow! This is a twisty novel that makes one wonder who the bag guy really is. I liked Carrie and felt sorry for Emma at times, but not always. Adrian is a big blowhard. The television screenwriting industry is really cut-throat and I think the author did a good job of researching and portraying this in her book. My only negative comment is that “an idea does not a story make.” Read the book and see if you agree.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.