I’m trying to reflect on this book and I’m honestly not even sure how I feel.

This is a multi POV story that highlights the how difficult it is to be a woman working in Hollywood and the film industry and especially in the wake of the #metoo movement.

I desperately wanted to like this because I feel that the message is important and I appreciated it asking hard questions and showcasing the less than pretty, but the story honestly felt like it ended without any sort of a resolution. The book was a bit of a whirlwind with so much happening but nothing really happening at the same time.

The characters were interesting, but I didn’t find myself particularly attaching to any of them. I really feel like the story would’ve benefited from some sort of resolution instead of leaving us readers in the dark and scratching our heads as to WHAT exactly happened.

I was given an ARC by NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing. All opinions are my own.

Despite the title, "The Work Wife" covers a day in the lives of three very different women - Zanne, Holly, and Phoebe. Zanne is a personal assistant to Ted, Holly is Ted's wife, and Phoebe is a co-creater of a movie trilogy with Ted. I didn't care for Zanne or Holly, but Phoebe was somewhat bearable compared to the others. I was excited to read this book and get into a "glimpse" of a Hollywood personal assistant, but I found the story to be boring at parts. However, the writing was good and I will give Hart another chance in the future.

I simply didn’t relate to the characters in this book. I did love the high-powered Hollywood setting, but it wasn’t enough to keep me engaged. Some of the over the top demands seemed a bit too caricatured and stereotypical.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC.

Told in a single day from three different POVs, Alison B Hart's aggressively fine entry into the crowded #MeToo genre joins a queer assistant to the stars as she plans an important party for her employers while slowly realizing she may be complicit something more sinister. Hart takes some tired ingredients from countless beach books (rich famous people doing awful things) and elevates it into a pressing commentary on role women play in keeping the old Hollywood boys club afloat and living without consequences...and also examines the change necessary to knock these old power structures down.

Enjoyed this for the most part and thought the main character Zanne (the "work wife" of a big producer) was compelling but it feels like there's some aspects of her personal life that aren't fully explored - she's queer and in recovery but both of these matters are only casually addressed. The other two characters (the real wife and the ex-wife of aforementioned producer) have satisfying arcs but it all feels a little tidy and predictable by the end...and there's a lot of wordy buildup with very little explosion. At times it feels like the book is more caught up in describing its characters opulent surroundings instead of digging into their inner cores. Aside from these minor issues, The Work Wife kept my interest throughout and I'd love to read Hart's next book.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing, Graydon House and NetGalley for allowing me to read The Work Wife as a Digital ARC.

The Work Wife is written from three point of views (the wife, the former wife and the work wife). This definitely revolve around the #metoo movement so Trigger warning for sure. This story is in a single day, during a fundraiser for low income moms. The three women in the story are all comparing notes. It is propulsive, very thought provoking and really well done! It's incisive and funny, this is a very well-paced page turner.

Personal assistant to the stars Zanne Klein has to manage all kinds of details, from basics like managing menus and meals to party planning--finding circus animals to appear and make the party really special on the day of the event. As the plot builds, we see the dark side of Hollywood in more detail from three riveting perspectives.

The characters of this book was a major sent back for me, I personally did not find any of them likable. However, the story was interesting and would recommend this book.

This novel centers on one day in the life of a Hollywood mega-producer who's sponsoring a charitable party, and is told from the point of view of his three "wives" -- his current wife, his former wife and producing partner, and his "work wife", i.e. executive assistant. I was expecting a snarky story about the ridiculousness of the ultra-rich Hollywood elite, a la The Nanny Diaries. There was a little of that, but it was much more about the role of women in a male-dominated world and the #metoo movement. I feel like the #metoo topic is a little over-saturated in literature, TV and movies right now so it wasn't as engrossing as it should have been for me.

This book was interesting and a fast read. I had trouble getting into the characters, which is a problem for me because I’m a character driven reader.

Thank you, Harlequin Trade Publishing, for allowing me to read The Work Wife early!

I quite loved the stylistic decision to narrate the story, which takes place in a single day, through different and very distinct points of view, but that said, I didn't entirely fall in love with this book. As often happens, it's probably my fault and this book is just not for me.

Really enjoyable book - so glad to see queer main characters outside of a romantic plotline for once! 4 solid stars - flew through it and enjoyed it, but it didn't feel particularly impactful.

This book is great! Would definitely recommend. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I loved the premise of The Work Wife. I like Hart’s writing style. But this really dragged in parts. I eventually finished it, but had to put it down more often than I usually do. It’s a solid story with good character development (you will either love them or hate them), but it fell flat. Not bad, just not for me!

I could not get into this book. The characters were unlikeable. "Zanne, like Van" was a weird name that I every time I saw it I reminded myself how it was pronounced. That made the character hard to find sympathy for and she did deserve sympathy for the situation she found herself in as the Work Wife to movie mogul Ted Stabler and his family. Zanne Klein's job is to make Ted & Holly Stabler's lives run smoothly and make any request her duty to deliver.

If you enjoyed The Maid by Nita Prose, you will probably enjoy The Work Wife. Unfortunately I did not.

The Work Wife just didn't do it for me. It was slightly interesting and I finished it quickly, but it didn't stay in my head after I closed the book.

Following three different POV's, this book takes place over the course of one day and is a nod to the #MeToo movement.

I felt that it had promise and the premise was interesting, the book just sort of fell flat for me.

This book had such promise based on the description. The wife, ex wife, and work wife? I struggled to even finish it. Too wordy and honestly you couldn’t even keep track of the storyline.

"The Work Wife" is an interesting behind-the-scenes look into the people that maintain the lives and lifestyles of the super-rich Hollywood elite. Zanne Klein had never set out to become a personal assistant, but after 8 years on the job, working for Ted and Holly Stabler, super wealthy Hollywood nobility at their home in Malibu, she was now offered the top position of Chief of Staff. She initially took the job because she was recovering from a long bout of bad decisions and had oppressive student debt and needed the income. The steady increase in responsibilities and pay locked her in to a job that gradually eroded her sense of self and her moral compass. The demands that the rich place on their huge staffs was described here in lurid detail, and the line between personal and professional tasks was totally erased.

The narrative arc revolves around a huge party that the Stablers are throwing at their compound to raise money for a children's charity (but really to raise their notoriety as "good philanthropists"). But it's also about a decades old "MeToo' incident involving another influential man in the business in which Ted is possibly implicated. As Zanne puts the pieces of the story together and digs further to find the truth, she questions her part in the system that perpetuates the myths and injustices upon which these powerful rich people build their lives.

I was going to give this book 3, 3.5 stars but rounded it up to 4. It’s a departure from my usual genre (that being suspense, thrillers) but still held my attention well. This is more of a drama of wealth, based around a family with a lot of the current #metoo echoes thrown in. And while it wasn’t a mystery or thriller, it was tightly plotted, with wonderful, character-driven writing that ended up being a fantastic read. I believe this was a debut & I will look into this author’s next book.

Following the rise of popularity in celebrity-centered books led by Taylor Jenkins Reid in 2021, The Work Wife takes the model of addictive reads about Hollywood and celebrity life and makes it a platform to bring awareness to injustices faced in the film and celebrity industry. At every turn, Allison Hart imbeds a story of female and minority empowerment, with many references to the #metoo movement, impacts of poverty and addiction, and the struggle to maintain one's identity in a society that values complacency.

The Work Wife tells the story of a single-day philanthropic event put on by the famous direct Tom Stabler and his wife Holly (and their team of staff that the story centers on). Unbeknownst to them becomes the attempt to uncover the silenced injustices faced within the film industry that the couple may be trying to hide.

The story takes the approach of three narrators:
1. Suzanne “Zanne” interim chief of staff for Ted
2. Phoebe Ted’s ex-directing partner who got blackballed by Hollywood
3. Holly current wife of Ted

Every woman has a story of abuse or directly knows of someone who does. Each woman in The Work Wife is directly impacted by big-shot director Ted's life and takes different approaches to make amends with their experiences with him. I loved the fact that the entire book took place in the course of one day, which kept the book going at an amazing pace, couldn't put it down, finished in one day.

Post scheduled to go live February 20th, 2022 at 10:30am on RX One Book a Week
https://rxonebookaweek.wordpress.com/2022/02/20/the-work-wife-allison-b-hart/

Thank you so much to #Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

There is a lot to digest in this book. Its a stark reminder of the #metoo movement and the story closely mirrors once of the first and most important example of the #metoo movement.

I don't want to write too much until the book is out in July. One thing is for sure...this will be the perfect book club read.