I was excited to read this one about an influencer, cancel culture, a missing woman, and lots of secrets. Unfortunately, it just didn't work for me. It was an okay read, but it's not going to be a book I remember or think about. There was a nice twist I didn't see coming.

Unapologetically, Alex is a wildly successful social media influencer spreading positivity and just hit one million followers. That is until Alex wakes up to an onslaught of negative trolls and backlash from a bash post attacking another influencer. Alex knows she did not make that post, but the damage has already been done and a spiral of hate is coming at her and her family. What’s worse is her personal assistant, AC, is now missing. AC has full access to all of the UnapologeticallyAlex accounts, and plenty of knowledge about Alex. As Alex tries desperately to get in contact with her assistant, the trolls and threats toward Alex are constantly increasing and coming to a head when a body is found. Now, finding AC is no longer about a viral post, and more about life and death.


I am not sure what I was expecting from this thriller, but it provided a huge web of twists. The multiple story lines weaving together made this novel hard to put down. I have been impressed by Kimberly Belle’s ability to bring a reader into the story and build such character development as well as weave and twist a thriller that keeps you guessing. Well done!


Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing: Park Row, and Kimberly Belle for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I feel like this is a cautionary tale for when my bookstagram really blows up and I have a million followers and in turn, need a personal assistant… two words - background check.

Okay, so odds are that is not happening anytime soon, so here I am writing this review on a book I read over a month ago. TBH I don’t remember specifics (I read it while in a holiday book haze), but I do know for certain that it was SO MUCH FUN to read! A really great thriller, tons of twists and turns, and one I would recommend to my friends who only dabble in the genre!

•IG influencer/social media themes
•Viral post gone very wrong
•Fast paced
•Super bingeable
•Dual POV and timelines

This was a quick and easy domestic suspense novel, but I was left wanting more. I was disappointed that the book was said to be about the “dark side of the digital world” and a “mommy blogger’s assistant going missing” — I ultimately felt this story did not have enough of the social media element to help the reader better understand Alex as a character, what her job entailed, and why things derailed as they did. On top of this, the twists and turns became a little too out there for me, Overall, unfortunately just not for me.

This is a book where details are revealed slowly, allowing the reader to gain a better picture of what is really going on.. There is plenty of action as Alex and her family deal with a wide variety of threats and challenges, while a secondary storyline unfolds in the background. How are the events of the past and present connected? I thought I knew, but I was wrong. Although there is one explanation that crops up very late in the book and I cannot quite reconcile how it fits with other events, this is an engaging and very satisfying story. And it will definitely make you think about the role that social media plays in life today. Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book.

Although this book started off strong, the storyline slowed to a trickle and crawled along to the end. The ending was slightly far-fetched and predicable. It was just an okay read. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy.

This may very well be my last read of the year (unless I somehow manage to squeeze another one in tomorrow!) And I'm so happy I chose to pick this one up! It was so good! Fast paced, quite thrilling and twisty - it gave me everything I wanted in a thriller.

The characters were super shady and at certain points throughout the book, everyone was a suspect. I enjoyed the multiple perspectives and dual timeline. It really gave us more insight into the characters. There were cleverly placed twists that really had me questioning my thoughts while reading. While I did end up figuring out what was going on, it didn't happen until very close to the end and the author really managed to stump me and keep me at the edge of my seat throughout most of the story. And figuring out the final twist didn't take away any enjoyment for me. It happens when you read a lot of thrillers! The writing was awesome and it really made me want to keep reading to see what would happen.

An easy five stars for me! If you're looking for a super fast paced and exciting thriller, look no further!

I spent a wonderful winter afternoon curled up with a glass of wine and The Personal Assistant. I've been a fan of Kimberly Belle since before my booksta days and she always delivers compulsively readable twisty tales.

The Personal Assistant takes you on a wild ride where no one can be trusted and danger lurks behind every corner. The multiple POVs and timelines kept me on my toes and definitely tricked me a few times! Belle also drops some great red herrings along the way that made me suspicious of pretty much everyone.

Belle has a knack for writing unlikeable characters that you want to read about. Alex was the worst; self-centered, unaware and just basically clueless. The ending took me somewhere unexpected, which is always a pleasure for an avid thriller reader.

I think this would make a fantastic mini-series......

Thank you to Harper Collins Canada, Park Row and NetGalley for the eARC to reac and review.

I'm here with a book review for a new suspenseful and mysterious thriller by Kimberly Belle called The Personal Assistant. You might know her from The Last Breath, Dear Wife, or My Darling Husband. The only other book I've read by her is The Marriage Lie, which was just okay for me. I received an arc of The Personal Assistant from the publisher on Netgalley and the following is my unbiased review.

Title: The Personal Assistant

Author: Kimberly Belle

Publication Date: Nov 2022

Publisher: Harlequin Trade Publishing, Park Row

Suggested Reader Age: 16+

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense

Pages: 352
› Alex wakes up hungover after celebrating one million followers on her Instagram page Unapologetically Alex. She was a single mom for a long time and values the money she's able to make on her own now. Her twins, Gigi and Penelope, are twelve. Her husband, Patrick, is a financial TV guru and a great stepdad to her daughters.

Alex's phone has hundreds of notifications. There's a post on her Instagram page bashing another popular influencer and her followers are dragging Alex through the mud. She does not remember posting it at all and attempts to contact her personal assistant AC, but there's no response. Eventually, AC is reported missing. A break-in, damage done to Alex's car, a bomb threat, and then a young woman is found dead in a building on their property. Alex's family hates her Insta page and wishes they could have more privacy.

Told in alternating perspectives from Alex, Anna Claire and Patrick, we are taken on a journey from 1994 to the present trying to piece together the truth. Who posted on Alex's page? Who killed the woman? Where is the personal assistant?

› Characters: 4
The characters are boring. This is not a character-driven story.

› Atmosphere: 4

› Writing Style: 4
The writing style is beige with good readability. The dialogue felt a little clunky in places.

› Plot: 4
Similar to The Marriage Lie, I found the last quarter of The Personal Assistant boring. Belle's books intrigue me from the start, I highly enjoy the beginning and middle, but I'm never satisfied by the ending.

› Intrigue: 4
I was intrigued throughout, however, there's no shock factor here. It was predictable for me, but a fun read.

› Logic: 4
There were some character actions that didn't make sense that I don't think I can talk about as they are a little spoilery.

› Enjoyment: 4

Average 4

1.1-2.2 = ★
2.3-4.5 = ★★
4.6-6.9 = ★★★
7-8.9 = ★★★★
9-10 = ★★★★★

My Rating

The Marriage Lie ★★
The Personal Assistant ★★

› Final Thoughts
• The Personal Assistant is an easy read good for readers looking for something quick and uncomplicated. This story is all about deception, vengeance, family, and resilience.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the complimentary copy in exchange for my honest review.

This book was a wild ride and I honestly was guessing until the very end. I loved the incorporation of social media influencers and how it can impact more people than just yourself. Fast Paced- great characterization and a lot of twists and turns until the bitter end! A must-read for thriller fans! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Although The Personal Assistant has quite a strange pace, it ebbs and flows in a way which keeps you gripped to the story, It follows Alex who is an instagram influencer. Or she was until she wakes one morning - hungover - and realises she has gone viral for all the wrong reasons.

It soon becomes clear that her personal assistant, AC, has purposefully sabotaged her account. Alex has no idea why though and unfortunately she can’t ask AC who has disappeared. Everything points back to Alex and her family, Under close scrutiny from both the police and the public, it soon becomes clear that Alex has already been found guilty in the court of public option, but the question is what really happened and where is AC.

Told from a variety of povs both in the past and present, The Personal Assistant delivers everything it promises. The only thing stopping me from giving it 5 stars is the predictable nature of the storyline and the fact that the twins needed to be much more developed characters.

Fast-faced, enjoyable Kimberly Belle has done it again with The Personal Assistant. Alex is a motivational Instagram influencer and mom of twins, married to a TV financial advice guru, with an assistant named AC. Somehow, a post that Alex doesn't remember writing is posted to her account. It goes viral, scandal ensues, Alex becomes a target for trolls, and AC disappears. The book alternates between Alex, her husband, and AC acting as narrators as we try to figure out what happened and who AC really is. A fun, escapist read. Highly recommend!

I will be withholding my review until Harper gives their Harper Collins union workers a fair contract. Thank you again for the copy.

I enjoyed this one. It was a quick read and different. I haven't read anything like this. I love the different POV's and the story just flowed. I would recommend it

Wow, wow, wow. This one will make you want to delete your social media accounts and never look back! Incredibly well-written with twists and turns you will not see coming. I wasn't sure who the good ones and the bad ones were until near the end - loved this story.

Alex is mother to 12-year-old twin girls and happily married to her second husband, Patrick. For a number of years now, Alex has been an extremely successful influencer on Instagram with an incredible number of followers. As she become busier, she hired AC as her personal assistant. AC helps Alex keep up with making sure her posts are straight.

One morning Alex wakes up hungover after a night of drinking too much Tequila with AC. She soon realizes she must have sent out a message late at night saying terrible things about another influencer that has angered many of her followers. The fallout is horrendous and the messages Alex receives goes from nasty to life-threatening. She is unable to reach AC and soon wonders if AC sent the message out to make her look bad. When her daughters are targeted at school and cars drive by her house as threats increase, Alex becomes very frightened and the police are called in to help. She and Patrick try to figure out who AC really is and what is she about trying to hurt Alex.

This book is very twisty and leaves a lot of food for thought. I really liked Patrick but was not fond of Alex. I am not a big fan of social media and use Twitter solely for posting book reviews to promote authors. I have no desire to join in any other social media arenas for I have seen how nasty people can be and want nothing to do with that.

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

An entertaining mom-fluencer thriller told from multiple POVs with some good twists. If you like influencer stories where the high profile star gets theirs this is for you. Perfect for fans of Ellery Lloyd'' People like her or Friends and strangers by J. Courtney Sullivan. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

3.5 stars for this quick, easy and entertaining domestic suspense novel.

Alex is a social media influencer. Her motivational messages and real life shared family moments have earned her a huge following. Her social media success demands more than she can manage and she hires a personal assistant. Things quickly turn against Alex when a controversial post goes viral — a post that Alex did not create or know about.

This storyline is a current hot topic and was easy to fall into. It was interesting to get an inside glimpse into a social media influencer perspective. I liked Alex immediately and felt invested in her situation. This authors writing grabbed me from the start and kept me curious to the very end. The multiple perspectives kept the story fresh and multi-layered. I did find pieces of this story similar to this authors’ last release which was a bit disappointing.

My connection to the characters and storyline did lessen in the last third of the book as the plot believability wasn’t there for me and some of the writing felt rushed and overdone. The intensity was lacking near the end, however, the suspense kept me intrigued throughout and curious to see how it would all come together. I love that I can always depend on this author to throw in lots of twists.

Overall, a fun, current and intriguing book that kept me entertained. It lacked the “wow” and shock factor I usually expect from this author but was fresh and unique. I look forward to what this author comes out with next!

Thank you to the publisher for my physical review copy!

As far as domestic thrillers go, this one kept me guessing much more than others have, which made for an entertaining enough read. I didn’t like the ultimate explanation for what happened and the ending had some lightly infuriating bits that left me wishing for more, but this would still be a great books for most domestic suspense fans!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Alex is a stay at home mom of 12 year old twins. She an influencer obsessed with sharing her “perfect” life through her Unapologetically Alex blog. When she hits a million followers, she hosts an alcohol filled celebration with her husband, Patrick and her assistant, A.C. She wakes up the next day to realize she has made some disparaging remarks about a 16 year old celebrity. She immediately calls her personal assistant to figure out damage control. But, as the trolls come out, A.C. Is no where to be found. Alex and Patrick must find A.C. before she ruins there lives. But, is A.C. behind the social media attack and if so, what does she want? Is Patrick the doting husband? Or does he know more than he is letting on?

The story is narrated through three alternating points of view and two timelines.

I found the story to be fast paced and enjoyable. I did not find it super predictable.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5026832549