Both main characters are deliberately unlikeable. The main character is unreliable and I love that second guessing. This is a book with different types of narration: media and first voice. I enjoyed this.

A catchy psychological thriller from the very first lines, The Assistant by bestseller author Amanda Reynolds takes us to a ride in the world of influencers and fast money. I am fascinated by the social media stardom and how it affects everyday life encounters, therefore for me the book was more than a thriller reading.

Set in the posh environment of Belgravia, in London, it follows Larissa (Ris) Fox, a former waitress that married into big money, living in a multi-million house with a dream of a life, and Gail Frost, her assistant who was entrusted to manage her schedule and contacts, insidiously taking over her life and secrets.

The novel is built based on a double thread, the story evolving in a malefic crescendo until the final revelation(s). Although it is hard to find any ´good guys´ in this story, the characters are very much realistic and easy to represent in real life. I liked the way it explores the strong influence of envy into the decisions of the main characters.

The story, built on an exchange of emails, first person confessions and diary fragments, is obsessive and tensed, hard to put down and suspenseful. I didn´t know what to expect from this book, and was maybe sure there will be some gossipy hints and some mystery for the entertainment, but ended up really appreciating the style and the smart way in which a relatively mundate topic was turned into an unforgettable piece of a thriller. Particularly the last quarter of the book challenged any possible assumptions about where the story may lead to. Although I´ve found sometimes the pace a bit too slow for a thriller, it was nevertheless worth waiting for the ending.

I was lucky to receive an advance copy of The Assistant by Amanda Reynolds from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review and opinion. I really enjoyed the format of this book and found it to be a good read. I thought it was a good read with some twists and turns but did get a bit slow in parts of the book. I do look forward to reading more by Amanda in the future.

I didn't finish this as it didn't download properly - don't know what happened but it seems I had pages missing.
That is why I have only given 2 stars

I was really excited to read this after reading the description, and in a lot of ways this really lived up to my expectations, but in others I was left wanting more. I really enjoyed the POV's this used because it added a lot of dimension to the characters, knowing what they were feeling when interacting with each other. It also added a lot of tension and drama as the mystery woman is revealed to be one of our previous POVs. I really enjoyed the dynamics between the characters but do wish we had gotten more of Miles' POV and interactions with the women. Overall I was very entertained by this and thought the final reveal was pretty shocking (although I can see how other readers would have figured it out ahead of time). Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I did not finish this one, it was not for me, I couldn't relate to the characters, and just did not care for the story.

I read this book so quickly it was fast paced and full of tension and mystery. Twisty and unpredictable, it kept me on the edge of my seat

The synopsis on this one had my interest piqued from the outset and there was enough suspense within the writing to keep me second guessing as to Gail’s motives.

The twist to this one is undoubtedly in the format. Written as a series of transcribed interviews, email exchanges and diary entries, the reader is able to gradually build up ideas about the central characters, whilst the author is able to carefully reveal twists and turns along the way.

In this current age of social media frenzy and the ever-increasing number of ‘influencers’, choosing this writing style fits perfectly and is relatable to today’s lifestyles. I also liked the stark contrast between Ris and Gail’s lives, despite the circumstances that see them thrown together.

It’s a slow burn of a read and it takes a few ‘chapters’ to work out who is narrating and who is who, but once you overcome this, it’s easy to follow.

An intriguing read and a novel concept!

With thanks to the author, Rachel at Random Resources and Boldwood Books for the opportunity to participate in the tour.

Thanks netgalley for the early review Copy.

I enjoyed the book but did struggle with it but im glad I did.

The Assistant is a twisted and completely gripping read. It pulls you in from the first page. Pulling you into Larissa and Gail’s world. The story is told from Gail’s POV. It’s her memories of working with Larissa. From the first page, you just know something happened between them and you just want to know what.

What makes The Assistant interesting is that neither of the main characters is all that likeable but you still find yourself sucked into their world and wanting to know more.

#TheAssistant #NetGalley
Awesome.
I know many things about Larissa.
I know what she eats, which must-have brands she applies to her face, and the price of each carefully selected ‘piece’ in her multi-million-pound home in Belgravia.
Because Ris, as she is known to her many followers, likes to share. And now I’m here, in her home, watching her every move. Entrusted with her secrets and running her diary from the bijou basement flat, I’m on hand to fulfil Ris’ every need. Her right-hand woman. But what she doesn’t know is why I’m really here.I’ve put a lot on the line to get this job, and now my plan can begin. I’ve waited long enough
Loved it so much.
Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for giving me an advance copy.

This was an ok read, was a little boring in parts though it did pick up the pace towards the end & I was turning pages to find out what was going to happen!

I have been so excited about this book. I instantly jumped at the blogtour. This book hasn’t disappointed. I have been pulled in and unwilling to put this one down.

The characters in this book are questionable, I have found it hard to relate to them. This hasn’t put me off. This is written with a focus on social media, transcripts etc.

Initially this started off slower than I usually prefer. However, I was given a full insight into situations, characters and able to get used to the format of this one.

This has been an enjoyable read, I will definitely be reading more by this author. It is an addictive read and which I will be recommending.

🌟🌟🌟🌟

I really enjoyed reading this book. It was very witty humour that I enjoyed. It had suspense to keep your interest. Great plot that played out well.

Influencer Ris hires middle aged Gail to be her executive assistant. But Gail is lying about her reasons for wanting the job...
The Assistant is a psychological thriller set in London.
The book is written in the present day, reflecting on past events as well as current developments. A series of interviews with Gail combine with diary entries and emails to provide layers of perspective. I thought that the chatty style of the interviews was very intimate so we get to know Gail even though her secrets remain hidden.
Ris is vacuous, selfish and easy to dislike so we instantly ally with Gail. However, she is a unreliable narrator as she is fixated on her version of the truth which she wants to expose to the world. My sympathy for Ris did grow as she is appears increasingly deperate and vulnerable while Gail becomes more determined to see through her plan.
I found this book to be a bit of a slow burner. The interviews and emails give tantalising hints about events that have happened but the pace of the revelations is slowed down by the minutiae of Gail's day to day experiences with Ris. I enjoyed the major twists at the end of the book.
The Assistant has plenty of mystery and intrigue.

While I wanted to love The Assistant, I felt like it was just okay. I read a lot of psychological thrillers/ dramas, so it takes a lot for me to be wowed. This book was missing something. I didn't love the characters or twists.

I couldn't get away with how the story was written in text and email form. Sorry but not for me.
Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC

I struggled with this one as the emails and texts throughout put me off. I struggled through to the end and I admit the twist at the end suprised me. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

'The Assistant' is an intense, gripping thriller that had me on the edge of my seat. The plot is filled with surprising turns, intense suspense, and a captivating air of mystery that left me guessing until the very end. The last twist is nothing short of jaw-dropping. I could not read this quickly enough and struggled to put it down.

As the plot developed, and reading from Gail's perspective, I felt like I had a deep understanding of her thoughts and emotions. Reynolds has created the characters well within this book, giving them all depth but also enough to keep readers invested. I have read others with the format, but Reynolds adds individuality, putting her own spin on things.

It is hard to review The Assistant without giving too much away...If you come across it, pick it up! I highly recommend this book. If you're a fan of psychological thrillers, this is a must-read for 2023!

This book is written in the form of emails, interviews and texts, great take on telling a tale but I will admit I struggled with it at first.
The book centres on Gail, who applies to be an Executive Assistant for Ris, and we are slowly drip fed the reasons why and older woman like Gail would apply to work such a job. I felt it did drag on a bit and I found myself skipping on a few pages, I don't feel I missed anything in doing so as some parts seemed to rehash was already said. At times almost forgot this was supposed to be a thriller as just didn't strike me to be that kind of read.

I really wanted to enjoy this book as the blurb had me intrigued but the story just fell flat for me for until the about the last 25% but even at that the revelations weren't all that 'thrilling'