I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. This is the first book I've read by this author and I have to say she will now be added to my list of must reads as she managed to keep me in suspense from the start through the last page. The Receptionist is a story full of twists and unexpected turns which will keep you guessing all the way through. I highly recommend this book to everyone! Can't wait to read more by Kate!

I finally read an unpredictable and obsessive thriller again. The Receptionist is an exquisite thriller I read compulsively in one sitting.

This book was everything I needed right now, complete with some of my favorite tropes: intrigue, cheating, rich people and power struggles. The main character, Emily, is a boss talent agent married to her douchebag CEO husband. They are rich and powerful, and even though there are some red flags in his behavior, Emily sticks around for pragmatic reasons. But when Doug becomes involved with his young receptionist Chloe, he doesn't know that she's much more dangerous than she gives away...

And when Emily finds out she's pregnant, Chloe is not going to back off.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and even though it wasn't entirely new in any way (writing or plot-wise), I thought it was great.

*Thank you to the Publisher for a free advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book, though didn't feel like the synopsis necessarily best indicated what most of the book is about- for example, the baby really plays a very small part, and I didn't get the indication that this was the thing that drove Emily's decisions. The story goes back and forth between Emily, Chloe, and Doug's POVs. Emily and Doug are married and Chloe is having an affair with Doug. None of these 3 characters is likeable, but the story itself is fast-paced, culminating in some pretty major events at the end of the book. The prologue gives you an idea of what is going to happen, but it takes the rest of the book to see how it will play out.

The first part of the book was a bit of a slow burn, but it totally held my interest. Chloe was unpredictable and there was always a feeling that something really big and/or bad could happen in any situation she was in. The reader learns interesting things about the inner workings of all 3 characters, as well as what is going on in their business and what risks they are willing to take to maintain their lifestyles.

There were a couple times where all 3 characters made decisions that I didn't think were reasonable (though were certainly in character) and there were also a couple times where one of the main characters showed a level of ignorance or naivete that I thought was unlikely based on their experiences and overall intelligence. These were few and far between, though.

Overall, I liked this book and thought it was fun- I enjoy books where you don't like any of the characters but can still find one to root for. I would recommend it for those who like domestic suspense and psychological thrillers. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

From the alluring pink cover with the mysterious silhouette to the intriguing summary, I was looking forward to starting The Receptionist.

Emily fought for her place at the top and loves her life as a high-powered talent agent. Her husband, Doug, is equally ambitious, and together, they are a ruthless power couple with a plan for the future. But Doug's involvement with Chloe, an office employee, proves to be more disastrous than any of them could have anticipated. What follows is a twisty, unpredictable course of events that will keep you guessing until the last page.

I liked this book.

I sat on my review for a few days to figure out exactly what I wanted to say. First, Myles' writing is clear and engrossing. I found the distinct voices to be well-developed and interesting even though I didn't particularly like any of them. I'd go so far as to say you're not supposed to like any of them. Cutthroat. Manipulative. Emotionless. Emily was definitely my favorite of the three. Her position was the most complex, as Doug's wife and the orchestrator of the events which guide the second half of the book. This is a prime example of the extremes of toxic relationships, and I think anyone who's ever encountered a person with this borderline (or even flat-out) sociopathic behavior will recognize the off-putting and troublesome interactions.

And while I didn't like any of the characters, I wanted to see where the story would go. I finished this in two reads and didn't anticipate the ending. No spoilers, but I wanted more from the final chapter. The switch was too abrupt for me to love it, and after weaving together this narrative of violence and self-preservation, it felt a little rushed/out of place.

Overall, The Receptionist is a mix of gritty characters and overarching questions of ambition in an egocentric world. I'd recommend for fans of dark suspense and character-driven psychological plots.

Thank you to Thomas and Mercer and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for honest review consideration.

What an interesting read. I have no idea how to describe the plot or genre of this book. I almost felt like a fly on the wall eavesdropping on the lives of Emily, Chloe and Doug. All super unlikable characters but you just couldn't turn away from the downward spiral of their lives. I haven't read anything like it before, which was great for me as I was falling into the trap of reading the same old ideas. I had no idea where the plot was going or what was going to happen, I just settled in for the ride. If I had to pick one POV as my favorite, it had to be Emily, her ruthlessness was written perfectly. I wasn't too fond of Chloe's POV, it just didn't do anything for me, but was needed to see all three angles. Overall, held my attention and wanted to see how the author would wrap it all up and I was not disappointed.

Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for my Advanced Copy

Emily is an agent in L.A. with a top earning client, who is on the way to making her tons of money. One day, Chloe shows up at Emily’s office for an appointment, referred by Emily’s husband, Doug. Chloe is a receptionist at Doug’s office. One look at Chloe, and Emily knows she’s likely having an affair with her husband. Emily’s worked hard for their life together, and she won’t let anyone take it from her. Besides, she has a baby on the way that she hasn’t even told Doug about. But Chloe can’t resist Doug’s charisma and charm. And Doug...he can’t resist anything. The three characters’ lives will collide in a way you probably won’t see coming.
Wow. What a page turner. The main characters are so unlikeable, but in a way that keeps you addicted...kind of like reality tv. Overall, I found the story intriguing and entertaining. There were some moments where I considered whether these characters had any redeeming qualities, but Myles does a great job of allowing the characters to defend their actions. The pace of the novel was like watching an oncoming car crash in slow motion, but kind of went into overdrive at the very end.

This is one crazy ride and I loved every single second of it!

Fun twist on the thriller genre...

Emily is a well known talent agent and Doug, a tech investor/entrepreneur, they have a great life; tons of money and all the luxuries. But are they happy? Not really. Doug has a great wandering eye. Insert Chloe, the young, gorgeoua, social climbing, wannabe actress/receptionist, who works for Doug.This could never be a problem, right??
🌟🌟🌟.5
I read some very mixed reviews on this book before I started reading. I didn't mind the book as much as the naysayers. The plot is semi- predictable, which I don't really mind because give me ALL the drama. The really disliked the ending; it was a weird way to sum up/justify what happened to the main characters. But WOW does Doug really suck, he puts a lot of douchebags to shame.

Thanks you Kate Myles, Thomas& Mercer, and Netgalley for this ARC.

Thank you for the advanced copy - I appreciate it!

I was not really a fan of this book - I just didn’t like any of the main characters. Too much whining and conniving? And add some confusion. Not one of my favorites.

To be completely honest, this book was pretty chaotic to read and none of the characters were likeable. I thought the book started off slow, and picked up in the middle with a pretty predictable plot. Overall, I would say it was an interesting premise and I was intrigued.

2.5 rounded up

TW: murder, parent abuse, sexual harassment + I may add more if they come to me later

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer, the author and Netgalley for providing a copy for review.

Wild ride of a book with some crazy characters. Impossible to put down, once you start learning the back stories of the characters you learn these are some truly narcissistic people. Lies, infidelity, and murder make this book a train wreck you can’t look away from in the best possible way. Excellent razor sharp writing, highly recommended.

I was intrigued when I read the bio of The Receptionist but struggled getting in to it. I pushed through but didn’t love the plot, characters or ending.

The Receptionist by Kate Myles is one hell of a book. I could not stop reading. There is so much deception, lies, immoral behavior and just when you think you have found a protagonist to root for, the rug is pulled out from beneath you and you then realize that character is just as bad as the others. Emily and Doug are married. While Emily is the dog eat dog publisher who will stop at nothing to succeed, her husband is not that driven and quite frankly would be nothing without her. He owns a business and has a receptionist, Chloe, that he has been having an affair with. Doug is a manipulative liar who continues to wreck havoc everywhere he goes. Something happens that will change everything. Emily learns of her husband’s infidelity and then learns she herself is pregnant. She must find a way to end Doug and Chloe’s affair. Just as she is about to take the reigns, Chloe becomes enraged and obsessed. Who will be the victor in this cat vs cat fight? This book is full of twists and turns as you read through till the end. The characters are well developed as well as somewhat unlikeable. I had a hard time really deciding who I would root for which made it slightly hard to fully engage in the beginning. Afterwards though, it was extremely hard to stop reading and put it down.

Thank you to netgalley as well as the author/publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

I think my shoulders were sloped up in a cringe the whole time I read this book. All of the characters engage in immoral acts of deception, lies, bullying and entitlement. Well, the receptionist of the title is anything but entitled, but the escalation of her mental health issues is definitely cringe worthy!

This book is different from most of the psychological thrillers I've been reading lately, and so I definitely give the Kate Myles credit for the innovative storyline. There was a lot of insight into the mechanisms of high powered, manipulative corporate dealings. The author took a risk writing (or did they write themselves?) such unlikeable characters. And while that's okay, for me the plot was a little messy and unbelievable, which is the reason for my rating.

So kudos for keeping me engaged; and while I had mixed feelings about this book, I would love to see what this author does next.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advanced reader's copy for review.

Doesn’t the cover and title give away that this will be an amazing thriller! I knew it would be a creepy one and I was so excited to read it. Definitely did not disappoint and the characters were fantastic! I honestly was surprised by the ending too which I love.

A juicy book full of horrible people. I usually think you need someone to like even a little bit in any book but this book seems to be the exception of the rule. The setting and job roles of the characters are glossy enough to forget finding someone to like and it was interesting seeing 'how the other half live with some good character development on all three main characters. Admittedly, this isn't a book that will stay with me past writing this review but it made for some nice escapism. There were a few nice bumps in the road but most of the plot felt pretty unremarkable and obvious to me. I also found the last chapter cringy which was a shame as the book could have ended in all manner of ways.

Thank you to Net Galley and Thomas and Mercer for a DARC of this title in exchange for my honest review. I didn't like any of the characters in this novel, which initially made me pause. Once I realized I didn't have to like them, I soldiered on, and I appreciated the unique plot. The only thing that was very odd was a passage at the end of the book, and I don't want to give spoilers, but it was an odd point of view from the main character. This is a good book, but it's not a fun read. I also had a difficult time with my dislike of every single character..

The receptionist was a little slow at first. I enjoy when books are from multiple points of view. Doug, Chloe and Emily’s story is a pretty crazy ride.

Emily is willing to put up with almost anything to maintain her lavish lifestyle. A talent agent who oversees a slew of successful reality shows, she’s willing to out up with her husband’s infidelities to keep living her “perfect” life. But then her husband Doug, has an affair with the wrong woman. His receptionist, Chloe, has a nasty secret in her past, one that will come back to haunt Emily and Doug. Just how far will Emily go to maintain the veneer of her perfect life?

Are you a shrewd, social-climbing Emily?
An apathetic, addicted, entitled, trust fund Doug?
A superficial, opportunistic, professional like Dr. Maryn?
An insecure, gullible, lonely, possibly mentally unstable Chloe?

Have you met such people? Have you been on the receiving end of their deceit? Or are you more of an instigator?

It absolutely is a dog eat dog world, survival of the fittest. But karma exists and even then, whomever she picks isn't assured of a clean win.

This book will tug at your morals or lack thereof. Some are utterly apalled at this blatant manipulation of vulnerable people. Not realizing that this kind of things happen all too often in real time. I love this book for venturing into the more brutal parts of reality.

A bunch of thanks to NetGalley, Thomas and Mercer for this free ARC.

This review is made of my own accord, with no compensation whatsoever, from any of the owners of this ARC.