I really enjoyed this book even though the main characters are simply awful. Hardly a redeeming quality among any of them, besides maybe Jo-Ann. I read this quickly because I just wanted to see what kind of hot mess these lunatics were getting themselves into, and I wasn't disappointed. A solid 3.5 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and publisher for the advanced copy.

The Receptionist
By Kate Myles

This a debut by this author, and she comes out the box swinging

Emily is the wife , she’s a cut throat publicist for top authors and stars In LA, she’s hardcore , smart and sees things for what they really are.
She’s married to Doug and for all purposes Doug is nothing without Emily. He has wonderful business ideas for an app that collects data on how you feel, when you look or see things. But really he wants to steal medical info and sell it.
But he can’t seem to cover his tracks
And Emily is documenting them all
Chloe is doug’s lover , and is a temperamental ticking time bomb
But that bomb may be for Doug or for Emily.
I give this book 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 for
It’s debut. It’s POV chapters which I loved ❤️

Read this in July when it comes out
You won’t regret it

I received an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book wasn’t my favorite psychological thriller of late, but it was perfectly serviceable and did the job. The epitome of a three star thriller

The Receptioniost by Kate Myles, published by Thomas & Mercer, is a stand-alone, full length, not a romance.
This new to me author managed to keep me in suspense from start till the last page.
The Receptionist is a story full of twists and unexpected turns, a brilliant storyline with grandious writing.
I fell in love with the characters right from the start, I connected very easily with them.
Chloe makes a formidable villain and surprised me with her cunningness every single time.
A great read, 5 stars.

It kept my attention but I find it hard to fully enjoy a story when I don’t like any of the characters. Despite that, it was very well written and I did find myself curious to know the outcome.

YASSS!! After a slight reading slump, I am happily surprised to find a winner with this saucy gem!

Emily is a very powerful TV agent. She’s a BOSS and she is in charge, except when it comes to her relationship with her douchebag husband, Doug. He’s a cheater and a liar, and manipulates her time and time again. Yet, she stays with him. They are a powerful couple who make loads of money.

Emily finds out that Doug is having intimate relations with his receptionist, Chloe. After Emily finds out she’s pregnant, she decides that enough is enough...and plans to end up on top after the dumpster fire that is her life is extinguished. Unfortunately for her, Chloe is unhinged...Seriously damaged and deranged.

Place your bet on who will be victorious in the end.

I’m not going to lie...I thought this would be a standard thriller. It’s so much more than that. In a familiar trope, the characters and situations they go through are complex and mostly original. This is in thanks to author Kate Myles and her remarkable writing style. The tension builds evenly and with much welcomed snark (I’m a sucker for snark).

BOTTOM LINE: Although it’s not necessarily groundbreaking, I was hooked like an ornament. I read it in one day. I planned to take a break and nap. Didn’t happen. I planned to stop and watch a movie I’d been eager to see. Didn’t happen. I couldn’t stop reading this book until the last page. It’s juicy and delicious...addicting and darkly fun.

4.5 stars rounded up. Expected publication date: 7/6/2021.

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Review also posted at: https://bonkersforthebooks.wordpress.com

Crazy Train Boarding Call.

My first favorite of 2021.

Keenly written, exquisite in it’s perfidy and the perfect storm of psychopathy, rage, and revenge.

This book had it all.

Add superb storytelling and a trio of strong protagonists and expect a delicious upending.

First we have Emily: As a carefully modulated and controlled person who’s ruthlessly climbed the ladder of success, Emily finds herself in a conundrum. She thinks her smart effortlessly charming husband is cheating on her with his receptionist. Meanwhile, she’s pregnant and feels compromised and weak.

Women are drawn to her husband Doug’s aging surfer appearance but behind his easy manner lies a superior mind. What is he up to? I envisioned him as a doppelganger for Aussie actor Simon Baker. His impalpable charm and disarming appearance as described in the book seem to match and assisted me with seeing his persona and ability to persuade.

As the beautiful young receptionist, Chloe has her own secrets and being unhinged is one of them. She’s also ambitious, creating a dangerous combination.

Shake, stir, and watch the results!

The characters are wonderfully developed although unlikable for various reasons. The author achieved a unique balance between imparting information, coercing my involvement, yet also staying distant. I wasn’t so invested as to hope for anything other than a spectacular outcome, but I loved reading about these loathsome people. That’s talented writing in my opinion.

I can’t say enough about how much I enjoyed Kate Myles’ prose. Sharp and inventive, I had to put on my thinking cap as this had an intellectual bent. Kudos to a book stretching my imagination.

I also have to mention that a disappearing dog in this story comes to no harm for the pet lovers reading this.

Early reviews have taken a high-low trajectory with not much in between. I’m definitely in the former group as this will be a favorite. I loved it and will purchase a hardback for my shelf when available.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for my advance ARC.

This book has a pretty severe narcissism problem, but, if you're okay with that (which I really am), it's a fast-paced, occasionally skeevy, good time.

There were no redeemable characters in this book. I disliked every one of them. The storyline was interesting and within the genre of a psychological domestic thriller. Overall it was a page turner but since I did not like any of the characters I found the ending was not satisfying. If you like psychological thrillers then give this book a read. I only gave 3 stars because the storyline had unique twists and turns.

*Thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for this Ebook in exchange for my honest review

Two stars because the characters were just not believable. The plot was--again, a mish mosh of events that didn't always make sense. Book had potential, I suppose. but missed the mark.

A promising debut novel by the author. Characters and plot was well developed. But around 75% mark, the pace lagged a little..The ending did not have the punch I expected and seemed rushed through .Would look forward to other works by the author👍

What an exciting debut from Kate Myles! The novel was filled with intrigue as the characters develop.

Emily and Doug have a marriage of convenience. Doug has affairs with multiple women over time with Chloe being his latest interest. Emily watches as her husband uses his power and wealth to manipulate everyone, including herself, and plans revenge.

Throughout Doug’s and Chloe’s affair, betrayal and fraud are exposed and uncovers each one of their lunacy’s. Drug use escalates danger.

It is an interesting read that I couldn’t put down.

Thank you to both NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for providing me with an opportunity to provide feedback on “The Receptionist “.

Wow! What a bunch of narcissistic sociopaths and I am here for it!

The story is told from the perspective of the three main characters: Chloe, Emily and Doug and I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know (and dislike) them all. Safe to say three mentally unstable people in such close proximity is dangerous and atleast one has got to go.. but who is it going to be and who will do the deed? This read certainly keeps you guessing!

Crazy characters, crazy storyline, crazy addictive! Look forward to future releases from Kate Myles.

Thank you to both NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review 📖

Thank you to both NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for providing me with an advance copy of Kate Myles debut novel, The Receptionist, in exchange for an honest review.

Read the book from cover to cover, over some amount of agonizing hours. No, just no.

Emily is a top talent agent who rules the land of talk shows and reality TV. Whip-smart and brutally practical, she outmaneuvers all rivals…except in her personal life. Emily willfully ignores her CEO husband Doug’s philandering in exchange for their glamorous one-percenter lifestyle, until a surprise pregnancy changes everything.

This was a.completely crazy book! With amazing\crazy characters to go along with it.
If you're looking for a thriller to keep you hanging on the edge of your seat read this book!

A quick little thriller. Twists, turns and betrayals centered around Chloe and Emily - girls competing for attention.

I absolutely love this book. It’s a little twisted a little fun and a little ruthless. The characters are unforgettable and I was on the edge of my seat until the last page. I highly recommend this read.

This was a DNF for me. Unfortunately I was only able to get to about 25% and couldn't push myself to go any further.

Oh no! This is bad! I hated both of the characters! I got confused with the writing style and I pushed myself damn hard to finish it even though dnf-ing was so tempting!

I did my best to find something good to hold on because as a writer I always focus on positive attributes of the book to form a better review.

I can only say the opening was not hooking but somewhat interesting. At first we had prologue about 11 years old girl’s finding out about brutal murder news and then we are introduced two heroines: the wife and the mistress( at the beginning she was just the receptionist at womanizer a.hole husband’s office) Emily: ruthless, competitive, a real shark talent agent gets threatened by beauty of Chloe who is stunning and nearly 25 years actress wannabe/ receptionist as I mentioned before at market research firm ( Emily’s husband Doug owns it as I mentioned and he’s douche bag as I defined with other word! )

Emily thinks Chloe sleeps with her husband but as their talk continues she changes her mind: Chloe just an innocent, naive lamb, don’t have any competitiveness in her bones so she decides to humiliate her with snarky comments, critiquing her style ( including her bag) Poor Chloe leaves her office with shaky hands. As we start to feel sorry her she just pushes an old woman who wants to help her. We realize she has anger management issues and she did a bad thing in the past.

As we start to get intrigued, the author ends the chapter and at least for 90 pages we never hear from Chloe. We read about slow paced Emily and Doug’s meeting and marriage story. We hate Emily more: she’s narcissistic, selfish, arrogant and cutthroat bitch who was also mean girl and ruined a girl named Destiny’s life when she was young and she never feels sorry for it ( sociopath alarm!) and Doug is also narcissistic womanizer who cannot keep it in his pants. We see his dangerous side, too. Finally we turn back to see how Doug and Chloe’s relationship started.

Emily gets pregnant, interestingly she hides it from her husband but her husband already knows, still sleeping with Chloe. Then things get messier and the story loses its direction. It gets more unreliable, nonsense and boring.

I yawned more, trying to gather my patient but especially the last chapters are like B movie kind of ridiculous and the holes of plot get bigger than my husband’s sock holes! ( grandiose)

The epilogue of Emily’s daughter was also painful ( not in emotional way, too painful to read , too irritating to absorb)

Aimless story telling, awkward conclusion, very punchable characterization earned my two unfortunately this didn’t work with me stars!

I’m truly sorry because the beginning of the story was hopeful and I know this is debut novel and the author is successful TV producer but I tried to write my honest thoughts even they are harsh and criticizing . I still want to read future works of the author. I know she has good potential to share better stories with us.

So many thanks to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions. I wish I could like it more.

I am pretty sure that this is my second time reading and reviewing this book on netgalley. I was rather confused when I read the first chapter and everything was familiar to me. No matter how many times I read this book unfortunately it doesnt get any better.