Damn this book really fucked me up. A stunning look at the BTS of a reality show and the inner thoughts of someone who is just as fucked up as the rest of it. I simply will be thinking about this for a long time.

What happens when you go on a reality dating show to boost your profile to help your writing career and NOT fall for the main guy? Then what happens when your last one night stand is a producer on the show? CAHOS.

This book was fun with an edge. If you like your romances a little bite to them you’ll like this one.


Thank you Avon and NetGalley for the ARC.

Thanks to NetGalley for my ARC

This was exactly what I expected. I always enjoy reading those memoirs that come out after Bachelor contestants are finished. This felt just like that. We got to see how producers manipulate the cast. And of course all of the drama that comes when people are "falling in love" on TV. I had a decent time reading this but it didn't seem particularly memorable or special.

4.5 ⭐️. GIRL. this book took me on a ride! in the words of a certain dating show host, this book is "the most dramatic [book] yet.". As an avid reality tv watcher, I dove straight first into this Bachelor re-telling. Our main character, Jaq is one of those characters that you cannot get in her mind -- she made soooo many decisions that were unpredictable, yet I loved her messiness.

Is this a perfect book? no, not by any means. Did I have a lot of fun reading it? ABSOLUTELY.

ty to Avon Publishing & NetGalley for an Advance Reading Copy in exchange for an honest review

"Here's what everyone thinks about me. And it's exactly what I've always suspected about myself."

The Villain Edit by Laurie Devore is a sharp and delightfully dramatic novel, with a reality television setting and themes of self-discovery and reflection. If you love The Bachelor franchise or have ever found yourself rooting for a villain, this one is for you.

Jacqueline Matthis is a struggling romance author who makes an impulse decision to join reality dating show "the 1" in an effort to boost her career. As she competes for the attention of the show's eligible bachelor, Marcus, she's shocked to discover that her one-night-stand Henry is a producer on the show. To complicate matters further, she discovers she's being edited as the show's villain, throwing her plans for a loop.

I really enjoyed this book. The writing is engaging and fast-paced, and Jac is a complex character that I really found myself relating to and rooting for. There's a lot to ponder here, with reflections on self-doubt and self-loathing. Henry and Marcus are interesting characters as well. I loved the balance of humor and heart found here. This is a smart read for anyone who likes a romance where the protagonist is a little more complicated! Four very enthusiastic stars from this reader.

Thanks to Avon for the ARC! This book is out July 2nd.

This was NOT a romance but more of a contemporary fiction with a sprinkle of romance and a hot look at behind the scenes of everybody's favorite reality tv. It reminded me of thr tv show UNreal in the way it exposes just how far producers will go to get a good story. Idk how I feel about Jac....like did I love her or hate her idk?? Anyways it was a fun read nonetheless

Obsessed. This was such a delicious read! This is not your typical Bachelor style romance - it’s dark, gritty and full of villains. I’m not a huge reality girlie but this dives into the in and outs of filming and how storylines are created. Jac was a wonderful MC - I love a woman who can tell you to F off without having to say it.

Thank you Avon for the early review copy of The Villain Edit... this is a smart, incisive, and also steamy and fun, approach to the "behind the scenes of a reality show romance" trope. I loved it because Devore took a tried and true trope (this is about the 4th romance with a :"bachelor" theme I have reviewed this year) and made it fresh and fun with a take on making someone the villain. The idea of manipulations behind the scenes aren't new but the way that Devore developed a character, who though admittedly flawed in many ways yet 100% herself even when it might not land well..., and showed how producers would use that to make her "evil" was profoundly thought provoking to me. Yes this is a fun frothy read but at the heart of this story is something bigger, a commentary on how women continue to be manipulated by men and media into stereotypes that hurt/control/limit how women are seen and perpetuate the idea of women competing against each other. Devore for me offers a lot to think about, even discuss in a book club, with this stealthily smart, even cutting, romance that makes the "villain" a hero. I was here for all the twists, the dialogue about how women on reality shows are treated and how audiences treat the women, .... this is a book worth talking about!!!

4 Stars I've read quite a few romance novels set on a dating reality TV show a lá the Bachelor, but this one was probably the most authentic to the the nasty reality going on behind the scenes and how the producers twist the narrative to whatever they want it to be. And unlike those other books I've read, this one certainly isn't a feel good romance. I enjoyed reading about Jac speaking her mind, even though they cast her in a negative light on the show.

Jac is a flailing romance author who agrees to be a contestant on a Bachelor-type reality show in a desperate bid to sell more books. She thinks she’ll come across as a down-to-earth everywoman. The producers have a different storyline in mind. Oh and did I mention she recently had a steamy night with one of the producers she can’t get out of her head?

Jac is the kind of cynical, witty, self-destructive mess I can’t get enough of in my fiction and I gobbled this story up. I never got into the dating side of reality television, but I love a dark side takedown of it and this gave me serious Unreal vibes (which I still miss).

If you don’t mind (or dare I say prefer) an unlikeable, messy protagonist, this is the summer read for you!

As an avid fan of UnReal - while I do not watch the Bachelor or the myriad of spin offs - I loveeee the culture and lore behind it. So any tell-all or behind-the-scenes of reality dating shows, especially where producers get *too* innvolved - I am there. This was zany, sharp, bitchy and hot = 5 stars

I will admit this was so twisted that I didn't always know what was going on and maybe that's because I've never seen an episode of The Bachelor but I was still so intrigued... the wickedness, the lack of sleep, the pacing ... what would be it like to not try to be good? I enjoyed this a lot. Give this a try!

The Villain Edit comes out next week on July 2, 2024, and you can purchase HERE!

Together, we walked along the boardwalk to a dive bar in Venice Beach. It was the same kind of seedy I loved about Venice Beach, the mix of money and misery, the dirty and the beautiful, with pink sunsets behind the mountains every night.

Another reality tv book! I think I'm hooked on the drama.

This one got lots of drama. I've never seen even the first episode of any of the "Bachelor" type shows but now I'm kinda interested in seeing one to see if I can spot the fakeness.

Jac is painted as a heifer just because she speaks what ever is on her mind and points out the fakeness. That kinda pissed me off when everyone was on the hate Jac wagon. I can see it really being like that though. Women's opinions especially when we do not go with the flow is painted as bitchyness.

Booksource: Netgalley in exchange for review.

I have read a lot of Bachelor themed romance novels. They usually take place on a sugar-coated version of the show where there may be some minor stressors over public pressure but people really do fall in love and everyone is there 4TRR (for the right reasons). Not "The Villain Edit." "The Villain Edit" shows the Bachelor franchise in all of it's dark depravity and ill-intentions. It was unsettling. I loved every minute of it.

I will caution readers - while this is a romance and correctly branded and marketed as such, this is not a feel-good, fluffy book. Much of this book focuses on how being a contestant on a reality TV show is literal psychological torture, and all of the characters often make toxic and unlikable decisions.

I loved the complexity of all of the characters and how I (along with Jac) could never really tell their true intentions or whose side they were on. Throughout the book Jac laments the paranoia she is feeling, and I was feeling it right along with her. "The Villain Edit" is a refreshingly honest depiction of what it's like to be a reality star and the true cost of the sacrifices people make for clout and exposure.

This book is messy, fun, and exciting all at the same time. There were times that my jaw literally dropped when I was reading it, even though I knew exactly what was happening and should have (or did!) see it coming. Days later, I am still thinking about everything that occurred in this book. This book is an absolute trip and a wildly amazing journey start to finish. And I promise a producer didn't withhold time to sleep to make me say that.

5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Avon for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

The way I LOVED this book. I read it in 24 hours, couldn't stop, I CRAVED the literary *reality TV* train wreck and absolute spiral that was this book. The way Jac was written - it is so easy to feel like you are her. I could see myself completely in every action she does and thought she has. Is that a good thing? I don't know, I think so - but that's enough about me. The manipulation, the games, the strategy....delicious and delusional. This left me feeling the same way Daisy Jones & The Six (Taylor Jenkins Reid) and Romantic Comedy (Curtis Sittenfeld) left me feeling - as if it was actually something I watched play out in real life. I don't watch a lot of reality TV because I have reality TV producer friends and know enough about the behind the scenes that this felt so believable to me.
Jac believing she had a great way to spin herself only to get the Villain edit is probably so. true for a lot of women who go on these shows. The real aspect of how women just hate other women for no reason other than perceived threat or competition was written so well. How Jac one ups production at the end and gets out of the NDA and drops the tell all was the chefs kiss to her big fuck you to the show. Henry was an afterthought for me - I should state a NECESSARY afterthought - he compliments Jac's character so well and is a much needed catalyst, but I LOVE that this is really about her and less about them. The only part of this I didn't love were the media bits (group chat/article/interview) sprinkled between chapters but that's a me problem and not really a book problem. 4.5/5 - definitely recommending this to allllllll of my girlfriends.

Laurie Devore - can we get a Rikki book, please? I LOVED her and want so so much more of her.

I will be posting my review to Goodreads today and to instagram/amazon/barnes and noble on release day! (will provide updated links once complete)

This was so fun! Jac’s narration was filled with biting wit and humor, causing a believable edit from apathetic shrew into conniving villainess. This was a fascinating look at a woman who hates so much what has become of her life, that she’ll play into her archetype for as long as possible.

While I thought there were at times an excessive amount of paratheticals, I got used to them because they acted as asides akin to Shakespearean plays or “Fleabag”. So I can get on board with it as a narrative device or stylistic choice.

I enjoyed all the layers to every character, how eventually Jac became suspicious of everyone related to the show because she’d been so repeatedly betrayed by producers she thought she’d trusted. For a while in the middle there, I genuinely didn’t know how it would which guy Jac would pick. It felt like I was reading about a “Bachelor” season at times.

But my absolute favorite part was how in depth the author researched for this novel! She nailed the crazy filmming schedules, the not-eating-meals on-screen, the timelines and social media interferences. To the point where I thought, “Surely, she was a ‘Bachelor’ contestant at some point?” There were so many details about how the show’s insane and manipulative production can affect the contestants’ mental state. Hardcore reality show fans are aware of how rigged dating shows can be, and how producers will Frankenstein the edit to portray a person to appear any way they want them to. This is simply a reference/love letter to mulitiple variations of dating show plotlines, leads, and scandals.
Would recommend to any “Bachelor” fan. As a long time watcher of the show, there were many references I was delighted to see.

Thank you, NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for this advanced reader's copy. This book was fun. It was definitely the Bachelor, which I don't watch, but I do enjoy reading. Romance novelist, Jacqueline (Jac) Matthis's career has downshifted, and she has moved from NYC to the much more slow-paced and more affordable South Carolina. To launch her career back, she's going to go on reality tv dating show THE 1, and win the heart of the hot bachelor, Marcus. Jac is a romance writer and knows she can play it up for the bachelor and the cameras. But of course, there's a twist. Her last one-night stand is the producer of the show and the one who is actually behind every that happens on the show. What's a girl to do? Does she continue to play to the camera and play out as she is cast as the villain in the show? Or does she bail out as she finds she actually might have feelings for Henry, the producer? But if her affair with the producer comes to light, she might get thrown off the show anyways. This was a fun, fast, steamy read.

I will devour any reality tv themed romance because I’m trash, but as someone who also watches probably too much reality tv, it’s hard to find a book that really captures the feeling of it. I can confirm that laurie devore also probably watches too much reality tv because this book actually got it right.

Author Jacqueline Matthis agrees to go on what’s basically The Bachelor (called ‘The One’) for a boost in book sales. As the oldest person on the cast with a penchant for speaking her mind, it shouldn’t be a surprise that she’s getting the villain edit. They say there’s no such thing as bad publicity, but when she discovers one of the producers is an old one night stand of hers, Jacqueline has to wonder if while trying to save her career, she’s actually ruined her life.

The writing in this is clever and funny and it’s clear that the author herself is really deep into all the conspiracies and lore behind these types of reality dating shows. The drama is definitely over-the-top ridiculous, but considering the plot, it kind of works? I'm ambivalent about the ending (though maybe I'm just mad she accepted the proposal? She definitely did the right thing but...made for a more anticlimactic conclusion with her 'real' leading man.) The main character is definitely frustrating, but hey, she’s the villain. You should know what you signed up for.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Avon for the chance to read this early!

I freaking LOVED The Villain Edit. First, reality TV fiction is always one of my favorites. But more importantly, the way this book centered a badass b*tch who just wants to revitalize her career was beautiful. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free advance copy.

**Review of "The Villain Edit"**

Laurie Devore's "The Villain Edit" is a sharp and spicy dramedy that combines elements of Emily Henry's wit with the captivating drama of reality TV. The novel follows Jacqueline Matthis, a romance novelist whose career has hit rock bottom. In a bid to revive her fame, Jac joins a Bachelor-like reality show, only to find herself cast as the villain.

The premise itself is intriguing and executed with fire and finesse. Devore captures the behind-the-scenes chaos of reality TV, giving readers an inside look at the manipulations and drama that unfold. The characters, particularly Jac and Henry, are well-developed and add depth to the narrative. Their chemistry crackles on the page, adding an extra layer of tension and excitement.

One of the highlights of the book is its ability to keep readers hooked with scandalous twists and turns. While some characters may be unlikable or make questionable decisions, they contribute to the overall entertainment value of the story. The love triangle adds to the drama, although some readers may find it a bit blurry.

Overall, "The Villain Edit" is a fun and engaging read, perfect for fans of reality TV romance and witty, flawed characters. It's a great choice for a beach read or anyone looking for an entertaining escape into the world of competitive romance.