Cassidy Foster leaves Austin, Texas, in the wake of a breakup to become a personal assistant for a Hollywood power couple. But she quickly realizes there’s more to the job than she realized, and one of them ends up dead, she’s a suspect.

“The Hollywood Assistant” is exactly what May does best: it’s smart, soapy, social commentary — especially on women and booze. May does a great job writing insecure women who inspire equal parts pity and loathing. I love a main character with problems, and let’s just say Cassidy has no shortage of issues.

“The Hollywood Assistant” is over 400 pages and I flew right through it. It’s a quick, entertaining read that’s perfect for summertime.

The Hollywood Assistant by May Cobb was an absolute page-turner from start to finish. The novel follows Cassidy Foster, a Texan aspiring writer who relocates to Los Angeles after a painful breakup. Thanks to her well-connected friend, Lexie, Cassidy lands a seemingly perfect job as a personal assistant to the glamorous Hollywood couple, director Nate Sterling and his actress wife, Marisol Torres.

At first, Cassidy is enamored by the luxurious lifestyle and the couple’s charm. She enjoys perks like designer clothes and access to exclusive events, and Nate even seeks her input on scripts, making her feel valued and hopeful about her writing aspirations. However, as she becomes more entangled in their world, Cassidy starts to notice cracks in the Sterlings’ seemingly perfect facade. Their volatile relationship and the secrets they harbor pull her into a web of deceit and danger.

May Cobb masterfully crafts a narrative filled with suspense, glamour, and unexpected twists. The character development is exceptional, particularly Cassidy’s transformation from a naive newcomer to someone who must navigate the treacherous waters of Hollywood’s elite.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for sending a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Hollywood Assistant 🫦🕶️👀

Oh, May Cobb - your books know how to grab me and hook me in!
Set in southern California with an alternating timeline and references back to Austin, TX. Sign me up!

I was able to get Kindle through my cell phone to read the book! (We were without electricity and internet here due to Hurricane Beryl.) 🌀🏝️

I liked this one and couldn’t put it down, just like the author’s previous books.
I love the setting and the literary escape into the Hollywood hills. I’m usually not a fan of the movie biz plots but I liked it!
When the characters Nate and Marisol were introduced, I pictured Matthew and Camilla McConaughey - not in personality, just appearance. I wonder if, as an Austin area author that came into May Cobb’s ideas for character description.

All of the characters had annoying idiosyncrasies and frustrating character flaws but that’s part of the author’s style and what we expect! I really wasn’t expecting a murder. I was suspicious of a certain character, especially in the latter part of the book but still surprised me with a crazy twist.

Read this if you like:
May Cobb’s previous books
Unlikeable characters
Unexpected twists
Forbidden attraction
A good psychological thriller!

Cassidy Foster, a heartbroken aspiring writer, takes a job with the glamorous Hollywood couple, Marisol and Nate Sterling, in the hopes of kickstarting her career. The initial allure of luxury and attention quickly fades as Cassidy becomes entangled in the Sterlings' messy relationship, with her growing attraction to Nate leading her down a dangerous path.
Having read a few May Cobb books prior to this I knew it The Hollywood Assistant would likely contain a multitude of unlikeable characters....it's something I've come to associate with Cobb's writing. Unlikeable characters in and of themselves is not a deal breaker for me. While the premise had potential, the writing often felt a tad simplistic, and the slow-burn narrative ultimately leads to a twist that feels out of place and undermines the story’s buildup.

Cassidy is a Texas transplant into the world of money, fame and secrets. When her best friend refers her for a job with the Sterling's everyone's lives are about to change. Cassidy is an aspiring novelist and can't believe her luck when Nate starts asking her to review and edit his scripts. Marisol starts giving her barely worn expensive clothes. She feels like she has hit the lottery. When the Sterlings are murdered, she becomes the perfect suspect. Did she do it? Read to find out!

May Cobb’s The Hunting Wives is one of my favorite domestic suspense novels (reviewed here), and I was thrilled to hear that Starz has commissioned a series from the book. Perhaps that was the impetus for her latest thriller, The Hollywood Assistant—although Cobb mentions in her author’s note that she also worked as an assistant.

Cassidy Foster is reeling from a break-up when her best friend Lexie—a Hollywood producer—helps her find a dream job. Soon Cassidy has left Texas for LA and the chance to work for famous director Nate and his up-and-coming Spanish actress wife, Marisol. At first, it’s a dream-come-true—Marisol lets Cassidy raid her closet, and Nate asks her opinion on scripts. But their marriage is tumultuous, and Cassidy develops a crush on Nate. When Nate asks Cassidy to spy on Marisol, she can’t say no. As the tension builds among the three of them, it’s pretty obvious that someone’s going to end up dead.

For me, The Hollywood Assistant started pretty slowly, and I had trouble getting into the book. It’s written in first person, present tense, and Cassidy spends a lot of time describing things, like her jazz albums, her plants, her garage apartment. But this slow start is a bit of a head fake on Cobb’s part. It lets the reader identify with Cassidy, perhaps pity her a little, before revealing that Cassidy … has some issues.

The unlikeable protagonist is such a well-known criticism in novels with female leads that Cobb actually titled her last book A Likeable Woman. This critique seems to be given to any female character who has the audacity to have a fault or perhaps an unkind thought. Cassidy has a few unpublished novels herself, and when she includes the rejection letters she’s gotten, the language hit home for me. “Couldn’t connect with the characters.” “Didn’t love it enough.”

It wasn’t until Cobb revealed Cassidy’s issues that I really got sucked into the book. Her crush on Nate makes Cassidy a little unhinged. She can’t understand why he’d stay with a woman he suspects of cheating. She obsesses on every word, every glance, every gesture that Nate makes. And Nate eats up her attention… when he’s not defending Marisol.

Cassidy isn’t unlikeable. She’s every woman who’s ever been ghosted after three perfect months. She’s every woman who’s had a man lie to her when confronted with salacious texts. She’s every girl who ever got her friend in the office to give her her crush’s schedule so she could “accidentally” run into him after class. (That wasn’t just me, right? Right? Sorry, David. Your grades were really impressive, though!)

Where does one draw the line between normal-but-weird behavior and behavior that’s disturbing? It’s a question that we sometimes ask about ourselves as well as the characters we read about.

Other than the slow start, my only other quibble with the book was the ending. Domestic suspense has become a bit formulaic, and the villain was predictable for anyone who reads the genre. But perhaps if we readers didn’t demand that things wrap up so tightly, writers would have more freedom to leave loose ends and create unforeseeable plot twists.

The most interesting women aren’t likeable. Like Cassidy, they’re a little unhinged. I’m glad authors like Cobb keep writing about them.

Oh no.... I think if I have to hear the word pandemic one more time I'm going to scream.

I should have trusted my gut feeling about this book. I had a feeling I wasn't going to like it but I was swayed too much by all the hype and glowing reviews. Unfortunately, this was not the book for me.

First off, this book was ridiculously long and overly drawn out. This is my biggest pet peeve with authors. Why do you have to make a book so long and it just be dragged on for pages?! Ugh.

Let me talk about Cassidy. Wow.... she was something else. I really could not stand this woman. I feel like she kept getting worse and worse as the pages continued.

And WHY OH WHY Cobb did you need to mention the pandemic so much? I think we got it the first 100th times you mentioned it. I was so over it and frankly so over seeing the pandemic in so many thrillers. Make it stop!!

Ugh.. and the drinking. Way too much focus on this. I don't need to constantly hear about this.

This was just bad. I'm sorry but I cannot recommend this one.

Overall, 1.5/5 stars

Thanks to the publisher for my copy.

May Cobb doing what May Cobb does best...writing the most unlikable characters possible 😂

The Hollywood Assistant was one that kept me engaged and reading. While I felt it was a little longer than it needed to be for the type of book it was, it will definitely find its place and readers.

I feel like it's a book best gone into blind and would make for a great buddy read as you go sort of book to bounce your thoughts and ideas off of.

Thank you, @berkleypub, for the opportunity to read and discuss this one for a #berkleybuddyread

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 3.5/5

The Hollywood Assistant by May Cobb was such an intriguing read! A suspense-filled thriller packed with all the Hollywood vibes! 🎬

Down on her luck, Cassidy lands a job as a personal assistant for a popular Hollywood couple, and from there, the twists and turns begin. Secrets, lies, cheating, and even murder set the stage for this gripping psychological thriller. While some of the characters were a bit predictable, I did not see the ending coming! 😱 If you’re looking for a glamorous thriller… this is it! 🌴📚

This was my first read by May Cobb, but it certainly won’t be my last!

A big thank you to #NetGalley, #TheHollywoodAssistant, and @BerkleyPub for the ARC. My thoughts are voluntary and entirely my own.

#BookReview #ThrillerBooks #HollywoodThriller #SuspenseLover #MayCobb #AmReadingThrillers #BookCommunity #ARCReview #BookstagramRecommendations #GlamThriller

One word to describe this book: fun. May Cobb is such a unique thriller writer because her books are always so over the top and normally that doesn't work for me, but somehow May Cobb manages to be the exception every single time. This one is such a wild ride. The audio is fab! I looooooved it!

The Hollywood Assistant by May Cobb is a gripping blend of mystery and romance set in the glamorous yet treacherous world of Hollywood. The story follows Cassidy Foster, who moves to Los Angeles after a painful breakup and lands a job as a personal assistant to a high-profile couple, filmmaker Nate Sterling and actress Marisol Torres. As she navigates the complexities of their tumultuous relationship, Cassidy becomes embroiled in a web of jealousy and manipulation that leads to a shocking murder, making her the prime suspect. Cobb's writing is sleek and engaging, with plenty of twists that keep readers on the edge of their seats until the very end​.

I absolutely loved this one. I loved the dual timelines and how she slowly unfoldee the story. I loved the characters. And I especially loved the setting. It is totally transporting me to Hollywood.

This is her best yet!

The Hollywood Assistant by Mae Cobb was an enjoyable and suspenseful read.

This book is about Cassidy, who moves to Hollywood to work as the personal assistant of a famous director, Nate and his wife, an actress named Marisol. On the heels of a break-up, Cassidy is ready for a fresh start. On day one, she hits it off with Marisol and feels a friendship blossoming. After some time, she also makes an in-roads with Nate. He finds out she is an aspiring writer and asks her to help read scripts. Eventually the two become closer and he asks her to spy on his wife. Soon she feels an undeniable connection and attraction to Nate. Will she be able to keep things professional or will someone end up getting hurt?

Overall, I really liked this book. I didn’t love it as much as The Hunting Wives by this author, but it was still a great read. I enjoyed trying to piece things together and figure out who the victim was as well as who the murderer was. I also appreciated some of the twists, there were a couple I didn’t see coming. I also thought the ending was great and brought the most justice to the story. All in all this was a solid read.

Twenty year old Cassidy is suffering from a breakup left heartbroken she doesn’t know what to do, confused with what the future holds, she jumps at the chance when her best friend offers her a job in Los Angeles , she will be working as an assistant for actress Marisol Sterling and her director husband Nate. She feels this is the new beginning she’s been looking for. The pay is great, Cassidy loves working for them , and this gives her the freedom to work on her own writing. Marisol and Nate appear to be the perfect couple that is until Nate begins to show interest in Cassidy romantically, she soon realizes that their marriage may have some cracks, ones that she hadn’t noticed before . Nate is extremely attractive and Cassidy feels the same towards him, she knows this relationship is inappropriate but she can’t seem to control her feelings around him. When Cassidy uncovers the true reason on why she was hired she must decide if she wants to continue working for the Sterlings. When one of the Sterling’s is found murdered and all the clues lead back to Cassidy, she knows she needs to uncover the secrets that are hidden in the Sterling’s marriage before it’s to late.

This book is bonkers! Cassidy is one of those characters you just wanna scream at, which is a sign of great writing in my opinion. I love the ‘rich people behaving badly’ trope and this one definitely checks the box. Full of dark secrets, lies, and murder, I couldn’t wait to see what happened next!

I really don’t want to give too much away because the twists are shocking! Definitely pick this one up if you’re looking for a steamy, binge worthy thriller!

I love May Cobb's books. She will be presenting at my library's Storyfest program in a few weeks but I managed to read this one way in advance over the summer. A solid thriller, fun and easy to read!

DNF @ 35% - I thought I could push my way through the bad writing and obvious cliches, but I just couldn’t do it anymore 😭😭 the characterization was non-existent or borrowed from the “hollywood” stereotypes of actors & directors, and the story itself wasn’t enough to keep me pushing through… I could tell it was trying to go the same way as THE HOUSEMAID but with less mystery behind it, but the writing style was a firm no from me… thank you to netgalley and berkley for the copy!!

Review of The Hollywood Assistant by May Cobb

I’m such a huge fan of this author personally and of her work. I was thrilled to be approved to read this one on NetGalley. It did not disappoint me, and I loved every page of it. Her characters are rarely likable, and sometimes they can even be despicable, but I am here for the drama of it all. I sped through it quickly as I always do. This one had the perfect setting and Hollywood with actors and screenwriters. And of course there’s always murder. You’re definitely gonna want to get this one.
It comes out in early July.

Synopsis:

Offered a dream job in Hollywood with a famous director and his actress wife, an insecure woman becomes their personal assistant where their secrets and lies place her in the crosshairs of a murder investigation.

Cassidy Foster is heartbroken, stuck in life, and getting a little too obsessed with plants. Then when a well-connected friend becomes sick of Cassidy’s moping and gets her a gig with famous Hollywood couple, Marisol and Nate Sterling, Cassidy jumps at the chance to move to sunny LA.

The Sterlings are warm and welcoming. A perfect couple. All Cassidy has to do is be available a few hours a week for errands. In return, she has access to luxury: Designer clothes. A sparkling pool. Great pay.

When Nate takes interest in her, asking her to read scripts he’s written, Cassidy thinks this could be the key to kickstarting her writing dreams. As their business relationship grows, so does their attraction. Nate is sexy and talented, and Cassidy can’t believe her luck. Clearly, Marisol doesn’t know what she has. Maybe that’s why the two are always fighting when they think Cassidy isn’t around.

But Cassidy learns she was hired for a different purpose. The Sterlings aren’t the perfect couple. Marisol isn’t the perfect wife. And when one of them is found dead, Cassidy becomes the perfect suspect.

This was beyond ridiculous- slightly entertaining on audio but I mostly rolled my eyes. I don’t think this author is for me.

Cassidy Foster moves to LA after a relationship that left her heartbroken and her dream of being an author remaining stagnant. She hopes things can turn around when her industry connected best friend gets her a job being a personal assistant for a celebrity couple - Nate, a high profile writer and Marisol, an actress. What starts as an easy, well paid job that includes organizing Marisol's closet and grocery shopping becomes a bit more than she thought - spying on Marisol on behalf of Nate. It begins as something Cassidy shrugs off, after all how could Marisol be deceiving her sexy, hot and successful husband?

The premise for this book intrigued me at first, but I thought the characters fell a little flat. Cassidy especially was a very unlikeable character and the plot itself felt a bit disorganized.