Nothing beats a story where the main character needs to (or has to) put the brakes on her current chaotic life, escape to a new locale, and embark on a personal growth journey. And @Karen Gillespie’s “The Pitch Queen” hits that spot. Well developed plot, great setting (I want to move there!), and a heartfelt story delivered for the perfect beach read this summer.

Synopsis: Literary agent Claire Wyld's quest for success and recognition in the competitive world of debut novels is met with challenges when a rival steals a potential client. This setback, along with issues surrounding her late mother's estate, leads Claire to Gull Island where she must navigate personal and professional dilemmas. Through her interactions with a grieving widower and the local community, Claire begins to question her career-driven mindset and must decide what truly matters to her in the pursuit of success.

A Cutthroat World..
Claire, a literary agent, is fighting her way to the top - she fully intends to be the agent to make or break the biggest of deals for debuts. When her plan begins to go awry what exactly will she be prepared to do to stay at the top? As matters progress, she begins to question everything. A romp through the cutthroat literary book deal world with a cast of keenly observed characters and a well imagined backdrop. A fun and frothy satire.

"The Pitch Queen" by Karin Gillespie is an uproarious romp through the cutthroat world of literary agents that is as biting as it is endearing. If you've ever wondered what happens behind the scenes of your favorite book deals, Gillespie delivers with a sharp wit and keen insight that makes this a delightful read. Claire Wyld is a character you’ll love to hate and then just love, as her ambition meets the humbling charm of Gull Island. The chemistry between Claire and Philip is a refreshing blend of humor and heart, grounding the story in genuine emotion. Gillespie’s satire hits all the right notes, making you laugh out loud while also pondering the true value of success and integrity in the publishing biz.

This one was such a fun, wholesome novel that I would definitely recommend!

The Pitch Queen by @gillespiekarin tells the story of a young literary agent who is one book deal away from being the top dealmaker in debut novels. When a deal falls through unexpectedly, Claire realizes that the slow summer months is a good time to get away from the big city and settle her late-mother's affairs in a small town in coastal Georgia. In this very #bookloving small town she begins to question just about everything she ever knew about the literary world, and most importantly, her role in it.

This book is perfect for anyone who loves a good #bookish book. Similar to how Yellowface comments anecdotally on life as a novelist, this book gives readers a peek into the smoke and mirrors of publishing, reminding us that things are not necessarily as glamorous as they may seem. I also loved how the author made us question our assumptions and biases around what makes a book sensational.

I was invested in the story from the beginning and enjoyed the light but interesting read. The main character, Claire, is fun and loveable while also being focused and driven, making her relatable to lots of different readers. This book is out now so go grab a copy! Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to read and review it!

"...to leading the best life which, for me, is and will always be, the book life." We meet Claire, a successful literary agent living in Manhattan with all of the fabulous shoes and champagne lunches once could ask for. But, what else does she have? Love, friends or family don't really fit into her city girl lifestyle. But when she forced to slow down to finally deal with her late Mother's things in Georgia, she realizes that there is another model for life. One a bit slower, and hotter! and maybe even filled with friendship and love.
I appreciated the author's use of real places and common names throughout the Savannah area. E. Shaver's bookstore is a real bookstore in downtown Savannah. Philip's last name, Habersham, is widespread through the area as a prominent street, area of town and others. Thanks for shining such a special light on my favorite city!

What a cute and funny novel!
Certainly different from what I'm used to reading but I really enjoyed it.
I couldn't put the book down and just only now finished reading it.
I won't give anything away except that you'll come to love each character like I did.
I did laugh in a few places.
This book does have a lot to offer and you won't want to put it down until it's finished. I'm still thinking about these wonderful characters.
5 stars for a wonderful read and for keeping my attention all the way through.
I highly recommend.
My thanks for a cool copy of this o. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine.

I enjoyed reading The Pitch Queen by Karin Gillespie. You will fall in love with all the characters. I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely. Happy Reading!

Claire Wyld, 25, is a literary agent for the Prestige Literacy Agency in New York. Her specialty is debut authors and has had great success with some. Unfortunately, while many of these authors do well with their first novel, the next one is often not a hit. She is known as the Pitch Queen. Wooing authors with lunches and such is a nearly every day occurrence. Some years ago, Claire’s father wrote a best-selling book that people have loved. He has yet to write a second book as he fears it may not be equal to his first one. He is married to a very wealthy woman who has been the bane of Claire’s existence all of her life. The woman is cold, critical and bossy. Claire’s own mother, Glenda, was also a literary agent. When she became pregnant with Claire, she was quite young and not married to her father so she gave up custody of her to Claire's father and wife. However, Claire saw her mother now and then. Glenda passed away three years ago and Claire cannot bring herself to spread the woman’s ashes somewhere. Her mother’s good friend and an author encourages Claire to get her mother’s ashes spread in Georgia where she has lived and get the woman’s house closed up and sold.

Now, Claire is in Georgia and has met Philip, an eccentric man and recent widower, who sells rare books and spends is life bird watching. He has offered to help her find the right spot to spread her mother’s ashes.

The story takes a dramatic turn that changes Claire’s life. What will happen now?

As a life-long book lover and reviewer, I was fascinated with a lot of information about the publishing world imparted in this book. To me, Claire comes across as older than 25. Perhaps it’s her cold upbringing that has affected her. Without adding a spoiler, I did admire how Claire realized her mistake and stepped up to the plate to rectify it. In her case, as the old saying goes, sometimes you have to kiss a few frogs to find your prince. This is what she should have done to fulfill her duty to her authors. Please read the book and maybe you will understand my comment. Enjoy!

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Claire Wyld, 25, is a literary agent for the Prestige Literacy Agency in New York. Her specialty is debut authors and has had great success with some. Unfortunately, while many of these authors do well with their first novel, the next one is often not a hit. She is known as the Pitch Queen. Wooing authors with lunches and such is a nearly every day occurrence. Some years ago, Claire’s father wrote a best-selling book that people have loved. He has yet to write a second book as he fears it may not be equal to his first one. He is married to a very wealthy woman who has been the bane of Claire’s existence all of her life. The woman is cold, critical and bossy. Claire’s own mother, Glenda, was also a literary agent. When she became pregnant with Claire, she was quite young and not married to her father so she gave up custody of her to Claire's father and wife. However, Claire saw her mother now and then. Glenda passed away three years ago and Claire cannot bring herself to spread the woman’s ashes somewhere. Her mother’s good friend and an author encourages Claire to get her mother’s ashes spread in Georgia where she has lived and get the woman’s house closed up and sold.

Now, Claire is in Georgia and has met Philip, an eccentric man and recent widower, who sells rare books and spends is life bird watching. He has offered to help her find the right spot to spread her mother’s ashes.

The story takes a dramatic turn that changes Claire’s life. What will happen now?

As a life-long book lover and reviewer, I was fascinated with a lot of information about the publishing world imparted in this book. To me, Claire comes across as older than 25. Perhaps it’s her cold upbringing that has affected her. Without adding a spoiler, I did admire how Claire realized her mistake and stepped up to the plate to rectify it. In her case, as the old saying goes, sometimes you have to kiss a few frogs to find your prince. This is what she should have done to fulfill her duty to her authors. Please read the book and maybe you will understand my comment. Enjoy!

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Claire Wyld is a literary agent at the top of her game. She was just described in a magazine article as "the Pitch Queen", and she wears that badge proudly. She is always on the lookout for the newest debut author, then she gives them a flashy pitch for their book and gets them a huge deal for it. The problem is, Claire never bothers to read more than a few chapters of the books she pitches, so she has no idea if they are really going to sell or not. Then, once the author crashes and burns, she suddenly has no time to take their call. When Claire loses out on a new author to another agent, she decides to go to Gull Island to lick her wounds, take some downtime, and clear out her mother's house. She hasn't been back since her mom died during Covid, and she needs to deal with everything in the house, put the house on the market and and scatter her ashes anyway, so now is as good of a time as any. Once she is there, she meets Philip, a grieving widower and an antiquarian book dealer. Their first few encounters are contentious, but once he realizes her mom died during Covid, he softens towards her, and they form a tenuous bond. The longer she stays on Gull Island, the closer they become, and she realizes he has a romanticized view of Claire’s job & life. She doesn't want him to know what she is really like, and is afraid if he finds out, then he will no longer be interested in her. After all "The Pitch Queen" only cares about flash and big bucks, not what makes a book a good read.

This started out as a bit of a slow burn, but once it got going I really started to enjoy it. My only complaint was that I had a hard time getting a picture in my mind of Claire and Philip. They both seemed to be described as a lot older in some parts and a lot younger in others, so I had trouble picturing them. Other than that, it had a great storyline, a good moral to the story, a good ending, and for the most part likeable characters. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who loves a good fiction book, especially those of us who love books about books & bookstores.

This book is fantastic! Exactly what I needed to read today! The story hooked me right away. I really connected with the character and was interested in her story. I know it's fiction, but it was still interesting to read about what life might be like for some book agents who deal in the 6 and 7 figure book sales. The behind the scenes look was fascinating. I also loved seeing her journey as she faced her past and processed regrets. Bea is a really sweet character and I loved what we learn about her in the ending (no spoilers here). I read the entire book in one sitting, needing to know how things work out for Claire. While I would classify this as women's fiction or chick lit, because the focus is on Claire and her journey/growth, there is some romance dashed in there, too, which also adds a fun layer to the story. Definitely pick this up if you want an entertaining, interesting, sweet read that'll whisk you away for at least a few hours.

A note for the author, in case she reads this - there are some typos throughout, which will hopefully get caught before publishing.

This was a really good book. It was very well written and it had a lot of great information in it along with the great story!

“The Pitch Queen” by Karin Gillespie is a satirical gem that takes a playful jab at the publishing world, wrapped in the vibrant setting of coastal Georgia. Gillespie’s protagonist, Claire Wyld, is a literary agent with a flair for the dramatic pitch, but her life is thrown into disarray when a rival snatches a crucial client and a family estate issue lands her in Gull Island—a place far removed from the literary elite.

Gillespie’s narrative is a clever dance between the cutthroat world of book deals and the soulful, slower pace of Gull Island. Claire’s character arc is a compelling one, as she grapples with the allure of big deals versus the value of genuine connections, both in love and literature. The novel is a humorous yet poignant reflection on what truly makes a story—and a life—worthwhile.

With a cast of quirky characters, including a grieving widower with a romanticized view of Claire’s job and a nephew with a manuscript that could change everything, “The Pitch Queen” is a story about rediscovering one’s passion for the written word and the unexpected places we find inspiration.

A witty, insightful read that’s a must for anyone who loves books about the book business, with a side of romance and self-discovery.

Several lines stuck out to me of which I am paraphrasing. "Pick yourself first. Know your own worth and others will recognize it as well. Don't be the beggar but rather sit at the head of the table." Claire put debut authors first in her mission to attract seven figure deals and be number one. In her ruthless quest to be a partner at age 25, she sacrificed herself emotionally and physically. She had no true friends and spent her weekends so spent that she couldn't get out of bed. She sold the story especially when she compared it to great works but her story was lost in translation. She overlooked the emotions from her debut authors and was only truly focused when they were in the top books being read. The article written about her was scathing but unfortunately true. She didn't even finish the books she emulated as perfection. It was only when she took a step back in order to scatter her mother's ashes in or around Gull Island is when the true Claire came out. She was meant to live a life if which she experienced joy and true moments such as happy hour with Bea. She let herself be open and fragile with Philip as she realized he was the one she couldn't walk away from and love what would be her great love. She took her mother's words at heart and created an agency that focused on the right agenda. I loved this book and the way that the author spoke through the charcters. A great read.

Throughout this book, I question whether it was going to be worth 3 or 4 stars. When I started it, I never thought it had a chance of earning 5 stars. But when I ended it feeling so satisfied and so happy that I had read this book, I realized that giving it 4 stars was not enough. This book had so much insight into the literary world, and it made it authentic. I could easily see this as a movie! The characters were realistic and engaging. I love how the author gives you a character that you don't 100% like, and then puts her through a personal growth journey that results in you totally being on her side. The only problem I had personally was the description of Peter, which may have just been my own fault of not being able to picture him well. Without giving it away, there's a bit of a switch of how he is perceived by the main character, and I had trouble letting go of the original impression. Sometimes that's the trouble with books. Once your mind has decided an image for somebody, it's hard to change that image.
Overall, I 100% recommend this book to anyone who loves a good personal growth journey. Fans of Emily Henry will love this book!

This is the first book I’ve read by Karin Gillespie, and it certainly won’t be the last. I was drawn to The Pitch Queen because I love books about writers, bookstores, and any “behind the scenes” peeks into publishing. This story was so much more than that, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Claire is the main character, a young (25) literary agent rapidly climbing to the top thanks to her ability to land the perfect “pitch.” Her niche is the debut authors who, thanks to Claire, sell their first novels for seven figures. When you start at the top, there’s nowhere to go but down. While negotiating deals for her clients, and pursuing that next “seven figure deal” like a shark seeking its prey, Claire also deals with the death of her mother (three years prior) and her relationship with her father, a celebrated writer who has written a world-renowned classic, but has never written a second book.

About half-way through, I realized that I really, really didn’t like Claire—I wanted to shout at her to grow up, and I eagerly awaited her comeuppance. Fast forward, and after Claire’s life takes a few turns, including leaving NYC for an island (Gull Island) in Georgia where her mother had lived until her death, a new Claire begins to emerge, both personally and professionally, and I really like this version. While there were plot twists throughout that I saw coming, it made the reading experience that much better for me. There are some wonderful characters we meet along the way, including a long-time family friend and writer known as “Queen Bea,” Philip, an antiquarian book dealer dealing with his own grief and journey, and the delightful ladies of the local Gull Island book club. These characters are multi-dimensional and the dialog is sparkling. Thanks to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op and What If Press for giving me the opportunity to read this advanced readers copy. I happily, and voluntarily am providing this honest review. #ThePitchQueen #NetGalley.

Claire Wyld is a literary agent (which seems like a dream job for book lovers, right?), she has a knack for coming up with a flashy pitch, and she comes from an agent mom with whom she did not grow up, and a father who wrote a classic that everyone remembers.

When a major client doesn't come through, she decides it's a perfect time to travel to Georgia to settle her mom's estate (which she's put off for three years!,)

A local rare/antique book dealer seems to thwart her every move...painting her porch ceiling white, heaven forbid...it must be haint blue. She comes to realize there is more to him than meets the eye, and life slows down in this small Georgia town.

I was born in Savannah, and I loved the descriptions of the soul of the city.

Claire believes she and Philip can try long distance romance, or at least see where their attraction might lead them, but once she is back in Manhattan, she quickly becomes the career woman again.

Books are a business, and Claire seemed to forget the heart of publishing, the authors, and she focused only on the pitch and the money. That's what authors want, right? Not always.

She has to take a long, hard look at herself, when a local from Gull Island, with a connection to Phillip, seems to be her next "big thing." Where does she belong? Which one is the "real" Claire? This book is a good lesson in remembering what's important.

Thank you to Victory Editing co-op NetGalley for this digital ARC. All opinions are honest and my own.

I went into this book with high hopes for a cheesy love story and an insight into the literary world. I get that this story was supposed to be satire, but it felt like it cheapened the process that books go through. The love story was definitely a side note as the story was more about Claire’s change. But I do appreciate the thought that we need to be open to helping ourselves if we want to succeed in life. While I may not have been the best reader for this book, it does have a place for the right person.

Edit to add: after I slept on it and thought about the book more, I noticed things that are backwards which I could be making up but was also were interesting details. Like in the story how the debut authors make over a million for a pitch but repeat authors get like $10,000. Then I noticed that my copy of the ebook was right hand aligned. It had annoyed me at first because I’m not used to reading like that, however was it intentional to be backwards of what is normal? I appreciate some of those details, but maybe I should have had a warning that this was a satirical piece when I wasn’t expecting it.

I loved this book. The storytelling is great as is character development. The pacing is excellent and there is a good deal of humour. The book also provides plenty of background on the book-publishing world. Thank you to Netgalley, Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op, and What If Press for the advance reader copy.

First, thank you so much for letting me read the pitch queen early. I loved how Claire thought her life was perfect, but really she didn't have anyone on her side, until she was forced to take a step back and reevaluate her entire life

Meet Claire Wyld, a New York literary agent who has wowed the publishing world with her knack for securing bestselling debut authors and her skill at distilling the essence of a novel into the perfect pitch e.g. Barbie meets Apocalypse Now or Sense and Sensibility on Mars.
But is Claire's life really as perfect as it first appears? Her mother is dead and she is struggling to write the eulogy and she has unresolved issues with her legendary author and difficult stepmother. And then there's her love life or lack of it...
A fun, enjoyable reac.