The Villain Edit
A Novel
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3.6 • 7 Ratings
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- $12.99
Publisher Description
Emily Henry meets Fleabag...and The Bachelor! An irresistibly sharp and sexy dramedy about a cynical romance novelist who goes on a reality show to revive her career, only to discover that while she may have just met the love of her life, the producers have turned her into the show’s villain.
“The perfect beach read…a real page-turner. Don’t be surprised if you finish it in one day!”--In Touch Magazine
“Fun and frothy... endlessly entertaining.”--Glamour
Good villains make good TV.
Romance novelist Jacqueline Matthis’s big career has gone bust and she’s ditched the bright lights of New York City for her more affordable South Carolina hometown. Desperate, Jac dreams up a comeback plan—she is going to be a contestant on the 1, the most obsessively watched reality dating show in the world.
After all Jac is a romance writer—she knows how to pull off a meet-cute and create a spicy plotline.
On set, Jac quickly establishes herself as a front-runner for bachelor Marcus’s heart, but she’s shocked to discover who’s actually pulling the strings. How was she to know that Henry Foster, her last one-night stand before the show, was actually a longtime producer on the 1? Henry is just as horrified…but they can’t seem to keep their hands off each other.
As Jac plays the game and the show unfurls, she slowly discovers that she’s getting the villain edit. They say there’s no such thing as bad publicity, but as Jac’s secret plan begins crumbling around her, she’s not so sure. What happens if Marcus chooses her? Worse, what happens if her affair with Henry comes to light? What if, in trying to save her career, Jac has ruined her life?
Heartbreaking, smart, and sexy, this novel is for anyone who has ever secretly rooted for—or felt like—the villain.
“THE VILLAIN EDIT is perfect for people who, like me, love mess. I devoured it in one sitting and was left with a total book hangover—it’s the ideal combination of propulsive psychological thrill and delicious romantic tension.”--Olivie Blake, New York Times bestselling author of The Atlas Six
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Devore's juicy adult debut (after the YA novel A Better Bad Idea) takes a cynical look at reality dating shows, with the love story taking a backseat to the behind-the-scenes drama. The night before jaded romance author Jacqueline "Jac" Matthis is due to begin filming as a contestant on a Bachelor-esque reality show she hopes will boost her book sales, she meets charming, pensive Henry at a bar and the two flirt their way into a one-night stand. Thinking little of it, Jac arrives on set, where she's surprised to find she has genuine chemistry with the leading man, Marcus. Even more shocking? Henry is a producer on the show. The pair agree to keep their tryst a secret and do their best to avoid each other, but this becomes increasingly difficult as the contestant pool dwindles. Meanwhile, Jac builds a strong connection with Marcus and, due to her tendency to say exactly what she's thinking, completely fails to endear herself to her fellow contestants. The narrative is propelled by Jac's efforts to outsmart the producers and manage her image, while the love triangle with Henry and Marcus functions as more of a B plot. As a result, the relationship progression feels both scattered and rushed. Still, readers looking for soapy drama should snap this up.
