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aussiegirlinuk 's review for:
medium-paced
The premise? Very cool. A former Secret Service agent lifting the lid on psychological strategies, interrogation tactics, and presidential protection. Certified badassery, right? But sadly, this one didn’t quite land for me.
There were glimmers of interest—her observations on presidents and First Ladies were genuinely compelling. But too much of the book veered into territory that felt… uncomfortable. The advice often straddled the line between confidence and manipulation, and some of the “insights” (like not mimicking someone’s accent as a rapport-building tool 🙃) felt overly simplistic or tone-deaf.
It also had a very American self-help vibe—full of high-octane confidence and a whole lot of “look how amazing I am.” That’s just not the way I move through the world. I’m all for resilience and grit, but I also believe in showing up authentically, allowing for vulnerability, and embracing a diversity of perspectives—not hacking people like a social puzzle to be solved.
I imagine this might resonate more with those at the start of their careers or people interested in high-stakes security work. But for me, it lacked nuance and left me a bit cold.
That said, I genuinely admire Evy’s ambition, drive, and what she’s achieved. There’s power in her story—it just wasn’t the kind I was looking for.