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A review by judithdcollins
The Personal Assistant by Kimberly Belle
5.0
Dazzling! The BEST. So Goooood.
Check out my fun INTERVIEW with Kimberly: #AuthorElevatorSeries Interview where we go behind the book and the author!
Kimberly Belle, the "queen" of domestic suspense, returns following My Darling Husband (5 stars) with her latest riveting thriller, THE PERSONAL ASSISTANT — a complex multi-layered game of cat-and-mouse where nothing is as it appears.
In this "thrills by the minute" domestic suspense novel, the dark side of influencers and social media are explored and will have you gasping, frantically turning each page, until the jaw-dropping satisfying conclusion.
Set in Atlanta, GA, we meet wife and mother, Alex—a social media influencer @UnapologeticallyAlex on Instagram. Husband Patrick, a mega TV financial star at WXBA, and their twelve-year-old twin daughters (Gigi and Penelope from a first marriage). Patrick is the second husband and stepfather.
They live a luxurious lifestyle with the home, cars, and perks that come along with the wealth. Also, plenty of money for tucks, cosmetic surgery, designer clothing, and the best money can buy.
Alex is celebrating her million followers with her assistant AC and husband, Patrick. She has had a lot to drink. The next day, she sees a post (apparently she posted, which she does not remember from her account) that slams a former Disney TV star.
Now the trolls are after her, her followers are angry, and she is losing sponsorships and everything she has worked for. Has she been hacked? Who did this? Was it her assistant AC? She knows she did not. Where is she, by the way?
Desperate, they cannot find AC, which is missing in action. Her assistant knows all her passwords and everything about their lives. She can destroy them. She is not answering her phone or emails.
In the meantime, there is another parallel story from 1994 (over 30 yrs ago— in a rural southern Georgia town. A young maid (Anna Claire) down on her luck who works at a rundown motel. A wealthy man who picked her up on the side of the road. Millions of dollars of drug money.
Also, some college-age boys who happen to be traveling much later — stop at this motel, which sets a dangerous web of deceit, lies, and murder in motion.
What does the past have to do with the present, and how do they connect?
There is also an anonymous account named Mister Fluff les that is causing many problems on her IG account. There are death and rape threats to her family, and because Alex has put her entire life online, there is nowhere to hide.
Patrick is acting strange, and his TV ratings are declining due to Alex's situation, and he has never cared for her assistant, AC. After an investigation is opened, they realize they do not know AC. Not the person behind the social security number.
The police demanded answers. Her family is threatened. And in the middle of it all, the missing AC. A million followers are watching. A NIGHTMARE.
Does Alex know her loveable husband? What secrets is he keeping?
Alternating from past to present from POVs: Alex, Patrick, and Anna Claire, the past comes back to haunt the present, and Belle keeps the tension high as all the lies and secrets rise to the surface, with one shocker after another.
Juggling multiple narratives like a rock star, this is a chilling, cautionary tale about what happens when you make an enemy in the social media age and will have you questioning how much of your life you make public.
Fully immersive, a propulsive, and addictive multi-level page-turner! Belle is at the top of her game in this timely and relevant story of obsession, greed, revenge, lies, and deceit. It will make you think about what is real, what is fake, and the essential things in life.
I am a massive fan of the author and have read every book she has written since her debut, and I would not miss one! Every book is unique and fresh, with unforgettable characters. She dives deep into the minds of characters that experience trauma and come out stronger from that experience with wise lessons learned.
Highly entertaining! I loved THE PERSONAL ASSISTANT. Get this one on your list.
A special thank you to #ParkRow and #NetGalley for an e-ARC to read, review and enjoy.
Blog Review Posted @
www.JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 ⭐ STARS
Pub Date: Nov 29, 2022
Nov 2022 Must-Read Books
Top Books of 2022
KB Book Reviews:
My Darling Husband
Dear Wife
Stranger In the Lake
The Marriage Lie
Three Days Missing
The Ones We Trust
The Last Breath
Young Rich Widows
Check out my fun INTERVIEW with Kimberly: #AuthorElevatorSeries Interview where we go behind the book and the author!
Kimberly Belle, the "queen" of domestic suspense, returns following My Darling Husband (5 stars) with her latest riveting thriller, THE PERSONAL ASSISTANT — a complex multi-layered game of cat-and-mouse where nothing is as it appears.
In this "thrills by the minute" domestic suspense novel, the dark side of influencers and social media are explored and will have you gasping, frantically turning each page, until the jaw-dropping satisfying conclusion.
Set in Atlanta, GA, we meet wife and mother, Alex—a social media influencer @UnapologeticallyAlex on Instagram. Husband Patrick, a mega TV financial star at WXBA, and their twelve-year-old twin daughters (Gigi and Penelope from a first marriage). Patrick is the second husband and stepfather.
They live a luxurious lifestyle with the home, cars, and perks that come along with the wealth. Also, plenty of money for tucks, cosmetic surgery, designer clothing, and the best money can buy.
Alex is celebrating her million followers with her assistant AC and husband, Patrick. She has had a lot to drink. The next day, she sees a post (apparently she posted, which she does not remember from her account) that slams a former Disney TV star.
Now the trolls are after her, her followers are angry, and she is losing sponsorships and everything she has worked for. Has she been hacked? Who did this? Was it her assistant AC? She knows she did not. Where is she, by the way?
Desperate, they cannot find AC, which is missing in action. Her assistant knows all her passwords and everything about their lives. She can destroy them. She is not answering her phone or emails.
In the meantime, there is another parallel story from 1994 (over 30 yrs ago— in a rural southern Georgia town. A young maid (Anna Claire) down on her luck who works at a rundown motel. A wealthy man who picked her up on the side of the road. Millions of dollars of drug money.
Also, some college-age boys who happen to be traveling much later — stop at this motel, which sets a dangerous web of deceit, lies, and murder in motion.
What does the past have to do with the present, and how do they connect?
There is also an anonymous account named Mister Fluff les that is causing many problems on her IG account. There are death and rape threats to her family, and because Alex has put her entire life online, there is nowhere to hide.
Patrick is acting strange, and his TV ratings are declining due to Alex's situation, and he has never cared for her assistant, AC. After an investigation is opened, they realize they do not know AC. Not the person behind the social security number.
The police demanded answers. Her family is threatened. And in the middle of it all, the missing AC. A million followers are watching. A NIGHTMARE.
Does Alex know her loveable husband? What secrets is he keeping?
Alternating from past to present from POVs: Alex, Patrick, and Anna Claire, the past comes back to haunt the present, and Belle keeps the tension high as all the lies and secrets rise to the surface, with one shocker after another.
Juggling multiple narratives like a rock star, this is a chilling, cautionary tale about what happens when you make an enemy in the social media age and will have you questioning how much of your life you make public.
Fully immersive, a propulsive, and addictive multi-level page-turner! Belle is at the top of her game in this timely and relevant story of obsession, greed, revenge, lies, and deceit. It will make you think about what is real, what is fake, and the essential things in life.
I am a massive fan of the author and have read every book she has written since her debut, and I would not miss one! Every book is unique and fresh, with unforgettable characters. She dives deep into the minds of characters that experience trauma and come out stronger from that experience with wise lessons learned.
Highly entertaining! I loved THE PERSONAL ASSISTANT. Get this one on your list.
A special thank you to #ParkRow and #NetGalley for an e-ARC to read, review and enjoy.
Blog Review Posted @
www.JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 ⭐ STARS
Pub Date: Nov 29, 2022
Nov 2022 Must-Read Books
Top Books of 2022
KB Book Reviews:
My Darling Husband
Dear Wife
Stranger In the Lake
The Marriage Lie
Three Days Missing
The Ones We Trust
The Last Breath
Young Rich Widows