THE ASSISTANT is a psychological thriller by Nicole Trope. I was anxious to start this new series with book 1 with book 2 to be out in Dec 2024, as I have enjoyed reading her standalone novels.

Book 1(Aug2024) Book2 (Dec2024)
Series
Assistant
1. Not a Good Enough Mother (2024)
aka The Assistant
2. The Assistant's Daughter (2024)

This is my review of The Assistant.

Grace Enright (52) had been seeing a therapist, to put her life back together, to be the successful person she used to be, and can be again.

Ava Green (35) is a successful business woman, struggling on a daily basis to manage both family life with her husband, Finn, and her two young daughters, Hazel and Chloe. After recently losing her former assistant who was off on paternity leave, Ava decided she needed to hire a new assistant, to make her life less stressful.

Grace applies for the position, and walks in to the interview with Ava and carefully hand over my application. The interview goes perfectly, because Grace has presented herself as the perfect assistant, and is hired immediately.

But Ava must never find out the truth…and the plans Grace has for Ava.

A completely addictive psychological thriller that will have you gasping at the final twist.

Many thanks to the author, Bookouture and NetGalley for my digital copy.

Not a Good Enough Mother (also published under The Assistant) by Nicole Trope is a short and faced paced thriller following Grace, who seeks out and accepts a position as an assistant to an overworked corporate mother while clearly having a mysterious and criminal past she is not disclosing. Throughout the story the reader starts to catch glimpses of what exactly happened to Grace but why is she so hell bent on helping the seemingly unrelated Ava?

I liked some portions of this book. I thought it was fast paced and easy to keep up with and had me wanting to keep reading. However, the plot was a little far fetched. I thought the twist at the end (no spoilers) did sort of save the book a little for me, taking it up to 3.5 stars. I like the way that the book explores gender roles in the corporate world as well and the way that intersects with parental responsibilities.

Nicole Trope always delivers! I love the way her mind works and finds its way to print. A twisted story of two women and a dark past. This was a fast paced, fun story. For fans of Freida McFadden and Kiersten Modglin will also enjoy Nicole Trope's twisty stories.

Grace and Ava have more in common than Ava realizes. Grace finds Ava and embeds herself in to daily life..:but why? Who is Grace? Why is she targeting Ava? So many questions in this book. The ending was jaw dropping. Over all, this was a great read!

This is probably one of my favorite stories from Nicole. All her books are absolutely amazing. But this one blew me away from the plot twist. They character development and to the writing style was absolutely spectacular I would give this a five out of five stars

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookoture, and Nicole Trope for allowing me to read this ahead of publication day. I was hesitant at first to read this but I’m glad I did. The name change definitely through my off a bit, I think the Assistant was a suitable title. This book had many twists I didn’t predict coming.

This was a dual POV book that was done very well. It’s easy to know who’s POV we were reading even if it wasn’t clearly indicated. The characters were diverse enough but fit along with the story well. I found Ava’s husband to be extremely childish and obnoxious, but the other main characters were well done. Ava and Grace made a great team.

The book had shorter chapters so it’s easy to read quickly. It was a total page turner! It wasn’t an overly long book so I didn’t feel like it dragged on longer than it needed to.

There was letters written throughout the book giving us a bit of a history on one of the characters. I enjoyed these.

The ending was very well done. This is the second book I’ve read from this author and I think I will go back and read some of her other books.

Omg....had me hooked from the very first page. I couldn’t put it down, I read it unless then 2 days.. Take the chance and read this book you won't regret it.. Nicole Trope is such an awesome writer.. She knows how to get you addicted to reading her books...

I was a little behind in reading this and after picking it up, I wish I would have gotten to it sooner. This book grabbed me from the first page and I couldn’t put it down. I found myself so engrossed in the twists and turns, that I forgot I needed to get other things done. This is a great psychological thriller that makes me want to read all of Nicole Trope’s books. If you are looking for a book to hook you and not let you go, this is the one for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book. I am so glad I got to read this. It was fantastic.

This book had me on edge. I could not put it down. By the time I got to the ending my mind was blown. I personally like the title “The Assistant” better. When I read this book it was called that. I’m not huge on the new title “Not a Good Enough Mother.” This was my third or forth book by this author and I can’t wait to read more! Thank you NetGalley, Nicole Trope, and Bookouture for the ARC. I actually read this book back at the very beginning of August and just now realized I didn’t do my review.

This psychological thriller keeps you on edge from the very beginning. The story revolves around Ava, a woman juggling the pressures of motherhood, a demanding career, and a seemingly perfect life. Enter "the help," a mysterious woman who seems too good to be true. The narrator’s unsettling charm and hidden intentions create a tense atmosphere, leaving the reader constantly questioning her motives.

The author skillfully captures the mental strain of trying to live up to unrealistic expectations while weaving an eerie, slow-burn mystery. The unreliable narrator was a brilliant touch, as it made me constantly second-guess where the story was headed.

While the pacing was strong for most of the book, there were moments where I wanted more depth in certain character relationships, especially Ava's husband. Still, the twists and turns kept me hooked, and the climax was satisfying, even if a bit predictable.

Overall, this book is a compelling exploration of insecurity and obsession. It’s a gripping read that will make you think twice about who you let into your life. Four stars!

I didn’t realize this book was “The Assistant,” which I’ve previously read. I highly recommend for any psychological thriller reader. All of Trope’s books are great, fast reads. I’ll be reading the second book in this series!

This was called “the assistant” before which I think is a better fit. I wasn’t completely sure how I felt about Grace until the ending. Pretty good book but also kind of all over the place.

Ava Green had a husband and two kids. Grace comes into her life by handing over an application to be her assistant. Collin is Ava’s arch nemesis in the office and she’s trying to become the ceo of the company but Collin is also fighting for that position. Both Ava and Collin have secrets but who has more to hide?!

Thanks netgalley and publisher for the chance to read this book for free in return for my honest opinion. I enjoy Nicole Trope’s books, they are always an easy read:

Wow, what did I just read!
Another great one by Nicole Trope. Boy, does she know how to hook you in from the start!

Ava has a great life. She has a loving husband, 2 beautiful little girls, and the job of her dreams. The only thing missing is a new assistant to help her balance her home and work life.
Grace has a past. She is looking for a new start at life. Could Ava's assistant position do it for Grace this time? If so, would Ava be able to trust her?

This is fast-paced and full of twists & turns that keep you guessing until the unbelievable end! I definitely can't wait until book 2 of this series.

I loved the fact that this one was set in Australia. Nicole is such a great author and I will read anything she writes. This book has great characters and the story was realistic. The ending was fantastic and made the book for me.

I enjoyed this book and the final twist really caught me on the hop. I did prefer the first book title but that didnt stop it being a five star read.
Thank you to Netgalley for the chance to read this ARC in return for an honest review

ooo i've noticed the title has changed and this was previously published as the assistant am not sure of the new title i do think the old one fits better.

anyway i've been in a bit of a reading rut lately struggling too get into books etc but this one seemed too drag me out of that i was gripped by the story couldnt wait too what happened next and surprisingly didnt see the end coming.

Really good read.

I really enjoyed this. Until the end, I wasn't sure if we could trust Grace or what her true motive was. There were a lot of twists and turns - many of which surprised me. I look forward to reading more thrillers from this author. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

The Assistant
Nicole Trope

🌟🌟🌟🌟

Whew this was a good one! This was my first novel by Trope and I’m looking forward to discovering more! I definitely dove into this novel expecting it to go a certain way. Grace seems like the perfect candidate for an assistant to over-worked Ava, but there's definitely more than meets the eye… 👀 This story had a good flow and was easy to get into. As more and more details are disclosed about the characters' lives, I wondered if any mysteries were going to be left to uncover. It is not quite a twisty thriller in comparison to others in the genre, but the pivotal twist at the end was unexpected for sure!

The novel "The Assistant" by Nicole Trope presents a compelling psychological thriller that revolves around Ava, who enlists Grace as her assistant in an effort to balance her demanding professional and personal life. From the moment Grace enters Ava's world, a sense of harmony appears to emerge; however, the narrative soon provokes inquiries regarding Grace's genuine motives and whether she may be the catalyst for the escalating challenges Ava faces. The story unfolds from both characters' viewpoints, interspersed with letters addressed to "baby girl," effectively immersing readers in the intricacies of their intertwined existences. The narrative unfolds at a rapid pace, characterized by suspense and unexpected developments that maintain reader engagement until the conclusion. There is rich character development and the effective intertwining of Grace’s back story only enhances the narrative. The final twist is quite shocking, and I did not see it coming.

I highly recommend this book and author. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance review copy in exchange for my honest review. If I could give this more than 5 stars, I would!

This was good! Very interesting and dark and kept me reading throughout. Interested in reading other books by this author.

"The Assistant" is a riveting tale full of twists and turns that captivated me from beginning to end. Having read numerous books by this author, I have yet to be disappointed. I wholeheartedly recommend this book, as well as all others by Nicole Trope.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC.