Book Review: The Personal Assistant by Kimberly Belle

This month’s pick of the month from Andrea Peskind-Katz from GREAT THOUGHTS, GREAT READERS is:

The Personal Assistant

by Kimberly Belle

Every month, Andrea chooses a book either written by an individual aged 50Plus or written for this awesome community!

USA TODAY bestselling author Kimberly Belle returns with a deeply addictive thriller exploring the dark side of the digital world when a mommy-blogger’s assistant goes missing.  

Review by ANISSA TELLE

The Personal Assistant by Kimberly Belle is a chilling thriller masterfully told with dual timelines and alternating voices.

When Alex first began posting stories about her life online, it was as a hobby. She did not anticipate the following she amassed, seemingly overnight, which turned her into a full-time influencer. Overwhelmed, Alex manages the workload with much help from her trusted assistant, AC., who is also her closest confidante. 

Alex’s family is not happy with the world knowing their business. Are people who choose to share intimate details of their lives online entitled to privacy? How much?  Are fame, money, and freebies worth losing the most basic sense of security? These questions are explored in detail in THE PERSONAL ASSISTANT. Alex struggles with the privacy issues, but her family definitely does not want their private lives made public. They are horrified when their long-held secrets and outright lies go viral. 

While grappling with these issues, the assistant, AC, mysteriously goes missing. The relationship between the two intertwined stories is not initially clear, but Belle executes the dual timeline in this page turner with great skill. The gripping story keeps you enthralled throughout this modern-day novel, leaving you wondering about the intersection of the past and the present. Who are the villains and who are just innocent bystanders having their past splashed publicly in the latest internet scandal? Who is actually trustworthy and who is to blame? What is real and what is just the latest air-brushed edited fakery shared by internet trolls? You can’t help but keep reading once you start, so carve out some time to finish this page turner in one sitting.  

The unexpected twists and suspicions keep you guessing until the very end. Belle’s trademark style of writing leaves the reader with more questions than answers, but as always, her character development, plotting, and storyline provides an exceptionally satisfying read.

I was provided a free advance reader copy from Park Row Books in exchange for my honest review. The opinions shared in this review are my own.

About the Author: Kimberly Belle

About Andrea Peskind Katz from GREAT THOUGHTS, GREAT READERS:

Andrea Peskind Katz runs Great Thoughts, Great Readers, a Book Salon presented via her private FB group where approximately 6000 prolific readers and authors interact. She also founded Greatthoughts.com, a lifestyle website blog focusing on Great Books and Great Travel. To quote Robert Frost, she created her “second act” career to “unite my avocation and my vocation”. After 20 years in high pressure sales, Andrea retired to spend time doing what she loves best: hanging with her family, reading good books.

Each month, Andrea chooses a book for 50PlusToday that is either written by or for 50Plus individuals.

LFpublisher

Leslie Farin is the Publisher and Founder of 50PlusToday. She is an experienced communications and marketing professional passionate about working with older adults and their families. She works with a team of writers to provide essential and cutting-edge information related to the 50Plus community.