The Villain Edit

A Novel

By: Laurie Devore

Narrated by: Stephanie Németh-Parker

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

A fun beach read that will won’t want to put down

This was a fun beach read that you won’t want to put down. The characters are complex and relatable. The performance was very well done. I want to read more about these characters! I can’t wait to read something else by this author.

This might be a new favorite

The story is great and the characters are well written. Jac is everything you’d want from a strong female lead. Intelligent, funny, flawed. Great book.

A fun read/listen

I read this for book club and enjoyed it enough. I’ve never watched The Bachelor/Bachelorette, but I fully believe it’s as heinous as The Villain Edit makes it sound. I found myself sometimes rooting for the main character, Jac, while also rolling my eyes or wincing at nearly all of her choices. Simultaneously, I feel like we don’t know her at all. I realize this could be intentional, but it left me feeling more interested in the other characters. I’d almost rather see a sequel or something about Henry.

Narration was good. Friends of mine read the book and I think I got more out of it by listening.

Love this!

This was an easy fun read! I used to love watching the bachelor and bachelorette but I cannot any more because everyone on the show now seems so unaware of themselves and fake. Reading this hit the spot though and supported my idea of how “planned” the show can be. Great character development and evolution.

This was fantastic!!

This was such a hilarious book. As someone who loves to hate reality dating shows and loves quirky romance novels - this hit the spot.