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The Villain Edit: A Novel Hardcover – July 2, 2024

by Laurie Devore (Author)
3.9 out of 5 stars 190 ratings
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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

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  1. Print length
    336 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Avon
  4. Publication date
    July 2, 2024
  5. Dimensions
    6 x 1.01 x 9 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0063337606
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0063337602
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“A fun and frothy twist on the genre that is endlessly entertaining.” — Glamour

“The perfect beach read…a real page-turner. Don’t be surprised if you finish it in one day!” — In Touch Magazine

"This book is here for all the right reasons: drama, romance, and one of the most interesting looks at reality TV we've seen yet." — Cosmopolitan


“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 rip roaring ride of a novel, The Villian Edit is infinitely more fun than any reality show I’ve ever seen.” — Annabel Monaghan, author of Summer Romance

"The Villain Edit is as bingeable as reality TV. Smart, sexy, and savage, it's the perfect combination of insightful and captivatingly fun."  — Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka, authors of The Roughest Draft   

About the Author

Laurie Devore is a graduate of Clemson University and can be found, from time-to-time, yelling helpful advice at Clemson sporting events. In her spare time, she enjoys reading at the beach, watching too much TV, and spending time with her dog, Wrigley, in their home of Charleston, South Carolina. She is the author of the YA novels A Better Bad Idea, Winner Take All, and How to Break a Boy.  The Villain Edit is her first novel for adults.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Avon (July 2, 2024)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 336 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0063337606
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0063337602
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1.01 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.9 out of 5 stars 190 ratings

About the author

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Laurie Devore

Laurie Devore

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Laurie Devore was born and raised in small town South Carolina and graduated from Clemson University. After four years in the balmy Midwest, she returned to her home in the south, where she now lives and works in Charleston. In her spare time, she reluctantly runs marathons, watches too much TV, and works a “y’all” into every conversation. She is the author of Winner Take All and How to Break a Boy.

Customer reviews

3.9 out of 5 stars
190 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book well-written and engaging, with one mentioning it kept their attention throughout. The romance plot receives positive feedback, with customers noting how it develops through twists and turns. They appreciate the realistic portrayal of a reality show.

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5 customers mention "Readability"5 positive0 negative

Customers find the book fun to read, with one mentioning it kept their attention throughout.

"...This book made me feel like I was on the 1. I really enjoyed the reading the villain edit it was well written I felt the main characters pain and I..." Read more

"Well written and definitely kept my attention. Includes all those stories about what happens in the over-produced reality dating shows...." Read more

"...Super fun read. Loved how the book was written with what actually happened with the way it was shown on TV right along with it." Read more

"...All this turns into romance with twist and turns. Enjoyed reading this book. Look forward to more of Laurie Devore’s books!!" Read more

4 customers mention "Writing style"4 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the writing style of the book.

"...I really enjoyed the reading the villain edit it was well written I felt the main characters pain and I also believe that the reality dating shows..." Read more

"Well written and definitely kept my attention. Includes all those stories about what happens in the over-produced reality dating shows...." Read more

"...Super fun read. Loved how the book was written with what actually happened with the way it was shown on TV right along with it." Read more

"This was a well written book. The book is a look at a Reality show and behind the scene's of a lot of drama...." Read more

3 customers mention "Reality"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's realistic portrayal of a reality show.

"...The characters are flawed, real, and toxic. Which, is exactly how us real people are...." Read more

"...Seemed very real!" Read more

"This was a well written book. The book is a look at a Reality show and behind the scene's of a lot of drama...." Read more

3 customers mention "Romance"3 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the romance in the book, which features twists and turns, with one customer comparing it to a reality dating show.

"So, this book is such a unique take on romance and that’s something you need to know walking in. The characters are flawed, real, and toxic...." Read more

"I love a good reality dating show and I love books about them as well. Super fun read...." Read more

"...All this turns into romance with twist and turns. Enjoyed reading this book. Look forward to more of Laurie Devore’s books!!" Read more

This is the perfect beach read for the summer.
4 out of 5 stars
This is the perfect beach read for the summer.
In an effort to revamp her career as a romance novelist, Jac Matthis goes on The 1, the biggest dating reality show currently on TV. But she was unprepared for the mind games and humiliation she would have to endure during the 12 weeks of filming. She also wasn’t prepared for the complications that would arise from having a one-night stand with one of the producers of the show the night before her first day. Oops. I loved Jac. I loved how unapologetic and tough she was but also relatable because we got to see how vulnerable she really was behind the scenes. But she didn’t bitch and cry and whine, she just kept going, kept trying to figure out the best move for herself. It was also really fun and interesting to be on the set of one of these shows and see how the producers manipulate the contestants and the situations to get the storyline they want.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Kate
    4.0 out of 5 stars it was so good
    Reviewed in the United States on February 5, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    I am not a fan of the bachelor, I have never watched it ever. This book made me feel like I was on the 1. I really enjoyed the reading the villain edit it was well written I felt the main characters pain and I also believe that the reality dating shows are probably very much like this book.
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  • megjh
    5.0 out of 5 stars Surprisingly Awesome
    Reviewed in the United States on September 17, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    So, this book is such a unique take on romance and that’s something you need to know walking in. The characters are flawed, real, and toxic. Which, is exactly how us real people are.

    I don’t even like reality tv and it solidified that I will never watch it, but this book shows the truth depth of manipulation that goes on in these shows. It hit on things like how they villainize women in media and the drive to keep females ‘hating’ each other. I connected with Jac because she said what she thought, was hated for it, then hated herself in the process. I related. I hated that I related. I loved that I related.

    Don’t go in thinking this is a fluff novel. It’s not. Expect to think and to question why we let media tear us apart, because no matter what story tv tells us, we’re not the villain.
    Helpful
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  • Whiskey in the Jar
    3.0 out of 5 stars Toned bitter
    Reviewed in the United States on August 4, 2024
    Jac is thirty-two and just moved back home after getting a taste of what she thought was her dream of being a successful author living in New York. However, the dream was short lived, that big three book publishing contract disappears when her first book tanks and the second barely sells and she spends all her money trying to be the fun, single, successful author living in the big city. This leads to a drunken night of answering an online casting call for a reality tv show where the contestants battle it out for love, a la The Bachelor.

    If you're a fan of The Bachelor, then you might end up liking this more than me, but you're going to have to want to see the underbelly of what makes the show. Told all in Jac's pov, it's clear that all these events have already happened and the reader is getting the backstory, the story catches up to the present in the latter second half. We see Jac have a one-night stand before she's set to start filming and, oh no, the one night stand turns out to be Henry, a producer on the show. This sets-up the whole, are the feelings between them real or is Henry “producing” Jac to make great tv? Along the way, Jac feels an instant connection and chemistry with the man everyone is vying for, Marcus, and there's a little bit of a love triangle. I say little bit, because this is more about Jac trying to find herself.

    Jac is set-up to be the “unlikable heroine” in the story and the tv show. And here's the thing, while I didn't actively not like her, I grew disinterested in her and the story. It's toned in pretty bitter vibes, bemoaning botox, having to be skinny, looking a certain way, etc., which yes, all tiring issues women have to deal with but I'm not sure I ever felt Jac actually being tired and done with it. She uses all these advantages she has to “win”, which she likes in her “I want to stand out but am uncomfortable being the center of attention” personality. There's some annoyance that this is her “role” but, to me, her jaded personality doesn't really hate it, it's bothersome to her but she's written fairly dead inside, excuse me, “walled off” (works if character is walled off to other characters but me as the reader probably needs to see/feel at least some of the behind the wall emotion) and I can't say I ever really felt her hate it, because she fits the mold, even if it takes some energy for her too. Secondary characters never truly get filled out, this being all from Jac's pov and her sucking all the air out of the room.

    I don't know, maybe I've just read too many, “publishing is horrific”, “people on social media are horrific”, and toned writing that brings not a single ounce of joy to the characters or world. This is coming from someone who's nickname was “Daria”! I like jaded, cynical, and unlikable women because usually the character is saying a whole lot through these characteristics. I'm not sure the author accomplished what she set out to here, Jac felt like empty “not like other women”. And, at the risk of being like a social media reviewer character quoted in the story, because that seems like the du jour thing to do right now, I wouldn't recommend this for the romance, not strong enough for me. I would recommend this is you want more of a bitter toned story about how reality shows like The Bachelor aren't really about the love.

    I received this book for free, this does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review
    2 people found this helpful
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  • MegInIowa
    4.0 out of 5 stars read in less than a day
    Reviewed in the United States on July 3, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Well written and definitely kept my attention. Includes all those stories about what happens in the over-produced reality dating shows. Seemed very real!
    2 people found this helpful
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  • AH
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fun read if you like The Bachelor-esque shows
    Reviewed in the United States on October 20, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    I love a good reality dating show and I love books about them as well. Super fun read. Loved how the book was written with what actually happened with the way it was shown on TV right along with it.
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  • Beth Bordenkircher
    3.0 out of 5 stars Quick read with deeply flawed characters & heavier themes than the description suggests. Not for me
    Reviewed in the United States on July 2, 2024
    Stalled romance author Jac joins the cast of a popular dating reality show for publicity reasons. She has a one-night stand prior to the start of taping with Henry who is (unbeknownst to her) one of the show's producers. Henry hates his job but doesn't feel he can leave. Jac is rudderless and desperate for a publishing comeback. This is not a feel-good, cozy story and there's a lot of jagged edges here. Classifying this as a romance feels inaccurate, and describing it as a "dramedy" also didn't feel right. It's more of a character study and a biting commentary on the falseness and manipulations of created fame, with multiple dysfunctional relationships and a darker romantic sub-plot. The author writes the reality show filming process like it's a social experiment in manipulation. Honestly, it's believable.

    I struggled with the main characters as I found them to be so unlikable (both apart and together) that it was hard to root for them. Jac had a hardness to her which made it tricky to warm up to her. She's complex and harsh, and there's a push-pull with her personality that as a reader I found difficult to fully process. I didn't really like Henry and I don't like the uneven balance of power that existed in his relationship with Jac. Almost everything Henry did felt manipulative, almost to the very end. And the bulk of the book is less about their romantic relationship and more about the superficiality and misogyny and voluntary exploitation that takes place on romance reality shows. If that's what you're looking for then this is the story for you. But this book just wasn't for me: I found it difficult to finish, although I did see it through to the end where the resolution and lighter tone of the ending didn't quite seem to fit with the bulk of the story. I ultimately gave it 3 stars because it was well written overall, but I really didn't enjoy this read.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Tara C.
    4.0 out of 5 stars Behind the scenes of The Bachelor
    Reviewed in the United States on February 3, 2025
    For anyone who loves reality dating shows like The Bachelor, The Villain Edit is a must-read. This light, engaging novel takes you behind the scenes of a reality TV romance, where producers manipulate narratives, contestants battle for screen time, and the so-called “villain” might just be the most lovable character of all.

    The story cleverly plays with reality TV tropes, showing how easily public perception can be shaped by editing tricks and producer-driven drama.
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