The Villain Edit
A Novel
Will be published approx. on 23. October 2025
Book
Paperback/Softback
336 pages
978-0-06-333761-9 (ISBN)
Description
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
"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
Reviews / Votes
"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
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Publishing group
HarperCollins Publishers Inc
Dimensions
Height: 201 mm
Width: 137 mm
Thickness: 25 mm
Weight
253 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-06-333761-9 (9780063337619)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Person
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.