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jaesting's review against another edition
5.0
The Agency by Ally OâBrien has to be one of the most fun books I have read in awhile. A mixture of racy chick lit, mystery, and adventure, you will find it hard to put this book down once you get started.
At first I didnât think I would like this story but on page 6 when Tess describes her new boss as âShe is our wicked witch â the kind of witch who would have bitch-slapped Dorothy and served Toto sausages to the flying monkeys.â I knew I would love this character!
The Agency is about media agent Tess Drake. She has been with her current company for nearly a decade and has fought hard for the status she enjoys in the highly competitive world of the publishing. She has a hugely successful childrenâs author in one hand and in the other an author who is suicidal and depressed but Tess think she owes him something. When her boss mysteriously dies at the onset of the novel, Tess starts contemplating her escape from Bardwright Agency. It has always been a dream of hers to be her own boss and have her own agency. That is the goal throughout the entire novel but she has one obstacle after another to contend with to get to where she wants to be.
It seems Tess always haphazardly puts herself into situations that could tear her world apart at any moment. She makes a joke about how her boss passed away which in turn has a police detective watching her every move. How did she know exactly how the man was dressed when he died? She sleeps with her best friendâs fiancĂ© and wonders why the friend could be so mad when Tess didnât know they were engaged yet. Some people may find reading a book about a self-centered, extremely snarky character is boring or not exciting but will think differently when you get into Tessâ world. She rubs elbows with Sean Connery, Sienna Miller, and even gets to throw a book into Tom Cruiseâs lap despite Tomâs publicist hating Tess.
The main part of the story centers around Dorothy, Tessâ most lucrative client who writes a series of childrenâs books based on panda bears that teach children about conservation, recycling, and taking care of the planet. Life takes a turn for the worse when Dorothy is accused of plagiarism from the son of a long dead friend. So Tess battles being accused of murdering her boss AND has to juggle how to keep her client out of a career ending lawsuit all while sleeping with a married man (which is a huge surprise when you find out who his wife is!) and living the high life! The complex plot will keep you guessing and will definitely surprise you with the ending!
The Agency is written under the pen name of Ally OâBrien. This is a âpseudonym for the writing duo that includes an international author of suspense novels and a successful media agent based in London.â I am hoping there is a sequel!
At first I didnât think I would like this story but on page 6 when Tess describes her new boss as âShe is our wicked witch â the kind of witch who would have bitch-slapped Dorothy and served Toto sausages to the flying monkeys.â I knew I would love this character!
The Agency is about media agent Tess Drake. She has been with her current company for nearly a decade and has fought hard for the status she enjoys in the highly competitive world of the publishing. She has a hugely successful childrenâs author in one hand and in the other an author who is suicidal and depressed but Tess think she owes him something. When her boss mysteriously dies at the onset of the novel, Tess starts contemplating her escape from Bardwright Agency. It has always been a dream of hers to be her own boss and have her own agency. That is the goal throughout the entire novel but she has one obstacle after another to contend with to get to where she wants to be.
It seems Tess always haphazardly puts herself into situations that could tear her world apart at any moment. She makes a joke about how her boss passed away which in turn has a police detective watching her every move. How did she know exactly how the man was dressed when he died? She sleeps with her best friendâs fiancĂ© and wonders why the friend could be so mad when Tess didnât know they were engaged yet. Some people may find reading a book about a self-centered, extremely snarky character is boring or not exciting but will think differently when you get into Tessâ world. She rubs elbows with Sean Connery, Sienna Miller, and even gets to throw a book into Tom Cruiseâs lap despite Tomâs publicist hating Tess.
The main part of the story centers around Dorothy, Tessâ most lucrative client who writes a series of childrenâs books based on panda bears that teach children about conservation, recycling, and taking care of the planet. Life takes a turn for the worse when Dorothy is accused of plagiarism from the son of a long dead friend. So Tess battles being accused of murdering her boss AND has to juggle how to keep her client out of a career ending lawsuit all while sleeping with a married man (which is a huge surprise when you find out who his wife is!) and living the high life! The complex plot will keep you guessing and will definitely surprise you with the ending!
The Agency is written under the pen name of Ally OâBrien. This is a âpseudonym for the writing duo that includes an international author of suspense novels and a successful media agent based in London.â I am hoping there is a sequel!
nakedsushi's review against another edition
2.0
Tess Drake is a literary agent and the protagonist of The Agency. Sheâs smart, sheâs good at her job, and she certainly loves talking about herself, which was the impression I got after reading this book. The Agency is a good mystery novel wrapped up in a vapid, materialistic, and soul-killing book. As I as reading through the book, there were parts where I wanted to throw it to the ground because I was afraid of how much of my soul was dying. In that aspect, the authors were good at describing the superficial lives of high-powered talent agents.
The story is told from the perspective of Tess. The first half of the book has her going on and on about her breast, her assistantâs breast, the breasts of her friends, and then her breasts some more. When Tess isnât talking about the bodies of other women or bragging about her sexcapades, she talks about her plans to break out and start her own agency. By itself this sounds boring, but the mystery that builds from that is what makes the book.
The supporting characters in The Agency were so one-dimensional (such as drug addict brilliant writer with a tortured and haunted past and the power-hungry no-holds-barred bitch of a boss) and the main character so self-centered that it was hard to enjoy this book; there was just no redeeming character I could relate to.
Despite how much I disliked the book, I couldnât stop reading it in the way I canât help watching trashy reality shows. Mostly it was because I wanted to see Tess fail. I wanted her plans to go awry and wanted to see her penniless and alone. It was more than just schadenfreude. I just have no sympathy for her sense of entitlement.
If it wasnât for the last third of the book, the apex and the huge reveal, I donât think I could have continued reading it. Itâs hard to say much without giving the mystery away, but I really was caught off guard by the reveal. That particular section of The Agency made me wish the rest of the book was better.
This isnât the type of book Iâd buy for myself, but Iâm glad I got it for review. If this is what chick-lit usually is like, I now know to stay away from it. The book left me with a sense of closure in regards to the story, but it didnât end the way I wanted it to.
The story is told from the perspective of Tess. The first half of the book has her going on and on about her breast, her assistantâs breast, the breasts of her friends, and then her breasts some more. When Tess isnât talking about the bodies of other women or bragging about her sexcapades, she talks about her plans to break out and start her own agency. By itself this sounds boring, but the mystery that builds from that is what makes the book.
The supporting characters in The Agency were so one-dimensional (such as drug addict brilliant writer with a tortured and haunted past and the power-hungry no-holds-barred bitch of a boss) and the main character so self-centered that it was hard to enjoy this book; there was just no redeeming character I could relate to.
Despite how much I disliked the book, I couldnât stop reading it in the way I canât help watching trashy reality shows. Mostly it was because I wanted to see Tess fail. I wanted her plans to go awry and wanted to see her penniless and alone. It was more than just schadenfreude. I just have no sympathy for her sense of entitlement.
If it wasnât for the last third of the book, the apex and the huge reveal, I donât think I could have continued reading it. Itâs hard to say much without giving the mystery away, but I really was caught off guard by the reveal. That particular section of The Agency made me wish the rest of the book was better.
This isnât the type of book Iâd buy for myself, but Iâm glad I got it for review. If this is what chick-lit usually is like, I now know to stay away from it. The book left me with a sense of closure in regards to the story, but it didnât end the way I wanted it to.
pickettreads's review against another edition
3.0
I finished this book while riding home in the car today and would probably give it 3.5 stars, but that is not an option. It was a fun read and I thoroughly enjoyed the story. You can't help but root for Tess, but certainly I did get frustrated with her character. She is a force to be reckoned with as a woman, but in regards to sex is such a man.
The book is pretty predictable as is often the case with chick-lit. The only thing that got on my nerves is the book is a little over the top with the foreshadowing. After a while I found myself thinking, "yes, I get it something bad is going to happen." Overall a good read that I enjoyed and would recommend to others.
The book is pretty predictable as is often the case with chick-lit. The only thing that got on my nerves is the book is a little over the top with the foreshadowing. After a while I found myself thinking, "yes, I get it something bad is going to happen." Overall a good read that I enjoyed and would recommend to others.
skikatt68's review against another edition
4.0
loved this book-- a light, cheeky, and hold your interest sort of book that is perfect reading for in between more intense books, say Brian Freeman's work for example ;)
cristinreads's review against another edition
2.0
it was an okay book. The book needed more suspense and was a bit dragged out over boring details
jayse's review against another edition
5.0
I loved it, and enjoyed it, I wished the sequel was printed in English!
I can't believe I've had this book for 3-4 years and just read it now!
I really wish it was a trilogy
I can't believe I've had this book for 3-4 years and just read it now!
I really wish it was a trilogy
meli65's review against another edition
3.0
Enjoyable fluff. High-powered media agent wants to start her own business. Set in London for the Anglophile.
northbynorthwesterly's review against another edition
3.0
I'm a hard sell when it comes to chick lit, so I picked up The Agency as a skeptic - and indeed, it took me about 100 pages to get into it, at which point I could. not. put it down. At first I found Tess, the protagonist, a bit off-putting, but I warmed up to her and found myself rooting for her quite fiercely. And yes, I saw some of the plot twists coming a mile away, but I don't consider that a bad thing - if it's a formula that entertains and satisfies, I'm perfectly happy to read something formulaic. A great cast of secondary characters, and some humor that made me cackle. Gotta love a protagonist who's a little bit evil. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised.
gilanamia's review against another edition
3.0
While it was interesting to see a little of the workings of a media agency (add *that* to the list of places I wouldn't want to work!), unfortunately, watching the protagonist make the journey from utterly without morals (as she herself would cheerfully admit) to having the occasional qualm was just not quite satisfying enough to make me want her to win out in the end. The book and the characters were reasonably well written; I hope this author will try again with slightly more likable characters.