Helpful Score: 7
I worked in the "biz" as an assistant to a producer for approximately ten years. Comparing my experience with Lizzie's, I think she got off pretty easy. Plus she got a (single, straight) guy in the end. I had to fend off my (married) boss, (married) crew members, my boss trying to "set me up" with other (married) producers, etc. Thank goodness I had many friends outside of the business. This was an enjoyable read. It was easy, light, and I didn't have to think too much while reading. The only problem I had was with the "J" names - Jake Hudson and Jason Blum. At least they weren't Jake and Jack or Jackson and Jason. Again, enjoyed the trip back to my old life!
Helpful Score: 4
Kind of like "The Devil Wears Prada," but not as good.
An OK beach read book.
An OK beach read book.
Helpful Score: 3
This book was a bit slow, and seemed to be the author's way of namedropping more than anything else. It got better toward the last quarter of the book and Luke Lloyd is a nice character, but there is nothing about Lizzie, the main character, that makes you love her like some of the better chick lit books out there. Not horrible, but so many better books out there.
Helpful Score: 2
I thought I would LOVE this book because I had been through the same things as this girl but it went on and on for me and I couldn't get through it. Could have been better.
Helpful Score: 2
Perfect for lovers of The Devil Wore Prada and Nanny Diaries. Actually thought it was a bit better.
Helpful Score: 2
I absolutely loved this book! Elizabeth Miller graduated summa cum laude from Georgetown University with a degree in economics and political science. Unable to find a job in Washington, DC, she ends up in Hollywood as a second assistant at the Agency, an agency for actors and movie stars.
To say she experiences culture shock is an understatement! She starts out hating LA, the men in LA, her job, and her coworkers. Luke, the guy she has a crush on, has a sexy French girlfriend.
To find out how she manages to overcome these obstacles, read the book.
To say she experiences culture shock is an understatement! She starts out hating LA, the men in LA, her job, and her coworkers. Luke, the guy she has a crush on, has a sexy French girlfriend.
To find out how she manages to overcome these obstacles, read the book.
Barely managed to get through this. Just not much of a story here.
Helpful Score: 2
This book kept me entertained with Hollywood humor!
Helpful Score: 1
I didn't think this book lived up to the hype around it. Thinly written, annoying characters. Good for a light summer read, but nothing special.
Helpful Score: 1
This was tough one to get through, but I enjoyed it once I finished it. I enjoyed hearing about the "Hollywood lives."
Helpful Score: 1
A story of an second assistant to movie agency in Hollywood. Remindful of The Devil wears Prada..Fun book to read
Helpful Score: 1
For the chick lit lover in all of us! Nothing could have prepared her for the job as a personal assistant to the world bitchiest woman....is glam Hollywood really worth it for her?
Helpful Score: 1
Fun, interesting reading about the Hollywood scene. Quick read.
Helpful Score: 1
The heroine of this gossipy tale is Elizabeth Miller, a young, former campaign worker for a US congressman who finds herself between employment opportunities. Unable to obtain any more socially responsible work, Lizzie is lured into the job of second assistant to an executive at a glitzy Hollywood agency. Once there, she's hit with all the "pick-up my dry cleaning," "walk my dog," "hire strippers for my party" torment that the higher-ups can dish out. At first Elizabeth is isolated, out-of-place, and underdressed in her new world, but she makes friends, builds her wardrobe, and eventually grows to care for her menial job, her Ritalin-snorting boss, and the entertainment industry in general. Finally, she reaches the conclusion that thousands of other Californians have before her: what she really wants to do is produce. At times, Lizzie seems far too naïve to survive long in the shark-infested waters that the authors describe, but there can be only one kind of ending to such a light-hearted book, so we know she will somehow muddle through. Hare (who was once a Hollywood executive herself) and Naylor throw in a dreamy guy and a few plot twists that most readers could see coming from space, stir, and serve. Of course, a little frivolity is not a bad thing, and The Second Assistant is certainly an entertaining addition the new underling subgenre of modern fiction.
Helpful Score: 1
I liked this better than either Nannie Diaries or Devil Wears Prada which it is usually compared to.
Helpful Score: 1
Good read. It was witty and kept my interest. I am going to get the sequel.
Helpful Score: 1
Another tale abaout a beleagured employee being forced to do menial jobs.
Witty and fun, but not as smooth a read as The Nanny Diaries, and not as delicious and hilarious as The Devil Wears Prada. A good beach read.
Witty and fun, but not as smooth a read as The Nanny Diaries, and not as delicious and hilarious as The Devil Wears Prada. A good beach read.
Helpful Score: 1
Cute story of the hollywood assistant! If you've ever been an assistant of any kind...you can relate!
Helpful Score: 1
Similar taste and style to The Nanny Diaries and Confessions of a Shopaholic. Not too syrupy with romance, not too victim-y with the put-upon underling, not too I-am-woman-hear-me-roar with the feminism. A good balance of mistakes, fish out of water, working your way to the top, doing nice things, doing mean things, having friends, having enemies, having a crazy boss, dealing with your family, lots of things that single women can relate to. I'm well out of this phase in my life but I still enjoyed the book. In fact, if I was in my 20's, I probably wouldn't like the book at all, because I'd be too busy living the things in it - crazy parties, avoiding the wrong guys, dealing with friends and their problems, conflicts with family views on what I should be doing with my life, and so on and on. It's only having the benefit of time and distance and perspective that I think helps me like stories like this of someone else finding their way. Oh, and if you read this, stop after this book and don't bother reading the second book, "The First Assistant". It isn't as good as this book.
Helpful Score: 1
The heroine of this gossipy tale is Elizabeth Miller, a young, former campaign worker for a US congressman who finds herself between employment opportunities. Unable to obtain any more socially responsible work, Lizzie is lured into the job of second assistant to an executive at a glitzy Hollywood agency. Once there, she's hit with all the "pick-up my dry cleaning," "walk my dog," "hire strippers for my party" torment that the higher-ups can dish out. At first Elizabeth is isolated, out-of-place, and underdressed in her new world, but she makes friends, builds her wardrobe, and eventually grows to care for her menial job, her Ritalin-snorting boss, and the entertainment industry in general. Finally, she reaches the conclusion that thousands of other Californians have before her: what she really wants to do is produce. At times, Lizzie seems far too naïve to survive long in the shark-infested waters that the authors describe, but there can be only one kind of ending to such a light-hearted book, so we know she will somehow muddle through.
Very funny, very readable
Cute story - similar to you'll never nanny in this town again.
I really enjoyed this book. It is a very quick, perfect for the beach read. It has been compared to "The Devil Wears Prada" and I actually like this book quite a bit more.
very funny book. I thoughly enjoyed. Written along the same lines as Laura Weisenberger's books.
I love books about how evil Hollywood is, and this was no exception.
I got halfway through the book and realized I could care less what happened to the heroine.
It is a very fun, light read! I loved it.
A great read!! If you liked "The Devil Wears Prada" or "The Nanny Diaries" then you'll love "The Second Assistant!"
I really enjoyed this book. It's an easy, fast, light read. Perfect summer beach read.
Cute story.
I really enjoyed this book. Just enough name dropping to make it even more interesting. Not quiet as mean as "The Devil Wore Prada" but snarky enough to make one laugh.
Good book full of real world drama and whit.
I enjoyed this book a lot. It's a quick read and an interesting fictional look at the lives of Hollywood publicists.
Great Chick Lit book!
Excellent book! Very Bridget Joneish...Hilarious!
A cute read about the lives of unimportant Hollywood workers (made me happy about my job!)
This is a fun book and would be a great addition to your beach bag this summer!
How Hollywood is more deceiving to even the low rungs on the ladder. Elizabeth Miller decides to give up politics in D.C. for the Hollywood dream. She soon discovers she really never left politics at all. This has ups and downs and curves. This makes it a very hard thing to put down, even when I know I should be doing other work.
Fun summer read.
The story line was kind of fun, but the language was pretty raw. It would have been better with a few less raunchy remarks.
i read this straight through. Hiliarious.
The entertainment industry is obviously peopled by aliens from a like planet. thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish. the sundance film festival - the rules of survival - it's here. read it before you leave for L.A.
The entertainment industry is obviously peopled by aliens from a like planet. thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish. the sundance film festival - the rules of survival - it's here. read it before you leave for L.A.
I really enjoyed this book, chit lit seems to be the thing of the moment, and this is a great one. So far I've had no complaints with any of her books. AA++ read.
FUN READ THAT IS HIGHLY ENTERTAINING
Story about how a whip smart college girl has a life changing moment and moves to Hollywood to be a Talent Agent's assistant. Very fast paced, but rather whiny in tone. I enjoyed the story but not the characters.
I couldn't get into this one, but who knows, maybe you will!
Wonderful book!!! If you liked "The Devil Wears Prada" or "The Nanny Diaries" then you'll love "The Second Assistant".
Pretty fun, quick read about the crazy world of life in Hollywood- I enjoyed it.
Cute chick lit! THe main character is a smarty pants who winds up working in a Hollywood talent agency. She, obviously, finds herself in a shallow career but nonetheless attempts to climb the ladder of success there.
I can't believe I enjoyed this book as much as I did. It was not so much what I was used to in chick lit (quick...quirky)...I really enjoyed it!
Totally fun book!
Fiction
Elizabeth Miller is an assistant's assistant for the hottest agent in Hollywood. "Lizzie is a survivor, and no Machiavellian assistant, lecherous producer, or power struggle at The Agency can douse her dreams of climbing the Hollywood ladder. But first she has to run down to the Coffee Bean for that triple espresso, or Scott is going to throw something . . ."
"Fantastically good fun; if there's a perfect beach read this summer, this is it." --Bookseller magazine
Elizabeth Miller is an assistant's assistant for the hottest agent in Hollywood. "Lizzie is a survivor, and no Machiavellian assistant, lecherous producer, or power struggle at The Agency can douse her dreams of climbing the Hollywood ladder. But first she has to run down to the Coffee Bean for that triple espresso, or Scott is going to throw something . . ."
"Fantastically good fun; if there's a perfect beach read this summer, this is it." --Bookseller magazine
Funny. Language a little worse than I like. Good book overall. Fun to read.
Very cute. Fun read. Good 'day at the beach' type book.
WONDERFUL fun book! About climbing the ladder to success.
somethign akin to the devil wears prada, only more indie.
Pretty good Hollywood chick lit
Wickedly funny!! A good read for anyone who has ever had the thankless job of being a personal assistant (or knows someone who's had). Much in the style of Nanny Diaries.
Great Book!
This was a riot! Much less steeped in misery than Devil Wears Prada to which it is often compared.
I really like these books. I'd like to see them made into a movie. Funny, fast reading, entertaining.
Loved it Loved it! 2nd time reading it and it was still great!
A few spills on 3 pages. No political science degree could prepare Elizabeth Miller for her job as a second assistant at The Agency, whose clients include everyone you've never met---but you know who they're sleeping with. A former intern in Washington, Lizzie made a bid for a life change that landed her a job a world away, where ethics and First Amendement debates take a backseat to pleading the Fifth for Ritalin-snorting boss Scott. Wagner.
The book is in excellent condition.Fun cover picture and interesting story of an assistant in "Hollywood".Quick read.
No political science degree could prepare Elizabeth for her job as a second assistant at the Agency. A Hollywood Agency.
No political science degree could prepare Elizabeth Miller for her job as a second assistant at The Agency, whose clients include eberyone you've never met - but you know who ther're sleeping with.
Haven't read it yet. But, the words "can't judge a book by it's cover" is totally untrue on this one. The picture on the front is very cute, and the jacket info. sounds like a great novel.
