There is nothing else quite like summer reading. Nothing deep, Just light, refreshing fiction to remember that some days, life should be just lying by a pool, worried about nothing more than if you need to put on more sunscreen or if your drink's ice cubes are melting too fast. And then you reach for that novel, a fun and easy read with some snarky humor, a strong protagonist, a little romance, too much alcohol, some bad decisions, and a job as a second assistant in the office of a powerhouse Hollywood agent. Big stars, Hollywood gossip, extravagant parties, bitter divorces, and me, reading about it all in Clare Naylor and Mimi Hare's The Second Assistant.
A little like The Devil Wears Prada on the other coast, second assistant Lizzie Miller got her first real after-college job at The Agency, working for superagent Scott Wagner, whose ability to put together a multi-million dollar deal almost (but not quite) equals his appetite for drugs, liquor, and women. Lizzie's internship in Congress did not prepare her to not only get the coffee and take calls from the latest pissed-off ingenue while Scott's first assistant finishes her novel but also keep her boss protected from his vengeful soon-to-be ex-wife, make sure he looks good to the head of The Agency, and deflect all the other power-hungry agents who drool over Scott's client list and would do just about anything to get their hands on it.
Meanwhile, Lizzie is dealing with her parents' concern for her life choices, the fact that finding a reasonably priced apartment in L.A. is a monumental task, her car being on its last legs, and trying to look like she belongs at a place like The Agency despite getting the paycheck of a second assistant. And as if that's not enough, there is the cute guy at the coffee shop who wants her to read his script and the seemingly ubiquitous producer whose ability to show up at her worst moments is both utterly aggravating and endearingly charming.
Naylor and Hare have created a character who is both smart and unsure of herself, both strong and out of her depth, both determined and confused, and so utterly realistic I feel like she's an old friend I need to write a long overdue email to, just to check in and see what crazy things she's up to now. Fans of The Knockoff or The Assistants will fall in love with Lizzie too.
What's a girl to do? If you're Lizzie, you look sharp, pay attention, and do the best you can to keep your job. If you're me, you refill your glass and keep reading. (And if you're interested, Lizzie does well enough to get promoted, and her story continues in The First Assistant. Also a fabulous summer read! Check them out before your next lazy summer afternoon.)