Review: At Her Service by Amy Spalding

Title: At Her Service
Author: Amy Spalding
Series: Out in Hollywood

About this Book: This book is queer joy and sapphic love, along with some character building and growth. This book is about Max, who you would have met in For Her Consideration if you read that book (also great). She, like many people, is unsatisfied with her career progression and trying to get ahead. She’s also trying to get the girl, in a way.

You’ll recognize familiar names and faces from the previous book as well.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, and honestly? Loved it.

My Thoughts:

This is the standalone sequel to Spalding’s For Her Consideration and is a delightful novel about Max, who wants to graduate from being an assistant to a Talent Agent in LA to a Junior Talent Agent, her problem? She’s not great at asking for what she wants, in work and in her personal life. Her roommate who is an influencer gets her involved in the testing of an app which is to help people self-actualize by completing challenges, which are then shared on social media.

I cringed at the influencer portion of the plot at first but in actuality I ended up kind of loving that part of it, especially the honesty regarding it that came later.

There was a lot of great talk about confidence, and believe in yourself, being who you are without reservations or apologies which really spoke to me. I am one of those people who apologizes basically for my existence so this was nice to see.

It was at times really dramatic, but I loved the drama of it, though I was able to pinpoint where the big drama spot would come from early on.

In the end though, this felt like a story about queer love and joy, something we need now more than ever.

Hilariously, someone also assumed Max was Canadian because she was so polite, and I’m beginning to think I need to change up my bar scene (as if I go out.)

Favourite Quotes:

“Well, sure, it’s a real plot twist,” I said, and we both laughed in that way only people with dead parents could, the laugh that came from the darkest grief and all the healing that came after.”