Valet
By J.P. Lacrampe
Simon & Schuster / Saga Press, June 2, 2026, 272pp.
The Short of It:
Entertaining and at times, sweet.
The Rest of It:
Cy is a techbot and artificial companion to his thirty-something owner, Grayson. His primary mission is simple in theory: find Grayson a girlfriend and motivate him to do something productive with his life. In practice, it turns out to be far more challenging, and often hilarious.
Grayson is a genuinely likable guy, but he drifts from one interest to the next without any real desire to settle down or commit to a direction. His wealthy mother believes Cy is the solution to that problem. Adding to the pressure, Cy is required to report Grayson’s progress back to her. Success matters because Cy’s utility score depends on it, and one major mistake could leave him headed for the junk pile.
The real strength of this story is the relationship between Cy and Grayson. Their conversations about dating, ambition, and life in general are funny, charming, and surprisingly heartfelt. Despite being a robot, Cy comes across as genuinely invested in his master’s happiness and well-being, which gives the story a lot of warmth.
My main issue is that not much actually happens. There is a subplot involving some shady business that adds a welcome dose of excitement, but I found myself wishing there was more of it. The characters are strong enough to carry much of the book, but a more substantial plot would have made the story even more compelling.
Overall, I enjoyed this one largely because of the characters. Grayson and Cy make a memorable duo, and I ended up caring about Cy far more than I expected, which is impressive considering he’s essentially a robot.
I’d read this author again.
Source: Review copy provided by the publisher.
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