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3.6 AVERAGE
3.6 AVERAGE
This is the first book of Anastasia’s I’ve read and she’s got me hooked. I went into this thinking it would be a cute work romance but it’s so much more than that.
Indiana (Ana) is an IT coder and is relocated to a remote team where the boss calls her “Mr” and she lets it go scared that if she corrects him she might not be taken as serious. This starts a whole slew of other misconceptions regarding her true identity.
I enjoyed the story and the characters. I think a lot of women can relate to Indiana, especially in the workplace. Not to mention every company has a Melvin.
I do wish we got to see more of Shane & Ana’s relationship woven into the story. I was rooting for them from the start and enjoyed seeing their relationship grow.
If you like these tropes, check out Not Bad For a Girl!
↠ mistaken identity
↠ workplace comedy
↠ strong FMC
↠ women in STEM
↠ LOL moments
Indiana (Ana) is an IT coder and is relocated to a remote team where the boss calls her “Mr” and she lets it go scared that if she corrects him she might not be taken as serious. This starts a whole slew of other misconceptions regarding her true identity.
I enjoyed the story and the characters. I think a lot of women can relate to Indiana, especially in the workplace. Not to mention every company has a Melvin.
I do wish we got to see more of Shane & Ana’s relationship woven into the story. I was rooting for them from the start and enjoyed seeing their relationship grow.
If you like these tropes, check out Not Bad For a Girl!
↠ mistaken identity
↠ workplace comedy
↠ strong FMC
↠ women in STEM
↠ LOL moments
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
I had so much fun reading this!
Not Bad For A Girl is essentially the romcom equivalent to the song The Man by Taylor Swift. In fact, pretty sure The Man is Indiana "Ana" Aaron's anthem.
This book made me laugh out loud so many times! I absolutely loved Ana's character. She was a strong woman, who knew her value and spoke out against injustices while also being hilariously quirky and a total nerd (being a nerd is cool). Ana was not only the only female coder on her team, but the best coder on her team. Except... with a name like Indiana (Jones anyone?) and working remotely, her misogynistic boss and new team made the wrong assumption that she was a man. Suddenly, she discovered what it was like to be the best coder on the team with the added bonus of male privilege. Except the excuses for not answering phone calls, showing up to in-person meetings or work events began to spiral out of control. After allegedly crash landing a plan, delivering a baby and (legitimately) putting out a building fire... Indiana was truly... THE MAN.
There were SO many moments that had me grinding my gears with frustrating on Ana's behalf, as a woman working in a male dominated industry. And even though some slights were more subtle than others, they were all incredibly relatable. I shared some of the moments in the book with a few men in my life who genuinely didn't believe that any of those things would happen in real life. I happily shared with them that their male privilege was showing.
This book was not only well written, but incredibly well executed. Throughout the story, I equally felt outrage, humour, butterflies, frustration, pride, heartwarmed, and complete satisfaction. Ana really put herself out there in a vulnerable position. Her character development was incredible. She wasn't constantly told to dim herself, but in the end she let her light shine through spectacularly.
Thank you to NetGalley and DreamScape Audio for the advanced listener copy of Not Bad For A Girl.
The narrator, Jesse Vilinsky did an incredible job of bringing Ana to life. She perfectly delivered every punch line, quirk and boss girl moment. Highly recommend the audiobook to those who enjoy listening.
Not Bad For A Girl is essentially the romcom equivalent to the song The Man by Taylor Swift. In fact, pretty sure The Man is Indiana "Ana" Aaron's anthem.
This book made me laugh out loud so many times! I absolutely loved Ana's character. She was a strong woman, who knew her value and spoke out against injustices while also being hilariously quirky and a total nerd (being a nerd is cool). Ana was not only the only female coder on her team, but the best coder on her team. Except... with a name like Indiana (Jones anyone?) and working remotely, her misogynistic boss and new team made the wrong assumption that she was a man. Suddenly, she discovered what it was like to be the best coder on the team with the added bonus of male privilege. Except the excuses for not answering phone calls, showing up to in-person meetings or work events began to spiral out of control. After allegedly crash landing a plan, delivering a baby and (legitimately) putting out a building fire... Indiana was truly... THE MAN.
There were SO many moments that had me grinding my gears with frustrating on Ana's behalf, as a woman working in a male dominated industry. And even though some slights were more subtle than others, they were all incredibly relatable. I shared some of the moments in the book with a few men in my life who genuinely didn't believe that any of those things would happen in real life. I happily shared with them that their male privilege was showing.
This book was not only well written, but incredibly well executed. Throughout the story, I equally felt outrage, humour, butterflies, frustration, pride, heartwarmed, and complete satisfaction. Ana really put herself out there in a vulnerable position. Her character development was incredible. She wasn't constantly told to dim herself, but in the end she let her light shine through spectacularly.
Thank you to NetGalley and DreamScape Audio for the advanced listener copy of Not Bad For A Girl.
The narrator, Jesse Vilinsky did an incredible job of bringing Ana to life. She perfectly delivered every punch line, quirk and boss girl moment. Highly recommend the audiobook to those who enjoy listening.
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
4 stars!
"Not Bad for a Girl" by Anastasia Ryan is an excellent book, but don't go into it thinking it's all romance because it's not! I had a good time reading this one. I greatly enjoyed the characters, the situations, the resolutions, and the humor. Gosh, this book made me laugh out loud on multiple occasions! Wonderful wit and jokes throughout. I think this has the perfect mix of seriousness and levity. Ryan explains in great detail how every woman on this planet has been treated at one point in their life (I guarantee it). This book will insense any woman who reads it, and if they aren't angry after reading the way the main character Indiana (aka Ana) is treated, well, they are either lying or benefitting from their proximity to the white supremacist patriarchy. It explores what it's like to be a woman in a male-dominated field of employment like computer coding. As the plot goes along, Ryan shows how Ana is treated differently and is seen as "lesser than" her male counterparts in her workplace simply because she is a woman. Men don't take her seriously. Men think she's the coffee matron. Men think she's a man because of her first name. Men make assumptions that she is worse than her male counterparts when she is the best coder at her job. Men benefit from the labor of women, even when they are less competent than women. It *should* enrage everyone. I appreciate the supporting characters, from Ana's dad and his burgeoning relationship with a woman at their long-term care facility to her two (often scheming) best friends Heidi and Patrick. This book has it all. Loved the women in STEM representation, loved the disability representation with Ana's father, loved the banter between Indiana and the main male character, Shane, and I loved the geeky and nerdy references! I will say that I wish the love story had been a little stronger, but I still think Indiana and Shane make a cute enough couple. I also particularly enjoyed Jesse Vilinsky's audiobook narration and will seek out other books read by her. I think she brings levity and light to the characters Anastasia Ryan created!
Thank you to NetGalley, Anastasia Ryan, and SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.
"Not Bad for a Girl" by Anastasia Ryan is an excellent book, but don't go into it thinking it's all romance because it's not! I had a good time reading this one. I greatly enjoyed the characters, the situations, the resolutions, and the humor. Gosh, this book made me laugh out loud on multiple occasions! Wonderful wit and jokes throughout. I think this has the perfect mix of seriousness and levity. Ryan explains in great detail how every woman on this planet has been treated at one point in their life (I guarantee it). This book will insense any woman who reads it, and if they aren't angry after reading the way the main character Indiana (aka Ana) is treated, well, they are either lying or benefitting from their proximity to the white supremacist patriarchy. It explores what it's like to be a woman in a male-dominated field of employment like computer coding. As the plot goes along, Ryan shows how Ana is treated differently and is seen as "lesser than" her male counterparts in her workplace simply because she is a woman. Men don't take her seriously. Men think she's the coffee matron. Men think she's a man because of her first name. Men make assumptions that she is worse than her male counterparts when she is the best coder at her job. Men benefit from the labor of women, even when they are less competent than women. It *should* enrage everyone. I appreciate the supporting characters, from Ana's dad and his burgeoning relationship with a woman at their long-term care facility to her two (often scheming) best friends Heidi and Patrick. This book has it all. Loved the women in STEM representation, loved the disability representation with Ana's father, loved the banter between Indiana and the main male character, Shane, and I loved the geeky and nerdy references! I will say that I wish the love story had been a little stronger, but I still think Indiana and Shane make a cute enough couple. I also particularly enjoyed Jesse Vilinsky's audiobook narration and will seek out other books read by her. I think she brings levity and light to the characters Anastasia Ryan created!
Thank you to NetGalley, Anastasia Ryan, and SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny
Thank you to Netgalley & Dreamscape Media for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review
This is book had me covering my mouth, to try not to laugh out loud and smile like an idiot while at work. The romance in this was soo cutee. Ana and Shane own my heart!! I loved seeing her dads life and him finding someone, it was so cute and so sweet. The best part of this book though was every story about Indiana, they were always so out there and so funny.
Jesse Villinsky is one of my all time favorite audiobooks narrators so i was really excited when i heard her voice!!!
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
*3.5
This is definitely womens fiction, not romance so the cover doesn't make a lot of sense. The book just deals with misogyny in the coding world. I like Indiana's character and how she stood up for herself.
I received an arc through netgalley.
This is definitely womens fiction, not romance so the cover doesn't make a lot of sense. The book just deals with misogyny in the coding world. I like Indiana's character and how she stood up for herself.
I received an arc through netgalley.
I was expecting more rom-com but I enjoyed it. This is definitely more of a workplace comedy addressing sexism in the workplace. Some of the bits were a bit crazy but the overall story has a good message.
I received an arc from netgalley and the publisher.
I received an arc from netgalley and the publisher.
Indiana Aaron is an excellent coder and IT specialist, but she is never taken seriously because of her size, gender and lack of filter when she sees something that is wrong. When she calls her boss out one too many times she is transferred to another team and she thinks it might just be her last chance to try and fit in. With her new position she works from home and lives on video calls. When she is mistaken for a guy by her boss and teammates, Indians doesn’t correct them and suddenly she sees what it’s like to be in the boys club. The longer Ana keeps up the charade, the more larger than life the fake Indiana becomes and Ana is in over her head. With the help of her crazy work friends and Shane, the handsome guy on her new team who sees thought the charade, Ana may just be able to turn this craziness into something good.
Not Bad for a Girl is a great story that had me laughing out loud at times. The characters in this book were so fun and relatable and so easy to love. The storyline was very well handled and addressed the problem of women being treated differently than men, especially in the work place, but in a funny way that didn’t make the topic too weighty. I absolutely loved Ana and her lack of filter and quick mind. She was the perfect lead to pull off this story. There is a very slow burn romance with no spice, but the perfect amount of wit and humor between Ana and Shane. With great and witty banter, fun characters and a hilarious story, this is the perfect book for fans of women’s fiction with a hint of romantic comedy!
Not Bad for a Girl is a great story that had me laughing out loud at times. The characters in this book were so fun and relatable and so easy to love. The storyline was very well handled and addressed the problem of women being treated differently than men, especially in the work place, but in a funny way that didn’t make the topic too weighty. I absolutely loved Ana and her lack of filter and quick mind. She was the perfect lead to pull off this story. There is a very slow burn romance with no spice, but the perfect amount of wit and humor between Ana and Shane. With great and witty banter, fun characters and a hilarious story, this is the perfect book for fans of women’s fiction with a hint of romantic comedy!
Indiana “Ana” Aaron is an IT specialist and coder who doesn’t always fit in. When she speaks up to her boss one too many times she ends up being transferred to a remote team, and knows this is her last chance to blend in. Then when he new boss praises her work and thanks her as Mr. Aaron, she doesn’t feel the need to correct his assumption. Now the legend of Mr. Aaron is taking on a life of its own and it’s becoming way more complicated to set the record straight.
I loved this book and flew right through it. I received this as an ALC and loved listening to it. Although a lot of the situation felt over the top, I just couldn’t help but adore Indiana’s character! She had so much personality and quite the mouth on her… not that everything she said wasn’t warranted. I found myself relating to her and really enjoying her wit. This is my first Anastasia Ryan novel and it will not be my last. Jesse Vilinsky (the narrator) was perfect for this. She had me listening to this story with ease and had me chuckling throughout the story. This is a good one to read and/or listen to! Not Bad For a Girl is out 1/30/24.
Thank you so much NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for my advanced copy and giving me the chance to review it honestly.
Happy reading!
I loved this book and flew right through it. I received this as an ALC and loved listening to it. Although a lot of the situation felt over the top, I just couldn’t help but adore Indiana’s character! She had so much personality and quite the mouth on her… not that everything she said wasn’t warranted. I found myself relating to her and really enjoying her wit. This is my first Anastasia Ryan novel and it will not be my last. Jesse Vilinsky (the narrator) was perfect for this. She had me listening to this story with ease and had me chuckling throughout the story. This is a good one to read and/or listen to! Not Bad For a Girl is out 1/30/24.
Thank you so much NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for my advanced copy and giving me the chance to review it honestly.
Happy reading!
This story was absolutely delightful! It wasn’t perfect and there was definitely moments that you had to suspend your disbelief for some of the shenanigans (similar to movies like Hangover) but man was it a fun ride! Between all the tomfoolery and laugh out loud moments there is actually a strong message about women in the workplace and how difficult it can be for us. The main character is a female working in Tech and how her being female creates hurdle that her male counterparts do not have to face. I think the author did a great job of showing the discrepancy between genders in the workplace while also keeping a humorous tone throughout. 10/10 will be checking out other books by this author and encourage other to as well.
For the first half of this book I was so tempted to DNF. It was so unbelievably ridiculous but I ended up sticking with it to the end. I hated the farcical situations of Indiana and her "accomplishments". I do like the message of the book but still in the end felt it was a bit too on the nose for my liking. There were definitely parts of the book I did enjoy (the pottery, the fish, and Ana's dad) and I am happy with the ending. Overall this book was just ok for me. I do definitely see why people will enjoy it but it wasn't my cup of tea. The writing was done well and the audiobook narration was good.
Thank you NetGalley, Dreamscape Media and Anastasia Ryan for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you NetGalley, Dreamscape Media and Anastasia Ryan for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.