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3.6 AVERAGE
3.6 AVERAGE
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:
Yes
First things first - I know the cover looks like a straight up rom-com
BUT I would say this is primarily a great book about lighting the patriarchy on fire that also happens to have an excellent romantic subplot
Ana, Indiana actually, has had it. Passed over for a well-earned promotion was bad, losing it to a guy she trained - who didn’t even meet qualifications - and based on work she had done herself was worse. Finding out that there wasn’t even a hope of current or future raises because the funds had all been funneled into his new salary? That was the cherry on the fail sundae.
Finally daring to speak up, she fears she’ll be fired but instead is given a lecture about how she should keep her mouth shut - seriously - and reassigned to a new team working remotely.
After an email exchange where her new boss assumes she is a guy, she hesitates to correct him and then things snowball from there. The longer it goes on the harder it gets to backtrack, and also she finds it’s nice using the anonymity to get recognition and approval for a change.
The behavior of her bosses had me fired up and wanting some sort of retribution. I also got increasingly anxious about when and how she’d be found out because secrets hanging over a character’s head get to me
Instead of getting mired in the stress of it all though, I found there were enough antics to break it up. The legendary exploits and adventures credited to Indiana just got more and more outrageous and hilarious - My favorite was ebug for the Avs, and her friends trying to act like they could talk hockey almost had me in tears.
The more she got to know her new work team the more interesting I found them. I loved her friends, adored her father. And in the end I was extremely happy with where the story went!
Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the arc
Not Bad for a Girl
by Anastasia Ryan
Pub Date 30 Jan 2024
SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca, Sourcebooks Casablanca’s
I was so excited for that one as I am following @byanastasiaryan on Instagram. Not only is she the sweetest but as I learnt just now, an amazing writer as well.
This was a buddy read with a bunch of amazing people, which made this even more special.
Indiana “Ana” works in IT, a make dominated field. Instead of a promotion, she got relocated. Remotely working from home, she joins a new team. On her first day of work, she corrects the boss, who mistakes her for a man. A hilarious chase for Indiana begins, as she tries to hide her true identity and fights with the urge to fight for her right to be herself and be rewarded for the work she does.
As serious as the topic is, this was incredibly funny, with the most awkward situations!
Whilst this was witty and cute, this also dealt with real life problems. While I am not the biggest feminist in the world, I do find equality a must. Already the first chapter had me going through every emotion. I snorted, I chuckled, I laughed and I was mad. It shouldn’t matter what your gender, sexuality or whatever is, as long as you do your job well.
This was my first novel by Anastasia Ryan and she managed to grab my attention starting from the first line. Her writing is incredibly smart and witty. I repeat myself when I say that I am not a romcom girl, really not, especially not with movies. But in books? I feel like I am starting to enjoy that genre now! 🤩so I mean this as a huge compliment! This was hilarious, I binge read this in a day.
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
For all the unapologetically opinionated women out there, figuring out how to thrive in a world made for men. You will love this book! I related to Indiana immediately. She’s confident and self assured, and she can’t keep her mouth shut.
After that mouth lands her in hot water at work, she decided to try a new approach. She’s gonna zip it; keep those opinions to herself; she’ll let her work speak for her. When she gets a new remote work assignment on a new team, the whole zip her lips strategy goes awry when her boss assumes that Indiana Aaron is a man and she doesn’t immediately correct him. Before she can get a handle on things the legend of Indiana has grown to epic proportions. Now the real Indiana has to figure out how set the record straight and keep her job.
This was such a fun read. I couldn’t help but laugh every time someone panicked and added a new crazy story to the legend of Indiana. The romance is a cute subplot, not the main focus of the story. This is a great, lighthearted comedy about what it’s like to be a woman in a male dominated field.
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This was a quick breezy and fun read. Indiana was such a fun character(s) to read (both of them), and watching her go through this somewhat self-imposed *hiding in plain sight* experience was hilarious at times and very frustrating at others (in solidarity with Ana's own frustration, of course). There were some unexpected turns and wholesome heartfelt moments that kept me thoroughly engaged.
I was a little worried at first that it was going to be too repetitive and predictable but after I got a bit further into it, it surprised me and I really enjoyed myself. I loved all the little moments spent in her friendships, new and old. I personally prefer a bit more emotional depth and growth in my stories, but it's also nice to have these easier light stories around as an option sometimes. This book is simply a good time, despite the infuriatingly accurate parallels to real life for a woman in a male-dominated industry.
I was a little worried at first that it was going to be too repetitive and predictable but after I got a bit further into it, it surprised me and I really enjoyed myself. I loved all the little moments spent in her friendships, new and old. I personally prefer a bit more emotional depth and growth in my stories, but it's also nice to have these easier light stories around as an option sometimes. This book is simply a good time, despite the infuriatingly accurate parallels to real life for a woman in a male-dominated industry.