This was cute if very straightforward 

I had to think on this one for a while for what my rating is and how I felt. I admit that I struggled with this one when I read it for a few reasons. There were aspects I liked but things I struggled with as well. 

I liked that this was set in the world of IT. I liked a few of the characters, the friendships, that there was a romance but it definitely wasn't the main plot. And I loved that this showed the ability to make a big change in your life for your life and career, how you can switch into something but use what you know. 

I also want to acknowledge that of course I cannot speak to the rep, and I believe some parts of this story could be taken from the author's experiences - but I might be wrong. 

The things I struggled with.
The interactions with the only female coworker and other coworkers. The main character is determined to believe the worst in all of her new coworkers, except for 2 people - one who does turn out to be the worst of all. And the only other woman in the office? She worries about being judged by her, but all she does is judge and misunderstand the other woman. She doesn't even try with her, just takes literally everything personally. 
She never stands up for herself. I have no idea how this character would have survived in the fashion world when all she did was take time off work and cry when things came up. It was a bit hard to root for her between this and the above point. 

I think the biggest struggle I had was that I work in IT. I don't work in Silicon Valley or at a start up for an app, but I have worked in IT for over 6 years. This book felt a bit determined to show the worst sides of it which I was a bit surprised by. Sure, there are struggles to it and some of these things can happen at any company or job, but a lot of this book just felt so negative towards... well everything. 
Anyways I think there were some truly important conversations brought up in this book and there were elements that I truly loved - like I said, the friendships, and definitely the way everything wrapped and the epilogue. Fantastic. It just isn't a book I could recommend highly.

 

⭐⭐⭐⭐

I love Zoe’s personality and confidence. Even when she feels small, she’s still so sure of herself underneath all the doubt. She’s unashamed to be herself, especially when it comes to her fashion choices, and really strives not to let anyone get her down. Does it always work out that way? No, but she repeatedly bounces back in a way that is encouraging and provides a bit of optimism for anyone.

Her struggles are incredibly realistic. Trying to figure out if friendships were there because of the convenience of working together or because they are all genuinely connected is a struggle I think everyone goes through at some point. Watching Zoe navigate that, in addition to trying to fit into a new group of coworkers that has questionable boundaries at best and making a new friend, is a pleasant change of pace from what I usually read. You want to root for her to find people that she’s on the same page with, but empathize with her struggles in doing so. Her imposter syndrome is real and relatable and it’s great to see how she handles it.

After reading the author’s note, I was waiting for the other shoe to drop. I pegged pretty quickly how it would drop, it was just a matter of when. I’m really glad it didn’t play out how I expected and that justice was served, in my opinion.

If you spent too much time constantly rewatching Legally Blonde as a child (and maybe still as an adult), you shouldn’t sleep on Valley Verified. It’s the same vibe of a woman who’s a fish out of water, but quickly adapts to her new surroundings and thrives under pressure, despite what she’s put through.

 

Soooo good. Breezed through it in one sitting. I love all the characters and the story is just so fun but still explores important topics