3.5⭐

Verified enjoyable!

This book gave me Emily In Paris vibes, featuring a spirited Zillenial moving cities for a glamorous job and occasionally being over in her head. Think loud outfits, Mindy-like best friend, and proving all the naysayers wrong.

My favourite aspect is undoubtedly the robust social commentary on so many important issues, such as the rampant sexism in Silicon Valley, plus the sexual harassment and lack of actual diversity (not just #woke diversity) in tech. I also adored The Fraud Squad references and Easter eggs!

Zoe is a deeply relatable protagonist; Imposter Syndrome is very much real and something I experience more than I would like. Her journey of self-discovery and growth was both enjoyable to read and satisfying to watch. I also loved all the other characters, but wish they were more developed and had stronger arcs.

The fashion bits, name-dropping of brands and gossip articles were all super fun to read. But what struck me most was that snippet of Damien's essay.... wow. It was incredibly well-written and made me wonder why the same quality isn't reflected in the rest of the novel or even the author's debut.

Overall, I wish everything had been more fleshed out, even the conflict. The potential and the talent is clearly there but somehow just doesn't shine as fully as it should. Nevertheless, this was a step-up from The Fraud Squad and a fun escapist read.

Thank you Berkley Publishing for the ARC.

Zoe Zeng leaves her crummy job at a fashion magazine (and her terrible boss) for a job with a startup, FitPick, developing a social media app with a focus on fashion. Her new marketing job is not as big of a challenge as understanding the mindset of her new developer coworkers, who don't initially appreciate her different way of looking at things. She must also get used to a coworker with a chilly demeanor, and a boss whose strategies and intentions don't initially mkse sense to Zoe. Over several months, many things become clearer, upending Zoe's beliefs about a lot of things, while also opening herself up to a new romance.

This entertaining novel was a lot of fun even while it dealt with some heavier material: difficulties in finding a rewarding career, loneliness, difficult and outright abusive management. The pacing was great, and I liked the characters; Zoe is sweet, and despite obstacles, I was so pleased as she found her footing and her friends as she built her life in Silicon Valley. I was also so pleased when Lillian proved to be a staunch ally, mentor and support, while Bernadette proved to be a great new friend.

This was the most surprising book! I absolutely loved the mix of depth and levity. There was a lot of confronting bias and bad behaviour in people and society at a whole, and it was approachable and through the lens of a narrator that made me feel challenged and comforted at the same time.

With internal and external conflict repeatedly pushing Zoe out of her comfort zone, she manages to move through it all with grace and curiosity that doesn’t feel forced- even when things get hard or she screws up.

I saw a synopsis that called it “legally blonde meets the IT crowd” and I can definitely see why, but honestly think this was something entirely its own. Sweet love story, amazing story in general.