Member Reviews
As a woman working in finance, I was really excited to read about this. I’m often the only woman in the room when I’m meetings so I definitely related to Delia.
Our lead character Delia is frustrated with the way men and women are treated differently in the financial industry and on her birthday, she wishes she was a man so she could get ahead in business. A Freaky Friday switch happens and she wakes up as a man! She’s had to spend the day living as a man and she decides to shoot her shot with her job. It was fun to see some of her struggles as “Richard.”
I really liked the premise of this book and it takes a lot of “magic” to believe all of this is happening. There’s also a lot of reference to male parts I could have done without, but it was a fun look at a day in the life of a man in finance. I really loved Delia’s friend Eric and their romance which was fun to see from the man’s side. And Frankie and Regina were the two best friends a girl (and guy!) could ask for! I would love to see a spin-off with Frankie as the lead.
Thank you to @berkleypub @amandaaksel and @netgalley for the advanced reader copy. Delia Suits Up is on sale 8/3!
Thank you Berkley Romance and NetGalley for the advanced copy.
Delia is down on her luck. After being laid off from her financial planning job she's forced to work as a cleaning lady , unable to find a job after all interviews have led to dead ends. When a drunken game of Truth or Dare leads to Delia turning into a man, she takes it upon herself to grab life by the balls (literally) and go for everything she's ever wanted.
Witnessing Delia turn into "Richard" and all the antics that followed, Delia Suits Up is comical and entertaining. I laughed out loud so many times. Although the book is a quick read, it doesn't shy away from harder topics, such as sexism, self-confidence and empowerment.
I appreciated the journey of gaining confidence that Delia went through. It's hard being a woman, especially in male dominated industries, and through her experience, Delia was able to find her voice and a sense of self that she was afraid to pull out after she was laid off. I rooted for Delia the entire book and wanted her to succeed and win her happily ever after.
I adored her crush Eric, and the scenes with Eric and Richard/Delia completely melted my heart. I want a man that speaks about me the way that Eric speaks about Delia. Eric was extremely loyal to Delia and just the best guy.
As I was reading, I kept picturing the movie What Women Want, when Mel Gibson tries on all the feminine products, including wax and pantyhose. I'm honestly not sure I would do if I woke up as a man, but I can tell you that it definitely would be a complete culture shock!
I loved discussing the book with the @lovearctually crew and Amanda, hearing about her writing process and the long journey this book has taken.
Delia is upset that even though she is a wiz in her field, she keeps getting turned down for job prospects just because she isn't part of the Good Ole Boys club. And then one day, she wakes up in a man's body and is suddenly ready to take on the world!
This fun little escape reality is perfect for fans of She's The Man, Freaky Friday, and 13 Going On 30.
The highlight for me was Delia's friendship with her roommates. I loved how even though she woke up in a different body, it took very little convincing for Frankie and Regina to be like "okay, you're a man now, let's do this!". I certainly wouldn't have been so understanding if I were Regina and there was suddenly a strange man in my bedroom. Their support throughout Delia's day was awesome, from getting her dressed in Frankie's clothes to meeting up for lunch and drinks to check on her.
I also enjoyed the overall theme of Delia trying to find her confidence. She learned to claim what was hers and to speak up for herself, even once she switched back into her own body.
I would have liked to see a lot more of the romance between Delia and Eric and how it played out once they were coworkers. It never really acknowledged whether office romances were acceptable in their line of work, but after Delia put so much effort into being acknowledged I feel like an office romance would unfortunately be another thing to set her back. Not that it's fair that she would be thought less of and not Eric, but that's the way things go!
Overall, this is a fun, quick read. Some suspension of belief is required, but I really enjoyed the escape!
Delia Suits Up by Amanda Aksel is a hilarious book about Delia Reese, who can’t seem to get a new job after being laid off from her previous position in a NYC finance office despite her stellar resume. Delia sees that her male counter parts have landed at other agencies which leads her to feel like she would have better luck if she were a man. After yet another interview where she feels defeated, she has a drunken evening with her roommates and finds herself wishing that she was a man. In a Freaky Friday/13 going on 30 type twist, Delia wakes up the next morning having gotten her wish and is a man. She’s determined to use her new body to get what she wants in life and climb the corporate ladder.
This book was such a funny and enjoyable read! As a female litigator, I definitely felt some of Delia’s frustrations in the beginning of this book, so I thought the premise was fun and interesting. I can say that if I had the chance to see what life would be like as a man for a day, I would take it in a heartbeat. This book was funny and lighthearted but also carried such a powerful message within it which I really loved. Within this fun story is also a sweet friends-to-lovers story which, if you know me, is 100% my jam. So that added to everything I already loved about this book. I also LOVED Delia’s roommates!
You have to suspend reality for this one but that was part of the fun of this book. This is an easy and quick read and it made me smile the whole time. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it for a fun read full of heart and humor.
Delia Suits Up is my first introduction to Amanda Aksel, when I saw it described as 13 Going on 30 meets Shes the Man I knew that I had to read it.
Delia lost her job in finance and after going to interview after interview without luck, she drunkenly tells her roommates that she'd have better luck if she were a man. The next morning she wakes up in the body of a man. She decides to go after what she wants, even going as far as just changing her name on her resume to Richard Allen.
This was a quick and fun read for me. I found myself laughing out loud at some of Delia's antics and didn't mind the suspension of reality needed to make this work. I loved Delia's relationship with her roommates, Regina and Frankie. I appreciated Aksel's commentary on sexism and gender roles in the workplace, particularly in finance.
At times Delia's commentary on her new appendage was a little over the top and frequent. But this was a fun and weird read that kept me entertained. I would definitely recommend checking this out if you're looking for a quick read with humor, amazing friendships, and girl power.
Thank you to Netgalley, Berkley, and the loveARCtually crew for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. I loved chatting with Amanda about the journey to publish this book with loveARCtually.
I read Delia Suits Up in one day! This quick paced read was described as 13 Going on 30 meets She’s the Man and I’m going to throw Taylor Swift’s The Man in there too.
Delia has been laid off from her big NYC finance job and is struggling to find a new job, yet the men she worked with have had no problem getting a new position. She’s convinced she would have better luck if she were a man. One drunken night, during a game of truth or dare with her roommate, she wishes she was a man. The next morning, she wakes up in a mans body. Now she’s determined to shake things up and go for everything she wants.
This was such a fun read! There were many laugh out loud moments along with a great journey in confidence with a splash of girl power. The highlight for me was the friendship between Delia and her roommates. They were the best friends and such great supporting characters! I could have done without all of the references to a certain male body part, but other than that, I really enjoyed this one!
It’s been a blast discussing this with the Love ARCtually crew and I’m excited to chat with Amanda Aksel in a few minutes!
Thank you to @lovearctually and @berkleypub for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review! Delia Suits Up will be released August 3!
Thanks to Berkley Romance for an advanced copy of Delia Suits Up by Amanda Aksel.
The premise of this is fun, but unfortunately this book just didn't do it for me.
This book was too juvenile for me. It felt like a YA novel to me with immature characters. I don't mind an occasional dick joke, but I swear there was a reference to it on every page. Also, the financial/corporate office scenes were just too unbelievable. Also, the romance was almost non-existant.
Delia Suits Up by Amanda Aksel is the story of Delia Reese, a woman determined to climb the corporate ladder. The only problem is that hiring managers at big corporations won't give her a chance, and she believes that if she had the same advantages that men are given in the corporate world she'd be all set. Then, Delia wakes up and discovers that somehow, overnight, she's had an unexpected makeover and she enters into the financial world as a man,
This book was such a fun, light, and quirky read! The premise of the story certainly requires some suspension of reality with Delia's unexpected overnight transformation and some of the subsequent events. The premise kept me turning the pages, and I appreciated the sexism and commentary on societal gender roles in the workplace that was woven into this novel. I also enjoyed Delia's growth and increased confidence over the course of the story. At times, some of the dialogue and humor was a little over the top and locker room-esque as Delia took on the role of Richard. Overall, this one was such a cute and enjoyable read with a unique premise! I would absolutely recommend this for contemporary readers looking for a light read with plenty of humor, excellent bestie supporting characters, and some female empowerment!
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalleyfor the ARC of this title, which did not affect the contents of my voluntary review. All opinions are honest and my own.
Thank you to Berkley for giving me the opportunity to read this book early! I thoroughly enjoyed it. This book is about Delia. She is a woman in the financial industry and she just got fired in a massive lay off and now she desperately wants another job. It's her birthday and she is drinking with her best friends/roommates and she makes a wish that she could be a guy so it would be easier to get a job in the sexist, male dominated world that she works in. The next morning, IT WORKED, she's a full fledged man and now she has to decide what to do. She ends up embracing it and taking risks she never had the confidence to before and it is such a fun and funny ride to watch. I love Freaky Friday and this retelling is spot on. You definitely have to suspend your disbelief and all of the jokes about her discovering her male anatomy are a little immature, but I chuckled so what does that say about me? I don't know. I'd definitely recommend you pick up this book if it sounds interesting!
SPOILERS AHEAD:
She has had a crush on a guy that she works adjacent to forever. They're good friends but she thinks she is fully friend zoned. However, when she's a guy she gets the truth that her friend loves her too. She also walks in and takes charge of a company she doesn't work for (so unrealistic) but then it all works out in the end because she got an insider tip. She only has the one day as a guy and then she realizes being herself is much better, but she also gets the guy and the job, so all is well.
Delia Suits Up 💼💄
Thank you to @berkleypub for an advanced copy of Delia Suits Up #partner
This 13 Going on 30, Freaky Friday, and She’s The Man like book was so fun!!
Delia is a woman struggling to find her place on Wall Street when one freaky night leads to her winding up in a mans body now with what seems like all the right parts to get her her dream job.
This book highlights the struggles of fitting into “a mans world” and shows how in order for Delia to get her dream job she has to work twice as hard or somehow prove that both her and Richard are just as capable to do the same job.
Mix in a little friends to lovers romance and I was hooked!
I read this book in less than day and i automatically want to put a finished copy on my shelves!
This book was funny and witty and romantic and girl-power strong and it was just perfect!
Thanks again @berkleypub for the e-copy in exchange for my honest review!
Delia Reese is an expert in the world of finance. However, she has one major problem. She is a woman. As the description mentions, this book is sort of a mix between the movies 13 Going on 30 and She's the Man. I also couldn't help but think of the movie Freaky Friday.
It doesn't matter how many times Delia shows up at a bank with her resume, she is turned down. She has experience and intelligence to back her up, but the discrimination is clear. One night she and her roommates Regina and Frankie are drinking and playing a game, and in this game Delia wishes she was a man, only if long enough to prove she can do any job she goes after.
Waking up the next morning, everything has changed. Everything. Six inches taller, stubble on her face, no breasts, and other body parts, prove something rather shocking. She. Is. A. Man. She goes to Regina and Frankie and Regina immediately wields a bat. What has happened to Delia and why is there a man in their apartment? Frankie is just as shocked. With a very distinct tattoo and describing events only Delia would know about, they relunctantly agree that Delia is in fact a man now.
Unbelievable? Of course. Hilarious? Definitely. Again, having seen the movies that are listed above, and another one comes to mind, Big. with Tom Hanks, it was quite easy become engrossed in this entertaining read. I loved how Delia quickly decided to use this shocking change of her person to go after the job she knew she would be perfect for. There was definitely a flaw in her plan, however, and that is the fact that her best friend and major crush works at the very place that Delia planned to make her mark. I definitely enjoyed this quick read by Amanda Aksel. The humor, although crude at times, gave a nice window into a man's world vs. girl power.
Many thanks to Berkley Books and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Aksel takes you by surprise in this charming book with a twist on females in a male focused industry in Delia Suits Up.
Ever wondered what it would be like for you in life if you had been born the opposite sex? Well in this book, Delia’s wish comes true and she suddenly wake up a male, and suddenly a chance to shake things up a bit and just go for what she, I mean he, wants.
I found this unique storyline entertaining and fun, with a great message about confidence and not giving up. While I hated that we give such a voice to the good ole boys mentality in the workplace, I think the author does a great job of making it work for her plot line, and gives her MC a chance to show herself she can do anything, even as a female trapped inside a man’s body. What starts off as a bit of a catastrophe in Delia’s life, soon turns into Richard being able to live in the moment and go for it both in work and in her personal life.
While I could have dealt with less of the book’s focus on waking up with certain body parts, I can see how that may make sense to many waking up in strange body of the opposite sex — it certainly made for plenty of comedic relief in this book too! I would’ve loved if there had been more about Delia and her crush’s relationship giving it a more rounded out feel instead, their part of the story was my favorite and I could’ve read so much more about them!
SO much love for Delia’s BFFs in the story, they were the best supporting characters and a highlight of the book for me - dying to know if Amanda’s considering writing a series featuring them!
Overall a cute, quick read that I recommend picking up for something fun & different if you’re a contemporary romance reader & would love to see more females get what they deserve in the workplace! A huge thank you to the author herself, and to NetGalley & Berkley Publishing for connecting my virtual book club with a chance to read this title prior to publication date, we’re looking forward to chatting with Amanda on Zoom for our end of book discussion!
Aksel’s words powerfully leave the reader with their own vote of confidence to go forth and pursue their dreams as Delia did in DELIA SUITS UP despite the crazy ups and downs life offers!
Delia Reese is a bright, educated woman who is desperate to receive a Wall Street position. Several months ago, she lost her financial position due to downsizing. She knows she is just as qualified as the men she’s competing with, yet is never offered a position. Things have been so bleak in her job search that she’s been cleaning homes for a living in order to make her share of the expenses in a shared apartment.
After yet another failed interview, she and her roommates talk about her situation over several bottles of wine. It happens to be the eve of Delia’s birthday and she wishes out loud that wants to have the advantages that men have. When she awakens the next morning, much to her surprise, her wish has come true. Delia is living in the body of man. This sudden change creates a whole other list of problems she’s never considered. In turn, it also allows her to experience the corporate world through a completely different lens.
This was a humorous look at the inequities between the genders. I found it to be a fun, cute read combined with the more serious discussion on some of the challenges facing women today. There were definitely elements of the book that were unbelievable, but if the reader looks past this they will see the book for it’s entertainment value. The roommates are interesting supporting characters and were well used in this story. A friends to lovers trope is also part of this tale, but certainly not the predominant theme. On a more negative note, alcohol seemed to be a part of every gathering in this book and was not required to the extent it was included. I also found the extremely frequent reference to the male anatomy to be a little juvenile and excessive.
The premise of this novel is quite clever. I love how the author is attempting to bring a complex issue into the light: sexism and discrimination in the financial services industry is a real dilemma. I'm always impressed when an author can use humor and romance to address a tough topic. Having said that, I couldn't get past the implausibility of Delia's transformation or the juvenile humor about male body parts.
Thanks for the opportunity to read this one, but it just isn't for me.
The author's note at the start of the book introduces the theme of sexism in the workplace, particularly in the financial industry. Delia was laid off from her job when two companies merged. While her best male friend quickly got another opportunity, she has been unable to for months. She wishes she were a man, so that opportunities would come more readily. And then her wish magically comes true.
This book had some absolutely hilarious dialogue and really funny laugh out loud scenes. Regina and Frankie are Delia's best friends. I loved how funny and supportive they were. And it's neat to picture walking in someone else's shoes and all the strange things Delia faces.
However, I can't agree that the book takes a serious look at sexism. I found the repeated incidents in which women take offense at compliments as if they were sexist overdone. They feed into misogynist stereotypes that blame women for being oversensitive. The book's takeaway message seems to be that if women were just more confident, then we wouldn't experience sexism.
I think I would have enjoyed the book more if it were wholly focused on the comedic aspects. They were really well written. However, by introducing the novel as an exploration of sexism, the author invites critiques on that front. Read it if you are interested in a funny tale about seeing the world from another perspective, but not for insight into sexism or empowerment.
Thank you to Berkley for the advanced reader copy. These opinions are my own.
*cue Taylor Swift’s The Man*
This book featured such a unique story. Delia is searching for a job and is not having any luck. She chalks this up to being a female in a male dominated field. The night before her birthday she makes a wish and the next day she wakes up a man. She decides to use her new exterior to her advantage.
I really loved seeing Delia’s thought processes during her time as a man. And how she came into her own as a woman too.
This was a fun and quick read.
This was my first book by Amanda and I have never laughed so hard while reading a book before.
I loved the characters, the plot, and just everything about it. If you enjoy a nice, fun, entertaining read, then this book is a must-read.
This was a fun and quick read about sexism with a freaky Friday twist.
Delia was laid off three months ago from her Wall Street job and now she’s struggling to find another gig. Hitting roadblock after roadblock in a male dominated industry, she makes a wish that she could become a man. When she wakes up the next day, her wish has come true. A wild and unlikely twist in events gives her (now him!) the opportunity of a lifetime when she overhears that the leading financial firm in NYC will lose their next big pitch. In a position to save the day and with the newfound confidence of being a man, Delia decided to take things into her own hands and write her own fate.
This book was definitely cute and I liked the friends to lovers romance element. The currents of sexism woven throughout added a more serious tone to the novel but overall, Aksel was able to keep it fun and light.
Putting the freaky Friday twist aside, this was still a pretty unbelievable storyline but if you’re able to put the believability factors aside, it’s definitely enjoyable. I was also a little put off by the excessive and often immature male anatomy comments but ultimately I think it added an element of humor to the story.
Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for a copy of this novel.
I thought Delia Suits Up would be a "She's the Man"-style book about a woman who dresses as a guy to land her dream job. But no, this was a literally Freaky Friday situation about a woman who's struggling to get a job in the financial industry and wakes up and IS a guy.
This book will be most appreciated by those who love slapstick humor (and jokes about male genitalia). The story spent a LOT of time on Delia's adjustment to her new guy body. There were definitely some funny moments as she tries to convince her colleagues she's one of the guys.
If you like funny books, give this one a try and see if the humor works for you.