This is such a well written book, that will have any young woman who has been in the workforce shaking her head going “uh huh”. While I did find it to be a little catty and maybe too “mean girl” ish, overall I enjoyed it.

Smile and Look Pretty is something many woman have been told for centuries. This book blows that up. While it is is fiction it highlights powerful social issues around women in the workplace. I loved every word of this book. I love the four main characters and their ideas. I felt more powerful as a woman after reading this book. Truly amazing book!

This was a lot of fun! If you’ve ever had a job where your boss made you want to quit almost daily, this is a book you’re going to love. Cate, Lauren, Olivia and Max are all personal assistants. Each to their own personal hell of a boss. They are constantly exhausted, taken advantage of, and pushed to the limits with what they have to put up with. Still, they stay, because they each have their own hope that where they are now will help them get to where they want to be. Or, you know, it would be if they weren’t female.

Yes friends, this book deals with the inequality in all types of work spaces and it does it brilliantly. It finally gets to the point where Cate has had enough. She decides to start an anonymous blog, where her and her friends can share the horror stories of their jobs. All that toxic behavior, all that frustration, out on a page for the world to see. What they don’t foresee is how many other women will come forward and start sharing their own stories. What started as a small way to let off steam grows into something massive, and possibly the one way to cause change.

I loved these characters, even when I was ridiculously frustrated with them for putting up with the situations that they were in. Pellegrino makes each character shine, and makes it easy to understand why they just can’t leave. When you’ve finally broken into a male dominated industry, it’s hard to just leave and start over again, after all. Cate, Lauren, Olivia and Max are all just brilliant women who make you want to cheer them on, especially once the book hits the mid point. I wanted them to succeed so much! Laying it all on the line for change, that’s how you do it.

Truly, I wasn’t expecting to love this as much as I did! The beginning was a little bit of a slow start, but as things started to escalate I was more and more invested. I feel like this is a very appropriate story for today’s world, and one that a lot of readers are probably going to see themselves in. Hopefully it will make them feel as empowered as the women in this book! If not, I can guarantee you at least that you’ll have a blast reading this.

This book is "Mean Girls" for the professional world in a way. These 4 friends work in a toxic office environment, are constantly looked down upon, and finally, they have had enough. What seems like something they can do to let off steam... well... it steam-rolls into a viral sensation and they risk exposure.

Sometimes speaking against someone with more power is scary - but sometimes necessary. I love the plot of this book and can absolutely see movie potential in this one.

I have so many thoughts about Smile and Look Pretty by Amanda Pellegrino. The website that the characters created to expose toxic workspaces is so topical. It’s prevalent in our world and I loved seeing it examined. This started slow for me and while I kept mixing up two of the main characters, I was fully invested about 55% of the way in. To me, the most important thing about this book is the message that we don’t have to tolerate this behavior or hide it. If you are going through it, likely someone else is as well.

What’s it about (in a nutshell):
Smile and Look Pretty by Amanda Pellegrino is thought-provoking, relatable, and realistic story about the current work conditions for young twenty-something professionals trying to get their break in their chosen careers.

What I Enjoyed:
I enjoyed several aspects of the novel, but I loved the sisterhood of the main characters–Olivia, Cate, Lauren, and Max–the best. They aren’t biological sisters, but their bonds can withstand as much as any genuine sister relationship. They hug and fight, agree and disagree, but in the end, they will always be there for one another through thick and thin. I loved the genuineness of the small nuances that create the complete picture. I even love that they keep secrets from one another because… well… don’t we all have those parts of ourselves that we don’t share unless we must?

This story made me think for a long time after I finished it. I contemplated the state of the work world today regarding harassment and toxic relationships with bosses compared to how it was in the 80s and the 2000s. It saddened me that things, even though they have improved somewhat, still are relatively the same as they were in those decades when such movies as 9 to 5 and The Devil Wears Prada sought to illuminate how badly bosses treat assistants. Here we are in 2022, sexual harassment runs rampant, and the toxicity still exists between some employers and their assistants. I think we can learn lessons from this story to make an even more significant dent in improving work conditions for all but primarily disproportionately targeted women.

I loved the fast pace of this third-person narrated story. The pages just sped by from beginning to end, flipping at break-neck speed the closer I got to the conclusion. I wanted the four young women to win… to come forward and say, “Yes, I am calling out my boss for bad, and in most cases illegal, behavior because I know if I don’t do it, those with the power to do such things will sweep it under the rug.” The women's empowerment just exudes off of the pages, and I couldn’t help but be swept up in their much-needed movement.

Characters:
The four main characters are incredibly well-developed, with different backgrounds, issues, and personal challenges. I particularly loved Lauren because of the complex challenges that only she faced-challenges stemming from race and skin color and problems of growing up without a father. Her character stood out to me because she was usually the dissenting voice among the four, and learning what made her tick taught me so much. I spent a lot of time telling her to take a leap of faith and just do it. Lol. If ever you talk to characters in a story, this one will be it. Cate is the most like me, Olivia is the least, and Max, sweet, quiet Max, I just wanted to hold her hand through the chaos and help her get to the other side. Then rejoice with her over her accomplishments.

Reminds Me Of:
It reminded me a lot of 9 to 5 and The Devil Wears Prada–every bit as horrifying, rallying, and relatable.

What I Wish:
The only technical issue with this story is that I had trouble keeping names straight. I’m not sure why that was since the characters are very well-developed and utterly different. But, yet I did.

To Read or Not to Read:
If you are looking for a fast-paced, thought-provoking story that will have you cheering for the underdog, then this is one you will want to pick up as soon as possible.

Smile and Look Pretty by Amanda Pellegrino an excellent standalone novel. The story centers on 4 best friends, who work at different jobs, as assistants. They are overworked, underpaid and little time for themselves, as their powerful bosses expect 7-day, 24-hour availability; in a toxic environment, and never get promoted, since they are bypassed by their male counterparts. We meet these ladies, Cate, Lauren, Olivia and Max, who have strong friendship bonds, that help them deal and share their grievances; we get to see the things they have to deal with, with various POV’s.

Cate brings the girls together, as she convinces them that they should set up an anonymous blog to share their stories. They will use names such as The Bossy One, The Bitchy One, The Aggressive One and The Emotional One. At first, they are nervous, worried they will lose their jobs, or have a hard time finding another job; but they agree that they need do this for themselves. The blog, Twentysomething, grows bigger with each passing day, with other women submitting their own stories. In a short time, the blog becomes a sensation, as it begins to garner more attention not only from many women who also suffer, but now the news media is interested in finding out who these ladies are.

Cate is an assistant to a publisher, who expects her to constantly do personal jobs, such as get coffee, bring cupcakes to his son’s school, pick up things for his wife; all which have nothing to do with her actual job. Lauren is an assistant who wants to be a script writer on their show, but keeps getting by passed by her boss, even if she is the one who does most of the work. Max works at a news station, where she is harassed by the news anchor, with everyone ignoring the suggestive behavior of the anchor. Olivia is an assistant to an actor, and she also is expected to do all the demeaning things he wants.

Smile and Look Pretty is an amazing story so very well written by Amanda Pellegrino. The story focuses on these 4 wonderful ladies, and the terrible things they had to endure. The last third of the book was great, as their site escalates into a major movement, with the “girl power” stepping up to fight for their rights, and together the ladies will each be able to express their voices, and allowing the news to right all wrongs. Smile and Look Pretty was a terrific story of women rallying against the unfairness of their treatments, and what together their friendship can do. Great novel.

Smile and Look Pretty by Amanda Pellegrino is a mystery thriller that takes your breath away. A well-written, refreshing and timely drama that pulls you in from the beginning and holds your attention with all the unexpected twists and turns.

I wasn't 100% sure what this book was about and whether I would enjoy it, but as I got into it I liked it. The book starts with Cate who has just landed her dream job as an assistant at a great publishing company. Of course, her dreams aren't all they are cracked up to be. The same as her friends are all in careers, they thought would be great stepping stones. On a whim one day at one of their weekly complaining sessions, Cate suggests writing a blog called Twentysomethings. Cate, Max, and Olivia are keen on their idea but Lauren who is the wannabe scriptwriter is worried that this could reflect badly for them and could jeopardize their jobs. As the book goes along and the website begins, the stories start to roll in and the submissions start to rise from females in the industries who have had bad bosses and feel like crap. Soon the website will become viral and what started as an idea will become a revolution for all women in the industry. Smile and Look Pretty by Amanda Pellegrino was a good read for this particular time as it focuses heavily on the #MeToo movement. As a blogger, I also loved the idea that the girls started a website to talk about their issues and the fact it went viral as this is a writer's dream. If you are wanting an amazing feminist novel that everyone should read then Smile and Look Pretty by Amanda Pellegrino is the read for you as it is relevant to today's society.

Girl Power in the workforce, but with girls as assisstants in faily glamourous jobs, that is Smile and Look Pretty in a nutshell. I've seen this book being compaired to Gossip Girl, and I don't really see that. It takes a pretty hefty topic and makes a light feeling book out of it.

This book was very middle-of-the-road for me. For the most part I didn't love it, but didn't hate it.

My biggest complaints are things that would be resolved if this were adapted for the screen: I was probably about a third of the way into the book before I could finally start to make distinctions between the main characters and remember who was working for which awful boss. The pacing/formatting seemed a little odd (but perhaps some of that could be a result of a digital review copy?); there was rarely any indication when perspective between characters/settings had changed, and it was often unclear if a short amount of time had passed, or several days, between key events.

Smile and Look Pretty by Amanda Pellegrino is a timely story about four women in the workplace who start an anonymous blog where they can discuss their awful experiences working for these horrible men in the entertainment industry. Other people begin to come forward to share their experiences and before long, this whole thing has grown into something huge. This book would make such a good tv series!

SYNOPSIS:

Best friends Cate, Lauren, Olivia and Max are overworked and underpaid assistants to some of the most powerful people in the entertainment industries. Like the assistants who came before them, the women know they have to pay their dues and abide the demeaning tasks and verbal abuse from their bosses in order to climb the ladders to their dream jobs.

But as they are passed over for promotions and the toxic office environments reach a breaking point, the women secretly start an anonymous blog detailing their experiences, which snowballs into hundreds of others coming forward with stories of their own. Confronted with newfound viral fame and the possibility of their identities being revealed, the assistants have to contend with the life-changing consequences of speaking out against those who refuse to share the power.

An entertaining and easy read that deals with a very serious topic, toxic work environment, in a creative and entertaining way.
I liked the characters and the plot kept me reading and hooked.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Cate, Lauren, Olivia, and Max are best friends who also work as assistants. They’re overworked, underpaid, and undervalued. They each have a terrible boss, and they’re getting very sick of the toxic behavior they have to put up with.
When Cate is pushed too far, she has the brilliant idea to start an anonymous blog where they can discuss their experiences in the workplace and how sleazy their bosses are.
The blog quickly goes viral, and other anonymous women start submitting their stories. When the women get wind that someone is trying to find out their true identities, they are instantly worried about the ramifications of what they created…unless they can find a way to own their narrative and bring down the bad guys.
This is a refreshing and timely drama, written expertly by debut author Amanda Pellegrino. The complex friendship between the four leads really shines, as does each of their workplace situations. Not to be missed

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Park Row for an early copy of this e-arc.*

Cate, Lauren, Olivia, and Max band together to turn the tables on their employers in this entertaining novel of women in the workplace. I'll bet I'm not the only one who recognized some of what they are dealing with as 20-something assistants to powerful people. It's a little challenging at first to keep the specifics of each of their situations straight in the beginning but that didn't matter for long, especially once they started their blog. Oh the blog! These four, using psuedonyms, create a blog which gains a big audience-more than they expected-of other young women who share their own thoughts. It's not easy to storm the ramparts, though, and they have to deal with the impact of what they've done. I found myself rooting for them all along the way. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

I enjoyed this title, captivated by the actions these four brave women took to share their stories and speak out against abuse in their industries - acting, screenwriting, publishing and producing network TV. I think this title will be very relatable to early professions hoping to break into those fields, even working women everywhere.

I was drawn to this title to see how it paid homage to the #MeToo movement and I do think the author did it justice. Each character was unique but they shared a common thread: knowing they were better than the treatment they were receiving. Having the courage to put themselves out there, first anonymously then with their names in the byline, is something we can all aspire to.

I did feel the ending was a little rushed and I would have liked a follow up chapter to see how things shook out for them beyond the day they went public.

Smile and Look Pretty tells the story of four assistants in New York City, struggling to survive their terrible work environments. But it's also the story of many more women, women forced to "pay their way" to get the jobs they want, to endure harassment, to give up their entire personal lives and be available at the beck and call of their bosses. With Smile and Look Pretty, Amanda Pellegrino depicts an accurate portrait of the entertainment and corporate worlds, through a cutting but imperfect lens. While the stories of Olivia, Max, Lauren, and Cate are utterly believable, the details of their rise (and boss' fall) feels a little manufactured. The book should have been either more fun, or taken a more serious, dark tone. Overall, it's an interesting read that will hit home for many women.

I really liked the idea of this book.

I think there are some readers out there who are going to go absolutely bonkers for it. It uses, “Me, too” and general workplace woe ideals to try and bring down the people who caused the trauma.

However, I did not really enjoy it. I know it’s a work of fiction, but I assume the author was going for realistic fiction. I just didn’t buy it. It seemed juvenile and silly, really. It felt like a young adult novel trying to take on grown up problems - and it didn’t work for me.

It was also really difficult to separate and keep the characters straight. They all have essentially the same job - so trying to remember which one was which was rough for me (not to mention the cast of characters each one of them works with).

I liked the ending and thought it was a good way to wrap up the story.

I was hoping for more from this book. Instead, it was a lot of cliches and patterns that have been addressed in books, movies, and TVs. When tackling an issue like Me Too, you want to find an angle that is interesting and presents a new view or light. Instead, I was able to predict and call a lot that was going to happen. It was like Gossip Girl meets The Morning Show.

However, that being said, I would've loved this if I read it in college. The characters were people that I enjoyed enough and the pacing was decent. It was definitely an easy read, even with the subject matter being something heavier. I'm not sure I'll do a lot of recommending this book, as I think others do it better, but it didn't feel like something that wasn't worth my time. Overall, a fine book, just nothing to write home about.

Four executive assistants have been meeting for drinks and sharing stories for a long time until one comes up with an idea where they create a website where they can share their stories with the internet and it easily spirals out of control!

As an executive assistant I debated about reading this one, would it hit too close to home OR would it be entertaining reading about women in my profession and seeing their stories! It was both! I read this on a weekend when my job was quiet and it felt fun to see some fictionalized horror stories that I know are not blown too far out of proportion! There were a few moments that really made me giggle because they weren't far from experiences I had and I wanted to join these ladies at a happy hour to swap stories.

I would absolutely recommend this book, whether you are an EA OR you have an EA in your life. I think many people don't know what the EA role can and does entail, so to see the spectrum through these ladies and other's eyes, I think would be enlightening to many.

I loved this debut and hope that Amanda has many more to come, even if they aren't in the same vain.