Our unnamed female protagonist has just landed an entry level position at a top TV network with a little of her mother’s help. Her mother is a famous women’s rights lawyer and the two of them have a codependent relationship that is hard to read at times because my mom was the same in a lot of ways, that’s why I’ve gone No Contact with her. Our protagonist limits time with her mother because of this, and I totally get it as someone who has been in a similar type of situation. As awful as her relationship is with her mom, it’s almost better than the one with her dad whom she doesn’t see very often and when she does see him it’s like he shows no interest in her life.

At the TV network, she’s a floating assistant (which means she assists where needed, it’s a job the boss created just for her) and on her way up. However, she is hearing whispers of gross misconduct and even rape in the workplace. Her mother tells her to just keep her head down and focus on her career but that kind of goes against what her mom taught her about defending herself and women and the rights women have especially in the workplace. The men at the TV network constantly abuse their power and talk gross about women, even the head woman will talk gross about other women because I suppose she feels if she doesn’t engage in that sort of way she could lose her job, position, and/ or be left out of more meetings and whatnot. The protaganist’s mother, who was raped and fights for the rights of women in similar situations, decides to defend the network head who is accused of rape and other gross misconduct including having a girl strip naked so he could stare at her like a super creep. That same network head had a button on his desk that would close and lock his door, I’m guessing like the setup Matt Lauer had.

Her job as an assistant soon brings competition, the other assistant Julian feels like he always has to compete with her because they are both great assistants but she is a little better, a fast learner. I like this line she says about competition, "...a rising tide lifts all boats" because that’s how it should be, everyone lifting everyone up instead of “all for me, and none for thee.” She does get along well with the other assistant, Allyn, though and they seem to be really good work friends.

I enjoyed reading about her life, her mom upset me a lot as a character but I still enjoyed the novel. There were lots of people to dislike in this book but the main character seemed to really be trying to do her best in life and that's really all you can do is try to do your best. So many of the male characters were scary because there are men like that in the real world, who think they can take whatever they want from whoever they want. I’m just glad more of them face the consequences of their actions these days than they used to because that’s the way it should be.

I was really excited about this one, but it turned out pretty weak to me. The MeToo type discussions in this book were interesting and nuanced, but the rest of the book just didn't get there for me. I understand how cutthroat working in television could be, but I felt this relied on cliches that didn't feel lived-in. The main character wasn't particularly interesting to me and all the discussions of weight didn't really pay off either. I'm just not sure this did anything for me at all.

I enjoyed this book, and I liked the narrator. I felt badly that she was trapped in such a toxic relationship with her mother. I was a little disappointed in the ambiguity of the ending. Overall, a good book!

You follow an unnamed female narrator who is trying to grow in the entertainment industry and witness the sexism and misogyny revolve around the work environment and how fellow female colleagues have to navigate through that. This wasn't my favorite read that focuses on this subject matter, but I still liked it.

Thank you Henry Holt & Company and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for my honest review!

📖 NSFW
✍️ Isabel Kaplan
📚 Fiction
#️⃣ 272 pages

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley + Henry Holt and Co. for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!

NSFW follows a young woman as she starts her career in the television industry and attempts to climb the corporate ladder. The daughter of a prominent feminist attorney, she's desperate to make her mark and earn her spot herself. As she rises through the ranks at her TV network, she is faced with sexism and misogyny and even hears whispers of sexual misconduct. When her mother tells her only when she's in charge will she be able to enact any real change, the choice she has to make becomes obvious: protect her career or embrace the empowered woman she claims to be.

I'm not sure exactly what I was expecting going into this one, but this was not it. This book is verrrrry heavy on the misogyny and sexism that exist in the corporate world. The story even goes so far as to include several instances of sexual abuse and assault. While I found I could definitely relate to some of the subject matter, I wasn't sure how I felt about some of the extremes described in the story. I also really did not like the weight loss storyline. Definitely not an "enjoyable" read, nor do I think its meant to be. This one was just a tough one for me - definitely look up trigger warnings ahead of time!

🪪 Single POV
🪪 Corporate workplace setting
🪪 Fast-paced
🪪 Explores sexism + misogyny in corporate America
🪪 Lots of TWs - DM me if curious!

This book followed a fresh college grad starting to work in Hollywood, balancing both personal and professional struggles. One of the biggest strengths of this novel is that it portrays the difficulties of navigating a patriarchal world and industry as a young woman who is beginning to see how challenging it can be even when trying to do the right thing. The narrator’s relationship with her lawyer mom resonated with me a lot and felt very realistic. I enjoyed reading on as the narrator dealt with professional challenges both in office politics and in trying to make moves in her career which is universally relatable for early career professionals in any industry. The characters are well developed and complex in a very human way, and they show that people are not just good or bad but filled with contradictions in their behavior and choices. Overall I enjoyed this timely and well written book.

Unputdownable. NSFW is such a sharp but empathetic novel that tackles everything from mental illness, eating disorders, imposter syndrome, sexual assault, and unsafe workplaces. I felt such kinship and sympathy for our unnamed narrator as she attempts to make her way up the ranks as a studio executive in Hollywood all while dealing with personal issues and entanglements. Relatable and smart, it left me wanting more!

First I would like to give a huge thanks to Henry Holt and Co. for sending me an ARC of this book!

NSFW navigates a pre-Me Too "industry" in a way that is real and pretty scary. Our un-named protagonist sees the dark underbelly of the most envied industry in America in a way that makes a reader's skin crawl. Much like reading a horror novel, I found myself having to skim passages and cringing at particularly horrifying sections. This book however did not wow me or disappoint me in any way.

Isabel Kaplan sets up that tension well, but the side plot about the narrator's deeply troubled, complicated, and toxic relationship with her mother took up too much of the word count. The ups and downs of that toxic relationship also seemed like a distraction from some of the novel's main themes. It was interesting, however, that the narrator's mother, a rape survivor who considers herself an advocate and a feminist, is now complicit with the systems that tied her down.


I think the subject matter of the book is extremely relevant and note worthy! However, it dragged so much. I think because the character is unnamed it was very hard to connect with her and I just did not care about what was happening in the book until the 75% mark. Sometimes it felt like we were more worried about the relationship with the MC and her mother versus the actual abuse and assault the book was apparently about.

This book was left completely open-ended. It is entirely up to the reader to decide what happens and if there is a chance at attempting to change a system and dynamic that is soo hard to escape and made to benefit men and fail women or whether to ignore it and use it as an advantage. It's definitely a conversational piece that brought up many emotions in me but also was incredibly relatable and refreshing at times.

*Thank you to Henry Holt, Isabel Kaplan, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review*

This debut novel is about an unnamed 20 something struggling in a male dominated world of TV and Film. The book focuses on her weight struggles, being fat shamed by her family doctor, and her extremely toxic relationship with her own mother. but also, her first long term relationship with a male she doesn't seem to like very much. I liked this book but didn't "love" it. However, the main character is very relatable and the author deals with heavy topics such as sexual assault, misogyny, and body dysmorphia. I would definitely read another book by this author but this one didn't catch me.

NSFW takes place before the Me Too movement and is a look into the entertainment industry. It allows you to see the workplace culture and all the terrifying events that get brushed under the rug. It was a very hard read at times since it dealt with such difficult topics, but it was also such an eye-opener. Seeing what goes on in the industry through the main character (whose name is never revealed) made for an emotional read.
My only issue with this book was that I found it to be very slow at times, with extremely long chapters. Sometimes it felt as if the chapters dragged on when they really didn't have to. Overall, I would recommend this book to others.
The main character didn't hold back from sharing her feelings with the reader. She always promised herself that if she was the victim of sexual assault she would speak up. But when she, unfortunately, does experience it, she can bring herself to tell anyone.
I found her to be very relatable in her thought process and the track she was taking in life. She was a likable character and throughout the book, I felt for her.
Before picking up this book, make sure to check the trigger warnings. This book deals with topics such as sexual assault and mental health.
Thank you Henry Holt for the NetGalley review copy!

So I would say I enjoyed the first half of this book more then the last half. I related to the narrator's relationship with her mother and because of this was sympathetic to her. This book lightly touches on the power dynamics between men and women in the work place while also talking about the women who support them. I didn't enjoy the book ending on a cliff hanger either.

Book clubs!! Here’s your next read. So much to discuss in this one including work relationships and the intensity women face in all aspects within the corporate world and generational complexities and differences in gender expectations (found this so relatable and fascinating) . This reads very quickly and is done in a way where tension is maintained by the author throughout. Heartfelt thanks to Henry Holt and Co for the advanced copy. Go read this one!

⚠️ This book does deal with some intense and difficult subject matter. Please check out the content warnings! ⚠️

There have been several books published this year that address the MeToo movement in Hollywood and I’ve read almost every single one. As someone who worked as an entertainment journalist for almost four years, I’ve been interested to see how authors have been exploring this topic. NSFW is not the best novel I’ve read within this very specific sub-genre, but it is a standout that will leave you with a great deal to think about.

NSFW is set in a pre-MeToo timeline and follows an unnamed female protagonist and the challenges she faces as she accepts a job at a major broadcast network and attempts to work her way up the corporate ladder. If you follow the entertainment industry – even just casually – it is easy to identify the people, places, and companies Kaplan is alluding to in the novel. I appreciated these details as it added another layer to a story that had many to begin with.

This book doesn’t shy away from tough subjects. It contains several scenes detailing sexual assault and harassment, in addition to a lot of discussion about body image, eating disorders, drug use, and difficult family relationships. The large number of difficult topics included in the book made it a very heavy read, and at times I wished the intensity had been scaled back, as everything got to be a little much.

If you feel comfortable spending time reading about these subjects, I would recommend this book as it is well-written and would make for good discussion. However, it’s clear this won’t be a book for everyone, so definitely do your research before picking it up.

Thanks to Henry Holt & Co. and NetGalley for the eARC!

-4 stars-

NSFW by Isabel Kaplan was a captivating novel about what most of us refer to as "the industry", and the scandal and conflict within it (particularly discrimination against women).

I found the book to be an interesting work of prose, but also a story filled with important themes. These themes include the prevalence of assault and the sexualization of women in Hollywood (and throughout the world), as well as disordered eating and the pressure we can feel from society to fit in physically so that we are appreciated.

While the book was content-heavy and very thematically driven, I found that we did learn a decent amount about relationships between characters, the relationship between the narrator and her mom the most prevalent (with industry "connections" not falling far behind).

I also felt that Kaplan's decision to leave the narrator unnamed and relatively undescribed as a person and body was a powerful choice to let readers in to the story on a deeper level.

Where I dock a point is that the story felt to drag on at times, and I found myself occasionally wondering "how much longer is left?". The ending also left something to be desired, although it was understandable in a way.

Overall, I quite enjoyed Kaplan's writing; it was very easy to follow. I also applaud her bravery in broaching such difficult subjects. Thank you to Henry Holt for the digital ARC.

The unnamed main character is fresh out of college and looking for a job. Her mother, a high powered feminist attorney, calls in a favor and gets her a job as a temp at a TV network. As she climbs the ladder, she is frustrated by the sexism in the industry and how her ideas are only accepted once they are echoed by a male colleague. When the head of the company is accused of sexual harassment requests her mother as his attorney, she will have to decide if it's better to keep her head down or take a stand.

While the focus of this book was predominantly the sexism in the industry, there were other strong topics covered like body image issues and toxic mother daughter relationships. That was actually the hardest part for me, how this girl could function after being raised by a mother like that.

The ending of the book is left completely open to the readers interpretation (reminded me of the ending of the Sopranos), which I was equally excited and frustrated by.

While this book read a bit YA to me at first, it grew and grew on me by the end, which I found very satisfying. I found the worldview of the narrator very intriguing and more unique than I thought at first, especially when it came to her relationship with her mother (who is QUITE a character). You can tell Kaplan has a deep familiarity with LA and working in Hollywood, which allows her to render the setting in great detail and use it to propel the plot. She's a very good writer who had tons of interesting and lovely turns of phrase—look forward to reading more from her!

First I would like to give a huge thanks to Henry Holt and Co. for sending me an ARC of this book!

NSFW navigates a pre-Me Too "industry" in a way that is real and scary. Our un-named protagonist sees the dark underbelly of the most envied industry in America in a way that makes a reader's skin crawl. Much like reading a horror novel, I found myself having to skim passages and cringing at particularly horrifying sections. This book however did not wow me or disappoint me in any way. Perhaps it is my closeness with Hollywood that made this book seem less explosive to me than it is to others, but this book serves as a pretty average read.
3/5 stars

NSFW follows an unnamed narrator, a recent Harvard graduate who returns home to Los Angeles and lands a grueling entry-level job at a fictional network. We follow our narrator from 2012-2014 in the pre-#MeToo era as she navigates sexist micro-aggressions and the even more blatant sexual harassment embedded in Hollywood culture. I think this was a fascinating concept for a novel, and the narrator must contend with the eternal question: Should she go along to get along within the system so she can rise up the ranks and grow her career, or does she want to speak out against the sexist and abusive practices she sees?

Isabel Kaplan sets up that tension well, but the side plot about the narrator's deeply troubled, complicated, and toxic relationship with her mother took up too much of the word count. The ups and downs of that toxic relationship also seemed like a distraction from some of the novel's main themes. It was interesting, however, that the narrator's mother, a rape survivor who considers herself an advocate and a feminist, is now complicit with the systems that tied her down. Thus, it sets up a contrast with our narrator, who then must decide if she's going to follow in her mother's footsteps or make different choices. That was an interesting idea, but the circular mother-daughter arguments took up too many pages of the book.

Likewise, I thought some of the side plots about the narrator's dating life and obsession with her body image were only tangentially relevant to the main themes about workplace sexism and harassment in Hollywood. The book jumped around between different plot points for the first half or so before landing squarely on its main exploration of toxic workplace culture. Given how sporadic the book seemed at times, the ending was then incredibly abrupt and vague.

I think Kaplan had a great concept for a novel with a likable, flawed protagonist and some interesting themes, but all of the elements didn't totally cohere in the execution of the writing. As I know this is Kaplan's debut, I would be interested in reading her future novels.

Had a really hard time getting past the first couple of chapters and just had to put it down after a bit, as it really did not catch my attention.

I received in advance reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review

Wow. Wonderful writing and free of cliché. There are quite a few books out there about the sexism endemic in many industries, but this is one of the few that is actually good reading on its own. Can’t wait to see more from this author