Indiana is a female coder in a male dominated industry. She's outspoken and literally says whatever is on her mind. After speaking up to her boss about something she didn't like, he transferred her to a remote team. But there, her new boss praises her assertiveness because he thinks Indiana is a man and she doesn't correct him. The office gossip about her being a man turns into a giant mess of its own and honestly it's hilarious how far it goes. The humor in this book is perfection. I found myself smiling quite a bit. It gets a little outrageous which I think is part of its charm.

It has a little romantic subplot in it but it's definitely not a romance book. This book was so much fun! It was different than anything I've read before so it was a breath of fresh air.

I received an ARC for my honest review. Thank you Anastasia Ryan!

Adorable - adorkable > While I don't play Super Mario Bros, Animal Crossing or even completed the LOTR series (books or films), I can absolutely relate to the message of Not Bad for a Girl and root for comeuppance.

Indiana, a woman in the tech industry, speaks up in a meeting which causes her to be transferred to a remote team that has a reputation for not being the best. With her camarera turned off in meetings, she’s mistaken for being a man and decides not to correct her new boss. Chaos ensues. This was a cute read but I found myself getting frustrated with Ana for keeping up the ruse and not telling the truth.

Love this! Saw someone using T Swifts song If I was a Man and I totally agree. The bro code is no joke. I'm almost 5 8 and have an awful rbf so this kind of behavior doesn't happen to me at least to my face lol.
I really want to hear Shane's voice. Everyone keeps saying how nice it is.
I can totally see how this could happen with remote and having an ambiguous name can make people confused with your gender. And the only difference between a commanding man and an abrasive woman is nothing.. just patriarchal society expecting silent woman. Good luck with that.
Love her name! Indiana!
Read it!

Girl power all the way!! This book is all about the empowerment of women in the workplace, specifically IT.

While I am not in that industry, I absolutely loved this book. It also has a nice splash of romance too.

I was such a fan of Anastasia Ryan’s debut, You Should Smile More, so I jumped at the chance to read her latest. I will say that my expectations were pretty high, and I was absolutely not disappointed.

Indiana was exactly the kind of character that you want to be friends with. She’s witty and caring and has impeccable taste in video games. I loved her relationships with her found family and her budding romance was just adorable.

The subplot with Ana’s dad was another highlight for me and packed the most emotional punch.

I laughed, I cried, and I’ve already listened to the audiobook and loved that as well. Easily 5 stars and added to my favorites of 2024. I cannot wait to read anything and everything from this author.

Thank you so much to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley, SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca and Dreamscape Media for the ARC of Not Bad for a Girl by Anastasia Ryan. I received both an ebook and an audio and switched between reading and listening. The narrator for this book was great with such a range of emotions to make it clear which character was which.

Overall, I loved this book! I’ve had a slump with some ARCs lately feeling like they were all very much the same. But this one was fun and funny with such a sweet, clean romance to it. The whole story of Indiana “Ana” being confused for a man due to the field she works in and being discounted due to being female is still so relevant in this day and age. It happens more often than it should. Yet all the love and support she ended up getting. Very much enjoyed this one!! 5⭐️

Alexa, play “The Man” by Taylor Swift.

That is exactly the vibe you get while reading this book. Indiana is a talented coder and IT specialist who is fighting hard to reach the same achievements as her male counterparts. When she is mistaken for a man in her new remote position, she decides to go with it because she is finally being recognized for her hard work. But she lets it go on for too long as things get out of hand, and she has to try to pull the situation back to reality.

This was such a wild, wacky and fun book. Indiana’s friends were so funny, and even though their hearts were in the right place they were not terribly helpful to her situation. I could also feel the frustration she had in how the men were treating her and speaking to her, I would have felt exactly the same way.

I did think that it kind of got a bit out of hand with the stories they were making up to cover for the fake Indiana (the male version). It didn’t seem realistic that people were believing the crazy tales. But it added to the humour of the book overall.

The little side of romance was also a great addition! This book is not a rom com, just to be clear. It’s a comedy book that’s commenting on how women are treated unfairly in male dominated industries with a side of a cute little romance.

Definitely check out this book if you’re looking for something to make you laugh!

Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca for the advance readers copy, all thoughts are my own!

I just finished Not bad for a girl by Anastasia Ryan @byanastasiaryan and here are my thoughts.

Indiana “Ana” Aaron is working in a man's world. She has a talent for coding but her work doesn’t give her the props she deserves. When she is overlooked for a promotion in favor of a man much less qualified, she cannot keep her mouth shut. Her boss, with a bruised ego, transfers her to a team that is on the verge of being disbanded.

She knows she has to keep her mouth shut and get on with her work remotely from home and when her new boss praises her and calls her Mr. Aaron, she didn’t bother to correct him. Things begin to snowball when her friends from her old department continue the ruse that she is a man and the lie builds to epic proportions. The handsome man who works with her new boss figures it out pretty quickly and helps her navigate her new role on the path to new successes.

This book was quirky, funny and so deliciously entertaining that I spent the whole afternoon reading. I loved that Ana is a tiny little warrior much like myself who uses her inside voice on the outside. Hands up to all the women that don’t know when to be silent… ME! I loved how the author highlighted the difficulties and misogyny in professions deemed suitable for men only. Where women should serve coffee and be quiet. Ana found a way to prove she was as good, better even, than her male counterparts and when she finds out her new boss is as devious as a snake, she doesn’t stand by and let him walk on her.
Her friends are the best. So funny and the things they get up to had me roaring out loud with laughter. I thought Shane was perfection and the thing with the fish.. So romantic! The book is really well written. Perfect pace and flow, all the characters were exceptional and well rounded. I kinda hope we get another book with these characters.
If you are looking for a cute, funny, womens fiction book, this one has to be what you reach for next.
5 stars!!!
Thank you to @sourcebookscasa and @netgalley for my gifted copy.

I absolutely loved this one! It was everything I wanted it to be and more. Here's what you can expect...

• Women's fiction with a dash of romance
• STEMinist
• Mistaken Identity
• Workplace comedy

Indiana is mistaken for a man at her new remote job, which devolves into a hilarious set of mishaps as she navigates, trying to be a woman in a male dominated field.

This book was the perfect blend of hilarious situations and laugh out loud banter while still being a thought-provoking take on women in the workplace.

I seriously read this book in a day, and it was so enjoyable. Indiana was quirky and cute. I loved the little bit of romance. Overall, it's so worth the read, and I definitely recommend it.

Indiana Aaron is an incredibly talented coder but after correcting her boss, she got moved to a different team that is mostly remote. She is determined to keep her head down, her camera off, and just do her job. But when her new boss makes a huge mistake she has to correct him. Only this time he publicly praises “Mr. Aaron” for his assertiveness and eye for detail. It doesn’t take long for the entire company to also assume she is a man and for her to be given a prominent role on the team. But how long can she hide that she is actually a woman?

This book is “The Man” by Taylor Swift in book form. This commentary on how women are perceived in certain industries is so important, but the way this story was told made this serious topic fun and full of laughs. I was here for the strong female characters and the girl power vibes. The side of romance between Ana and her coworker Shane with their incredible banter was the icing on the cake.

I flew through this audiobook, narrated by Jesse Vilinsky. Her narration was incredible and really brought this fun story to life. I didn’t want to stop listening!

Thank you to Dreamscape Media, Sourcebooks Casablanca, and NetGalley for the advance copies.

Not Bad For A Girl
Anastasia Ryan
Release Day: January 30, 2024

I did enjoy this book! When I read what this book was about it immediately piqued my interest! As someone who worked in the corporate field I can see the balance of power favoring men just as this book shows.

I rated this book slightly lower only because the situations that her friends put her in gave me anxiety. I felt as though they were a little too far fetched and I just wanted the main character to fess up to all the lies. I did however really enjoy the romance between the two main characters and the relationship Indiana has with her father. Those were the sweet spots for me.

Thank you NetGalley and Source books for the ARC!

I tried to get into the book but it just wasn't catching my attention. I'm sure it's a great book for someone out there, just not me.

Not Bad for a Girl is Anastasia Ryan’s second novel and she really knocks it out of the park with this one. It’s a workplace comedy that takes on misogyny and I’m telling you now, smashing the patriarchy has never been so much fun!

The story follows Indiana “Ana” Aaron. Ana is a talented coder and IT specialist, and she’s also very outspoken particularly if she notices unfair practices at her workplace. When we meet Ana, she is in the middle of calling her boss out for giving a promotion that should have been hers to a member of his good old boys’ club. Her boss decides he has had enough and transfers Ana to a remote team. Things take an unexpected turn for Ana when she calls out her new boss on something in an email, and he assumes based on the name Indiana that she’s a male and he praises Indiana for being so assertive. This gets Ana’s wheels turning and she decides to see how far she can take things without revealing that she is a woman. Needless to say, things get interesting when Ana’s well meaning but clueless friends start to embellish her accomplishments and the legend of Indiana takes on a life of its own. Just thinking about some of the crazy things her friends come up with has me sitting here chuckling to myself as I type!

I really loved every moment of this story. I was rooting for Ana every step of the way as she tackles misogyny head on, and I was also just thoroughly entertained by all of the hilarious antics that took place. The story is also very fast paced, never a dull moment. I flew through the ebook, loved it, and then also listened to the audiobook, which was even funnier because the narrator Jesse Vilinsky just nails the delivery of all of the hilarious banter.

There is also a sweet romance but that definitely takes a backseat to all of the workplace happenings.

Not Bad for a Girl is out now, so be sure to pick up a copy. You won’t regret it!

Indiana Aaron inadvertently threatens her boss's ego by virtue of simply being a female who happens to be good at her job. She’s transferred to a remote job but it appears her new boss mistakes her for a guy and before she can correct him she’s forced to continue on with his assumption.

Despite the “rom-com” vibes this cover gives off it’s more women’s fiction than anything. There's romance but it’s not a central focus. It instead focuses on issues women often face in the workplace. I love a feminist story but this one did not land. I don’t think silly hijinks really support Ana’s desire to be taken seriously. It was also weirdly unrealistic. When Ana’s new boss calls her old female co-worker to inquire about Indiana, the co-worker runs interference and comes up with a ridiculous story about how great of a man Indiana was and how she herself fancied Indiana. At this point, I’d be going straight to my new boss to fix this. Indiana does the opposite and continues to go along with it. Well this isn’t what I would have done, fine, you do you Ana. Then, it gets so much worse.

Indiana is called to join an in-person meeting at the office. To stop the meeting from taking place her co-workers pull the fire alarm. When her boss eventually inquired if anyone saw Indiana, the co-workers claimed the boss missed Indiana because he was a big strong man who helped deliver a baby when the fire alarm went off. At this point I could see that what should have been an exploration of what women often face in the workplace and overcoming stereotypes instead went down a path of no return to sillyland. I put the book down at 29%. I just can’t.

Thank you Sourcebooks Casablanca for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

HAPPY PUB DAY!


💕 I finished this book the other day and @byanastasiaryan Has done it again with an awesome female ran book full of laughs and female empowerment! We truly need more books like this on the shelves.

Synopsis:

Indiana is a woman working in a male-dominated industry trying to make a name for herself. The only problem is that she doesn’t have the respect of the so-called men in charge of her workplace. They don’t take her seriously as a coder. So, she and her friends/colleagues take matters into their own hands.

My Thoughts:

I thought this book was funny and empowering. There were so many moments to laugh. It’s a feel-good story with a touch of romance. Ana’s story is relatable to so many women out there. Ana’s character was bold and spoke before thinking things through. I loved the tenacity of Ana and the fact that she’s hysterical. The antics of Ana’s friends trying to support her were an integral part of her story. Not to mention, they were simply just funny and fought for what they felt was right.

This book is for you if you like: workplace rom-coms, women’s equality rights, friends-to-lovers, and mistaken Identity.

I received an advanced review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Not Bad For a Girl follows Indiana (Ana), who’s a coder and IT specialist who isn’t afraid to speak up for herself, say how she feels, and stands up for what she believes in. This causes some problems for her at work, and she’s suddenly transferred to a remote team - who sees her name is Indiana and her old, white, male privileged boss assumes she’s a he - and she doesn’t correct him. Because for once, she’s getting more stuff to do work wise and people aren’t questioning her work because she’s a woman. As the story continues, obviously the mistaken identity and gender tends to get out of hand, and more people are roped into the secret, but she struggles with how to reveal her true identity when it’s tied to her livelihood.

Truly, this book had me laughing, it was so refreshing, and even had a little hit of romance (because we all know I love me a romance book). Anastasia truly blew it away with this one!

Some of my unfiltered thoughts when reading this:
When writers use the term “dead-ass”, I fucking lose my shit and it’s literally the best thing ever.
All the LOTR & 90210 references give me life.
This bitch is obsessed with fish (like Stassie) which makes it even better.
For once in my life, I understand video game references. Tom Nook is most definitely the devil 😂

What a fun way to tackle a really big issue- misogyny in the workplace. Ana is an incredible character who tells it like it is, without worrying about the backlash. Though this gets her into trouble at times, it’s part of who she is and she doesn’t hold back. I loved that about her!! This is my first book by author Anastasia Ryan and I loved her writing style and the witty and snarky dialogue throughout. I’m not usually into novels set in the workplace but this one had plenty of comedy and just enough romance to round out the plot, making it an enjoyable read. I’m fortunate that sexism in the workplace is not an issue that I’ve personally experienced, but I appreciate that this book exposed me to the struggles that many women do indeed face. All my gal pal feminist friends need to grab a copy of Not Bad for a Girl TODAY!!

Indiana (Ana) Aaron has worked hard to be a coder and is up for a promotion.
However, her boss gives it to a guy even though she was the one to train this guy. Ana is a programmer at Apollo IT. When she speaks up about it at the meeting where the promotion was announced, she is immediately transferred to the New York office. Working remotely, she is now under a man called Melvin Hammer well known to be totally incompetent for his job and also known for taking the credit for the work of others.

When a potential job is announced to build a program for a sports company, Ana immediately jumps in and puts the whole thing together. When she presents it to Melvin, she finds he’s ready to take the credit for it. Over her dead body. So, she and her friends jump into some really crazy things to make Melvin think she is a man called Indiana. The hijinks are funny and goofy at the same time.

This may seem like I have put in too many spoilers, but I haven’t. This story is about how women are overlooked in the world of business in favor of men. Their pay is inadequate and they simply have to work twice as hard as a man to be successful. Sure, there will be lots of eye-rolling as some people read this book, but I think it’s quite good. It reminds me of a boss I had who once told me “I hired you because you’re a pushy broad.” As both of us were older, he could get away with that and I found it to be quite a compliment. Don’t underestimate the power of women. Enjoy!

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.