This was my first book by Anastasia Ryan and it won’t be my last! If you are looking for funny work place rom com look no further! I found myself laughing throughout the book! The antics that happen on the page will suck you in immediately and keep you thoroughly entertained! This one played out like a movie in my mind! I would definitely say that romance wasn’t the main focus of this story, but there is romance. I love books with strong female characters and a strong friendship group and this one did not disappoint! Overall a great read that I definitely recommend!

Received an arc for a honest review.

Not bad for a Girl was so cute, funny and sweet! A perfect combo of romance, women’s fiction and real life day to day business problems.

This book was a spot on feminist look at what’s it’s like to be a woman in a predominantly male workplace.

This one was funny, well written, serious but not to serious and the characters were absolutely relatable! Definitely a 4⭐️ must read!!

I enjoyed this book so much! I have to say that it's not much of a rom com as it's just a fun, witty book. It really reminds me of Didn't See That Coming by Jesse Q Sutanto, a YA book about a girl who games under a boyish username.

Of course, this book felt more grown up and mature, dealing with explicit sexism in the workspace with the MC being a coder in a male dominated world. As outrageous as some of the treatment towards Anna seemed to be, I wasn't surprised because that's how the world does unfortunately function. The author has used a ton of humor in her writing to bring the seriousness of the topic to an entertaining level. I think the writing style resembled what you would find in a comedic diary format novel, with Anna narrating her POV with a ton of emotion and rawness.

Frankly, I loved Anna I loved Shane, and I loved the fish <3 Because I just can't get over the adorable descriptions of pets and children in books. It was captivating to see Anna's firm opinions and way of expression. I found that everything she said made a ton of sense.

Speaking of the narrator, I LOVED HER!! Jesse Vilinsky gave all the feels and vibes for me to rush through this book, which I finished in a day. I'm definitely gonna be on the lookout for more by this author and the narrator.

This was such an enjoyable read and was laugh out loud funny. I really enjoy Anastasia’s writing style, and how she can expertly balance humor in a book about women’s struggles in the workplace and make it such a fun read. While my profession is predominantly female, I can see how so many women can (unfortunately) relate to this story. I am sure so many women have had a boss like Melvin, or male coworkers who do not take them seriously. I loved the comparison of women and men when voicing their opinions. Women are often referred to as “bossy, insubordinate, and emotional” while men are described as “assertive, a risk taker, and an innovator.” It is astounding that this still happens.

While the book does feature romance as a subplot, it is not the forefront of the story and I liked that the main focus was on Ana. I did enjoy the interactions between Ana and Shane and thought they were really cute together. I also really enjoyed the way the story wrapped up, and I loved that Ana was finally able to prove how capable she truly was. Overall, this was a great read and I highly recommend it!

Read if you enjoy:
✔️Workplace comedy
✔️STEMinist
✔️Strong females
✔️Mistaken identity
✔️Witty banter

Not Bad for a Girl
By Anastasia Ryan
5⭐️

Anastasia Ryan's second book, "Not Bad for a Girl", was an enjoyable read that I couldn't put down. The story of Ana’s struggle is relatable for many women, and it's great to see Aaron wanting to be judged by her skills, not her gender. I was so engaged in the book that I even went to Amazon to purchase Ryan's debut novel, “You Should Smile More” halfway through.

As a short woman with a STEM background, I found many things in this story relatable! It can be difficult to be female in typically male-heavy environments, but Ana's friends made everything worse by "helping" her. The way the office gossip took on a life of its own was hysterical. I really loved how all the people in Ana's life were trying to lift her up and support her, and the relationship with Shane was awwww-worthy. Ana's rants, although definitely the cause of some of her trouble, made me laugh, and there is a discussion about hockey being "ice golf" that I loved because my youngest always calls it that. This a great, funny story for this time of year.

𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗕𝗮𝗱 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗔 𝗚𝗶𝗿𝗹 by Anastasia Ryan
@Byanastasiaryan
𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗲: January 30, 2024

I LOVED this book! I read Anastasia's first book, You Should Smile More, this time last year and it was so funny. So when I heard she was coming out with a 2nd book, I knew I had to read it! Not only does she address women's issues in the workplace, but her sense of humor is so on point! The snark is amazing, there's a cute love interest, Shane, and there's even pet fish! Did you know that fish get uncomfortable when you watch them poop? I didn't. But I do now and I want a fish tank! 🤣 I highly recommend both of Anastasia's books. This one comes out tomorrow!

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗟𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸
✨Workplace Fiction
✨Witty Banter
✨️Strong Females
✨Laugh Out Loud
✨Gender Discrimination
✨Mistaken Identity
✨STEMinism

Thank you to Netgalley, Anastasia Ryan and Sourcebooks for an ARC

Thank you Sourcebooks Casablanca for the ARC. I loved her debut You Should Smile More so I was excited to pick this one up. The office scenes triggered my PTSD LOL. They were TOO accurate.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing the ARC.

When a case of mistaken identity goes completely off the rails, you end up with this book.

It wasn't bad, per se, but it also was just really unbelievably exaggerated that I had a hard time really enjoying myself. It was one crazy situation after another, coupled with a more than healthy dose of preachy feminism. Don't get me wrong - the points that Ryan made regarding women in male-dominated careers were sadly accurate, but they were often heavily belabored in lieu of the plot, much to the detriment of the story.

The characters felt very one note and there wasn't much to them. I didnt much care for Ana's character, mostly because she felt very flat. Her friends were either insane or the token gay character, and the MMC had an insta-love connection that really made no sense.

Not my favorite. I'm sure someone will enjoy this - it's a low stakes, low romance romp through chaos.

Thank you to the author Anastasia Ryan, publishers Sourcebooks Casablanca, and NetGalley, for an advance digital copy of NOT BAD FOR A GIRL. All views are mine.

Opening Quote: God damn it. I had on my highest heels. Loc.3780

Three (or more) things I loved:

1. The opening scene of this book absolutely yanks at my emotions and I immediately connect with the fmc and the world she inhabits.

2. YES! Cat butts are the best parts of zoom meetings!

3. Ryan has razor edged wit and writes amazing dialog: “You know, you’re not twelve. He’s not going to love it just because his daughter made it for him. That stops when you leave elementary school.” “Does not,” I said. “It doesn’t matter how old I get—he always loves my crap.” “That’s fortunate, because you’re absolutely full of it.” Loc.452

4. One of Anastasia Ryan's comedy signatures is hijinks, which oftentimes lead to absurd situations, which Ryan also seems to favor. In this book, like in her first, a major hijinks occurs early in the plot-- the fmc is mistaken by her employer for a man, because of her name, Indiana. Indeed, the absurdity deservedly ensues, and it is fun!

5. Sherrif Hopper!! ♡♡♡ OMG the babies!! They're basically just swimming around waiting for their digestive tracts to freeze. Loc.3202 Okay I'm dead😂😵

Three (or less) things I didn't love:

This section isn't only for criticisms. It's merely for items that I felt something for other than "love" or some interpretation thereof.

1. I read several reviews in which the readers dinged the adsurdism, but I think absurdity is one of the book's most charming features. Everything is awkward, but that fits because the fmc feels out of place, is often mistaken, and ultimately experiences a very literal sort of identity crisis. Absurdism is a perfect choice of technique for this story, and is probably the only technique that could plumb the themes' comedic depths so completely.

Rating: 🐈🐈🐈🐈🐈 cat butts
Recommend? Yes!
Finished: Jan 14 '24
Format: Digital arc, Kindle, NetGalley
Read this book if you like:
🤣 humor
🤷‍♀️ women's fiction
👭🏽 women's friendships
👢 sexism and the patriarchy
🪪 mistaken identity

I’m shifting back and forth between 3-4 stars in this one. It was enjoyable but I wasn’t tempted to binge it. I do love that Anastasia Ryan writes strong female leads. I didn’t enjoy seeing Melvin walk all over Ana and her let it/not realize it was happening until late, when she’s presented as being aware of such things in her career - but maybe the point was that it can happen to men too? The supportive BFFs won my heart in their scenes - wish I had friends like that. Plus we’ll throw in some quirkiness with Ana and her friends and acceptance of everyone being a little bit unique. I loathed Melvin - so well done by the author there. Honestly, this book would make an adorable movie.

This romance explores gender discrimination in the workplace, and for that, I can appreciate the story the author was trying to tell. I personally was unable to really get invested in the plot or relationship between the two main characters. My primary issue was the writing style. The dialogue was questionable at times and the text as a whole just didn’t flow very well. Perhaps this book might work for someone else, but I couldn’t get myself to finish it.

Thank you to Netgalley, Casablanca books, and Anastasia Ryan for this gem of a novel/ARC!

I haven’t read a romance in a while and this has brought me right back to why I love changing my genre readings around!

This gem of a feminist novel is a must add to your TBR this year! Join Indiana/Ana as she fights her way through a male dominated workplace and earns her rightful spot. Along the way, she also finds a true love and works through conflicts with that as well.

This book is full of friends, work, love, and societal norms and breaking boundaries.

Need a quick but insightful romance? This is your book! It won’t let you down!

RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
SPICE: 0️⃣

This book was a departure from my usual romance genre reads, but I found myself enjoying parts of it! After reading it, I definitely wanted to burn down the patriarchy, so I guess there’s that. 🤣 This bit of women’s fiction has some hilarious moments and definitely feels relatable to what a lot of women experience in the workplace!

TROPES ⬇️
✨ Workplace Comedy
✨ Mistaken Identity
✨ Strong Friendships

Indiana Aaron has a problem at work! Mostly it’s that she’s a female on a male dominated company and she likes to speak her mind! Then when she gets transferred to a remote job, one little case of mistaken identity changes how she is viewed! Now she’s in the boys club and desperately trying to succeed!

This book was fast paced and easy to read. It had some funny moments and didn’t take itself too seriously, but I felt like some pieces of it were just a little too stereotypical and two-dimension. Indiana is likable up to a certain point, but then she kind of trips over the line of being preachy. I still enjoyed her, but I could see how her mouth got her in trouble.

One bone I have to pick is that this was labeled as a rom-com and while there is the smallest of romance subplots (and Shane is adorable) it just doesn’t tick those boxes for me! If it’s a rom-com, I want the romance, but this was more of a workplace comedy!

The writing was great, I enjoyed the premise and the book was well paced. I also really enjoyed that it was about a female that’s trying to succeed in a male dominated industry. It just wasn’t the book for me. I think people who enjoy contemporary fiction and want to smash the patriarchy will enjoy this.

I did not finish this book. I had a very difficult time getting excited to pick it up. It seemed a bit over-the-top and obvious to me and the writing was very simplistic. I could just could not get on board with it.

NOT BAD FOR A GIRL – Anastasia Ryan
Sourcebooks Casablanca
ISBN: 978-1728253381
January 30, 2024
Contemporary Fiction

Denver, Colorado – Present Day

Indiana "Ana" Aaron works as a coder and IT specialist but because she is a woman, she is a bit of an outlier. Some men at her job don’t respect her, and it doesn’t help that she’s short. After she is assigned to a new virtual group, she wonders how much longer she will have a job. The Zoom group is unable to turn their video cameras or mics on due to some issues, so it appears that her new co-workers think Indiana is a male. After sending her supervisor some corrections, he addresses her in an email as “he.” And he’s now listening to her. Why not continue to let him think Indiana is a male and see how far she can go to prove that women can work in the business too?

Ana’s ruse soon becomes an elaborate plan after her supervisor wants to meet Indiana. She has met the man in person at the office and he’s a sexist jerk. So, to pull off her scheme, he can’t meet Indiana. With the help of friends at work, she is able to avoid him running into Indiana. However, a fellow employee, Shane, soon figures out that Ana is short for Indiana. She doesn’t bother to deny it and it appears Shane will let her continue the deception. As Ana and Shane grow closer outside the work environment, the more she likes him. But will her scheme cost them their relationship? How long before everyone learns who Indiana really is? How will her employer react?

NOT BAD FOR A GIRL pinpoint how females are considered lesser beings in fields dominated by men. When Ana meets her supervisor in person at the beginning of a staff meeting in the office, he arrogantly mistakes her for someone who is taking coffee orders. Even other men—her coworkers! —do the same. It’s no wonder that she wants to continue to prove that women are as smart as men and can work in coding and web development. This tale will have readers rooting for Ana to be successful, though she is in serious danger of being found out at times…and losing her job.

While there is a little romance going on with Shane, the majority of NOT BAD FOR A GIRL is about Ana’s quest to prove the worth of females. Her friends help provide some comic relief and are too numerous to mention. By the end of this tale, we will be holding our breaths as Ana’s scheme begins to unravel, especially when her supervisor turns out to be a snake. But the message of NOT BAD FOR A GIRL is that you can do whatever you want to achieve your goals. Don’t miss the fun in this intriguing tale. You will laugh and you will cry.

Patti Fischer
Romance Reviews Today

If Taylor Swift's "The Man" was theme song of a book, Anastasia Ryan's Not Bad For a Girl would be that book. This workplace comedy with just the hint of romance was a hilarious and extremely relatable read. The author played with sarcasm and wit beautifully to deliver some harsh reality.

Indiana is a talented coder but her efforts and accomplishments are grossly ignored by her boss because...she is a woman! After her outburst at a meeting, she is transferred to a team that works remotely and is performing poorly. By a miscommunicated email, her new team leader assumes she is a HE and she is suddenly taken seriously. One thing piles up after another and the mistake grows into something complex but she will not stop till she claims the credit she deserves..as the real Indiana.

Indiana is made of parts any woman will recognize. Doesn't matter if you are working or not, if you are short or has a good height..this story showcases how the so called progressive society still undermines women and discriminate against them. And it's shown in a hilarious and entertaining way. You would be laughing loudly at the disastrous accidents but the irony won't be lost on you. Every reader will see a piece of herself in Indiana. She is sassy and out spoken and talented. She hates confrontation but she hates unfairness even more. I clapped along the way as she slowly exposed the manipulative and condescending boss and slowly showed everyone that she is the one who has been doing the hard work and innovations. She had help of her best friends and an unlikely group of helpers from her new team. Shane was one of them. The romance isn't the centerpiece here but it's awesome that she found love with a man who respects her and appreciates her. May be, in real life, things don't always end so well and changes don't come but this story gives you hope and courage and inspiration. So , next time, someone mansplains you and tries to put you down, pull an Indiana!

I reviewed an early copy voluntarily

ARC/ALC REVIEW

My Star Rating: 4/5 ⭐
My Spice Rating: 1/5 🌶️

What you’ll find:
💗FMC working in STEM
💗Workplace Comedy
💗Witty Banter
💗Mistaken Identity
💗Strong FMC
💗Lots of Laughs

Not Bad for a Girl is a women’s fiction book with mild romance that is packed with memorable characters. Indiana “Ana” Aaron is a small but mighty, talented coder who has been passed over for a promotion in favor of a male with less experience. After standing up for herself and speaking the truth, she is subsequently transferred to a remote team out of the New York office. Her new boss is known to be incompetent and lacks respect for others. Her new team has not seen her, thus they are unaware of her gender. As she has an indistinguishable name (gender-wise), and she does not turn on her camera during Zoom calls, her new boss assumes she is a man. Ana doesn’t correct him and starts to realize how differently she is treated by her boss and team. This is even more evident when a potential promotion is announced in connection with landing a large sports client. The story follows Ana as she struggles with maintaining her secret and deciding when/if to reveal her true identity. Alexa play "The Man" by Taylor Swift 😂

This story is very entertaining. I love Ana and she is very relatable. The secondary characters are hilarious. Their outrageous antics had me laughing out loud. Ana's friends did a lot of silly things to help Ana continue to keep the secret of her true identity and keep everyone thinking she was a man. I was rooting for Ana’s success while hoping the terrible boss got what he deserved. I did want more romance, but her possible love connection took a back seat to the craziness happening at work. This choice made sense though!

At 5% into reading/listening, I was already starting to identify with Ana. There were many moments of me nodding in agreement with Ana. The author does not shy away from important topics (pay inequality, women not having a voice in the workplace, etc.) and the story has an overall great message.

This is my first book by Anastasia Ryan. I love her writing style and will certainly be reading everything else she publishes.

Audiobook:
The narrator did a fantastic job. I enjoyed listening and reading in tandem. Ana was portrayed well and I was highly entertained.

Thank you Anastasia Ryan, Sourcebooks Casablanca, Dreamscape Media, and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader/listener copy of this book/audio in exchange for my honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I loved Indiana!

Indiana "Ana" Aaron loved her job working in IT but she had a hard time with the people talking down to her as a woman in technology. Ana ended up being transferred to a remote based team for a last chance after embarrassing her managing director. Things changed when her new boss assumed she was male during a meeting but she has a hard time setting every one straight especially when there was an in person meeting for the entire team. But her friends help her deal with her boss especially Shane Dalton from New York who helped her to show everyone that she was more than just Indiana.

I loved Indiana and her take no prisoners about life.

Not Bad for a Girl is women’s fiction that breaks down the idea that technology is a men’s club.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from the author and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Indiana “Ana” finds herself in a conundrum with her technology based employer when her boss mistakenly thinks her a male. This novel had me chuckling and smiling so often! I enjoyed the phenomenal character development of the main female character and her workplace sidekicks. I really enjoyed the STEM plot setting and the way the author cleverly tackled the misconceptions of females in a male dominated workplace while sneaking in some romantic comedy.