ALC Review
Not Bad for a Girl by Anastasia Ryan narrated by Jesse Vilinsky

Thank you NetGalley & Dreamscape Media for the ALC.

Woman in STEM
4/5

Not Bad for a Girl follows Indiana Aaron as she navigates the male dominated field of coding and IT. She is outspoken and of course her bosses don’t like that. She speaks out in a meeting and is promptly reassigned to a remote team. Her new boss mistakes her for a man because of the name and the story takes off from there. The lie keeps growing to unbelievable heights and yet the boss is none the wiser. This was hilarious and I loved that her friends had her back. The relationships between friends was really special. The relationship with her Dad was amazing. The romantic element was pretty minimal, although I didn’t mind too much. The shenanigans that ensued were really great. I loved the resolution to the mix-up and the fun things that happened in Vegas. This touched on a lot of misogyny and male privilege and really highlighted what it means to be a woman in a male dominated field, but also any field really. Ana’s struggles are not unique unfortunately. Overall, a great read! Jesse Vilinsky was great as narrator!

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!

Not Bad For a Girl is a fun take on a serious topic. Watching Ana navigate gendered workplace politics, first as the woman she is, then when she’s mistaken for a man (thanks to a zoom assist), is both frustrating and delightful in equal measure. I appreciated that Ryan decided to tackle this still-relevant issue, and that she did so without rendering the story too heavy, injecting plenty of humor and even a touch of romance along the way.

Jesse Vilinsky did an excellent job narrating the audiobook.

Thank you Anastasia Ryan, Dreamscape Media, and NetGalley for providing this ALC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.

I loved this book! Anastasia Ryan does a great job covering important details about women in the workforce and adding funny banter to go along with it! The main character Indiana is so loveable and you root for her throughout the entire book! I loved her relationship with her dad, her friends, and her neighbors! I feel like so many women can relate to this book and the issues that go on in the workplace.

#workplaceromance #womenintheworkforce #workingwoman #banter #coding #womencoders #workfromhome

Love me some Indiana and she surely had some great ride-or-die friends. It was true to the mark of women in the tech (or any) industry. I could feel her pain and was SO proud she stood up for herself. The team dynamics, the LOTR references and just the story as a whole was a winner. Highly recommend!

Indiana “Ana” Aaron is a coder who is passed up for a promotion which is given to her less qualified male colleague. When she speaks up she gets transferred to a remote team where she is mistaken for a man. After she doesn’t correct her new boss, her friends and coworkers help her by basically making make Indiana an action hero. Ana then needs to fix things to save her and her new team’s jobs.

Ana was a great character. She speaks up for herself although she needs to learn to filter what she says. Her friends were such fun characters, and I loved all the lies they made up to keep her new boss from meeting Mr. Indiana Aaron. This book was cleverly written and had me laughing all throughout.

The romance with Shane was sweet, and I really liked his character. This book was much more than a romance though. It’s a feminist take on the workplace and how gender roles affect how coworkers and managers think of us. Ryan did a nice job of incorporating the romcom with the serious topics and gave her readers a smart and sassy romance.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Jesse Vilinsky, and I thought she did a great job bringing this story to life. She voiced Ana so well and was able to give us all of the emotions she was feeling. I highly recommend listening to this one.

Thank you Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for an ALC. All opinions are my own.

Not Bad For a Girl
By Anastasia Ryan
Narrator Jesse Vilinsky

This was such a fun read and had me giggling throughout the book. The main character is a girl after my own heart and relatable. And I want her friends to be my friends. Such a great group of characters.
Also, the narrator did a great job.

#Notbadforagril #netgalley

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

The audiobook was not my favorite. The narrator had an extremely screachy voice and at times it hurt my ears so I found myself going between the book and the audiobook.

Thank you to Netgalley, Anastasia Ryan and Dreamscape Media for an ALC

Thank you @netgalley @sourcebooks for this ARC!

I read NOT BAD FOR A GIRL by Anastasia Ryan

We follow Indiana "Ana" Aaron, a talented coder who works in the IT industry. Unfortunately, we soon realise - and see! - that it's not easy being a woman in this male-dominated world. Gifted and with her tongue firmly in her cheek, she is incredulous when the promotion she covets and deserves is awarded to a young colleague who has just started out. Before you know it, she's relegated to the New York office, where no-one wants to go.

Not one to give up, she sees this as an opportunity to start 'from scratch' by proving herself to her new team. But when an email addressed to Mr Indiana Aaron is sent to her, everything changes: now everyone thinks she's a man... and finally recognises her abilities! Working from home is good, except when things escalate too quickly.

With the help of her friends and former colleagues, she pretends to be the famous Mr Aaron, whom everyone adores. From very masculine hockey games to rescuing pregnant women and emergency plane landings, he's capable of anything. But when one of his colleagues, the handsome Shane, discovers the deception, it could well be the end of his career...

This little rom-com was easy to read, attractive and rather funny. Unfortunately, I didn't find myself in this love story, which didn't move at the pace I'd expected. I found that Indiana, although sympathetic, found herself in increasingly crazy situations. Although she could have put an end to it at any time, she chose to continue lying to her team even though it was putting her under crazy pressure!
Otherwise, the themes of patriarchy, career development in a man's world, and more generally the recognition of women's skills were well addressed. I would have liked to see more romance and attempts at rapprochement.
If you like wacky stories with misunderstandings and misunderstandings, colourful and funny characters, this might be for you!
.

Gah, this book has so much misogyny. I have SO much empathy for Ana. The working environment in this novel would have me teetering on the edge…I would likely have made much MUCH worse choices.

Super cute women’s fiction, not strictly a romance. It felt like an early 2000’s romcom but the romance was off balanced by the hilarious work drama. As a result of the low romance it’s a no heat book with a single POV. The narration was great.

Whole book was really funny but the last few chapters had me cackling. I’ll 100% read more books by this author.

Very cute romcom had me in constant giggles. Strong FMC, loved all the shenanigans she got herself into. Loved the narrator, had a very enthusiastic voice and entertaining to listen to.

Not Bad for a Girl
Anastasia Ryan
Pub Day: 1/30/24
4.5⭐️


Indiana "Ana" Aaron is a talented coder and IT specialist, but she doesn't always fit in at work. When she speaks up one too many times for her boss's ego, she's transferred to a remote team―and it's clear this is her last chance to blend in. Ana sees working from home as a chance at redemption; she can keep her head down and her camera off.

I’m always a little nervous to read a “friend’s” book because of that fear of “what if I don’t like it”. NO fear here. I loved it! I laughed, I rolled my eyes more times than I can count (f’n patriarchy), and I laughed some more. I literally couldn’t stop listening. This book had it all and Ryan’s writing, pacing, and character development was fantastic. Though there is a super cute romance it takes the back stage. The story at its heart is an about finding your way as a woman in a male dominated field but done so with a humorous spin that was so much fun read. I haven’t read Anastasia’s first book, but now I can’t wait to go back and read it.

It was stated that if you took Taylor Swift’s song The Man and turned it into a book, you’d have Not Bad for a Girl, and it’s 💯 true.

What I loved;
🩷 Mistaken Identity
🩷 Strong Females
🩷 LOL Banter
🩷 STEMinist
🩷 Workplace Comedy

If you have the opportunity to listen to the audio, I would highly recommend. Jesse Vilinsky’s narration was spot on. It’s hard to explain but the voice inflections (squeaks for lack of better word) she had during moments of exasperation had me absolutely rolling!

A HUGE thank you to Anastasia Ryan for the opportunity to be an early listener I am so excited for Not Bad for a Girl to be out in the world!

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 enjoyed this book so much! The narrators did a fantastic job, and the story was great.
This book had me in tears with laughter. The antics that Indiana gets into with her friends to keep up their rouse are hysterical. Not only was this book funny, It touched upon really important topics when it comes to women in the workplace. There is a distinct difference in how men vs. women are treated in the working world, and I think Ryan did a great job at putting those differences down on the page.
The romance was also so sweet, but it was not the entire point of the novel. I think this was very well done, and I will be recommending it to friends!

This was such a good read/listen. I loved the characters and the storyline. It was so unique! I loved the mentions of Mario and animal crossing. Will read more by this author!

I would not call this a romance. I am not really sure what I was expecting because I am a cover reader. The cover looked very good so that’s why I picked it up. The cover to me screamed workplace romance, secret relationship, the works. I got none of that. Yes Ana and Shane were “in a relationship” but that was maybe 10 percent of the plot.
Addressing the women in the workplace issue was nice to see but I felt like I was reading a boring episode of the office. I wanted more. So much more.

It was alright.

Nothing particularly special about the book but it also wasn’t bad.

I just didn’t seem to really connect to the characters or to the story much.

Indiana is working in a man's world; working in the tech industry as a coder.

But when her honesty in speaking the truth leads her to land in trouble, it isn't long before there are misconceptions and people thinking she is a guy sounds like the safer option.

But soon things will get out of hand, and she can't keep up with the lifestyle of her alter self.

I loved this novel. There were so many times I laughed out loud. Ryan gives us a fantastic main character who is strong and outspoken. But this novel wouldn't be what it is without the side characters, who were more than unhelpful in trying to help Indiana, but who always had the best intentions.

This is a hilarious romcom with fantastic characters and a narrative to tell you to always fight your corner.

I received an audiobook copy of this for my honest review

This is a perfect story to continue the year of Barbie! It showcases systemic sexism in the workplace in a lighthearted but still serious way. Our FMC is outspoken, and because of that, when she questions the boss she is moved from her team to a remote team that has been struggling. When her new boss sends out something with an error, she can't help herself but to correct him, but is shocked with his reply. Instead of telling her off, he compliments the find and thanks HIM. It's bound to happen with a name like Indiana and having never been on screen. This sets into motion a chain of events with her coworkers trying to cover for her, while she proves her work is valuable, and keeps her boss believing that she is a man. There are hiccups and stories of grandeur along the way - but will she be able to share who she really is? Should she have to hide in order to keep her job?

Thank you so much to @byanastasiaryan @sourcebookscasa @dreamscape_media & @netgalley for the ARC/ALC!

🎀 𝙈𝙮 𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 🎀
This refreshing, workplace story will have you laughing out loud as Indiana “Ana” Aaron navigates the daily obstacles of being a girl in the male dominated field of IT and coding.

Ana gets transferred to a remote team after voicing her opinion one too many times to her boss. Ana feels this is her chance to blend in and leave her camera off, but she can’t help to speak up to her new boss, who praises her as “Mr. Aaron” to her new team. One hilarious moment to the next, this misconception of Ana’s identity grows bigger and bigger. One bonus though - her mysogynstic boss keeps praising her and giving her the opportunity she craves.

This book literally had me laughing out loud. It’s so very relatable, especially if you have worked as a female in a male dominated workforce. (Insert me exactly here - background working in IT with mostly males)! I’m so glad I haven’t been told to get people’s coffee orders like Ana is told, but the daily biases are there. One quote stood out to me as I read:

“You know, if I were a guy, I wouldn’t be bossy. I’d be assertive.”

If you are a woman, being assertive and going after what you want isn’t always looked upon positively, whereas it is a much more positive thing as a male. Women have to work twice as hard to get the same respect a man does, and this book shows us that in a humorous, relatable way.

Also shown, are the fun relationships. Ana and her dad are adorable. Ana has a love interest that is super sweet, and she has some hilarious friends too. This book is full of everything and I highly recommend it!

🎧 𝙉𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 🎧
Jesse Vilinsky has the perfect voice for narrating Ana! Ana came alive in this audiobook through Vilinsky’s intonation, emotion, and sarcastic tone. I could speed up narration easily and still understand the story.

🎧 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚:
🩷 Strong, Outspoken Females
🩷 Laugh Out Loud
🩷 Gender Discrimination
🩷 Mistaken Identity
🩷 Workplace Fiction