Magnificent setting and time period! I got lost in the pages of this story. It was interesting and enjoyable to see how the main character came to life and self-realization throughout the book. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

A fun read, though I discovered fairly early that this is not a subject I can either identify with nor have any interest in! So not for me, but if you are interested in fashion and wacky characters, this will probably work for you.

Shopgirls by Jessica Anya Blau

Mariner Books
Pub Date: 5-6-25

Thank you @netgalley, @marinerbooks, and @jessicaanyablau for this eARC.

“The only thing you should do is dictate your own life. You be the chooser for where you go or what you do or who gets the money you earn.”

"It had never before occurred to me that I was not the chooser in my life but, obviously, that was so."

I loved going back to the 80s with Zippy. At 19, she’s navigating life with her roommate Raquel and a group of women working with her at I. Magnin, a high-end department store in San Francisco.

While most of the story takes place at the store, we also get glimpses of Zippy and Raquel out on the town, as well as Zippy’s first visit to see her birth father—a moment that brings more surprises than she expects.

With references to Jessica McClintock, Wham, and Whitney Houston I was transported back in time - and I learned that you can manifest your dreams by writing them in a Day-Timer!

This book is an absolute disappointment! I lived in San Francisco in the '80s. I had friends who worked at I. Magnin. This book does nothing to capture the vibrancy of the city or the store at that particular period of time. There was a zeitgeist happening in the city and in fashion in the '80s and you would NEVER know it by reading this book (about San Francisco and fashion). Too, if you are going to write an homage to the past make it come alive (and do deep research, which doesn't exist on these pages). This book is as dead as SF's Union Square in the post-pandemic era.

In the world of 1980s fashion, I Magnin is king, which is why nineteen year old Zippy is so excited to work there. Zippy loves her job and as the youngest saleswoman employed, she is eager to learn all about life from her coworkers and her roommate Rachel, a successful attorney.

Zippy comes across as an innocent, naive young woman that seems very interested in learning the ways of the world. She takes advice from everyone and writes it down as if it is fact, keeping everything organized in her Day Timer planner. Sometimes her gullibility is frustrating, and I found myself wanting to yell at her, but she is certainly a believable character that really only wants to be good and has and a desire to always help others.

I found this sweet gem of a book an absolutely engaging and delightful. The eighties setting is alive and thriving on every page and the characters are quirky and fun. This story of one young woman’s life is lovely little coming of age story that you won’t want to miss. Five stars.

I received this advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and feedback.

Pull out your power dresses, ladies ... Jessica Anya Blau is taking us back to the 80s! The 1970's-centric Mary Jane author returns with another nostalgic story, this time revolving around the 1985 San Francisco shopping scene. Anyone dreaming of the mall's heyday and simpler times needs to pick up Shopgirls!

Shopgirls follows narrator Zippy - yes, that's her real name - as she suffers from imposter syndrome on the set of her job as a Petite Dresses salesgirl at the high-end San Francisco department store, I. Magnin. Zippy loves her job and has a knack for finding the right dress for every woman, but she can't help but compare herself to the other salesgirls, and even the affluent ladies who shop I. Magnin's racks. Zippy was the product of a one-night-stand, and grew up with a single mother who could only ever dream of donning one of the dresses that I. Magnin carries, and now here Zippy is selling them to fashionable ladies nothing like herself.

Rotating the same three outfits and trying not to step on any toes, all while not showing too much of her humble roots, Zippy still somehow manages to outsell all of the other girls at I. Magnin. Does Zippy dare to fancifully dream of a more comfortable and elegant life than the one she has always known? Equipped with the knowledge and advice of her worldly coworkers and her fun and fashionable roommate Raquel, Zippy feels like she's finally getting a grip on her life. That is, until she is delivered two blows that will either make or break her. Just how she handles these surprises may just set the course of her life, in one way or another ...

Jessica Anya Blau writes with heart, creating endearing narrators that you can't forget! Her stories are fairly simple without overcomplicated plots, and feature a colorful cast of characters that make her period pieces vibrant and nostalgic. Shopgirls is no exception. Having grown-up in shopping malls and department stores before everyone transitioned over to online shopping, I was so excited to read a career-focused novel about a young woman making a living by way of 1980's consumerism. I didn't know before heading into this book that I. Magnin was an actual luxury department store, and discovering that this novel was rooted in reality made it all the more enthralling.

I fell in love with main character Zippy right away, and wanted to see her prevail through all of the trials and tribulations. I found her work as a salesgirl fascinating, and was impressed time and time again by her ability to not only make herself of service to the elegant I. Magnin shoppers, but to do it with poise, grace, and efficiency. The parts of this story set at I. Magnin are where this novel shines, and I just loved enveloping myself in the luxe vibes this book gives off.

Some parts of Zippy's life outside of I. Magnin, were unfortunately not as enthralling, despite being a necessary and important part of the book. Primarily Zippy's relationship with her roommate Raquel, who I found to be written as quite immature and flighty for a professional woman in her late 20s. She felt more like a caricature than a real person, and I just couldn't get behind her and her offbeat personality. It was difficult to imagine Raquel and Zippy living together, much less being friends, which took away from the authenticity of this book.

However, I quite enjoyed Zippy's coworkers, and loved the ardor and atmosphere that they added to the I. Magnin scene. This is most certainly a book of found family, as much as it is about a young woman finding her way (and people) amidst a rapidly changing world. Recommended to readers who love a book with a plucky narrator and nostalgic vibes!

Wow - this was a really fun read! I thought it was really well written and had a nice arc throughout the story. I will definitely be recommending this to my patrons. The only negative is the cover! It does not reflect the fun 1980s San Francisco vibes of the story to me.

A charming coming of age story during the 80’s in San Francisco. Zippy gets her dream job working as a
salesgirl at I. Magnin in the dress dept., with all it’s entitled shoppers and “saleswomen for life” coworkers.
This is a charming book about found family, making compromises and ambition. A lovely book.

Shopgirls is a vibrant and sharp look at the coming-of-age story we didn’t know we needed. It’s a mix of glamour, grit, and hilarious missteps as Zippy learns from her fellow salesgirls and the colorful characters around her, all while trying to reinvent herself in a world that’s far from perfect. What I loved most was the blend of humor and depth, the absurdities of 80s fashion and beauty standards paired with a poignant exploration of self-discovery and friendship. Zippy’s evolution from a naïve girl to someone finding her place in the world, with all the twists and messiness along the way, makes for an engaging and heartfelt read. It’s funny, raw, and ultimately a love letter to those found family moments we all need.