The Nobodies by Liza Palmer

Cover Art Courtesy of Goodreads

With each book I pick up, I am so terrified of breaking my 5 star streak, but I haven't been let down yet! As far as this one, a book hasn't spoken to me on this much of a personal level in a long time! The Nobodies by Liza Palmer is the perfect story of a thirty-life crisis, and as I am quickly approaching 30 myself (only a few months to go!), I really identified with the main character Joan and the subject of impostor syndrome.

Joan feels like her life is at a dead end. After being laid off from her job, having her writing dreams crushed, and having to move back in with her parents, she has no idea which way is up or how to get herself out of this hole. When she lands a job at tech start up Bloom as a junior copywriter, she resigns herself to the fact that her life as a true journalist is over. But then again, the perfect career-making story might just be right under her nose.

I just loved every single character in this book! I would absolutely want to be friends with Joan, Hani, Thornton, and Elise. The irony of the trendy tech startup was not lost on me. The romance element in the story was perfect, just the right amount, and added to the story in the best way. I really identified with Joan's career struggles, as I myself have been laid off from a job in the past, and took my next job for a paycheck rather than a calling. I loved all the realistic differences between millenials and gen z, and this book made me laugh on more than one occasion. 

I do think the ending was a little rushed, and I still had a some questions, but it wasn't bad enough for me to take off a star. I have no idea if there is a sequel planned for this, but if there was I would definitely read it!

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

A big thanks to Flatiron Books for an ARC of this read! The Nobodies by Liza Palmer is out September 10th, so be sure to pick up a copy!

Love at First Like by Hannah Orenstein

Cover Art Courtesy of Goodreads

I've been getting a lot more into chick lit lately and this book definitely fell into that category. Love at First Like by Hannah Orenstein follows Eliza, part owner of a small Brooklyn jewelry store. 

When Eliza sees that her ex boyfriend is engaged, she takes one of the rings from her store and drafts an Instagram engagement post of her own to make herself feel better...even though she is single as can be. When she accidentally posts the picture and her business starts reaping the marketing benefits it provides, Eliza finds herself stuck in a lie that she can't get out of. But maybe, if she meets the right guy, it will all end up working out...

The story absolutely spoke to the realities of the internet today. From online dating to the importance of Instagram likes, from internet scams to app creation, it really does have it all when it comes to addressing the digital age we live in. It really makes you wonder how many "influencers" are actually honest vs how many do or say whatever it takes to get free clothing, trips, etc. 

This book was definitely a fun read! It was pretty predictable, but that didn't take away from the story for me. I will say that I wasn't the biggest fan of Eliza and was appalled at some of her actions. I think she had some great friends in her life, even if she didn't always deserve them. I really liked Raj and Carmen as side characters, and appreciated that Eliza and her sister were entrepreneurs owning their own business. The story behind why Eliza wanted to work in jewelry was precious as well. This was a cute, light read that is perfect for poolside reading this summer!

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Thanks so much to Atria Books for an ARC of this read! Love at First Like by Hannah Orenstein is out Tuesday, August 6, so be sure to pick up a copy!