Tag: sexual harassment

REVIEW: Undercover Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams

REVIEW: Undercover Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Berkley Publishing in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Liv (sister of Thea in The Bromance Book Club – ♥♥♥♥♥) is a pastry chef at the high end Savoy. She’s responsible for many of their special treats including a $1000 gold-infused cupcake called the Sultan.

Braden Mack is at the Savoy for a date with the first woman he’s wanted to have stick around, maybe ever. But nothing at this date is going quite right. He’s hoping the Sultan will help.

When Mack recognizes Liv things start to go sideways. Her boss, Royce, is fuming because Liv is getting the attention he feels he should always have from customers. Then, when Mack insists on a selfie with Liv and the cupcake, the dessert ends up in his date’s lap. Liv knows Royce won’t let this go. Surely she’s going to be fired.

But when Liv shows up for the dressing down she’s expecting, Royce is in the office with the restaurant’s young hostess. And what Liv hears through the door is NOT right! She storms in, rescuing the girl and incurring even more of her boss’ wrath. She’s fired and blackballed. The hostess refuses to report their boss. And Liv is stunned that Royce is going to get away with this behavior. How many times has he done this before?

Mack becomes an unexpected partner in Liv’s plan to take Royce down. She has no interest in the cocky playboy except to give the Savoy hostess a job if Liv can convince her to leave. But the feelings between Liv and Mack might hold more warmth than either of them expect for such an antagonistic relationship.

Review

This was even better than the first book! I loved Mack and Liv together. And this story was SO funny! The banter between Mack and Liv alone was hilarious. But there were so many other terrific, funny moments. Between the humor and the romance, I was a happy reader. But add to that the we’re-not-going-to-take-it-anymore vibe, and I was in reading heaven.

One of my favorite things about this series is the men’s book group. It’s an unusual feature in contemporary romance, and I love it. Not only do they have a fascinating perspective on the romance novels they read, but the way they show up for each other is excellent. In this particular book, they show up for the plot – for the Royce take down plans – but they also show up for Mack emotionally. That scene is one of my favorites in the whole series. And the explanation of the title was brilliant. I loved all of it!

Fans of contemporary romance – Well Met (♥♥♥♥♥),  Love on Lexington Avenue, The Bookish Life of Nina Hill – should not miss this series! If you haven’t read the first book yet, run right out and get both of these and clear your reading schedule. And while you are at it, pre-order Crazy Stupid Bromance (releasing in October) because you aren’t going to want to miss a moment with these characters. (Language, sex, possible triggers for abuse and harassment)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

BONUS REVIEW: Maybe He Just Likes You by Barbara Dee

BONUS REVIEW: Maybe He Just Likes You by Barbara Dee

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Aladdin in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Mila is in 7th grade. She loves playing trumpet in the band. She has three best friends. And she’s getting some weird vibes from “the basketball boys.”

First, they’re weird about her fuzzy green sweater. She wears it a lot because it fits. Some of her shirts have gotten small and tight but her mom doesn’t have money for shopping. The boys keep trying to hug Mila when she wears the sweater, or they try to touch it, saying it’s “for luck.”

They crowd her. On the bus, one of them sits with her, bumping into her or leaving her only enough space to squeeze by. They move closer to her in class, touch her when she doesn’t want to be touched. And when she tries to speak up, they say she’s overreacting or can’t take a joke. Her friends fade away instead of back her up.

Each incident taken alone seems small and insignificant. But all of them, day after day, leave Mila feeling gross – like her skin is crawling – and dreading what might happen next.

Review

This was an emotional read for me. The beginning made me feel squirmy. Mila felt trapped and alone. She knew things felt wrong, but enough voices said she was overreacting that she second guessed herself. She had no language for what was happening to her. She felt the perpetrators would have more support from teachers and the administration. The stress of it all for Mila made my stomach churn.

I loved that martial arts was a factor in Mila’s solution – and not through fighting but in finding her voice! Middle school is so hard. Kids are testing identities and negotiating relationships and pushing boundaries. The confidence Mila gains through martial arts was a great piece to the story’s resolution.

Once Mila started sharing her story, I teared up through the whole rest of the book. Her bravery was inspiring. The adults took her seriously and took action. And the action seemed appropriate. (Although, if Mila was my daughter, I would have wanted a stronger response – I would have liked more on how the boys’ parents responded, too, but that’s an adult’s perspective.)

This is an important book for middle grade readers, especially upper elementary students and middle school students. It gives language to kids for this very specific and nuanced kind of bullying and harassment. It would be an excellent conversation starter at school AND at home. Do not miss this one! I feel like our kids will be better off having read this.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: Moxie by Jennifer Mathieu

REVIEW: Moxie by Jennifer Mathieu

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Vivian is a junior at a small high school in Texas. The football team is the pride and joy of the town, whether they are winning or losing. The whole town shuts down for games so absolutely anyone and everyone can go.

The team is the pride of the school as well. Money is funneled to the football program while other areas – girls soccer, textbooks, the science lab – are making due with decades-old material and supplies. And the football players themselves are untouchable.

Vivian has watched these things play out for years. The boys on the football team make derogatory comments to girls or make sexual references, and they never get called out by a teacher. In fact, the principal’s son is one of the worst offenders – but his daddy protects him at every turn.

Vivian is starting to take notice of her mom’s old feminist zines and music. And she’s tired of watching the injustices around her. She doesn’t want to just duck her head and endure the harassment anymore. If she could dare to show a little “moxie” at school, would anyone else step up and push back, too?

Review

This was exceptionally good. And also completely infuriating. The injustices going on in the story made my blood boil. And Viv’s reaction was realistic. She wanted to speak up, to fight back. But she also wanted to spare herself and her family any trouble. She felt helpless to stop a culture of misogyny that had been around for ages. The system was set up against the girls. What power does one 16-year-old girl have in such a situation?

Part of the power of the story was the message of what can be accomplished when enough people decide to be brave. Viv took the first (anonymous) step. But Moxie wasn’t just her thing. It became a counter-culture, little by little. It let students feel like they weren’t alone.

One of my favorite parts of the book was Viv’s clueless, well-intentioned  boyfriend. He’s a great guy who sees and recognizes the big issues, but some of the more subtle pieces he misses. He’s been indoctrinated in some ways – we all have. And that is explored in the novel, too.

This is an important and timely story for teens – and adults – regardless of gender. These issues need to be seen and discussed so we can make things better for those who come behind us. I highly recommend this novel. It’s one my whole family will be reading and discussing this summer.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥