In the midst of all the political discord from the 2016 election Charlotte Walsh decides to leave her high-powered job in Silicon Valley and return home to a mill town in Pennsylvania to run for Senate. The book, while fiction, definitely sheds light on how political campaigns seem to run nowadays and all of the lying and scheming that goes along with it. This book was entertaining but the cliffhanger left me annoyed. (I get that it wasn’t really important to the story, but still!)

I really enjoyed getting to know Charlotte Walsh. I cheered for her as she ran for Senate and had the repeated trials and tribulations of being a women running for office. What was expected of her was not expected of her male counterpoints and Charlotte handled it with grace and dignity. I thought there were plenty of comical moments, well drawn characters, and statements that made me think. This is a timely story put together in a very accessible narrative

This was a good story - very pertinent to what the political climate is these days. The author does such a great job in portraying the main characters of her story in a way that makes me feel like I truly know them. They are real and raw and I often found myself thinking about them as I would a person I actually knew. While the topic of politics is often a drag, the author threw in some humor and some lightness that made it easy to read. I have already recommended this to a few friends!

Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win is the story of a women running for office and the way it can impact and dramatically change your life and relationships. I really wanted to like this book, especially since I am such a huge politics junkie- however I just could not connect with Charlotte. And the ending just was so unsatisfying. I am not sure if there is a sequel that will address the rest of the story.

This was such a unique story and I love the important messages throughout. I love how Charlotte is portraying a strong woman in politics which isn’t always in books. It’s an interesting, funny and great story to read. Would recommend.

A timely novel about the difficulties of running for office as a woman. I love Jo Piazza's work. She consistently turns out smart, engaging novels that feature capable, ambitious women. This novel tackles marriage, politics, and family, highlighting what it means to be a woman who wants it all. Piazza's razor sharp humor and observant eye make this a fun ride..

Meh. Not the best I’ve read from this author. I was expecting some really good stuff here. Unfortunately it failed.

What happens to a woman that wants it all? That's what sold me. I want to read about strong female leads and then get lost in the character. Charlotte Walsh is all that. What does it take for a woman to run for office and have it all?

I was hoping to like this book but I found it boring and a little too political for me. I have heard such high praise but it just wasn't for me.

This was such a thought-provoking, timely read! The heroine decides to leave her Silicon Valley job to run her for public office, and it is so frustrating to read about the things she has to deal with along the way. I didn't particularly like any of the characters, but that didn't really bother me. The sexism, double standards, and general shadiness made me want to rage at the world. And even though Charlotte frustrated me, I was still rooting for her! I'm so glad that I read Piazza's story, even though I'm generally not a fan of politics, and I really appreciated the ending. It was a bold move, but it made perfect sense. I So Liked It.

I recommend this book in a post on my blog called "17 books everyone will be talking about this summer." Jo and I are friends, we're collaborating on a partnership for further promotion!

Engaging writing, excellent premise, and interesting characters. SUPER frustrating ending, but the more I thought about it, the more appropriate it was for the story. Excellent book!

Being a mom is hard. Being a working mom is hard. Being a working mom in politics running for office sounds like a complete nightmare. Not only does Charlotte Walsh have to deal with the craziness that surrounds politics, but she also has to navigate her own personal life issues and indiscretions under public scrutiny as we follow her story in <I>Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win</I>.

Running for US Senate is the major theme of this book. However, the point of whether she wins or loses isn't the main focus. The focus is how a female is treated in the modern world and how she deals with it. Politics are brutal, especially when you are smack dab in the middle of a senate race. Can Charlotte really win this race and keep her marriage and home life in tact?

The subtitle of <I>Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win</I> should be "but at what expense?".

Awesome book detailing the ups and downs for running for office and the professional/personal toll that has on a person. I loved hearing Charlotte's story!

Is there a more timely fiction plot than an infuriated woman returning to her hometown to run for Senate against an old, white man who has held the job, nearly unchallenged for decades? In the days before the IRL midterm elections I'd say the answer is no. I'm so glad I made time for this book since Piazza has such a talent for writing relatable characters and throwing in current events to enhance an addicting storyline.

Charlotte Walsh is successful. During her campaign she will literally pen an article defining "having it all" since, she does. She and her husband, Max, both work for a booming tech company in Silicon Valley, and she is an executive, one of Max's bosses. She's written a book about how she's implemented strategies and contingencies to keep more women in the company by covering costs of family planning, but she's taking a sabbatical to move her family of 5 across the country back to Elk Hollow, PA (where the couple grew up), so she can throw her hat in the ring against the woman-hating walking stereotype Senator Tug Slaughter (R).

There is no shortage of obstacles thrown at her, including Slaughter's slimy tactics, and large bumps in her relationship with Max, as the poll number dip and rise over the course of a tumultuous year. Seems like Piazza did a great job capturing the weariness of a campaign a candidate truly believes in. It was a pleasure to read.

As a note, a copy of this novel was sent to me via NetGalley by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinions in any way.


Okay, okay--here we go: this was such a fun book and not at all what I was expecting! Although, I'm not sure what I was expecting to begin with. So, there's that. It's possible I picked this book because of its minimal but still cute cover, but we're not going to talk about that. Whatever it was that I had been expecting, was not what the book served me and at the end of the day I'm 100% okay with that.

I've only read one book of Jo Piazza's in the past and that was, of course, The Knockoff. Which was fun in its own right. I found Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win to be just a bit better and a lot smarter than The Knockoff but, ultimately, they are entirely different stories with entirely different meanings. Both are of the same vein and are quick, light reads to finish in one--or a few--sittings. Piazza takes a bit more of a political stance in her premise of Charlotte and I adored this quality.

In this day and age, it's always powerful to see women shaking up the political game. Fiction or not, I am here for it. It provides a nice and even, temporary, distraction from the present trashfire that is the U.S. government. Plus, you have to respect and appreciate the pure ambition of the characters in this book.

There's this underlying tone of honesty and frankness towards our own political climate in Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win, and that would definitely be my favourite part about the novel. It's in-your-face with its honesty and if honesty isn't what you like, then this book isn't for you. For me, it makes me wish our beloved narrator was real. She shows us a reminder that sexism is still highly prevalent in our modern world, but I think--at this point--it's fair to say that we don't need a reminder.

I thought that Piazza really nailed it with tone in this book and balanced everything quite evenly. There was a lot to it that I would have changed, or added, but that's more-or-less about personal preference, not a defining quality of the book. I'd still recommend it in a heartbeat because it's an escape, but it's also very true-to-life and that's essential to making a good novel with such a premise.

Overall, I enjoyed Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win much more than I expected. Fun, honest and to the point, you really can't miss--or go wrong--with Jo Piazza's latest release.

There is no better book to be reading this close to election season. It's a read that has me looking a little more closely at my local candidates and has helped me to find some empathy for how taxing an election can be. It's a great, quick read that fans of The West Wing or The Good Wife will devour.

I didn't expected this book to be so engaging! it's not the usual type of book I read, and I was expecting something ... maybe dumber, but this book it's not dumb at all. This is also a fast read, and a timely book.

Charlotte is smart, efficient and hard-working, but she's also flawed in very different ways. During the book you get to discover who she is and the struggles she faces (and usually most successful and driven women) in both her private and public life.

YAS JO PIAZZA! Damn this book is so timely and engrossing, I was instantly smitten. I love a badass female who works her ass off and isn't reduced to a cliche. Going along the campaign trail and all of the political games and drama that that entails was so interesting to read about. Clearly Piazza did her research and pulled from people's real world experiences. AND THAT ENDING, AHHHHHH!

I never thought a political focused book (even a fictional one) could be this enjoyable given the tumultuous political climate in the US right now. However, because I’ve enjoyed so much of Jo Piazza’s work, I had to check it out. Charlotte is a high powered Silicon Valley exec who gives it up and moves her family (with her now stay at home husband and three young daughters) to her hometown in Pennsylvania where she wants to run for Senate and make a difference! As the campaign heats up, Charlottes values and relationships are tested over and over again. This is definitely one to add to your list!