Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win is a timely story during this tough political climate. It kept me entertained and was a fun read.

Charlotte Walsh is running for a Senate seat in a district that could change the balance of power. Leaving her high powered job, she drags her husband and kids to her PA hometown and prepares for her campaign. Only, she wasn’t prepared for just how far her opponent will go to defeat her. Or how living in a glass house would affect her marriage, her career, and her family. When the opposition discovers a juicy piece of news that could destroy everything Charlotte holds dear, she will have to decide just how badly she wants to win.

Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win is an evocative look at today’s political arena from the eyes of one woman determined to conquer it. Rich in dark humor and savvy political insight, Piazzo’s writing is strong and compelling as she examines the many hats women wear in the workforce and the double standards that apply. Though the story follows Charlotte through her campaign, the focus is more on her personal life and the obstacles she faces trying to be what everyone wants. I love how Piazza gives a voice to Charlotte’s ambition, fears, and resentment. The fear of losing her family, the ambition of wanting to better the lives of those in her hometown, and the resentment of her life being on constant display and ripped apart by the county. Fan of Piazzo and politics are sure to enjoy her latest release.

Grade: B

It took me awhile to pick up my AReC of this book, but I’m honestly glad I waited. With Midterm Elections just around the corner, starting this book in September felt like the most appropriate time of year. There are several references in the novel about the general public not paying attention to Senate races until September. That seems to hold true here in Texas as the Senate race is heating up and campaign ads are at a year long high. While our two candidates are male, I had fun relating Charlotte’s experience to what may be currently happening in Beto O’Rourke and Ted Cruz’s lives.

Charlotte Walsh is a Silicon Valley executive who made her millions at a Tech start up. Now she’s returning, family in tow, to her home state of Ohio to run for the Senate. The incumbent, a misogynistic career politician, fulfills the worst of Washington’s stereotypes.

I liked that this book had a realistic portrayal of what it might be like for a female politician. It took a straight on view of the criticism and sexism Charlotte faced. The author definitely has her pulse on middle America. I enjoyed the polarity portrayed across Charlotte’s life, female v. male, Silicon Valley v. Small town Ohio, Politician v. Wife / Mother, appearances v. Reality.

The ending was just ok for me. I was mostly annoyed there was a typo in the ARC where it says she’s already shooed her daughter out of the room, but then on the last page says she set her down to go find out the results.

Overall I’d rate it 3 ⭐️s.

For me, this was probably a 3.5 star read. I thought it was very entertaining, and I loved the resistant political theme. The current setting of this story made it readable and likely relatable to many readers. There was a sense of strength and challenge to the powers that be in the candidate, Charlotte, that I found refreshing.
As the book continued, I got a bit bogged down by the many challenges in the lives and marriage of Charlotte and her husband, Max. It seemed almost clique that things would ratchet up so much at the end of the campaign. Although I thought it a tiny bit over done, I still found it enjoyable and worth the read.
As to the finale- somehow I knew what I would find as I turned that last page. You will have to read the book to find out what I mean by that statement.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this title.

This was a super entertaining read and I felt like I was getting a glimpse of what it would really be like on the campaign trail. I loved Charlotte and how real she was. I'm not big on politics, but this was a very timely read and I would highly recommend. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC.

I really enjoyed Charlotte Walsh Like To Win by Jo Piazza.
Pros: You get to read about how a businesswoman turned politician juggles her responsibilities, and I'll be the first to say that I loved books about busy, inspired, go getting, powerful women!
Cons: I don't want to give much away, but I wish the ending had been more clear. That is more of a personal preference, and doesn't make me dislke the book at all.!

3.5 Stars!! A book that is brutally honest in its dissection of what it really means to be an ambitious woman in this world, especially in the world of politics. It made me rage on the inside the ridiculous injustices the heroine was forced to face and then I got even more angry because I’ve seen exactly the kind of unsupported smear campaign happen to women in real life. The discussion this book brought on with friends who’ve read it was just as insightful and really made me think about how utterly backwards the overarching view of women is in this world AND how much more scrutiny we are under for the actual dumbest, most insignificant shit. READ THIS IF...you are into politics but ready to be infuriated about women of this world are treated.

Thank you Jo Piazza, Simon and Schuster and Netgalley for an ARC of this book.

This book was a timely read which was well paced, and often relatable in the work environment. I found the characters well developed and enjoyed having the opportunity to read this book and discover this author.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an eARC of this book.

An interesting look at what it takes to be a woman running for office. It examines many issues that will likely be faced by the many woman running this year. It illustrates how far we still have to go as a society in accepting women in positions of power. It looks at what strong women do to their husbands as this story puts the husband in the position typically held by a woman of being helpmate and house husband. The ending did not provide complete resolution and I liked it. It left it to the reader's imagination to say what comes next. Though it was a bit uneven in the middles parts, this is a solid 4 stars.

I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was about Charlotte who gives up her current life to run for Senate.

The book was a fast read but wasn't quite what I was expecting or hoping it to be. It did touch on current topics.

This is a fun read. It's engaging, everyone has their flaws, and despite being what I would classify in the "chick lit" genre, it has depth to it. I'm not one to normally read political fiction, but this was surprisingly enjoyable.

My biggest complaint, though, is that there is this constant wink wink, nudge nudge aspect throughout the book, where the author is like "hey, there's a secret that's going to be a big obstacle coming up sometime soon" every handful of chapters. It's obviously intentional, but it took so long for that bombshell revelation to happen that I was just becoming aggravated with the constant hinting. I will give her props though that I didn't predict what the revelation was going to be. I was expecting something else due to subtle things in the narrative, but those never turned into anything.

Also, that ending. I both loved and hated it (I won't spoil it).

Thanks netgalley for the e-ARC.

For some, a woman who has the temerity to want to win is a difficult prospect. Even in 2018, it's not 'the done thing'. This book will resonate with any woman whose boss has expressed concern that her choice of shoes is making 'some kind of statement', who has been told by one person she is 'too nice' and by another that she is too 'aggressively ambitious' or who has been expected to justify very private choices in her personal life in a supposedly professional work appraisal. This is before we consider the untold effects on her husband and children: Charlotte is constantly feeling guilty about how her own ambitions could be causing long-lasting psychological harm.

When Charlotte Walsh, candidate for US senate, is subjected to misogynistic insults by her male opponent, the poll numbers don't move a bit. "These days a male politician needs to get caught with a dead girl or a live boy in order to see his poll numbers dip. You know that by now.", explains her jaded campaign manager, Josh. And, of course, we do all know this. We can point to numerous real-life examples of these double-standards. Jo Piazza expertly satirises the superficiality of today's political campaigns where Insta-worthy filtered pictures are worth more than politics or experts or objective truths. More important is to remember not to take selfies with Beyoncé or say that you went to an Ivy League school (too 'liberal elite'), but do dress your kids in matching outfits and arrange for some 'candid' photos of you out shooting (aspirational, relatable). The difficulty is that the real world is becoming more extreme than this book and that the plot twists, when they came, did not seem all that surprising or shocking.

I would recommend this book, especially for lovers of Karin Tanabe's 'The List' or Jennifer Close's 'The Hopefuls' - but if you are expecting idealism, perhaps stick with a box-set The West Wing.

I am grateful to Simon & Schuster who provided me with a free advance eGalley of this book in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars

Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win was an enjoyable fictional glimpse at what a political campaign for a woman new to the political scene might look like. Although our political climate in the U.S. is already giving us examples of how nasty politics can be, this book was refreshing in that it reminded me of the fact that politicians are real people, much like you and me. And some will do whatever it takes to win.

Charlotte Walsh wants it all. A powerful Silicon Valley executive looking for a new challenge, Charlotte has decided that politics is her next act. Still reeling from her husband’s infidelity, she decides to move the family cross-country to her hometown in Pennsylvania and take on a long-standing Congressman in a dirty political race.
Charlotte faces tough opponents on all sides: her literal opponent, Tug Slaughter, who is a misogynistic philanderer; juggling her marriage and family; her ne’er-do-well brother; a tough political and economic climate; and pressures within her campaign. Nothing proves easy for Charlotte, but she’s tough as they come: she tackles every problem head-on, even as she feels like she’s unraveling at the seams.
Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win is a timely book, as more and more women enter politics and the midterm elections are looming. This was a fascinating look at life inside the swirling vortex of a political campaign and the havoc it wreaks on everyone in its path. Charlotte doesn’t always make the right choices, but it feels like she’s doing it for the right reasons -- and that makes her a heroine who’s easy to root for.
One thing’s for sure, I wouldn’t want to run for office! This book explores so many interesting issues: gender, politics, family, infidelity, ambition. It’s sure to bring up lots of deep discussions at your book club.

Review to be posted on www.bugbugbooks.com on Monday, 8/20/18.

Charlotte Walsh is in her late forties and has a very comfortable life. She's worked her way up the corporate ladder at Humanity, a successful tech company in Silicon Valley. Her husband, Max, is incredibly supportive of her career and doesn't mind that his wife is his boss. Together, they have three beautiful young daughters, a gorgeous house, good friends, and an all-around enviable life.

So when Charlotte finds out that Max has cheated on her, she's devastated---but also determined to work through it. She realizes she's ready for a change anyway, for herself and for her family. She decides to move everyone back home to Pennsylvania (contrite husband in tow...) to run for state senator. Max isn't happy with the arrangement---he hates Pennsylvania and doesn't particularly feel like becoming a stay-at-home dad---but he's prepared to do whatever it takes to make up for his infidelity and please his wife. Unfortunately, both Charlotte and Max aren't quite prepared for the rigors of campaign life. The crazy travel schedule, the constant barrage of (unkind) public opinions, and the pressure to look perfect no matter what all take a toll on their relationship. In the end, Charlotte must decide how much she's willing to lose in order to win.

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I finished this book a few days ago, and I'm still thinking about it. I really wish the ending were more concrete, but something about that ambiguous conclusion forces me to keep mulling it all over. I can't help but think about the messiness of relationships, politics, parenthood, friendship, and, yes, ambition. What does it take to get what we want, and is it possible to achieve it all?

This book covers controversial topics---relevant controversial topics, especially given the last presidential election---and there were times for me when it was almost too depressing to read. I thought of Hillary Clinton a lot, thought about how difficult it must have been for her to run against Donald Trump. I'm happy for all the accomplishments women have made over the past 100+ years, and I'm looking forward to women candidates crushing it in the midterms (woot woot), but good grief we have a ways to go.

Overall, though, I enjoyed this book. The story moves along swiftly, and the characters are, for the most part, well-developed, endearing, real, and entertaining. There are a few far-fetched plot points where I had to suspend disbelief for a bit, but I still really liked seeing a glimpse of Charlotte Walsh's crazy, ambitious life.

A timely piece of work about a woman in a powerful position who is flawed, but being a woman, she can't afford to be vulnerable, especially since she's running for Congress. Witty, smart, suspenseful, Piazza is a skillful writer, I felt like I was on the campaign trail and experiencing the ups and downs of Charlotte Walsh's personal and professional life.

The perfect book for the upcoming election season! Charlotte Walsh is a Silicon Valley executive who decides to run for the Senate in her hometown of Elk Hollow, PA. Her husband says that he will also leave his job and be a stay-at-home dad (not because he wants to but because he owes Charlotte, for reasons that are later disclosed). We watch Charlotte try to navigate her family (loose cannon addict brother) and her past history in Elk Hollow (old boyfriend pops up right away) and follow order from her successful but highly manipulative campaign chairman. This was a great read that made me never, ever want to run for office.

Thank you to SimonandSchuster and Netgalley for a copy of this book for review. I love books about politics and I had previously read and loved Fitness Junkie written by this author so I was eager to read this book. It defintely didn’t diasappoint and it certainly dealt with many of the issues facing women, society, and politics in this day and age. Charlotte has uprooted her family from California to her home state of Pennsylvania to run for the senate. She has left a high powered job with the intent of improving the lives of the people in Pennsylvania. Charlotte was very successful in her previous career and was even known as a fixer so she feels she is capable of making positive changes in her role in the senate. Complicating things is the fact that Charlotte’s husband Max has had to leave a life he loved in California to become a political prop, stay at home husband and father of three small children to move to somewhere he never wanted to live again. Charlotte has to navigate all the issues, frustrations and complications of a woman in politics while trying to balance it all. Gender bias, misconceptions, and push back toward women are detailed. There is also a secret that Charlotte has kept that could wreck havoc on all areas of her life. I really loved this book and it is so timely!

Twenty years ago, Charlotte Walsh left her hometown in Pennsylvania and promised herself she wouldn’t go back. Now she is returning to live in her old house with her husband and their three daughters so that she can run for the Senate seat. She knew it wouldn’t be easy but she didn’t expect the dirty tricks of her misogynist opponent, the harsh attacks from the press and her enemies, especially in the age of social media, and how it would affect her marriage and her already strained relationship with her husband. How far is Charlotte willing to go to win the election?
I loved Jo Piazza’s previous novels that she wrote with Lucy Sykes, so I was eager to see how she would do going solo. I admit I didn’t like this novel as much as her co-written novels, but I still found it engaging. The author always creates strong, determined, and ambitious women that you can’t help but like. I also liked the flawless writing style and the witty and engaging plot.

Thank you to Simon &Schuster and NetGalley for an e-ARC of Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win by Jo Piazza in exchange for an honest review. This novel reads like a day-by-day accounting of Charlotte Walsh's campaign for the Pennsylvania Senate seat, starting at 479 days to Election Day. Charlotte is an executive at a high tech company in California when she decides to enter the political ring against Senator Tug Slaughter, an 80-year-old man who has held the seat for 40 years. He is a much-married philanderer who seems unbeatable. She moves with her husband Max and three young daughters to her hometown in Pennsylvania. She soon realizes that she is judged differently because she is a woman: her wardrobe, marriage, family and character are ruthlessly examined and criticized. As the campaign proceeds, secrets become public, her marriage is tested, her stamina is stretched to its limit. This novel gives us a close look at how difficult it is to run for public office, especially for a woman who is a wife, a mother and a self-made successful career woman. The ending of the book is unexpected but really works. This is a fascinating inside look at politics in this day and age. Highly recommended.