Great story definitely a timely read . Charlotte’s story reads like something ripped from the headlines. This book was graciously provided by Simon and Schuster.

This was a great book. The character development was fantastic, and I loved the ending ;) I will definitely be reading more of Jo Piazza in the future--you have a devoted fan!

Charlotte Walsh is running for senate! The CEO of a sucessful California tech company, Charlotte decides she needs to make more of a difference in people lives' by running for a senate seat in her home state of Pennsylvania. To win, she must defeat an incumbent good old boy senator in a state that has never elected a woman to a senate seat. But does winning mean she can no longer 'have it all', the family, job and loving spouse? Will this help her heal her marriage to Max and keep her family together?

Charlotte faces real problems, makes real decisions and has to deal with the real consequences of those choices - I love that about this book. The writing and story flow at a great pace, making it easy to turn pages well into the night. I especially loved the ending - I don't want to spoil it, but I think it was the perfect one for this story of Charlotte and Max.

“‘Never stop smiling,’ Josh had warned. ‘Smile until you feel like your lips will fall off. A woman who doesn’t smile is an angry woman. You cannot be an angry woman, even for a second.’”

I’ve always been a fan of Jo Piazza, but CHARLOTTE WALSH LIKES TO WIN is definitely a stand out. A very timely story about the experience of a female candidate running for political office and the challenges she endures that are never experienced by her male counterparts.

There are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, fantastic characters and thought provoking statements; most of all, I think the author has done a remarkable job of illuminating this topic in a very accessible way. I felt like I was cheering Charlotte on throughout the entire book! Highly recommend!

I liked this book, and it was riveting and more than timely in today’s political climate. My only qualm was the ending; although I understand why it was likely chosen by the author, I found it frustrating as a reader. Jo Piazza’s work made me
Think about myself as a woman and a voter, though.

Even though this is a book about politics, I LOVED IT! I thought Charlotte Walsh Likes To Win did a fantastic job explaining the status of our government currently. Jo Piazza also did great showing the reader a behind the scenes look of the election process and not-so-glamorous parts of it. There is definitely a left-winged bias to this book, so depending on your political views you might not appreciate it as much as there is definitely some likeliness of the candidates to people currently holding office.

Although the main story is about Charlotte's campaign trail, themes such as feminism, parenting and marriage are also prevalent. It doesn't matter who you are, I think a lot of people could identify with the family drama the Walsh family goes through. It would be so easy to make Charlotte unrelateable, but Jo Piazza does a great job of making her extremely easy to identify with.

In conclusion, Charlotte Walsh has my vote.

This book is the female driven book we’ve been waiting for. Charlotte is all of us except she’s running for Senate in her home state of PA. She’s driven to change the world but first she has to survive being a candidate and her marriage. Charlotte isn’t perfect, her marriage is in tatters but this is what she’s determined to do.

I loved Ms. Piazza’s portrayal of someone who could be anyone of us and that’s what will hook you. You will see yourself in her and all of your close female friends/relatives.

Ms. Piazza has quickly become an author I look forward to reading and Charlotte Walsh is her best yet.

In an age of political horrors, this book was one I needed. There's no outright mention of the name of the current US president or his rival during the race, but the world is pretty recognisable.

Charlotte Walsh is standing, not for president, but for Senate. At the outset of the novel she seems to have a pretty perfect life. But as the race continues we see her life start to unravel. That perfect marriage? Maybe not. The picture perfect family? Look behind the curtain, in her hometown.

I loved the realistic way that Charlotte and Max interacted. People aren't perfect and Jo Piazza really made that clear, while still making Charlotte one of the most likeable amongst the strong female protagonists I've seen lately.

My only real dislike about this novel is a pretty massive spoiler, so I'll not spell it out. Let's just say that I found out that the central conflict of the book isn't what it appears, but is more about the relationship between families and colleagues amidst political drama.

Still, despite that surprise, I really enjoyed this book. I raced through it and it was both involving and light enough to be perfect - as it's recent reviews by magazines such as Elle and People suggest - for a holiday read.

Thank you to Netgalley, Simon & Schuster and Jo Piazza for the opportunity to read this fun, fast-paced political novel!

This novel is a fast read with an even faster ending. I loved it. I loved it so much that I was totally bummed when it ended because I wanted it to keep going.

Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win is a novel about a high-powered, successful wife and a mom to three young kids who decides to run for Senate back in the state she grew up in - Pennsylvania. She moves her family from Silicon Valley back to her childhood home during the election season.

First, I recognize that this does not sound like an appealing topic to many people. Politics - ugh. But, while obviously this book is set in the world of politics, it is not just about politics. I need you to trust me here. I know very little about politics beyond the headlines I read on social media - and I can admit I don't know how everything works. But, that didn't stop me from devouring this book in two sittings. (And, if I wasn't hosting a house full of people, it probably would have been one sitting.)

Next, this novel is full of family drama (my favorite). Readers learn about Charlotte's family life and her marriage, as well as her childhood. She grew up with a heavily medicated mother and a drunk father. She left her hometown and never looked back - until now. Her current life seems idyllic, but it isn't. She is already dealing with marriage issues, and now she is dealing with the balance of power shifting as he becomes a stay-at-home dad.

Additionally, the novel shows the nastiness of politics - how things get twisted and manipulated to help one side and hurt the other. Plus, it shows how it feels to be a woman in what has traditionally been a man's world. Readers will see how Charlotte both struggles with bringing her opponent down using unsavory tactics and later how she embraces it. It is realistic and disheartening.

Finally, I loved the novel because the characters are far from perfect, but the author does a great job of making you see past their flaws and into their hearts. Charlotte is not perfect and has made some big mistakes, but I rooted for her from the beginning. Plus, we see the other characters mess up and also see why they made the decisions they did.

My only problem with the book is that it ends very abruptly. I kept trying to get my kindle to turn to one more page, but it isn't there! I wanted to a big resolution, but after sleeping on it, I now understand that the book wasn't about the result. Instead, the book is about Charlotte's journey.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book to read and review! It was released last week. It is a perfect summer read or a book to read right around the midterm elections.

Thank you to Netgalley for ARC of Charlotte Walsh Likes To Win. Charlotte Walsh is a dot com executive in Silicon Valley who takes a leave of absence to return to her hometown in rural Pennslyvania to run for senator. She brings along her 3 young daughters and her husband who also takes leave to be a stay at home dad. It was an interesting summer read but I didn't enjoy it as much as a did Fitness Junkie, the novel Jo Piazza wrote with Lucy Sykes. I don't find politics interesting and the story was slow in places. I also didn't like the ending.

Are you a political junkie? Looking for an entertaining and timely novel to finish off your summer reading? Consider CHARLOTTE WALSH LIKES TO WIN by Jo Piazza. This novel chronicles the US Senate campaign by Charlotte Walsh, a 40-something Silicon Valley titan who moves her young family back to Northeast Pennsylvania to compete against Ted "Tug" Slaughter, an aging, bigoted incumbent and philanderer. The combination of Charlotte's dysfunctional childhood and successes in the technology field means that she strives for approval. It is painful to observe her transformation during the campaign as actions, although often rational, become increasing self-serving and engineered to up her odds of winning.

I loved the rural PA setting and reference to life there, including details like this: "'Nice of you to get your doopa out of bed in time for dinner.' Charlotte muffled a laugh at the local slang word for backside. It had been years since she’d heard anyone use the word doopa." The snarky comments about politics are both sad and amusing: "Tell people one true thing before you tell them a lie. Then it will be easier for them to believe the lie." OR "But you're not lying. You're just telling people what they want to hear. There's a difference." OR "Each day on the campaign trail was like a scene from Groundhog Day – the same stock speeches, the same requests for cash, the same smile for every photo op."

Charlotte does seem to change and so does her marriage to Max. He takes a leave of absence in order to care for their three daughters who are five and under. Issues of trust, partnership and purpose abound. Leila, Charlotte's long-time executive assistant, also faces some tough choices. Piazza, an award-winning journalist, weaves contemporary issues both big (abortion and gun reform) and small (e.g., type of shoes being worn) along with rumors, sound bites and candid photographs to create an intense, complex campaign story.
Thank you to the publisher for an advance copy in order to write this honest review; you can read an excerpt here: http://www.simonandschuster.net/books/Charlotte-Walsh-Likes-To-Win/Jo-Piazza/9781501179419

The 2016 presidential election results were shocking to me. I went to bed nervous, but sure I would wake up to find that the first female president.



One thing that's come out of the wake of the election is the rise of women. Viral movements like #timesup have swept the country, encouraging women to fight for equal pay, reproductive rights and to run for office.



Jo Piazza's "Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win" was inspired by that movement. The novel focuses on Charlotte Walsh, COO of a Silicon Valley technology group who decides to return home to Northeastern Pennsylvania and run for state senate, despite there never being a female senator from the state (seriously, look it up).



But this really isn't a story about politics. It's about being a woman campaigning to be in politics. Little focus is placed on Charlotte's political beliefs. This book is more about what it's like for a woman to run for office.



Why is a woman asked about her nail polish color or what shoes she is wearing while campaigning? Why is it only a woman who faces criticism about her abilities to parent while in office?



Charlotte faces all of these questions and more as the race against incumbent Ted Slaughter ramps up. But Charlotte doesn't only have the election to worry about. Her family - especially her marriage - is in crisis, a situation that grows steadily worse as she is drawn deeper into the election.



As she crosses the state, meeting and greeting voters, her marriage to Max continues to suffer. Even if she wins the election, will she lose out of the perfect family and a happy marriage? Does her rival have to worry about anything similar?



"Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win" is a fascinating portrait of women running for office today. It's a fiercely feminine book that is engrossing because of its timeliness. Charlotte is a smart, complicated, fully realized character. Her struggles both at home and on the campaign trail feel very real.



My one complaint was about the ending. I'm not spoiling anything and I really do think it was the best way to end the book but for my own sanity, I wish it had been less ambiguous. Is there a sequel in there somewhere, Jo Piazza?!

This book has perfect timing, given that an unprecedented number of female candidates will be running in this fall’s midterm elections. Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win centers on Charlotte Walsh, a high-powered Silicon Valley executive and self-described “fixer,” who decides to run for public office in her home state of Pennsylvania. She uproots her family, treks across the country in the requisite minivan and moves into her childhood home. Out on the campaign trail, Charlotte tailors her message to each unique audience, combats the nasty attacks by the incumbent, and is carefully guided along the way by her flawed, but competent, campaign staff. But on the flip side, Charlotte’s home life is messy and less curated. Charlotte’s husband gave up his career to stay home with the children, and Charlotte incessantly worries about his happiness and fidelity. Charlotte also worries about the antics of her wild-card brother who has a penchant for gambling and substance abuse. As the campaign heats up, Charlotte’s past decisions regarding her career, marriage and political aspirations all come to a head.

Fast-paced and relevant to the current political climate, I really enjoyed following Charlotte on the campaign trail and all the “insider” access behind the scenes. Charlotte, like most women in the public eye, is judged not so much on substance, but by what she wears, how she looks, and how “perfect” her family appears. I was disappointed in Charlotte’s relationship with her husband, but I guess it serves to illustrate how even strong, intelligent women can effectively lead in business and politics, but still have insecurities and vulnerabilities when it comes to marriage. One question posed by a journalist captures the central theme of this story: “Do men want ambitious women in their lives as their partners and their government representatives? Is Charlotte Walsh paying the price for her ambition?”

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced e galley of Charlotte Walsh Likes To Win. This was a really enjoyable, entertaining read for all the same reasons I enjoyed Fitness Junkie - compulsively read-able and page-turning, quick and witty dialogue and on point pop cultural references and jokes. A great summer read!

I’m giving Charlotte Walsh Likes To Win a 4.5/5 stars. I absolutely loved this book. Our main character Charlotte Walsh in running for Senate in Pennsylvania, her home state, after working in Silicon Valley for years. The story follows her struggle both with her campaign and her personal life. I felt like I could relate to Charlotte so much. We both like to challenge ourselves, and we both like to win. It was almost scary reading about her marriage because that is very well something that could be my reality. But I just overall loved seeing a strong, independent woman kick some ass while also trying to save her marriage and take care of her kids. Charlotte Walsh isn’t perfect, but she is a great role model nonetheless. The characters in this book were well fleshed out, and I thought that the plot flowed nicely. The only part that I didn’t like was the ending. It just kind of stopped, and it left me more than a little confused. In a way, I can appreciate the ending, but I also really want to know what happened. If you read the book (which you totally should), you’ll see why. I would highly recommend this book. It’s probably one of the best contemporary books I’ve read in while.

Winning. We all want to win, but what is winning really? That is the question that Charlotte Walsh needs to figure out. Jo Piazza weaves a story that takes us not only on the campaign trail with Charlotte and her family, but also what effect that trail has on her family, friends, and staffers. As the story unfolds we find Charlotte faced with professional and personal decisions that make us wonder if in todays hyper-social media obsessed world, does anyone really win. As today's barrage of political ads played from my tv in our state's hotly contested senatorial race I found this book timely, engaging and maybe a little too close to real life. I alternated between cheering for Charlotte, baggage and all, and wanting to reach through the page and slap her. Cheers to the author for this great book !

This novel is about a well-off female executive from humble beginnings who leaves her Silicon Valley life behind to move back with her husband and small kids to the small town in Pennsylvania where she grew up and run for Senate against the racist, sexist good old boy who has held that Senate seat for many years. Although it's written in a breezy, almost chick-lit style, it's actually a thought-provoking book with a lot to say about politics, marriage, and feminism. Would definitely make for a good book club book.

I wonder whether Piazza trailed a Senate candidate for a year to write this book, because it feels so authentic. She shows Charlotte kissing up to donors, judging county fair pie-baking contests, handling “gotcha” questions by the press, and other timeless details of campaigning. There are also the Twitter insults, the tracker from the rival campaign, up-to-the-second polling, Trump references, and a savvy Teen Vogue journalist, which place this election firmly in the current decade. Any fantasies that running for office would be fun are quickly dispelled by this book. Click on the link below to read the entire review.

As I was describing Charlotte Walsh Likes To Win to a guy friend, his first reaction was “oh so it’s one of those books about how crappy guys are?” It’s funny, because that’s what he saw first in my description, but I hadn’t even noticed it. (Or maybe I’m just use to seeing guys in politics as crappy.) Instead, I saw a novel that exposed everyone’s flaws. A novel where everyone lies, whether it’s a little white lie or a major lie. Lies with the intention of helping someone, lies to hurt someone, and lies to hide secrets. Even the main character is lying for half of the book (don’t worry, that isn’t a spoiler).

What’s amazing about Piazza’s writing though, is that she develops her characters so well that you’re still cheering for them even when they completely mess up. You want her characters to succeed and find a way out of their mess.

WHAT ABOUT THE POLITICS ANGLE?
To be honest, I went into this book first because it was a Jo Piazza book. I didn’t really go in for the politics angle. For that part, I don’t really think I learned anything new. The campaign part really seemed more focused on the PR angle of everything than actual political opinions. Which honestly, was fine with me. I didn’t really expect to hear real political speeches and I didn’t have to.

DO I THINK OTHERS SHOULD PICK UP THIS CHARLOTTE WALSH LIKES TO WIN?
Yes! I don’t think there’s ever any harm in reminding yourself how hard women have it with media scrutiny, especially during political elections. It’s a reminder to really focus in on what the people are saying and doing, not what they’re wearing and what they look like. That’s something that will especially become important during the 2018 senate race this fall and something that we call need to keep in mind.

I am loving the trend (I really really hope it’s a trend?!) of books about women in politics. I truly can’t get enough of them. This is obviously an extremely timely and rewarding story about fighting to have it all in a career that is often known for it’s extreme female-repelling qualities. I cannot get over how well Jo Piazza portrays the successful no holds barred heroine, Charlotte Walsh. I'm a huge Piazza fan and it feels like every single book she writes has characters I *know* or at least characters I would want to know. It takes a great writer to really bring you into the pages like that.

I sort of wish infidelity wasn’t a component of the story. That might be a plot device hang up of mine though. I’m counting on Piazza to write a follow up to this. More books about strong, working moms fighting the patriarchy, please!

Thank you so much, Net Galley, for the opportunity to have an early peek at this book! The only thing that makes me sad about this is that now I’ve already read it and I’m going to be wildly envious of those in my Bookstagram who will only just be cracking it open next week.

***update: I bought a hard copy of this book because I can't wait to loan it out.