I am so looking forward to the next book in this series. This is such a hard & emotional topic to write/read about. But this one is brilliantly written. Great characters & plot!!

This was a very well written and honest book which dealt with some difficult topics extremely well, a definite must read.

The Maverick is a very well written story that covers some very difficult themes. Thank you to Jennifer Valenti for being so vulnerable and open telling this story.

A really great read, with a really interesting premise throughout. A lot of heavy subjects are dealt with throughout and handled with such care.

I loved this book! The writing was amazing and I loved the pace of the book, didn’t feel rushed whatsoever. Very emotional and I would check TWs before reading it

The Maverick is very interesting. We learn about Jane 27- year old who recover from a sexual Assault. We follow her through her confusion, pain an insecurity.. taking back herself and her body.

Such a well written book full of page-turning plot and promise.

The characters were very easy to love and I cannot wait to read more from the author in the future.

Excellently-paced, wonderfully written. Powerful story and message. Highly recommend this book. This is also the first book in a series of novels all featuring women protagonists. I'll definitely be checking out the next book in the series.

Please, read the trigger warning before reading this book,
In "The Maverick", Jennifer Valenti takes us through the emotional process a woman goes through during and after she experiences sexual assault. It's a very real and emotional read.

This is an impressive debut and I look forward to seeing what the author comes up with next. It’s not an easy book to read by any stretch of the imagination and can get pretty intense at times as the subject matter includes PTSD and sexual assault. I read the book in smaller chunks than usual as I found it very emotional and hard-going at times. I cried a lot. This packs an emotional punch. It’s a pretty fantastic read. Jane is a great character and her strength and strong will really comes across. I can’t wait to read the follow-up.

When a sexual assault comes to light, there’s always someone ready to insist that a woman’s account must not be true. Whether she’s too well-adjusted or too messed-up after an assault, there’s always something to “prove” she’s lying. The Maverick, by Jennifer Valenti, takes readers through a fictional account of a survivor considering whether to tell her story, whether she’ll be believed, whether her career will be over, and whether keeping silent will put other women at risk. Although the story and characters are all fictional, the situation is real.
When Jane Valiante lands an interview with Imaigene, a hip Manhattan startup, she’s thrilled. She’s a bit stuck, living at home in Florida and working a boring job, even if she does have amazing friends, and this new job would use her talents and change her life.
The scenes of Jane discovering New York City feel charming and authentic. Jane’s delight in everything from the skyline to the city’s tap water shows how much she loves the city, and shows her exuberant personality, before the assault.
When Jane is assaulted by her boss, the scene itself is not particularly graphic, but the whole story is propelled by this unwanted sexual encounter. Much of the novel deals with the effects of that night, including realistic depictions of Jane’s trauma afterward. So this book would be particularly upsetting to readers with personal trauma or sensitivity around this issue.
There’s a very clear class and financial divide that establishes the power dynamics early on in the novel. If Imaigene’s projects fail, the founders and top management will be just fine. Peter could recover with a company pivot, perhaps, or a round of inspirational TED talks about failing better. If the job doesn't work out for Jane, though, she’ll be moving back home to Florida and she’ll have the black mark of a layoff or firing on her resume, seriously affecting her career prospects. There’s a realistic, relatable power imbalance here that colors Jane’s actions and choice, without falling into cliches.
Jane’s aware that if she keeps silent, she’s letting her rapist get away with it, but she also knows that powerful men are rarely held accountable for these actions. Women who speak out, on the other hand, are often called teases or sluts, and their careers mysteriously stall out once they’re labeled dramatic or crazy. It’s very difficult for Jane to tell anyone, even her friends, about what she’s experienced. But the possibility of getting justice, or at the very least, protecting other young women in her situation, makes it very difficult for Jane to keep quiet, too.
Jane’s long friendship with Carmen remains one of the strongest parts of this novel. The two friends dream about taking on New York together, and give each other so much respect and support as both women put in the grueling hours to build their dream careers. They even manage to share a tiny Manhattan apartment, and the close quarters and lack of privacy only bring them closer together. Besides her closeness with Carmen, Jane’s warm friendships with some very different women help to develop her character and to provide a counterpoint to the tragedy that propels the plot.
Overall, this is a timely novel about a brave young woman facing an all-too-familiar situation. Throughout the book, Jane’s relatable friendships keep the serious subject matter from becoming too depressing.

**I received and voluntarily read an e-ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

This book covers difficult subject matter, so it's definitely not a book for everyone.

There could be some places where trimming could be done, and other places could use some further expansion. The dialogue, especially, felt stilted and unnatural and could take me out of the story at times.

Overall, the author has talent, but she still needs some work. I look forward to seeing what this author will bring to us in the future.

Loved this book! I can’t wait to read the next in the series! Brava! Trigger warnings: rape, sexual harassment

DNF at 40%

I wanted to love this book. The author has written from personal experience, and while I empathize with her and would love to support her in this endeavor, ultimately the storytelling style didn't work for me at all.

Pacing is quite slow, with a ton of unnecessary and dull detail. I didn't need, nor was I interested in, excessive information on Jane's job crunching data. What I did need was more depth in regards to Jane's emotions and relationships.

I rarely give trigger warnings, but this book, I think, requires one. The rape scene early on is detailed and will no doubt be an issue for many readers. This is the one scene in which the emotion and experience is vivid.

Ultimately, this book feels like a cathartic writing exercise for the author that just doesn't transfer well to fiction.

Wow. The Maverick was incredible. The description alone had me hooked immediately, and I knew I wanted to read it.

Jane Valiante lands an interview for her dream job at a startup that's radically changing the industry for detecting breast cancer in women before it passes stage 1. After weeks of preparing for the interview, she nails it and is invited to the company holiday party that night. What should be a joyful and celebratory night turns dangerous when the CEO sexually assaults Jane.

This book follows Jane's story from the aftermath of her assault and how she chooses to move on and fight for other women in similar situations. The strong female friendships in this book were so vital; it was fast-paced and so engaging. I can't imagine what someone in Jane's position goes through internally, but Jennifer Valenti wrote it well and I felt connected to the characters. I was so happy to learn that this will be a series and I can't wait to read about The Bombshell's story!

TW: Sexual assault & rape⁠
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Everything is coming up Jane! She's got an interview for her dream job in her dream city and it goes so well that it must be too good to be true. She's invited to the staff Christmas party, plied heavily with champagne and is horrifically raped by her would-be boss at the end of the night.⁠
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What follows is Jane's inward struggles with who to tell, whether she can still chase her dreams, how to cope, how to heal. Her mind is resolved that she can handle it all, but her body has other ideas.⁠
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It was quite slow-paced with lots of internal dialogue, but I enjoyed learning about what data scientists actually do with their algorithms. It read like it was very cathartic for the author to write but I don't think it transferred well enough for it to grip me as a novel. Ultimately, I think it could've done with being shorter.⁠
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That being said, it exemplified the pressures on women to attempt to shake off their trauma for the sake of a career and the gruelling journey of holding those responsible accountable for their pain.⁠
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Set in modern day, The Maverick follows Jane Valiante's journey at her dream job in New York. After spending years caring for her father and brother after her mother died, Jane was close to giving up on her dreams. But when her dream role in a world-renowned tech company came up, she jumped at the opportunity.

After the interview, the CEO and Founder of the company Peter Wright invites her to the staff party. Seizing the opportunity to make an impression and meet her potentially future colleagues, she accepts. Yet, when a kind-hearted gesture towards Peter goes misunderstood, she finds herself victim to a brutal sexual assault. Conflicted between taking on her dream position, or staying within the comforts of home, Jane has a life-changing decision to make.

It can't go without mentioning that this book does include a brutal sexual assault / rape. It is descriptive and quite graphic, and explores both the short and long-term after affects. Jennifer reveals at the beginning of the book that it's based on her own experiences, so this book is clearly close to heart and provides an honest portrayal.

I liked Jennifer's way of introducing her characters, immediately portraying Jane as an independent woman who didn't allow stereotypes nor prejudices to affect her. Written in first person, it gave us an honest insight into Jane's thoughts and feelings, enabling the reader to easily connect with her. There's also a wonderful chemistry between Jane and her friend Carmen; I really liked how the two interacted and supported one another.

I enjoyed Jennifer's unique writing style, particularly how she focused on specific events. While some authors would breeze over everyday tasks, Jennifer took the reader on a journey so we could embrace Jane's experiences with her. For example, when Jane is working through tasks on her computer, Jennifer slowly takes us through each one in detail. This allowed the reader to experience that journey with her, and I appreciate these little touches that really help to bring the character to life. I also enjoyed reading about the 'Hackathon', which was an event where two teams compete against one other in rounds to achieve an ultimate goal. This really highlighted each character's strengths and personality, and their true colours shone through.

There's not too much that I can mention about the plot without revealing all of the twists and surprises! So you'll just have to give this one a go for yourself! I was gripped and engaged with the story throughout. There's so many different themes radiating throughout this book, including trauma and loss, strength and ambition yet largely the importance of friends and family.

This book went above and beyond my expectations, I didn't expect to read such an inspiring, heart-warming and empowering story of a strong, independent woman fighting the wrongs of the world. I also liked how this book concluded, and was delighted to hear that this is only the beginning! This book is the first of The Jane Valiante Series so there's more on the way!

Overall, I'd rate this book five out of five stars. A truly empowering story, with a strong focus on strength through adversity. As mentioned above, there are some elements of this book that some readers may find triggering or uncomfortable to read, i.e. sexual assault and PTSD.

Thank you Netgalley for this wonderful opportunity.

As other reviewers have said this is a book that is hard to read and that is because the author did such a good job writing in a way that was so realistic. This was based on a true experience the author herself had and that's likely why it is so believable. I loved the writing style but didn't care for the extensive job description. I also didn't feel like the very last part of the story was cohesive with the rest of the story.
All in all it is a great book and I recommend it to anyone who can not be adversely affected by reading about rape, assault and abuse.
Thank you Net Galley for allowing me to read this ARC for my honest opinion.

I would like to thank Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honorable review.

It all started with the interview. Up for a big interview at her dream start-up company, Jane Valiante is beyond excited for the interview, and when it goes well and she is invited to the holiday party, Jane feels like the she's got in the bag. Then, the unthinkable happens, and Jane is raped by the boss of the company. Ashamed and hurt, Jane is unsure how to deal with her emotions and the pain she is reeling from. In Jennifer Valenti's The Maverick, follow Jane's painful journey through her acceptance of her sexual assault and the justice she seeks.

I don't know my exact thought process when first deciding to read this ARC. Maybe I thought it was interesting. Maybe I thought it was tragic and painful. What I thought, I'm not exactly sure, but after completing The Maverick, I can safely say that it's definitely not what I expected it to be. I was very shocked when, in the second chapter, Jane describes the rape in stark detail. In reading it, I instantly felt the pain she felt. I was angry with Peter, and I wanted him to pay. What I didn't understand was Jane's coping mechanism afterwards. Having a friend who has been raped, I know everybody's coping is different, but I couldn't understand why Jane decided to go and work for Peter's company. I mean, personally, I feel like I'm might not want to go work for my assaulter's company, but I honestly have no idea how I would react. I am glad that Jane did eventually decide to receive help. I gave me some peace of mind.

Reflecting back on the novel, I have to give The Maverick three out of five stars. Primarily, I disliked reading about Jane's work and the data sets she had work out. I wasn't interested in reading about the data sets in detail, and a large portion of the novel was about Jane's job in detail. I feel like I needed more about Jane and her struggle and less of Jane and her job. I do recognize that Jane's job is important to the story, but it was just in too much detail for me. Other than that, I really liked the novel, no matter how skirmish it made me feel. A three out of five stars read.

The Cover first drew my eyes to this book, then title made me curious to learn more about the book.
The main character in the book is Jane Valiante who has been living with her father and brother since her mum died, but has reached the decision it is time to spread her wings and get back on track with her career. Jane travels to an interview for a once in a lifetime position. The Interview ends up taking most of the day. With Jane feeling a little disheartened that she doesn’t really know if she has successfully in the Interview, she is surprised to be invited to the companies, holiday party. Seeing it as another opportunity to create a good lasting impression she agrees to go to the party. Jane does become a little carried away with the camaraderie of the other employees drinking glasses of champagne. Jane really feels like part of the group so when it turns out Peter, one of the company bosses needs a place to stay, the offer for him to stay in Jane’s hotel room, just slips out. After all the hotel is being paid by for the company that has two beds. Unfortunately for Jane, Peter seems to see it as a greenlight that she wants to have sex with him along with the offer of the bed! Despite Jane repeatedly saying no, Peter continues his unwanted advances and rapes her. Jane flies home the next day and presumes she will simply not get the job, but then starts to wonder what she should do if she is offered the position. Jane faces that very dilemma when she is offered the job with a great re-location package and the job would certainly look very good on her resume. The work she would be doing would advance detection and cancer care which is very close to Jane’s heart as unfortunately that is what her own mother died of, perhaps that is what pushes her to forgive her new bosses actions.

I don’t want to give away anymore as you need to read it from Jane’s point of view in the book. I found this book handled a very serious subject in its own unique way. Jane certainly approached things in her own way, whether as a reader you think it was right or wrong, the book definitely makes you think and would make an excellent conversation starter to discuss the subject of rape. I totally understood the reasons Jane felt she couldn’t report the rape straight away, as what proof did she have? She had been the one to naively invite him to share her room, when she hardly knew the man. Though when she was offered the job, I am not sure I could have taken up the career opportunity and acted as if the rape hadn’t happened.

Without revealing too much I will say that karma does come around full circle, and Jane does come out of things fairly well. I just imagined a totally different ending, with her gaining applause for all the hard work she and her team put in. As I have said this is most certainly a read that has you still thinking about it even when you have finished reading it. From the I thought she should have said/done this to the what would I do if I were in her situation. It’s very easy to be judgemental and say Well I wouldn’t offered a man the spare bed in my hotel room, but Jane was influenced by her alcohol intake, the feeling of the holiday season and the camaraderie of her potentially future workmates as well as being emotional about the possible part she would be in finding a faster way to detect cancer too. Things really are not always black or white. In this book Jane finds herself in the grey area and allow circumstances to unfold. Jane waits first for an apology, then for Peter to say something about what happened, then the job is so important to her personally and for her career she decides to put the rape behind her.

My immediate thoughts upon finishing the book were that it was not the outcome/ending I had expected. Interesting, thought provoking read...makes you think what you would have done in Jane's position.