This book was a quick, easy read but provides important insight, especially for the younger generation of women. As a professional in her 40s, I found Kristine’s insight aligned with my experiences in the workplace. I have been party to situations similar to the examples she provided. I remember taking a day off work to defend my thesis while the movers packed my belongings for a cross-country move in the other room. I even had a little throwback to the fashion choices of the time. 😊 The book was written in an uplifting manner. I instantly connected with the book because of these factors.

Kristine also does some wonderful things with the book format. Each chapter has key takeaways. There are plenty of citations and resources to explore. She also acknowledges the shortcomings of her research. It’s impossible to be completely inclusive when writing about subjects like those addressed in this book. Different people have different experiences and struggles, but this book helps start a conversation, leading to equality for all.

One area where I wish Kristine would expand her research is to delve into woman versus woman strife in the workplace. Her examples of female interaction were generally positive, even in the Ombudsman example. I would love to see her take on women who view each other as “competition” or older women who demean younger women to “toughen them up.” I’ve experienced this so much during my career, and it's something I don’t wish on up-and-coming professionals.

Hi there,

I really enjoyed this book! I felt everything discussed in here on a personal level, because you guessed it.... I have gone through my own issues with inequality in the workplace in my past experiences. I truly appreciated all of the issues that you did mention, and I know there were MANY that you did not. The bottom line is, you are calling out the inequality in the workplace from the top level, all the way down. It is a big issue that needs to change and talking about it, is a step in the right direction. I did feel that the subjects were a little bit repetitive, and I felt like when you were discussing stories about your friends experiences, it was not as much about their experience but your take on their experience and you tied your own storyline to it. However, I am just a reader, not an author. I can't even imagine how difficult it must be to write an entire book. Just a little constructive feedback. Overall I enjoyed this book. It made me feel a lot of things, which is what any author wants from their audience. So kudos!! And Happy Release day!!!

Gender inequality is the status quo and this book documents it with studies and with practical experience from a female attorney. Although I didn't feel like there was anything new to me, many women reading this are going to feel finally seen.
She doesn't have a solution, but ways to stay conscious of the problem and fight it gradually.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this

I think other women attorneys will find a lot here to empathize with. I, too, did the biglaw grind until I realized it was not serving my health (physical and mental) and was preventing me from focusing on what was important to me, namely my family. I will caution that there did seem to be some glamorizing of that lifestyle even as she tried to distance herself from it. I would have appreciated a broader discussion on the fact that it is absolute nonsense that biglaw insists on associates working 14+ hour days, missing holidays, foregoing everything from family events to basic hygiene, when the system was developed by and for white men with stay at home wives.

In terms of the studies, there isn’t much new ground covered here that hasn’t been discussed before (Entitled by Kate Manne comes to mind as an excellent resource for those looking for a deeper dive and I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Perez as a recommendation for even more on the data underlying a world designed by and for men). And unfortunately, most women lawyers are intimately acquainted with the dismal statistics Cherek references for women in the law. One thing I was not previously aware of and found very disheartening was the ABA’s new “Grit Project” and her spot-on observation that this seems a lot like giving up on blaming the culture and environment and instead blaming (in the guise of trying to “empower”) the women themselves. I’ll go farther and ask why we are trying to help women succeed in corporate environments created for, propping up, and dominated by men in the first place?

The author ultimately emphasizes that she doesn’t know how we solve a lot of these issues but encourages readers to keep speaking up about injustices and supporting other women. I’m still waiting for a book that provides more concrete steps - but perhaps “burn it to the ground and start over” is not the most well-received book proposal.

4/5 stars because even though I was left wanting, if this book gets into the hands of anyone who hasn’t heard the messages before and inspires them to speak up or let’s them know they’re not alone, it will have been worth it.

Pub Date: 1/16/24
Review Published: 1/14/24
eARC received from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I received an ARC from NetGalley. The book is good and filled will all-too-unfortunate stories about the barriers women face in the workplace. It’s more anecdotal than science-backed, making it an easier read. I think the last 25% of the book is what hit the hardest, especially the chapter on grit.

Multiple time while reading this book, my inner dialogue was, "Hell yeah" - I felt super inspired by Cherek's no bullshit approach to sexism and misogyny. As I read the examples of misogyny and sexism experienced by the author and other friends/colleagues of hers, it was enraging, yes, but none of it felt surprising to me, as someone whose research has centered around the sexism and discrimination faced by women in the workplace, and as a woman who faced multiple sexist encounters as well. While the stories weren't surprising, the timing of this message is necessary, because as Cherek shares, not everyone in our society knows or understands that sexism in the workplace is still as bad as it is. As a new-ish mom, and as someone who was in a high leadership role, but left said leadership role when I was not receiving the flexibility that I needed, I feel like I personally relate, and feel that we need to do much more to support women in the workplace as they are becoming parents. One thing I wish she mentioned more was how much worse the experience is for women of color. I feel like it's mentioned but not in as much depth, and it is a reality that as hard as it is - the experience all around for women of color is worse. More examples and stories directly from women of color would have been powerful. Overall Cherek's message is a necessary one, and we do need to do more to support women in the workplace and change the culture for women.

Highly recommend. To all ages, all levels of readers, men, women, non-binary, I honestly believe that everyone would benefit from reading this book. This book challenged me, inspired me and informed me about the extent of challenges we face, some unconsciously, but that everyone is fighting their own battles and is on their own journey and we have no right to judge how another decides to handle it. I thought this would just be a light little book about the differences between the genders in the professional setting, but it is so much more than that. I had to take some time between chapters to truely absorb what Kristine has written and how each chapter relates to my life in the past, present, and likely the future. Easy 5 stars.

Kristine Cherek documents various activities and reasons why there is inequality in the workplace. Women are never on an even playing field. As a working woman who has recently retired, I can attest to all of her examples. No matter how hard women work, how many hours, they are often left behind. The workplace is all too often skewed to men - typically cisgender white men.

As most self help books do, Cherek has Key Takeaways at the end of each chapter boiling down her points into easily digestible takeaways. But don't neglect the rest of the chapter - there is so much to glean from the stories.

In reading this book, at one point I started to tear up - I felt seen. I wasn't alone. While times have changed and advances have been made, we aren't doing enough. And as she says, we need to do more - mentor younger women, support them, speak out and stand up for them.

I really recommend this book - it might even be a book you could give to your male boss (anonymously if necessary).

I was given this book through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I loved this book for the reality check on women’s representation in leadership positions in different industries, the author’s personal recounts of her and her friends’ experiences throughout their careers, and for the emotions it stirred in me from pride to frustration. It’s a call for action for our generation of women to not be satisfied with where we stand in society because we are nowhere close to being equal. We must keep pushing and fighting to make the world a better place for all future women and to pay respects to the fight and everything previous generations of women endured to get us to where we are today.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC!

It is not often that I decide to give a book a 5=star rating, but this book was just that good. As a young woman about to graduate law school, I feel like this book perfectly captured many of the things I have thought about and experienced in my limited time in the legal field. I recommended this book to my closest law school friends, before I made it to the halfway mark. I plan to recommend it to everyone I know and even those that I don't know, because I want women to know that they are seen and heard. Kristine, thank you for speaking up and calling out the bullshit that women experience day in and day out. Women like you are the reason that women like me have the courage to speak up as well. This is just the beginning, but we are off to a great start.

Gender inequality, sexism, and misogyny are unfortunately all too common in "professional" environments. A book like this is a helpful aid for anyone trying to understand how they might cultivate a healthier, more balanced and equal situation for women. Worth keeping on the shelf!

Empowering. Must-read. Whether you’re midway through a career or starting out, this book is beneficial. A candid account from our author that is a down to earth pep talk. What to do for success. It’s written well. It’s easy to read.