What do you think?
Rate this book
Bond Girl
When other little girls were dreaming about becoming doctors or lawyers, Alex Garrett set her sights on conquering the high-powered world of Wall Street. And though she's prepared to fight her way into an elitist boys' club, or duck the occasional errant football, she quickly realizes she's in over her head when she's relegated to a kiddie-size folding chair with her new moniker—Girlie—inscribed in Wite-Out across the back.
No matter. She's determined to make it in bond sales at Cromwell Pierce, one of the Street's most esteemed brokerage firms. Keeping her eyes on the prize, the low Girlie on the totem pole will endure whatever comes her way—whether trekking to the Bronx for a $1,000 wheel of Parmesan cheese; discovering a secretary's secret Friday night slumber/dance party in the conference room; fielding a constant barrage of "friendly" practical jokes; learning the ropes from Chick, her unpredictable, slightly scary, loyalty-demanding boss; babysitting a colleague while he consumes the contents of a vending machine on a $28,000 bet; or eluding the advances of a corporate stalker who's also one of the firm's biggest clients.
Ignoring her friends' pleas to quit, Alex excels (while learning how to roll with the punches and laugh at herself) and soon advances from lowly analyst to slightly-less-lowly associate. Suddenly, she's addressed by her real name, and the impenetrable boys' club has transformed into forty older brothers and one possible boyfriend. Then the apocalypse hits, and Alex is forced to choose between sticking with Cromwell Pierce as it teeters on the brink of disaster or kicking off her Jimmy Choos and running for higher ground.
No matter. She's determined to make it in bond sales at Cromwell Pierce, one of the Street's most esteemed brokerage firms. Keeping her eyes on the prize, the low Girlie on the totem pole will endure whatever comes her way—whether trekking to the Bronx for a $1,000 wheel of Parmesan cheese; discovering a secretary's secret Friday night slumber/dance party in the conference room; fielding a constant barrage of "friendly" practical jokes; learning the ropes from Chick, her unpredictable, slightly scary, loyalty-demanding boss; babysitting a colleague while he consumes the contents of a vending machine on a $28,000 bet; or eluding the advances of a corporate stalker who's also one of the firm's biggest clients.
Ignoring her friends' pleas to quit, Alex excels (while learning how to roll with the punches and laugh at herself) and soon advances from lowly analyst to slightly-less-lowly associate. Suddenly, she's addressed by her real name, and the impenetrable boys' club has transformed into forty older brothers and one possible boyfriend. Then the apocalypse hits, and Alex is forced to choose between sticking with Cromwell Pierce as it teeters on the brink of disaster or kicking off her Jimmy Choos and running for higher ground.
290 pages, Hardcover
First published January 24, 2012
90 people are currently reading
3552 people want to read
About the author
Erin Duffy
9 books196 followersErin Duffy graduated from Georgetown University in 2000 with a B.A. in English and worked on Wall Street, a career that inspired her first novel, Bond Girl. She lives in New York City with her husband (whom she met the old-fashioned way—in a bar).
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 791 reviews
August 12, 2018
Bond Girl is the story of Alex, a recent graduate of UVA who gets a job at the prestigious firm of Cromwell Pierce on Wall Street, working in bond sales. The environment is male-dominated, high pressure, and cutthroat. Despite being smart and working hard, she quickly realizes she has a lot to learn and a long road ahead, as she attempts to prove herself.
I found a lot of the aspects of the story to be realistic: working in a demanding and fast-paced corporate environment, having to deal with an old boys club, and trying to find some semblance of work-life balance.
The story was enjoyable but a major detractor for me was the romantic storyline involved. For someone as smart and put together as Alex was, she was incredibly juvenile in this regard. If you’re having drinks with a coworker after work on occasion, but they do not text/call you back, and are never available to hang out on the weekend, you’re hardly dating. To think so is just straight up naive. Even accounting for the fact that Alex was young - in her early 20s - she was disappointing in this aspect, and I found myself rolling my eyes more than once.
Despite its predictable elements and the weak storyline noted above, Bond Girl is still a somewhat timely, quick read with relatable work elements.
I found a lot of the aspects of the story to be realistic: working in a demanding and fast-paced corporate environment, having to deal with an old boys club, and trying to find some semblance of work-life balance.
The story was enjoyable but a major detractor for me was the romantic storyline involved. For someone as smart and put together as Alex was, she was incredibly juvenile in this regard. If you’re having drinks with a coworker after work on occasion, but they do not text/call you back, and are never available to hang out on the weekend, you’re hardly dating. To think so is just straight up naive. Even accounting for the fact that Alex was young - in her early 20s - she was disappointing in this aspect, and I found myself rolling my eyes more than once.
Despite its predictable elements and the weak storyline noted above, Bond Girl is still a somewhat timely, quick read with relatable work elements.
March 5, 2012
I didn't hate this, but I was frustrated by a lot of it. The main character was pretty stupid, like any 23-24 year old, I guess. I lived in NYC and had my first job at that age as well, and I'm sure I made equally dumb decisions...I just don't want to read about them. I liked the insight into the world of finance and the reality(?) of what it's like for a woman on Wall Street. The ending made me ragey because 1) the character hinted at a new career, but didn't say what that career was. Was the comment about writing a book a wink from the author? If so, it was a little silly. 2) the character immediately has to go find a new boyfriend THE DAY she quit her job and spent the afternoon crying "like a fifth grader"? I understand that she wanted to turn over a new leaf, but it seemed pretty rushed to me - like the author was done and wanted to tie everything up as quickly as possible. Overally, I enjoyed parts of the book, but felt that the writing was weak overall. I found the scenes where the character talked to her close friends to be especially hollow.
July 16, 2012
I was excited to read this book. I work in (and love) the financial services industry, warts and all. Though I’ve never worked a trading desk I did spend a decade in investment banking (her crack about bankers being too into the details, like caring way too hard about the color of a font, is funny because it’s true). My fixed income knowledge is limited to what I had to learn for the Series 7 but, still, financial instruments fascinate me, bonds, equities, whatever. Add in a few stellar reviews and I was sold.
Bond Girl is a fast and sometimes juicy read and it certainly lets the reader peek under the skirt of the industry but there is zero character development, none, nothing, nada. There is career development in that Alex advances and learns along the way but in terms of who she is, nothing. At one point she gets her own apartment and laments about missing her roommate. I’m like, she has a roommate? Wait, she has friends? But this ghost of a roommate “kept things interesting!” Oh, yeah, how? Because this is the first I'm hearing of it? Later Alex tells her “boyfriend” he’ll like her friends because they are “just like her.” Ha! A convenient way to avoid having to describe them at all.
Some of the dialogue is lame (though I did like Chick) and way too often one character says to another: “good point.” Obviously people say this in real life but when it’s used so prodigiously in fiction it makes the reader think the points aren’t actually good. As mentioned, this is a fast read, but I expected much more.
Bond Girl is a fast and sometimes juicy read and it certainly lets the reader peek under the skirt of the industry but there is zero character development, none, nothing, nada. There is career development in that Alex advances and learns along the way but in terms of who she is, nothing. At one point she gets her own apartment and laments about missing her roommate. I’m like, she has a roommate? Wait, she has friends? But this ghost of a roommate “kept things interesting!” Oh, yeah, how? Because this is the first I'm hearing of it? Later Alex tells her “boyfriend” he’ll like her friends because they are “just like her.” Ha! A convenient way to avoid having to describe them at all.
Some of the dialogue is lame (though I did like Chick) and way too often one character says to another: “good point.” Obviously people say this in real life but when it’s used so prodigiously in fiction it makes the reader think the points aren’t actually good. As mentioned, this is a fast read, but I expected much more.
November 16, 2011
Bond Girl: A Novel By: Erin Duffy
This book is being advertised as “The Devil Wears Prada meets Wall Street” and that is true. In fact, it is so true that if you have already read “The Devil Wears Prada” you won’t need to use any of your free time on this book. This book is not “fresh”, not “hip” nor is it even remotely funny. It was sad and depressing and you could see the ending coming a mile away, and no I don’t mean the financial crash. The only thing you may find interesting about this book is the brief, extremely brief look into the workings of a bond department.
The relationship between Alex and Will was so obvious from the beginning that I would be amazed if anyone is surprised as to how it all works out in the end. This relationship did not show me that this was a “smart” book nor did it prove that Alex was a smart woman.
The similarities between “The Devil Wears Prada” are spooky. I think that the only thing missing in Bond Girl is that Alex’s mentor is not gay.
This book is being advertised as “The Devil Wears Prada meets Wall Street” and that is true. In fact, it is so true that if you have already read “The Devil Wears Prada” you won’t need to use any of your free time on this book. This book is not “fresh”, not “hip” nor is it even remotely funny. It was sad and depressing and you could see the ending coming a mile away, and no I don’t mean the financial crash. The only thing you may find interesting about this book is the brief, extremely brief look into the workings of a bond department.
The relationship between Alex and Will was so obvious from the beginning that I would be amazed if anyone is surprised as to how it all works out in the end. This relationship did not show me that this was a “smart” book nor did it prove that Alex was a smart woman.
The similarities between “The Devil Wears Prada” are spooky. I think that the only thing missing in Bond Girl is that Alex’s mentor is not gay.
February 12, 2012
I just needed an airplane book. Because of the decent review it received from EW I was expecting it to be better than it was. I'm not expecting War and Peace with these kinds of books but could I have got a little more emotion from the protag other than crying, constant confusion and out-of-nowhere bitchiness? She kept saying she wasn't a crier and then proceeded to describe herself crying five times. She worked with a bunch of pigs; one bad moment she shrugs it off, the next she jumps down someones throat.
There was no in-depth look into what. she. did. for a living. No real history and insight into what made her the type of person she became. She was so dumb, soooo dumb. In her professional life, her personal life, she made unbelievably bad decisions and I felt no sympathy for her, she felt enough for herself.
And this doesn't normally irk me but I had no real good physical descriptions of these characters including the narrator herself. So their faces kept changing in my head.
Nothing memorable about this one, please god don't make it into a movie.
There was no in-depth look into what. she. did. for a living. No real history and insight into what made her the type of person she became. She was so dumb, soooo dumb. In her professional life, her personal life, she made unbelievably bad decisions and I felt no sympathy for her, she felt enough for herself.
And this doesn't normally irk me but I had no real good physical descriptions of these characters including the narrator herself. So their faces kept changing in my head.
Nothing memorable about this one, please god don't make it into a movie.
March 30, 2012
I enjoyed this overall but I had issues with the way the relationship between Alex and Will was portrayed. I'm not saying Will was not an a**hole but I just felt so uneasy watching (or should I say reading) Alex pining after him, being portrayed as this dumb ass who didn't suspect that she was being played and then acting as if her life was over in the aftermath. Seeing as she's pretty sweet and sensible, I guess I can forgive her for this so-called romantic stupidity. I was so proud of her for sticking to her principles and I'm glad the author didn't make her capitulate to the 'demands' that the industry can unfairly place on women.
Despite that little qualm, I liked the book. I also liked the supporting cast of characters from Chick (Ciccone) to Drew to Reese et. al as well as Alex's friends. They were all hilarious. I loved Patty. I appreciated that the author introduced a female character that was not out to sabotage another female. Thank you very much for that Erin Duffy.
Interestingly enough I had to constantly remind myself this was fiction and not a memoir. Maybe it was the narrative style of the protagonist? Or my secret desire that this should have been a memoir?...lol.
p.s. The shoe on the front cover? One word: Fierce.
Despite that little qualm, I liked the book. I also liked the supporting cast of characters from Chick (Ciccone) to Drew to Reese et. al as well as Alex's friends. They were all hilarious. I loved Patty. I appreciated that the author introduced a female character that was not out to sabotage another female. Thank you very much for that Erin Duffy.
Interestingly enough I had to constantly remind myself this was fiction and not a memoir. Maybe it was the narrative style of the protagonist? Or my secret desire that this should have been a memoir?...lol.
p.s. The shoe on the front cover? One word: Fierce.
January 8, 2012
Erin Duffy wows us in “Bond Girl” with her wicked humor, her wit and sense of honor and duty. She is a new voice in literature to be reckoned with and her first novel has set a bar that many will not be able to match.
Alex Garrett has always been a tomboy; having more fun playing sports with the boys in the neighborhood than hanging with her girl friends. So when she decides to follow her father’s footsteps and enter the financial world of Wall Street, no one is really surprised. Her Mom was the only one to offer advice – to put her pride in second place.
Alex arrives at Cromwell Pierce with a big smile and a heart full of hope, soon to be extinguished by the boys club she encounters. All the stories about Wall Street and the craziness of the trading floor are true. The brokers are petty, malicious, liars, flirts, tricksters and down-right embarrassing! Her boss, Chick, is crazy, demanding but loyal. Her first day, she is forced to sit on a folding chair behind everyone working at their desks so she can watch what is going on. No one will talk to her or answer any questions but at lunch time, she is the gopher who must pick up overwhelming amounts of food by herself – 100 pizzas, 200 philly cheesesteaks from Pennsylvania and as a punishment from Chick for disobeying his rules, a 50 lb. wheel of cheese from the Bronx!
But Alex hangs in, no matter what is thrown at her. Chick realizes her strengths and starts to work with her, teaching her everything he knows and giving her advice how to handle all the men in her department. And she does, even making some friends. But life at Cromwell Pierce is always two steps forward and 5 steps backwards – the worst being the antagonistic men who want to help her climb the ladder of success by offering her a place in their bed!! Mom was right: should she put her honor and pride in second place so she can earn oodles and oodles of money??? When the crash of 2008 happens, and Chick is fired, Alex has a lot of decisions to make, not only about her personal life but also relating to the reorganization of Cromwell Pierce and the golden handcuffs she’d have to wear.
Not only do we read a well-told tale about life on Wall Street but we also learn quite a bit about Wall Street itself – which makes me eternally grateful I’ve never had the desire to spend one iota of time there!!
Kudos to Ms. Duffy for a wonderful, fun-filled ride!
Definitely 5 stars!!!!!
Alex Garrett has always been a tomboy; having more fun playing sports with the boys in the neighborhood than hanging with her girl friends. So when she decides to follow her father’s footsteps and enter the financial world of Wall Street, no one is really surprised. Her Mom was the only one to offer advice – to put her pride in second place.
Alex arrives at Cromwell Pierce with a big smile and a heart full of hope, soon to be extinguished by the boys club she encounters. All the stories about Wall Street and the craziness of the trading floor are true. The brokers are petty, malicious, liars, flirts, tricksters and down-right embarrassing! Her boss, Chick, is crazy, demanding but loyal. Her first day, she is forced to sit on a folding chair behind everyone working at their desks so she can watch what is going on. No one will talk to her or answer any questions but at lunch time, she is the gopher who must pick up overwhelming amounts of food by herself – 100 pizzas, 200 philly cheesesteaks from Pennsylvania and as a punishment from Chick for disobeying his rules, a 50 lb. wheel of cheese from the Bronx!
But Alex hangs in, no matter what is thrown at her. Chick realizes her strengths and starts to work with her, teaching her everything he knows and giving her advice how to handle all the men in her department. And she does, even making some friends. But life at Cromwell Pierce is always two steps forward and 5 steps backwards – the worst being the antagonistic men who want to help her climb the ladder of success by offering her a place in their bed!! Mom was right: should she put her honor and pride in second place so she can earn oodles and oodles of money??? When the crash of 2008 happens, and Chick is fired, Alex has a lot of decisions to make, not only about her personal life but also relating to the reorganization of Cromwell Pierce and the golden handcuffs she’d have to wear.
Not only do we read a well-told tale about life on Wall Street but we also learn quite a bit about Wall Street itself – which makes me eternally grateful I’ve never had the desire to spend one iota of time there!!
Kudos to Ms. Duffy for a wonderful, fun-filled ride!
Definitely 5 stars!!!!!
February 28, 2012
Alex Garrett grows up dreaming of working in the financial district on Wall Street. Upon graduating from the University of Virginia, she's offered her dream job with one of the major financial players on The Street and eagerly accepts.
Only the reality turns out to be far different than the dream.
I'd heard a lot of buzz for Bond Girl both on-line and in mainstream reviews. Curious about the book, I put it on reserve and decided I'd give it a try.
And it was OK. It wasn't great but it wasn't terrible either. There are some amusing moments in the story (one guy betting he can eat the entire contents of a vending machine comes to mind as does Alex's punishment for being late for work) but there are points where Alex threatens to overstay her welcome. The biggest of these is her on-going, mixed signals relationship with a co-worker, Will. You may pick up some huge warning signs that there is something Will is hiding long before Alex does. In fact, I'd say that is my biggest frustration with the novel--how long it takes Alex to put the pieces together and pull her head out of the sand about Will.
Between that, we have some potentially interesting observations about a woman trying to break into a male dominated profession. The trials and tribulations Alex faces provide some interesting insights, but there are also more than a fair share of frustrations along the way as well.
Overall, Bond Girl has some funny moments along with some frustrating ones. At just over 300 pages, it comes close to overstaying its welcome. It's not terrible, but it's not great either.
Only the reality turns out to be far different than the dream.
I'd heard a lot of buzz for Bond Girl both on-line and in mainstream reviews. Curious about the book, I put it on reserve and decided I'd give it a try.
And it was OK. It wasn't great but it wasn't terrible either. There are some amusing moments in the story (one guy betting he can eat the entire contents of a vending machine comes to mind as does Alex's punishment for being late for work) but there are points where Alex threatens to overstay her welcome. The biggest of these is her on-going, mixed signals relationship with a co-worker, Will. You may pick up some huge warning signs that there is something Will is hiding long before Alex does. In fact, I'd say that is my biggest frustration with the novel--how long it takes Alex to put the pieces together and pull her head out of the sand about Will.
Between that, we have some potentially interesting observations about a woman trying to break into a male dominated profession. The trials and tribulations Alex faces provide some interesting insights, but there are also more than a fair share of frustrations along the way as well.
Overall, Bond Girl has some funny moments along with some frustrating ones. At just over 300 pages, it comes close to overstaying its welcome. It's not terrible, but it's not great either.
March 17, 2017
2.5 that I'm rounding up. This was .... fine. But it also just didn't go anywhere - I felt like the plot could have been so much more than it was. Alas.
December 30, 2015
"Bond Girl" is exactly the type of novel I love reading (or listening to in this case). It may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I love modern day 20's somethings women (woman here) struggling with love and life in NYC type reads. What I also enjoyed about it is the insight into Wall Street in a way I could understand. The fast paced life of an "underling" in a world of hazing is one I can relate to having worked for a talent agency myself and witnessing similar behavior. Overall a great read that had me sitting in my car at my destination not quite ready to quit listening on multiple occasions.
July 12, 2013
By Megan Miller
Erin Duffy’s “Bond Girl” does little to shed light on the mechanisms behind the financial collapse in 2008, although it does uphold the copious clichés about the years of excess leading to the downfall. Snapshots of sexual harassment, over-indulgence and trigger-happy traders are all par for the course in this oft-told “Devil Wears Prada” version of a female analyst’s first years on Wall Street.
While at first glorifying the world of Cromwell Pierce, the imagined mega-bank where the protagonist, Alex, is lucky enough to land a job as an analyst in her first year out of college, the young ingénue quickly becomes disillusioned by the demands of her job, even as rewards in the form of cash bonuses come in quickly. At the office Christmas party, after getting in a spat with a managing director over whether she is desirable enough for a bathroom quickie, she quickly learns the fastest way to the top for women who are at the bottom of the Wall Street pecking order.
Office life is portrayed as a mix of the mundane - juggling Starbucks orders for her desk - with the absurd - cabbing up to Harlem to pick up a $1,000 wheel of cheese - combined with sexual overtures: getting groped by portfolio managers who flash their corporate cards with gusto. Harassment is an accepted form of hazing.
Alex, though, is far from a feminist heroine. She is all too happy to play up her physical attributes in the hope of achieving higher status. It is hardly surprising that she finds that her fate is tied to male bosses who promote her through initiation rituals she passes with aplomb, although they are unrelated to her performance on the job. Her predicaments are often deplorable, but her response is to play right into the system she purports to dismiss.
Indeed, Duffy plays into every stereotype of the Wall Street femme fatale: all they care about is expensive shoes and handbags, they’d rather work for males that hit on them than women who have previously been in their own fancy shoes, and they’re pretty much willing to tolerate the male-dominated alpha culture as long as it results in a decent bonus at the end of the year. It’s hard to feel much sympathy for a character whose tough days in the office end with tears in a chauffeured town car and sorrows drowned in wine delivered to her West Village apartment.
Oh yes, there is the financial crisis of 2008 and the expected tale of redemption: disillusionment followed by an epiphany and reprioritizing. But Alex’s new and better life is almost as shallow as her old, if less testosterone-driven: she resolves to chronicle all of her misadventures. Presumably, we are the lucky audience who gets to read the manuscript.
Duffy has written a “Fifty Shades of Grey” lite, another story of female fantasy and domination in a post-women’s-liberation world. The protagonist purports to be an evolved modern-day working gal, but under the façade she turns out to be a scared girl who runs into the arms of the nearest alpha male in sight.
Erin Duffy’s “Bond Girl” does little to shed light on the mechanisms behind the financial collapse in 2008, although it does uphold the copious clichés about the years of excess leading to the downfall. Snapshots of sexual harassment, over-indulgence and trigger-happy traders are all par for the course in this oft-told “Devil Wears Prada” version of a female analyst’s first years on Wall Street.
While at first glorifying the world of Cromwell Pierce, the imagined mega-bank where the protagonist, Alex, is lucky enough to land a job as an analyst in her first year out of college, the young ingénue quickly becomes disillusioned by the demands of her job, even as rewards in the form of cash bonuses come in quickly. At the office Christmas party, after getting in a spat with a managing director over whether she is desirable enough for a bathroom quickie, she quickly learns the fastest way to the top for women who are at the bottom of the Wall Street pecking order.
Office life is portrayed as a mix of the mundane - juggling Starbucks orders for her desk - with the absurd - cabbing up to Harlem to pick up a $1,000 wheel of cheese - combined with sexual overtures: getting groped by portfolio managers who flash their corporate cards with gusto. Harassment is an accepted form of hazing.
Alex, though, is far from a feminist heroine. She is all too happy to play up her physical attributes in the hope of achieving higher status. It is hardly surprising that she finds that her fate is tied to male bosses who promote her through initiation rituals she passes with aplomb, although they are unrelated to her performance on the job. Her predicaments are often deplorable, but her response is to play right into the system she purports to dismiss.
Indeed, Duffy plays into every stereotype of the Wall Street femme fatale: all they care about is expensive shoes and handbags, they’d rather work for males that hit on them than women who have previously been in their own fancy shoes, and they’re pretty much willing to tolerate the male-dominated alpha culture as long as it results in a decent bonus at the end of the year. It’s hard to feel much sympathy for a character whose tough days in the office end with tears in a chauffeured town car and sorrows drowned in wine delivered to her West Village apartment.
Oh yes, there is the financial crisis of 2008 and the expected tale of redemption: disillusionment followed by an epiphany and reprioritizing. But Alex’s new and better life is almost as shallow as her old, if less testosterone-driven: she resolves to chronicle all of her misadventures. Presumably, we are the lucky audience who gets to read the manuscript.
Duffy has written a “Fifty Shades of Grey” lite, another story of female fantasy and domination in a post-women’s-liberation world. The protagonist purports to be an evolved modern-day working gal, but under the façade she turns out to be a scared girl who runs into the arms of the nearest alpha male in sight.
March 10, 2012
I know NOTHING about the financial world, ask the other half. He works in finances and I generally look at him like he is speaking jibberish when he talks about investments and what he does.
Here's what I know about finances. I am a librarian, I get paid and I buy more books after I pay the bills. I picked up Erin Duffy's book because it seemed like interesting chick-lit, but I will admit I was intimidated by the premise of a twenty-something female who wears shoes I just think about. And especially during this economy.. HOW would this character EVER be likeable???
I was wrong. This was a great, quick read that kept me excited and invested. I liked the main character who was scrappy and wanted to do this job. She never came off horrible, regardless of the lifestyle she eventually started living. It also made those investment bankers not seem like SUCH bad guys (there are some and you can see how in an environment with a lot of back patting things could have gone astray...)
I liked it. ALOT.
Here's what I know about finances. I am a librarian, I get paid and I buy more books after I pay the bills. I picked up Erin Duffy's book because it seemed like interesting chick-lit, but I will admit I was intimidated by the premise of a twenty-something female who wears shoes I just think about. And especially during this economy.. HOW would this character EVER be likeable???
I was wrong. This was a great, quick read that kept me excited and invested. I liked the main character who was scrappy and wanted to do this job. She never came off horrible, regardless of the lifestyle she eventually started living. It also made those investment bankers not seem like SUCH bad guys (there are some and you can see how in an environment with a lot of back patting things could have gone astray...)
I liked it. ALOT.
November 20, 2016
This was a case where I should not have judged a book by its cover. The stiletto had me wondering exactly what I was about to read. What I found was incredibly smart and entertaining! Who knew bond trading on Wall Street could be so interesting with this fun cast of characters?! I enjoyed every word of Alex's story. I would love to see a sequel to this one! I won a copy of this book from the author, and this was my unsolicited review.
July 17, 2012
Originally reviewed at Novel Escapes
When Bond Girl popped up in my mailbox I had to read the cover to discover what it was about. Isn’t this cover fabulous!?! I’ve never been a huge shoe fanatic (somehow that’s changing – maybe all this reading about shoes in the last ten years?), but I couldn’t wait to crack this one. A girl who takes on Wall Street? In six inch stiletto’s? Bring it on!
I loved this book. Erin Duffy has a fresh, fun voice. She puts a new spin on the New York City girl – even if she’s still wearing Jimmy Choos. Alex is a bond trader – not something you see every day in chick lit. She’s smart, sassy and a little insecure when she begins working at Cromwell Pierce, but she’s willing to do what it takes to get ahead, and is pushed to the edge daily to it done.
This book had some unique situations and I laughed at the trader’s antics and what Alex is forced to endure during her ‘probation’ – more like her hazing. The novel wasn’t bogged down in details about bond trading that would have bored me and what job specific information we were shown, Alex was just as confused about. The inside look at Wall Street – from a female perspective especially – was interesting. Alex trudges and tiptoes through this still male dominated world amidst leers, sexual innuendo and having her intelligence questioned. There were some surprises in this novel and I was never sure which way it would go, which is always a huge plus.
The crazy routine and lifestyle portrayed in Bond Girl made my head spin. The insane work hours, the after work socializing for work, the client lunches, dinners and everything in between. Time spent with friends and family lacking and the deficiency of sleep. There is no way on earth I would be capable. I would have collapsed after a month and appreciated seeing how ragged Alex is run. Admirable really.
When Bond Girl popped up in my mailbox I had to read the cover to discover what it was about. Isn’t this cover fabulous!?! I’ve never been a huge shoe fanatic (somehow that’s changing – maybe all this reading about shoes in the last ten years?), but I couldn’t wait to crack this one. A girl who takes on Wall Street? In six inch stiletto’s? Bring it on!
I loved this book. Erin Duffy has a fresh, fun voice. She puts a new spin on the New York City girl – even if she’s still wearing Jimmy Choos. Alex is a bond trader – not something you see every day in chick lit. She’s smart, sassy and a little insecure when she begins working at Cromwell Pierce, but she’s willing to do what it takes to get ahead, and is pushed to the edge daily to it done.
This book had some unique situations and I laughed at the trader’s antics and what Alex is forced to endure during her ‘probation’ – more like her hazing. The novel wasn’t bogged down in details about bond trading that would have bored me and what job specific information we were shown, Alex was just as confused about. The inside look at Wall Street – from a female perspective especially – was interesting. Alex trudges and tiptoes through this still male dominated world amidst leers, sexual innuendo and having her intelligence questioned. There were some surprises in this novel and I was never sure which way it would go, which is always a huge plus.
The crazy routine and lifestyle portrayed in Bond Girl made my head spin. The insane work hours, the after work socializing for work, the client lunches, dinners and everything in between. Time spent with friends and family lacking and the deficiency of sleep. There is no way on earth I would be capable. I would have collapsed after a month and appreciated seeing how ragged Alex is run. Admirable really.
August 10, 2012
I received a copy of Bond Girl in exchange for an honest review. First off let’s talk the cover. Loved it! Are all girls wired to just adore pictures of shoes or what? Second – loved the plot. It’s not often we get a female perspective of a “Street” worker – and by that I mean Wall Street. Alex Garrett knew from quite the young age that she wanted to follow in her father’s footsteps and conquer the illustrious Wall Street. She lands a job at Cromwell Pierce, of the best brokerage firms on the Street. Alex thinks she knows what she is in for – but quickly realizes it is much, much worse than anticipated. First off – no desk. She sits in a folding chair and peeks over the shoulders of her co-workers. She also is working in a for real boys club, answering to the name Girlie, and being the all-around slave around the place. But slowly but surely Alex starts to prove her worth – upgrading to a real desk, real responsibilities, and even people calling her given name instead of Girlie. Just when she thinks she might be catching her breath and getting used to the Street, the economy tanks and all of America is looking at the corporates on Wall Street as the cause.
Bond Girl is a real page turner. I just loved how unique the story was – not to mention a true behind the scenes look at Wall Street. I was fascinated, intrigued, and I also learned a lot throughout the book. Alex is a feisty individual, and nailed it as the MC. Smart, hard-working, but just when I thought she was wired like a dude, some emotions would break through. I didn’t want to put this book down once I started reading. It was a longer book too, but took me barely two days to get it read. I highly recommend Bond Girl, and this is one of my favorites of the year!
Bond Girl is a real page turner. I just loved how unique the story was – not to mention a true behind the scenes look at Wall Street. I was fascinated, intrigued, and I also learned a lot throughout the book. Alex is a feisty individual, and nailed it as the MC. Smart, hard-working, but just when I thought she was wired like a dude, some emotions would break through. I didn’t want to put this book down once I started reading. It was a longer book too, but took me barely two days to get it read. I highly recommend Bond Girl, and this is one of my favorites of the year!
February 28, 2012
I was so excited to read this after reading the review for "Bond Girl" in Entertainment Weekly last month. Being a financial analyst myself, I was interested to see the interworkings of Wall Street from a young female's point of view.
I enjoyed reading this book, although it was more fluffy than I had originally thought. I enjoyed the financial jargon and thought it was great that things were explained in the book (for those that aren't familiar with the financial field). I found myself rooting and hating Alex throughout the story... I was mostly frustrated with her character when interacting with Will. In addition, the drama with Rick went on far too long. Due to their travel schedules, those kinds of guys on Wall Street interact regularly with all sorts of women... it was very unrealistic to me that he would be after her for two years. How boring would that get? There are plenty of women (definitely attractive ones) out there who will throw themselves at Wall Street guys for their money.
All in all, this was a good, fluffy read. I am a little disappointed in the book though. I think there was a lot of potential for a solid story, especially with the financial crash as a background.
I enjoyed reading this book, although it was more fluffy than I had originally thought. I enjoyed the financial jargon and thought it was great that things were explained in the book (for those that aren't familiar with the financial field). I found myself rooting and hating Alex throughout the story... I was mostly frustrated with her character when interacting with Will. In addition, the drama with Rick went on far too long. Due to their travel schedules, those kinds of guys on Wall Street interact regularly with all sorts of women... it was very unrealistic to me that he would be after her for two years. How boring would that get? There are plenty of women (definitely attractive ones) out there who will throw themselves at Wall Street guys for their money.
All in all, this was a good, fluffy read. I am a little disappointed in the book though. I think there was a lot of potential for a solid story, especially with the financial crash as a background.
May 19, 2012
3 1/2 Stars. The author has a very engaging voice, and the trip through the workplace from hell to the financial meltdown was interesting.
What I found missing was the personal. Alex chooses to work on Wall Street because her father does, and she has wanted to do with since she was a little girl. But when she does, actually, get a job on Wall Street, we don't see her communicating with or even thinking about her father very much.
When she strikes up a workplace romance, I wasn't even sure that she had. She's out for drinks and flirting with a co-worker (something that could cost her her job). Next she's waking up in his bed - did she pass out, or did they have sex? As you continue reading, yes, apparently she and said co-worker are "hooking up" and she is becoming emotionally involved, but there is no THERE there. We don't see them kissing, having sex, or her daydreaming about him very much, just some innocuous emails.
Since we already know about the financial meltdown, that wasn't a surprise, and since I wasn't emotionally invested in Alex's romance, the ending to that doesn't really pay off, either. I would certainly read another book by this author, but hope she'll include some closer looks inside her character's heart.
What I found missing was the personal. Alex chooses to work on Wall Street because her father does, and she has wanted to do with since she was a little girl. But when she does, actually, get a job on Wall Street, we don't see her communicating with or even thinking about her father very much.
When she strikes up a workplace romance, I wasn't even sure that she had. She's out for drinks and flirting with a co-worker (something that could cost her her job). Next she's waking up in his bed - did she pass out, or did they have sex? As you continue reading, yes, apparently she and said co-worker are "hooking up" and she is becoming emotionally involved, but there is no THERE there. We don't see them kissing, having sex, or her daydreaming about him very much, just some innocuous emails.
Since we already know about the financial meltdown, that wasn't a surprise, and since I wasn't emotionally invested in Alex's romance, the ending to that doesn't really pay off, either. I would certainly read another book by this author, but hope she'll include some closer looks inside her character's heart.
June 30, 2025
A breezy, hilarious novel about a young woman trying to make it as an entry-level analyst in fixed-income sales on Wall Street. Normally I don't read books like this but it was given to me by a friend and I actually enjoyed it! Having worked briefly in FinTech, I can attest that masculine Wall Street behavior is every bit as disgusting and piggish as Duffy, a former bond saleswoman herself, describes here. It's no accident that an environment where money is king led the American economy directly over the cliff in 2008, something that we're still paying the price for today.
My only complaint about the book is that its ending was quite abrupt. Duffy sets up all of this tension about Rick (her skeezeball client), the looming financial crisis itself, Cruella's backstory, etc. only for it all to get "resolved" in a flash. One imagines Duffy's editor being like, "you need to wrap all this up because all the wallowing in a toxic Wall Street trading floor environment is getting old" but it just happened too fast. Nice handling the love interest situation, though, and not making that storyline into a cliché.
My only complaint about the book is that its ending was quite abrupt. Duffy sets up all of this tension about Rick (her skeezeball client), the looming financial crisis itself, Cruella's backstory, etc. only for it all to get "resolved" in a flash. One imagines Duffy's editor being like, "you need to wrap all this up because all the wallowing in a toxic Wall Street trading floor environment is getting old" but it just happened too fast. Nice handling the love interest situation, though, and not making that storyline into a cliché.
September 18, 2011
This is the hysterical story of Alex aka Girlie who is the new bond girl at a Wall Street firm. It's so refreshing to have a smart, likeable protagonist who remains true to herself and has fun along the way. The crazy antics of this boys' club will make you laugh so hard you'll cry... and, at times, cringe. You won't want to put it down! Highly recommend it.
Thank you to The BookReporter.com and William Morrow for this ARC.
Thank you to The BookReporter.com and William Morrow for this ARC.
August 7, 2013
Another silly book for brainless summer reading.
I read the whole book, which is good, but never really loved it. I was hoping for something more - more laughs, more romance, more drama - any or all of the above.
Best part of this book was how it spawned a two day FB discussion about the possibility of eating one of every snack in the company vending machine.
Borrow this or skip it.
I read the whole book, which is good, but never really loved it. I was hoping for something more - more laughs, more romance, more drama - any or all of the above.
Best part of this book was how it spawned a two day FB discussion about the possibility of eating one of every snack in the company vending machine.
Borrow this or skip it.
November 28, 2012
4.5 rating.
"I'm a large buyer of cox" HAHA. I could not stop laughing after I read that. Good book. Definitely loved all the bets they made and how they messed with each other. I liked the main girl but at times she was kind of naive. I was a little disappointed that she didn't interact with cruella more especially once she learned more. Overall good read.
"I'm a large buyer of cox" HAHA. I could not stop laughing after I read that. Good book. Definitely loved all the bets they made and how they messed with each other. I liked the main girl but at times she was kind of naive. I was a little disappointed that she didn't interact with cruella more especially once she learned more. Overall good read.
August 22, 2019
I thought this was a really interesting look at the world of IBD - some of it was so over the top that I wondered if it were exaggerated, but sadly, I'm guessing not. I loved that it took place in 2007 (right when I was starting my own career in consulting, at the same age, in New York)! However, the end was wrapped up a little too neatly / quickly for my taste.
September 18, 2015
Alex is a bit naïve when it comes to Will where she should've been a bit more suspicious. Overall one I would definitely recommend!
June 25, 2018
Mimo tandetnego romansu (nie rozumiem dlaczego autorzy uważają, że romans to ciekawa rzecz do opisania?) książkę dobrze się czytało. Bardzo podobał mi się opis tego, co czeka ludzi w pracy. Nie pracując nigdy wcześniej, na pewno uważałabym, że autorka przesadza, jednak po kilku latach w korporacjach kiwałam tylko głową i rozumiałam bohaterkę z czym się borykała.
Ogromny plus za to, że romans nie skończył się happy endem, Alex została puszczona kantem i nie było mi jej szkoda, ponieważ jej naiwność graniczyła z głupotą. W książce często określano ją mianem błyskotliwej, inteligentnej, ambitnej - ja tego nie widziałam. Czytała horoskopy (!!!) w najważniejszym dniu jej pracy. Uganianie się za facetem (zaręczonym jak się potem okazało), który jawnie nie okazywał jej zainteresowania, wykorzystywał ją i mówił jej co ma robić z włosami, żeby koledzy z pracy wyżej oceniali jej wygląd. Jakoś to nie pasuje mi do błyskotliwej, inteligentnej dziewczyny.
Szybko się czytało i jest to jedna z lepszych love story które do tej pory czytałam.
Ogromny plus za to, że romans nie skończył się happy endem, Alex została puszczona kantem i nie było mi jej szkoda, ponieważ jej naiwność graniczyła z głupotą. W książce często określano ją mianem błyskotliwej, inteligentnej, ambitnej - ja tego nie widziałam. Czytała horoskopy (!!!) w najważniejszym dniu jej pracy. Uganianie się za facetem (zaręczonym jak się potem okazało), który jawnie nie okazywał jej zainteresowania, wykorzystywał ją i mówił jej co ma robić z włosami, żeby koledzy z pracy wyżej oceniali jej wygląd. Jakoś to nie pasuje mi do błyskotliwej, inteligentnej dziewczyny.
Szybko się czytało i jest to jedna z lepszych love story które do tej pory czytałam.
July 23, 2024
Pretty decent book. It was recommended to me by a mentor who worked on the trading floor during the 2008 financial crisis. I believe it gives an accurate depiction of what life was like for a finance girly back in the day. Times have changed, interns have rights, so it might not be completely up to date. However, the insight into the constant degradation of women in this field was eye-opening. Reading first-hand how chaotic a trading floor is does make me second-guess working in this field. However, it gave me a realistic look into what I should look forward to.
Read
November 14, 2017Dnf'd at 30%ish
The MC was annoying, and dumb. I am talking really dumb!
The narrator was def not for me. Her "impression" of the MC was spot on, annoying and nasally. I just couldn't take it anymore.
The MC was annoying, and dumb. I am talking really dumb!
The narrator was def not for me. Her "impression" of the MC was spot on, annoying and nasally. I just couldn't take it anymore.
April 19, 2025
Really liked it as you don’t see many books related to women in finance. Hard to rate it over Bully Market, but still a good read!
March 29, 2024
Quick fun read/listen. Makes me relive the trading days
October 14, 2011
I was lucky to receive an ARC of this book thanks to Book Reporter (http://bookreporter.com) and after my life settled down (if you didn't know, my grandfather was in the hospital and then stayed with my family for two weeks) I finally got a chance to pick it up. I read the book in 24 hours and put all other books and my job search aside. It was that good.
BOND GIRL follows Alex, a recent college graduate who has aspired to follow in her father's footsteps and work on a financial trading floor since she was a child. She joins Cromwell Pierce and immediately realizes her ideas of what it would be like are completely and 100% wrong. There is sexual harassment, no desk for her, bullying, tricks, high pressure scenarios...and a love interest that doesn't take as much interest in her as she thinks.
Alex as a narrator is fun and insightful, as well as fresh and interesting. I loved her story and wanted to know more after the book even ended. The characters were well fleshed out, including the secondary and tertiary ones, and the way this book was written has "make this a movie!" stamped all over it. The situations in this book seem all too real, even for someone like me who worked in Lower Manhattan (albeit not on Wall Street) and saw women like Alex daily rushing about in a world that still treats them as a joke.
The way Alex deals with the problems of her career are fresh, exciting, and driving. A client constantly hits on her, for example, but she is pressured into not saying anything thanks to her extremely large paycheck. But her increasing disenchantment with the field she's always admired makes the book compelling and harrowing, while Alex brings to the narration her ever-present humorous take on her life, her job, and the people around her.
If you don't have a business background, some of the concepts might confuse you (I took economics courses and don't have a clue what bond trading even is still), but putting that aside, BOND GIRL is an exceptional novel that I will recommend to anyone and everyone. And if you want to know more about the type of office where Alex works, trust me, it helps to look it up. I found THIS from UBS that pretty much sums it up. Trust me, it's kind of scary. Especially if you're like me and multiplying 6x15 is a cause for a calculator.
VERDICT: BOND GIRL is a hilarious book with some real impact about a world most of us will never know. It's funny, thrilling, and compelling. Trust me, you want to read this book. It's that good.
BOND GIRL follows Alex, a recent college graduate who has aspired to follow in her father's footsteps and work on a financial trading floor since she was a child. She joins Cromwell Pierce and immediately realizes her ideas of what it would be like are completely and 100% wrong. There is sexual harassment, no desk for her, bullying, tricks, high pressure scenarios...and a love interest that doesn't take as much interest in her as she thinks.
Alex as a narrator is fun and insightful, as well as fresh and interesting. I loved her story and wanted to know more after the book even ended. The characters were well fleshed out, including the secondary and tertiary ones, and the way this book was written has "make this a movie!" stamped all over it. The situations in this book seem all too real, even for someone like me who worked in Lower Manhattan (albeit not on Wall Street) and saw women like Alex daily rushing about in a world that still treats them as a joke.
The way Alex deals with the problems of her career are fresh, exciting, and driving. A client constantly hits on her, for example, but she is pressured into not saying anything thanks to her extremely large paycheck. But her increasing disenchantment with the field she's always admired makes the book compelling and harrowing, while Alex brings to the narration her ever-present humorous take on her life, her job, and the people around her.
If you don't have a business background, some of the concepts might confuse you (I took economics courses and don't have a clue what bond trading even is still), but putting that aside, BOND GIRL is an exceptional novel that I will recommend to anyone and everyone. And if you want to know more about the type of office where Alex works, trust me, it helps to look it up. I found THIS from UBS that pretty much sums it up. Trust me, it's kind of scary. Especially if you're like me and multiplying 6x15 is a cause for a calculator.
VERDICT: BOND GIRL is a hilarious book with some real impact about a world most of us will never know. It's funny, thrilling, and compelling. Trust me, you want to read this book. It's that good.
July 10, 2012
Bond Girl starts with a prologue. Alex, 24, living in Manhattan, has woken with another hangover. We know she doesn’t feel the same about her job as she did and the inference is it’s not because of the imploding financial world but because of a ‘he’. Chapter One briefly gives information about her tomboy childhood and going into work with her father on Wall Street and from then on the reader becomes a part of Alex’ life from the time of her interview and through her working world.
The majority of the story plays out on the ‘floor’ of company Cromwell Pierce with a few company parties thrown in the mix. This environment is so distanced from my life that I loved becoming involved in it.
Alex is the narrator so the reader gets to identify with her strong character. In the male dominated world of Wall Street, her survival depends on boss ‘Chick’ (don’t be fooled by the name!) and following unwritten rules. A couple of the guys give her pointers. There is only one other female on the team nicknamed ‘Cruella’ … you can guess how she treats Alex! Alex spends a lot of time shadowing (and suffering humiliations) before getting her own desk.
Running alongside the work ethics is the romance. With the no-romance policy at work appearing to cause distance at first between Alex and a colleague, it did become obvious what was happening as the relationship developed … and seeing as Alex is a strong and independent character, I was disappointed that she hadn’t sussed anything!
There are lots of humorous scenes throughout the book. One of my favourites is around Christmas time involving the lobby and the glass baubles … such a laugh out loud moment for me.
We do find out who the ‘he’ is in the prologue. A client who makes Alex’ life a living misery, making her anxious and putting her on edge. He made my skin crawl! I loved it that Alex stayed strong and worked it out her own way.
I found it easy to fall into the rhythm of the writing and get caught up in the story. If you’re looking for a light chick-lit read on your summer holiday then this debut novel might be just what you are looking for.
I would like to thank Harper Collins for providing an uncorrected proof copy in exchange for an honest review.
Review also up on my blog http://jerasjamboree.wordpress.com/
The majority of the story plays out on the ‘floor’ of company Cromwell Pierce with a few company parties thrown in the mix. This environment is so distanced from my life that I loved becoming involved in it.
Alex is the narrator so the reader gets to identify with her strong character. In the male dominated world of Wall Street, her survival depends on boss ‘Chick’ (don’t be fooled by the name!) and following unwritten rules. A couple of the guys give her pointers. There is only one other female on the team nicknamed ‘Cruella’ … you can guess how she treats Alex! Alex spends a lot of time shadowing (and suffering humiliations) before getting her own desk.
Running alongside the work ethics is the romance. With the no-romance policy at work appearing to cause distance at first between Alex and a colleague, it did become obvious what was happening as the relationship developed … and seeing as Alex is a strong and independent character, I was disappointed that she hadn’t sussed anything!
There are lots of humorous scenes throughout the book. One of my favourites is around Christmas time involving the lobby and the glass baubles … such a laugh out loud moment for me.
We do find out who the ‘he’ is in the prologue. A client who makes Alex’ life a living misery, making her anxious and putting her on edge. He made my skin crawl! I loved it that Alex stayed strong and worked it out her own way.
I found it easy to fall into the rhythm of the writing and get caught up in the story. If you’re looking for a light chick-lit read on your summer holiday then this debut novel might be just what you are looking for.
I would like to thank Harper Collins for providing an uncorrected proof copy in exchange for an honest review.
Review also up on my blog http://jerasjamboree.wordpress.com/
Displaying 1 - 30 of 791 reviews