The Only Black Girl in the Room

by Alex Travis

An ambitious reporter stuck doing diversity checks for her white colleagues gets her big break in this compelling debut novel perfect for fans of Jayne Allen, Jasmine Guillory, and Zakiya Dalila Harris.

Genevieve Francis, a 25-year-old Black reporter, assumed she’d go into her fourth year at her newspaper job with a bigger story than the latest seasonal ice cream flavor. Instead, she’s relegated to doing copy edits and sensitivity reads on the articles her white colleagues write. So when Gen finally gets the opportunity to cover a prominent CEO’s gala, she leaps at the chance—this will be her biggest assignment to date. The only The CEO is her ex, Jude, whose marriage proposal she publicly rejected four years prior.

Following their awkward run-in, Jude personally requests Gen to write the first ever authorized profile of him. The potential for scandal, if anyone digs into their past, is high, but Gen decides to risk it—if she proves herself with this profile, it could jumpstart her dream of writing articles centered on Black voices. But between the racist backlash from her colleagues and her conflicting feelings toward her ex, Gen soon realizes she’s in way over her head. And it may be more than just her career on the line.

Timely and thoughtful, this energetic debut explores what it means to believe in your future when everyone and everything is working against you.

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Contemporary, Adult Fiction, Race, Contemporary Romance, Journalism

352 pages, Hardcover

Published May 7, 2024

About the author

Alex Travis was born in New York and made her way to Northern Virginia to begin her daytime career as a full-time school psychologist. She has a BA in psychology from University of Pennsylvania, and a Ph.D. in school psychology from the University of Maryland. Alex wrote her first book at the age of 11, and has been losing herself in fictional worlds of her own creation since then. Alex makes her home in Virginia with her husband, an outrageous collection of Funkos, and too many books to count.

Reviews

[amarachireads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really good debut women's fiction/romance read. I thought the writing was good and liked how the main characters relationship and the racism in the workplace plot wove together. As a black woman I related to this book so much because it showed the realities of what bipoc women have to face in the workplace and in life. The characters were complex and flawed and the second chance romance was messy but real. The friendships were portrayed very well and the characters backstories and past was very important to the plot. I would say that this leans more towards women's fiction with a romance in it. I wish the romance had been more, I loved what we got but wanted more of the Genevieve and Jude spending time with each other and their relationship. Overall I liked this and want to read more books by this author. Thank you Alcove Press for this arc for an honest review.

[Toya (thereadingchemist) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gen is a 25 year old Black reporter who works at a predominately white newspaper outlet, and the struggles that she faces are all too familiar as a Black woman who has navigated a career in a predominately white industry. There were so many times that I just wanted to throw something at both Gen's colleagues and boss because I've also been on the receiving end of the BS that she endures.

Now this is a second chance romance, and I'm always apprehensive with this trope since so many couples love to gloss over the reason they broke up in the first place. However, Alex Travis surprised me by forcing Gen and Jude to consistently revisit the reasons they broke up in the first place as well as refusing to allow the white male savior trope to be an easy way out.

Overall, I thought this was a fantastic debut, and I am looking forward to more of Alex Travis' writing. Also, for the audiobook crowd, Joniece Abbot-Pratt absolutely delivers!

Thank you to Brilliance Audio for providing a review book.

[ReadnliftwithShar · Rating 5 out of 5]

🫠

It must be the season I am in, but the Only Black Girl in the Room definitely resonated with me. The micro aggression, mean girl behavior, feelings of being unheard and questioning your abilities in the workplace - all things that were discussed in the book were described to the T. 😩I also enjoyed the reconnection of Jude and Gen, I think they genuinely loved one another. The audiobook was fantastic!

[Iesha 📚 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It started out with a bang and touched on a lot of different subjects. Interracial dating, micro aggressions , racism and what it’s like being a black woman in the workplace. This story revolves around Gen and Jude young lovers with a complicated dating life. I don’t want to ruin the storyline but Gen and Jude come from two different background, Jude is a white male apart of the Landon’s history a very wealthy family and Gen is just a normal black girl. Their storyline is far from perfect but this book was such a good read.

[Lois · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars Rounded Up
This audiobook was made available for me to listen to and review by Alex Travis, Brilliance Audio and NetGalley.

This is primarily a mid-twenties coming-of-age: professional career edition story with a second-chance romance plot running concurrently. The romance is handled lightly and is part of the main storyline without becoming the sole focus of the story. Genevieve (Gen) is a lovable, smart, funny, and relatable Black mid-twenties junior reporter for a small town newspaper. Her career has stalled since her initial hiring almost four years ago directly out of college. She is in a demoralizing and frustrating work environment in which her talents are ignored and her coworkers are petty with a side of antagonism. There's an opportunity for a junior reporter to interview the CEO of an important local large family owned business which could offer Gen the chance to turn her career around. The CEO who requested her specifically is her ex-almost fiancé, Jude. Jude is a white man from an extremely wealthy, privileged family. Gen is from a more average middle class Black family. Jude and Gen met through their mutual friend, Oliver, in high school. They were a couple for 6 or so years, well into college, before breaking up in a dramatic public manner. It's four years later and this is Jude's first publicly published piece on his role as CEO. This story is a huge win for Gen's small local paper and an amazing opportunity for her career.
This novel deftly manages Gen's ongoing struggles with racism professionally and personally. This is delicately managed without leaning into preachiness or a lecturing tone . At times I felt frustrated as a reader with situations which serves as an excellent indicator of how thoroughly this subject is explored. I appreciate that the romance isn't the only story being told here because it allows this novel to avoid the third act breakup awkwardness. I quite liked both Gen and Jude which also helped. I'd consider Jude a cinnamon roll hero love interest.
The conclusion to the multiple storylines is so incredibly satisfying. Whew! I was not prepared to enjoy this as much as I did. This does directly address racism with an overall tone that I deeply enjoyed and appreciated.
This is funny, relatable, handled microaggressions in the workplace perfectly, and I liked that Gen really understood her worth as both an employee and a love interest. I will definitely follow this author so I can read their next book.

The narrator of this audiobook is Joniece Abbott-Pratt, one of my favorite narrators. Her voice is rich and lyrical and just immediately immerses you into the story. I'm not surprised I liked Gen with Joniece narrating her.

Thank you to Alex Travis, Brilliance Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook. All opinions and viewpoints expressed in this review are my own.

[Justnaturallytiff · Rating 3 out of 5]

First off, I would like to thank NetGalley and Alcove Press for the digital arc. I really appreciate the chance to read about black characters whenever I can. This book brought a different perspective to my eyes. Although I am a black woman in America, I try my best to always be in diverse spaces. Sometimes it is not possible but I always look for the other black person in the room. This book showcases the exact reason why. I am blessed to not have experienced this level of racism and micro aggressions. I found myself getting very worked up and upset while reading the things that took place at the tribune. I know that so many can relate to these types of things happening in the workplace, and for that, I am so glad this story was told!

Now when it comes to the romance. It was very bittersweet to me. One of my favorite tropes is second chance romance, and then my least favorite is slow burn romance…this story incorporates both, hence why it was bittersweet. lol Some moments I really enjoyed, while others I wanted to skip past. I will say I enjoyed the fact that this book did not have any spice.

I found myself feeling like some parts dragged on and sometimes I was not excited to pick the book up. It kept my interest but at the same time didn’t. As I said there were some parts that I really enjoyed and some parts were just really slow and hard to get through. Over all I think it was a 3.5 star read and pretty good. I will recommend but it just wasn’t my favorite read.

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

More people should be buzzing about this book. Not only is it readable and relatable, but Gen is someone you just want to root for. She's a journalist, who has been relegated to fact checking and sensitivity reads, just because she is the Black woman in the room. And, the constant barrage of comments and assumptions are just so exhausting to read and what Black woman experience every day. The slow burn, second chance romance was well done and it shows how to and how not to be an ally. I would love Regina's back story as well. But looking forward to reading more from this author.

[Brittany · Rating 2 out of 5]

An ambitious black journalist, Genevieve, comes to terms that her career success rises and falls at the hands of the white majority around her, including her ex boyfriend.

As a black woman navigating the perils of the workplace myself, I was drawn to this book. Through Gen’s relationship with her coworkers, friends and internal dialogue there are some really good introspective and insightful musings on being a black professional woman in the workplace that I resonated with. However the story and character development was lacking, so overall I feel like this is a very mediocre book.

Perhaps if you’re someone who read Queenie and didn’t like that she made too many bad decisions, you’ll appreciate that Gen makes great decisions. Unfortunately that may be to the book’s detriment, because the characterization of everyone is flat and one dimensional. Even the love interest ex boyfriend, Jude, left much to be desired. Though he changes, we don’t get to see that change. It just “happens.” This is very much a “tell, not show” type of book. Some will appreciate the simplicity but I just wanted a little more depth to these people because they were hard to connect with. Especially the main character whose entire personality is that she dated a rich white man who was actually a terrible dude. But for 4 years all she did was miss him. Yuck. Pair that with a story that’s very undeveloped, you have a book that is just not one I can sincerely recommend.

[Precious · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an unexpected breath of fresh air for me. I loved the characters and the plot. I thought it was going to do the most and be lackluster but I was very happy with how well-written everything was.

[Tanesha Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Reader Copy!!

This was a quick read, that made me feel extremely seen and heard as my experiences as often the only Black girl in the room. This debut novel about Gen, an ambitious and well-qualified reporter and her experiences both with romance and racism at her job. This book has all the things, dynamic and fun characters, loveable friendships, interracial dating, coming of age, figuring out your life, and taking control of the narrative that you tell about yourself. Without giving away too much, this book starts off very fast paced (in my opinion) with Gen and Jude’s break up, then fast forwards to Gen’s life after that as an underutilized, but very talented writer. I feel like this book has a good balance of romance and contemporary/women’s fiction vibes to fit in either category. As a romance girlie, I wanted a touch more romance and maybe to get to know Jude a bit more. I enjoyed Jude and Gen’s banter a lot and might have me believing that all second chance romances are not terrible. I

Now, as someone who studies, researches, and experiences racism, this book is spot on with the microaggressions and overt forms of racism. I feel like as someone who is very attuned to these things, I wish the book went a little deeper into those experiences and perhaps more of the emotional frustration and/or compartmentalizing that Black women have to do at work to survive. However, I feel like it is a great first look at racism and workplace discrimination that Black women specifically experience, especially if you have never had a Black woman share her experiences with you.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this one and cannot wait to see what Alex writes next ❤️

[Connie J · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pub Date: May 7, 2024
Published by Alcove Press
325 Pages

I received this ARC from Alcove Press (via NetGalley), in exchange for my honest review. This was the first book that I have read by Alex Travis. It was well written. I can relate to this book as I am the only black woman in my office. This book will have you wanting to reach out and touch The Fates. This book opens your eyes to bias, racism, micro aggressions, and privilege in the workplace. Genevieve Francis, the main character endured all of this while working as one of the only black females in her office. Gen is requested to write a profile for a prominent CEO, who tuns out to be her ex Jude Landon.

I loved hoe the author told their story, and how it developed throughout the book. This is a slow burn, but you will find your self rooting for Jude and Gen. I was so glad that Gen finally stood up for herself and took charge of hoe she wanted to be treated. Overall this was a great book, and I am ready to see what Alex Travis have in store for us with the next one.

[Blue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jude's father has money. Jude Alexander Landon looks just like his father. For Julian, it is all about Landon Energy. It is a sad time. Julian has died. His son, Jude, is finding it hard to pull himself together. The funeral is crowded. Attending the funeral are only three Black people. One of those people is Genevieve Elizabeth Francis. So often we read about those Blacks who are at the poverty level or maybe in the middle of the economy. This is what makes this book exciting. It is about people we do not hear about often.

[Alyssa Monroe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would give this book a 4.5 if I could because honestly I truly enjoyed it but there was something lacking and I can’t put my finger quite on it.

As a Black woman who grew up in predominantly white spaces I can sympathize well with Gen. I loved how the author kept the story about Gen and did not make her boy crazy over her love interested. I think the subtle romance was great because it steered away from the male savior and in this case WHITE make savior complex which was needed to execute this.

The story also was not super predictable which I appreciated like you could guess how the story would go but you never really knew for certain and I liked that!

All in all, it was a super fast and good read! I liked reading about a character who I can relate to and also it is always nice to read about a strong Black woman!

[Michelle Quinn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Only Black Girl in the Room is an interesting mix of a book. On one hand, it's a second-chance romance. Gen and Jude broke up dramatically after Jude's father died and didn't have any contact with each other until Jude requested Gen to write his first big profile piece about replacing his father as CEO of an environmental firm.

But that is just one small part of this great debut. The majority of the book is about Gen - black, twenty-five years old and working in her dream job on her home city's newspaper. It is nothing like she'd thought it be because she faces racism - small microagressions to blatant bigotry - every single day. She's constantly left out and never gets stories. She spends her time copy editing and sensitivity reading her colleague's articles. This profile would really help her career but she's worried about working Jude both personally and professionally. What if people think that's the only reason she got the article?

I inhaled this book. I was totally invested in Gen's struggle to become the confident black woman and journalist she wants to be.

Thanks so much to @netgalley and @Alcove Press for the chance to read this ARC before it's pub date on May 24.

[Markita_Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

♡ Audiobook Review ♡
♤ Release May.7 ♤
•5 🌟
-
•interracial romance
•second chance romance
•workplace racism
•mid-20s coming of age
-
•If judging a book by its cover was a person, it's ME because this COVER is gorgeous!
•HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
•The Only Black Girl In The Room is Alex Travis women fiction debut book. This audiobook held my attention from the beginning to the end. The narrator, Joniece Abbot-Pratt, did a phenomenal job bringing this story alive.
•I enjoyed this book a lot, and it's very relatable for bipoc women in the workplace, because it definitely shows how a bipoc woman in the workplace is treated and how sometime you deal with people who doesn't even know or act like they don't know they're using racism as a way to communicate with bipoc females.
•Genevieve Francis, a 25-year-old Black reporter, assumed she’d go into her fourth year at her newspaper job with a bigger story than the latest seasonal ice cream flavor. Instead, she’s relegated to doing copy edits and sensitivity reads on the articles her white colleagues write. So when Gen finally gets the opportunity to cover a prominent CEO’s gala, she leaps at the chance—this will be her biggest assignment to date. The only CEO is her ex, Jude, whose marriage proposal she publicly rejected four years prior.
-
♡ Thank you, Netgalley, and Brilliance Audio for giving me the ALC - Audiobook for my honest review.

[Tish Caldwell · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5
I wanted to love this book, but unfortunately, I couldn't. Although there are some really valid points about being a person of color, specifically a woman of color in the workplace, in this book. It felt repetitive and very in your face. For that reason, this is a great book if you don't understand workplace racism but this book did give off more cliche vibes and not being apart of the popular work group more than racism.

I knew there was going to be romance, but I was hoping it would lean more toward women's fiction, but it was definitely a second chance romance with a subplot of workplace drama. It didn't sit well with me that the main male character was a rich white man. It gave off white savior the whole book and really took away from her achievements as black women when things were handed to her from her white partner. I'm in an interracial marriage, and I did appreciate the mentions of struggle for that topic, but I feel for a book about the black women workplace experience. Black love would have pushed the point across better, in my opinion.

I did love all the small business and supporting voices of color that were in the book, but again, I wish there was more of that and less romance.

[Chanika R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super grateful to NetGalley for this arc! There were a couple of times I struggled to follow the implications of all the work shenanigans and I thought the storyline was wrapping up too neatly, but Genevieve’s struggle was relatable and the mix of personal and professional helped propel the plot forward. Gen and Jude felt really young for most of the novel, which makes total sense because they *are* mid-20 year olds trying to figure out life and loss. Travis was able to capture the larger-than-life angst many of us experience at that age without trivializing their struggle or making them feel like immature youngsters. I would read something else by Travis - it feels like Mickey’s story is just waiting to be explored.

[SD · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not a huge fan of contemporary romance (or--as another reviewer said--this is probably better categorized as women's fiction), but this was an excellent novel and I was surprised at how much I loved it.

Also, I was VERY surprised at how much the author redeemed the MMC in both my and the FMC's eyes. I was very convinced for the first 1/3 of the book that a 2nd MMC would appear and be the endgame LI, the first MMC was THAT much of a hot mess (especially to the FMC!) in the prologue. Literally, I was like, "dump him and run VERY far away, girl!" in the prologue and for the first 3rd of the book. But! The author did an Excellent job of having the MMC change over the time they were apart, continue to change as they reunited, AND continually work towards making amends. It was excellent writing and excellent character development/arc. Also, I loved how much he was a *real* person, with real flaws and real strengths. I loved watching him admit to his mistakes in real time but also keep trying and keep trying to do romantic/kind things for the FMC.

Furthermore, I (a white woman) went into this book (as anyone does, reading the title) Knowing it was going to focus on a Black FMC and her struggles to be seen/respected. And not only did it show that, it really got me into her head and her experiences and forced me to truly *sit with her* in the discomfort of those experiences (as much as I can, as someone who will never encounter that kind of racism and macro/microaggressions IRL). I truly empathized with her, and really felt like I learned more about the "white savior" complex and how IRL white people can be better allies that truly *help* POC, instead of performative actions *we* think are helping (but are really making things worse). So I really loved that aspect of the book as well.

Finally, this book made me feel all the emotions--I laughed, I cried, I smiled, I got furious. Any book that can tug at my emotions like that definitely deserves 5 stars (which it made based on the prior strengths anyway!).

Highly recommend this book to all romance and women's literature readers!

[Amber Raelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all, thank you Net Galley and Alcove Press for the chance to read this eARC in exchange for honest review.

The title instantly captured me. I had to find out what was written in The Only Black Girl in the Room. I must say Alex Travis delivered a wonderful message in this book. I hope this book doesn’t only reach a black audience but also to an audience who isn’t black. It touches matters that I’m sure every black woman in the work force has faced.

With all that being said, I loved our fmc. Gen didn’t want anyone being her “savior” and wanted to write her own articles without the help of her rich white ex boyfriend. The only thing I didn’t like about Gen is that she was just too nice to her nasty co-workers. There’s a reason why she was though. You see, black women are often seen as women with attitudes, or as what they considered Gen to be, “aggressive.” So she definitely didn’t want to come off as aggressive to her co-workers. Regardless, those co-workers were awful and very much so didn’t deserve the kindness Gen gave them.

On the other hand, Gen had two best friends who stuck beside her and I’m glad Gen had the support of them. Some black women that go through racist work places might not have any support. So that leads me also being glad Gen had Regina. An awesome and only other black employee at Gen’s work place.

In the end, I liked the conclusion of this novel. There were times where I was getting bored, but it definitely picked up.

I will definitely pick up another novel by Alex Travis.

4 stars

[t s a r · Rating 5 out of 5]

“To all of the Black girls who’ve kept me from being the only one in the room.”

Thank you, Alex Travis and Alcove Press , for giving me a digital advanced copy of Bad At Love in exchange of an honest review.

The Only Black Girl in the Room ★★★★☆

Trigger warnings: alcoholism (mentioned), car accident (mentioned), lesbophobia (mentioned), misogyny, racism, racial microaggression, sexism.

Media has been a hit-and-miss as a source of news for the masses, shrouded by racism and misogyny both on and off the record, which hits the code of ethics that journalism should've stood for in modern times. And this topic marks the strong debut by Alex Travis in her book The Only Black Girl in Town, which chronicles the second chance romance between talented and ambitious yet down-of-luck staff writer Genevieve Francis and her ethical billionaire ex-boyfriend Jude Landon, who happens to be the subject of the CEO profile she's writing for her career breakthrough.

The writing opens with the scene where Genevieve is portrayed to have it all; she's had a brilliant track record in journalism during her college years with a billionaire boyfriend who is willing to go down on one knee to propose to her, and the only hindrance she has is the billionaire boyfriend's family who does not seem to like her that much. Fast forward to a few years after that, the reality is that she's a single lady, breaking up with said billionaire boyfriend, and having the worst experience in a media corporation as one of the only two black staff in said company.

The present occurrence tremendously highlights behind-the-scene situations of a news company, preferably on how they construct stories that compel the major audience with hints of personal bias instead of being objective and true to their reports, and how they sometimes sprinkle stories about minority groups to make it seems like they do care about them, when in fact, they only chase the algorithm. Another issue that Turner inexplicably points out is the toxic work environment, in which casual bigotry and discriminative bias show up here and there without any accountability.

It's the kind of environment that minority groups hate to be in, including our protagonist Genevieve, yet Turner lays out the irony of it all: sometimes we have to endure this unhealthy and discriminative environment because we think we can get closer to our dreams, or it is the only present ideal place that helps you get by—clearly reflecting the reality of working-class people who don't have the luxury to choose, and if we risk choosing something other than the norm, the risk of failing will be too high.

Turner further highlights another relevant modern issue that draws mixed public attention: performative activism in the society of the rich. In writing this subplot in the novel, Turner uses Jude Landon as an example of how activism around the rich is done and held for accountability; while Jude comes off earnest in his support for equality, Turner always makes sure that the narrative is enough to challenge his understanding and reminds him his boundaries as an ally, keeping his toes in what is appropriate and what is considered to be doing over or talking over the voices of the minority groups themselves. It makes the subplot dynamic, authentic, and less cringe as a reflection of truth about the mechanism of activism in real life, especially if it revolves around rich people or famous celebrities—because common folk demand consistent proof of their actions instead of a one-time statement with a hidden agenda.

As a protagonist, Genevieve is a reflection of a young career woman of color; a career woman who knows her worth and rights in seeking her dreams and handling the bulls she receives from people in her workplace. However, Genevieve is gentle enough to be aware of her environment, particularly when she has to be more careful and delicate in approaching issues that give her a huge disservice. She has to tread a delicate ground where her gender and race are disadvantageous while still trying to find a way to make her point across and be heard. Turner realistically pulls off a portrayal of a woman of color who can be exhausted with all the tip-toeing she needs to do to keep herself afloat, and that's how Genevieve, as a character, looks not too far off from all the women of color in reality that experience the same thing.

What floors me and gives me quite the sadness is the conclusion Turner gives to Genevieve and Jude. On one hand, we see a happy ending for both of them; they have a second chance to repair and strengthen their relationship in the better versions of themselves, finding each other on equal grounds that recognize their respective privilege and impediments. Likewise, they receive quite satisfying outcomes in their jobs, such as Genevieve becoming a fair and critical journalist of her own and Jude earnestly committing to the equity promise he wishes to implement in the family business.

Yet, as we further dissect, there is an irony to this happy ending, particularly on Genevieve's side; we see that at the end of the day, Genevieve cannot fight or change the deeply embedded, prejudiced system in her last workplace, that she has to lose from the system and turn to create her own space by reviving a news media that is notably segmented in their target demographic. Lamentably, what happens to Genevieve is the reality that people of color have to do to survive in their respective industries—we see people of color creating their beauty brands to give better chances for their community to find colored makeup that fits their skin tones, or them creating production houses to give chances to colored filmmakers or writers to create their films, and many more. Thus, it feels too true to life and true to regard Genevieve's conclusion to be a frankly happy one.

To conclude, I find The Only Black Girl in Town to be one of the best contemporaries that discuss racial and gender issues in the world. It doesn't rely on buzzwords or shallow examples that feel too feeble and simplistic in challenging the topics in question. So, I recommend everyone to read this book at least once, even though the book might not be in your preferred genre.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genevieve Francis loves Jude Landon but the timing for them to be a couple and move forward always seems to be a little off. In addition, and most importantly, Gen is a victim of a toxic workplace culture riddled with blatant racism including mircroaggressions. She thought life would be different.
While I greatly enjoyed this story, I felt there was a lot of repetition particularly in regards to her relationship with Jude and his family. The incident from the past and his actions is also brought up and examined a little too much in my opinion.
The ending was a hit and a miss. Love how her workplace dilemma was resolved but not how she fits in with Jude and « his orbit ».
The writing is relatable and I enjoyed it so gave it 4 stars.

[Jelke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this pre-publication.

Wow, what a fantastic book!
I loved (most) characters and really appreciated the character development.
I adored the writing style, felt really immersed in the story and it was difficult to put down (read 70% in one day)!
The ending was really wholesome and realistic <3

One thing that I found a bit annoying at moments was the amount of repetition of Jude’s past behaviour compared to now Gen kept focussing on, other than that - I will highly recommend this book and will definitely want a physical copy once available.

[Robyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

As far as the audiobook goes I love Joneice so this was great as far as that go, i did feel like the racism in the book and the back story was over played and done. It just didn’t seem real.

I did like the second Chance romance part and how the mc love interest had to redeem himself in order to be worthy. However a story like this treads a very thin line with a white savior storyline. And unfortunately i just couldn’t shake that vibe.

Another thing, my man can’t let his mom go at me like that! I was so mad.

The writing was not bad at all! But it just wasn’t a stand out

[Katie Mac · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

4.5. This is a strong debut that deals with the issues of classism, racism, and sexism in vulnerable, realistic ways. I found myself wanting to scream at Gen's colleagues and boss while also cheering when Gen stands up for herself and subverts the white-dominated industry in which she works. (Also, her friends are hilarious and incredibly supportive!) While I wish the romance had featured more prominently--this is probably more contemporary fiction than romance, though the marketing suggests otherwise--I appreciate that Alex Travis forces Gen and Jude to confront the reasons for their breakup and their development in the four years since.

[kw204741]

DNF at 33%
I'm so sad. I really wanted to like this book. The commentary on the Black female experience in the workplace resonated with me so much! That and Mickey were the only things I enjoyed about the 100 pages I read. The focus on Jude turned me off completely. He was literally the entire focus. Meanwhile, all the heroine Genevieve did was complain about him being the entire focus. Ugh! No thanks. I'll pass.

[Cari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to come in Booklist! I really recommend this book - Travis does such a good job portraying a Black woman's lived experience and her path to advancement in her career. I've read a lot of books starring journalists, and I felt like this one was the most interesting and accurate.

[jet · Rating 3 out of 5]

didn’t know this was going to be a romance which is fine but I just find most 2020s romances too cliché to enjoy. the workplace subplot was more interesting than the romance imo & it still ended feeling kinda white savior-y despite acknowledgment & reckoning with that concept throughout.

[Shawntal Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and it provided a nuanced perspective on former relationships. I love the emotional depth and thoughtfulness of the characters. I really appreciated the discussion of race, racism, and interracial dating in this book. While, I did want the book to be more of a romance book, I did appreciate how it allowed us to learn more about Gen and her passions first.

[Laura McGee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable, short read, perfect for vacation!

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book. It definitely portrayed what it feels like to be the black girl in the room, whether that be at work, relationships, etc. How the MC gathered her strength and worked through racist and micro aggressions, was commendable. The elements of overcoming grief and addiction were woven in as well. Overall, I’d highly recommend the this story!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my opinion.