What do you think?
Rate this book
Pushing Thirty
29-year-old viral TV blogger Zaahira Ramsey has it all, except peace. She’s built a fortress of protection around her heart as big as her coily hair. But when Chris Samuels enters her life, ready to unpack everything she’s been carrying, will she put up a fight? Or will the scrappy know-it-all fold under the pressure? Camille Downing has lived most of her 29 years in the shadows of other people. As a top-notch executive assistant, she makes the impossible possible while taking none of the credit. But when she meets flashy and outgoing Jemel Jones, he makes her question why she’s been constantly selling herself short. Can she let go? Or will he push her too far out of her comfort zone? Terry Baldwin can’t even. With three kids under her belt at 29, and a husband who acts like child number four, she’s slowly losing her mind. With her family falling apart at the seams, Terry decides to get a job. Can she be a full-time employee and mother? Or will the weight of adulting finally send her over the edge?
322 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 17, 2018
13 people are currently reading
84 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 14 of 15 reviews
Read
August 27, 2018So, I had just finished The Birthright Trilogy a few weeks or so before Pushing Thirty came out, so I was primed for another Nicole Ryse project ANYWAY. I'm a suckah for a friendship story, specifically a grown folk friendship story. I am well past thirty but I remember that time in my life, when I felt like some monumental page would turn on the day I woke up and I was 30 Whole Years Old. I had familiar thoughts and feelings, if not situations. And where I was not familiar I was sufficiently emotionally involved in the storylines of these three women on the cusp of actual "Adulthood". I think I read this is less than a day, so it was a SUPER good read and my face enjoyed it!
Your 30's are like your 20's. With money. Enjoy them!
PS: Soooooooooooo. Is there a uhmmmm After Thirty coming? No? Fine, okay.
Your 30's are like your 20's. With money. Enjoy them!
PS: Soooooooooooo. Is there a uhmmmm After Thirty coming? No? Fine, okay.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 22, 2018
To sisterhood!
This was a great story of sisterhood, unconditional love and overcoming pain. I loved all three girls! I really wish they could each have their own books because there is so much more I want to know about them. This is my first time reading Necole’s books but it won’t be the last.
This was a great story of sisterhood, unconditional love and overcoming pain. I loved all three girls! I really wish they could each have their own books because there is so much more I want to know about them. This is my first time reading Necole’s books but it won’t be the last.
March 16, 2019
Loved it
This story really kept my attention. I loved the characters. The love stories were great. Z's was my favorite of the bunch.
This story really kept my attention. I loved the characters. The love stories were great. Z's was my favorite of the bunch.
August 3, 2018
Yessss!!!
An amazing read for someone that’s knocking on thirty (like myself)! A good follow-up to the trilogy! Ready for the next read already.
An amazing read for someone that’s knocking on thirty (like myself)! A good follow-up to the trilogy! Ready for the next read already.
January 12, 2021
I have feelings about this book. On the one hand, seeing Black women my age going through life was great. On the other hand, chiiiiile the people in this book were pissing me OFF!!! The story I was most invested in was Terry’s because she wasn’t annoying and I really felt for her. Her husband was really showing his behind and every time I got to her chapter I wanted to fight him. Camille was on my nerves but by the time we got to the end she had more sense than the man she was seeing. Zaahira had a loooot going on and definitely would benefit from some therapy to deal with her trauma and grief, but by the end of the book I was definitely happy for her. To be honest her ending was the most satisfying and that shocked me because she got on my nerves the most lol. All and all a great book but the ending felt a bit rushed/forced and to be honest the men folk could just go.
August 8, 2018
It's not often you get to dive into a well-written romance that's mostly about best friends. Three women, best friends since college, are pushing thirty and at different places in their life. Each is poised for major life changes. As a mom and newly minted 30, I could really connect with Terry's story. The author gave enough heart and detail to make this an enjoyable and immersive experience. A fun and brilliantly written women's fiction on the power of friendship, family and learning to become the women we were meant to be. Looking forward to more lovely books from Necole Ryse.
December 3, 2018
3.5 stars
If there was one word to describe Pushing Thirty by Necole Ryse, it would be relatable. In this novel, we meet a trio of best friends on the cusp of turning 30 as they navigate love, work, friendship, and life in general. As a girl who loves the theme of sisterhood in my novels, I was drawn to this book.
Camille was the most relatable to me, and perhaps my favorite. She was a whiz at her job; doing the work of many, a lot of times unnoticed. She was a bit afraid to go after a promotion that she was a shoo-in for. She struggled with getting her parents to accept her moving away from home and had to deal with the nagging questions (from her mother mostly) about marriage and children on a weekly basis. She wasn’t looking for love but found it in Jemel, an attractive fashion designer. After getting drunk one night, Jemel nursed her from her hangover and they both felt a spark. Though she feels a pull, she convinced herself that he wasn’t right for her. She thought he was a player and while there was perhaps some truth to that he pursed her with a single-minded focus that showed that there was more beneath the surface that she initially thought.
Terry is a young mother of three struggling to figure out who she is after the birth of her daughter. She feels overwhelmed, underappreciated and unattractive. She’s trying to figure out who she is aside from being a wife and mom. Her husband, Tyler, pissed me off. While he seemed cute and attentive in the beginning, he wasn’t willing to compromise or help out much after the baby and seemed to lack basic understanding, at times. He almost blew a fuse when she started to work and I wanted to knock him upside his head. Thankfully, he got his act together and they were able to work on their marriage.
I was not a Zaahira fan. I liked that she was making a name for herself as a blogger and YouTuber but when it came to the other aspects of her life, her personality was very off-putting. She just shut down a lot and seemed very stilted, for lack of a better term. I wanted to yell at her many times in her interactions with her love interest, Chris. He was a very sweet and patient man who was just trying to help and get to know her better. His intentions were always pure. There were definitely some murky parts of Zaahira’s past that contributed to her behavior a little bit, but better communication on her end would have avoided some of the mishaps with both her manager and with Chris. She did come to her senses in the end and was willing to try, so I do commend her for that. If she had messed up the good thing she had going with Chris, I would not have been a happy girl.
Admittedly, I felt like I was left hanging at the end of the novel. A little bit of it felt unfinished; not in the writing but in the ladies’ storylines. I guess I wanted a bit more finality but Pushing Thirty is about the journey into adulthood and everything that comes along with it, and that’s not really ever final.
Pushing Thirty is sweet, funny and like I said earlier; relatable AF. Wading through the murky waters of life and love can be a mess sometimes. Pick up this novel for a nice dose of sisterhood and romance.
**I received this book in exchange for my honest review.
If there was one word to describe Pushing Thirty by Necole Ryse, it would be relatable. In this novel, we meet a trio of best friends on the cusp of turning 30 as they navigate love, work, friendship, and life in general. As a girl who loves the theme of sisterhood in my novels, I was drawn to this book.
Camille was the most relatable to me, and perhaps my favorite. She was a whiz at her job; doing the work of many, a lot of times unnoticed. She was a bit afraid to go after a promotion that she was a shoo-in for. She struggled with getting her parents to accept her moving away from home and had to deal with the nagging questions (from her mother mostly) about marriage and children on a weekly basis. She wasn’t looking for love but found it in Jemel, an attractive fashion designer. After getting drunk one night, Jemel nursed her from her hangover and they both felt a spark. Though she feels a pull, she convinced herself that he wasn’t right for her. She thought he was a player and while there was perhaps some truth to that he pursed her with a single-minded focus that showed that there was more beneath the surface that she initially thought.
Terry is a young mother of three struggling to figure out who she is after the birth of her daughter. She feels overwhelmed, underappreciated and unattractive. She’s trying to figure out who she is aside from being a wife and mom. Her husband, Tyler, pissed me off. While he seemed cute and attentive in the beginning, he wasn’t willing to compromise or help out much after the baby and seemed to lack basic understanding, at times. He almost blew a fuse when she started to work and I wanted to knock him upside his head. Thankfully, he got his act together and they were able to work on their marriage.
I was not a Zaahira fan. I liked that she was making a name for herself as a blogger and YouTuber but when it came to the other aspects of her life, her personality was very off-putting. She just shut down a lot and seemed very stilted, for lack of a better term. I wanted to yell at her many times in her interactions with her love interest, Chris. He was a very sweet and patient man who was just trying to help and get to know her better. His intentions were always pure. There were definitely some murky parts of Zaahira’s past that contributed to her behavior a little bit, but better communication on her end would have avoided some of the mishaps with both her manager and with Chris. She did come to her senses in the end and was willing to try, so I do commend her for that. If she had messed up the good thing she had going with Chris, I would not have been a happy girl.
Admittedly, I felt like I was left hanging at the end of the novel. A little bit of it felt unfinished; not in the writing but in the ladies’ storylines. I guess I wanted a bit more finality but Pushing Thirty is about the journey into adulthood and everything that comes along with it, and that’s not really ever final.
Pushing Thirty is sweet, funny and like I said earlier; relatable AF. Wading through the murky waters of life and love can be a mess sometimes. Pick up this novel for a nice dose of sisterhood and romance.
**I received this book in exchange for my honest review.
December 5, 2018
Once you start reading, you find yourself quickly swept up in the lives of these characters as they navigate through this thing called life.
The author gives us a story from several points of view that a wide variety of readers can relate to; younger or older, male or female; in a relationship or seeking one.
I found that Zaahira carried a lot of her childhood baggage into her adulthood and stayed in protective mode until Chris came along and slowly peel away some layers.
Out of all the girls, I found Terry had the most difficult hurdle to overcome and, on the surface, she makes everything look good all the while she was miserable. Lack of communication of feelings and consideration of one another was almost this couple’s end.
Camille lives in background, whether it’s working in corporate job or with her group of friends, when she meets Jemel I am sure it is his outgoing personality that inspires her coming out of her shell.
You will love this endearing tale of forgiveness, second chances, and romance. The emotions you experience is anywhere from frustration to elation.
The author gives us a story from several points of view that a wide variety of readers can relate to; younger or older, male or female; in a relationship or seeking one.
I found that Zaahira carried a lot of her childhood baggage into her adulthood and stayed in protective mode until Chris came along and slowly peel away some layers.
Out of all the girls, I found Terry had the most difficult hurdle to overcome and, on the surface, she makes everything look good all the while she was miserable. Lack of communication of feelings and consideration of one another was almost this couple’s end.
Camille lives in background, whether it’s working in corporate job or with her group of friends, when she meets Jemel I am sure it is his outgoing personality that inspires her coming out of her shell.
You will love this endearing tale of forgiveness, second chances, and romance. The emotions you experience is anywhere from frustration to elation.
May 14, 2022
So relatable… I really enjoyed this book about three friends turning thirty and the realities of where they are in life hitting them hard. Z got her revenge success but is it enough? Camille is successful and happy but can she have a man and a good career? Terry is on her third pregnancy but will she ever be more than just a wife and mom? Does she need to be?
All of these questions on top of dealing with their individual family dramas, potential new loves and insecurities were explored in this book. It was a really good look at the pressures that the outside world puts on women in the thirties and ourselves. As if it’s this invisible doomsday clock that activates at the Big 3-0. I loved the way it unfolded although Camille and Z worked my nerves at times. I also loved the cameo of a familiar face from a previous book.
I really hope the author gives us another book with them but I am satisfied with how it ended. Really good read.
All of these questions on top of dealing with their individual family dramas, potential new loves and insecurities were explored in this book. It was a really good look at the pressures that the outside world puts on women in the thirties and ourselves. As if it’s this invisible doomsday clock that activates at the Big 3-0. I loved the way it unfolded although Camille and Z worked my nerves at times. I also loved the cameo of a familiar face from a previous book.
I really hope the author gives us another book with them but I am satisfied with how it ended. Really good read.
December 4, 2018
Even though I'm a little older than the characters, I felt it was a cute and relatable story. Women of all ages have these concerns about whether they made the right choices in life. Whether you're married with or without children, single professional looking for love, in some type of way, I think you'll find yourself in one of the characters. This was a cute and endearing story and I enjoyed it, and it had a great ending
February 23, 2020
Outstanding 👏🏽😉👏🏽
Let me tell you how I panicked when I saw there wasn’t much left at the end. She did this! An amazing book with relatable characters. She made to so easy to dive into their world, root and cheer them on forward. Do yourself a favor and dive in. Amazing book by a truly gifted author.
Let me tell you how I panicked when I saw there wasn’t much left at the end. She did this! An amazing book with relatable characters. She made to so easy to dive into their world, root and cheer them on forward. Do yourself a favor and dive in. Amazing book by a truly gifted author.
December 10, 2019
Entertaining
I don't remember how I came across this book but I'm glad I did. It is a quick and fun read. You will become invested in each characters story quickly and want to know what happens next.
I don't remember how I came across this book but I'm glad I did. It is a quick and fun read. You will become invested in each characters story quickly and want to know what happens next.
July 7, 2019
A fun read.
December 16, 2018
4.5 Stars
Displaying 1 - 14 of 15 reviews