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Breathe In, Cash Out
“The Devil Wears Prada meets Wall Street” (TheSkimm) in this sizzling debut about a banking analyst who plans to finally pursue her yoga career full-time after her bonus hits, but until then she’ll have to keep her sanity intact (and her chakras aligned).
Allegra Cobb’s resume: straight-A Princeton grad, second-year analyst at a top-tier bank, one-time American Yoga National Competition Champion. Allegra Cobb’s reality: Spending twenty-four hours a day changing the colors on bar charts, overusing the word “team,” and daydreaming about quitting the minute her year-end bonus hits her account. She no longer has no interest in the cutthroat banking world—she’s determined to launch her very own yoga practice.
But her plan isn’t quite as perfect as the beachfront yoga pictures she double-taps on Instagram. On top of the 100 emails an hour and coworkers already suspicious of her escape plan, Allegra’s hard-driving single father has always fiercely valued high achievement above all else. That his daughter works on Wall Street means everything to him.
But after a) unknowingly sleeping with the man now leading her banking cohort on one of their biggest deals to date and b) meeting the #blessed yoga guru who might just be her ticket to the life she’s always wanted, she realizes her happy-ever-after might be harder to manifest than she thought.
Fast-paced, laugh-out-loud funny, and totally irresistible, Breathe In, Cash Out “is a modern fairytale, a romance that’s not about finding the right guy, but finding yourself” (Eliza Kennedy, author of I Take You).
Allegra Cobb’s resume: straight-A Princeton grad, second-year analyst at a top-tier bank, one-time American Yoga National Competition Champion. Allegra Cobb’s reality: Spending twenty-four hours a day changing the colors on bar charts, overusing the word “team,” and daydreaming about quitting the minute her year-end bonus hits her account. She no longer has no interest in the cutthroat banking world—she’s determined to launch her very own yoga practice.
But her plan isn’t quite as perfect as the beachfront yoga pictures she double-taps on Instagram. On top of the 100 emails an hour and coworkers already suspicious of her escape plan, Allegra’s hard-driving single father has always fiercely valued high achievement above all else. That his daughter works on Wall Street means everything to him.
But after a) unknowingly sleeping with the man now leading her banking cohort on one of their biggest deals to date and b) meeting the #blessed yoga guru who might just be her ticket to the life she’s always wanted, she realizes her happy-ever-after might be harder to manifest than she thought.
Fast-paced, laugh-out-loud funny, and totally irresistible, Breathe In, Cash Out “is a modern fairytale, a romance that’s not about finding the right guy, but finding yourself” (Eliza Kennedy, author of I Take You).
289 pages, Hardcover
First published July 9, 2019
179 people are currently reading
3814 people want to read
About the author
Madeleine Henry
5 books336 followersMadeleine Henry is the author of five novels, including Name Not Taken and My Favorite Terrible Thing. Her work has featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the New York Post, and Entertainment Weekly. She lives with her husband in New York, where she is at work on her next book. You can find her on Instagram @MadeleineHenryYoga.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 317 reviews
July 15, 2019
Madeleine Henry has written a clever story packed with humor and reality. Allegra is a 20 something Financial analyst. Biding her time at her high power Wall Street job until her bonus comes in, then she can pursue her real passion.... yoga.🧘🏻♀️ when Allegra meets her yoga hero Schuyler she thinks she has hit the jackpot. But Allegra soon learns that the yoga world is just as cutthroat as Wall Street. Loved this book! I just had such a fun time reading it. Allegra was such a fantastic character and I loved spending time with her even though her life was exhausting. 20 hour work days trying to sneak in scheduled yoga breaks that occasionally found her in some compromising positions. Surviving on caffeine, caffeine, and more caffeine. This book certainly did not glamorize The banking industry. All the characters were so well drawn even if you didn’t necessarily really like all of them. There also is a dash of romance in this book that I found simply adorable. I can definitely see this book being made into a movie, this was SO entertaining!
Allegra was such a likable character I was rooting for her the entire book. I cannot imagine working a job that expected your attention 24/7. I can however imagine working in the fitness industry, because that has been the only place I’ve worked my entire adult life. Things certainly have changed with the introduction of social media, really kind of changed the landscape. I also like that there were strong female friendships in this book, always a bonus. And the females that worked with allegro were all pretty darn supportive, so yay! My only small complaint would be there wasn’t enough romance, but I think that was by design. This was a really well-done debut and I am looking forward to what’s next from Madeleine Henry.
*** Big thanks to Atria for my copy of this book ***
Allegra was such a likable character I was rooting for her the entire book. I cannot imagine working a job that expected your attention 24/7. I can however imagine working in the fitness industry, because that has been the only place I’ve worked my entire adult life. Things certainly have changed with the introduction of social media, really kind of changed the landscape. I also like that there were strong female friendships in this book, always a bonus. And the females that worked with allegro were all pretty darn supportive, so yay! My only small complaint would be there wasn’t enough romance, but I think that was by design. This was a really well-done debut and I am looking forward to what’s next from Madeleine Henry.
*** Big thanks to Atria for my copy of this book ***
July 16, 2019
3.5 stars.
Allegra Cobb has spent nearly two years working as an analyst at one of the most well-known banks. Between working an unbelievable amount of hours each week, redoing PowerPoint slide decks and bar charts for her supervisors, and trying not to lose her mind, she dreams of quitting her job to start her own yoga practice—just as soon as her year-end bonus comes in.
She's spent most of her life being an overachiever, driven by a father whose primary mechanism of communication and affection was coaching her to victory. She went to Princeton, excelled at every sport she played, and she even won gold at the American Yoga National Competition. But now she's tired of being treating like a slave by her bosses, working until 4:00 a.m. some days only to be right back at her desk before 9:00 a.m., and she's ready for it all to be over.
All she needs to do is be patient and wait for the year to come to an end. It appears, however, that won't be easy. She's just slept with a hot man from her yoga class—who is now her new boss on a major deal. She's also just met Skylar, one of her yoga idols, and she's taken a real interest in Allegra. The thing is, however, Skylar wants to help her begin to focus more on herself, become more centered and intentional about her goals and her yoga practice. That doesn't seem to reconcile itself with the hellish pace at which Allegra spends her workweek.
As Allegra tries to balance her daily responsibilities with following Skylar's advice, she finds she's successful at neither. And the results are spectacular—spectacularly bad, that is. If things keep up the way they're going, she might get fired before she gets her bonus, which, of course, will leave her nowhere. She's alienating her closest coworker and burning the candle at both ends is also taking its toll on her physically. What do you do if you fall asleep when you attempt meditation?
The closer Allegra gets to bonus day, the more confused she becomes about what path she should take. Should she follow Skylar or set her own path? Is she crazy to abandon a promising—if destructive—career in finance to pursue her dreams? And perhaps more importantly, what is her father going to say when she tells him she's quitting? It's enough to make even the most centered person feel completely off-kilter.
Breathe In, Cash Out is a humorous look at the cutthroat world of finance and the first-world problems of young people making six-figure salaries right out of college yet feel they are overworked and underappreciated. (Wow, I might have totally sounded like a grumpy old man just then.) It's also a fascinating look at how easy it can be to self-destruct when you're not 100 percent focused, and how sometimes it just takes one person's belief in you and your dreams to help you pull yourself together—however briefly.
Madeleine Henry worked for Goldman Sachs and then started her own yoga practice, so she definitely knows of what she writes. She has a breezy, funny writing style, and even though I didn't understand a lot of the terms her characters used when talking about the finance world, I found myself fully immersed in this story. The plot is a little bit predictable but Henry still created enough uncertainty in exactly how far Allegra might fall, or whether she'd decide to pursue her dream in the first place.
Things did get a little repetitive toward the middle, and there are times when I almost wanted to read the book with my hands over my eyes because I was waiting for everything to simply explode, but this was a tremendously fast and fun read. The marketing for the book compares it to The Devil Wears Prada , and while there may be a few similarities, this is an enjoyable book on its own.
Trust me: you'll see Breathe In, Cash Out in a lot of people's hands this summer and fall. I am just trying to think about who could play Allegra in the movie version.
NetGalley and Atria Books provided me a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making it available!
This book publishes July 9, 2019.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2018 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2018.html.
You can follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
Allegra Cobb has spent nearly two years working as an analyst at one of the most well-known banks. Between working an unbelievable amount of hours each week, redoing PowerPoint slide decks and bar charts for her supervisors, and trying not to lose her mind, she dreams of quitting her job to start her own yoga practice—just as soon as her year-end bonus comes in.
She's spent most of her life being an overachiever, driven by a father whose primary mechanism of communication and affection was coaching her to victory. She went to Princeton, excelled at every sport she played, and she even won gold at the American Yoga National Competition. But now she's tired of being treating like a slave by her bosses, working until 4:00 a.m. some days only to be right back at her desk before 9:00 a.m., and she's ready for it all to be over.
All she needs to do is be patient and wait for the year to come to an end. It appears, however, that won't be easy. She's just slept with a hot man from her yoga class—who is now her new boss on a major deal. She's also just met Skylar, one of her yoga idols, and she's taken a real interest in Allegra. The thing is, however, Skylar wants to help her begin to focus more on herself, become more centered and intentional about her goals and her yoga practice. That doesn't seem to reconcile itself with the hellish pace at which Allegra spends her workweek.
As Allegra tries to balance her daily responsibilities with following Skylar's advice, she finds she's successful at neither. And the results are spectacular—spectacularly bad, that is. If things keep up the way they're going, she might get fired before she gets her bonus, which, of course, will leave her nowhere. She's alienating her closest coworker and burning the candle at both ends is also taking its toll on her physically. What do you do if you fall asleep when you attempt meditation?
The closer Allegra gets to bonus day, the more confused she becomes about what path she should take. Should she follow Skylar or set her own path? Is she crazy to abandon a promising—if destructive—career in finance to pursue her dreams? And perhaps more importantly, what is her father going to say when she tells him she's quitting? It's enough to make even the most centered person feel completely off-kilter.
Breathe In, Cash Out is a humorous look at the cutthroat world of finance and the first-world problems of young people making six-figure salaries right out of college yet feel they are overworked and underappreciated. (Wow, I might have totally sounded like a grumpy old man just then.) It's also a fascinating look at how easy it can be to self-destruct when you're not 100 percent focused, and how sometimes it just takes one person's belief in you and your dreams to help you pull yourself together—however briefly.
Madeleine Henry worked for Goldman Sachs and then started her own yoga practice, so she definitely knows of what she writes. She has a breezy, funny writing style, and even though I didn't understand a lot of the terms her characters used when talking about the finance world, I found myself fully immersed in this story. The plot is a little bit predictable but Henry still created enough uncertainty in exactly how far Allegra might fall, or whether she'd decide to pursue her dream in the first place.
Things did get a little repetitive toward the middle, and there are times when I almost wanted to read the book with my hands over my eyes because I was waiting for everything to simply explode, but this was a tremendously fast and fun read. The marketing for the book compares it to The Devil Wears Prada , and while there may be a few similarities, this is an enjoyable book on its own.
Trust me: you'll see Breathe In, Cash Out in a lot of people's hands this summer and fall. I am just trying to think about who could play Allegra in the movie version.
NetGalley and Atria Books provided me a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making it available!
This book publishes July 9, 2019.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2018 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2018.html.
You can follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
September 4, 2023
Madeleine Henry’s Breathe In, Cash Out is a charming, laugh-out-loud story that had me hooked from page one! Allegra is so relatable to me, someone who also has a high-stress job (though my job is nothing compared to this one! I was exhausted just reading about how tired she is). The characters in this book are wonderful—trust me, this is a read-in-a-day book if you are able to!
Allegra works in the finance industry, and her job is INTENSE. She is expected to be available 24/7, and most of that time is spent in the office. But Allegra only has to make it 2 more months until she hits her two year mark and gets her bonus—money that will help her live for a few years as she pursues her true passion, teaching yoga.
And just as Allegra is thinking about how to transition out of this high-pressure world she has lived in for so long into the zen world of yoga, an unlikely source offers to help her get started. Skylar is a yoga super star and Allegra has followed her since before she was famous. Allegra loves the thoughtful writing that Skylar posts with each thing. She’s the real deal!
Skylar noticed Allegra at a yoga competition she won a year or so before, and found Allegra’s poses breathtaking. When Allegra talks to Skylar about her plan, she offers to help her begin to let go of her high stress job. If only it were that easy! Allegra has recently slept with a man who turned out to be her boss, got staffed on a project requiring her to stay in the office around the clock even on the weekends, and is trying to avoid letting her coworkers know she doesn’t plan to stay in finance, lest it impact her bonus.
When I say this book is laugh-out-loud, I mean it! Starting at the beginning, her wit and humility is charming. From the description, you wouldn’t think a straight-A Princeton grad working in finance would be remotely likable or relatable, but Allegra is. She comes from a blue-collar family, and she always worked hard to make her dad proud. When she got to Princeton, she got caught up in the flow of students heading to big financial and consulting firms, because that is what was expected.
But two years later and Allegra is DONE. One thing I loved about her is that she is a character who doesn’t care about the power, success, and money that comes with her status she’s achieved. Allegra has all of the skills and work ethic to be a successful hedge fund manager or banker, she just doesn’t have the desire to do it. Allegra went with the flow, but she is a woman who is meant to carve her own path.
I don’t want to spoil where the plot heads in this book, but I’ll say following Allegra’s last two months in finance as she prepares for her major transition to teaching yoga is fascinating! I couldn’t wait to find out more, and Allegra is a character I miss now that I’ve finished the book.
But there are many well-created characters here! I loved Allegra’s deskmates, Tripp, Chloe, and Puja. Each had a unique personality and they were truly supportive of each other. And then there is Mark, who Allegra sleeps with one day after a yoga class, not realizing he is her new boss. Mark is such an interesting person! I could go on and on about the people that work at Anderson Shaw with her, but I won’t bore you now because you should go read it. I’ll also say that the yoga characters she meets, Skylar in particular, have their own vibe. It is quite the mash-up seeing yoga next to finance, but that combination is inspired by the author’s own passions! No wonder this book has an authenticity that is rare to find in many books.
Madeleine Henry is a wonderful writer, and I hope this isn’t the last book we get from her! This book is a gem, and one I will be reading again!
Thank you to Atria Books for my copy. Opinions are my own.
Allegra works in the finance industry, and her job is INTENSE. She is expected to be available 24/7, and most of that time is spent in the office. But Allegra only has to make it 2 more months until she hits her two year mark and gets her bonus—money that will help her live for a few years as she pursues her true passion, teaching yoga.
And just as Allegra is thinking about how to transition out of this high-pressure world she has lived in for so long into the zen world of yoga, an unlikely source offers to help her get started. Skylar is a yoga super star and Allegra has followed her since before she was famous. Allegra loves the thoughtful writing that Skylar posts with each thing. She’s the real deal!
Skylar noticed Allegra at a yoga competition she won a year or so before, and found Allegra’s poses breathtaking. When Allegra talks to Skylar about her plan, she offers to help her begin to let go of her high stress job. If only it were that easy! Allegra has recently slept with a man who turned out to be her boss, got staffed on a project requiring her to stay in the office around the clock even on the weekends, and is trying to avoid letting her coworkers know she doesn’t plan to stay in finance, lest it impact her bonus.
When I say this book is laugh-out-loud, I mean it! Starting at the beginning, her wit and humility is charming. From the description, you wouldn’t think a straight-A Princeton grad working in finance would be remotely likable or relatable, but Allegra is. She comes from a blue-collar family, and she always worked hard to make her dad proud. When she got to Princeton, she got caught up in the flow of students heading to big financial and consulting firms, because that is what was expected.
But two years later and Allegra is DONE. One thing I loved about her is that she is a character who doesn’t care about the power, success, and money that comes with her status she’s achieved. Allegra has all of the skills and work ethic to be a successful hedge fund manager or banker, she just doesn’t have the desire to do it. Allegra went with the flow, but she is a woman who is meant to carve her own path.
I don’t want to spoil where the plot heads in this book, but I’ll say following Allegra’s last two months in finance as she prepares for her major transition to teaching yoga is fascinating! I couldn’t wait to find out more, and Allegra is a character I miss now that I’ve finished the book.
But there are many well-created characters here! I loved Allegra’s deskmates, Tripp, Chloe, and Puja. Each had a unique personality and they were truly supportive of each other. And then there is Mark, who Allegra sleeps with one day after a yoga class, not realizing he is her new boss. Mark is such an interesting person! I could go on and on about the people that work at Anderson Shaw with her, but I won’t bore you now because you should go read it. I’ll also say that the yoga characters she meets, Skylar in particular, have their own vibe. It is quite the mash-up seeing yoga next to finance, but that combination is inspired by the author’s own passions! No wonder this book has an authenticity that is rare to find in many books.
Madeleine Henry is a wonderful writer, and I hope this isn’t the last book we get from her! This book is a gem, and one I will be reading again!
Thank you to Atria Books for my copy. Opinions are my own.
March 14, 2019
3.5 stars. The writing of this novel is good. However, it gets repetitive, and contrary to what the marketing copy says, it’s not even remotely funny, let alone laugh-out-loud funny.
Allegra is just trying to survive until her two-year contract as a low-level analyst for a Wall Street banking firm is over and she gets her bonus. The hours she and the other folks at her level work is completely insane, no matter how much money they’re making. She’s basically on call 24/7, but she tries to sneak in yoga workouts. She feels incredibly lucky to befriend Skylar Smith, a celebrity yogi with tons of followers on social media. Allegra wants to teach yoga full time, and Skylar appears to be trying to help her find some balance and serenity amid the crazy world of banking. I do enjoy yoga, though the yoga done in this story is way more advanced than what I’m capable of doing.
As with any good book, Allegra learns some lessons. Unfortunately, I didn’t feel her growth deeply enough to truly love this novel.
Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the opportunity to read this book, which RELEASES JULY 9, 2019.
For more reviews, please visit http://www.theresaalan.net/blog
Allegra is just trying to survive until her two-year contract as a low-level analyst for a Wall Street banking firm is over and she gets her bonus. The hours she and the other folks at her level work is completely insane, no matter how much money they’re making. She’s basically on call 24/7, but she tries to sneak in yoga workouts. She feels incredibly lucky to befriend Skylar Smith, a celebrity yogi with tons of followers on social media. Allegra wants to teach yoga full time, and Skylar appears to be trying to help her find some balance and serenity amid the crazy world of banking. I do enjoy yoga, though the yoga done in this story is way more advanced than what I’m capable of doing.
As with any good book, Allegra learns some lessons. Unfortunately, I didn’t feel her growth deeply enough to truly love this novel.
Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the opportunity to read this book, which RELEASES JULY 9, 2019.
For more reviews, please visit http://www.theresaalan.net/blog
![Profile Image for laurel [the suspected bibliophile].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1645808644i%2F7494844._UX200_CR0%2C6%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
July 9, 2019
Allegra Chopp has a plan—push through to Bonus Day, then quit her frantic job at the investment banking firm Anderson Shaw, get her 200 hour yoga teaching cert, and live her dream life as a yoga teacher. All she has to do is survive the next two months. Until she fucks her boss. And meets her new yoga guru, Skylar Smith.
I wanted to like this so much more than I did. But, I was tricked by that cute cover into thinking this would be a cute contemporary romance with laugh out loud mad-caps while skewering both the ruthless capitalism of Wall Street and the hypocritical reality of yoga influencers.
The world offered in Breath In, Cash Out, is one that is completely superficial, with people obsessing over money and fame and the appearance of having it all while actually dying more and more on the inside. So some turn to culturally appropriated practices to find enlightenment and a sense that all of their efforts are worth it—and are occasionally exploited by assholes looking to exploit the exploiters. It's a dog eat dog world, and I think the reason I'm so frustrated is because this could have been so much more than it actually was—particularly with the middle-class underdog MC who looks like she wins it all and then leaves it behind to pursue her passion. The potential and idea was there—the execution was not.
Like Severance and #FashionVictim, this offers a look into the self-crazed millennial, and the consequences of social media and the relative ease of finding fame (case in point: Allergies' sudden popularity on Instagram when she became "discovered"—although not once does she ever really dig beyond the surface).
However, while this book tried to be a satire of capitalism and yoga à la American Psycho, it wasn't the searing indictment of Wall Street that I was hoping for? Or that it could have been? Same with the potential for a scathing look into the yoga influencer world—it kinda tries, but ultimately falls short. Sure, there's a barbed reference to Bikram and I'm sure a certain yogic influencer (yeah, I don't know which one but there have been several who acted like Skylar—and that she's rotten to the core is not a spoiler, anyone with two eyes and a functioning brain can tell what she is), but aside from that there are no consequences.
No actual yogic teachings or epiphanies. No real look into the cultural appropriation of an ancient religion and practice (beyond a couple limp acknowledgements and descriptions of upscale yoga studios and the pretzel stand dude). As for the continued cultural appropriation, she literally changes her insta handle to PretzelYogi to stop her coworkers from finding and making fun of her, but gets the name due to inspiration from the pretzel stand guy who is, get this, Indian. Cue my screaming.
For a first person narration, My-Name-Is-Awful was just...boring and bland (which is painful to say because she is clearly an example of self-insertion)? She has not one ounce of introspection in her entire body and doesn't possess a single strand of common sense to bounce alongside her two brain cells. Her grand epiphanies are facts that are baldly obvious to the most inattentive reader, and the majority of her issues lie in situations entirely of her own making, caused by her own severe lack of judgment (this is something that she never, ever, not once realizes).
Yes, I get that she's grossly sleep-deprived and over-worked, but come on girl you don't need yoga you need serious therapy.
I think a lot of my frustration was Anaconda's innate ability to be so fucking awesome at asana...although she doesn't think much about the rest of yoga. There are some quick things, but we're told how good she is at things while inside she's like, "But I'm not??" (I get Imposter Syndrome, but girl basically transforms into Skylar in the end). Granted, she's remarkably good at asana, because despite constantly thinking she's out of shape and has no muscle definition whatsoever she considers the splits a resting warm-up position and can pop into full handstand scorpion with little to no warm-up or training. Oh, and she can take gold at a yoga competition with no formal training in asana (yeah, this is a thing that happened...but before the book started).
Additionally, everything with Skylar makes me want to scream and punch Annalisa in the face. HOW DID YOU NOT SEE THAT COMING?? And also—the police are totally who you call after that.
Also, I was disappointed with the entire thing with the sleeping with her boss. It was terrible, he was terrible, it kinda didn't really continue, but while she constantly goes "omg I slept with my boss??" she never once really reflects back on it with any kind of introspection. Plus, the weak-ended romance at the end just made me want to shake my head. Actually, the entirely weak ass ending just made me want to launch my kindle into the nearest active volcano (which, in case you're wondering, is about 2,280 miles away, which means a driving for 37 hours, a border crossing and a drive through literal purgatory—Atlanta—to get there).
Like the incident with Skylar, the entire book doesn't go all the way. It pulls its punches, resulting in a frustrating waffling between snarky contemporary romance, office satire and astute social media commentary, becoming neither snarky, nor satire nor astute but something bland and unseasoned.
It refuses to take things to the limit and provide consequences, and so everyone remains exactly where they started—either physically, emotionally or fame-wise.
I had picked it up because (1) I like yoga and am a certified yoga teacher (2) I left a job that sucked the literal soul out of me to become a yoga teacher (spoiler: I don't actually teach) and (3) this looked like a scathing indictment of social media influencers in general and yoga influencers in particular, and the soul-withering world of Wall Street, Ivy League schools and finance.
Ultimately, this was not the book for me.
But maybe it will be for you.
I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.
Hey, I have a blog—The Suspected Bibliophile
I wanted to like this so much more than I did. But, I was tricked by that cute cover into thinking this would be a cute contemporary romance with laugh out loud mad-caps while skewering both the ruthless capitalism of Wall Street and the hypocritical reality of yoga influencers.
The world offered in Breath In, Cash Out, is one that is completely superficial, with people obsessing over money and fame and the appearance of having it all while actually dying more and more on the inside. So some turn to culturally appropriated practices to find enlightenment and a sense that all of their efforts are worth it—and are occasionally exploited by assholes looking to exploit the exploiters. It's a dog eat dog world, and I think the reason I'm so frustrated is because this could have been so much more than it actually was—particularly with the middle-class underdog MC who looks like she wins it all and then leaves it behind to pursue her passion. The potential and idea was there—the execution was not.
Like Severance and #FashionVictim, this offers a look into the self-crazed millennial, and the consequences of social media and the relative ease of finding fame (case in point: Allergies' sudden popularity on Instagram when she became "discovered"—although not once does she ever really dig beyond the surface).
However, while this book tried to be a satire of capitalism and yoga à la American Psycho, it wasn't the searing indictment of Wall Street that I was hoping for? Or that it could have been? Same with the potential for a scathing look into the yoga influencer world—it kinda tries, but ultimately falls short. Sure, there's a barbed reference to Bikram and I'm sure a certain yogic influencer (yeah, I don't know which one but there have been several who acted like Skylar—and that she's rotten to the core is not a spoiler, anyone with two eyes and a functioning brain can tell what she is), but aside from that there are no consequences.
No actual yogic teachings or epiphanies. No real look into the cultural appropriation of an ancient religion and practice (beyond a couple limp acknowledgements and descriptions of upscale yoga studios and the pretzel stand dude). As for the continued cultural appropriation, she literally changes her insta handle to PretzelYogi to stop her coworkers from finding and making fun of her, but gets the name due to inspiration from the pretzel stand guy who is, get this, Indian. Cue my screaming.
For a first person narration, My-Name-Is-Awful was just...boring and bland (which is painful to say because she is clearly an example of self-insertion)? She has not one ounce of introspection in her entire body and doesn't possess a single strand of common sense to bounce alongside her two brain cells. Her grand epiphanies are facts that are baldly obvious to the most inattentive reader, and the majority of her issues lie in situations entirely of her own making, caused by her own severe lack of judgment (this is something that she never, ever, not once realizes).
Yes, I get that she's grossly sleep-deprived and over-worked, but come on girl you don't need yoga you need serious therapy.
I think a lot of my frustration was Anaconda's innate ability to be so fucking awesome at asana...although she doesn't think much about the rest of yoga. There are some quick things, but we're told how good she is at things while inside she's like, "But I'm not??" (I get Imposter Syndrome, but girl basically transforms into Skylar in the end). Granted, she's remarkably good at asana, because despite constantly thinking she's out of shape and has no muscle definition whatsoever she considers the splits a resting warm-up position and can pop into full handstand scorpion with little to no warm-up or training. Oh, and she can take gold at a yoga competition with no formal training in asana (yeah, this is a thing that happened...but before the book started).
Additionally, everything with Skylar makes me want to scream and punch Annalisa in the face. HOW DID YOU NOT SEE THAT COMING?? And also—the police are totally who you call after that.
Also, I was disappointed with the entire thing with the sleeping with her boss. It was terrible, he was terrible, it kinda didn't really continue, but while she constantly goes "omg I slept with my boss??" she never once really reflects back on it with any kind of introspection. Plus, the weak-ended romance at the end just made me want to shake my head. Actually, the entirely weak ass ending just made me want to launch my kindle into the nearest active volcano (which, in case you're wondering, is about 2,280 miles away, which means a driving for 37 hours, a border crossing and a drive through literal purgatory—Atlanta—to get there).
Like the incident with Skylar, the entire book doesn't go all the way. It pulls its punches, resulting in a frustrating waffling between snarky contemporary romance, office satire and astute social media commentary, becoming neither snarky, nor satire nor astute but something bland and unseasoned.
It refuses to take things to the limit and provide consequences, and so everyone remains exactly where they started—either physically, emotionally or fame-wise.
I had picked it up because (1) I like yoga and am a certified yoga teacher (2) I left a job that sucked the literal soul out of me to become a yoga teacher (spoiler: I don't actually teach) and (3) this looked like a scathing indictment of social media influencers in general and yoga influencers in particular, and the soul-withering world of Wall Street, Ivy League schools and finance.
Ultimately, this was not the book for me.
But maybe it will be for you.
I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.
Hey, I have a blog—The Suspected Bibliophile
July 8, 2019
The publisher compared this one to The Devil Wears Prada and while I usually hate those type of comparisons, this one was dead on. I had NO idea the world of investment banking was so cutthroat and harsh and seeing it juxtaposed alongside the yoga world was not only fun, I was fascinated by the inside look to both worlds.
Besides Allegra, who by the way won me over early on with her biting wit and sheer determination, there was a supporting cast of characters that added even more snark and dry humor, the type that just really speaks to my soul. Tripp is in Allegra’s pod at work and his bro jokes and stupid one liners made me crack up. Her budding friendship with yoga guru Skylar was also amusing as well. There was much more to this one than just humor though, it had a lot of depth and dimension, both in the characterization and the overall story itself. This is a beach read with bite, it’s incredibly smart and has enough juiciness to satisfy my need for gossip as well. Super impressive debut, I would definitely read more from the author and I can totally recommend this as a summer read!
Breathe In, Cash Out in three words: Smart, Sharp and Witty.
Besides Allegra, who by the way won me over early on with her biting wit and sheer determination, there was a supporting cast of characters that added even more snark and dry humor, the type that just really speaks to my soul. Tripp is in Allegra’s pod at work and his bro jokes and stupid one liners made me crack up. Her budding friendship with yoga guru Skylar was also amusing as well. There was much more to this one than just humor though, it had a lot of depth and dimension, both in the characterization and the overall story itself. This is a beach read with bite, it’s incredibly smart and has enough juiciness to satisfy my need for gossip as well. Super impressive debut, I would definitely read more from the author and I can totally recommend this as a summer read!
Breathe In, Cash Out in three words: Smart, Sharp and Witty.
July 9, 2019
Breathe In, Cash Out
Madeleine Henry
Wow, all I can say is, this story kept me giggling! You will find yourself laughing out loud as you are reading BREATHE IN, CASH OUT by Madeleine Henry. She will have your emotions all over the place. Once I started reading, it was very hard to stop! The twists and turns made it impossible to put down, as I had to know what was going to happen to Allegra! What an awesome story. All of Madeleine's characters feel genuine and relatable and put your emotions on one heck of a roller coaster ride. As you are reading, you will find yourself cheering for all of them, praying they can work out their problems and be happy once again.
BREATHE IN, CASH OUT is a funny story that will hold you hostage until the very last page. Once you start reading, it will be very hard to put down! You also won't be able to stop yourself from laughing at Allegra and the situations she gets herself into! All Allegra wants to do is get to her year end bonus check from her boring Wall Street banking job, then she is going to cut herself loose. She has big dreams of becoming a yoga teacher and opening her own yoga studio. Nothing is going to stop her. Besides liking Allegra, I had taken an interest in Tripp, her co worker, with his stupid one liners and his even dumber bro jokes! He kept me giggling throughout the story!
BREATHE IN, CASH OUT is without a doubt one of my top funniest books I've read in 2019 so far. I was instantly emotionally invested in all of the characters. My heart broke for Allegra when she met her Instagram guru, Skylar. She learns a hard lesson as she begins to realize that people aren't always what they seem to be. Madeleine Henry sure knows how to hook the reader with an awesome story. I can't wait to read more by Madeleine.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Atria Books through Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Madeleine Henry
Wow, all I can say is, this story kept me giggling! You will find yourself laughing out loud as you are reading BREATHE IN, CASH OUT by Madeleine Henry. She will have your emotions all over the place. Once I started reading, it was very hard to stop! The twists and turns made it impossible to put down, as I had to know what was going to happen to Allegra! What an awesome story. All of Madeleine's characters feel genuine and relatable and put your emotions on one heck of a roller coaster ride. As you are reading, you will find yourself cheering for all of them, praying they can work out their problems and be happy once again.
BREATHE IN, CASH OUT is a funny story that will hold you hostage until the very last page. Once you start reading, it will be very hard to put down! You also won't be able to stop yourself from laughing at Allegra and the situations she gets herself into! All Allegra wants to do is get to her year end bonus check from her boring Wall Street banking job, then she is going to cut herself loose. She has big dreams of becoming a yoga teacher and opening her own yoga studio. Nothing is going to stop her. Besides liking Allegra, I had taken an interest in Tripp, her co worker, with his stupid one liners and his even dumber bro jokes! He kept me giggling throughout the story!
BREATHE IN, CASH OUT is without a doubt one of my top funniest books I've read in 2019 so far. I was instantly emotionally invested in all of the characters. My heart broke for Allegra when she met her Instagram guru, Skylar. She learns a hard lesson as she begins to realize that people aren't always what they seem to be. Madeleine Henry sure knows how to hook the reader with an awesome story. I can't wait to read more by Madeleine.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Atria Books through Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
March 28, 2022
Holy shit I related so much to this book but there's a scene at the end that scared me and rattled my nerves.
June 3, 2019
Allegra Cobb spends her days and nights glued to her desk at Anderson Shaw (aka Goldman Sachs) in the Healthcare Group, where most of her Princeton undergrad colleagues would kill to be. However, not one to go with the flow (yes, that's an awful yoga pun, sorry), Allegra finds herself dreaming of exploring more about Yoga and it's practice and principles. She hopes she can make enough money from her annual bonus to ahem "Breathe In, Cash Out" and start her own studio. But these last few months are just not going Allegra's way, including accidentally sleeping with her new boss, so when she meets famous instagram personality @SkylarSmithYoga , she decides it may be time to put these ideas into practice for real.
I really enjoyed both the financial and social aspects of this novel, as well as learning about yoga, which at times did go over my head. Learning that the author actually left her Goldman Sachs job to practice yoga (I too used to work there) made me extremely interested to read the cultural parts about life in investment banking and I will say Henry hit the nail on the head - even if you know nothing about this world, I think it will still be of interest to you and I'm sure you know plenty of people who fit the types described in her workplace! And lets not forget the ever relevant topic of sharing your life on instagram and opening up your life to someone from instagram as well. This is a dynamic that Henry explored well and added a fun layer to the book.
This was a very strong debut from Henry - finance, yoga and now writing - is there anything she can't do? I'll be eager to see what comes next from a strong voice in this genre.
Thank you to Atria for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own
I really enjoyed both the financial and social aspects of this novel, as well as learning about yoga, which at times did go over my head. Learning that the author actually left her Goldman Sachs job to practice yoga (I too used to work there) made me extremely interested to read the cultural parts about life in investment banking and I will say Henry hit the nail on the head - even if you know nothing about this world, I think it will still be of interest to you and I'm sure you know plenty of people who fit the types described in her workplace! And lets not forget the ever relevant topic of sharing your life on instagram and opening up your life to someone from instagram as well. This is a dynamic that Henry explored well and added a fun layer to the book.
This was a very strong debut from Henry - finance, yoga and now writing - is there anything she can't do? I'll be eager to see what comes next from a strong voice in this genre.
Thank you to Atria for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own
July 14, 2019
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5
Breathe In, Cash Out by Madeleine Henry is just the quick, laugh-out-loud funny book I needed right now!
What it's about: Allegra Cobb is a second-year analyst for Anderson Shaw and really hates her job. In a world where your work is already late when you get it and there is incessant use of the word 'team', all she really wants to do is teach yoga. So when her yoga idol, Skylar Smith, reaches out to her and offers to mentor her, Allegra jumps at the chance. But becoming a teacher and bringing balance to her life, might be a lot harder than Allegra thought it would be.
Breathe In, Cash Out is such a funny book, and I found myself laughing out loud several times. It is a light read, but also speaks to finding yourself and your way through the world. There will be people that want to bring you down, and you might not think you can do it, but this book says you can find a way. I really liked Allegra's character and found her very relatable. From a dad who pressures her to succeed to a job that she doesn't love, there should be something in here that will resonate with everyone.
The chapters are short, and the pace is quick so lots of readers should be able to get through this in one sitting. It didn't even take me 4.5 hours to read which was a nice change from the 7.5-hour long book I read before it. I think Breathe In, Cash Out would make a good palate cleanser from thrillers, or books with heavy themes.
I never realized how intense the world of investment banking is, but after reading this I know there is no way I could ever do it. Allegra was such a smart character and one you want to love. Anyone that can do that job has to be dedicated, and I can tell Henry brought a lot of knowledge to the book from her work at Goldman Sachs and investment management. I love when author's talk about something they know, and it made me like this book even more. I wasn't completely satisfied with the way things are left with Skylar, but besides that Breathe In, Cash Out was a very solid book for me.
Song/s the book brought to mind: Falling Down by Avril Lavigne (from the Sweet Home Alabama soundtrack).
Final Thought: Breathe In, Cash Out reminded me a little of Fitness Junkie, and I would say Henry's writing style is similar to that of Lucy Sykes. If you've read and loved that book, then I think you will like this one as well. It will definitely be a favorite for women's fiction lovers, and anyone who likes a book that makes them laugh! I couldn't even tell this was a debut and look forward to reading more from Madeleine Henry.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an advance review copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
Breathe In, Cash Out by Madeleine Henry is just the quick, laugh-out-loud funny book I needed right now!
What it's about: Allegra Cobb is a second-year analyst for Anderson Shaw and really hates her job. In a world where your work is already late when you get it and there is incessant use of the word 'team', all she really wants to do is teach yoga. So when her yoga idol, Skylar Smith, reaches out to her and offers to mentor her, Allegra jumps at the chance. But becoming a teacher and bringing balance to her life, might be a lot harder than Allegra thought it would be.
Breathe In, Cash Out is such a funny book, and I found myself laughing out loud several times. It is a light read, but also speaks to finding yourself and your way through the world. There will be people that want to bring you down, and you might not think you can do it, but this book says you can find a way. I really liked Allegra's character and found her very relatable. From a dad who pressures her to succeed to a job that she doesn't love, there should be something in here that will resonate with everyone.
The chapters are short, and the pace is quick so lots of readers should be able to get through this in one sitting. It didn't even take me 4.5 hours to read which was a nice change from the 7.5-hour long book I read before it. I think Breathe In, Cash Out would make a good palate cleanser from thrillers, or books with heavy themes.
I never realized how intense the world of investment banking is, but after reading this I know there is no way I could ever do it. Allegra was such a smart character and one you want to love. Anyone that can do that job has to be dedicated, and I can tell Henry brought a lot of knowledge to the book from her work at Goldman Sachs and investment management. I love when author's talk about something they know, and it made me like this book even more. I wasn't completely satisfied with the way things are left with Skylar, but besides that Breathe In, Cash Out was a very solid book for me.
Song/s the book brought to mind: Falling Down by Avril Lavigne (from the Sweet Home Alabama soundtrack).
Final Thought: Breathe In, Cash Out reminded me a little of Fitness Junkie, and I would say Henry's writing style is similar to that of Lucy Sykes. If you've read and loved that book, then I think you will like this one as well. It will definitely be a favorite for women's fiction lovers, and anyone who likes a book that makes them laugh! I couldn't even tell this was a debut and look forward to reading more from Madeleine Henry.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an advance review copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
March 30, 2020
I thought this book was hilarious. The writing reminded me of Tom Wolfe in terms of giving an inside, jaundiced look at a secretive business. Putting a yogi in the middle of Wall Street set up many ripe situations that paid off. I liked that Allegra was trying to find her own way in a tough world and the scenes at work made me sweat as if I were there. The yoga scenes captured the vibe of the many yoga studios and students I’ve come across tho I’m nowhere near as accomplished as Allegra.
This is not a cotton candy book. There’s some bite to it and intelligence and some crack writing. And funny as hell.
This is not a cotton candy book. There’s some bite to it and intelligence and some crack writing. And funny as hell.
September 23, 2019
"Breathe In, Cash Out" is the debut novel from Madeleine Henry, the Goldman Sachs banker turned yogi. Much like what I assume is her real-life experience, Allegra, the character in the novel, is an investment banker at Anderson Shaw pulling 100 hour workweeks when she wants to open her own yoga studio. She plans to quit once she receives her six-figure year-end bonus. Before then, however, there's just a few roadblocks, including her overtaxed and overworked mental state. She ends up befriending Skylar, an Instagram yoga success story, and seeking her guidance on how to be the real deal. Does Allegra achieve her dreams of ditching corporate finance and joining the 100 to zen lifestyle?
I checked the book out from the library, anticipating it would be a fun, breezy read. It was breezy but fine. Parts of it weren't even fun. I didn't think there was anything particularly engaging about Allegra or the characters. Everyone was bland and to the surprise of no one in the real world, Skylar is not the real deal. Some of the subplots, including one that's listed in the synopsis, ended up going nowhere.
I checked the book out from the library, anticipating it would be a fun, breezy read. It was breezy but fine. Parts of it weren't even fun. I didn't think there was anything particularly engaging about Allegra or the characters. Everyone was bland and to the surprise of no one in the real world, Skylar is not the real deal. Some of the subplots, including one that's listed in the synopsis, ended up going nowhere.
June 17, 2019
Fantastic, fun read! I haven't run across a really well-written women's fiction story in so long - this one hit the spot! I found myself completely engrossed in the story and finished it in just a handful of sittings over a couple of days. The characters were dimensional and likeable, the setting immersive, and the ending completely satisfying. I've recommended it to all my friends as a great summer read!
June 4, 2019
Hilarious, cinematic, and entertaining on every page! A perfect summer beach read, especially for any fans of THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA or Netflix's SET IT UP. Love to see a young woman's ambitions driving the plot :)
June 25, 2019
OMG this was the funniest, can’t-put-it-down books I’ve read in years. A must read for any current, former or aspiring Wall Streeters. Nails the junior banker experience. Madeleine Henry worked at Goldman Sachs so she knows her stuff. (A few senior folks there must be a little nervous!) As a guy, I hesitated at the pink cover, but I’m glad I trusted my instincts. This will definitely be a movie or Netflix series.
February 16, 2021
This was a entertaining chit lit title glad I stumbled upon it 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
August 7, 2019
When I initially heard about this book, I was super excited for it as practicing yoga is my other passion besides reading. I liked how work pressure was expressed in this novel and the main character’s relationships with her coworkers. The big part I did not like about this book at all was how yoga was represented in here and the whole side story about Instagram influencers which was a yawn. The author makes it as so shallow and ‘basic’, but there’s so much more to that. Yoga is not all about flexibility. It also focuses on strength as well. This part could have been portrayed a bit better. I also noticed that the author used a lot of yoga terms that if someone who doesn’t practice yoga wouldn’t know, but since I practice, I was familiar with true terminology. Honestly, I would recommend skipping this book.
Disclaimer: I received a free physical copy of this book from Atria Books in exchange for my honest opinion. This has no effect on my opinion, review, or rating.
Disclaimer: I received a free physical copy of this book from Atria Books in exchange for my honest opinion. This has no effect on my opinion, review, or rating.
November 12, 2022
Breathe in Cash Out, was hilarious. The opening chapter signaled there’s a new voice on the book scene and a voice I very much wanted to listen to.
The writing style is clever, fun and fresh. The characters are written to pitch perfect perfection. I wasn’t simply reading the book, I felt as if I was sitting in the office with these characters, watching their antics and enjoying their banter.
The author manages to capture what it’s like to work in a world where you have no life, and are on constant call – and make it funny.
The main character, Allegra Cobb, is both relatable and fallible. I rooted for her, and I groaned with her when life got really tough.
This author’s voice is unique and it kept me turning the pages. I’m looking forward to reading more from Madeleine Henry.
Thanks to NetGalley and Atria for the Advanced Readers Copy
The writing style is clever, fun and fresh. The characters are written to pitch perfect perfection. I wasn’t simply reading the book, I felt as if I was sitting in the office with these characters, watching their antics and enjoying their banter.
The author manages to capture what it’s like to work in a world where you have no life, and are on constant call – and make it funny.
The main character, Allegra Cobb, is both relatable and fallible. I rooted for her, and I groaned with her when life got really tough.
This author’s voice is unique and it kept me turning the pages. I’m looking forward to reading more from Madeleine Henry.
Thanks to NetGalley and Atria for the Advanced Readers Copy
June 20, 2019
4.5 stars.
I'd recommend this book to fans of Lauren Weisberger and readers who enjoyed such novels as Bond Girl, The Devil Wears Prada, and Big Law. It was a great look inside the world of banking. And, OMG, I'm so happy I chose a different path!!
I was so stressed out while reading this book as well as vicariously exhausted and hungry. The main character Allegra tried really hard to balance her day (more like 24-7) job with her yoga aspirations and thought she'd hit the jackpot when she caught the attention of her Instagram idol Skyler Smith but sometimes too good to be true is not just a cliché, it's a fact.
I really liked this book because I was 100% invested in what happened to Allegra. I particularly enjoyed the romance sub-plot. It was minor, but really cute.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my complimentary ARC. All opinions are my own.
I'd recommend this book to fans of Lauren Weisberger and readers who enjoyed such novels as Bond Girl, The Devil Wears Prada, and Big Law. It was a great look inside the world of banking. And, OMG, I'm so happy I chose a different path!!
I was so stressed out while reading this book as well as vicariously exhausted and hungry. The main character Allegra tried really hard to balance her day (more like 24-7) job with her yoga aspirations and thought she'd hit the jackpot when she caught the attention of her Instagram idol Skyler Smith but sometimes too good to be true is not just a cliché, it's a fact.
I really liked this book because I was 100% invested in what happened to Allegra. I particularly enjoyed the romance sub-plot. It was minor, but really cute.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my complimentary ARC. All opinions are my own.
Read
December 19, 2019This was a really fun read for me. I've been in a reading slump and this book pulled me right out. I flew through the pages, enjoying both the writing style and the story!
Allegra is basically caught between two worlds: The Yoga world and Wall Street world. And she's eager to leave Wall street for good once she gets her bonus to teach yoga full time. This dynamic was definitely the best part of the story. One minute she's completely stressed out living on coffee and zero sleep, and the next - she's doing yoga in a coat closet! Hilarious!
The characters were very likeable and even though the while the storyline was a bit predictable for me, I still thoroughly enjoyed it!
Allegra is basically caught between two worlds: The Yoga world and Wall Street world. And she's eager to leave Wall street for good once she gets her bonus to teach yoga full time. This dynamic was definitely the best part of the story. One minute she's completely stressed out living on coffee and zero sleep, and the next - she's doing yoga in a coat closet! Hilarious!
The characters were very likeable and even though the while the storyline was a bit predictable for me, I still thoroughly enjoyed it!
August 11, 2019
A beautifully written novel on banking life, relationships, and soul-searching, Breathe In, Cash Out poignantly depicts a life of conflict that ultimately ends in truth. The near anthropological study of banking culture, its hierarchy, and it's norms also deserves praise with Henry touching on the key elements of the strata within a prestigious investment bank well. Moreover, the tension between what appears good versus bad also builds with the climax of the novel excellent.
An important story well told. 5 stars
An important story well told. 5 stars
September 12, 2019
What a standout! I had so much fun from beginning to end with this. Breathe In, Cash Out is a smartly written debut novel, taking readers from the depths of Wall Street to the online yoga world. As someone who works in social media, it was so fun to read about Instagram personalities – and how what you see while scrolling might not be the same in real life. I’m also a dedicated yogi, so I knew immediately I wanted to review this book. I found Allegra so relatable (even though I know squat about investments, Wall Street, heck what’s even a bar chart?) and her journey of following her passion was so down to earth. I’ve been in a similar position – keep a great job, stable income and fabulous benefits, or follow a dream that is still so non-traditional that everyone questions your decision – and I love reading stories about women who are trying to handle that hurdle. The writing was fast-paced, engaging all the way through, and there was even a surprise or two thrown my way, which I always appreciate. I am so impressed with this novel and highly recommend!
I received a review copy
I received a review copy
July 21, 2019
Allegra Cobb is a second-year analyst at a top-tier bank in Manhattan, working 100-hour weeks and dreaming of when she gets her end of year bonus and can quit to teach yoga, who meets a yoga mega-influencer who sees potential in her. Torn between her desire to make her beloved dad proud and her desire to do what she really loves, Allegra finds herself succeeding at nothing and more stressed than ever.
This was a surprise hit for me! Allegra’s voice is darkly funny and I found myself frequently chuckling out loud at her one-liners. The horrific work-life environment reminded me of all the worst parts of residency training. Vivid, quirky side characters and a sweet romance along with Allegra’s dry wit made this a winner for me. It’s mostly a story about Allegra finding herself, and I was happy to go along for the ride. The Devil Wears Prada for today’s twentysomething. I’m excited to see what Madeleine Henry writes next!
This was a surprise hit for me! Allegra’s voice is darkly funny and I found myself frequently chuckling out loud at her one-liners. The horrific work-life environment reminded me of all the worst parts of residency training. Vivid, quirky side characters and a sweet romance along with Allegra’s dry wit made this a winner for me. It’s mostly a story about Allegra finding herself, and I was happy to go along for the ride. The Devil Wears Prada for today’s twentysomething. I’m excited to see what Madeleine Henry writes next!
July 8, 2019
Thanks to the publisher, via Edelweiss, for an advance e-galley for honest review.
This book reads like a financial sector, Millennial version of The Devil Wears Prada (which is such a cultural touchstone that I hope that comes across as the compliment that it is). Definitely the perfect book for summer poolside/beach reading, and a great one for some inspiration for anyone who feels stuck by their job or industry.
This book reads like a financial sector, Millennial version of The Devil Wears Prada (which is such a cultural touchstone that I hope that comes across as the compliment that it is). Definitely the perfect book for summer poolside/beach reading, and a great one for some inspiration for anyone who feels stuck by their job or industry.
August 19, 2019
Breathe In, Cash Out by Madeleine Henry reminded me a bit of When Life Gives You Lululemons by Laura Weisberger. It was a quick summer read about Princeton grad Allegra who has been working as a banking analyst at one of the top investment banking firms. She decides that what she really wants to do is be a yoga teacher but she needs to wait until her big year end bonus to do it. Will she actually do it? There were funny moments, a touching relationship with her father, and crazy work stories. If you are looking for a fun, quick book to finish up the summer this might fit the bill!
July 30, 2019
A fun quick read . Little glimpses into the world of finance and the instagram yogi world. This book was graciously provided via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 2, 2019
If you work in finance, you will love this book. Nails the types. Hilarious.
October 14, 2020
I loved it! Hey, I’m into stocks and yoga, so this book had a head start on a skyward trend from the get-go. But I read at least two books a week and find myself a little (dare I say) picky in my old age, so an author has to keep me right to the last page to be a winner in my book. I like a read that is creative, young, fun, and fresh- like this! Loved the easy style- very readable- and funny. Could Madeleine Henry be a brand new star?
September 6, 2019
After a long week, I needed something light to read. This was Terrible! The writing, the character development, the plot. Everything. Spare yourself the time.
June 24, 2021
1⭐️ Had this not been an audiobook I would have quit reading. Every opportunity for true conflict and interesting dynamics was abandoned before it could be interesting. Not worth reading.
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