A Year without Men: A Twelve-Point Guide to Inspire + Empower Women

by Allison Carmen

A road map to every woman's success.   Glass ceilings. #MeToo. Less than equal pay for equal work. After decades fighting to free ourselves from male-dominated social and economic structures, women still struggle. But many of us are poised to rise up with innovative ways to approach the many problems facing today’s world. A Year without Men is an essential guide to every woman's success and liberation.   Using the events of a very painful year in her own personal and professional life—her husband left her, her consulting business took an unexpected hit, and she faced a serious health scare—business consultant and life strategist Allison Carmen explores the forces in women’s personal and professional lives that hold us back. In A Year without Men, she offers twelve simple, practical tools to help us look within, find our own values, morals, and passions, work on our skills, call on other women, and forge new ways to do business. Together, we can create a new way to earn money, a new way to look at beauty, and so many other new ways to be in the world.    Take a stand and gain the power to overcome any obstacle with A Year without Men.

Genres: Nonfiction

184 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 6, 2021

About the author

Allison Carmen holds a B.A. in accounting, a J.D. of Law, and a Master's of Law in taxation. After working for a large law firm in Manhattan, Allison founded her own law firm and built a successful practice focusing on real estate, corporate, mergers and acquisitions, and taxation. After 15 years of practicing law, Allison transitioned her practice into business consulting, business coaching, and life coaching. Allison is also the part-time CFO of The Motherhood Center, a mission-driven for-profit business that functions as a day hospital for women with perinatal mood and anxiety disorders.

Allison is the author of The Gift of Maybe: Offering Hope and Possibility in Uncertain Times, published by Penguin Random House in 2014, and A Year Without Men, A Twelve Point Guide to Inspire and Empower Women, published by Skyhorse Publishing in 2021. Allison's podcast, 10 Minutes To Less Suffering, focuses on helping people alleviate daily stress and worry. Allison also writes for several large online publications, including Psychology Today, and is sought after guest on radio and other online media platforms. She is also a certified health coach and Reiki master.

Reviews

[Alissa Merdinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t say enough good things about this book. I read Allison Carman’s other book, The Gift of Maybe, and found that book so impactful and I constantly use her “maybe” in my life, quite often. I heard that she had a new book coming out, and I actually preordered my copy! I read the book in almost one setting. It is a short read, filled with so many important and relevant topics . It was hard not to cry along with her, the details of her divorce are heart breaking. But it’s amazing to read how she handles herself with such dignity and grace, and at the same time she teaches us how we are just as capable of doing the same. She even guides through different types of tools and techniques at the end of each chapter. There are twelve chapters that represent that one devastating year in her life, and how she navigates through it to get to a better place. I would recommend this book for all women to read. It seems as though it can be a movie. I hope that Allison and her daughters are doing well!!

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is so insightful and not what I was expecting, in a very good way. When her husband decides he wants a divorce, Allison decides to reevaluate where she wants to go in life. This is not a man bashing book by any means, but more of Allison finding her way in the world. Very well written, and I definitely recommend it.

[Debbie Rozier · Rating 5 out of 5]

This insightful book is written as Allison unexpectedly and unintentionally spent a year living and working with no males in her circle after her husband decides he no longer wants to be married and she takes a job in which women make up the dynamic of the company.

Allison is very clear in her book that this isn’t a “man bashing” book but it’s a book of self discovery over the course of a year on breaking free of societal norms and learning what works best for each individual’s journey both personally and professionally.

I have four daughters and to me nothing is more exciting than seeing their growth into adulthood and watching how they are achieving their own happiness and success. I appreciate how this book is a relatable tool for both myself and them.

I enjoyed the way the book is laid out in chapters marked by each month of Allison’s journey. Allison does a nice job of integrating both personal and business topics in the chapters. I also love that fact that through Allison’s story I was able to find pieces that I felt were part of my story.

Allison has a “Try this Exercise” at the end of each chapter and I like it because they are not just question/answer tools but very introspective resources. This book is a reference and learning tool for me that I will continue to use long after today’s review.

[thereshegoeswithanotherbook · Rating 4 out of 5]

--
A Year without Men: The Essential Guide for Every Woman's Success
--
Thank you @suzyapprovedbooktours
And Allison for my complementary copy and for having me on tour ! I am including a mini review. Just because it was gifted doesn't effect my opinions all opinions are my own!
---
Author : @allisoncarmen
Hardcover, 240 pages
Published July 6th 2021 by Skyhorse
ISBN
1510764127 (ISBN13: 9781510764125)
Genre : Nonfiction
--
Synopsis:
Glass ceilings. Me, Too. Less than equal pay for equal work. After decades fighting to free ourselves from male-dominated social and economic structures, women still struggle. But many of us are poised to rise up with innovative ways to approach the many problems facing today’s world. A Year Without Men is an essential guide to every woman's success and liberation.
Using the events of a very painful year in her own personal and professional life—her husband left her, her consulting business took an unexpected hit, and she faced a serious health scare—business consultant and life coach Allison Carmen explores the forces in women’s personal and professional lives that hold us back
--
This is a Good Heartwarming short read . Even though it talked about serious topics. I enjoyed this book and would read more this author !
---

[Arun Verma · Rating 5 out of 5]

📚 𝑨 𝒎𝒆𝒎𝒐𝒊𝒓 𝒐𝒏 𝑺𝒆𝒍𝒇-𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒄𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚.

The book is a memoir about the author's one year journey without men.

It's a memoir about author's decision to take a year off from dating and relationships to focus on herself and her career. Soon her journey turns out to be the best experience in her life that was worth writing and reading.

Allison writes with a raw honesty that is both refreshing and compelling. Her vivid descriptions of the journey and the people she meets along the way make you feel like you're right there with her.

The writing style is clear and concise, and her use of humor and satirical style is particularly effective. She does an excellent job of balancing the physical challenges of the trail with the emotional journey she's on, making for a well-rounded and engaging story.

I found myself connecting with her experiences and emotions throughout the book. Her struggles with society, self-doubt and self-discovery are universal themes that many readers will be able to relate to.

Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys memoirs or stories of personal growth, women empowerment and transformation.

[Mary]

Allison made a brave decision when she decided to write this book, and then again when she decided to go ahead and publish it. Working through difficult times that may be life changing is hard. Knowing that others have gone through similar hardships and challenging emotions and are finding ways through to a new and happy life can help us find our way too.

Baring the most painful year of her life so others can see that they aren’t alone and that they too can get through heartbreak took real courage. I am grateful for Allison’s openness and honesty. I gained a lot of comfort and useful coping strategies that I can use in my own life and share with others should the need arise.

Her book shows us that we can all be tougher than we think is ever possible. There’s no denying that life’s ups and downs change us. but we can all choose how we work through them. Allison shows us that we can deal with the hardest times with grace and integrity and emerge on the other side different but no less whole and even honed closer to our own true selves. Thank you Allison.

[Paulina Bellantonio · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do not read self-help books often but this one intrigued me.
Allison’s husband left her and she found herself, unintentionally, to be surrounded by women in her closest personal and professional settings for the next year.
In this year without men, Allison takes time to reflect on and observe issues that she has never previously really given herself time for and in this wonderful little book she shares all she has learned and thought about with us, her readers. It was interesting to read how her perspectives changed and it is a book that I will be coming back to and thinking about for a long time as I explore and navigate some of these same issues in my own personal life and my professional life.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is bound to be controversial because so many people think things have changed in corporate America over the past several decades (and it's a little uncomfortable to admit that women are still so fundamentally disadvantaged in the workplace). Of course, more women are participating in the labor force. But as Carmen writes in this moving and -- in many parts painfully accurate -- book, corporate America was not made for women, so many of us think we have to abandon who we are to find success. I really connected with this book, and I'd most highly recommend it.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was so relevant after this last year in quarantine, A lot of my friends including myself went through relationship difficulties and it seems the general complaints were that issues we normally skate around were put at the forefront of our lives since we were spending all of our time together.
It was a well timed read that I think a lot of women who found themselves struggling would find interesting.

[Booksandcoffeemx · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝘗𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘶𝘭, 𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨!

A Year Without Men offers an easy twelve step guide to overcome obstacles.
This book is much more than a guide to every woman’s success, is a beautiful and amazing story about strenght, resilience and love.

Thank you Suzy Approved Book Reviews and Allison Carmen for this gifted copy.

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲: 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀, 𝗡𝗼𝗻 𝗙𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗳-𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀, 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀.

https://www.instagram.com/booksandcof...

[Ana · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed about 10% of this book. The author’s description of the actual divorce and living after it process is quite good. The exercises at the end of the chapters are okay. The rest is simply unbearable generic considerations about women and their place in society. Just a discombobulated plethora of mainstream thoughts that have been better described and discussed by other people many a times.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book very empowering. I loved the author’s personal experiences and stories. The exercises are very helpful. Highly recommend to any woman looking for courage and resilience in the business world!

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book is simply amazing! I couldn’t recommend it more! I found the authors story and insight to be just what I needed in the moment!

[Joan Hersh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Empowering!