Smile and Look Pretty

Pellegrino’s smart debut conjures visions of #MeToo for the TikTok set. This is the tale of four friends, all underpaid executive assistants, and the onslaught of bad behavior they are forced to endure on the job. Don’t like how you’re being treated as a young woman in a male-dominated field? Blog about it! Or in this case, post about it anonymously. When the women decide to blog about their bosses’ appalling behavior, they become an internet sensation. Not only do many women come forward with similar experiences, but their posts also go viral, which brings on a new set of problems. Narrator Natalie Naudus brings out the complexities of each character while maintaining a perfect comedic edge. What could have been another tale of women getting even and men behaving badly is treated with refreshing nuance and depth. Although the cover implies that this story is a typical twentysomething slice of life, there’s much more than meets the eye.