Charlotte Walsh seemingly has it all – Silicon Valley executive, happily married, mother to three daughters, book on the bestseller list. Yet, her ambition drives her to tackle a new challenge – a seat in Senate for her home state of Pennsylvania.

Charlotte moves her family from a California mansion to her childhood home in rural Pennsylvania, where the campaign begins. Almost immediately, it becomes clear that even a life in Silicon Valley did not prepare her for the rules (or lack there of) in the political sphere. The #MeToo movement may have happened, but it has yet to fully infiltrate politics and influence voters. Her opponent plays dirty, and eventually she joins them in the mud. However, when one secret surfaces, Charlotte is forced to ask herself how far she is willing to go to win.

Jo Piazza delivers a thought-provoking and important piece on how difficult it is to be an ambitious woman in 2018. While small progress has been made in Hollywood and Fortune 500 companies, politics remains relatively untouched – as evidenced by recent political headlines. I found myself at times rooting for Charlotte to win and others rooting for her to lose (yet wondering why). Overall, this is a must read for me. I think it addresses a lot of important issues, but ultimately is not pushy and allows the reader to develop their own opinions and feelings.

Verdict: Read it! (4.5/5 stars)
Length: 310 pages
When: You are in the mood for a commentary of women in politics in the current environment.
Quote: “Once someone suggests you’ll be good at doing something, it’s not long before your ego kicks in.”
Also Read: The Female Persuasion by Meg Wolitzer (B2C Review)

Buy Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win by Jo Piazza