Workhorse by Caroline Palmer ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Workhorse by Caroline Palmer


G👀dreads

A richly drawn, unsettling, and wickedly funny story of envy and ambition set against the glamor and privilege of media and high society in New York City at its height.

At the turn of the millennium, editorial assistant Clodagh “Clo” Harmon wants nothing more than to rise through the ranks at the world's most prestigious fashion magazine. There's just one problem: She doesn't have the right pedigree. Instead, Clo is a “workhorse” surrounded by beautiful, wealthy, impossibly well-connected “show horses” who get ahead without effort, including her beguiling cubicle-mate, Davis Lawrence, the daughter of a beloved but fading Broadway actress. Harry Wood, Davis's boarding school classmate and a reporter with visions of his own media empire, might be Clo's ally in gaming the system—or he might be the only thing standing between Clo and her rightful place at the top.

In a career punctuated by moments of high absurdity, sudden windfalls, and devastating reversals of fortune, Clo wades across boundaries, taking ever greater and more dangerous risks to become the important person she wants to be within the confines of a world where female ambition remains cloaked. But who really is Clo underneath all the borrowed designer clothes and studied manners—and who are we if we share her desires?

Hilariously observant and insightful, Workhorse is a brilliant page-turner about what it means to be in thrall to wealth, beauty, and influence, and the outrageous sacrifices women must make for the sake of success .

Genre: Literary Fiction, Fashion, New York

Day 1 - Hooked me in immediately but holy cow this is going to be a long listen. Like over 18 hours? Good thing the narration is good. You probably know by now I'm picky about the storyteller. 

Day 2 - At half way I'm ready for it to be over, although still enjoying it.
It's super  ˜”*°•.˜”*°• long •°*”˜.•°*”˜ . 
She's unscrupulous, that's for sure. 
It's about entitlement in the fashion magazine industry.

*Additional comment in the Spoiler at the end*

⭐⭐⭐⭐

🎉 Overall Enjoyment?  🎉 🎉 🎉 🎉

🎣 Did it grab and keep my attention?  🎣 🎣 🎣 🎣

🗣️ Would I recommend it to anyone? Maybe 🤷 I know a few people who would enjoy it and a few who would find it utterly appalling! 

🕮 Would I want a sequel? No ➖ with a capital NO.

📚 Would I want to read more books by this author?  Maybe 🤷 This was her first so it would depend on the topic. She went from being an editor at Vogue to Amazon Fashion so I'm sure she has a lot of stories up her sleeve. 

💣💥 📢 Sort Warnings? Alc0hol and Druᵷ  Abuseɇ, Domɇstic Abusɇ, B0dy Shaminᵷ. Google has a laundry list of others but those were the key TWs IMO. 

🌶Spice ? Some 🫑. More on the lines of promiscuous/casual s ɇ x, no romance.

🌪 Plot Twist? No

👟 Pace? Moved along to keep you engaged but way too long. 

💻 Tidbits ~  Although this book is fiction there is a lot of truth in the ruthless quest to make it up the ladder, as seen first hand by the author after working in the industry. The characters were not very likeable. Clo was ruthless and did unscrupulous things. All her "friends" were toxic, even the ones who opened doors for her. It was like a trainwreck that I couldn't look away from. I had a love-hate relationship with this one all the way to the last page. I did not find myself routing for her to get away with the things she did. In fact, I was hoping she'd get caught and have to face the consequences. Did she get away with her antics? No spoilers! Unless you want to scroll down to see spoilers. 😏

I listened to the audiobook. The narration was very good albeit over 18 hours worth!
I deducted one star because it was freakishly long. 

In the About " the outrageous sacrifices women must make for the sake of success". I believe women can be successful with honesty and integrity, even back in the day. 

🎧Helen Laser

**** SPOILER ALERT****

Tune out now if you don't want the spoiler(s)

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I worked in big corporate law where people needed  the LOOK so I totally get that. However  some made their way to success with backstabbing and manipulation, not stealing, framing others, taking advantage of your so-called friends. 

I was really hoping she'd get caught and have to face the music, pay the piper, suffer the humiliation of being found out for betraying people who were opening doors for her like  Barbara. She practically adopted her as a backup daughter, took her shopping and for a makeover. Yes, Babs had her later motives but Clo didn't know that. She thought she was being nice and then she totally took advantage of the situation and went way beyond with her disappointment for personal gain.

And her childhood BFF Allie. OMG, unforgivable putting her superficial needs above her commitment to babysit. I was horrified.    

The tea: In the end she doesn't get caught, her status changes from Workhorse to Show Horse, but she discovers its lonely at the top after shattered friendships. No HEA here.  

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