You Should Smile More: A Novel

by Anastasia Ryan

Overview

"Reminiscent of The Office and 9 to 5, Ryan's debut is a slapstick blend of comedy and heart, with plenty of laugh-out-loud moments and strong female heroines." —Kirkus

When Vanessa Blair is fired because of her "resting bitch face," her friends help her get revenge...

Telemarketer Vanessa Blair isn't in love with her job. It pays the bills and feeds her foster kittens, but offers only one other perk: her friendships with Jane Delaney and Trisha Lam. But, as mind-numbing as her job is, things are about to get worse. Xavier Adams, her self-absorbed boss, calls Vanessa into the conference room and fires her. The reason? Her facial expressions. Apparently, she has resting bitch face, and it doesn't matter that her sales numbers are stellar or that she organizes office events.

After a girls' night of schnapps and imaginary retribution, Vanessa awakens to find her friends bent on a revenge strategy based on the classic business book The Art of War by Sun Tzu. At first, Vanessa wants nothing to do with it. She wants to file for unemployment and move on with her life, possibly with Carter Beckett, the cute, cat-loving unemployment rep assigned to her case. But when Xavier contests her unemployment and ruins her shot at her dream job, Vanessa is all in…

"A fun and original workplace revenge fantasy, filled with kittens, glitter bombs, and friendship." —Booklist

"A quirky coming-of-age tale and sweet romance...Great for readers who want a happily-ever-after with a cozy twist." —Library Journal

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781728253350
Publisher:	Sourcebooks
Publication date:	01/17/2023
Pages:	256
Sales rank:	255,217
Product dimensions:	8.10(w) x 5.40(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Anastasia Ryan has degrees in English Literature and Pop Culture. Her debut novel, You Should Smile More, released in January 2023. Not Bad for a Girl is her second thoughtfully funny look at the absurdities of our modern workplace.

Editorial Reviews

"Ryan paints an ode to RBF owners and anyone slighted by a male boss — you’ll be rooting for her the whole way." — Buzzfeed

A fun and original workplace revenge fantasy, filled with kittens, glitter bombs, and friendship.

"Reminiscent of The Office and 9 to 5, Ryan’s debut is a slapstick blend of comedy and heart, with plenty of laugh-out-loud moments and strong female heroines." — Kirkus

A quirky coming-of-age tale and sweet romance...Great for readers who want a happily-ever-after with a cozy twist.

From the Publisher

10/01/2022

DEBUT Ryan's debut is a funny novel of fraud, kittens, and romance. Vanessa Blair works as a telemarketer to pay her rent and feed her foster kittens. One day her perpetually barefooted boss, Xavier, calls her into his office and fires her for having a dark soul and an evil face. How is that legal! After the shock wears off, Vanessa files for unemployment. When Xavier contests her claim and it comes under investigation, she meets the handsome, cat-loving Carter Beckett. Vanessa and Carter get to know each other, and an unlikely beginning gives way to a romance. Then, Vanessa's friend, Jane, who was fired at the same time, wants answers to what is going on with the company. They decide to bug Xavier's office to see what they can learn through eavesdropping. Their revenge plot goes amusingly awry with the help of some mischievous calico kittens. VERDICT A quirky coming-of-age tale and sweet romance with unique characters and improbable situations. Great for readers who want a happily-ever-after with a cozy twist.—Kristen Stewart

Library Journal

2022-11-16
When a telemarketer is fired because of her face, she and two colleagues embark on a harebrained quest to take down their boss in this comedic debut.

Vanessa Blair never thought there was anything particularly wrong with her face. Though she made the occasional eye roll or grimace about yet another employer-mandated team-building exercise, Nessa certainly never thought her “resting bitch face” would warrant her getting sacked from a telemarketing gig at Directis. Then Xavier Adams, her smarmy, perpetually barefoot boss, terminated her employment on account of her face and “dark soul,” leaving Nessa with a measly three days’ pay and sketchy severance agreement. When her co-workers Jane Delaney and Trisha Lam have similar experiences with Xavier, the three women begin to ruminate on their time at Directis. What kind of work environment hands out Underperforming Employee of the Week certificates? After a drunken night of bashing Xavier, Nessa finds herself enmeshed in a scheme with Jane and Trisha to destroy their boss and uncover whatever fishy business is keeping Directis afloat. Hijinks ensue with a revenge plot consisting of glitter-bombing the office AC unit, stealing Xavier’s hairless cat, and the formation of the Bridge Brigade, an espionage unit comprising Nessa’s mom and the neighborhood bridge ladies. Even Carter Beckett, the hot tattooed unemployment officer in charge of Nessa’s case, can tell that Directis is keeping secrets. Can Nessa and her friends prove that Directis is more than just a crappy job before Xavier ruins their career chances? Reminiscent of The Office and 9 to 5, Ryan’s debut is a slapstick blend of comedy and heart, with plenty of laugh-out-loud moments and strong female heroines. It’s a wonder that Nessa and her co-workers stayed at Directis as long as they did—Xavier Adams is Michael Scott meets Miranda Priestly, “body slamming the English language” with phrases like “tweam” and forcing employees to play musical chairs dressed as mermaids. Readers will want to see Xavier get his due and will be grateful the women stick around long enough to show him who’s boss.

A wacky ode to the resting bitch face.

Kirkus Reviews