This is an impressive debut and I look forward to seeing what the author comes up with next. It’s not an easy book to read by any stretch of the imagination and can get pretty intense at times as the subject matter includes PTSD and sexual assault. I read the book in smaller chunks than usual as I found it very emotional and hard-going at times. I cried a lot. This packs an emotional punch. It’s a pretty fantastic read. Jane is a great character and her strength and strong will really comes across. I can’t wait to read the follow-up.

When a sexual assault comes to light, there’s always someone ready to insist that a woman’s account must not be true. Whether she’s too well-adjusted or too messed-up after an assault, there’s always something to “prove” she’s lying. The Maverick, by Jennifer Valenti, takes readers through a fictional account of a survivor considering whether to tell her story, whether she’ll be believed, whether her career will be over, and whether keeping silent will put other women at risk. Although the story and characters are all fictional, the situation is real. 
When Jane Valiante lands an interview with Imaigene, a hip Manhattan startup, she’s thrilled. She’s a bit stuck, living at home in Florida and working a boring job, even if she does have amazing friends, and this new job would use her talents and change her life. 
The scenes of Jane discovering New York City feel charming and authentic. Jane’s delight in everything from the skyline to the city’s tap water shows how much she loves the city, and shows her exuberant personality, before the assault.  
When Jane is assaulted by her boss, the scene itself is not particularly graphic, but the whole story is propelled by this unwanted sexual encounter. Much of the novel deals with the effects of that night, including realistic depictions of Jane’s trauma afterward. So this book would be particularly upsetting to readers with personal trauma or sensitivity around this issue.
	There’s a very clear class and financial divide that establishes the power dynamics early on in the novel. If Imaigene’s projects fail, the founders and top management will be just fine. Peter could recover with a company pivot, perhaps, or a round of inspirational TED talks about failing better. If the job doesn't work out for Jane, though, she’ll be moving back home to Florida and she’ll have the black mark of a layoff or firing on her resume, seriously affecting her career prospects. There’s a realistic, relatable power imbalance here that colors Jane’s actions and choice, without falling into cliches.
Jane’s aware that if she keeps silent, she’s letting her rapist get away with it, but she also knows that powerful men are rarely held accountable for these actions. Women who speak out, on the other hand, are often called teases or sluts, and their careers mysteriously stall out once they’re labeled dramatic or crazy. It’s very difficult for Jane to tell anyone, even her friends, about what she’s experienced. But the possibility of getting justice, or at the very least, protecting other young women in her situation, makes it very difficult for Jane to keep quiet, too. 
Jane’s long friendship with Carmen remains one of the strongest parts of this novel. The two friends dream about taking on New York together, and give each other so much respect and support as both women put in the grueling hours to build their dream careers. They even manage to share a tiny Manhattan apartment, and the close quarters and lack of privacy only bring them closer together. Besides her closeness with Carmen, Jane’s warm friendships with some very different women help to develop her character and to provide a counterpoint to the tragedy that propels the plot. 
	Overall, this is a timely novel about a brave young woman facing an all-too-familiar situation. Throughout the book, Jane’s relatable friendships keep the serious subject matter from becoming too depressing.

**I received and voluntarily read an e-ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

This book covers difficult subject matter, so it's definitely not a book for everyone.

There could be some places where trimming could be done, and other places could use some further expansion. The dialogue, especially, felt stilted and unnatural and could take me out of the story at times.

Overall, the author has talent, but she still needs some work. I look forward to seeing what this author will bring to us in the future.

Loved this book! I can’t wait to read the next in the series! Brava! Trigger warnings: rape, sexual harassment

DNF at 40%

I wanted to love this book. The author has written from personal experience, and while I empathize with her and would love to support her in this endeavor, ultimately the storytelling style didn't work for me at all.

Pacing is quite slow, with a ton of unnecessary and dull detail. I didn't need, nor was I interested in, excessive information on Jane's job crunching data. What I did need was more depth in regards to Jane's emotions and relationships.

I rarely give trigger warnings, but this book, I think, requires one. The rape scene early on is detailed and will no doubt be an issue for many readers. This is the one scene in which the emotion and experience is vivid.

Ultimately, this book feels like a cathartic writing exercise for the author that just doesn't transfer well to fiction.

Wow. The Maverick was incredible. The description alone had me hooked immediately, and I knew I wanted to read it.

Jane Valiante lands an interview for her dream job at a startup that's radically changing the industry for detecting breast cancer in women before it passes stage 1. After weeks of preparing for the interview, she nails it and is invited to the company holiday party that night. What should be a joyful and celebratory night turns dangerous when the CEO sexually assaults Jane.

This book follows Jane's story from the aftermath of her assault and how she chooses to move on and fight for other women in similar situations. The strong female friendships in this book were so vital; it was fast-paced and so engaging. I can't imagine what someone in Jane's position goes through internally, but Jennifer Valenti wrote it well and I felt connected to the characters. I was so happy to learn that this will be a series and I can't wait to read about The Bombshell's story!

TW: Sexual assault & rape⁠
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Everything is coming up Jane! She's got an interview for her dream job in her dream city and it goes so well that it must be too good to be true. She's invited to the staff Christmas party, plied heavily with champagne and is horrifically raped by her would-be boss at the end of the night.⁠
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What follows is Jane's inward struggles with who to tell, whether she can still chase her dreams, how to cope, how to heal. Her mind is resolved that she can handle it all, but her body has other ideas.⁠
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It was quite slow-paced with lots of internal dialogue, but I enjoyed learning about what data scientists actually do with their algorithms. It read like it was very cathartic for the author to write but I don't think it transferred well enough for it to grip me as a novel. Ultimately, I think it could've done with being shorter.⁠
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That being said, it exemplified the pressures on women to attempt to shake off their trauma for the sake of a career and the gruelling journey of holding those responsible accountable for their pain.⁠
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Set in modern day, The Maverick follows Jane Valiante's journey at her dream job in New York. After spending years caring for her father and brother after her mother died, Jane was close to giving up on her dreams. But when her dream role in a world-renowned tech company came up, she jumped at the opportunity. 

After the interview, the CEO and Founder of the company Peter Wright invites her to the staff party. Seizing the opportunity to make an impression and meet her potentially future colleagues, she accepts. Yet, when a kind-hearted gesture towards Peter goes misunderstood, she finds herself victim to a brutal sexual assault. Conflicted between taking on her dream position, or staying within the comforts of home, Jane has a life-changing decision to make. 

It can't go without mentioning that this book does include a brutal sexual assault / rape. It is descriptive and quite graphic, and explores both the short and long-term after affects. Jennifer reveals at the beginning of the book that it's based on her own experiences, so this book is clearly close to heart and provides an honest portrayal.  

I liked Jennifer's way of introducing her characters, immediately portraying Jane as an independent woman who didn't allow stereotypes nor prejudices to affect her. Written in first person, it gave us an honest insight into Jane's thoughts and feelings, enabling the reader to easily connect with her. There's also a wonderful chemistry between Jane and her friend Carmen; I really liked how the two interacted and supported one another. 

I enjoyed Jennifer's unique writing style, particularly how she focused on specific events. While some authors would breeze over everyday tasks, Jennifer took the reader on a journey so we could embrace Jane's experiences with her. For example, when Jane is working through tasks on her computer, Jennifer slowly takes us through each one in detail. This allowed the reader to experience that journey with her, and I appreciate these little touches that really help to bring the character to life.  I also enjoyed reading about the 'Hackathon', which was an event where two teams compete against one other in rounds to achieve an ultimate goal. This really highlighted each character's strengths and personality, and their true colours shone through. 

There's not too much that I can mention about the plot without revealing all of the twists and surprises! So you'll just have to give this one a go for yourself! I was gripped and engaged with the story throughout. There's so many different themes radiating throughout this book, including trauma and loss, strength and ambition yet largely the importance of friends and family.

This book went above and beyond my expectations, I didn't expect to read such an inspiring, heart-warming and empowering story of a strong, independent woman fighting the wrongs of the world. I also liked how this book concluded, and was delighted to hear that this is only the beginning! This book is the first of The Jane Valiante Series so there's more on the way!

Overall, I'd rate this book five out of five stars. A truly empowering story, with a strong focus on strength through adversity. As mentioned above, there are some elements of this book that some readers may find triggering or uncomfortable to read, i.e. sexual assault and PTSD.  

Thank you Netgalley for this wonderful opportunity.

As other reviewers have said this is a book that is hard to read and that is because the author did such a good job writing in a way that was so realistic.  This was based on a true experience the author herself had and that's likely why it is so believable.  I loved the writing style but didn't care for the extensive job description.  I also didn't feel like the very last part of the story was cohesive with the rest of the story.
All in all it is a great book and I recommend it to anyone who can not be adversely affected by reading about rape, assault and abuse.
Thank you Net Galley for allowing me to read this ARC for my honest opinion.

I would like to thank Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honorable review.

It all started with the interview. Up for a big interview at her dream start-up company, Jane Valiante is beyond excited for the interview, and when it goes well and she is invited to the holiday party, Jane feels like the she's got in the bag. Then, the unthinkable happens, and Jane is raped by the boss of the company. Ashamed and hurt, Jane is unsure how to deal with her emotions and the pain she is reeling from. In Jennifer Valenti's The Maverick, follow Jane's painful journey through her acceptance of her sexual assault and the justice she seeks.

I don't know my exact thought process when first deciding to read this ARC. Maybe I thought it was interesting. Maybe I thought it was tragic and painful. What I thought, I'm not exactly sure, but after completing The Maverick, I can safely say that it's definitely not what I expected it to be. I was very shocked when, in the second chapter, Jane describes the rape in stark detail. In reading it, I instantly felt the pain she felt. I was angry with Peter, and I wanted him to pay. What I didn't understand was Jane's coping mechanism afterwards. Having a friend who has been raped, I know everybody's coping is different, but I couldn't understand why Jane decided to go and work for Peter's company. I mean, personally, I feel like I'm might not want to go work for my assaulter's company, but I honestly have no idea how I would react. I am glad that Jane did eventually decide to receive help. I gave me some peace of mind.

Reflecting back on the novel, I have to give The Maverick three out of five stars. Primarily, I disliked reading about Jane's work and the data sets she had work out. I wasn't interested in reading about the data sets in detail, and a large portion of the novel was about Jane's job in detail. I feel like I needed more about Jane and her struggle and less of Jane and her job. I do recognize that Jane's job is important to the story, but it was just in too much detail for me. Other than that, I really liked the novel, no matter how skirmish it made me feel. A three out of five stars read.

The Cover first drew my eyes to this book, then title made me curious to learn more about the book. 
The main character in the book is Jane Valiante who has been living with her father and brother since her mum died, but has reached the decision it is time to spread her wings and get back on track with her career. Jane travels to an interview for a once in a lifetime position. The Interview ends up taking most of the day. With Jane feeling a little disheartened that she doesn’t really know if she has successfully in the Interview, she is surprised to be invited to the companies, holiday party. Seeing it as another opportunity to create a good lasting impression she agrees to go to the party. Jane does become a little carried away with the camaraderie of the other employees drinking glasses of champagne. Jane really feels like part of the group so when it turns out Peter, one of the company bosses needs a place to stay, the offer for him to stay in Jane’s hotel room, just slips out. After all the hotel is being paid by for the company that has two beds. Unfortunately for Jane, Peter seems to see it as a greenlight that she wants to have sex with him along with the offer of the bed! Despite Jane repeatedly saying no, Peter continues his unwanted advances and rapes her. Jane flies home the next day and presumes she will simply not get the job, but then starts to wonder what she should do if she is offered the position. Jane faces that very dilemma when she is offered the job with a great re-location package and the job would certainly look very good on her resume. The work she would be doing would advance detection and cancer care which is very close to Jane’s heart as unfortunately that is what her own mother died of, perhaps that is what pushes her to forgive her new bosses actions.

I don’t want to give away anymore as you need to read it from Jane’s point of view in the book. I found this book handled a very serious subject in its own unique way. Jane certainly approached things in her own way, whether as a reader you think it was right or wrong, the book definitely makes you think and would make an excellent conversation starter to discuss the subject of rape. I totally understood the reasons Jane felt she couldn’t report the rape straight away, as what proof did she have? She had been the one to naively invite him to share her room, when she hardly knew the man. Though when she was offered the job, I am not sure I could have taken up the career opportunity and acted as if the rape hadn’t happened. 

Without revealing too much I will say that karma does come around full circle, and Jane does come out of things fairly well. I just imagined a totally different ending, with her gaining applause for all the hard work she and her team put in. As I have said this is most certainly a read that has you still thinking about it even when you have finished reading it. From the I thought she should have said/done this to the what would I do if I were in her situation. It’s very easy to be judgemental and say Well I wouldn’t offered a man the spare bed in my hotel room, but Jane was influenced by her alcohol intake, the feeling of the holiday season and the camaraderie of her potentially future workmates as well as being emotional about the possible part she would be in finding a faster way to detect cancer too. Things really are not always black or white. In this book Jane finds herself in the grey area and allow circumstances to unfold. Jane waits first for an apology, then for Peter to say something about what happened, then the job is so important to her personally and for her career she decides to put the rape behind her.

My immediate thoughts upon finishing the book were that it was not the outcome/ending I had expected. Interesting, thought provoking read...makes you think what you would have done in Jane's position.

The book begins with the author talking about being a sexual assault survivor and how this book is inspired by her story. I admire the author for wanting to do this, however the writing style chosen for this book didn't work for me, so I am unwilling to continue reading. (DNF)

Jane gets a job opportunity of a lifetime, in the city of all cities, New York. But what happens when you're faced to work on an everyday basis with the man who has raped you?

We follow Jane, just an ordinary woman, like any one of us. Her guilty pleasure is keeping up with gossip blogs. She has OCD. Has a profile on multiple social media profiles. Lost her mom to cancer, and loves her dad and brother more than anything in the world. She has a good group of friends. She can be a bit awkward and shy but lets loose with a little bit of liquid courage. Jane is just a normal person. 

If you are triggered by stories involving sexual assault, this may not be for you. We follow Jane through it all. The moment of getting raped, and the aftermath. We dive deep into all of her feelings - the guilt, the shame, the pain. The courage it takes to admit what happened. To deal with it all. To learn how to move on. To find a way to move on.

You get to see what victims of sexual assault feel, and what they go through. Open your mind and be ready to understand and learn. 

I would recommend it to all those who want to maybe read something out of the norm. To get a glimpse into real life and how that life may look like for someone who has gone through something as horrible as sexual assault.

Jane Valiente, is head hunter by a tech startup and interviews for the job. The outside looks stylish and the inside offers a look into a culture innovation and design. Jane worries if she will fit in and in an effort to do that accepts an invitation to the company party. The drinks flow and Jane finds her inhibition dropping. She invites one of the cofounders to share a cab and subsequently her invite turns ugly and ends in assault. Reeling she is surprised to be offered the job, a job she really will not have come her way again. Reluctantly she accepts and finds her footing in her dream job, rising to the occasion. An opportunity for the company to go public has Jane heading a division critical to their success, when an unwanted overture by her boss finds her not only rejecting him physically but Jane returns to her job to find herself jobless and adrift. As she navigates her options a pattern has emerged among female employees that Jane can no longer ignore. A battle with serious consequences ensues and while I won’t spoil the outcome I will say, it is a moment both  satisfying and altruistic. Happy reading

Sometimes we make stupid decisions and they stay with us for a very long time leaving their imprint on our mind, heart, and soul. 

Jane Valiante, twenty-seven year old, has felt a duty to her brother and he father to stay with them after her mother's death. Now, however a dream job opportunity might possibly be in the offering in New York City, and Jane heads from Florida to her interview. All seems to go well, and surprisingly she is invited to this company's holiday celebration. There's lots going in at the party, lots of drinking and indulging and Jane goes in for the drinking part quite heavily. 

She unwittingly and drunkenly invites one of her soon to possibly be bosses, Peter Wright, to share her hotel room with her since he was so drunk he couldn't get home. He accepts and this sets in motion a tragedy for Jane that she didn't anticipate.

When she returns to Florida, reeling from the experience she keeps everything to herself, telling no one, not even her best friend. Jane thinks the job opportunity will be gone and is ever so surprised when she is offered the position with the allure of a large paycheck and many advantages but there is one disadvantage ...her new boss, Peter. Jane accepts the position and from there sets in motion Jane's ability to seek retribution and the ability to find out who she really is.

I applaud the author for broaching a topic that she herself was involved in. The criticism I have is about the writing. The dialogue often felt stilted and juvenile, although I do recognize this is a debut author. I hope in the rest of the books in this series, that Ms Valenti develops her writing style for she has much to say about the way our world works.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this story due out December 7, 2020.

This is a “did not finish” for me. The writing is simplistic with similes and metaphors that were over the top. There’s  a lot of unnecessary details that felt like filler.

Also, for such an important subject it would have been helpful to have a more likable main character.

I wish the author all the best but this was not for me. I will not be leaving reviews on any social media sites since I was unable to finish the book.

This was a great read by Ms. Valenti in her debut book. Jane was a very relatable character with the challenges she faced. In the era of #metoo, this book should be a must read with all new hires. It shows that office parties and alcohol do not mix but also, women should not be afraid if anything happens.

The maverick is the first book in the series and I must say it is an amazing start to the series. It is an eye-opener which provides us with insights into the life of a sexual assault victim. And even though some of the topics covered in the book were not pleasant at all, I enjoyed reading the book.

Jane Valiente is a data scientist in an insurance company in Florida. Her family consists of her dad and her 13-year-old brother. Jane’s mom died of breast cancer and her father is recovering from a stroke. Jane gets a wonderful opportunity to interview for her dream job. The job interview is for a tech start-up company. She prepares for the interview. And then something happens which she had not even imagined in her wildest dreams. Despite the horror of what happens, Jane accepts the job offer. And then, while working for the company she gets to know that she is not the only one. Circumstances get dangerous and now it’s time for Jane to take a decision. Will she take the right decisions and get justice? Or will she prioritize her dream job?

Characters are so well developed and written that I felt as though I knew them and that I actually live with them. I loved Jane’s friendship with Carmen. Carmen is that person in Jane’s life who is always there to help no matter what. And then there were some characters in the book towards whom I felt so much hatred.

The book is really very well-written. The story kept unfolding bit by bit. I loved how the character Jane developed throughout the book. She dreamed she prepared, she got attacked, she cried, she healed and it eventually made her stronger.

The book is heartbreaking. But it is very well written. I loved the writing style of the author. Her narrating style is amazing. It keeps the reader on the edge till the end. The book is full of brilliantly written narrations and twists & turns.

A timely novel set against the backdrop of assault (both sexual and mental) in the modern day tech community.

A much needed trigger warning is front and centre at the start of the book. Being a male reader who has never been sexually assaulted it was easy to blow by this warning but given the fantastic writing I found myself thinking back to that warning upon my completion of the book and being more appreciative that it was there.  

Jane is like many young people today:  burdened with student debt, dealing with aging parents, feeling pressure to become “something”.  She is given the opportunity to interview for a job at a company she admires in New York City that is run by men she considers to be somewhat inspirational.  After a day full of interviews, she is invited to a party the company is throwing that night.  Seeing an opportunity to further ingratiate herself, she gladly accepts the invite. After a boozy night for all concerned, an assault occurs and the emotional rollercoaster of The Maverick takes off and barely lets go.

Not only is this novel well written and engrossing, to me it was educational.  Yes I have friends who have been sexually assaulted but I’ve never had the nerve to really pry into their thought process after something so raw.  The Maverick has given me the opportunity to learn and understand through a likeable main character and the right amount of supporting cast, all of whom with distinctive background stories.

Jane’s story, handled with equal parts heartbreak and humour, will stick with me.  Admittedly parts of the book slowed for me when it dove a little too deep into the technical aspects of her job, but that may not be the same for others as it allows a peek behind the curtain of what happens during a hackathon.  Also, being so enamoured with her, I felt the ending came up quick compared to the tempo of the rest of the novel.  That said, it was handled well and features a cool little twist.

A great read and, dare I say, a good one for any male looking to do a dive into an assault victims psyche for a better understanding of what a friend, co-worker, or relation is fighting through.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Broken Arrow Books for supplying a copy of this work for review.

“I thought it ironic that in times of great trauma, the responsibility to comfort seemingly lies on both the shoulders of those we support as well as those who support us. I could tell finding out what had happened to me cut her to the core.”

TW: rape, sexual assault

I wanted to put a warning before my review because of the triggering content in this book, but I also want to mention that this is the first book I’ve ever read that came with its own trigger warning at the beginning. I really appreciated that. As someone who’s been assaulted (not sexually, but nonetheless), I’ve come to learn that mental and emotional prep for such content is imperative. So I want to thank the author, Jennifer, for being so thoughtful.
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It’s easy to assume what we’d do in the situation of rape, sexual assault, or any assault; it’s easy to say you’d think fast and land a nice throat punch or kick the attacker in the sac. But anyone who’s been in the situation knows that’s bullshit—and that’s exactly what Jane Valiente learned.
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Since her mother’s passing a few years ago, tech-savvy Jane Valiente has put her dreams and aspirations on hold in order to care for her father and younger brother in Florida. However, after scoring an interview at a startup in NYC run by a Silicon Valley idol of hers, she decides it’s time to focus on her own life. After a long day of interviews, Jane is invited to the staff holiday party to mingle with who could be her future colleagues. But the work-hard/party-hard culture gets the best of her immediately, and she finds herself in a horrifying situation back at her hotel room. With her prospective boss.
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This is a story about manipulation and control, and it highlights how much we, as women, have to toughen up and go through a stupid amount of prep and conditioning just to hope to see justice. But like her last name suggests, Jane is valiant, and she won’t stop until she takes him down. She owes it to herself, and to a few others.