Careering

*this book does contain mention of sexual assault*

This book felt so real - I could genuinely relate to characters, they were flawed and genuine and I understood their issues. I loved Imogen, her inner monologue had me laughing all the way through. I really felt for her with her family situation.
There were some real girl power, friendship moments throughout that I loved, as well as Imogen firmly sticking to her beliefs. I particularly liked Kim and Louise in the office, and at times really felt a sense of union in the office.

I sometimes found Harri difficult to read - she didn't like how she was being treated, yet kept pushing Imogen into things she wasn't really comfortable with- but this was explored later on in the book so I understood it.

In fictional Ariana Grande's words, courageous, smart, relatable!

After finding Daisy Buchanan's last book Insatiable truly insatiable and difficult to put down, I was so excited to read her latest book Careering.
This reminded me of Insatiable in some ways but in a way, I was looking for more of the unbelievable, insatiable stories especially from a sex blogger and writer.
We only really get two pieces on that subject matter in the whole of the book, which didn't seem like all that many given the role that her writing about sex played in this.
As someone who has had the exact same dreams as Imogen for as long as I can remember and who has also worked many unpaid internships and written a blog to progress my writing career, I could easily empathise with her. I found it more difficult to immediately warm to Harri.
I also felt like some plot lines went nowhere or didn't feel resolved. For example, even though we know that both protagonists have been with Sam Strong as soon as the Docklands apartment is mentioned, we never hear about him again after The Gentleman interview. Which I guess shows that Imogen has grown and moved on from him. But that and a few other things felt unresolved.
I would have loved to see even a few chapters of them at their new start up, as well.
This was relatable and timely for anyone in their twenties/thirties (from Imogen's perspective) and older (from Harri's perspective) but it was good rather than great, for me.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Bold and brilliant. Daisy Buchanan’s daring journalistic talents shine through this novel, making it a double win for fans of both types of writing.

Imogen is an aspiring journalist, but the industry is savage on young writers and some weeks she can barely afford to eat. Harri, on the other hand, has been in the game much longer and owes her financial success to successive, unrelenting decades of loyalty to the job.

Whilst they are both at different ends of the spectrum when it comes to their career, these women have one thing in common: they have sacrificed everything for a business which has consumed and crushed them without a second thought.

This book was both hilarious and heart-breaking and I’m sure any fans of modern fiction would absolutely love it.

After reading insatiable earlier in the year, I was so excited to see more from Daisy Buchanan. This didn’t disappoint in any way, I loved the scene set for this set of characters and their dynamics. Having so many questions pop up whilst reading that get answered at various points. Some steamy scenes in this book, even when some are made up!

I am of Daisy Buchanan so I was delighted to receive an advance copy of Careering! Not as saucy as Insatiable but *still* a really good read ;) I enjoyed the exploration of friendships between women across generations, across class divides and thought this to be a really realistic depiction of womenhood. I enjoyed the fact that the women involved realised that having the perfect career isn't the thing that makes you the most happy - sometimes its saying no that makes you happy!

I am all for Daisy Buchanan's prose and concepts; "Careering", just like "Insatiable", was unputdownable, well-written, absolutely relatable and deals with a wide range of themes, from career-driven personalities to friendship and womanhood.

Could not put this book down.

After loving “Insatiable” by Daisy previously, I was delighted to be approved by NetGalley for her new one.

Imogen has spent years interning on magazines whilst working part time jobs on top, that will allow her to intern.

Harri has spent years waiting to be acknowledged by her employers and given her dream job, the one that she has worked for and deserves.

When fate throws these two women together, the story becomes a compelling read as they navigate through their lives in their new roles. A number of supporting characters provide, well support, as Imogen’s and Harri work out what’s what and where they are headed…..

I began this book on a Monday morning and finished it Monday evening - the only thing I accomp,is eyed all day as I could not put it down. A highly entertaining and realistic read.

Thank you NetGalley and Daisy.

An enjoyable romp through the hopes and dreams of a twenty-something in the publishing world. I did feel for the younger character as she jumped through hoops and does some questionable activities to raise the profile of her magazine. I found the older character more troubling - she realised that she was asking the younger woman to go and out have sex to get higher internet traffic, this worried her but she did not seem to do much about it. I do feel that there should be more awareness of how the younger generation have got a pretty rubbish deal in work, financially and socially, particularly over the last two pandemic years so perhaps a variation of this should be compulsory reading for the over 50s!

It is a perfectly fine book but I did enjoy 'Insatiable' more.

This book felt so real and relatable. I really felt like I knew these characters and their feelings.

This book is a gem of realism and a mirror for many millennials and older gen z, who find themselves being told 24/7 about the attractiveness of 'the grind'. Working yourself towards your dream is often portrayed as glossy and dreamy but Buchanan lays it all bare, with the real life consequences of working til' you drop being shown on an array of people in careering. I found so much of myself and my own internal expectations being portrayed by Imogen, and her drive to succeed at the cost of her sanity and joy is both eye opening and hard to read, almost like a diary of a generation explaining the struggles of keeping up with what the world is telling you you have to do. Buchanan continues her exquisite writing style of blending a world of fiction with factors from society that are causing a whole generation to feel under the spotlight, and bringing to the focus the impact that this ideal socially expected 21st century life is not always the goal it is made out to be.

This was such an immersive read, somewhere between Sally Rooney and Sarra Manning. It had a lot of complex things to say, but with such a light and witty touch.

it takes talent for a writer to fully inhabit the head of a character, but its a rare skill to be able to create two distinct, fully believable and sympathetic women and this is what Daisy Buchanan has achieved with Careering. The plot is gripping, but what really appeals is the way she subverts the readers preconceptions about the women, who are neither snowflakes nor irredeemably hardened by a tough career. I was cheering for both by the end.

I absolutely loved Insatiable, so when I saw Careering on Netgalley I tripped over myself to request it, and I’m so glad I did. Imogen is an unpaid intern at Panache, the magazine of her dreams. She’s also broke, exhausted, and working minimum wage factory jobs 24/7 for the privilege of being the office tea girl. Careering tells the story of her and her boss, Harri, as they navigate the negatives of investing your whole life into your career and watching it all crumble.

If you like stories about twenty-something women having sex, figuring out their lives and struggling, you will absolutely love this one. It’s funny, truthful and a little bit spicy - not quite as much as Insatiable, but Imogen’s sex blogging scenes definitely pack a punch! The journalism sections are realistic, sharp and witty, and the jokes throughout never made me cringe (which is honestly difficult to say!).

Perfect for fans of Ghosts and Milk Fed, this engaging, realistic depiction of what it's like to date your career in a classist, misogynistic world is NOT to be missed.

Anyone who has ever dreamt of working for a magazine (been there, done that) will appreciate Daisy’s new novel. Imogen has been an editorial intern for years, working in a host of magazine, some less salubrious than others. Perpetually broke, at this stage she is willing to take any job, supplementing her work experience with blog posts and pub shifts. Until her magazine boss is moved sideways to a digital publication that is really going to get to the hearts of its readership. She thinks Imogen’s outrageously sexy ideas have something, and works her to get on board. To Imogen, this is the opportunity of a lifetime but it comes at a risk… putting everything about her past out there. Meanwhile her boss, Harri, feels she’s coming to the end of her career and is deeply disillusioned about how it’s working out. Sexy, funny, insightful, this is a must for anyone who’s ever worked in a creative environment.

Utterly hilarious and incredibly clever. Careering provides a raw and honest look into the toxic relationships that women have with the workplace, and their careers.