by Karen Karbo

Most workplace novels written by women are about the challenges of juggling work and motherhood. I’m all for this; I could write my own workplace novel about the time I latched my infant daughter onto one boob, churned out a magazine piece that was overdue, and contracted an eyeball popping case of mastitis that landed me in the ER. And that’s just the opening scene.

What I adore about Jillian Medoff’s smart new novel This Could Hurt, is that it’s about work families. You know, the people we spend most of our loves with – the colleagues, frenemies, enemies, and eccentric bosses who have our backs and make our lives hell.

Medoff made a bold and radical choice in choosing her narrator. Rosie Guerrero is the head of HR at a consumer research firm that’s been hit hard by the economy. Rosie is not a still lithe 39-year-old (publishing wisdom dictates that no one will read a novel if the main character is female and over 40) but an accomplished, competent put together sixty something who is beginning to feel her age. Radical move, Jillian Medoff!

What I love most about the book is Medoff’s ability to both empathize with her characters while also sending up the oft-times ludicrous work that consumes the life of the everyday office worker. The book is hilarious and surprisingly sweet, and comes complete with organizational flow charts. If you have a job, or have ever had one, or ever hope to have one, This Could Hurt is for you!

More about This Could Hurt.

About Karen
Karen Karbo is the author of fourteen award-winning novels, memoirs and works of non-fiction including the best-selling “Kick Ass Women” series.

Read more on Karen’s bio page.