Boss Lady

"It's the intent of the question that comes from a person of melanated skin that inspires safety in my answering." ~ 51%

Antonia "Toni" Arroyo is a financially-strapped single mother of twins. She's married but her husband abandoned the family to find himself. *insert severe eye roll here* By day, Toni works in airport transportation; by night, she is a budding entrepreneur. 

One of her frequent elderly travelers, Ms. Eisenberg, connects Toni with her handsome grandson who is a venture capitalist. Toni gets the opportunity to pitch her business idea on TV's Innovation Nation. Her unexpected challenger is the resurfaced not-quite-ex-husband. Oh, how the past collides with the present!

"I don't think a person can have a memory of someone they never noticed in the first place." ~ 11%

Antonia is the kind of chick you'd want to be friends with IRL. She is funny, loyal, responsible and self-aware of her flaws. She is playing the best she possibly can with the hand she was dealt. Yet there is no annoying self-pity. Antonia's circle of friends and daughters are quite likable too and a great representation of strong minority women.

Author duos are tricky. Some collaborate because of a mutual respect. Others are listed as a co-author to gain notoriety. But Alli Frank and Asha Youmans are meant to write together. Their writing styles complement perfectly. The dialogue and narrative passages intertwine. The tone of the main character did not change. I could hardly tell who wrote what until a few jumpy chapter transitions. 

"Feelings are confused as facts, and hurt feelings are a foundation for litigious action." ~ 30%

Boss Lady can be read fairly quickly; the story just flows and is very engaging. Don't let the romance genre mislead you. Boss Lady is about a strong female character determined to reach her goals with a positive support system. Very much like a "multicultural Golden Girls reboot." Readers will find themselves rooting for Toni the whole way. I totally recommend this new novel!

Happy Early Pub Day, Alli Frank and Asha Youmans! Boss Lady will be available Tuesday, July 2.

Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins. ~LiteraryMarie

Title: Boss Lady
Authors: Alli Frank & Asha Youmans
Published: July 2024
Pages: 294
Edition: Galley
Genre: Grown Chick Lit Romance
Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤