Chloe Dixon has landed her dream job, working for Europe’s top lesbian magazine: Honey.The magazine, under the leadership of the impressive Helen Featherstone, shaped Chloe’s life and all she wants to do is give something back.When she trusts the wrong person, she finds herself in the middle of a PR storm.Join Chloe for her first week at Honey and experience the multiple office romances, … multiple office romances, unrequited crushes, and captivating characters that make up the Honey team. And find out if Chloe will survive her first week.
If you like laugh-out-loud romantic comedies, witty dialogue, and characters you’ll fall in love with, then you’ll love Climbing the Ladder.
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What I Think: Before I get into my reactions, I need to explain that I will be doing quite a few Amanda Radley reviews and why these tales mean so much to me. When I just started my blog, she had an LGBT outreach that I signed up with and within the week she had reached out to me. She was giving her tales for free to readers in countries like mine where being part of the community was and still is illegal. I didn’t believe she would follow through (my apologies, Mme. Amanda. I have learned to not be so jaded since then) but the next day I received over 4 tales from her. Unfortunately, I was just getting into the world of blogging and was so overwhelmed and grabby that I inundated myself with too many books and this is why it’s taken me 2 years to finally get to these tales (my apologies once more but you know how it is with bookworms and tales?) On behalf of everyone who received this largesse, thank you from my heart. Now, on with the review!
So, I associated myself with Chloe almost right away. We’ve all been there at some point or the other, doing temp jobs while waiting for a more permanent offer, then that mix of excitement and dread when you do find one but most of all because, like me, her appearance doesn’t scream lesbian, being very féminine and colorful to boot. If I had a dollar for everyone that scoffed at me when I told them my sexuality, especially those within the LGBTQ community… But on with the tale, especially as I threw my hands up and gave into the tale as Chloe immediately falls in crush with an older, un-haveable woman thinking it’s okay because it’s harmless. This right here is why I had my last crush over 6 years ago. No crushing on what I can’t have. And as the person is a senior colleague, I get the feeling Chloe is about to find out just how serious a harmless crush can be. Oh lawdess, the crushes and unrequited love in this tale between the Honey staff and their freelancers make me want to line them up and force them to talk to aforementioned crushes with my riding crop in hand. Why do people make emotions so difficult, hanging on and refusing to do anything about it while wasting time pining? Only for my girl Chloe to get herself into trouble that had me choking on my iced tea and crossing all crossable limbs in hope that her gamble pays off. Having worked as an assistant editor of a national news daily in a small west African country, my heart ached for Honey because I’d been there, and having them succeed became personal. And I thoroughly enjoyed the gender-bending terms. It’s something I’ve got into just recently but this tale gives me even more ammo. Just when it was at its darkest, the girls pull out a miracle, working together and overcoming their differences to create a team that clicks into place, taking the negativity and turning it around. The victory is so infectious and endearing that I didn’t want to let go of my Honey girls yet!
Verdict? A feel-good tale that will become very personal very fast with an ending that will make you whoop for joy!
Chloe starts a job in the digital department of Honey, the magazine that helped her survive being a lesbian teen. Unlike the local club where she knew she didn’t fit, Honey magazine let her know that she could be whomever she was, that like other people, lesbians come in all shapes, sizes and colors.
In the digital age, the print magazine she had so enjoyed, was facing circulation issues.
Chloe makes some mid-steps about whom to trust at work, and gets some awful and some awesome results.
Intense first week for a newbie in the publishing world.