Not Bad for a Girl

A female programmer goes along with her new boss’s misconception that she’s a man in this whip-smart and hilarious rom-com from Ryan (You Should Smile More). After Indiana “Ana” Aaron voices her opinion about being passed over for a promotion in favor of a less capable male programmer at Denver’s Apollo IT, she’s punished by being transferred to work remotely for the company’s New York team. Her new boss, Melvin Hammer, assumes she’s a man, leading her to receive “the most respect I’d ever gotten for my work,” though Melvin still frequently takes credit for her work. When Melvin announces a surprise visit to Denver, Ana’s in-the-know work friends scramble to cover for her, making up increasingly ludicrous lies as to why she can’t meet in person. Among those Ana has confided in is Shane Dalton, the company’s number cruncher and Melvin’s “babysitter” while he’s in Colorado. Ana’s budding relationship with the dreamy Shane is a sweet counterpoint to the professional chaos and her efforts to receive credit for her work on a new app. The story moves at breakneck pace, interspersing laugh out loud moments with pointed commentary about women’s professional struggles in male-dominated fields. Readers will cheer for Ana to get both the promotion and the guy. Agent: Jennifer Wills, Seymour Agency. (Jan.)