Andrea Hoffman Goes All In

by Diane Cohen Schneider

Andrea Hoffman is an overeducated, underemployed, and unmotivated recent college graduate--until an unexpected robbery blasts her out of her funk and into a job in the finance world of early-1980s Chicago. At first, it seems like a bad fit. But the world of finance has its own weird charm, and she grows increasingly fascinated by the strange language of trading, the complexity of the stock market, and her colleagues, who navigate it all with a ruthless confidence. Even though she has two strikes against her--Jewish and female--Andrea's quick wit and strong work ethic propel her into an actual sales job and her career takes off. But this is the Wall Street of the eighties, and along with making a lot more money, Andrea adopts a new, fast life of cocktails, cocaine, and casual sex. Drunk on her achievements, she gradually realizes that at some point, she's going to have to decide what success really means to her.

Genres: Fiction

256 pages, Paperback

First published August 30, 2022

Reviews

[Susan Ballard (subakkabookstuff) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Andrea Hoffman has a degree in philosophy but works in a women’s clothing boutique in downtown Chicago. She’s not excited about it, but it’s work. When an armed robber enters the store one day, Andrea’s perspective and motivation change - she decides to go all in.

She hits the want ads, it’s the 1980s, and applies to the job with the biggest ad. It happens to be in the financial world - securities and investments, but she talks her way in.

I thought this might be a little dry, seeing as it's all about finance and money, but I loved Andrea. She is smart, blunt, sometimes snarky, and trying to make her way in the business world in the ‘80s. What I appreciated about her is that she works hard and doesn’t mind being around men - in fact, she says women play too many games.

If it sounds like all work and no play, don’t worry; there is a lot of drinking, casual sex (behind doors), and a little Jewish family fun too. 𝘖𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥!

Thank you @booksparks and @dianecohenschneider for a spot on this #summerpopups tour and a gifted copy.

[Linda Zagon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Diane Cohen Schneider, the author of “Andrea Hoffman Goes All In” has written an intriguing and captivating novel. The genres for this novel are Fiction, Women’s Fiction, Jewish Literature and Fiction, with a dash of Romance and Humor. The timeline for this story is the 1980s and takes place mostly in Chicago. The author describes her colorful and dramatic characters as complex and complicated. I love the way the author vividly describes the unique 1980’s traits of each character in such detail. I really felt a strong emotional attachment to some of the characters.

The role of women in business in the 1980s was intimidating and limiting. (Sometimes in certain careers, that can be said today). The protagonist, Andrea Hoffman, is an intelligent and determined young lady. She starts working in an elite dress store until she witnesses a robber with a gun. The following job that Andrea takes is in the fast-paced world of finance. Andrea becomes a workaholic and manages to hold her own against the men and women who are so competitive. Andrea does face bumps in the road and adversity but does show courage. Andrea loves making money and is soon doing quite well.

Unfortunately, Andrea can’t do anything that is considered praiseworthy by her mother. Also, being a workaholic does put a strain on one’s love life. The author writes with wit, and there are some gratifying moments. I would highly recommend this entertaining book.

[Eva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another one for my women-in-finance(male-dominated-workplaces) series, and it's doing a good job. Bonus point for sticking out by being set in the 80ies. I also appreciated how even though the misogynist/feminist angle was present it wasn't given top billing. The protagonist rather floats through this world of money and markets, while figuring out her life. Lightweight and fun, entertaining.

[BARBRA BUTLER · Rating 4 out of 5]

You know how some writers create a character so vividly that you feel as though you’ve known them for years? Andrea Hoffman is one of those characters, Diane Cohen Schneider is one of those writers. From page one, I could hear Andrea’s voice, as if she were talking to me across the table over a nice glass of Cabernet. Or three. Dialogue is sharp, a little sassy, like Andrea, but always on point. I settled in as Andrea told her story, as she moved from a mindless job in retail to the high-rolling world of trading in the 1980s, first struggling to fit into the man’s world she entered, then grabbing onto it with both hands. I could see Charlene sneer, I shuddered at Steve’s feigned innocence, I took a deep breath and sighed every time Mom called, reliving the trials and tribulations of my own past. And, perhaps most starkly, I cringed every time Andrea made a bad choice, and she made a lot of them. Isn’t that part of growing up? Don’t we all make them? Somehow, Andrea dodged a bullet in every one of those bad choices, not totally unscathed, but coming out of it a tiny bit wiser, until by the end of 300 pages she has done a lot of growing up. More than many of us manage in a lifetime. Three cheers for Andrea Hoffman.

[steph • litfrommylibraryladder · Rating 5 out of 5]

a book about a woman working her way up in a male dominated industry in the 80’s??? sign. me. up. Andrea Hoffman Goes All In was different from anything I’ve read in a while (in the best way) and was a lot of fun. Andrea is scrappy, funny, fierce and such an easy main character to pull for. I loved following her journey, getting to know all of the people in her life, pulling for her the whole way and hearing about alllll of the 80’s things. ☎️ so, where is our movie adaptation of this book??

thank you to the author and BookSparks for my copy of the book to review. all thoughts and opinions are mine.



synopsis below 👇🏼

Andrea Hoffman is an overeducated, underemployed, and unmotivated recent college graduate—until an unexpected robbery blasts her out of her funk and into a job in the finance world of early-1980s Chicago. At first, it seems like a bad fit. But the world of finance has its own weird charm, and she grows increasingly fascinated by the strange language of trading, the complexity of the stock market, and her colleagues, who navigate it all with a ruthless confidence. Even though she has two strikes against her—Jewish and female—Andrea’s quick wit and strong work ethic propel her into an actual sales job and her career takes off. But this is the Wall Street of the eighties, and along with making a lot more money, Andrea adopts a new, fast life of cocktails, cocaine, and casual sex. Drunk on her achievements, she gradually realizes that at some point, she’s going to have to decide what success really means to her.

[Shakti Shambahala · Rating 4 out of 5]

Andrea Hoffman quickly drew me I. With her personality and drive to do something different. She enters the world of finance and finds it is suitable for her. Harold Stackman is awesome. He mentors Andrea yet does not coddle her. He is tough when he has to be but he sees a ton of potential for her. I nearly fell over laughing my when Andrea tells Harold how she wants to take the Series 7 exam and finds out the entire office wagered bets on when she would do this! 😁

Charlene was more than a rough customer. Talk about being extremely hard on Andrea only for the two to be best friends when they work together again at a later time. Charlene is tough but she has your back when you are a friend to her. The other guys were typical finance guys with their pranks and their bad habits. There is philanderer Dan with a wife at home and they keep having children. Andrea is certain she does not want to marry with the shenanigans she witnesses.

The story does continue to develop and the characters grow. The cocaine, drinking, & casual sex were part of the yuppie excess of the 80’s. Andrea does grow in this novel. She is good at what she does and she gains confidence. Now will she take mess from the guys. I was intrigued until the end.

P.S. I differed Allen was gay from the get-go!

[Jan farnworth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Andrea is a delightful protagonist -- intelligent, witty, sharply observant, and wonderfully edgy -- as she navigates the gritty, often ugly, and shockingly naive world of the 1980s. I found the novel entertaining and amazingly moving, and Andrea's story is surprising, a little scary, but ultimately deeply satisfying. Highly recommend!! Novels that flashback to the eighties are becoming very popular, and "Andrea Hoffman Goes All In" is an example of a book banking on that trend. Andrea Hoffman entered the world of Wall Street when few women were in the field. Yet, what else are you supposed to do when you graduate from college with a philosophy degree and get robbed at the retail job your degree led you to? But the more money Andrea makes, Andrea's world becomes wild. Some of the choices that Andrea makes, choosing to invest with her secretary over drugs and even at times sleep with married men, were choices I cringed over. However, I did find the feel of the devil wears Prada choosing to take control of your life even in a job you are not sure about where what kept me reading.

[Janet Fiorentino · Rating 2 out of 5]

Novels that flashback to the eighties are becoming very popular and “Andrea Hoffman Goes All In” is an example of book banking on that trend. Andrea Hoffman enters the world of Wall Street at a time when few women were in the field. Yet, what else are you supposed to do when you graduate from college with a philosophy degree and get robbed at the retail job your degree led you to? But the more money Andrea makes, the more wild Andrea’s world becomes.

This novel really highlights how crazy the eighties were, especially as it pertains to the stock market . While I found the premise had potential and Andrea an intriguing character, I felt more interested in getting through the book versus enjoying the journey. Still, I like the writing enough to certainly give this author another try.

Two and a half stars.

My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book.

[Stacy40pages · Rating 3 out of 5]

Andrea Hoffman Goes All In by Diane Cohen Schneider. Thanks to @booksparks for the gifted copy ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Andrea is underemployed and over educated. When she experiences an armed robbery she has an epiphany and wants to make something of herself. This leads her to Wall Street in the 1980’s.

There were some things that I really enjoyed about this story, but I did get bored with all the stock and financial information. I am not good with numbers and all that felt like foreign language to me. I did like the main character and her plight. I liked the eighties references and the plot itself. There was just a lot of financial stuff for me to weave between.

“We’re Jews because we eat like Jews. And because, as my mother is fond of reminding me, if Hitler comes again, we’d all be dragged away by our dirty blond hair.” (This quote isn’t symbolic of the story but it reminded me of my family and I thought it was hilarious)

Andrea Hoffman Goes All In comes out 8/30.

[Karen Fortunati · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're looking for a Sweetbitter-like coming of age story set in the 1980s world of Chicago finance - Andrea Hoffman Goes All is your book! Andrea is fresh out of college and yearning for purpose as she battles with the demon of family expectations. Her new job as a trader is surprisingly intoxicating despite the rampant chauvinism and Andrea soars professionally. Her personal life is another story though.

What I loved about this book: the exceptional writing by Cohen-Schneider and the obvious command of the setting; Andrea Hoffman's humor, drive and ultimate self-reflection; and the realistic window of those women warriors who entered a hostile workplace dominated by men and set the stage for following generations of women. This is a coming of age story exceptionally told and packed with laugh out loud moments. Don't miss this one!!!

[Jane Dennish · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you enjoyed the movie, The Wolf of Wall Street, you will definitely enjoy this book. It is a similar concept in that it looks at life on Wall Street in the 1980s, but we have a female take on the lifestyle and the male dominated world. What I really like is that the book is based on the author’s own experiences in this world. It definitely makes me wonder what is true to her life versus what she saw. I loved her boss, Harold, and how he was an early champion for her. I liked the interactions with her mom on the phone. It felt very much typical of the time period and her lies of baking cookies, made me laugh! This is a strong debut novel, and I am interested in seeing what else this author writes!

Thanks so much to @booksparks @dianecohenschneider for the #gifted book!

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

The 1980s was a period of upheaval, particularly for women, because it seemed two distinct paths were open: one, the traditional path for women to marry and have children and, the second, a career, sometimes in fields that previously had rarely included women. Two recent novels focus on these choices: “Andrea Hoffman Goes All In” by Diane Cohen Schneider (She Writes Press) features a woman who chooses to work in a non-traditional field, while the main character in Corie Adjimi’s “The Marriage Box” (She Writes Press) finds herself unexpectedly thinking about marriage, rather than college.
To see the rest of my review, visit https://www.thereportergroup.org/past...

[Didi · Rating 5 out of 5]

im done!!!

I had to wait a hot minute to read this book because i was away from my physical copy for a few months but i finally got a chance to finish it! yay! i know the person personally who wrote this and i couldnt be more proud. i really loved the story and it was so well-written. the characters have such depth to them and andrea hoffman really felt like a real person by the end of the book. i could also very much visualize mary consuelo and dan. she did such a good job character building. also the way the book progressed was also done so well, it didnt feel rushed at all and there was no loose ends. i liked how homegirl dabbled in some cocaine, it gave very much wolf of wallstreet. she is a baddie and girlboss till the end. i am so satisfied with the end. 5/5

[lynne muth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect Pitch for the time, the industry and coming of age

It’s a fun read full of references to the places and times of the go-go 80’s. It details the work life in the male dominated financial services industry. Andrea’s wry wit and observations helps her roll with punches with sharp elbows. High finance is often Greek to me and the author helps demystify it and paints interesting characters who bring the market and its workings to life. A great read that captures a young woman’s coming of age as she begins her career.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars, rounded down. Engaging, easy read. Not mind-blowing but fun and easy to get through and a nice quick book to read that didn't require much deep thinking. The characters are written well and with depth. A number of copy editing errors though throughout the book, which always makes me wonder -- if I notice them just as a casual reader, wasn't there an editor that read through and proofread before the book went to press? (I get it, this is something that's going to bother me a lot more than the average person, but I notice every time.)

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was totally hooked on this book from the opening scene and couldn't put it down! Andrea is a delightful protagonist -- smart, witty, sharply observant and wonderfully edgy -- as she navigates the gritty, often ugly, and shockingly naive world of the 1980s. I found the novel entertaining and also amazingly moving, and Andrea's story is surprising, a little scary, but ultimately deeply satisfying. A really good read! Highly recommend!

[Lucy Hollander · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to #netgalley for letting me read this book early.

While Andrea Hoffman Goes All In has an interesting premise, it falls apart in the execution. There were far too many minor characters and no major plot points. It felt like I was just following someone along in a typical job instead of having twists and turns. I did like the female empowerment aspect but there were just too many plot points that were never resolved.

[Sam Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who was born in the 1990s, I LOVED this insight into women in the 80's making their way in a male dominate world and absolutely killing it. I read this on the train into NYC into my corporate job and couldn't wait for my commute to keep reading. I read it in a week. It was funny, exciting, empowering, and had the perfect amount of twists and turns. I love Andrea Hoffman! I hope this author comes out with more books my commute would be happy.

[CR · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sadly I think this one just wasn't for me. I tend to have a love/hate relationship with stories set in the timeframe I was born and this one being set in the 80s is right there. But I thought it was interesting. I don't really know why I didn't die hard love it. For the most part after the book got really going I was just bored. ~UR

[Rachael Cooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn’t put this book down! Was a joy to escape into Andrea Hoffman’s world each evening- the inner workings of her mind, a gutsy young gal navigating a male dominated field, a glimse of her spicy after hours ventures. Diane’s wit, humor and intellect was a true delight. Absolutely loved! I hope there is a sequel. ;)

[Martha Burns · Rating 5 out of 5]

I greatly admire the craft in this novel of the high flying 1980s - a time when grown, independent women were still called girls. The author never pushes too hard to reveal her characters and yet closing this book it left me missing Harold and Andrea and the 1980s. I hope this book finds its way into the hands of many independent women of the 2020s along with the girls of the 1980s.

[Natasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kind of reminiscent of "Lessons in Chemistry." A smart and capable woman finds success in the world of finance, which is dominated by entitled men who cheat on their wives and kiss our main character in taxis. The story was more substantial than I expected, but I'm docking points for too many typos and not enough personal growth for Andrea.

[Katie R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best read of the year - so far. I really like this style of writing & I rooted for the main character the entire time. And she didn't let me down. Can't say I learned anything about stocks, though!

The 80s really were a crazy time. I can't imagine doing the things she did - and at work, too!

15% interest rates really put my 6.5% into perspective.

[Debby Felker · Rating 4 out of 5]

The pages flew by. I found it so interesting and liked the development of the Andrea’s character, the story line and the ending.

[Mike Vogler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the title character's authentic, sassy voice and vivid storytelling.

[Megan Schwartz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! What an incredible book! I will be recommending to all my friends and hope this author writes more books!!

[Laurie Skurow · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice trip back to the '80s. Some fun stuff here.

[Marcia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual Rating: 3.5

[Bri Kirchmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a captivating and heartwarming story! No matter what was thrown her way, Andrea always fought to land on her feet and became such a strong woman. Loved the journey and the great ending!