working in tech and fashion as feminism — a conversation with @authoralyssajarrett
I want you to imagine a tech CEO. You’re probably envisioning the ruthless male capitalists of the world; maybe it’s Jeff Bezos or Elon Musk. Maybe it’s that guy you went to high school with who dished out unsolicited problematic opinions like candy or the hustle culture-obsessed podcast host plaguing your explore page with cryptocurrency and protein bars. I don’t blame you for branding these men as the faces of tech; I mean, who would? These perceptions are hardly surprising, given the examples we have in our feeds and on our news.
But what if I told you that not all tech CEOs are the same? That some of them, while being admittedly a little clueless, are smart, hardworking guys with nothing but a dream and some eccentricities? Hard to believe, I know. Well, let me introduce you to Love Apptually — a romance book peeling back the glossy veneer of Silicon Valley to show that tech CEOs need a little love, too. Following startup founder Evan Chen and the stylist hired to force him out of his basketball shorts, Casey Holbright, this book dives into the realities of the tech industry, prejudice in the workplace and, of course, romance. It is a five-star love letter to fashion, friendship and falling in love, and I had the joy of speaking to the author Alyssa Jarrett about all things Love Apptually this week.
It feels fitting to start by talking about the female protagonist, Casey, whose story was inspired by Alyssa’s personal experiences working in tech. As I previously mentioned, Casey is a stylist who made a name for herself by working with her celebrity best friend, Alex. However, following a change of dynamics in the friend group, Casey is left to seek other work opportunities and subsequently finds herself tasked with styling Evan.
I loved Casey’s character. She is courageous and resilient, with a passion so strong that it radiates off every page. She is also the mouthpiece for a much larger conversation about gender-based discrimination in the workplace. Casey was hired to style Evan in work-appropriate clothing instead of his usual uniform of gym wear and sneakers, a plot that makes for some laugh-out-loud moments as well as some tension-filled ones.
However, this storyline also illustrates the very real double standard when it comes to how men and women present themselves in professional settings. ‘I never expected the sheer amount of gender-based discrimination I’ve personally experienced in the workplace,’ Alyssa told me, ‘I frequently saw male engineers show up to the office in cargo shorts and sandals, while I was reprimanded for wearing open-toed shoes in 90-degree heat.’ Love Apptually tackles this topic through conversations between Casey and Evan, as well as group discussions between the female employees of the startup, and this results in writing that reflects reality while remaining witty and utterly binge-able. Alyssa says it best, ‘behind every woman dressed to the nines is a man who gets away with not giving a shit, and it needs to end.’ A few men in tech reading Love Apptually would be a great place to start!
Now, let's discuss Evan Chen. I have to admit, I was very curious to see how his character would develop throughout the story, given that he is meditating in the office when he first meets Casey, but his arc did not disappoint. It becomes evident rather quickly that Evan has layers. At multiple points, he references his Chinese heritage, as well as his past relationship experiences, and this character context allows readers to develop a further understanding of Evan, despite the plot being told solely through Casey’s POV.
Alyssa explained that as a rule of thumb, she sticks to her own lived experience when writing: ‘It’s single POV for a reason because I can’t speak for AAPI communities.’ She referenced one scene in particular where Evan, a biracial Chinese American, and Casey, a white woman from Texas, are in St. Mary’s Square observing the memorial plaque of Chinese Americans who died in the World Wars. ‘Casey is mortified because she’s ignorant of Chinese history, and Evan couldn’t care less. He’s more upset because he’s jealous that she’s getting close to another colleague. I want to approach scenes like that with respect so they feel real and relatable and oh-so-amusing.’ It is this evident balance between depth and humour that contributes to the five-star nature of Love Apptually. Moments are coated in enough tension to make you kick your feet and giggle while still remaining rooted in true-to-life experiences and circumstances.
As for the romance, who knew that tech startups and falling in love go so perfectly hand-in-hand? I am a sucker for a workplace romance, and Love Apptually stood out for me because of how prominent of a role the specific industry that the book takes place in plays in the story. As someone who has no experience working in tech in any capacity — although I could relate to the joys of Slack messaging —I found the running commentary on Silicon Valley culture told through innovative mixed-media chapter breaks to be laugh-out-loud funny and genuinely very interesting.
When you gain a full understanding of the environment in which the romance is blooming, everything feels more high stakes — my investment in Evan and Casey’s relationship was all-encompassing because of the attention to detail and personal experience interweaved into the plot. The characters balance each other out, and as Alyssa pointed out to me, the pressure of Evan’s success would make it so easy for him to become a bad person but his relationship with Casey is a driving force in the opposite direction; ‘he could easily devolve into a ruthless nightmare, but it’s Casey who motivates him to be a better person and leader.’ I loved their relationship and will be talking about it to whoever will listen until further notice.
If I haven’t already made myself clear, I think that Love Apptually is a fantastic book. It was funny, heartfelt, and so full of love — the same love that so clearly went into the writing of it. ‘It took me a decade to go from starting my first book to publication,’ Alyssa said, ‘I don’t regret building my tech career or exploring in my 20s, because those experiences shaped the stories I’m telling today, but I wish it didn’t take a global pandemic, job burnout, and a mental health breakdown for me to learn how to put myself first.’ Alyssa’s (and Casey’s) experiences are a testament to all the wonderful chapters that are written when you prioritise yourself.
This book is perfect for anyone looking to escape into a romance where they will most likely still be able to see little bits of themselves; I really don’t think you can underestimate the feeling of being seen in something that you’re reading. While you sit and wait patiently to find out what the rest of the Glam Fam are getting up to, you can keep up to date with Alyssa over on her Instagram. I also recommend subscribing to her Substack for more romance genre-related discourse! Happy reading!
Keep up with Alyssa -
Website: https://www.alyssajarrett.com/
Substack newsletter, Grumpy + Sunshine: https://alyssajarrett.substack.com/
Buy her books! -
Love on the Rocks — https://a.co/d/hCZpHBg
Love Apptually — https://a.co/d/6yqWE3K
This article was written by Jess, who you can follow on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/thatromancebook for more bookish content