In this "entertaining story of female friendship and empowerment", practical Shelby Stewart and ambitious Astrid Ericcson just want to start their careers in Boston's PR world and maybe find a nice guy to hang out with. But long-buried memories of a childhood incident keep interrupting Shelby's plans, affecting her health one way after another. And when will she actually date someone her friends think is good enough for her?Astrid thinks she wrote the book on How to Get Ahead by Flirting but is forced to re-visit her career advancement strategy when her boss Brad takes the innuendos to a whole new level, threatening her job and her safety.
In this "thought-provoking and entertaining" story, the women reach new highs and lows in life, work and romance, while struggling to make sense of the relationships that haunt them.
PRAISE FOR HORSESHOES AND HAND GRENADES
"Any sexual abuse, no matter the form or degree, impacts the victim. Stevens portrays this beautifully in this exploration of a young woman's coming to terms with her past. And the parallel story of a woman grappling with workplace sexual harassment underscores the similarities in how society treats both types of victim." -Laura Davis, co-author of The Courage to Heal
"...engages the reader in a series of situations that are honest, strongly and carefully drawn and painfully current. [Touches] on what is most difficult in the lives of survivors of abuse while spotlighting the kindness and support of those who sustain them."-Susan Roney-O'Brien, author of Legacy of the Last World and Bone Circle
"This book took me by surprise, being thought-provoking and entertaining, and reaching the perfect balance of both...an entertaining and pacy story of three young women navigating their way through the early years of adulthood and freedom and learning some difficult truths and important life lessons along the way. There was not a part of this book that was dry or heavy or lecturing and I fairly raced through it....This is a book for anyone who is interested in examining gender politics at the same time as enjoying an entertaining story of female friendship and empowerment." -A Little Book Problem
"[This] #metoo novel follows two women as they overcome abuse and learn how crucial it is for women to support women. I'm a pretty harsh critic when it comes to works of literary fiction, but this book gripped me from the very beginning. No, I was not paid to say this. Yes, this is my genuine opinion. Please go buy and read this book." -Funky Feminist on Instagram
"[A] powerful and timely written novel which explores the issues of sexism and sexual assault as well as the micro-aggressions which women deal with in their everyday life....There were times when I had to put the book down and scream from absolute frustration and infuriation because how dare men treat women like that....Reading about these women warmed my heart and soul and made me reach out to the women in my life and proclaim my love for them....I highly recommend this book." -Allieereads
"Horseshoes and Hand Grenades delivers a realistic portrait of women and their struggles....Stevens manages to turn a hefty topic into an approachable one by way of a riveting read. As a woman who has endured workplace sexual assault, I particularly related to the authentic feelings of frustration, doubt, and trepidation that the characters in this novel experience. Every American should read this novel, as each character is someone you know. She is your mother, your sister, your daughter, your friend. She is your neighbor, your coworker, your aunt. She is you... In addition to being a page-turner, Horseshoes and Hand Grenades is a true-to-life tale of love, friendship, and betrayal. -Kimberly Coghlan
