Review of Liddy-Jean Marketing Queen
Posted: 09 Jul 2025, 10:44
[Following is a volunteer review of "Liddy-Jean Marketing Queen" by Mari SanGiovanni.]
Liddy-Jean Marketing Queen and the Matchmaking Scheme by Mari SanGiovanni follows twenty-one-year-old Liddy-Jean, a phenomenal person with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD), as she reluctantly begins a position as an Assistant in the Marketing Department of a large company. She might have initially dreaded the idea of working there, but, ever the optimistic and personable young adult she is, she quickly settles into a routine and befriends many people in the Marketing Department, most notably her new best friend, Rose, who has a heart of gold. Unfortunately, the Marketing Department, as a whole, suffers from poor leadership in the person of "Boss Gina", an inconsiderate leader with ever-present stinky breath. Rose, Liddy's main support system in the office, also struggles in her personal life with a boyfriend, Gary, who does not treat her right. Noticing the state of affairs in the Marketing Department and Rose's life, Liddy sets out to write a business book that teaches bosses how to treat their employees better and begins an elaborate scheme to save Rose from the clutches of Gary.
This book was truly an enjoyable read. Over the course of the story, we are introduced to a whole cast of well-designed, multidimensional characters with storylines and backstories that contribute to the well-paced development of the plot. We see how a supportive group of family and friends can enable individuals with IDD to have goals and aspire to achieve them. Liddy's family and her friends—Rose, Kenzie, and Jenny—always gave her the support she needed to know that she could achieve her goal of being a writer, as long as she put in the work. Apart from showing the positive aspects of life, it also addresses other important topics including body image, physical abuse, emotional abuse, infidelity, drug dependence, financial struggle, grief, queer love, homophobia, and ableism. I would have hoped that the author outlined these as trigger warnings earlier on in the book, so the readers could be aware and make informed decisions on whether to continue reading.
It cannot be stressed enough how much I enjoyed reading the perspectives of various characters in this story, but most especially, the main character, Liddy-Jean. She had a certain youthful and enthusiastic approach to life that was a breath of fresh air to encounter. In her way, she always strived to improve the lives of those around her, and her selfless approach to doing this was inspirational. I was satisfied with the ending, but also sad that such a great story had to come to an end.
I would give this book a rating of 4 out of 5. This is because the plot and characters were well thought-out, and the book was well edited, lacking glaring spelling and grammar errors that were not the result of stylistic choice. As mentioned earlier, the book could have been improved by including trigger warnings. It could have also been more sensitive when addressing the topic of infidelity.
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Liddy-Jean Marketing Queen
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Liddy-Jean Marketing Queen and the Matchmaking Scheme by Mari SanGiovanni follows twenty-one-year-old Liddy-Jean, a phenomenal person with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD), as she reluctantly begins a position as an Assistant in the Marketing Department of a large company. She might have initially dreaded the idea of working there, but, ever the optimistic and personable young adult she is, she quickly settles into a routine and befriends many people in the Marketing Department, most notably her new best friend, Rose, who has a heart of gold. Unfortunately, the Marketing Department, as a whole, suffers from poor leadership in the person of "Boss Gina", an inconsiderate leader with ever-present stinky breath. Rose, Liddy's main support system in the office, also struggles in her personal life with a boyfriend, Gary, who does not treat her right. Noticing the state of affairs in the Marketing Department and Rose's life, Liddy sets out to write a business book that teaches bosses how to treat their employees better and begins an elaborate scheme to save Rose from the clutches of Gary.
This book was truly an enjoyable read. Over the course of the story, we are introduced to a whole cast of well-designed, multidimensional characters with storylines and backstories that contribute to the well-paced development of the plot. We see how a supportive group of family and friends can enable individuals with IDD to have goals and aspire to achieve them. Liddy's family and her friends—Rose, Kenzie, and Jenny—always gave her the support she needed to know that she could achieve her goal of being a writer, as long as she put in the work. Apart from showing the positive aspects of life, it also addresses other important topics including body image, physical abuse, emotional abuse, infidelity, drug dependence, financial struggle, grief, queer love, homophobia, and ableism. I would have hoped that the author outlined these as trigger warnings earlier on in the book, so the readers could be aware and make informed decisions on whether to continue reading.
It cannot be stressed enough how much I enjoyed reading the perspectives of various characters in this story, but most especially, the main character, Liddy-Jean. She had a certain youthful and enthusiastic approach to life that was a breath of fresh air to encounter. In her way, she always strived to improve the lives of those around her, and her selfless approach to doing this was inspirational. I was satisfied with the ending, but also sad that such a great story had to come to an end.
I would give this book a rating of 4 out of 5. This is because the plot and characters were well thought-out, and the book was well edited, lacking glaring spelling and grammar errors that were not the result of stylistic choice. As mentioned earlier, the book could have been improved by including trigger warnings. It could have also been more sensitive when addressing the topic of infidelity.
******
Liddy-Jean Marketing Queen
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon