Josie Browning dreams of having it all. 

A stellar academic record, an amazing career in journalism - and for her current crush to realise she actually exists. The only problem? Josie can’t get through twenty-four hours without embarrassing her sister Kat or her best friend Angel, let alone herself.

Josie’s luck changes though when she lands an internship at the glossy fashion magazine Sash. A coveted columnist job is up for grabs, but Josie’s got some tough competition in the form of two other interns. Battle lines are drawn and Josie quickly learns that the magazine industry is far from easy, especially under the reign of powerful editor, Rae Swanson. 

From the lows of coffee-fetching and working 10-hour days, to the highs of mingling with celebrities, scoring endless free beauty products (plus falling for her cousin’s seriously gorgeous flatmate James) this is one year Josie will never forget.

Totally fresh and funny, this debut novel from industry insider Gabrielle Tozer reveals just what is behind the seeming glamour and sparkle of the magazine industry


slight spoilers



I first heard about this book when someone recommended it in a booktube video, and the video was themed 'under-hyped books that more people should read'. I've been thinking lately about picking up more books that are less known, so I thought I'd take their advice and get this one.

This was a cute book! It's similar to The Devil Wears Prada, so if you like that kind of thing, you might like this one. The Intern is about a girl who is studying at university and needs to intern at a fashion magazine to pass her degree. Well, it obviously involves some hilarious and embarrassing scenarios involving young Josie, our main protagonist, and although some did seem quite unrealistic and overly dramatic, it was still enjoyable. It was enough for you to still like the story, it wasn't too much that it was unreadable.

Josie, the seventeen year old intern, is up against two other girls to impress Rae, who is the stern, stone-faced and hard to please boss. She meets fellow colleagues and has a whirlwind few weeks at Sash magazine, which I'd say is like Cosmopolitan. She's staying with her cousin Tim, who lives in the city but she's not seen since a child, and his roommate James. Cue the romance. Of course, she can't help but develop a little thing for him, as he is a charming and charismatic young man. In Josie's words, 'his dimples are dimpling and his shaggy hair is shagging'. I still find that line hilarious, I think I laughed more than I should have.

There is obvious romance in this book which I'm fine with but I had a slight fault with it. I just felt that it was quite rushed. Josie attached herself and obsessed over said guy very quickly and I thought it was a bit over the top. You've only just met him, love, you're not in love with him yet, give it time. But the ending was satisfying and very adorable, in terms of love.

The work aspect of this book was interesting as we're shown how magazines deal with celebrities and interviews, as well as how crazy it can be when in the spotlight. It's known that it's not easy to get into this line of work, so we're given an insight on the dog-eat-dog world of journalism, and how it difficult it is to show your skills and get yourself out there. It's a career a lot of people want, and many journalist-wannabe's will knock you down to get there. I really enjoyed that part, even though the dramatic moments where sometimes OTT, but still. I'm no expert on this field of work so I will take it back if this does happen, but as a non-journalist, it was quite excessive to me.
But the start to middle of the book, when the author is giving us the low-down on how magazines work, and what Josie experiences, was very well done. It gives me great pleasure in reading a book when you know that the author has actually worked in this environment, so you know you're getting real inside knowledge. She's done this, and the fact that all of the information and input, scenarios and routine is all based on real life, it makes the book even better for the reader. It's all legit.

It's also refreshing to read a book that's set somewhere that isn't in the U.S. It's not that I dislike books set in the U.S, but it's a change. The story is set in Australia, and as their slang is quite similar to british, it made me smile and I felt closer to it. 

It was a swift read, easy to get through and enjoyable. The Intern was a good insight to how the world of fashion works, as well as journalism, with some laughs, drama and romance thrown in. I might consider reading book two if I get round to it. A good read.




Have you read the Intern? Let us know what you think and if you'll pick it up, as it's a fast and easy read. Leave us a comment or you can find us at any of the following social outlets