Be Chic Literate: Between You and Me

I am more than makeup, skin care, and hair products. What makes me beautiful (and yes, flaws and all, I do know that I'm beautiful; we all are in our own special way) is so much more than skin deep. I have been an avid reader since I was 4 years old, and I truly believe one of the most attractive traits in anyone, male or female, has everything to do with the brain. Your intellect, wit, and personality can make even the most aesthetically challenged person attractive. So while I will always have a preoccupation for all things visually beautiful, my original obsession has been for the written word.

I had the pleasure of reviewing The Nanny Returns by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus quite some time ago, and as a fan of theirs (and of chick lit in general), I jumped at the chance to review their latest offering, Between You and Me.

(From the book jacket...)

What happens when you are followed by millions... and loved by none? Twenty seven year old Logan Wade is trying to build a life for herself far from her unhappy childhood in Oklahoma. Until she gets the call that her famous cousin needs a new assistant-an offer she can't refuse.

Logan hasn't seen Kelsey in person since their parents separated them as kids; in the meantime, Kelsey Wade has grown into Fortune Magazine's most powerful celebrity. But their reunion is quickly overshadowed by the toxic dynamic between Kelsey and her parents as Logan discovers that, beneath the glossy facade, the wounds that caused them to be wrenched apart so many years ago have insidiously warped into a showstopping family business. 

As Kelsey tries desperately to break away and grasp at a "real" life, beyond the influence of her parents and managers, she makes one catastrophic misstep after another, and Logan must question if their childhood has left them both too broken to succeed. Logan risks everything to hold on, but when Kelsey unravels in the most horribly public way, Logan finds that she will ultimately have to choose between rescuing the girl she has always protected... and saving herself. 

You know that disclaimer that pops up before every Law & Order episode? The one that says that the story is based on headline news reports, but that all of the characters and the story itself is purely fiction? Well Between You and Me is sort of like that, except if you get your daily dose of news from E! News and Us Weekly. It's a fictionalized portrayal of what trying to grow up under the spotlight and pressures of fame. I don't want to give away details or plot lines, because in all honesty, I loved the book, and I don't want to spoil the story for those of you that will pick it up. Once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down, and I LOVE books that grab me like that! I finished it in a day and a half and dreaded closing it, because I connected with the characters so much. I wanted to see their stories continue. There is something in Logan and Kelsey that every woman can relate to, which makes the story all the more compelling. Emma and Nicola struck a vein again, and I can not recommend this book enough!

What good reads have you picked up lately? I'm always looking for a new book to get lost in! Will you be reading Between You and Me? have you read any of Emma and Nicola's other books? My inquiring mind wants to know! Leave a comment below and let me know what you think. Until next time...

Ciao, XxO

Q

PS-The book was sent to me by the authors for the purpose of review. I was not paid for this review and all opinions stated are 100% honest and my own :)