The novel tells the story of Zoe, a talented copywriter who is thrust into the beauty industry. She struggles with her new role writing legal lies about anti-aging creams (PAH), and when she discovers the vile secret the company is hiding, she puts her job, and her life, on the line to uncover the ugly truth about beauty. Cue: mystery with a bit of foundation thrown in.
Because when Zoe first enters the plush offices of global beauty empire Visage D’Or she doesn’t know her day cream from her night cream. She has no idea about the signs of ageing and she thinks uplift is a type of Wonderbra.
Zoe learns fast that beauty means pain, truth means legal lies and miracle creams make beautiful profits. As she struggles to write fiction about fine lines and anti-ageing ingredients she’s manipulated and betrayed by charming words and false promises; what’s more dangerous is that Zoe finds herself overwhelmed, and seduced, by the powerful man behind it all.
So we asked two lovely bloggers to give it a read and let us know their thoughts. So will they be grabbing a copy? Should you?
Megan Burrows, who blogs fashion, beauty and lifestyle over at emmiegee, gave her very honest opinion of a book which she admits she hasn't quite finished yet...
"For me there are two points that need to be raised about this book, one big positive, and one niggly negative. What I love about this book is that each chapter is opened with a script style narrative, a few lines that help paint the scene in your mind. This really makes you feel like you are in the book, a silent extra, watching the story unfold.
The second, and not so great point, is that the story seems a little jumpy, nothing major, just in a ‘well that escalated quickly’ kind of way. Zoe Diamond, the main protagonist is someone I think many ladies, including myself, can relate too. Being unwillingly shuffled around at work, defending yourself from the advances of a letch, then finding and losing the man you love are situations that a lot of people have found themselves in (hopefully not all at the same time!).
I think this would be a great book for women (or males) anything from late teens onwards that have an interest in beauty, advertising, or even just like have a bit of a puzzle to figure out. I didn't find myself reaching for it while I wait for the kettle to boil, but I am suitably hooked an intrigued as to how our Zoe’s story is going to end."
Creator of the gorgeous Two Nine Three lifestyle blog, Terri-Jane admitted that even though she's a bit of a beauty novice, it opened her eyes to a secretive industry.
"Day’s writing is fast-paced, and descriptive, and The Beauty Game was a great introduction to a subject I admittedly know very little about, without being so detailed that I couldn’t follow it. I do have to admit though, that I am not a huge chick-lit fan. That said, this would be a great holiday beach read because there is more to it than the traditional girl-meets-boy story. It’s also about breaking stereotypes, and lifting the lid on a famously secretive industry.
The Beauty Game shows just why the beauty industry is so divisive, and demonstrates the line that advertising has to tread; how carefully worded lies are able to become the truth, and how a profitable product must keep its secrets in order to be successful. Day has worked as a Creative Director in the beauty world for many years, and her knowledge of the ins and outs of the industry really shows in her novel.
I liked the scene-setting openings to each chapter, which was doubly useful as the action moved back and forth across the globe. It was helpful to keep track of where the characters were, and it added another dimension to the sense of how luxurious a life in beauty PR could be.
Overall, the novel is a great debut, and I’m certain that there is far more to come from Michaela – if a career in the beauty industry doesn’t provide novel material; I’m not sure what does!"
If you want to have a read, you can grab an ecopy from Amazon. Don't forget to let us know what you think! Keep an eye out for a guest post from Michaela herself over the next few days!
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