The God of Good Looks
A Novel
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- $12.99
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- $12.99
Publisher Description
An NPR best book of the year and recommended by Oprah Daily, Good Housekeeping, Zibby Mag, Lit Hub, Electric Lit, and Katie Couric Media!
"A summer read with bite.”—NPR
Disgraced model-writer Bianca Bridge can’t stand hotshot makeup maven Obadiah Cortland. And he lets her know the feeling is mutual. But when working together is their last resort, they must navigate scandal, revenge, and unexpected affection to unlock the beauty that’s found in redemption.
Getting a second chance is a beautiful thing…
Bianca Bridge is like an eyeshadow palette. She's a vibrant kaleidoscope of big personality and even bigger dreams, with a tendency towards messiness and fallout. Case in point: losing her job and ruining her reputation by having an affair with a married government official.
Her fiercely confident and tyrannical new boss Obadiah Cortland—a legend in Trinidad's beauty scene—is like a statement red lipstick. Dubbed the God of Good Looks, Obadiah has perfected his hotshot façade after years of navigating the island's rigid class barriers. He knows as well as Bianca that the tiniest smudge can ruin your image.
When Bianca's ex threatens both their futures, they must find a way to work together to save everything they care about. But as they put their differences aside, will they find they actually bring out the best in each other?
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
McIvor (Where There Are Monsters) shines in this pitch-perfect narrative of power imbalances. After Bianca Bridge completes her university studies in England, she returns to Trinidad and begins an affair with Eric Hugo, a married government minister who has a long track record of cheating on his wife with younger women. After a photo of Eric and Bianca is published, Bianca loses her magazine job, her freelance writing gigs, and her dignity. Reluctant to ask her wealthy father for help, she turns to topless modeling, until Obadiah Cortland offers her a job revamping his magazine, Extempo. Obadiah, who came from humble beginnings, adopts an arrogant persona and tries to keep everyone at arm's length, but as the story alternates between Bianca and Obadiah's points of view, the initially unpleasant Obadiah turns out to have greater depth. McIvor combines tight plotting and strong character development as Bianca—empowered by her late mother's lessons of strength—gets the last word with those who've wronged her. This makes for a winning story of comeuppance.