Book Review: Pretty In Ink

Author: Lindsey J. Palmer

Publication Date: March 25, 2014

Publisher: Kensington

For years, Hers magazine has been a fixture on newsstands--relatable, reliable, and ever-so-slightly frumpy. But with sales slumping, Hers' editor-in-chief soon finds a pink slip in her inbox. And her ruthless, blisteringly high-heeled replacement may not be finished cleaning house yet. . .

Leah Brenner suspects she won't be on the payroll much longer either. A telecommuting, breast milk-pumping mom of three doesn't mesh with her new boss Mimi's vision of a sleeker, younger-skewing Hers. Not content with nabbing Leah's office, Mimi's protégée, Victoria, is itching to take over Leah's duties too--and she's not alone. As the summer rolls out, and staffers are asked to give up even their sexiest secrets to save the brand, everyone at Hers--the sycophantic new assistant; the photo editor who's sleeping with her boss; the Ivy League intern with oversized aspirations--will fight to keep her career, and some shred of dignity, intact. 

Smart, perceptive, and hilarious, Lindsey J. Palmer's debut delivers an all too true-to-life tale of very different women faced with high-stakes choices in a rapidly changing--yet utterly familiar--world.

I can feel the target on my forehead: mortifying and unmistakable, like a pulsing red zit.

Louisa wasn’t saying she was sorry about her own situation: rather, she was apologizing to me. Because I will soon be out of a job, too.

I’ve never heard Abby utter the word “sex,” let alone share with a group personal tales from her bedroom.

She and I now have something in common that no one else in this office has: security.

Scenario at Hers magazine: Long time editor-in-chief Louisa has just been fired and replaced by someone named Mimi. All the women, and a few men, who have worked at the magazine for quite some time now are in constant fear that they will lose their jobs as well. This book takes us behind the scenes and into the lives of most of the people on staff at Hers and allows us to view all the changes that are being made in their lives at work and outside of it. These women and men can be downright catty when it comes to their jobs and well-beings. Told from multiple perspectives, this debut novel is sure to please those of you looking for a fast, but endearing piece of chick lit!

Wow! Lindsey Palmer, I would have never known this was your debut! As I said above, the author tackles multiple viewpoints in this novel. Not once was I confused or mislead, but instead I was having a hard time deciding whose voice I longed to hear next. Each woman, new and old in the company, share their reactions to the changes being made at the magazine and also share a little bit of personal information about themselves as well. I had a hard time deciding who my favorite was, but I can tell you for sure it was not the new boss, Mimi. These women were all amazing and I loved being in their presence and hearing about a normal day in the career of journalism.

This book has something for everyone. There is drama, romance, and such strong character development. It was so easy to connect to many of these characters because of the intimate first person point of view that was being used. I would love to see this book become a movie. I was reminded of The Devil Wears Prada, except this was so much better!

***A free copy of this book was provided to me by the publishers at Kensington in exchange for my honest review***