Fashionably Late [Paperback]

Beth Kendrick (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 3, 2006

From a winning voice in fiction -- the author of My Favorite Mistake and Exes and Ohs -- comes a romantic comedy that will have you in stitches.

She's late for her life...

Becca Davis has always played it safe -- denying her passion for fashion design in a dead-end job and letting her pragmatic boyfriend (mastermind of the "Kevin Bradley Ten-Year Plan") make the tough decisions in life. Stunned into saying yes when Mr. Predictable springs a surprise proposal on her, Becca realizes that she's running out of time to turn her life around. She's only got one more chance to chase her dreams and no one -- not her control freak fiancé, not her dramaholic sisters, not her overprotective parents -- will talk her out of it.

He's right on time.

Terrified but determined, Becca breaks off her engagement, moves in with her sister in Los Angeles, and prepares to take the fashion world by storm. The reality of the Hollywood scene is much harsher than she anticipated -- lots of slamming doors, snooty clients, and double-crossing celebrity stylists -- but she won't give up. And while she's waiting for her big break, she meets Connor, a sexy risk-taker who's the polar opposite of her ex-fiancé. Is Becca ready for his all-or-nothing approach to love? With her design business taking off and her family starting to fall apart, she's about to learn the timeliest lesson of all: Love and fashion wait for no woman.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Becca Davis, 25 and living with her parents in Phoenix, is struggling with controlling ex-fiancé Kevin Bradley, who is determined to win her back. Liberating herself, Becca heads to L.A., where her rich married sister, Claire, lives, to start a career in fashion, with only one wedding dress and corset in her portfolio. Becca secures a job as a hostess in an upscale eatery run by a handsome, single and adventurous restaurateur. Conner is everything Kevin wasn't, and sparks fly. Meanwhile, Becca may have her first break when she meets Fiona, an aloof and diabolical celebrity stylist who needs someone to put her clients together. Claire, who is a very material girl, is put to the test when husband Andrew loses his studio exec job (Claire ponders putting her unborn twins up for adoption in response to the job crisis). Becca's arc from a flighty, floundering young woman into a self-aware adult features kitschy, cat-scratchy banter ("Don't be jealous of my rico suave finesse") and a happily-ever-after close. The author of Exes and Ohs, Kendrick gives chick lit clichés an adroit turn. (Jan.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

*Starred Review* For some women a marriage proposal would be a dream come true, but for Becca Davis it's her worst nightmare. When Becca's boyfriend Kevin "Old Faithful" Bradley unexpectedly proposes, Becca suddenly sees just how truly boring her life has become. Deciding that it is time to finally start doing something about her dreams, Becca breaks up with Kevin, quits her sales associate job, and leaves Phoenix for Los Angeles to try to become a new star in the fashion biz. While looking for ways to get her designs in front of L.A.'s style mavens, Becca takes a part-time job working for sexy Connor Sullivan, an adrenaline junkie with an addiction to extreme outdoor adventures. Tired of playing it safe, Becca is ready to embrace Connor's risk-taking philosophy of life, but her biggest challenge yet may be in finding some way to convince Connor to take a chance at romance with her. Kendrick expertly accessorizes her latest laughter-laced creation with an impeccable and irresistible combination of wickedly clever writing and sharply defined characters. John Charles
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Pocket Books (January 3, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 074349959X
• ISBN-13: 978-0743499590
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #149,128 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I write fun, lively women's fiction as Beth Kendrick and a series for teens under the name Beth Killian.

To find out more about me and the books, please visit my websites:
www.bethkendrick.com
www.bethkillian.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Kendrick's latest must-read, June 14, 2006

By 

Tracy Vest (Northern California) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Fashionably Late (Paperback)

Becca is tired of playing it safe with her overbearing fiance Kevin (who outlined their "10-year plan" when they were dating). Now halfway into it, she feels suffocated and aspires to be a fashion designer. But Becca has always stood on the sidelines and let Kevin and her sisters Claire and Gayle run over her. When Kevin chooses the parcel of land as well as the design of their future home, Becca has had enough and decides to take a break to go to LA and pursue dreams.

Residing in newly married Claire's guesthouse, she immediately finds a job at a popular Hollywood eatery, giving her plenty of time to shop her portfolio around LA by day. She is immediately intrigued by the restaurant's owner Connor, a thrill-seeking adventurer who does not mix business with pleasure. The restaurant is a hotbed of Hollywood activity, and soon she has an appointment with a design house as well as stylist for Hollywood's "It" girl. Getting a new job leaves the door open for a relationship with Connor. But Becca learns the hard way that things are not always as they seem, and finds that the fashion industry can be as heartbreaking as a lover with a death wish.

Meanwhile, petulant, self-centered and snobby sister Claire is having marriage problems when her Hollywood power-broker husband does something ethical, then gets fired. With twins on the way, will they be forced to eat government cheese and shop at Big Lots? As her parents work with Kevin to attempt a reconciliation, what's a girl to do?

Written in first person, Kendrick's latest is filled with charismatic characters, witty banter, and some of the cheesiest pick up lines to grace the written page. Though a little scatter brained at times, Becca is an endearing character you can't help but root for. Kendrick has the uncanny ability to create lifelike characters using realistic dialogue that draws you in and holds your attention.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Couldn't put it down!, February 20, 2006

By 

Shon - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Fashionably Late (Paperback)

I loved this book and couldn't put it down once I started reading. I liked that Becca took a stand and decided she needed to live her own life, not the life her fiance and her family wanted. This book is about stepping out of your comfort zone and taking a risk in order to live the life of your dreams. I will definitely read more by this author.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fashionably Late is Oh So Good, January 4, 2006

By 

Rian Montgomery "Rian Montgomery" (Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Fashionably Late (Paperback)

There's nothing like a marriage proposal to jolt you into reality and make you wonder what exactly you want out of life. When Becca Davis of "Fashionably Late" is proposed to by her longtime boyfriend Kevin, she accepts, but almost immediately realizes that it isn't what she wants.

Instead, she decides to break the engagement and flee to Los Angeles to try and pursue her true passion of fashion design. She moves in with her sister and jumps into the industry bravely, not realizing how cut-throat and catty the industry is. She is forced to take a job at a restaurant to make ends meet while pursuing her dream.

Meanwhile, back home in Arizona, Kevin thinks that she will be back when she comes to her senses. What he doesn't realize is that Becca has met someone else, sort of: the handsome Connor, who trades corny (but hilarious) pick-up lines with Becca, but who isn't the type to settle down. Although he seems awfully interested.

With so many roadblocks and heartaches going on with both her personal life and career, Becca must figure it all out: what does she really want? What was she meant to do with her life?

As with Beth Kendrick's other books, I thoroughly enjoyed "Fashionably Late". It is filled with laugh-out-loud moments, crackling romantic tension, the ups and downs of following your dreams, and Kendrick's signature witty, addictive writing style. She somehow manages to create characters that are so real, down-to-earth, flawed, yet at the same time endearing. Becca is a little clueless at times and doesn't always make the right choices, she is easy to identify with and like.

Overall I highly recommend this to all Beth Kendrick fans, and to anyone who wants to read a great chick lit novel filled with style, humor, wit and a touch of romance.