Customer Reviews

Spa Wars

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I finally got around to reading Spa Wars by Chris Manby. It's been in my tbr box (literally) for over a year. Yes, I know I'm a philistine for having the audacity to not read a Chris Manby book as soon as I got it, but I was a little preoccupied at the time.

But I can say the wait was worth it. It packed quite a bit into about 300 pages. It was like a 600-700 page bonkbuster, but with out the extra 300-400 pages and sex.

You've got a girl, Emily Brown who has finally realized her dream of opening her own beauty salon at the age of 26. She's sunk all of her money and hopes into it. The same night her dreams come true, another 26 year old, Carina Lees is becoming a celebrity after becoming a runner up for a huge reality show. The book deals with the high stakes world of beauty and entertainment and how these two seemingly unlike girls are tied together.

The cast of characters is what you'd expect. There's Emily and her close friend and work associate Chloe who's been with her from day one. Matt, a hunk, who regularly has been coming to her for waxing and mani-pedis. Natalie, the clueless, unglamorous new hire from Wales and Carina Lees, the new reality show darling of the country who is milking her 15 minutes of fame.

I loved how both came together by coincidence when Carina Lees acrylic nail breaks on her way to an awards ceremony and she just happens across The Beauty Spot, where Emily is cleaning up after a long days work. Emily is starstruck when she sees Carina and fixes her nail. Carina returns the favor by mentioning the name of the salon that fixed her emergency and Emily's salon gets a much needed boost. How the women's fears and insecurities play out is chilling to read.

It's funny but one can learn a lot from this book, moral wise. Assumptions always make a donkey's rear out of you. What goes around comes around. Beware of honeyed tongue's, etc. Don't judge a book by its cover. The book has so many situations that we find our selves in our daily lives like second guessing ourselves, believing grass is greener on the other side, and just being afraid to be ourselves and accept others.

I would have given this book 5 stars, but the ending was a little too twee for me. Without trying to give it away, I found it hard to swallow insta-forgiveness. It's great in theory, but not in real life.

All in all, this book was a great read and I would recommend it to any chicklit fan, and will not be so hesitant to pick up Chris Manby books from my tbr box. :)

I love it from page one. A pure thriller. I really recommend this to Chris Manby's fans. Believe me, you won't regret it.