Beach reads for the fashion forward

Credit: J.C.

Beach reads for the fashion forward

The joy of summer in full swing is getting outside and enjoying a bit of vitamin D. While some like to lounge on a patio and slug back beer, others prefer to whet their appetites with a juicy summer read. Liberally slathered in SPF, I’m heading off to the beach, and here’s what’s inside my Hermès beach tote:

UP FOR RENEWAL: WHAT MAGAZINES TAUGHT ME ABOUT LOVE, SEX AND STARTING OVER, by Cathy Alter

Cathy Alter, a 37-year-old divorcée and freelance writer, documents the year of her life spent zealously following the advice of several major women’s magazines — without question — in hopes of crawling out of her life’s slump. A hilarious and, at times, endearing account of one woman’s journey into middle-age maturity, Alter writes with honesty and relatable self-deprecation. Who hasn’t ripped a page out of a magazine, marched to the mall, purchased the must-have item, no matter how ridiculous, and all because it will “change your life”? Readers will root for Alter as she struggles desperately to get her life back on track finding both ruin and redemption on the pages of the glossies. (Simon & Schuster)

LESSONS OF A LIPSTICK QUEEN: FINDING AND DEVELOPING THE GREAT IDEA THAT CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE, by Poppy King

We all have ideas, but how many of them come to fruition? Lipstick Queen founder Poppy King was just eighteen when she launched her now multi-million-dollar cosmetics business. In her book, King takes readers through her entrepreneurial journey, offering an insider’s view of the beauty industry. The lessons are not specific to the beauty world, but on starting any kind of business. King keeps the book personable, the tone conversational, and she breaks down business jargon into simple, user-friendly terms for an easy and interesting read. (Atria)

HOLLY WOULD DREAM, by Karen Quinn

For Holly Ross, a young fashion historian named after Audrey Hepburn’s famous character in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, life couldn’t be more perfect. With a fabulous boyfriend and a killer career, she’s on track to live happily ever after. But when both her wedding and job promotion fall apart, her fairy-tale ending seems like a faded dream. Holly turns her life from wreckage to enchantment while cruising the Mediterranean, tracking down a suitcase of stolen Audrey Hepburn dresses, and vying to capture a tycoon’s heart. Filled with numerous Hepburn movie references, this book moves at a titillating pace and has all the ingredients of a classic Hepburn flick: a bit of fashion, a dash of romance, and whole lot of charm. (Touchstone)

PETITE ANGLAISE: IN PARIS, IN LOVE, IN TROUBLE, by Catherine Sanderson

Bloggers, take note! Petite Anglaise started off as a blog of the same name while British ex-pat Catherine Sanderson was living in Paris — City of Light, Love and Yves Saint Laurent. The promise of a perfect life (complete with handsome French husband, bilingual daughter, and charming apartment) was bogged down by the combined weight of motherhood and a romance gone cold — all of which had her turning to her online outlet to unleash an alter ego. Written with the same fluidity as her blog, Petite Anglaise will have you staying up all hours with Sanderson as she describes her Parisian neighbourhood, her resentment for her common-law husband (nicknamed Mr. Frog), and her daughter (Tadpole). (Doubleday Canada)

TELL ME SOMETHING, by Adele Parks

While Sex and the City will always be near and dear to our hearts, it’s time to move on. Dubbed the U.K.’s answer to SATC creator Candace Bushnell, author Adele Parks’s eighth novel gives us a story that every girl can relate to. Heroine Elisabeth is married to a handsome Italian. Now all she wants is a baby. When the Italian decides to return to Italy to run the family business, Elisabeth embarks on a hilarious adventure where ‘lost in translation’ is more than just a language barrier. With an overbearing mother-in-law and her husband’s ex living just around the corner, Elisabeth must fend for herself, eventually finding solace in the company of a gorgeous American language teacher. I’m still blushing. (Michael Joseph)

COCKTAIL PARTY GUIDE TO GLOBAL WARMING, by Annette Saliken

Summer is the perfect time for heated arguments on global warming, isn’t it? Vancouver-based author Annette Saliken was inspired to write this award-winning, easy-to-read guide to environmental issues while completing her MBA at Royal Roads University. Her thesis on global warming and alternative energy generated a fair amount of buzz on the university’s cocktail circuit, which is how she realized just how much misinformation is out there. Saliken has broken down thousands of pages of scientific data from credible sources into everyday language, making the complex issue of global warming accessible to everyone. (iUniverse)