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Also by Cathy Lamb:

Ruthie Deschutes O'Hara has Ulterior Motives, September 2024
e-Book
Ten Kids, Two Lovebirds, and a Singing Mermaid, May 2024
Paperback / e-Book
The Man She Married, November 2018
Trade Size / e-Book
Henry's Sisters, July 2018
Trade Size / e-Book
No Place I'd Rather Be, September 2017
e-Book
The Language of Sisters, September 2016
Trade Size
Henry's Sisters, August 2016
Paperback / e-Book (reprint)
Our First Christmas, October 2014
Paperback / e-Book
What I Remember Most, September 2014
Paperback / e-Book
If You Could See What I See, August 2013
Paperback / e-Book
You're Still The One, March 2013
Paperback / e-Book
A Different Kind Of Normal, August 2012
Paperback / e-Book
Beach Season, May 2012
Trade Size / e-Book
First Day of the Rest of My Life, May 2011
Trade Size
Holiday Magic, November 2010
Paperback
Such A Pretty Face, August 2010
Trade Size
Almost Home, August 2009
Paperback
Henry's Sisters, August 2009
Paperback
The Last Time I Was Me, May 2008
Trade Size
Comfort and Joy, November 2007
Paperback
Julia's Chocolates, May 2007
Trade Size

Such A Pretty Face
Cathy Lamb

Kensington
August 2010
On Sale: June 29, 2010
Featuring: Stevie Barrett
352 pages
ISBN: 0758229550
EAN: 9780758229557
Trade Size
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Women's Fiction Contemporary

In this warm, funny, thoroughly candid novel, acclaimed author Cathy Lamb introduces an unforgettable heroine who's half the woman she used to be, and about to find herself for the first time...

Two years and 170 pounds ago, Stevie Barrett was wheeled into an operating room for surgery that most likely saved her life. Since that day, a new Stevie has emerged, one who walks without wheezing, plants a garden for self-therapy, and builds and paints fantastical wooden chairs. At thirty-five, Stevie is the one thing she never thought she'd be: thin.

But for everything that's changed, some things remain the same. Stevie's shyness refuses to melt away. She still can't look her neighbors' gorgeous great-nephew in the eye. The Portland law office where she works remains utterly dysfunctional, as does her family?the aunt, uncle, and cousins who took her in when she was a child. To top it off, her once supportive best friend clearly resents her weight loss.

By far the biggest challenge in Stevie's new life lies in figuring out how to define her new self. Collaborating with her cousins to plan her aunt and uncle's problematic fortieth anniversary party, Stevie starts to find some surprising answers?about who she is, who she wants to be, and how the old Stevie evolved in the first place. And with each revelation, she realizes the most important part of her transformation may not be what she's lost, but the courage and confidence she's gathering, day by day.

As achingly honest as it is witty, Such A Pretty Face is a richly insightful novel of one woman's search for love, family, and acceptance, of the pain we all carry?and the wonders that can happen when we let it go at last.

Comments

14 comments posted.

Re: Such A Pretty Face

The book sounds so interesting!
I love stories about characters
that are dealing with a massive
change in their identity.
(Jacqueline Cook 12:33pm August 5, 2010)

I've had the pleasure of reading this novel already and it was fabulous!

Cathy wrote: "We so often want change, but change doesn’t mean all will be well and dandy." So true! This novel explored this theme extremely well.
(Marilyn Brant 2:16pm August 5, 2010)

All I can say is "Wow!!". I can't wait to see how everything fits into your story.
(Robin McKay 3:04pm August 5, 2010)

I'm going to have to pick this book up - sounds too good not to read!!
(Kelli Jo Calvert 3:57pm August 5, 2010)

I do beleive I'll be down loading this book today
(Vickie Hightower 5:00pm August 5, 2010)

I am fascinated. I can't wait to read more.
(Mary Preston 6:46pm August 5, 2010)

I agree about people wanting change and then in the process don't like so much where it gets them. However sometimes even I'm surprised.
(Alyson Widen 7:05pm August 5, 2010)

Wow, that last paragraph throws a lot
out there. I can't wait to see how it all
fits together. Loosing a large amount
of weight won't solve your problems.
You are still you and unless you deal
with the factors that resulted in the
weight gain, you will have problems of
some sort. The weight can still come
back, it will just take a while.
(Patricia Barraclough 9:00pm August 5, 2010)

There are so many reasons we gain weight, and so many less reasons we can lose it safely. Sadly, life is what happens when we are busy making other plans. This book sounds like it addresses a large number of 'hidden' issues for a lot of us.
(Susan Driskill 9:39pm August 5, 2010)

This book certainly sounds different and interesting. Knowing someone who is fighting heavy weight, it sounds so real. The person I know had been a ballet dancer for years with a major troupe and then she married a man who lives to cook. My husband made the comment that she is now "two ballet dancers." She, too, has a beautiful face, but I know only two well what caused her weight gain, since I have had the pleasure of eating some of her husband's cooking. He is one heck of a cook and I am sure the fabulous meals he prepared were hard to resist.
(Gladys Paradowski 9:58pm August 5, 2010)

You have so many elements to your book, and so many of them sound like this is a book not to be read on a stormy evening!! I am intrigued, and can't wait to read it!! The questions you put out there for your storyline do give one pause, and you have me hooked. I'm glad you have some background to back up your book!!
(Peggy Roberson 10:57pm August 5, 2010)

Wow! Someone actually put Roller Derby in a probably classified as "Woman's Fiction"?!?!? Way to go!! I'll go looking for it just for that! Derby ROCKS!!

Later,

Lynn, aka "Boxy, The Box Officer, of the Mad Rollin' Dolls, Madison, Wisconsin.
(Lynn Rettig 1:43am August 6, 2010)

Sorry, that should have read "in a BOOK classified as ..." I get a little excited when someone writes about derby where I least expect to see someone writing about derby.

Later,

Lynn
(Lynn Rettig 1:45am August 6, 2010)

Your book sounds fascinating. Off
to put it on my list to get right
now.
(Lisa Richards 7:27pm August 9, 2010)