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Sunshine, secrets, and swoon-worthy stories—June's featured reads are your perfect summer escape.

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He doesn�t need a woman in his life; she knows he can�t live without her.


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A Total Waste of Makeup

A Total Waste of Makeup, January 2006
by Kim Gruenenfelder

St. Martin's Press Griffin
Featuring: Charlize "Charlie" Edwards
384 pages
ISBN: 031234872X
Trade Size
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"A hilarious romp through bad dates and great advice."

Fresh Fiction Review

A Total Waste of Makeup
Kim Gruenenfelder

Reviewed by Lissa Staley
Posted January 15, 2006

Romance Chick-Lit

Charlize "Charlie" Edwards works as the personal assistant for Dean Stanton, one of the sexiest stars in Hollywood. Although Charlie organizes his work schedule, home maintenance, doctors' appointments, parties and even his dates, her own personal life is a disaster. She's on the verge of turning 30, still hanging out with her girlfriends from college, going clubbing and on bad dates, and then waiting by the phone for the guys to call. In an effort to let someone else learn from her misfortunate adventures, Charlie begins keeping a journal of advice for her future great-grand-niece, filled with all of the tidbits of information she wishes someone had told her along the way. The upcoming dual crises of her birthday and her younger sister's wedding force Charlie to evaluate her situation and her role in her own unhappiness. She's desperately hoping that a recent one-night-stand will call her back for another date when she meets two attractive and available men at her birthday party. Jordan is the photographer from Dean's current movie project, and Doug is an attractive agent hoping to sign her boss as a client. Both men seem interested, but Dean is becoming more demanding and interfering, especially when he hooks up with one of Charlie's gorgeous friends. What will Charlie do when some days are just a TOTAL WASTE OF MAKEUP? Charlie is far from perfect, but she is beloved by her friends, her quirky family and even her famous boss. From self-help phrases (Don't ever be afraid to be alone) to ironic cynicism (When all else fails, try the truth), Charlie's advice is witty and wise, even though she sometimes contradicts herself before the ink on the pages of her journal is dry. Charlie's love interest in the sensitive photographer Jordan was only unbelievable in that both of them used unreliable dial-up Internet access from home, despite coordinating busy Hollywood lifestyles. Just as the suspense in the movie Wicker Park could have been resolved with a cell phone call, some of the plot contrivances in this novel need an upgrade to broadband. In spite of outdated technology, this fun new novel from Los Angeles writer Kim Gruenenfelder is full of likable characters and good advice.

Learn more about A Total Waste of Makeup

SUMMARY

A personal assistant to a movie star searches for love in all the wrong places in this engaging debut by a Hollywood screenwriter. Tired of "wasting makeup" on disastrous first dates, 30-year-old Charlie Edwards takes a much-needed sabbatical from men to fulfill her duties as maid-of-honor at her younger sister's upcoming wedding. What she doesn't count on is falling head over heels in love with a set photographer who may not even like her. A refreshingly honest and humorous look at today's dating scene.


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