Total Waste of Makeup by Kim Gruenenfelder

From the Publisher

Charlize "Charlie" Edwards certainly knows, in theory, what it takes to lead a successful and happy life. She owns a nice house in Silverlake, LA's trendiest neighborhood. She has glamorous and loyal friends who accompany her to the hottest clubs in town. And she works as the personal assistant to Drew Stanton, Hollywood's sexiest movie star. But she's also turning 30, chronically single, and faced with serving as maid of honor at her younger sister's wedding. Charlie finds herself struggling to juggle the chaos of wedding planning (while wondering if she'll ever wear the white dress herself), her all-consuming job for lunatic boss Stanton, and a serious crush on Jordan, a photographer on the set of Drew's latest feature--a man who might actually return her feelings. A page-turner from start to finish, A Total Waste of Makeup puts a fresh face on women's fiction.

Library Journal

Charlize "Charlie" Edwards enjoys her job as a personal assistant to a hot male movie star, but as she turns 30, she finds herself reflecting on and wanting more out of life. Being her younger sister's maid of honor makes her feel old and alone, her family is driving her crazy, and it doesn't help that her best friend and her boss are becoming romantically involved. Convinced that she'll never have children of her own, she writes advice to pass on to a future grandniece-and realizes she knows a lot more than she gives herself credit for. Yet dating again just brings more disappointment and angst: after a seeming Mr. Right goes wrong, she falls head over heels for a gorgeous set photographer she's not even sure likes her. It all comes to a head at her sister's disastrous Las Vegas bachelorette party. Gruenenfelder, a Hollywood screenwriter, knows her setting and her craft. Well-written characters and a wicked sense of humor help this debut stand above the usual chick-lit fare. Recommended for larger fiction collections or where chick lit is popular.-Rebecca Vnuk, River Forest P.L., IL Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

A personal assistant tries to define the rules of dating in Hollywood. Charlie Edwards spends most of her days tending to the whims of movie star Drew Stanton, whose celebrity supposedly rivals that of Tom Cruise. When she isn't booking his massages and interviewing his personal trainers, Charlie finds time to write observations about life and love in her journal, which is filled with advice meant to be passed along to her future great-grandniece. This burst of introspection is the result of Charlie's looming 30th birthday-to be celebrated sans boyfriend. To make matters worse, her little sister, Andy, is beating her down the aisle. Forced to put dreams of love on hold, Charlie musters the necessary enthusiasm to support Andy. Thankfully, she has two loyal girlfriends with whom to share her frustrations-the three hit the town, reveal their vulnerabilities and regale each other with dating horror stories. The honesty of emotion they share is refreshing. Gruenenfelder's debut supplies a splendid vacation from reality. At times better than re-runs of your favorite Friends episodes.

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