Review: The Beautiful People by Michelle Gable

Set against the glamorous 1960s Jet Set, a novel about a failed debutante whose new job as assistant to society photographer Slim Aarons takes her into Palm Beach’s inner circle, and into a beguiling friendship with the star at its center, fashion designer Lilly Pulitzer

It’s 1961, and for Margo Hightower, everything is about to change. True, her engagement is off, her family has fallen in scandal, and she's completely broke. But she’s just been hired as assistant to photographer Slim Aarons—famous for his vibrant pictures of high society, royalty, and Hollywood stars—and she knows this opportunity is her ticket to something better.

From the bright beaches of Acapulco to glitzy parties in New York, Margo is thrown headfirst into the glamorous jet-set world she so covets, observing its ways from behind the camera as Slim’s sidekick. There’s Jackie Kennedy, Truman Capote and his Swans, a host of Vanderbilts. Beautiful people in beautiful places.

But when they land in Palm Beach, a scene with few rules and many riches, the lines between work and play begin to blur. As Margo becomes swept up in the city’s social circle—and into a friendship with heiress and rising fashion designer Lilly Pulitzer—the golden life seems increasingly in reach. Until she finds herself entangled in a complicated web of loyalties and secrets that could bring it all crashing down…

 

My Review:

My favorite book this summer.

I need more. I need a sequel. I couldn’t get enough of this book and I certainly didn’t want it to end. It’s a story about self-discovery, secrets and the value of friendships, all set among the social elite of Palm Beach in the 60s.  The main character of this book is Margo Hightower, who becomes an assistant to Slim Aarons, a famous photographer.  As Margo gets to know the beautiful people of Palm Beach, she learns things aren't always as they appear.

This is a story that I won't soon forget. Even though this book is considered fiction, there are some factual events that make the entire story feel real.  I especially enjoyed learning more about Lilly Pulitzer, one of my fashion icons.