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Beauty Queen (Berkley Sensation) [Mass Market Paperback]

Julia London (Author)
5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)

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Audio, CD, Audiobook £11.71   -- --
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Book Description

Publication Date: April 2004 | Series: Berkley Sensation

In the second book of The Fancy Lives of the Lear Sisters trilogy, a former beauty queen’s perfect life comes crashing down…but unexpected love may lift her right back up.

Former Miss Texas Rebecca Lear knows a thing or two about looking perfect—even when her life is anything but. When her no-good husband leaves her for another woman, the fairy-tale illusion shatters. Heartbroken, Rebecca heads to Austin to pick up the pieces of her life, volunteering for a friend’s political campaign in a desperate attempt to start anew. When she clashes with a gorgeous, hot-shot lawyer over campaign strategies, Rebecca realizes she’s in way over her head. And maybe that’s a good thing…

Matt Parrish is the toughest litigator in Texas—and a notorious heartbreaker. When he agrees to help out with his former fraternity brother’s campaign, he never imagined he’d be stuck working with an ex-beauty queen. There’s no denying she’s beautiful…and sweet and funny and smarter than anyone gives her credit for. But men like Matt don’t fall in love with women like Rebecca, no matter how hot the flames of passion burn between them…

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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Product details

  • Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
  • Publisher: Berkley Publishing Group (April 2004)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0425195244
  • ISBN-13: 978-0425195246
  • Product Dimensions: 16.5 x 11.2 x 3.6 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,488,398 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Julia London
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Product Description

About the Author

Julia London grew up on a ranch in Canyon, Texas, and attended the University of Texas at Austin. After graduation, she joined the Department of Commerce in Washington, D.C., before landing a job at the White House as a “policy wonk” in the office of the nation’s drug czar. She eventually returned to Texas, where she decided to try her hand at writing fiction after working for the local government proved to be a serious threat to her sanity.

Fifteen years later, Julia is the New York Times, USA Today, and Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author of more than twenty-five romantic fiction novels, including the popular Desperate Debutantes, Scandalous, and The Secrets of Hadley Green historical romance series. She is also the author of several contemporary women’s fiction novels with strong romantic elements, including the upcoming Homecoming Ranch Trilogy. Julia is the recipient of the RT Bookclub Award for Best Historical Romance and a four-time finalist for the prestigious RITA Award for excellence in romantic fiction. She lives in Austin, Texas. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Inside This Book (Learn More)
First Sentence
Exhausted, her body aching deep in the marrow and covered with a three-day grime from schlepping across the mountains, Rebecca Lear could only pray that she did not stink as bad as she feared. Read the first page
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars A winner! 4 Feb 2004
By Detra Fitch TOP 500 REVIEWER VINE™ VOICE
Format:Mass Market Paperback
Rebecca Lear had always been pretty, popular, and part of the wealthy Lear family. She had even been Miss Texas years ago. Now she was recently divorced, had a five-year-old son, Grayson, and trying to prove that she was NOT worthless, at least to herself. She decided to start with something small like a job, any job. But no one would hire her for anything! Rebecca had never been taken seriously in her whole life. She was sick of it! So when Senator Tom Masters asked her to join his campaign team, she was thrilled.

Lawyer Matt Parrish had been helping Tom campaign for lieutenant govenor. Tom even had thoughts about running for District Attorney sometime in the future, himself. Matt had been shocked when Tom made Rebecca his campaign strategist. She knew nothing about politics or the needs of Texas. In fact, from the moment Rebecca had called him cheap, she had managed to turn his life upside down and inside out.

***** Author Julia London has another winner here! Each character has a personality all their own. The story flows smoothly and a touch of humor keeps everything going at the perfect pace. An awesome story by one of today's most talented authors! Brava! *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com: 4.0 out of 5 stars  21 reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars heartfelt writing is a winner! 16 April 2004
By Victoria Devlin - Published on Amazon.com
Format:Mass Market Paperback
This book follows the second sister in the Lear family. Daughters of a selfmade man who is dying. He wants his daughters lives to get on track, so he can die knowing they are happy and secure. Sometimes his meddling is not good, but that is a father, eh?

In the second sister, Rebecca. She was perfect daughter, perfect beauty queen, perfect wife and then perfect mother. None of that prepares her for life's realities when hubby dumps her for younger woman.

She has to struggle to make a way for her son and herself, but along the way she had to find her own self value.

As she is getting footing she joins a political campaign and immediately comes to verbal blows with Matt Parrish. Only, she is not the same only perfect person...hurrah!!!

A gentle journey of self discovery for the character, under the masterful pen of London!!!

Gotta go get sister #1

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
2.0 out of 5 stars Nothing compared to Material girl! 13 Aug 2006
By Zena - Published on Amazon.com
Format:Mass Market Paperback
I was incredibly surprised at this second installment of the Lear sisters. After reading material girl, which absolutely fantastic, I was excited to read about Rebecca- who was Miss Texas in her youth and had only a divorce and a son to show for it, to only be shocked at the silly writing and dialogue as well as the shallow and meaningless relationship between Rebecca and Matt-the hero.

I would like to say this first: London is a gifted writer, she is deep without being overwhelming and funny without turning into a comedian instead of a romance writer. She has an amazing grasp of characterization and her dead-on attention to detail that go on during human dramas. But most of all her build-up between two strangers that inevitably fall in love and steamy yet touching love scenes are the main reasons why I keep buying her books.

However, everything I had just mentioned was sadly lacking in Beauty Queen. I loved Rebecca and that's all I loved about the book. Although the writing started witty and sharp, it became goofy, immature and tiresome when no shift in tone was evident.

Matt, an arrogant and playboy lawyer, was the most shallow and immature hero I have ever read. You had zero empathy for the man and could not relate to his careless regard for anything but himself. Unlike Rebecca, there was hardly any build-up to his character and all you saw of him was his constant sheepish grin and arrogance. And for 80% percent of the book they were like 2 girlfriends having it out with each other instead of 2 adults that were attracted to each other. Then before you even know what hit you, Matt makes a miraculous transformation and falls in love with Rebecca. What did I miss???

In all honesty, I was left baffled that I was reading a Julia London book and the only explanation I could think of is that it was deliberate she left the second installment shallow and immature that drastically shifts from her usual style.

I hope the 3rd Lear sister gets just as an incredible story as her first sister did, and be content with the second one being a major slip up.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars Second of the Lear siblings 13 Feb 2006
By Tracy Vest - Published on Amazon.com
Format:Mass Market Paperback
In the second installment of London's update Lear trilogy, middle daughter Rebecca is recently divorced with a toddler in tow, and looking for a job to help boost her sagging confidence. A chance meeting with a handsome stranger has disastrous results, particularly when she is asked to join a political campaign, and he turns out to be one of the key strategists, a bossy trial lawyer who is exasperated that she was chosen to be on the campaign.

As she struggles to find her confidence and not be just another pretty face, Rebecca and Matt start to work side by side, and initially butt heads at every turn, but start to develop feelings for each other. Matt even spends time with her son, who cannot seem to garner any of his father's attention. Soon both discover that they don't really like the candidate they are trying to get elected.

This one is not quite up to par with the fist in the series, though it does retain the funny dialog and humorous internal musings. The initial meeting between Rebecca and Matt is priceless!
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