The rules are clear—until they’re broken. Lauren Layne puts a New Adult spin on Pygmalion, also the inspiration for Pretty Woman, and gives the classic love story its edgiest twist yet.=========================================================================
“Who knew that pretending you’re not falling for someone would be so much more difficult than pretending that you are?”
Stephanie Kendrick gave up her whole summer to ace her NYU film school screenwriting course, so she’s pissed to be stuck with a preppy, spoiled frat boy as her writing partner. Then again, with her piercings, black-rimmed eyes, and Goth wardrobe, Stephanie isn’t exactly Ethan Price’s type, either. He’s probably got his eye on some leggy blonde with a trust fund . . . or does he?
As the summer scene kicks off in the Hamptons, Ethan is desperate to make his snobbish mother forget the pedigreed girl who broke his heart. While Stephanie’s a stretch as a decoy, the right makeover and a pastel cardigan just might do the trick. She may not love the idea of playing Ethan’s brainless Barbie girlfriend, but the free rent and luxurious digs make a tempting offer. So does the promise of a ready-made screenplay idea inspired by their charade.
But when Stephanie steps into Ethan’s privileged world, the “acting” begins to feel all too real. The kissing and touching that were intended to fool the Hamptons crowd wind up manipulating them. And Stephanie faces a question she’s too afraid to ask: Is Ethan falling for the real her or for the dolled-up princess he wants to see?
R.D. October 28 2013 LINKS: GOODREADS | AMAZON
REVIEW
4. 5 STARS
Isn't She Lovely is your modern day/ NYU twist version of the Pygmalion story.
It tells about Stephanie Kendrick, who is an NYU student who spent her summer attending a film class in order to avoid going back home. Her mother passed away before her high school graduation and then her dad moved them to North Carolina and remarried just a few months after her mother's death which strained her relationship with her father. Though another event happened the night on her mother's death which drastically changed her including her looks and attitude. She had to stay with cheating ex boyfriend for the mean time because her past living arrangement couldn't work out and she couldn't stay in the dorms that time. And well wouldn't that be awkward for her despite her never wanting to see and talk to him plus the ex drop a bomb which made her situation past the awkwardness.
She meets Ethan Price under an embarrassing situation on the way to class. Little did she know that he was also in her class added to that he is also her partner in a project which she couldn't get out.
Ethan Price is gorgeous and comes from old family. He's the same with Stephanie in avoiding going home by attending summer class but for a different reason. Ethan avoided working as an internship in his dad's business to actually avoid 4 persons. One of them was his ex girlfriend. I won't mention the others in order not to spoil it for you.
Because of Ethan's mother nagging him about getting it together again with Olivia he decided to act out the modern Pygmalion screenplay for their project. In truth, they would act out the characters themselves and they would write if for their play. His plan was for Stephanie to pretend to be his girlfriend and deceived Ethan's family in order to get his mother of his back. In exchange, Stephanie has to have the new image of a preppy girl but the new look was something she was before the incidents happened and Ethan would let her live with him rent free.
Now, as they spend more time together acting out their plan they both wonder if they are still acting or is there more to this screenplay?
What I loved about this book was when they actually pretended to be intimate. You can really feel that their feelings are a part of it despite that they act it out. Although they do kept on denying their feelings for one another, in the end they realized that they are past pretending.
I was a bit bored with Stephanie because it's predictable that she uses her goth look and attitude to protect herself but on the way to be pretending to be a new Stephanie which was also her in the past she got confused to which is the real her. At the same time, she wasn't sure if Ethan liked her for goth or new look. Also, as Ethan and her bonded more, he was able to help her move on from her past.
Ethan was a fun read and he too was able to move on from his past. Although he wasn't sure himself if he loved the goth or new version
This story was really sweet at the same time it was steamy. Lastly, Stephanie realizes who she truly was and that it also opened Ethan's eyes to accept her for herself.
I just have to say that this book is amazing. I couldn't put it down. Once you've read it, it will hook you up, you have no choice but to read it straight. Well for me that is...
*Received an ARC by Netgalley from Random House Publishing Group *
Isn't She Lovely is your modern day/ NYU twist version of the Pygmalion story.
It tells about Stephanie Kendrick, who is an NYU student who spent her summer attending a film class in order to avoid going back home. Her mother passed away before her high school graduation and then her dad moved them to North Carolina and remarried just a few months after her mother's death which strained her relationship with her father. Though another event happened the night on her mother's death which drastically changed her including her looks and attitude. She had to stay with cheating ex boyfriend for the mean time because her past living arrangement couldn't work out and she couldn't stay in the dorms that time. And well wouldn't that be awkward for her despite her never wanting to see and talk to him plus the ex drop a bomb which made her situation past the awkwardness.
She meets Ethan Price under an embarrassing situation on the way to class. Little did she know that he was also in her class added to that he is also her partner in a project which she couldn't get out.
Ethan Price is gorgeous and comes from old family. He's the same with Stephanie in avoiding going home by attending summer class but for a different reason. Ethan avoided working as an internship in his dad's business to actually avoid 4 persons. One of them was his ex girlfriend. I won't mention the others in order not to spoil it for you.
Because of Ethan's mother nagging him about getting it together again with Olivia he decided to act out the modern Pygmalion screenplay for their project. In truth, they would act out the characters themselves and they would write if for their play. His plan was for Stephanie to pretend to be his girlfriend and deceived Ethan's family in order to get his mother of his back. In exchange, Stephanie has to have the new image of a preppy girl but the new look was something she was before the incidents happened and Ethan would let her live with him rent free.
Now, as they spend more time together acting out their plan they both wonder if they are still acting or is there more to this screenplay?
What I loved about this book was when they actually pretended to be intimate. You can really feel that their feelings are a part of it despite that they act it out. Although they do kept on denying their feelings for one another, in the end they realized that they are past pretending.
I was a bit bored with Stephanie because it's predictable that she uses her goth look and attitude to protect herself but on the way to be pretending to be a new Stephanie which was also her in the past she got confused to which is the real her. At the same time, she wasn't sure if Ethan liked her for goth or new look. Also, as Ethan and her bonded more, he was able to help her move on from her past.
Ethan was a fun read and he too was able to move on from his past. Although he wasn't sure himself if he loved the goth or new version
This story was really sweet at the same time it was steamy. Lastly, Stephanie realizes who she truly was and that it also opened Ethan's eyes to accept her for herself.
I just have to say that this book is amazing. I couldn't put it down. Once you've read it, it will hook you up, you have no choice but to read it straight. Well for me that is...
*Received an ARC by Netgalley from Random House Publishing Group *
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