Title: The Stylist
Author: Rosie Nixon
Publication Date: 11 February 2016
Publisher: Mira
Twitter: @Rosie_Nixon
Rating: 4 out of 5
Blurb
When Amber Green, a shop assistant in an exclusive London boutique is plucked from obscurity and mistakenly offered a job working with Mona Armstrong, the infamous, jet-setting ‘stylist to the stars’, she hits the ground running, helping to style some of Hollywood’s hottest (and craziest) starlets.
As awards season spins into action Mona is in hot demand and Amber’s life turned upside down. Suddenly she catching the attention of two very different suitors, TV producer Rob and Hollywood bad boy rising star Liam. How will Amber keep her head? And what the hell will everyone wear?
Review
I would like to thank the publisher for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review.
The Stylistis the debut novel from Rosie Nixon, celebrity/fashion magazine editor and it is an absolutely fantastic debut!
I don’t tend to read celebrity/fashion magazines (except during train journeys), however I will still admit to having a bit of a fascination with the glamour of celebrity life. As such, I found the premise for The Stylist to be very interesting. Nixon has written about what she knows and I think that shows in the details. After working on some of the world’s top glossy magazine’s Nixon will certainly have seen and experienced things that the rest of us cannot possibly imagine and this allows her to give great insight into the (sometimes ludicrous) world of show business.
The characterisation is clever and works well. The main protagonist, Amber Green is a hugely likeable character. She is hard working, down-to-earth and simply manages to find herself in the right place at the right time, thanks to a little fashion mishap whilst undertaking some window dressing. It really is a case of ‘start as you mean to go on’ as Amber finds herself stumbling from one hilarious mishap to the next! Amber’s new boss is Mona Armstrong, a demanding, unpredictable and totally insane ‘stylist to the stars’. Mona is a character so wrapped up in her own status and fame that she has almost become a caricature of herself. Throw into the mix Amber’s best friend, Vicky, assistant producer Rob, actor Liam, director Trey, starlet Beau and a greedy miniature pig and you’ll find yourself with a great cast of characters!
The plot is fast paced and leaves no time for boredom as Amber flies off to the dazzling lights of LA where she finds herself instantly immersed in a flurry of dresses, accessories, filmstars and red carpets. It is awards season and Amber finds her new role to be very challenging as she tries to juggle her new position whilst trying to keep her crazy new employer under control. As Mona begins a descent into some sort of dramatic breakdown, Amber has her work cut out for her trying to cover for Mona’s unexplained absences, all the while trying to save Mona’s reputation in Hollywood as one of the top celebrity stylists.
Whilst the story is set in the glitzy world of show business and fashion, this is merely the background to a story about grasping on to every opportunity that arises and not letting your dreams pass you by. It is a tale with a theme of having the courage of your convictions and standing up to people who try to trample all over you. In a world where people are willing to climb over each other to reach the top, it is important to be able to recognise those people who you can rely on and who won’t let you down or double-cross you. The tale reminds the reader that in an industry where appearance is central, sometimes looks can prove very deceiving!
I found The Stylist to be genuinely entertaining and great fun! It’s witty, stylish and brilliantly funny. A real insight into the world of fashion and celebrity, with a little bit of romance thrown in for good measure. I thought it was a fantastic read! I could certainly imagine this book being adapted for the big screen at some point in the future.
About the Author
Rosie Nixon has been joint Editor of HELLO! magazine for the past five years where she relishes the role of hands-on editor with a love of all things celebrity, royal and fashion-related. She previously held senior positions at glossy women’s magazines including Grazia, Glamour and Red. In her career she has been lucky enough to attend a multitude of glamorous award ceremonies, premieres and showbiz weddings all around the world. The Stylist is her debut novel.
Buy Links
The Curious Ginger Cat 