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She's All That    by Kristin Billerbeck Amazon.com order for
She's All That
by Kristin Billerbeck
Order:  USA  Can
Integrity, 2005 (2005)
Paperback, CD
* *   Reviewed by Melissa Parcel

Lilly Jacobs isn't following the career path her Nana wishes for her. Although Lilly has an MBA in finance from Stanford, her heart's desire is to be a fashion designer - even if it means existing well below the standard of living she could be achieving with a finance job.

Nana can't see why Lilly would throw away a perfectly good degree for what she considers a pipe dream. And Lilly blames most of the misfortune in her life - from missing out on a promotion at her design job to the breakup with her current boyfriend - on her hair. Yes, her hair. Lilly has grown up with a Q-tip head of hair that has made her the brunt of many jokes. When all seems bleak, Lilly calls a meeting of the Spa Girls. Lilly, Dr. Poppy Clayton and heiress Morgan Maillard live completely different lives, but when they get together at the spa, their differences give way to their status as best friends. They use their spa weekends as times to de-stress, talk things out, and keep focused on what truly matters. Does Lilly really have a future in fashion? Is there a guy who will accept her, crazy hair and all?

This is the first book in the Spa Girls Collection. Lilly is quite insecure, which is a puzzling fit with her dogged determination to make it in fashion design, no matter what. She pursues the career past the point where most people would have given up and taken the higher paying job in finance. Although Lilly admits to being a Christian and this is considered an inspirational novel, neither she nor her friends spend much time praying and seeking God's direction for their decisions. And though the romantic storyline in the novel takes a back seat to career struggles, Lilly's love life provides a great deal of comic levity. Even though she thinks her hair a detriment to attracting men, at one point Lilly has three potential suitors. The result of some of the relationships is hilarious and readers will want to see who (if anyone) Lilly ends up with.

As light romance, this is a wholesome, enjoyable read. And if you're tired of romance that features sleeping around, this is a superb choice. Kristin Billerbeck is making a name for herself in Christian chick lit, and She's All That is a sweet start to a series that should tie together more cohesively once we get the perspectives of the other spa girls.

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