I received this book for free for a Blog Tour in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Chronicles of a Lincoln Park Fashionista by Aven Ellis Also by this author: Connectivity, Waiting For Prince Harry, Survivng the Rachel, The Definition of Icing
Published by Soul Mate Publishing on 10th September 2014
Genres: Chicklit, Contemporary, Fiction, General, Humour, Love & Romance, Romance
Pages: 230
Format: eARC
Source: for a Blog Tour
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Amazon Kindle, Audible
Recent college graduate Avery Andrews is ready to begin a new life in the big city. She’s landed an apartment in Chicago’s famed Lincoln Park neighborhood–and has her eye on the cute commodities trader just a floor above.
If Premier Airlines knew about her fear of flying, they never would have hired her to be their marketing assistant—but it’s not like Avery wants a lifelong career. Right now she simply wants a job to pay her bills…and fund a few little shopping excursions, too.
Her new lifestyle comes with a price tag, as Avery is not only faced with paying a ridiculous rent but finds she’s perceived as one of the vacant, husband-hunting fashionistas who live in the area. Avery resents this stereotype—so she doesn’t want a lifelong career, and she loves fashions she can’t afford, but that doesn’t mean she is empty-headed and spoiled, does it?
When an opportunity to participate in a documentary at work arises, Avery finds a two-fold solution to her problems. She’ll earn extra money for it, and the documentary will show her as a serious career woman, enabling her to shed that husband-hunting fashionista label for good.
When the camera is on, Avery attempts to be a motivated professional woman. But when she is challenged by Deacon Ryan, the videographer assigned to cover her story, Avery finds herself wanting things she was never supposed to want—like a lasting career—and Deacon. And Avery might just gain more from the experience than a perfect career image and extra cash to put in her Tory Burch wallet…
Oh man I have been waiting SOOO long for this book. I’m one of Aven’s Beta Baes so she has been dangling this book in front of me like a piece of meat for months. Getting me to help with the cover and all the while I just wanted to read the book. (Patience is not one of my strong suits.) Anyway she finally sent it to me and I, quite obviously, bumped it to the top of my TBR pile. While I was reading this I was quite glad I wasn’t a beta reader for this book because I think I would have killed Aven. The amount of times I said to myself I’ll just get to the end of the chapter and it was left on a cliffhanger so I just HAD to read the next bit would have driven me insane.
Avery made me laugh a lot. She had landed her self a job at Premier Airlines but is petrified of flying, I mean talk about ironic. So her job it’s just to pay the bills and buy clothes right? She doesn’t care about a career she just wants to find a nice rich man and then look after their future children. The problem is that because of this she’s being stereotyped as an empty-headed fashionista.
Then Avery somehow lands herself a role in the documentary about Premier Airlines. So she starts to pretend she actually cares about her work. Her videographer, DDG (Drop Dead Gorgeous) Deke sees through her pretence and really challenges her. He makes her re-evaluate what she want’s from life. He makes her see that just because things don’t work out how you thought they would or they are ‘supposed’ to doesn’t mean that it’s not the better outcome.
Aven has a knack for writing the perfect man. I mean in Connectivity we had William, hmmmm then we had Harrison in Waiting For Prince Harry who didn’t love him, and a Aven has a few WIP men which let me tell you are scorching, I can’t wait for you to all read them!!! Deke is of course no exception. With his old t-shirts and his challenging questions how could you not fall for him. Oh and did I mention he is hot..like DDG hot! He’s also a little bit damaged. I really felt for him and when he opened up to Avery. I was sitting on my sofa crying, thinking boy this man needs a hug…
The JFK scene really got me. It was so sweet but it also showed everything that Avery had learnt, that you should fight for the things that are important, no matter what it takes.
I honestly can’t give this book enough praise and I don’t think this review has done it enough justice but I hope you all one click this right now.
Excerpt
Sullivan reaches for my hair again. I jerk my head to the side, moving it out of Sullivan’s reach, because I think I might scream if he touches my hair one more time.
Okay. Now Deke will come over here with Zach. I’ll greet him, introduce him to my friends, and then Bree and I can go sit with them at another table.
Wait a second. Deke and Zach are walking over to the dartboard. I quickly realize Deke has no intention of coming over here.
He turns around and looks at me, his eyes burning into mine for a second. Deke takes a sip of his beer, puts it back on the table, and picks up some darts. He immediately turns his attention to the dartboard, as if I’m not even here.
Oooh! That’s it. I’ve had it.
“Excuse me,” I say, nudging Sullivan. “I need to get out, please.”
“But I just got here,” Sullivan snaps, sounding annoyed. “I haven’t even had a drink yet.”
I don’t say another word. I let my eyes tell Sullivan I intend to get out of this booth, even if it means climbing over him or crawling underneath the table.
Sullivan sighs heavily and slides out. I turn to Bree briefly before leaving.
“I see someone I need to talk to,” I say simply. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
I slide out of the booth and make my way across the bar. I go up to Deke, who is propped against the edge of a barstool. His strong arms are folded across his chest, a bottle of beer in one hand as he watches Zach throw darts.
I stop dead in my tracks as I approach him. I take in what he’s wearing—a beautiful azure T-shirt that shows off his athletic upper body and jeans. His hair is perfectly tousled, his face lightly shaded with blondish-brown stubble. And he’s so damn hot and mysterious that I’m suddenly unable to breathe.
Deke turns and I find myself mad all over again, because now he’s the one playing a game.
I march up to him and before I can stop myself, I blurt out what is going through my head.
“Why didn’t you come rescue me?” I yell at him, exasperated.
Deke studies me for a moment. He takes a swig of his beer, casually puts the bottle on the table next to him, and leans toward me, lowering his head so it’s next to my ear.
“I wasn’t aware that you needed to be rescued from the man of your dreams, Fashionista,” he murmurs over the music.
Every inch of me comes alive as his words vibrate against my ear. I get goose bumps. My skin in tingling in this delicious way I’ve never experienced before.
He stands back up and studies me. I’m about to respond when he gently puts his thumb on my cheek, wiping away a streak of lip-gloss that Sullivan has left behind.
Oh.My.God. I feel a million sparks the second Deke touches me. I shiver and suck in a breath of air, unnerved by the experience of his skin against mine.
“So do you need to be rescued?” he asks.
About Aven Ellis
I live in the Dallas area with my family. I enjoy clipping out recipes I will never get around to trying, working out, and chatting with friends on social media. I’m a hockey nut (Go Stars!) and watch as much as humanly possible. I also love shopping and fashion and admit to being obsessed with whatever the Duchess of Cambridge is wearing. In addition to be obsessed with the Duchess, I’m equally obsessed with any show or cookbook featuring Gordon Ramsay.
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
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