Beyond The Blonde

Kathleen Flynn-Hui
Warner Books (2006)
ISBN 0446694525
Reviewed by Nancy Young for Reader Views (8/06)


 In "Beyond The Blonde", author Kathleen Flynn-Hui gives the reader a behind-the-scenes look at the "world of beauty".  The best to come along since The Nanny Diaries and The Devil Wears Prada, "Beyond the Blonde", points out how ugly the supposed world of beauty can really be.  The heroine, Georgia Watkins, is a small town girl who grew up in her mother's beauty shop, without a father around and a little sister.  The beauty shop manages to feed her family, but that is all.  She moves to the big city after graduating from beauty school, but she refuses to forget where she came from.  Growing up in a single parent home, Georgia knows what it is like to barely get by and she is determined not to fail.  Her biggest struggle is overcoming her own fears and going for what she really wants in life.

A brief glance at the novel might think it is only a shallow glance of the rich and famous, but "Beyond the Blonde" has much more substance than that.  The first couple of pages will encourage the reader to find a comfy reading spot, because she or he will not want to put the book down.  While Georgia's challenges are real, her clients can be just plain ridiculous- from the clients who bring in the children to match their hair color to the client who needs her hand held while a small strand of her hair is highlighted.  Some clients will bring laughter to the reader, while some will just disgust or annoy.  The jealousy, competition and back stabbing are not to surprising to find in a salon, but it is all fascinating just the same. 

Georgia has to learn many hard lessons as the big city salon is very different than the small town beauty parlor she grew up with.  The author even points out how the names are different.  Most small town beauty salons have catchy names, such as "Mane Event" and the like; names you wouldn't find in a city such as New York.  Anyone familiar with small towns will be able to support that fact.

"Beyond The Blonde" is purely delightful, a book to give to all your friends, and even your hairstylist.  You can't help but not fall in love with Georgia- the small town girl who makes it big but still has a big heart- and you will find yourself cheering Georgia on and hoping for the best. 

Make comment on weblog