Review: Interesting behind-the-scenes romance set in a modeling agency
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 10 29, 2013
I wasn't immediately taken with MODELS AND LOVERS, as the first chapter seemed a fairly standard Cinderella story: wholesome, feisty, straight-shooter new girl catches the eye and interest of sexy, sophisticated, jaded boss. However, by the second chapter, I became quite caught up in the behind-the-scenes story of the workings of a world class modeling agency.The heroine, Balarie, is determined to succeed at her new job at the agency, and much of the first half of the book recounts how she actually does that job. I thought it was very interesting - actually more interesting than the novel's few-surprises romance. I enjoyed reading about the people Balarie worked with, what their specialties were, and how they worked together, usually under a great deal of pressure. Despite that pressure, there was no melodramatic back-biting. People were professional and committed to their art. I thought this was intriguing and very entertaining.Quite a bit of time in the novel is devoted to the passion Balarie's boss and soon-to-be lover, Tommy, has for dancing the tango. I didn't find this as interesting as the details of Balarie's job, as it seemed a rather narrow and esoteric pursuit. However, since Balarie shared his love of the dance, it was an element that helped establish the plausibility of their whirlwind romance.Overall, I enjoyed this story and found the characters appealing. While the novel could have used a more thorough and careful editing, especially in its second half, I thought the setting was intriguing and unusual and the characters appealing.