Pretty in Ink
A lighthearted gambol through the ever-changing world of women’s magazine publishing, former magazine editor Palmer’s debut contains the authenticity of experience and the salacious story snippets fans of The Devil Wears Prada (2003) will appreciate. When its editor-in-chief is abruptly let go to make room for sharklike new editor Mimi, Hers jolts its way into a huge transformation from reliable and slightly dowdy to sleek, modern, and must-read. With their own jobs in peril, the following characters chart their way through treacherous career waters: executive editor and newly overwhelmed mother Leah; associate editor and newly reluctant sex blogger Jane; newly tapped co-executive editor, the secretly insecure and longing Victoria; recipe creator Debbie, who knows how to fight for herself; managing editor Abby, who juggles work and married life with her wife and their hunt for a sperm donor; photo editor Drew, who’s been secretly dating her boss; and more. With different chapters devoted to different POVs, the politics of the magazine industry find full display in this deliciously delectable read. --Julie Trevelyan