Thin, Rich, Pretty
Harbison (Shoe Addicts Anonymous) delivers an enjoyable summer novel that's heavier on '80s nostalgia than originality. Twenty years ago, Holly and Nicola were best friends at camp, united in their hatred of the cabin bully, Lexi. Now, Holly, who owns a Washington, D.C., art gallery, is pre-engaged to controlling Randy, who will propose if she can drop 20 pounds. Nicola is an actress in L.A., struggling to follow up her one sleeper hit, but being turned down left and right for roles because she doesn't look right. As Holly sheds the weight, Randy's unpleasantness becomes impossible to ignore, and Nicola undergoes plastic surgery that leaves her unrecognizable even to her grandmother (and doesn't get her any work). Meanwhile, Lexi's father dies and her stepmother cuts her off, leaving her destitute. When Holly runs into Lexi, she realizes that undoing a prank she and Nicola played on her years ago at camp could potentially reverse her fortune. There's nothing outstanding here, but it does the trick as a beach book.(July)Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.