Reviewer: Rowena
Too Pretty to Die by Susan McBride
Series: Debutante Dropout #5
Publisher: Harper Collins
Publication Date: January 21st 2014
Genres: Fiction, Suspense
Pages: 336
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Series Rating:

The fifth sassy and irresistible entry in the Debutante Dropout series finds Andy Kendricks uncovering more than just the beauty secrets of Dallas high society …

They call them "pretty parties," and they're the latest rage among Dallas debutantes—get-togethers with light refreshments, heavy gossip, and Dr. Sonja and her magic Botox needles. Former socialite Andy Kendricks normally wouldn't be caught dead at such an event, but she's attending as a favor to her friend Janet, a society reporter in search of a juicy story. And, boy, does she find one when aging beauty queen Miranda DuBois bursts into the room—drunk, disorderly, and packing a pistol.

Miranda's wrinkles have seen better days, and she blames it all on Dr. Sonja. Luckily, Andy calms her down and gets her home … where she's found dead the next morning. The police suspect suicide, but Andy knows that no former pageant girl would give up that easily. She's determined to find Miranda's killer herself, but she'll have to be careful. After all, Botox can make you look younger, but it can't bring you back from the grave.

It’s surprising to me that I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I thought I would, since the life of the rich and famous fascinates me so. I’m one of those women who is subscribed to US Weekly and I pore over celebrity blogs to find out the latest and greatest scoop on the glamorous celebrities in show business.

Paris Hilton? I read all the articles on her so I know that she married Nicole Richie’s man’s brother in Vegas and I know all about how she bit it in Europe. I know more than I want to know about Britney Spears and no matter how many articles they write about her, like a moth to a flame, I read them…even though I hate myself a little more after I read them because I always swear that I don’t care about Britney Spears but deep down, I know I do care…and I know that I still hate that part of me that cares enough about Brit to keep reading those damn articles.

The celebrities in Hollywood, New York, wherever…are all brand wearing, name dropping people who probably act a lot like the characters in this book and while in real life I can deal with it, I could not for the life of me deal with all of that crap in this book.

It bothered me that Miranda thought she was so superior to everyone because she was beautiful and she had the perfect breasts and the perfect blonde hair and she wore the right clothes. I bothered me that when all of those things disappeared, her looks and gasp God forbid, she get a wrinkle or get older as all humans are supposed to do, it was like her world ended. She couldn’t see past that damn botched Botox job and she wanted to exact revenge on the person who did this to her, so she shows up at one of those Pretty Parties that are all the rage in Dallas these where you can get Botox in the comfort of your home while your friends nibbled on caviar in the living room with the rest of the guests.

Oh goodness, how glad I am that I am not apart of this world.

Then there’s Andy, Andy who was born into this world but never really took her place in it because it just isn’t her cup of tea. She’s just not that into this stuff. She skipped out on her own cotillion and she hasn’t turned back since. She’s a rock girl all the way and she can care less what brand she’s wearing, as long as she’s wearing clothes. She gets sucked into going to one of those Pretty Parties because her reporter friend wants to stop by a work function and Andy is kinda peeved about it. So while they’re there and they’re trying to get out of the party, Miranda DuBois comes in and tries to exact her revenge on the Dr. who ruined her pretty face.

She comes in drunk and waving her gun around and takes a shot at the doctor only to miss (by a mile) and chip the frame in back of her. Andy takes her home (because she feels sorry for her) and makes sure all is well before she goes home to her boyfriend.

In the morning, Miranda shows up dead.

The rest of the book is spent by Andy’s Mom and her reporter friend trying to get Andy to solve Miranda’s death and Andy doing her best to avoid doing it. I just didn’t care that it took everyone and HER Mom to twist her arm until she did something. I know that Andy and Miranda weren’t close at all but goodness, it was part of the storyline and I just, I don’t know, wasn’t satisfied with anything that I read.

This wasn’t exactly a romance, though I wish it was one. I wanted more Brian Malone scenes and then there was the ex Navy SEAL guy, Fletch that I wouldn’t have minded more of either, I guess that was a triangle and blah, it was just okay.

I liked Andy well enough, I liked the storyline well enough but I don’t think I’d be rereading this one. It just didn’t have enough to make me come back for more. It was a fast, enjoyable read but it was one of those books that had me already thinking about my next read to get too excited about this one.

Should you read it? Hmmmm, I guess if you’re looking for something light…but don’t expect fireworks because there are none in this book.

But Happy Reading anyway, haha.

3 out of 5