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Beneath Beautiful (2000)

by Allison Rushby(Favorite Author)

3.63 of 5 Votes: 4

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English

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review 1: Sometimes when I finish reading a book, I find myself wondering, "What was that all about?"Such is the case with this one.It isn't that Beneath Beautiful is a bad book; it isn't at all. It's more that I can't figure out its purpose, and I think that's because Allison Rushby wasn't quite sure herself.Cassie is twenty-one and already a literary sensation, or at the very least a popular one. She's written a best-selling children's series, and while she doesn't appear quite proud of that - she seems more embarrassed than anything - she hopes she can break out of the series and write something more her. While reading Moby Dick in a cemetery in Paris (just go with it), she meets Cameron Callahan, a famous artist known for his nudes and his rapacious social life. When he asks Cas... moresie to pose for him, she takes off running. Cameron, though, is not to be dissuaded. He finds her and gives her the hard sell, and before she seems to realize what she's agreed to, she's on a plane, heading to New York.Cassie soon learns that not everything she's heard about Cameron is true. She also realizes that she is increasingly attracted to him, and she believes he's attracted to her as well. There is an ex-girlfriend of his lurking about, a woman who makes Cassie feel a bit insecure regarding Cameron, and there is a journalist who takes an interest in Cassie himself.This book does not go where you think it will. You're sort of lulled into thinking it's a romance between Cassie and Cameron - and it is, to a small degree. Then you wonder if it's a romance between Cassie and the journalist - and it is, to a small degree. What is bigger than the romance is Cassie's growth and maturation. She becomes more confident in herself, more secure, more adult. She begins choosing her own path, and she stops apologizing for her decisions.She's an interesting character, but she pales when juxtaposed against Cameron. He is mysterious and intriguing, and I found myself often distracted by him and my curiosity about him. The journalist is not nearly as compelling, and his story arc feels rushed and artificial.I enjoyed this book, but when it ended, I didn't miss the characters. I did - I do - want to know more about Cameron, but Cassie? I was ready to say good-bye to her. Rushby writes well, although at times I wished she had had a stronger editor. There are occasional lapses, whether in focus or in pacing, and they are troublesome. Still, this book undoubtedly will have its fans. I'm just not a big one.Published on VoxLIbris.net@VoxLibris
review 2: Beneath Beautiful was a genuinely great novel to read. For me the plot is what made this book worth reading. It is so clever and so different than anything that I have read that it is incredibly hard not to applaud the author on such creativity. My one flaw with this novel is the chemistry between Cassie and Cameron. I know this book is not written on the foundation of pure romance but I thought that the chemistry should have been a little stronger between the two. The brief moments that I did see was written really well and enabled the book to have something a little extra. So I would have liked to seen the author build on the chemistry. I also did not see the need for James, Cassie's new love interest in the book. I did not care for James's character the way I favored Cameron's. I wanted to see more of Cassie and Cameron together in the storyline but I understand why the author chose the characters that she did because it deepened the plot. What stands out most in my mind other than the plot is Cameron himself. He is written unlike heroes. He is first and foremost a sculptor and then as I read further into the book I find that Cameron is a gentleman. He is not pushing Cassie to do anything that she is uncomfortable with and why he may be slightly obsessed with the idea of sculpting her he always has a respect for her. His patience and his willingness I think makes him stand apart from fellow heroes and he is one of my favorites. Another bonus for me about this book was the fact that it is in Paris. I am always a fan of books and of authors that take readers into the city. I think it makes for an interesting book. I'm happy with Beneath Beautiful and I am going to be keeping my eye for more books written by Rushby because she has certainly captured my attention. (This review was submitted to the publishers PRIOR to posting it on GoodReads.) less

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