In The Accidental Beauty Queen, Ginny and Charlotte are twins who’ve taken two very different paths after the death of their mom. Charlotte is an elementary school librarian, Ginny’s made her money through pageants and Instagram. Charlotte joins Ginny in Florida for Miss American Treasure (and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter) and finds herself stepping into her twin’s high heels when Ginny has an allergic reaction just days before the pageant begins.
The Accidental Beauty Queen is definitely chick-lit, more about the sisters’ relationship, than the romance in the book, though the meet cute is very cute. I don’t know anything about the realities of pageant life (beyond what you see on reality shows), but it’s good to see these contestants portrayed as intelligent, talented, supportive women rather than catty opportunists looking to take each other down at every turn.
Charlotte is a huge Harry Potter fan, and that’s woven into the story in clever ways. Literary references abound, making this even more appealing to the book nerd in all of us. My one nit-pick is that I could do without a character shading Fifty Shades of Grey, especially in chick-lit.
If what you need is a light, entertaining, feel-good read, The Accidental Beauty Queen fits the bill.
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