Synopses & Reviews
The "him" in MAKE HIM LOOK GOOD is Ricky Biscayne, sexy Latin singing sensation who has taken the pop world by storm. The women who orbit him include:
--Milan, Ricky's new publicist, smart as a whip and chubby as only a girl who still lives at home with her parents can be
--Geneva, Milan's sister and as lean and chic as Milan is not; her Club G promises to be Miami's hottest opening ever
--Jasminka, Ricky's gorgeous Serbian model wife, who finally might eat a little something now that she's pregnant
--Irene, a firefighter whose high school romance with Ricky was the last love in her life, eking out an existence for herself and her daughter.
--Sophia, who is beginning to suspect that she and Ricky Biscayne look a little too much alike
--Jill Sanchez, an omniverous media-manic Latina star who has crossed over from CDs to perfume, clothes and movies
Set in and around Miami, with its vibrant music, club and modeling scenes, MAKE HIM LOOK GOOD is irresistible fiction.
Review
"Ricky Biscayne is an international Latin pop star who plays to millions, but it's the interaction among six strong women and their byplay with Ricky that make this ...a dynamic book."--
Romantic Times"Readers will snap this book off the shelves...Valdes-Rodriguez delivers the raunchy packed-with-attitude tale that her fans expect."--
Booklist"As Helen Fielding fashioned chic lit with
Bridget Jones' Diary, Valdes-Rodriguez does the same with chica lit."--
New York Daily News"Start reading it, and it's hard to stop."--
The Ohio Record Courier"An unabashed glitzfest."--Arizona Republic"Skillfully and lovingly illustrates the diversity of Latino culture."--
Library Journal"Our refreshingly imperfect and insecure heroine, Milan, shines."--
Publishers Weekly"The real fun comes from eating up all the oh-no-she-didn't parallels between the characters' exploits and real-life celeb misbehavior."--
Entertainment Weekly"Chica lit
reina Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez is back this month with her third book...about six
mujeres and their adventures with one horny
cantante named
Ricky Biscayne."--
LatinaPraise for The Dirty Girls Social Club:
"A compulsive beach read."
--Entertainment Weekly
"The feel of a night out with the girls."
--Miami Herald
"An incredible first novel."
--Library Journal
Praise for Playing With Boys:
"No translation is needed for...this funny...turf."
--People
"...an intoxicating read..."
--New York Post
"...fact-paced..."
--USA Today
Review
"A good time between hardcovers."
--New York Daily News
"Skillfully and lovingly illustrates the diversity of Latino culture."
--Library Journal
"Readers will snap this book off the shelves and not be disappointed."
--Booklist
"Our refreshingly imperfect and insecure heroine, Milan, shines."
--Publishers Weekly
"Entertaining ...crowd-pleaser."
--Kirkus Reviews
"The real fun comes from eating up all the oh-no-she-didn't parallels between the characters' exploits and real-life celeb misbehavior."
--Entertainment Weekly
"Chica lit reina Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez is back this month with her third book...about six mujeres and their adventures with one horny cantante named Ricky Biscayne."
--Latina
"Start reading it, and it's hard to stop."
--The Ohio Record Courier
"An unabashed glitzfest."
--Arizona Republic
"Scandalous... [with] blatant sex appeal."
--The Sunday Oklahoman
"Top-notch look at human nature at its best--and worst."
--Romantic Times
"Valdes-Rodriguez really shines when she rips on the lifestyle of the rich and self-indulgent."
--Sunday Journal (Albuquerque, NM)
"The romp through Ricky's world of women is pure escapist fun."
--Calgary Herald
Review
"Escapist Entertainment with a Latina heart." --
AudioFile on
The Dirty Girls Social Club"The lives of three distinctive Californians become real--brilliantly brought to life by the voices of author Alisa Valdez-Rodriguez, with Mara Holguin and Ingrid Oliu." --AudioFile on Playing with Boys
Synopsis
The bestselling author of
The Dirty Girls Social Club (soon to be a Lifetime television series) and
Playing With Boys hits Miami in this exhilarating novel of six women and their distinct relationships with one very charismatic man.
Synopsis
The "him" in MAKE HIM LOOK GOOD is Ricky Biscayne, sexy Latin singing sensation who has taken the pop world by storm. The women who orbit him include:
--Milan, Ricky's new publicist, smart as a whip and chubby as only a girl who still lives at home with her parents can be
--Geneva, Milan's sister and as lean and chic as Milan is not; her Club G promises to be Miami's hottest opening ever
--Jasminka, Ricky's gorgeous Serbian model wife, who finally might eat a little something now that she's pregnant
--Irene, a firefighter whose high school romance with Ricky was the last love in her life, eking out an existence for herself and her daughter.
--Sophia, who is beginning to suspect that she and Ricky Biscayne look a little too much alike
--Jill Sanchez, an omniverous media-manic Latina star who has crossed over from CDs to perfume, clothes and movies
Set in and around Miami, with its vibrant music, club and modeling scenes, MAKE HIM LOOK GOOD is irresistible fiction.
Synopsis
The "him" in
Make Him Look Good is Ricky Biscayne, sexy Latin singing sensation who has taken the pop world by storm. But it takes more than swiveling hips and dreamy eyes to get to the top of the charts. The women who orbit Ricky are:
• Milan, Ricky's new publicist, and her sister Geneva whose Club G promises to have Miami's hottest opening ever
• Jill Sanchez, a media-manic Latina star who has crossed over from CDs to perfume, clothes and movies and Jasminka, Ricky's gorgeous Croatian model wife and...
• Irene, a firefighter whose high school romance with Ricky was the last love in her life, eking out an existence for herself and her daughter Sophia, who is beginning to suspect that she and Ricky Biscayne look a little too much alike
With several satisfying romances set against Miami's music, club and modeling scenes, Make Him Look Good is irresistible fiction from one of America's most original voices.
About the Author
Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez is an award-winning print and broadcast journalist and a former staff writer for both the
Los Angeles Times and the
Boston Globe. In 2005, she was named one of
Time magazines twenty-five most influential Hispanics and called “the godmother of chica lit.” In 2002, she was named one of
Latinas Women of the Year.
Orlagh Cassidy is the winner of the 2009 Best Voice in Children & Family Listening and the 2008 and 2011 Best Voice in Mystery & Suspense. Shes narrated for Jacqueline Winspear, James Patterson, Erica Spindler, Beth Harbison, and Frank Herbert, among others.
Reading Group Guide
1. Milan was waiting for her life to happen to her. Do you think she would have changed if she hadnt met Ricky?
2. What do you make of the contrast between many of the characters public images and their real selves?
3. Geneva doesnt believe in luck or failure. Which characters would identify with her? Do you?
4. Jasminka hates that Ricky uses people to do his dirty work for him. Why do you think people let Ricky use them?
5. How much of a role does image-conscious, style-obsessed Miami play in the story? If you have read Alisa Valdes-Rodriguezs previous books, how does this setting differ?
6. Genevas family regards itself as “white” and judges her for dating a “black” boyfriend.
Are you surprised that his family judges
Geneva too?
7. Milan says shes more in love with Rickys music than with his body. Do you think thats true? Why or why not?
8. What motivates Genevas efforts to help Milan: guilt, love, or something else? Does Geneva see more potential in Milan than Milan sees in
herself?
9. How does the Gotays dysfunctional marriage affect Genevas and Milans romantic relationships?
10. Do you know any families with sisters as different from one another as Milan and Geneva? Does the dynamic between them ring true
to you?
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