Review of "A Broken Kind of Beautiful"

Review of A Broken Kind of Beautiful

by Katie Ganshert 

Fashion is a fickle industry, a frightening fact for twenty-four-year-old model Ivy Clark. Ten years in and she's learned a sacred truth -- appearance is everything. Nobody cares about her broken past as long as she looks beautiful for the camera. This is the only life Ivy knows -- so when it starts to unravel, she'll do anything to hold on. Even if that means moving to the quaint island town of Greenbrier, South Carolina, to be the new face of her stepmother's bridal wear line -- an irony too rich for words, since Ivy is far from the pure bride in white.

MY REVIEW:  Ever wondered just how glamourous the life of a fashion model is?  You will find the answer to that question and many others as you read. Modeling is a fickle career as the youngest are considered the most desirable. Ivy has had a long run of success from age 14 to 24.    Can a 24-year-old truly become the undesirable simply due to her age?  Can twenty-four-year old models truly be considered old and out-of-date to the cameras and the photographers and designers?  Is outward beauty all that Ivy possesses or will she actually discover a new kind of beauty when she returns to the small town world of Greenbrier, South Carolina?  Can a sullied young beauty become the innocent, blushing young bride for the camera?  Ivy thinks she is undeserving and unworthy of playing the part of the "blushing young bride"? Why?   What has Ivy possibly done in her twenty-four-years to cause her to feel such shame?  

        I love the tour of the historical city.  I felt like I was actually in Greenbrier, South Carolina.  The characters are rich and inviting.   Ivy carries the burden of holding tightly to her  secrets and her past.  I have found this to be destructive in my own life as I am sure many other readers have as well.   Ivy is faced with a handsome, intriguing young man from her past who just happens to be a photographer now turned church maintenance man.   She can't quite figure out why he left New York and the fame that it brought.   His blind sister becomes a dear friend to her, surprising even herself.   Can she and Davis work together on the wedding fashion shoot and benefit for the blind art program and make it a success or will it all crumble like most of her life seems to be doing?     Read this book to find out if Ivy can let go and face her fears head-on.  Find out if this broken beautiful young woman can finally overcome the pain and shame of her past and find a new way to show her beauty to the world.   

5 Stars ***** I want to add that the cover of this book is exquisite.  My own daughter is a photographer and has captured many beach weddings and I am impressed by the wedding photo on the cover.   Nice artwork!  

     I was given a copy of this book by bloggingforbooks and Waterbrook Press in exchange for my honest review.   

About the Author:

Katie Ganshert is the author of Wildflowers from Winter and Wishing on Willows, both published by Waterbrook Press, a division of Random House. Her debut, Wildflowers from Winter, is a Christy Award finalist, as well as a Christian Retailing’s Best finalist in the contemporary romance category. She lives in Iowa with her handsome husband, their dinosaur-loving son, and their goofy black lab, Bubba. When she’s not busy writing or playing or reading or snuggling, she is obsessing over the paperwork and the waiting that comes with adoption, which she and her husband hope to complete sometime before they are fifty. You can learn more about Katie and her books by visiting her website or author Facebook page.