Opportunity Knocks

In her third novel, Sweeney’s (The Star Attraction) narrator is Alex Cleary, 25 and desperate to break into show business as a makeup artist and move out of her parents’ house in Los Angeles. Alex gets her “butt in gear” when her friend Emma visits from New York for an episode of the Everyday Life with Hillary show. Hillary P. is a Martha Stewart–type perfectionist—and an intimidating and abusive boss. When Hillary P.’s makeup assistant develops appendicitis, Alex steps in. Hillary P. hires Alex, who moves to New York, but not before hooking up with A-list actor Billy Fox—but is it just for a night? To make matters even more complicated, Alex accidentally violates her nondisclosure contract, resulting in an against-the-clock rush to solve the problem. Though the tension of the story sometimes flags, Sweeney nevertheless delivers loads of escapism and romance. [em](Apr.) [/em]