Thin, Rich, Pretty: A Novel

Written by Beth Harbison

Narrated by Orlagh Cassidy

From the New York Times bestselling author of Hope In a Jar, Secrets of a Shoe Addict, and Shoe Addicts Anonymous, comes a novel about old rivalries, deep secrets, and the three things all women wish they were.

Twenty years ago, when they were teenagers, Holly and Nicola were the outsiders at summer camp. Holly was the plump one, a dreamer who longed to be an artist. Nicola was the shy, plain one who wanted nothing more than to be beautiful. Their cabin nemesis was Lexi. Rich, spoiled, evil Lexi. One night, Holly and Nicola team up to pull one, daring act of vengeance. But they never dream that this one act will have repercussions that will reach into the future, even twenty years later. And they never realize the secret pain that Lexi holds very close, and how their need for revenge costs Lexi a great deal.

Today, Holly is a successful gallery owner, who has put her own artistic dreams on hold. She struggles with her weight and for approval from her constantly-criticizing boyfriend. Nicola, is an almost-famous actress who believes that one little plastic surgery fix is just what she needs to put her over the edge into fame. And Lexi…Lexi is down on her luck and totally broke.

Holly will do anything to be thin. Lexi will do anything to be rich. And Nicola will do anything to be pretty. Thin, Rich, Pretty is the story of three women who believe that happiness is the next dress size down, the next dollar figure up, or the next appreciative glance from a stranger. But mostly it's the story of how three women save each other, and show each other the path to true contentment. Told with Beth Harbison's knack for thirty and fortysomething nostalgia, and heartwarming humor, Thin, Rich, Pretty will strike a chord with any woman who has ever got on the scale, looked in the mirror, or the bank, and said, "if only…"

• Language: English
• Publisher: Macmillan Audio
• Release date: Jul 6, 2010
• ISBN: 9781427210005

Beth Harbison

New York Times bestselling author Beth Harbison started cooking when she was eight years old, thanks to Betty Crocker’s Cook Book for Boys and Girls. After graduating college, she worked full-time as a private chef in the DC area, and within three years she sold her first cookbook, The Bread Machine Baker. She published four cookbooks before moving on to writing women’s fiction, including the runaway bestseller Shoe Addicts Anonymous and When in Doubt, Add Butter. She lives in Palms Springs, California. 

Reviews for Thin, Rich, Pretty

[sunshine608 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I had a hard time relating to the characters of the book. At times it felt like there was no real character development and halfway through, when I figured out the plot of the story I was disappointed. I don't want to include spoilers but it just didn't seem "real". The overall message of the book was good and well received, and it was believable based on the limited amount of character development. However, at the end I realized that I just didn't care enough about any of the women to care about their epiphany.

[bap68moc98 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Light hearted book on friendships & learning to be comfortable in your own skin. Predictable, but also interesting seeing the view point from two 13 year olds at camp (one the so called mean girl) & again 20 years later. The narrator was easy to listen to on Audio.

[nyiper · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Just fun to listen to in the audio version. It needs to be all tied up with a bow in the end and the story is successful--light and easy.

[bearette24 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The title of this book was a little silly, but I really enjoyed it. It's about Lexi, a former princess who is down on her luck financially; Holly, who is struggling with a few extra pounds; and Nicola, whose nose keeps her from landing the choicer parts in Hollywood. Each woman confronts her problems while facing many truths and insecurities that will resonate with most female readers.

[aromagik · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This wasn't my usual fare but still interesting and the author's style made it a quick & easy read. It made me realize how lucky I was as an adolescent to have good friends, and glad I wasn't one of the "mean girls". It also made me realize that I'm really happy with what I've got. :)

[scoutlee_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Holly, Nicola and Lexi first meet at summer camp. Lexi was the mean girl who hung out with even meaner girls. Holly was overweight and very self-conscious. Nicola was painfully shy and never felt pretty thanks to her perception of her nose.Holly and Nicola became fast friends. They often found themselves enduring the wrath of Lexi and her friends. Until one they, both decide to get their revenge.Fast forward twenty years later. Holly is now dating Randy and they’ve just gotten engaged. Well, pre-engaged. Randy claims he wants to marry her, however she only needs to lose a few pounds first. Nicola is an actress living in LA. She’s had success with one major movie, and is still trying to make it big. Unfortunately she still doesn’t feel pretty enough, so she decides to have plastic surgery. After the bandages are off, she no longer recognizes herself. And Lexi… Well, Lexi just recently lost her father. He changed his will and left everything to her step-mother. Lexi has just a month to move out of her family home and find a job. This will be the first time she will be employed.While each woman continues to struggle with issues of her past, Holly accidentally bumps into Lexi while shopping. Thoughts race back to their time at summer camp and Holly feels compels to make things right with Lexi. She solicits the help of Nicola and to two set out to make amends.Thin, Rich, Pretty is a book that deals with common issues that haunt girls and can carryover into adulthood. It also speaks to people are more than what we see at first glance. Alternating between the time spent at summer camp and the present, the reader gets a feel for the relationship between the three women.Thin, Rich, Pretty is recommended for chick lit fans looking for a quick read.

[onyx95_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Finding a friend in summer camp was easy for Holly and Nicola, they had to be friends with each other because the others girls wouldn’t be. While Holly had been fighting her weight and wanted to be thin, Nicola had a nose that no one thought was pretty, so a bond was formed to protect themselves and each other from the mean girls in the cabin with them. Always being grouped with the mean girls helped keep Lexi from being picked on like Holly and Nicola were, but it also left her more lonely than anyone would have guessed. Jump forward twenty years to find that Holly and Nicola have remained friends. While Holly runs an successful art gallery, she still struggles with her weight and Nicola may have been the lead actress in a hit movie, but she still regards her nose as less then her best attribute. The years have not changed Lexi much with the exception of her father dying and leaving everything to the step-mom. Now making her way on her own for the first time, Lexi must find a job, a place to live and a new way of life for herself. Her surprising turn of fate may change more than just her life.Found so many of aspects of all of these characters that I could relate to. Bouncing back and forth with the summer at camp gave a good indication of just what type of people these girls/ladies are. Really enjoyed this one with it’s subtle romance but mostly it is a good friendship story. Surprisingly cared about Lexi as well as Holly and Nicola. A good view at the theory of “getting what you want doesn’t always make you happy”. A feel good story, thanks Macmillian audio books (I won this audio book through a facebook contest), I am interested in seeing what else Beth Harbison has written.

[roseysweetpea · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was a very enjoyable read. It shows the journey from adolescence to adulthood and how experiences in our youth can shape our lives and how we can out grow them. It is a story of friendship and growing up. I look forward to other books from this author.