Dawn West is like many college grads in their 20s, trying to find their way. She is doing her best to stay afloat in New York City and has found herself writing a lawn care advice column. Not the glamorous life she imagined. She has a flaky roommate who isn’t hip on hygiene and a wealthy on-again-off-again boyfriend who happens to have recently found someone new.

When he asks Dawn to meet his new lady, she is hesitant, but hoping it won’t work and he will come back to her. But what really happens changes Dawn’s life. The new girl, Lily, introduces Dawn to the editor of Charm, who has actually heard of Dawn’s alter ego as a lawn guru and she offers Dawn an opportunity of a lifetime.

Charm has a featured called “Ten Girls to Watch” and this just so happens to be the 50th anniversary of the popular event. Dawn’s job is to track down the 500 ladies from the past 50 years, see where they are today and prepare the anniversary feature. Job of a lifetime for a struggling young lady right?

Everything seems to be falling into place for Dawn, but she might just have to hit rock bottom (although I’m sure she thinks she’s already been there) to realize who she is and what she wants out of life.

There were several things that attracted me to this book: New York, a 20 something young lady trying to find her way in life and that she becomes a journalist. I felt like before I even started, I connected with her.

I absolutely loved Dawn’s character. She sees herself as a pushover, someone who doesn’t want to rock the boat. But in reality, Dawn is a pretty tough cookie. She is surviving in NYC with literally no one on her side. Her crappy ex gets crappier every day, all of the friends she had she met through him so now she is friendless, her apartment is a dump and smells like her stinky roommate and there’s only so much you can write about grass. But she doesn’t give up. She still pushes along, lives day-to-day and continues to live the dream in New York City. I think at one time in life, many of us have dreamt about living in the pent house above Central Park, working with and for some of the biggest names in the business. As a journalist, it doesn’t get any more prestigious than working in the #1 television market. But I would never have had the guts to do it. One of the things that I love about this book is that Dawn goes through so much and finally reaches the breaking point and that is the point where she realizes just who she is and that there is light at the end of the tunnel if you work hard and have passion.

I completely believe that things happen for a reason and that was the case with Dawn getting this job. She talked with some of the most influential women of the past 50 years and through them, found herself. What an amazing experience.

I fell so in love with the characters in this book and felt so connected to them that at midnight, when I was reading the last 100 pages and couldn’t tear myself away, I started going through the tissues because as Dawn’s life appeared to be falling apart, I felt like I was falling with her. I wanted nothing more than for her to come out on top. It was like I was living vicariously through a fictional character’s life.

Even though Dawn and I are at different stages of our lives and careers, I felt like I could really connect with her trying to find her way. I’m 25, soon to be 26, married, have my feet planted in my career and am finally learning who I am. If you would have told me 10 years ago who I would be in 2012, I wouldn’t believe you. There is a strange point in your life where you have to decide what kind of person you want to be and what you want to do to be that person. It’s a hard transition going from college life to real life. It took me almost 6 years to find my groove with myself. I have always loved to read, but now I write, knit, craft, spend lots of time with my family, enjoy every second being a wife and have started running. I just wish I had more time for my pastimes

Charity Shumway knocked this one out of the park and I can’t wait to read more from her. I give Ten Girls to Watch 5 out of 5 bookmarks.

Something very cool I learned while listening to an interview with Charity was this was kind of based on real life. She worked at Glamour and actually worked on a 50 year anniversary piece of a similar feature the real-life magazine had. She wanted to tell the stories she heard. Can I give this a 6 now since I know there’s more to it now?