Fashionably Late

by Beth Kendrick

From a winning voice in fiction -- the author of My Favorite Mistake and Exes and Ohs -- comes a romantic comedy that will have you in stitches.

She's late for her life...

Becca Davis has always played it safe -- denying her passion for fashion design in a dead-end job and letting her pragmatic boyfriend (mastermind of the "Kevin Bradley Ten-Year Plan") make the tough decisions in life. Stunned into saying yes when Mr. Predictable springs a surprise proposal on her, Becca realizes that she's running out of time to turn her life around. She's only got one more chance to chase her dreams and no one -- not her control freak fiancé, not her dramaholic sisters, not her overprotective parents -- will talk her out of it.

He's right on time.

Terrified but determined, Becca breaks off her engagement, moves in with her sister in Los Angeles, and prepares to take the fashion world by storm. The reality of the Hollywood scene is much harsher than she anticipated -- lots of slamming doors, snooty clients, and double-crossing celebrity stylists -- but she won't give up. And while she's waiting for her big break, she meets Connor, a sexy risk-taker who's the polar opposite of her ex-fiancé. Is Becca ready for his all-or-nothing approach to love? With her design business taking off and her family starting to fall apart, she's about to learn the timeliest lesson of all: Love and fashion wait for no woman.

Genres: Chick Lit, Romance, Fiction, Contemporary, Womens Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Adult

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 3, 2006

About the author

This is the part where I’m supposed to brag about all my illustrious accomplishments, but honestly, I’d rather talk about my dogs and brag about some of the things I haven’t done:

I’ve never been to prison*, court-ordered rehab*, or splashed across the cover of a salacious weekly gossip tabloid with my ladybits on display**.

I’m a Leo, a middle child, and a formidable Trivial Pursuit opponent. I read everything I can get my hands on, from the classics to comic books. I don’t drink coffee because, frankly, I’m high strung enough without adding caffeine into the mix. Here is the true story of how I became a novelist:

So I had just started seeing this guy, and on our second or third date, he invited me to be his guest at a family wedding. Being young and free and a bit commitment-shy, I was about to decline until he casually mentioned that the bride was a successful romance novelist. Well, the second I heard that, I had to go. Being a writer had always been my dream job, and I’d never met anyone who’d actually beaten the odds and made the leap into big-time publishing. So I RSVP-ed, sidled up to the bar at the reception, waited until the bride and all her author friends uncorked the good champagne, and then peppered them with endless questions about writing, editing, and landing an agent. They were so funny and encouraging and generous with their time and advice. (And drunk!) Next thing you know, I had joined a critique group and was knee-deep in the manuscript that would eventually become MY FAVORITE MISTAKE. The open bar at that wedding changed my life forever.

Oh, and the guy who invited me to the wedding? I ended up marrying him. All together: awww…

I live in Arizona in a very cute fixer-upper that my husband and I bought in a burst of can-do, pioneering confidence. We thought it would be fun to embark on a series of do-it-yourself renovations. Yeah. I know. Turns out, replacing baseboard that’s been painted over 15 times since 1958 is not as easy as those Home Depot commercials would lead you to believe. Also, freshly-installed lawn drip systems and “helpful” dogs are a bad mix.

Friday and RoxieSpeaking of dogs, here we have the indefatigable canine lawn maintenance crew: Roxie and Friday. Both were rescued from the pound when they were puppies. I think they’re Rhodesian Ridgeback mixes. (Probably. Maybe? Anything’s possible.) Roxie is the brains of the operation and Friday is…well, he’s very sweet. And so indolent he could be mistaken for a piece of furniture, which I consider a very desirable trait in a family dog.

I absolutely love hearing from readers, so please feel free to email me, with the caveat that I am often on deadline/on the road/on the ragged edge of sanity, so it may be awhile before you get a reply. Just know that it’s not you; it’s me!

Have fun exploring the site, and if you have any questions about my new book, my backlist, or finding an agent…I’ll be right over there at the bar.

*Yet.



**That I know of.

Reviews

[Brandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a cute book! This didn't use of too many of my brain cells to read, and I couldn't put it down. I read this book in about 3 hours. It's about a young girl named Becca who is at a crossroads in her life. Should she say "YES" to her 5 year relationship with Mr. Predictable? Should she move to LA and follow her heart which leads he to a sexy risk-taker named Connor?

[Linzi Day · Rating 1 out of 5]

Really annoying - not her usual standard at all - I've loved several of her other books - this feels like someone else wrote it. It was an insult to the intelligence of anyone who gave the audio 8 hours.

Extremely unconvincing characters. I mean in this day and age someone in fashion who would fall that rubbish?
The sister who is just a caricature of a gold digger?

TSTL isn't even the half of it. Full review to follow if I can find some words polite enough ... which is frankly unlikely

[Melissa (Semi Hiatus Until After the Holidays) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Becca Davis has always been the quiet, compliant sister. Her two older sisters, one an actress and the other a psychologist, have long chided Becca for failing to stand up for herself and take risks with her life. Becca has a degree in fashion design and is in fact a good designer, but she can‘t seem to break free of life in Phoenix and take a chance in the Los Angeles or New York fashion world. She has been dating the same nice guy for five years, but he has some definite ideas about how their life together should progress. It is not until he pops the question and buys a house without consulting Becca that she decides to take the leap and move to L.A.

Becca soon learns that breaking into the design business isn’t as easy as having great designs. Between trying to find a decent job in fashion, dealing with her hysterical sister, and deciding what to do about her love life, Becca’s life is definitely full. But how will she know if she has what it takes unless she gives it a try?

Beth Kendrick takes a tried-and-true chick lit formula and spices it up with humor and a heartfelt story. Although much of the plot is predictable (we all know what will happen when Becca signs a contract without having a lawyer look it over) Ms. Kendrick tells it in a believable and sympathetic way that will endear Becca to readers. And even though Becca is a world-class wimp through the majority of the story, the reader holds out hope that she will develop a backbone and get rid of some of her naïveté.

The love story really isn’t the main focus, but it makes for an interesting side story. It is refreshing to have Becca’s career pursuits take precedence over her romantic pursuits, although romance isn’t ignored by any means. Fashionably Late is a quick, light read focusing on pursuing your dreams. An endearing addition to the chick lit market.

[Kristi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had high hopes for this book. But all in all for a romance, the romance was very dull. The author didn't write the "falling in love" moments. It was one minute friends the next they love eachother. I did not like that. ALso the author never described in any detail what the characters looked like. No hair color, hieght, weight.... Only thing you knew was the the main girl was pretty. Also something I did not like about it. Aside from that the book was a fun story line and enjoyable enough.

[stephanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

super-quick read while giving myself a break from the non-fiction. predictable, funny, at times confusing, it wasn't a bad waste of a couple hours. nothing transforming, no real memorable characters, (except for possibly kevin, the stickler ex-fiance, and claire, the older sister) and things that of course never happen in real life.

[Kayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book over the weekend (between playing with the kids). The main character has the guts that I wish I could muster to break away and start a new path in life. It probably helps that she doesn't have any kids but still. What a great storyline! Sometimes what everyone thinks is a good thing, really isn't behind closed doors.

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Looooooved this book!!!! Combined romance, family, and best of all FASHION!!!

[MB · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was happy to see the seamy side of fashion design. Pun intended. I liked a few loose ends at the end, I loved the main character. Upbeat and fun to read.

[Hilary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute, funny, easy read.

[Candice · Rating 3 out of 5]

Young-ish chick lit. Thin, but very entertaining, snappy dialogue, filled with zingy one liners and yet had a moral core. Amusing.

[Kate Maxwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was neat reading a story set in Phoenix! You don't normally read a book that is (partially) set in your town. Becca loves to sew and design, and just got engaged to her college sweetheart. Becca isn't entirely sure that she wants to be engaged to Kevin and his ten year plan. When she sees the muddy hole (which isn't something you normally see in AZ) that will be her future house, she freaks out and breaks off the engagement. Finally tired of being berated by her older sister who tells her to do something about her dream of becoming a designer, Becca goes out to stay with her older sister to try to get her name out there as a designer.
You get a good sense of who the main characters are and the secondary characters are pretty well-drawn out. This was a fun and quick read that got better with each page turned. I was concerned at first, whether or not I wanted to continue reading this book. Glad that I did, and this story bumped up my estimation of this author.

[Linda Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun, fast read from Beth Kendrick. Bring your own wine and chocolates. Becca Davis has a passion for fashion design but her career is going nowhere in Phoenix, Arizona. Her boyfriend pressures her into an engagement but Becca's heart is not in it. Especially when he then puts a deposit on a new house without any input from her. As the bars of her cage start to close in, Becca makes a break for her freedom. She moves to Los Angeles and tries to convince stylists and boutiques to carry her original designs. In the meantime, she scores a hostess job at a trendy restaurant. And there she makes a good friend and attracts the interest of the boss. Connor is the opposite of Mr. Ten-Year Plan, the man she left behind. Becca struggles with her bossy family and her shaky career and her new romance. Mom and the ex-fiancee both conspire to bring her back to Phoenix and a nice, safe suburban life in the suburbs. But Becca isn't ready to let go of her dream.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

(2.5 stars) Becca’s life is not going the way she had hoped; her job is not getting her anywhere in her desire to be a designer and her boyfriend has a controlling streak, planning out their lives together without consulting her. She decides to take a big leap and moves to Los Angeles to stay with her sister and to make a splash in the fashion business. Through her sister’s husband, she gets connected in as a hostess at a restaurant and finds herself intrigued by the owner, Connor, a man into high risk sports and adventure. Things get more complicated when her sister’s husband loses his studio job and she finds out that they are up to their eyeballs in debt. Becca makes a lot of mistakes along the way, but eventually finds what she is looking for in life. The book had amusing moments, but not much in the way of character or depth.

[Loredana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is yet another book that will inspire women. If you have a dream and a passion, you have to follow it no matter the cost. This is a journey the main character has to take where she moves out to the west coast in order to make it in the fashion world. With hard work and dedication, it will all pay off in the end.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a big fan of Beth Kendrick books! I really liked this one because it was focused on a woman who changed her life direction and took a chance. I feel that too many of us get stuck into our routine because we are used to it. This book makes you realize it is never too late to change course in any aspect of your life.

[Robin Arnold · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun enough read. I don't think this is a true example of the design business and I happen to know you can make a living sewing in LA your own designs or not, but still, a fun enough read.

[Mona · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed reading this book- it was a nice fun easy chic lit read :)

[Books And Sunny · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun read about starting over.

[Lady · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book that you just cant put down. Its truly brilliant

[V · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very cute

[Anne · Rating 2 out of 5]

She definitely honed her craft after this book. Her later books are so good!

[Jules · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yet another fun chick lit romp. While fashion isn't a personal interest of mine I found the characters, story, and witty dialogue made the book very enjoyable.

[Kristin · Rating 3 out of 5]

*2.5

[Norabee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rebecca Davis is a college grad that has dreams of becoming a fashion designer, but works in a boutique – she has a boyfriend of 5 years and the story opens when Kevin decides to propose. Most girls would be thrilled, but Becca can hardly breathe! She loves Kevin (at least she thinks she does) but she’s not sure that he’s “the one”, but after dating for 5 years, she doesn’t know if she can just walk away.

She meets Connor – a successful businessman and thrill-junkie. He offers her a job as a hostess at his restaurant and so she decides to move to LA. She moves in with her sister Claire, who’s about to get married. Since Becca’s a fashion designer, you would think that maybe her sister would let Becca design her wedding dress, right? Well, you would think so, but…does anyone believe in Becca’s talent? Conner does – he even gets her an audience with an LA hot shot that might just help Becca make her “big break” into the industry.

She gets a new BFF - Aimee - another hostess at Conner’s restaurant and a wanna-be actress. When Clare’s high-society lifestyle disintegrates after her brand new hubby gets fired, Becca moves in with Aimee and starts thinking a lot more about Conner. Becca gets in touch with a stylist for a bona-fide startlet and is so impressed that she signs a contract giving them exclusive rights to all her fashion designs – Becca might just live to regret that decision!
Kevin reenters the picture and tries to get Becca back, but the days of him making all the decisions are over and Becca decides to take control of her life and makes some winning personal and career decisions.

The cover art is adorable – I kept passing this book while searching out Amazon’s “chick lit” section and it kept catching my eye and then the story convinced me. At the back is a “conversation with the author” piece where Beth Kendrick gives a little more detail into the character development and even gives some info on their backgrounds and she answers some questions about her ideas when writing this book and that was an interesting inclusion. Nice book - Well told tale – fast read.

[Stefanie Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

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[Kathy * Bookworm Nation · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Exes and Ohs by Beth Kendrick and was looking forward to reading some of her other books. My library happened to have Fashionably Late in, so I decided to give it a try. I admist, I was a little bored with this one. I liked Becca, although the whole fashion industry is completely foreign to me. I really liked Conner at first (especially his cheesy pick-up lines), but as they continued to get to know each other it almost felt like Becca was just trying to be something he would like, instead of being herself. Everything seems to work out though and I was happy with how everything ended up. I really didn't like Becca's sister Claire, I thought she was awful. The best word I could think of to describe thisbook was worldly. The whole fashion industry, Hollywood lifestly and lack of morals were all very unattractive and for me hard to relate to. So, for me this was just okay. I think if you enjoy chick lit you would probably enjoy this.

Content Warning: There is some swearing and a little sexual content, but otherwise its pretty clean.


Bookworm Rating: 2.5

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm a huge Project Runway nut so I like reading books about fashion, too. And those who have seen me dress know that this is a very strange obsession, since fashion is *not* what I'm known for. :)

Becca Davis (the character has the same name as my friend who sings opera!) has been dating Kevin for five years and he has their future mapped out. But when he springs for a ring and a house, she panics and realizes that she has to try to capture her dream of being a fashion designer before it's too late. Becca runs to Los Angeles to live with her sister, but Hollywood isn't too kind to the Davis sisters. Becca's sister becomes pregnant with twins and poor in the same week. Becca gets swindled by a star's agent and can't handle dating a handsome, risk-taking older man. But love comes around and Becca's life starts turning around. Of course! This is a romance novel! :)

[Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I chose this book based on "The Week Before The Wedding" by the same author. Kendrick wrote Fashionably Late before she wrote "The Week Before
The Wedding" so I could forgive her for some of her faults because I know she improves with time. In the beginning, the main characrer was extremely unbelievable to me. She accepted a proposal from a man she didn't want to marry. No problem there, but the author just didn't brkng to life the qualities that made me beleive this character wojld really do that. There were other character flaws throughout the book of the same nature, but after I got settled on what the chacters were really like, I was able to enjoy the book and it seemed much more realistic.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Becca is 24; she has a job at a boutique and she is engaged to a wealthy man who her parents love.

One big problem: Becca does not love her fiance and she hates her job. She wants to be a fashion designer, her passion is clothes, and she will never get that chance in Arizona.

Becca takes a big risk. She moves to LA and breaks up with her fiance. Will Becca find the happiness she has been looking for? Or, will she regret leaving her stable life behind.

This is a good quick read. I like her style of writing. But, it is not as good as the other newer book that I read by her: Nearlyweds

[Janel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cute, very light reading. The literary equivalent of a made for TV romantic comedy, probably starring Jennifer Love Hewitt. The romantic storyline was cute enough, but there wasn't much tension or sparks for me. I liked the fashion design aspect of the book and LA location. The subplot showcasing the heroine's (Becca's) older sister Clair was grating. I know this character was supposed to be over the top, and rich girl spoiled but I thought she was pretty awful. A fun enough confection, and good way to clear your mind, but ultimately just empty calories.