Fashionably Late

December 19, 2005
Becca Davis, 25 and living with her parents in Phoenix, is struggling with controlling ex-fiancé Kevin Bradley, who is determined to win her back. Liberating herself, Becca heads to L.A., where her rich married sister, Claire, lives, to start a career in fashion, with only one wedding dress and corset in her portfolio. Becca secures a job as a hostess in an upscale eatery run by a handsome, single and adventurous restaurateur. Conner is everything Kevin wasn't, and sparks fly. Meanwhile, Becca may have her first break when she meets Fiona, an aloof and diabolical celebrity stylist who needs someone to put her clients together. Claire, who is a very material girl, is put to the test when husband Andrew loses his studio exec job (Claire ponders putting her unborn twins up for adoption in response to the job crisis). Becca's arc from a flighty, floundering young woman into a self-aware adult features kitschy, cat-scratchy banter ("Don't be jealous of my rico suave finesse") and a happily-ever-after close. The author of Exes and Ohs
, Kendrick gives chick lit clichés an adroit turn.

Starred review from November 15, 2005
For some women a marriage proposal would be a dream come true, but for Becca Davis it's her worst nightmare. When Becca's boyfriend Kevin "Old Faithful" Bradley unexpectedly proposes, Becca suddenly sees just how truly boring her life has become. Deciding that it is time to finally start doing something about her dreams, Becca breaks up with Kevin, quits her sales associate job, and leaves Phoenix for Los Angeles to try to become a new star in the fashion biz. While looking for ways to get her designs in front of L.A.'s style mavens, Becca takes a part-time job working for sexy Connor Sullivan, an adrenaline junkie with an addiction to extreme outdoor adventures. Tired of playing it safe, Becca is ready to embrace Connor's risk-taking philosophy of life, but her biggest challenge yet may be in finding some way to convince Connor to take a chance at romance with her. Kendrick expertly accessorizes her latest laughter-laced creation with an impeccable and irresistible combination of wickedly clever writing and sharply defined characters.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2005, American Library Association.)