Book Review: Never Mind the Botox: Rachel PLUS Author Interview

Never Mind the Botox is a series about four professional women all working on the sale of a high profile cosmetic surgery business, The Beau Street Group. Each book reveals how the women cope with one of the most glamorous but challenging deals of their careers and the dramatic impact it has on their personal lives. With a briefcase in one hans and a glass of wine in the other, can they navigate their way through a surreal world of boob jobs by day and intrigue by night- and still keep their own love lives on track?
Rachel Altman is a corporate financier with a prestigious accounting firm who's desperately trying to keep on the straight and narrow. Hopelessly led astray by her bar diving boyfriend, she gets the chance to turn things around when her boss gives her the break she's been waiting for. But when the deal doesn't go as planned Rachel panics, sparking off a chain of betrayal and lies that threatens to ruin both her love life and her career.

Rachel is the second book in The Never Mind the Botox series. I read the first book, Alex last year and really enjoyed it. Rachel is the corporate financier working on The Beau Street Group deal. The books are not sequels so you don't need to read them in order; the idea is that each book deals with a different female character working on the same deal at the same time. Joanna Berry qualified as a solicitor and Penny Avis as an accountant so they both bring their knowledge and experience of the corporate business world to the writing process. Rachel, like Alex in the previous book is trying to juggle a high powered career with her personal life. I think that is what makes these books to refreshing; the fact that they are extremely realistic. I have to say that I didn't take to Rachel as much as I did Alex as i don't feel as though I got to know her as well.
I think that this is a really interesting series in that it is offering something new to the chick lit genre; the books are entertaining with a good pace and they are not afraid to portray realistic, strong, driven women having a career and a fulfilling personal life.

Dot Scribbles Rating 4/5

Many thanks to the lovely people at Midas PR for sending me a copy of the book to review.

I was also lucky enough to interview Penny Avis and Joanna Berry, here's what they had to say:

1.       Do you have a personal favourite out of the four books?

We designed all four stories before we started writing any of the books and found it very hard to choose between them, as we made sure that we divided our favourite story lines between them! It would be like having to choose between our children!That said, we get very passionate about each book as it is published so we are both totally in ‘Rachel mode’ at the moment.

2.        Do you have any disagreements when writing the books, if so how do you come to a joint decision and move on?

We had debates rather than disagreements. We always tried to look at things from a reader’s perspective, rather than from one or other of our viewpoints. Our commercial backgrounds meant that we were both used to taking criticism and looking at things very objectively, which also helped. We also tended to defer to whoever felt more passionate about the point and that helped us move on quickly.

3.       You both lead very busy and successful lives, just like the women in your books, what do you do in order to relax and get away from it all?

We both love to spend time with our families. Children are a great reminder of what’s really important, so we don’t take things too seriously. We also spend time with friends, exercise as much as we can and do plenty of partying!

4.       Congratulations on the TV series, will you be involved in the development of it etc?

Thank you and yes, which is great for a couple of control freaks like us! We have signed a joint venture agreement as partners with Future Films, rather than just signed over the rights to the books. So we’ll be involved every step of the way.


If you would like to find out more about these books or the author's themselves then check out their website here. 

Book Review: Never Mind The Botox by Penny Avis and Joanna Berry

Never Mind The Botox is a series about four professional women all working on the sale of high profile cosmetic surgery business the Beau Street Group. Each book reveals how the women cope with one of the of the most glamorous but challenging deals of their careers, and the dramatic impact it has on their personal lives. With a briefcase in one hand and a glass of wine in the other, can they navigate their way through a surreal world of boob jobs by day and intrigue by night- and still keep their own love lives on track?

Alex Fisher is a high flying lawyer close to making partner and busy planning her perfect wedding to Elliott. But life suddenly becomes complicated when she's faced with a hot junior lawyer on her team and an actress threatening to jeopardise the deal by exposing her dodgy cosmetic surgery. Soon Alex is forced into a series of impossible choices that are all inextricably linked and life will never be the same again. 

Penny Avis and Joanna Berry are writing from first hand experience of working in the city as a corporate lawyer and accountant. Their experience of working in  high powered, corporate environments is clear to be seen in the book and makes it particularly realistic.
Alex is the central character in the first book of this four book series, I took to her immediately. She is extremely ambitious and about to make partner at her law firm but she is still very human and likeable. I often find that career-driven women are often portrayed as complete bitches in books so it was refreshing to read about a successful woman with a likable side.
Alex is engaged to Elliott, their marriage is in less than three months and things are already a little rocky. Elliott is in a band still trying to make it in the music industry and he doesn't seem particularly interested in helping Alex with the wedding plans, she even had to buy her own engagement ring!
Alex knows that the Beau Street Group deal could be her last hurdle to partnership. The deal would secure a huge fee for the firm and allow Alex to prove herself in the cut throat corporate world. As Alex and her team begin to investigate the firm, they come across some botched surgery complaints that threaten the whole deal, especially as they involve celebrities who aren't afraid to go running to the media.
Alex includes Dan, a young American lawyer, on her team. She regrets it immediately, her and Dan had a drunken kiss a while back and she has not been able to get him out of her mind. Alex knows that she must be professional though and focus on the deal. Her personal life needs attention too, she has a wedding to plan and thoughts of Dan to banish.
I have really enjoyed reading Never Mind The Botox and I thought that it had a very interesting feel to it. The characters are well created and there is a lot of humour injected into the book by the character of Alex's mum who is convinced that Alex needs both butterflies and unicorns at her wedding.
Penny Avis and Joanna Berry make a good writing team and I look forward to getting to know the next character in the series.

Many thanks to Troubador for sending me a copy of the book to review.