A cute fluffy book great for fans of romantic comedies, Miss Congeniality, and plots revolving around twins switching places.

Charlotte's identical twin sister is competing in the Miss America Treasure pageant when she suffers an allergic reaction. She convinces her shier, more homebody twin, Charlotte, to take her place in the preliminaries. There is a romance the buds between Charlotte and a guy she meets at the hotel that adds to the story, but ultimately this felt more of a quirky, adult coming-of-age story.

Near the beginning I did struggle with Charlotte a little as even though she is 29 she sometimes felt 21. I found her sister, Ginny, to be selfish and single-minded although she did redeem herself in the end. I liked that Wilson didn't make all of the contestants vapid and shallow, but instead gave them more faceted personalities.

Although at times this felt a little childish (or maybe like a YA novel with adults), overall I enjoyed the story and characters.

The Accidental Beauty Queen was such a delightful read, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. It's an uplifting story that will warm your heart and bring a smile to your face. It has a lot of bookish references and bookish humor that any bookworm will appreciate, positive female friendships, sweet romance, and an adorable dog that makes the story so much sweeter. A highly recommended read!

My love for Hallmark movies is no secret, and when I saw that Teri Wilson had been involved with several particularly wonderful Hallmark films, I knew I had to read this book. I was expecting something light and fun, but still sweet and thoughtful, and Wilson more than met my expectations.

• Pro: I loved Charlotte. She was a bookish, nerdy librarian. How could I NOT love her?

• Pro: The exploration of sibling relationships is something I always enjoy, and this one was made that much more interesting by involving identical twin sisters and a really BIG secret, that was hampering their relationship.

• Pro: Grey was such a wonderful and swoony hero. Not only was he a billionaire, but he was also a literature lover. I was as dazzled by him as Charlotte was when he spoke Darcy to her.

• Pro: I am telling you, the pageant scenes gave me this awesome Miss Congeniality vibe. They were fun, and I liked that Charlotte started to see this world in a different, more positive way. I loved the sisterhood side of the pageant Wilson exposed, and I always like seeing women supporting women.

• Pro: This was quite a journey for Charlotte. She not only learned a lot about pageants and her sister, but she learned a lot about herself, and I really enjoyed getting to see her evolve over the course of the story.

• Pro: There were all these little things that delighted me in this book. From butter beer to Buttercup, the adorable French Bulldog, I found all these little touches that added to my enjoyment.

Overall: This book was sweet and charming, as well as hilarious and heartwarming. I smiled, I laughed, I shed some tears, and in the end, I was left with a smile on my face and a full heart.

After reading the brief description about this book, I knew I had to read it. It was a very cute and quick chick lit book that I just could not put down. I absolutely loved this book and instantly wished it were longer. This book is a cross between Miss Congeniality meets the Parent Trap. So if you enjoyed either of those movies you will love this book. I love the underlying message in this book about self-love and self-worth. In today’s word women are too critical on themselves and often they miss seeing their best features that can’t be seen with the eye. The only negative thing I have to say is I wish they gave a reasoning for Ginny’s allergic reaction. What would make someone’s face blow up like that! Thank you Netgalley for the copy in exchange for my honest review.

The cover of The Accidental Beauty Queen drew me in and I absolutely loved this book. Such a cute, fun and quick read that left me crying happy tears at the end. I could not put the book down, Teri Wilson does a great job drawing you into the story and making you need to know what happens next! I'll definitely be reading more books from Wilson, especially when I found out she wrote some of the Hallmark movies I'm always watching. I can definitely see The Accidental Beauty Queen being turned into a Hallmark movie, and one can hope the story of Charlotte and Ginny can continue in some more books!

The Accidental Beauty Queen is a quick and cute chick lit. There was a great balance among the romance, Charlotte's antics, and relationship with her sister. There were some really fun scenes in the book (a scene in which Charlotte trains a dog, Buttercup, is my favorite) and kept me fully entertained. If you are looking for fun and easy read, The Accidental Beauty Queen is for you!

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for my review. Ohhhhh I loved this book!! Charlotte Gorman loves her life as a librarian, her Harry Potter books and her identical twin sister Ginny. Although they are twins, Charlotte and Ginny are total opposites. Charlotte is low maintenance and Ginny is an Instagram influencer with thousands of followers and a beauty pageant (scholarship) contestant. As great as her life is, the one thing Ginny really wants, she hasn't been able to make happen: getting crowned Miss American Treasure.
Charlotte goes to Ginny's final Miss American Treasure pageant to cheer her on, and the night before the pageant Ginny has an allergic reaction and breaks out in a rash all over her face. The only thing she can think of is to trade places and force Charlotte to take her place in the pageant until the rash goes away. Charlotte can't even imagine participating in a pageant but she will do it for her sister. She is positive it will be a living nightmare, so who is more surprised when she actually starts to enjoy it?
This is just a terrific, feel-good story. There are laugh-out-loud parts right next to sweet, tender moments. This is a must read!!

What originally sparked my interest in this book was the cover. I just think the cover is so cute!

The Accidental Beauty Queen is a cute, light, and fluffy read. This isn't the most original story and was predictable but it still was an overall easy and fun read.

Let's meet the twins Ginny and Charlotte. These girls couldn't be more opposite.
Charlotte is a shy librarian and Ginny is outgoing competing in beauty pageants. Charlotte decides to take a vacation to see her sister compete in an upcoming beauty pageant. Unfortunately, Ginny comes down with hives at the last minute and Charlotte is forced to take Ginny's place in the competition.

I was reminded of Miss Congeniality a little bit in this one and was very heavy with Harry Potter/Jane Austen jokes. I'm not sure how I felt about this? I think it was bit overboard with all the references to H.P and Jane Austen.

There is a romance aspect to this novel... but wasn't the focus of the novel. The scenes between Charlotte and Gray were so mild and was disappointing. I feel that Gray's character was a bit underdeveloped and was hoping to see their relationship flourish more. I'm not a believer of a falling in deep love over a 2 day period? This kind of annoyed me. I feel the romance side barely touched the surface here. Which maybe was the author's intention?

Overall, this was a cute and fluffy read. 3.25 stars rounded up.

Thank you to Netgalley and Gallery Publishing for the opportunity to read this arc in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Publication date: 12/4/18
Published to GR: 10/30/18

This is a quick, sweet read. The romance element is almost secondary to Charlotte's experience "trying on" her twin sister's life and navigating the pageant realm as a favor to her sister. The Goodreads description mentions this as "for fans of Sophie Kinsella", and I think that's an apt comparison- it's light, it's about relationships and self as much as it is about a romance, and it's just got a good heart to it.

Ah, this was fun!

I'd rate it 3.5, though.

Charlotte has a twin, a beautiful and popular twin who's broken up her most recent relationship when Charlotte overheard the guy confess he was just waiting to do the switch. Ginny is so different from her, she's in every pageant and usually goes far. That's what's so tragical about her getting her face all blotched after an allergic crisis. In the end, Charlotte needs to step up and become Ginny for a few days in other to make sure her sister classifies for the final round of this last-chance pageant.

I was very into this plot and requested to read the ARC the same second but then I found out I had read a previous work from the same author and wasn't a big fan of it. So maybe my expectations weren't the highest. And yet, it proved everyone deserves second chances. This was a very entertaining pleasure read.

There is a bit of Miss Congeniality inspiration but it's very mild. There's no crime being investigated and neither is Charlotte from the police. But I liked living for a bit in the backstage of a beauty pageant, I even wished there were more scenes like that even though the book is full of them.

The romance is more of a subplot, and it's also drunk from elsewhere waters—Pride and Prejudice, in this case. I really like the not-knowing-each-other's-real-identities trope and wish there was more of the couple, but I also think there was a high chance the book would become just like all other romances. So let's say the writer knew the ideal dose not to spoil it all but still leave us wanting. And kudos to him, I approve his reactions to everything going one there.

This book doesn't go too deep and it's no innovation of any kind, but neither does it sell itself like that. It definitely fulfills what it was made to and shouldn't disappoint. It could have been funnier, it could have been less forgettable, but it was a nice read.


Honest review based on an ARC provided by Netgalley. Many thanks to the publisher for this opportunity.

Book Review: The Accidental Beauty Queen by Teri Wilson

This is a great contemporary fiction book with a touch of romance. This is the story of twin sisters who are polar opposites. They are in Orlando as Ginny competes in a beauty pageant. Charlotte is looking forward to a fun vacation visiting the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. However, Ginny gets an allergic reaction and she can’t compete. So she convinces Charlotte to compete in her place.

This was a switching twins trope that actually worked. I was invested in Charlotte’s transformation and her path through the pageant.

The romance was sweet, although it was a bit insta lust. I wished there was more development in this area.

I read this book in one day which is a sign of a good book. I look forward reading more books from this author.

Book Review will be posted on What to Read Next Blog closer to publication date.

Hilarious. I laughed out loud at parts. It reminded of Sophia Kinsella, if Sophia Kinsella wrote Miss Congeniality.

A quick, fun read. The cover art currently owes a debt to Crazy Rich Asians.
The author is a little heavy-handed with the pop culture references but superfans of Jane Austen and Harry Potter won't mind. The epilogue could use some more fleshing out. I enjoyed the ending but would have liked to see how the relationship worked out, given the geographical separation. And the second twin's evolution and ending seemed abrupt.

Tl;dr: A short, sweet contemporary that's got a romance but better still, is refreshingly women positive.

I admit, I expected The Accidental Beauty Queen to be a quick, easy read. And it was, but unlike so many "chick lit" novels, or even (sad to say) many contemporary romances, this one was refreshingly devoid of any "beautiful=ugly on the inside" female characters.

The gist: Charlotte and Ginny are identical twin sisters, but Charlotte is an elementary school librarian (librarian yay!) and Ginny works the beauty pageant circuit (and rakes in the dough via her sponsored Instagram content, natch) -- and at first, I thought, oh great, a smart trumps pretty story. Sort of interesting with the whole identical thing but yet...

And then something interesting happens. When Charlotte has to enter the pageant in Ginny's place, she finds out that a. being in a beauty pageant is more than just the requisite makeover scene-- it's actually not that easy. And it's not awful! In fact, all the contestants she meets are nice, smart, and best of all, supportive. What could have easily been such an easy out--Ms. Wilson doesn't take it, and I applaud her for it.

Instead, the drama comes from Charlotte herself, as she finds herself falling for someone she shouldn't and feels terrible about lying even as she continues to do so.

(Side note: Ginny says her favorite book is Fifty Shades of Grey (am I the only person on the planet who hasn't read it??) and the main male character's name is Grey. I lol'ed over that because even I know the main male character in Fifty Shades is named Grey something and this seemed like Ms. Wilson taking a gentle swipe at the books.)

(That was a long side note, I know!)

Anyway! The romance is G rated, PG at most, and predictable, but honestly, who doesn't like a easy going romance once in a while? And bonus, not outside angst from a bautiful-yet-mean woman, whoo!

This is going to go over well with fans of Sophie Kinsella, Bridget Jones's Diary (which is now over 20 years old!!), possibly The Hating Game, as well as fans of The Kiss Quotient who don't mind a fluffier read.

Sweet but not cloying and another yay! for the female positivity. Very cute.

Could The Accidental Beauty Queen have been any better? I was entranced from the beginning, from the book nerd to the beauty queen sister I just knew I was going to love this romantic comedy. I cried, I laughed and I swooned!

The Accidental Beauty Queen was so much more than a romance novel, it had heart and passion and lies, love and humor. I had numerous Sandra Bullock, Miss Congeniality flashbacks and I just simply loved it. I loved watching Charlotte grow, from being narrow minded about the contestants to actually getting to know them. There is just something about character growth that makes me so happy.

From the time that she, eventually almost selfishly, swapped places with her twin (which I love so much) to the when everything blew up in an epic way, I couldn't put The Accidental Beauty Queen down. I loved how real the sisters were that even when you are angry and upset with them you would still do anything for them so that they wouldn't suffer.

Not only was the story great, but it's a clean romance, and that was so refreshing. I really loved that I got a break from the constant sex of so many romance novels these days, but I was still able to feel the love and connection between the leading couple. AND their french bulldogs!

If you are looking for a fun, flirty, light-hearted read that still has the power to make you cry, you don't need to look any further than The Accidental Beauty Queen.

A cute, lighthearted tale ..... nothing that’ll keep you up all night with, but definitely worth the read!

A book about twin sisters who have very different interests. When one finds herself with an unexpected problem, the other twin jumps in to help! Throw in a bunch of beauty pageant contestants and a handsome fellow and you have an easy read with suspense, drama and love all wrapped up into one story line. A great book to read if you are looking for a lighthearted escape!

Princess Diaries and Miss Congeniality
Without giving away spoilers

A sweet romantic comedy perfect for fans of Meg Cabot and Sophie Kinsella, critically acclaimed author Teri Wilson shows us that sometimes being pushed out of your comfort zone leads you to the ultimate prize.

Charlotte loves her job as a librarian and she woefully decides to be her sisters wingamn or dog sitter/walker for the weekend at a beauty paegent... until there is a chsnge of plans!! Charlotte's sisterGinny is an Instagram famous persona.

Charlotte is unprepared for the changes that begin to take place snd during this period she learns a lot about her mother and her sister, including her sisters world. Charlotte is unprepared for the world of bedazzled gowns alse eyelashes, and push-up bras,

5 stars, funny, light, and fresh

The Accidental Beauty Queen is full of laughs and provides an insight to the bond of sisterhood. This is the first book I have read by Teri Wilson and I will definitely check out her next book when I am looking for some romance and laughs.

Teri Wilson’s <i>The Accidental Beauty Queen</i> is a sweet romantic comedy in the vein of <i>Miss Congeniality</i>. A not-so-ugly duckling is forced to reckon with her feminine side and give in to the pageant glitz. In this telling, Charlotte only joined her sister at the pageant to squeeze in a vacation after the end of a long school year as a librarian. When her identical twin sister Ginny has a major allergic reaction, she is convinced to take her place. Suddenly Charlotte finds herself wearing heels and a sash, and woefully under-prepared for to fall for the cute guy who keeps challenging her at every turn á la Mr. Darcy.

This is a quick read, great for beach or long commutes. Wilson’s crafted characters who are engaging. Charlotte is a fully defined protagonist, who undergoes a great deal of personal growth. She’s charming and sweet, despite being the ‘nerd’ character. She’s also neither too perfect nor too imperfect – certainly no MarySue. You root for her and feel for her during her success and losses. Wilson has written an entirely relatable lead.

Unfortunately, <i>The Accidental Beauty Queen</i> is not destined to be a timeless always reachable story. Heavily laden with pop culture references, without those references you’d be sorely out of touch. <i>Miss Congeniality</i> and Anne Hathaway make-over references pop up at every turn, not to mention Harry Potter as the key defining point for why Charlotte is a ‘nerd’. Unfortunately, as much as I love <i>Miss Congeniality</i>, I’m pretty sure my cousins aging into this genre haven’t even heard of the movie made in 2000. This aspect bummed me out, as the rest of the story is enticing enough that I was looking forward to reading more.

Another aspect I found difficult was the decision-making process that got them to the twin-switch. Charlotte spends a number of pages debating not just her dislike of pageants, but the inherent dishonesty in cheating the system by having her pretend to be her sister. That she focuses so much thought before saying ‘yes’ on the issues of cheating and honesty and then goes through with the switch made me as a reader uncomfortable. It didn’t feel like a logical transition for the character that Wilson was building.

If you’re looking for that quick sweet read with a low angst level, <i>The Accidental Beauty Queen</i> is perfect for that. Even with the above issues I felt were present, I really enjoyed reading it an would do so again knowing those issues. If anything, I think it would have been easier to have been prepared for those so that I could just give in fully to suspension of disbelief and really enjoy the tale that Wilson weaves.

This review will be published 12/03 - links to reviews will be posted at this time. Please feel free to use review material in the mean time.