I have seen nothing but praise for The Beautiful People by Michelle Gable. I loved this one, set in the 1960s- about a woman who gets a job assisting photographer Slim Aarons. You are probably familiar with Slim’s work, one of the most famous being this:





Everything about this time period makes me wish I lived back then. From the clothes to the hairstyles to the music, I love it all. This book was such a treat to read. I wanted to crawl into the pages and live in Margo’s world for a while.

Here is what you need to know:

It’s 1961, and for Margo Hightower, everything is about to change. True, her engagement is off, her family has fallen in scandal, and she’s completely broke. But she’s just been hired as assistant to photographer Slim Aarons—famous for his vibrant pictures of high society, royalty, and Hollywood stars—and she knows this opportunity is her ticket to something better.

From the bright beaches of Acapulco to glitzy parties in New York, Margo is thrown headfirst into the glamorous jet-set world she so covets, observing its ways from behind the camera as Slim’s sidekick. There’s Jackie Kennedy, Truman Capote and his Swans, a host of Vanderbilts. Beautiful people in beautiful places.

But when they land in Palm Beach, a scene with few rules and many riches, the lines between work and play begin to blur. As Margo becomes swept up in the city’s social circle—and into a friendship with heiress and rising fashion designer Lilly Pulitzer—the golden life seems increasingly in reach. Until she finds herself entangled in a complicated web of loyalties and secrets that could bring it all crashing down…

Highly recommended, get this one now and start reading!

I really had fun with this one! What a great palate cleanser! This historical fiction takes place in the 1960’s while Slim Aarons photography was all the rage! He loved photographing the beautiful people! We follow Daisy and her friends Margo Hightower who was recently dumped by the man she thought she would marry. Daisy recommends her for an assistant job with Slim, and the story takes off from there! She gets to hang with all the prominent people of Palm Beach, including her new friend Lily Pulitzer.

I loved googling the people in this book after and the impromptu book discussion with @electricbookaloo! I was rooting for Margo the whole time even though she didn’t always make the most wise choices, girl power all the way!

I enjoyed reading The Beautiful People by Michelle Gable. You will fall in love with all the characters. I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and the publisher. This is my honest and personal review. Happy Reading!

Love doing life in a Lilly Pulitzer. Whenever I can’t find something to wear, my husband says “Wear a Lilly.” The most fun colors, comfortable fit, and you can’t wear it and not feel happy. 💖 I can not speak highly enough about how fantastic this book was! I had no idea the backstory of this book, but once I started in I was so excited by every page. I went to college in West Palm Beach, nannied in Palm Beach/Singer Island at the Bath and Tennis club, learned about Lilly Pullitzer, and nannied in Nantucket for three summers. So the setting, the characters, and the idea of this book was just SO good. My husband can tell you I was like a kid at a candy store with this book. It was all about Lilly Pulitzer and Peter her husband, and the life they lived. How they met, how they started the company, what they went through, and all through the eyes of a young gal Margo, trying to make it in a world she really wasn’t apart of. Set in the 1960s in Palm Beach, Margo moved from San Fransico to try and find a man and become something and someone. Unfortunately she is dumped at the Bath and Tennis club, her step father just went to jail and her mom is losing everything. To say she has nothing, and no where to go is an understatement. She then begins working as an assistant for a photographer Slim Aaron, famous for his pictures of high society. She feels like this is her ticket in. But it is HARD work, and she gets in some messy situations. But Slim shows her how to use a camera and she captures Lilly and her dresses and gets put into Lifetime. She is in the midst of the Pullizters, Jackie Kennedy, as well as Jack Kennedy, the Vanderbelts and so many more. But she gets into a little web, and doesn’t know how to get out. Washington Post quoted it “Best book of April” and Purewow quoted it “Best book of summer!” I have always devoured each novel of Michelle Gable, and this one was right up there with them all. Highly recommend her books for some fun summer reads! It came out April 15th and is definitely a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read. Thank you so much @mgablewriter @netgalley @harlequinbooks for this advance copy! @lillypulitzer #michellegable #lillypulitzer

“The Beautiful People” tells the story of Palm Beach society in the early sixties through the eyes of Margo Hightower, a fictitious photographer’s assistant to Slim Aarons, who through his photographs, chronicled the lives of the rich and famous. The novel focuses on Lilly Pulitzer and her high society friends at the time she was creating her famous dresses.

At the beginning of the novel, Margot has been dumped at an acquaintance’s wedding by who she thought was her soon to be fiancee. Margot is desperate because she was counting on this marriage to help her out of a dire financial situation caused by her stepfather’s indictment for financial fraud. A friend, Dotty Fritz, introduces her to Slim Aarons, encouraging him to hire an inexperienced Margot as his assistant. He reluctantly agrees and Margot is soon plunged into the world of high society Palm Beach, befriending Lilly Pulitzer, who sees her as one of her causes, in the process teaching her to dress more fashionably.

When the reader is first introduced to Margot, she is a spoiled rich girl, who sneers at the unfashionable accommodations at West Palm Beach, where Slim sets her up for the “season” and balks at the arduous nature of her work as his assistant, particularly her lack of free time to find a rich husband, which is her ultimate goal. As the novel progresses, Margot becomes more confident and mature as well as less naive about life and human nature.

I have read a couple of Michelle Gable’s previous books, but “The Beautiful People” is by far my favorite. It brings to life the atmosphere of early sixties Palm Beach, while creating a cast of vivid characters. She also subtly makes Margot a more likable person as Margot loses some of her preconceived notions of marriage as the only goal for women and becomes a confident, mature woman.

I highly recommend this book to fans of historical fiction who like well-crafted characters and vivid period detail. I am eager to see what Michelle Gable does next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing me an ARC of the novel in exchange for my honest review.

The Beautiful People comes out tomorrow - April 16th!

Beautiful People was such a fun book around a fictional failed Debutante who becomes an assistant to the famed society photographer Slim Aarons. In her role she gets to observe the jet-setting society as she helps photograph the elite. As she gets taken into the Palm Beach inner circle she starts a friendship with heiress and rising fashion designer Lilly Pulitzer...

I loved reading about the glamorous and not-so-glamorous side of the jet-setting 1960s socialites and famous who spent the season in Palm Beach. I loved looking at the Slim Aaron photographs as I was this book to get into the spirit! I like my historical fiction where fictional characters interact with real people so knowing that Margo was fictional helped me get into this story and enjoy! Plus I never really knew the history behind Lilly Pulitzer so I loved learning more about her!

If you're into historical fiction around the elite, 1960s or want to know more about Lilly Pulitzer you'll enjoy this book! Definitely recommend reading it poolside if you can!

The story begins in 1961, when Margo Hightower's engagement gets called off and broke, she has no prospects. Things start to look up when she is hired to be the assistant to the famed photographer Slim Aarons, who was known for his photographs of the rich & famous. Margo is thrown headfirst into the high society lifestyle, rubbing elbows with everyone from Lilly Pulitzer, Jackie Kennedy, Truman Capote's Swans, & a host of Vanderbilts. just to name a few. However, the higher Margo rises in the social circle, the more the lines between work & friendship begin to blur, and Margo's loyalties begin to be tested. She will have to decide if the glitz and glam facade she has been reaching for is worth it after all, or if it is time to give it all up.

This book was fascinating. Although Margo's character was fictional, the majority of the other characters were real. I had never heard of Slim Aarons before, not being one who is really into photography, but this book did spur me into doing some research on him and checking out some of his photographs and his work was definitely impressive. I found Lilly Pulitzer's story intriguing, as I knew nothing of her backstory either. If you are a fan of historical fiction, then I think you will definitely want to check this one out.

Palm Beach and a 1960s setting? THE BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE sounded like my absolute dream book, and it definitely did not disappoint. The story follows Margo Hightower, whose life is in disarray. With a broken engagement, a family riddled with scandal, and almost no money, she feels completely lost. Then, she lands the opportunity of a lifetime—assistant to famous photographer Slim Aarons, who's known for his eye-catching photos of the rich and famous. Margo is quickly pulled into the glamorous world of the jet set, where she meets sophisticated people and explores beautiful places. She soon becomes drawn into the fabric of Palm Beach high society, led by none other than Lilly and Peter Pulitzer. Can Margo find her footing in a place that's hiding a few secrets underneath its idyllic exterior?

I loved this book! Michelle Gable does a wonderful job of taking readers back in time and bringing this vibrant cast of characters (many of whom are real people!) to life. She establishes a great balance of fact and fiction—I learned so much from this book, but also loved how the tone was engaging and gossipy (while still being informative) rather than overly didactic. I also really appreciated the amount of detail Gable infuses throughout the story, and even after you turn the final page, about 1960s Palm Beach, as well as the famous figures who inhabit that world and how their lives and careers unfolded. Margo is the perfect leading lady, since readers get to find out all about this exciting and sometimes intimidating society through a newcomer's eyes, and go on that journey along with her. If you love shows like MAD MEN, PALM ROYALE, and FEUD: CAPOTE VS. THE SWANS, and enjoy historical fiction, this is a definite must-read! Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing/Graydon House for the ARC.

All I can say is wow!! I was sucked into this historical fiction novel based on the true story of influential jet-setter figures from 1960s Palm Beach and devoured it in one weekend. The book is a coming-of-age story full of drama, romance, and betrayal.

Margo is a former affluent debutante from San Francisco, who finds herself broke and alone after she is dumped by her intended fiance and cut off financially from her parents. While visiting Palm Beach, a friend helps her obtain an assistant job for Slim Aarons, a famed photographer to the one percenters. He becomes a cantankerous mentor to her, which adds a dash of humor to the plot. Margot initially hopes the job will help her find a wealthy replacement fiancé, as she has no career goals other than to get her Mrs. She becomes increasingly entangled in the world of Palm Beach high society, led by Peter and Lilly Pulitzer (of the prize and the clothing brand, respectively), but over the course of a few years, Margo begins to realize that not all is peachy in the world of pastel print dresses.

While Margot was fictional, all of the other characters in the book were real, including members of the Kennedys (Lilly was friends with Jack and Jackie!) and the "Old Guard" Vanderbilts, amongst others. I appreciated how the end of the book included a list of all of the iconic work of Slim, which I promptly Googled. It was fun comparing my mental images of the characters to photos of their real-life counterparts.

Overall, I can't recommend this one enough, especially if you enjoy:
*Stories about outsiders
*Strong female protagonists
*The lives of the rich and famous
*The fashion industry
*The glamor of the 1960s
*Fiction based on true stories

Now I can't wait to go and read the author's other book, The Summer I Met Jack, on a New England beach this summer! Thank you to the author, NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing/Graydon House for this arc to review.

As a lover of Palm Beach, Lilly Pulitzer, and 1960s period pieces, I knew this book would be for me and I was absolutely correct! The Beautiful People follows Margo Hightower after being unceremoniously dumped by her would-be fiancé. Margo is at a complete loss--she can't go home to San Francisco, where her mother is attempting to maintain a stiff upper lip following the discovery of her husband's financial crimes and infidelity, but she can't afford to stay in Palm Beach without the support of a wealthy man. A friend connects her with well-known photographer Slim Aarons, first made famous for his war photography, then for his work with the Palm Beach elite, who is in need of a new assistant. Despite knowing next to nothing about photography, Margo is quickly thrust into Slim's world, but struggles to find her footing amongst people like the Vanderbilts, the Kennedys, and most importantly, Lilly and Peter Pulitzer. The Beautiful People is a blend of historical fact and fiction with gorgeous descriptions of iconic people, places, and most of all, clothes. I adored Michelle Gable's latest book. It's a perfect beach read for lovers of historical fiction!

Sparkling, fun, and engaging! I flew through this story of Margo, Slim and the Palm Beach crowd. A perfect start-to-summer read. The writing is light and fun and the pacing is great. Would recommend!

This was such fun historical fiction book. I learned so much about Slim Aarons and his photography work. It was very interesting and something I have not read about before. I loved Margo's character. She is so well written. I felt like I was living her life in the 1960's in Palm Beach with her rich and famous work acquaintances. I really enjoyed the editorial references the author put in the back of the book so you can look up Slim's photos that are referenced in the book. I highly recommend giving this is a read if you enjoy entertaining historical fiction.

Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the digital arc in exchange of my honest review.

Margo is a San Francisco debutante who finds herself broke and alone in Palm Beach in 1961, working for Slim Aarons, photographer to the stars, high society, and royalty. Hoping the job will help her find a path to a new and better future (i.e. a rich husband), Margo assists Slim around the world as he photographs wealthy and beautiful people; but Margo gets swept up into the lives of the wealthy circle of the Palm Beach jet set when she establishes a friendship with the fabulous Lilly Pulitzer. However, Margo learns that even the wealthy have complicated lives if you take off the rose colored glasses, or in this case, the brightly patterned dresses.

This was one of those books (for me) that you read, and then realize afterwards how much you enjoy. I ended up googling the characters to learn more and talking about the book the next day with someone I had just met. I wasn’t the biggest fan of Margo, but I loved learning about the real people in the novel and their stories and I thought the author did a great job bringing them to life. This is a nice light historical novel about characters whose stories I had never known.

3.75 stars rounded to 4

Thank you to NetGalley and HTP Publishing/Graydon House for the ARC

The Beautiful People is a perfect summer read. Michelle Grable transports you to the high-fashion glamour and scandalous 1960s Palm Beach. It's a fun and exciting story centered around the real lives of Lily Pulitzer, the start of her clothing empire, and the famous photographer Slim Aarons. Through the eyes of the main character, naive Margot, we meet the chic and famous Kennedy's, Vanderbilt's, and Roseau's. The author does an excellent job of detailing the look and feel of the era.

Thank you, NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing, for the eARC.

A look at a few years in the life of Lily Pulitzer through the eyes of Margo, who, after being dumped by the man she thought she would marry, lands a job with photographer Slim Aarons. I had to remind myself that a 21 year old in the early 1960s was very different from a 21 year old in the 70s, 80s, or today but after a rough start, I found this an interesting because it gives a glimpse at life in Palm Beach in the 1960s but even better at being a photographer's assistant. Everyone in this novel is either a real person or based on a real person (don't miss the afterword) and there are cameos by both President and Jackie Kennedy (as well as John Jr.) The atmospherics are good (liked the descriptions of the clothes among other things) as is the storytelling. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. For fans of historical fiction.

Thank you @htpbooks and @netgalley for the eARC of The Beautiful People by @mgablewriter in exchange for an honest review!

The Beautiful People by Michelle Gable
Publication Date: April 16, 2024
Harlequin Trade Publishing

📖📖 Book Review 📖📖 The Beautiful People is the escape back to 1960’s Palm Beach that I did not know I needed! Margo is a young woman whose family is embroiled in scandal and she’s lost all of her money…and a fiance. Margo is a breath of fresh air, instead of letting life get her down, she rises to the occasion and makes things happen! You know who else made things happen? Lilly Pulitzer. Yes ladies and gentleman, this historical fiction novel brings my favorite designer (really, the only preferred designer I have) to life! What a treat this book is! So go ahead and grab your favorite fresh squeezed juice and be inspired by this beautiful tale.

4.5/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Review is posted on Goodreads and will be on Instagram very soon!

After reading "The Beautiful People" you will surely fall down a rabbit hole of wanting to know EVERYTHING there is to know about the residents of Palm Beach!

I have been looking forward to this book for almost a year now! I am a HUGE Lilly Pulitzer fan, however never knew much about the woman behind the brand! Michelle Gable does a beautiful job of telling the story of how "Lilly" and her dresses came to be!

If you have been watching the hit new show "Palm Royale", you are NOT going to want to miss out on this book!

Overall, I enjoyed this story. I was not very familiar with Palm Beach in the 60s or Lilly Pulitzer so I enjoyed this window into their world. I appreciated how Margo grew and changed throughout the book and gained a better understanding of who she was.

Books usually start off with the main character having lost everything, and this one is no exception. However, most of those books detail the process of the main character getting back on their feet and I love that this one opened with the main character already having an exciting opportunity.

I think it would be exciting for a bit to travel to far off places and mingle with famous people, but I know that life comes with it's drawbacks as well. I think Michelle Gable does a great job of this give and take and painting a picture of 60's glamour for the reader. I genuinely enjoyed this book and its setting.

Liked it for sure - was definitely annoyed that the real juicy stuff didn't happen until about 80% of the way in. Made the ending feel rushed.