Photo Credit: Magda Ehlers @ Pexels
Today (July 9th) is Fashion Day. Despite being obsessed with Project Runway (2004+), I’m definitely not a fashionista (I prefer the term fashion-adjacent) so I’ve decided to celebrate Fashion Day by doing what I love most: putting together a list of My 10 Favourite Fashion Novels.
The rest of the list will be in alphabetical order but I’ve got to start with the ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ by Lauren Weisberger because who can forget Meryl Streep’s Oscar-nominated performance as Miranda Priestly in the movie adaptation, The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
(1) The Devil Wears Prada (The Devil Wears Prada #1) by Lauren Weisberger (2003)
Series: Revenge Wears Prada: The Devil Returns (#2) & When Life Gives You Lululemons (#3)
Andrea Sachs, a small-town girl fresh out of college, lands the job “a million girls would die for.” Hired as the assistant to Miranda Priestly, the high-profile, fabulously successful editor of Runway magazine, Andrea finds herself in an office that shouts Prada! Armani! Versace! at every turn, a world populated by impossibly thin, heart-wrenchingly stylish women and beautiful men clad in fine-ribbed turtlenecks and tight leather pants that show off their lifelong dedication to the gym. With breathtaking ease, Miranda can turn each and every one of these hip sophisticates into a scared, whimpering child.
From sending the latest, not-yet-in-stores Harry Potter to Miranda’s children in Paris by private jet, to locating an unnamed antique store where Miranda had at some point admired a vintage dresser, to serving lattes to Miranda at precisely the piping hot temperature she prefers, Andrea is sorely tested each and every day—and often late into the night with orders barked over the phone. She puts up with it all by keeping her eyes on the prize: a recommendation from Miranda that will get Andrea a top job at any magazine of her choosing. As things escalate from the merely unacceptable to the downright outrageous, however, Andrea begins to realize that the job a million girls would die for may just kill her. And even if she survives, she has to decide whether or not the job is worth the price of her soul.
(2) This Year’s Model by Sam Baker (2008)
When Lou McCartney, fashion reporter on The Post, finds out that her estranged half-sister Scarlett has gone missing in Japan, she’s left guilt-ridden and reeling. Lou and Scarlett have been estranged since Lou’s father dumped her mother for a younger model, and Scarlett was catapulted to fame as a child model.
Ten years later, Scarlett’s career has stalled. In a desperate bid for work, Scarlett decamps to Tokyo, the toughest assignment in the already tough world of international modelling. And then she vanishes.
Faced with Scarlett’s disappearance, Lou turns to her best friend, Annie Anderson. A former investigative reporter Annie now works for the fashion bible, Handbag magazine. Giving Lou’s knowledge of the fashion world and Annie’s nose for trouble, it’s only a matter of time before they begin chasing down what really happened to Scarlett. It’s a dangerous hunt. One that forces Lou to face up to her past, and takes Annie from London to New York and Tokyo.
In the hard-nosed world of modelling, sometimes the best look is the one that lets you come out of it alive…
(3) Ciao for Now by Kate Bromley (2023) (Five Star Reads – June 2023)
When an American interning at a fashion house in Rome butts heads with her professor’s surly son, sparks fly!
With her thirties rapidly approaching and a mountain of student debt looming over her, Violet Luciano’s dream of finishing design school and working in fashion has cost her everything. So when she lands an internship at an up-and-coming fashion brand in Rome, she brings her A game to Italy. With nothing left to lose, Violet plans to win the competition among the interns for the ultimate prize — a job at a New York label.
But when a coffee run goes wrong and Violet accidentally destroys a stranger’s laptop, all of the apology Americanos in the world won’t help her. Because it turns out that the man from the cafe is Matteo, her professor’s eternally grumpy son, who thinks she’s a clumsy American … and maybe a stalker. Their animosity (and undeniable chemistry) grows as together they’re forced to face a summer of chic parties, adventures through Rome and sharing a home … with the person they can’t stand the most.
The more time she spends with him, the more distracted she finds herself. With her chance to win the competition slipping out of her grasp, Violet has to decide whether to say ciao to Matteo — or ciao to her dreams.
(4) The Year of Living Famously by Laura Caldwell (2004) (My Favourite Stage & Screen Romances)
Some girls seek fame, others have it thrust upon them…
Clothing designer Kyra Felis has never been one to worship celebrities—she’d rather read good book or make a blouse out of an old tablecloth. She marries Hollywood up-and-comer Declan McKenna for love, with no inkling of how his newfound notoriety will send her life spinning out of control.
But once Kyra reluctantly becomes a celebrity by association there’s no turning back. And even though she has all the trappings of success, she can’t do the things that make her happy—throw a party; drink a glass of wine (or four) at a quiet cafe; confide in her friends. When Declan’s fame literally endangers Kyra’s life, she starts to wonder, can she survive more than a year of living famously?
(5) Ache for You (Slow Burn #3) by J.T. Geissinger (2018) (My Favourite Books of 2021)
Series: Burn for You (#1) & Melt for You (#2)
Boutique owner Kimber DiSanto has seen better days. She’s been dumped at the altar by Prince Charmless, her business went up in flames (literally), and now she’s stuck in Florence, Italy, with an ice-queen stepmother, to try to save her late father’s failing dress shop. Only one thing could make it worse: another man in her life. The arrogant Italian fashion tycoon offering to buy her father’s shop is as rich as he is sexy, and their attraction is off the charts. But Kimber’s not about to get burned again.
Women don’t say no to Matteo Moretti—and certainly not with Kimber’s stinging precision. With all the heat and fury sparking between them, Matteo can’t resist baiting the gorgeous American. His plan? Win her over one scorching kiss at a time.
Kimber tells herself it’s all just a game. That her broken heart isn’t in danger, and that Matteo’s touch does not make her Lady Land dance with joy. But sometimes it takes the fieriest of enemies to turn a fantasy into a real-life romance.
(6) Behind His Lens by R.S. Grey (2013)
Twenty-three year old model Charley Whitlock built a quiet life for herself after disaster struck four years ago. She hides beneath her beautiful mask, never revealing her true self to the world… until she comes face-to-face with her new photographer — sexy, possessive Jude Anderson. It’s clear from the first time she meets him that she’s playing by his rules. He says jump, she asks how high. He tells her to unzip her cream Dior gown; she knows she has to comply. But what if she wants him to take charge outside of the studio as well?
Jude Anderson has a strict “no model” dating policy. But everything about Charley sets his body on fire.
When a tropical photo shoot in Hawaii forces the stubborn pair into sexually charged situations, their chemistry can no longer be ignored. They’ll have to decide if they’re willing to break their rules and leave the past behind or if they’ll stay consumed by their demons forever.
Will Jude persuade Charley to give in to her deepest desires?
(7) The Allure of Julian Lefray by R.S. Grey (2015)
From: JosephineKeller@LLDesigns.com
To: LilyNBlack@gmail.com
Subject: Justin Timberlake Nudes!
Lily, you predictable perv. I knew you’d open this email faster if I tempted you with a glimpse of JT’s “PP”. Well, put your pants back on and grab some bubbly because I have much better news to share.
I GOT A JOB!
As of tomorrow, I’ll be the new executive assistant at Lorena Lefray Designs. I am SO excited, but there’s one itty bitty problem: I won’t be Lorena’s assistant. I’ll be working for her older brother, Julian.
I know what you’re thinking- “But Jo, what’s the problem?”
Google him. Now. He’s the man in the fitted navy suit whose face reminds you that there’s hope yet for this cruel, ugly world. Keep scrolling…Do you see those dimples? Yup. That’s the Julian Lefray I will be reporting to tomorrow morning.
Lord, help us all…
XO, Jo
(8) Say Hello, Kiss Goodbye by Jacquelyn Middleton (2020) (Five Star Reads – November 2020)
Leia Scott has sworn off love. Fresh from a messy, public divorce from her hockey player ex, the twenty-six-year-old fashion designer temporarily trades New York for London to heal and embrace her freedom. Her vow? To protect her heart, steer clear of relationships, and say yes to flings without strings. She throws herself into designing upcycled dresses and exploring London with her sister. But Leia’s carefully curated plan encounters a flirty complication with an irresistible British accent.
Wealthy, charming, and devastatingly attractive, Tarquin Balfour is tired of meaningless hook-ups and dates that go nowhere. For years, he has played the bon viveur with reckless abandon, throwing decadent parties, sleeping with a parade of women, and diving into extreme sports around the globe. But now the young property developer wants more. He craves love and commitment, to prove his kind heart matters more than the abundance of zeroes attached to his bank balance. Struggling with undiagnosed depression, Tarquin worries he’ll never find The One…until he meets his princess, a fashion designer named Leia.
Afraid of falling in love and fearful of being alone, Leia and Tarquin enter into an entanglement that threatens to hurt them both.
(9) Bohemian by Kathryn Nolan (2017)
Two souls, drawn together beneath a fierce sky…
Calvin Ellis’s neat and orderly life is shattered when his grandfather dies, leaving him ownership of a quirky bookstore in Big Sur, California. The Mad Ones: once a place famous for poetry readings and bohemian rebellion, it now teeters on the brink of financial ruin.
Lucia Bell’s glamorous life as a super model is put into stark perspective when she shows up for a photo shoot, at a bookstore, in the middle of nowhere. She finds herself oddly intrigued by the quiet, nerdy owner with the huge glasses reading behind the register.
One night they share a passionate and frenzied kiss against a bookshelf. Outside the store, lightning strikes. Trees topple. And the world shakes beneath their feet.
As the storm tears its way through Big Sur, Calvin and Lucia share and explore their most secret desires. Hopes and dreams they once thought lost are recaptured. But inevitably, as reality roars back, they find themselves stuck at a crossroads.
Two conflicting paths. And each must make their own decision.
Which life will they choose? And will it include the other?
(10) Working It (Love by Design #1) by Kendall Ryan (2013)
Series: Craving Him (#2) & All or Nothing (#3)
Emmy Clarke is out of her depth in New York City’s fashion world, but when she lands a job as an assistant at a modelling agency it seems like the perfect mix of business and pleasure. Working under the notorious Fiona Stone is a nightmare, but there’s one distinct perk: ogling the ridiculously hot male models who parade through the office—particularly rising star Ben Shaw.
Ben is everything Emmy’s not: exquisitely gorgeous, highly paid, and well-travelled. He’s also got more issues than Vogue. Emmy looks after Ben on photo shoots, but she refuses to become another one of his lusting groupies. Ben finds Emmy’s refreshingly real attitude to be surprisingly attractive.
Against a backdrop of the most fashionable cities in the world, casual flirting turns into an illicit affair, but when Ben’s twisted past is revealed, and the bitter Fiona catches wind of their relationship, their careers and hearts are threatened.
Louise Hall 
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