The Beautiful People: A Novel

Michelle Gable

Apr 2024 · Sold by Harlequin

About this ebook

Set against the glamorous 1960s Jet Set—a failed debutante's new job as assistant to society photographer Slim Aarons takes her into Palm Beach’s inner circle, and into a beguiling friendship with the star at its center, fashion designer Lilly Pulitzer

“This glittering novel shines as brightly as its heroine. A true delight.” —Nicola Harrison, author of Hotel Laguna

Washington Post Best Book of April * PureWow Best Book of Summer * Woman's World Best Book of the Week

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's 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…

Don't miss Michelle Gable's other riveting novels:

• The Bookseller's Secret
• The Lipstick Bureau

Ratings and reviews

My favorite book this summer. This is a story that I won't soon forget. The main character of this book is Margo Hightower, who becomes an assistant to Slim Aarons, a famous photographer. As Margo gets to know the beautiful people of Palm Beach, she learns things are always as they appear. Even though this book is considered fiction, there are some factual events that make the entire story feel real. I especially enjoyed learning more about Lilly Pulitzer, one of my fashion icons.

Good

About the author

MICHELLE GABLE is the New York Times bestselling author of A Paris Apartment, I'll See You in Paris, The Book of Summer, and The Summer I Met Jack. She attended the College of William & Mary and spent twenty years working in finance before becoming a full-time writer. She grew up in San Diego and lives in Cardiff-by-the-Sea, California. Find her on Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest, @mgablewriter.