How to Be Cool

I'm a huge fan of Johanna Edwards' other chick lit novels Your Big Break and The Next Big Thing. Both were truly original stories with loveable characters. In How to Be Cool, she doesn't let her fans down. She's written yet another great chick lit book that has original ideas, a great story and a loveable main character, Kylie.

Chicago native Kylie Chase has made a living out of being cool. Kylie used to be overweight, but through diligence and determination, has shed 75 pounds and reinvented herself as an image consultant and leader of a course called "How to Be Cool." As a former outcast in her school years, due to both her size and her interests, Kylie knows what it's like to feel out of place and promises to turn her clients from geek to chic in 8 weeks or less. In fact, her classes are causing such a splash that when playboy writer Ty Benedict moves from New York to Chicago to write for a men's magazine called Metro Guy, his first big story is to interview Kylie about "How to Be Cool." Now, Kylie would never admit it, but she isn't nearly as cool as she'd like her clients to be. She finds herself reliving her high school years and thinking about her high school crush as their 10-year reunion creeps up. She's more likely to be at home on Friday night vegging out than hitting the clubs as she'd recommend to her clients. And, after a fire burns down her apartment building, she's temporarily living at home with her parents. Between the reunion, the article, and her living situation, Kylie's got her hands full. But can she pull things together enough to show Ty Benedict that she really does know how to be cool? How to Be Cool was some of the best chick lit I've read all year. I'm used to these stories with a flawed heroine who can't help but lie to make herself and her life look better (think Queen of Babble by Meg Cabot and Can You Keep a Secret by Sophie Kinsella). I'm also used to the "fat girl loses the weight and suddenly finds love" (think Jemima J by Jane Green). But Johanna Edwards has taken a storyline that's been done to death and revamped it with an interesting, while still flawed, heroine who it was difficult not to like. The scrapes Kylie got herself into were completely relatable and many times throughout the book I found myself sympathizing with the realistic problems that she was facing. That's what made this book stand out from some of the other so-so chick lit I've read in the past. I've been there, and the way Johanna Edwards writes about the emotions and conflict in Kylie's life was exactly the way I felt at that time. I loved How to Be Cool and would definitely recommend it for someone in the mood for a stellar beach read that's much smarter and easier to relate to than your average chick lit novel.

"My name is Kylie Chase and I used to be fat. I also used to be a nerd." So begins Johanna Edwards' third novel, How to Be Cool, a hilarious tale about a savvy trendsetter who begins to have trouble keeping her inner dork a secret. Scorned and ridiculed in high school and college because of her obesity, Kylie had, at age 22, an epiphany. She realized she need not remain fat for the rest of her life and, wonder of wonders, she sheds 75 pounds--changing from ugly duckling to beautiful swan. from dork to diva. Now 29, Kylie determines to share the wealth of her transformation. She becomes a professional image consultant, a life coach teaching social skills to socially challenged nerds. Her classes on "How to Be Cool" are Chicago's hottest ticket. Kylie dispenses commonsense wisdom to her clients--Dennis Moop, Charity St. James, Austin Dunbar, and others--helping them move from geek to chic. Trouble is, Kylie, who teaches self-confidence to others, is a big, blubbery ball of insecurity. Soon, Kylie's carefully reconstructed life begins to fall apart. She becomes Exhibit #1 illustrating the truth of Murphy's law: If anything can go wrong, it will. Her apartment burns down and she has to move back in with her parents. At age 29, this is definitely "uncool." The "tenth" anniversary of her high school graduation (held two years late) turns out to be a disaster. Her involvement with Ty Benedict, a handsome hunk of a reporter from Metro Guy who is writing an article about Kylie, bristles with potential heartbreak. Scattered throughout this novel, the author provides 21 "Cool Rules," such as Cool Rule #5: "If you pretend to be someone you're not, make sure you have a backup plan--a credible way to 'fake it' in case you get caught" and Cool Rule #8: "There is such a thing as selective honesty. You don't always have to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth." Johanna Edwards has penned a chuckle-producing, laughter-inducing romp through the faults and foibles of the human condition. Her writing is snappy and sassy, saucy and sophisticated. Translation: It's "cool." How to Be Cool is a fun book to read. There's never a dull moment. Johanna Edwards, the author of two previous novels, Your Big Break and The Next Big Thing, is an award-winning journalist and radio/TV producer who has written for Woman's Day and Figure magazines. Visit her website at www.johannaedwards.com (...)

Johanne Edwards book are always entertaining. I like the way she always incorporates weight issues into her storylines. This one is no different. The story of a "now cool" girl working for a "how to be cool" service. A few surprising twists and a likeable and flawed main character (along with more than a few supporting characters) Lots of angst, some humour and your typical chick lit. But I liked it alot. I kind of found this book inspiring. Buy it.

As usual, Johanna Edwards has come up with an original and unique idea for a book. How to Be Cool is a book about a young woman who makes her living by coaching others on how to improve their social skills and "Be Cool". While this book has been a quick read, it is notable that the writer packs the pages with detail and intricate story lines. My rating is 5 stars and a great read!