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mischievous_monkey's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I found this novel to be a commentary on the callousness of people who put profit before humanity and who project a false image to rake in cash and I enjoyed it as such. It also explored some themes about allowing oneself to become jaded and judgemental in the character of Alice as well as about letting others take advantage of you and thinking the best of something/someone while evidence points to the contrary in the character of Pepper.
I read some reviews that complained about the pace of the romance versus the development of Pepper's story arc but I definitely don't agree. I think showing us in detail how Pepper was star-struck by her boss and workplace to the point where she let it damage her personally was a necessary part of the story. If fact, I would have enjoyed it just as much if Alice and she had just struck up a meaningful friendship instead of a romantic relationship.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Abby Craden and enjoyed her intrepretation of the story, as usual.
I read some reviews that complained about the pace of the romance versus the development of Pepper's story arc but I definitely don't agree. I think showing us in detail how Pepper was star-struck by her boss and workplace to the point where she let it damage her personally was a necessary part of the story. If fact, I would have enjoyed it just as much if Alice and she had just struck up a meaningful friendship instead of a romantic relationship.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Abby Craden and enjoyed her intrepretation of the story, as usual.
stacy837's review against another edition
challenging
dark
lighthearted
medium-paced
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Cursing, Sexual harassment, and Sexual content
Moderate: Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Transphobia and Classism
zefrien's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
khylabevibin's review against another edition
2.0
Simply the best by Karin Kallmaker introduces us to Alice Cabot and Pepper Addington. Alice is a journalist recovering from a controversial spat in the politics section within her company. Her punishment is being moved to the style section, placing her in the direct path of Simply the Best. Simply the Best is a successful company owned by the well known, Helen Jolie. Enter Pepper, initially an unpaid intern at Simply the Best who finds herself as Helen's personal assistant and soon to be Alice's guide. Sparks fly but so does Alice's suspicion about Helen.
This is my first book by this author despite her having many to her name and as much as I wanted to enjoy this book it fell short for me.
My first problem would be the writing and content. There was a lot of irrelevant moments and paragraphs that was totally useless to this book. In the end that added to an unnecessarily lengthy and somewhat boring novel. The conflict was strung out and presented an anticlimactic ending.
I don't know how else to describe my disdain for the writing or contents of this book other than the way it resonated the same feelings that I get when my grandma tries to relate to me. No disrespect to the author but the writing was very try hard. To some extent I love Pop culture references but it was very overdone and as much as I hate to use this word to describe things it was, cringe.
It's very hard for me to imagine grown adults saying stuff like, "Ya basic" or "Bitch, I'm Beyonce."
On the up hand, Alice was a very likable character and she did have chemistry with Pepper, but perhaps if the author spent less time writing random facts about the world and more time building their relationship I would have taken more of a liking to this book.
I'll leave it to you to decide if you want to read this book but I will not be adding this to my recommend list.
Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for a honest review.
This is my first book by this author despite her having many to her name and as much as I wanted to enjoy this book it fell short for me.
My first problem would be the writing and content. There was a lot of irrelevant moments and paragraphs that was totally useless to this book. In the end that added to an unnecessarily lengthy and somewhat boring novel. The conflict was strung out and presented an anticlimactic ending.
I don't know how else to describe my disdain for the writing or contents of this book other than the way it resonated the same feelings that I get when my grandma tries to relate to me. No disrespect to the author but the writing was very try hard. To some extent I love Pop culture references but it was very overdone and as much as I hate to use this word to describe things it was, cringe.
It's very hard for me to imagine grown adults saying stuff like, "Ya basic" or "Bitch, I'm Beyonce."
On the up hand, Alice was a very likable character and she did have chemistry with Pepper, but perhaps if the author spent less time writing random facts about the world and more time building their relationship I would have taken more of a liking to this book.
I'll leave it to you to decide if you want to read this book but I will not be adding this to my recommend list.
Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for a honest review.
penandpages's review against another edition
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content and Alcohol
Minor: Infidelity and Death of parent
00leah00's review against another edition
4.0
“Simply the Best” by Karin Kallmaker is tagged as a romance but honestly, while I did enjoy the romance that’s here, it mostly felt like women’s fiction. There’s a lot going on that isn’t connected to the romance and those things take up a lot of pages. I wanted to throw that out there in case anyone is skimming these reviews for a romance. Saying that, I liked this book, quite a bit actually. It’s not perfect in that it’s overly long and I found myself skimming certain parts. But I’ll get into that more later.
Alice Cabot is in trouble with her editor for getting caught on camera calling a congressman a douchebag. She’s a science journalist and as punishment is assigned a style series on Simply the Best, a Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop-like conglomerate. She’s 40 and because of Covid, she’s become somewhat depressed and bitter with the world. Alice is a New Yorker through and through and isn’t looking forward to spending time in Los Angeles, especially for this piece.
Pepper Addington is 27 and recently been promoted personal assistant to Helene Jolie, the brains behind Simply the Best. Helene doesn’t like journalists and Pepper’s job is to help Alice and get her in and out of Helene’s hair as quickly and painlessly as possible. Pepper is a mostly happy and optimistic person. I want to say she see’s the world through rose colored glasses but I’m not sure if that’s right or not. She definitely wants to see and believe the best in those around her.
Alice and Pepper have an attraction to one another but this is a slow burn and it takes a while for things to happen. They don’t actually meet until after 20% so there’s a lot of getting to know them before that happens. I liked their spark and how their personalities complemented one another. However, I would’ve liked more scenes of them together and more depth to their emotional connection. It felt like we got to know them mostly when they were on their own or with their friends/family and not so much as them together.
As I said above, there’s a lot going on in this. There’s a lot of talk about social issues, the pandemic, workplace politics. Some of it is just gets lightly hit upon and some of it Kallmaker goes into a lot more depth. I didn’t mind this for the most part. But it did take away from the romance and became the center piece.
Kallmaker writes a lot of details in her books and this is full of them. I usually love details but there was a lot of details about the surroundings and buildings that I didn’t really need. This led me to skim parts of chapters, so not important parts, just descriptive bits that I, as a reader, don’t need. As an example, Simply the Best headquarters is described in detail from both Pepper and Alice. STB stores are also detailed several times so it gets long and repetitive. People that value a lot of details will really enjoy this one a lot.
Overall, I enjoyed “Simply the Best” and it left me feeling hopeful for Alice and Pepper’s future.
I received an ARC from Bella Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Alice Cabot is in trouble with her editor for getting caught on camera calling a congressman a douchebag. She’s a science journalist and as punishment is assigned a style series on Simply the Best, a Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop-like conglomerate. She’s 40 and because of Covid, she’s become somewhat depressed and bitter with the world. Alice is a New Yorker through and through and isn’t looking forward to spending time in Los Angeles, especially for this piece.
Pepper Addington is 27 and recently been promoted personal assistant to Helene Jolie, the brains behind Simply the Best. Helene doesn’t like journalists and Pepper’s job is to help Alice and get her in and out of Helene’s hair as quickly and painlessly as possible. Pepper is a mostly happy and optimistic person. I want to say she see’s the world through rose colored glasses but I’m not sure if that’s right or not. She definitely wants to see and believe the best in those around her.
Alice and Pepper have an attraction to one another but this is a slow burn and it takes a while for things to happen. They don’t actually meet until after 20% so there’s a lot of getting to know them before that happens. I liked their spark and how their personalities complemented one another. However, I would’ve liked more scenes of them together and more depth to their emotional connection. It felt like we got to know them mostly when they were on their own or with their friends/family and not so much as them together.
As I said above, there’s a lot going on in this. There’s a lot of talk about social issues, the pandemic, workplace politics. Some of it is just gets lightly hit upon and some of it Kallmaker goes into a lot more depth. I didn’t mind this for the most part. But it did take away from the romance and became the center piece.
Kallmaker writes a lot of details in her books and this is full of them. I usually love details but there was a lot of details about the surroundings and buildings that I didn’t really need. This led me to skim parts of chapters, so not important parts, just descriptive bits that I, as a reader, don’t need. As an example, Simply the Best headquarters is described in detail from both Pepper and Alice. STB stores are also detailed several times so it gets long and repetitive. People that value a lot of details will really enjoy this one a lot.
Overall, I enjoyed “Simply the Best” and it left me feeling hopeful for Alice and Pepper’s future.
I received an ARC from Bella Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
qraveline's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Sexual harassment
Minor: Alcoholism, Alcohol, Toxic friendship, and Transphobia
khieeae's review against another edition
2.0
Simply the best by Karin Kallmaker introduces us to Alice Cabot and Pepper Addington. Alice is a journalist recovering from a controversial spat in the politics section within her company. Her punishment is being moved to the style section, placing her in the direct path of Simply the Best. Simply the Best is a successful company owned by the well known, Helen Jolie. Enter Pepper, initially an unpaid intern at Simply the Best who finds herself as Helen's personal assistant and soon to be Alice's guide. Sparks fly but so does Alice's suspicion about Helen.
This is my first book by this author despite her having many to her name and as much as I wanted to enjoy this book it fell short for me.
My first problem would be the writing and content. There was a lot of irrelevant moments and paragraphs that was totally useless to this book. In the end that added to an unnecessarily lengthy and somewhat boring novel. The conflict was strung out and presented an anticlimactic ending.
I don't know how else to describe my disdain for the writing or contents of this book other than the way it resonated the same feelings that I get when my grandma tries to relate to me. No disrespect to the author but the writing was very try hard. To some extent I love Pop culture references but it was very overdone and as much as I hate to use this word to describe things it was, cringe.
It's very hard for me to imagine grown adults saying stuff like, "Ya basic" or "Bitch, I'm Beyonce."
On the up hand, Alice was a very likable character and she did have chemistry with Pepper, but perhaps if the author spent less time writing random facts about the world and more time building their relationship I would have taken more of a liking to this book.
I'll leave it to you to decide if you want to read this book but I will not be adding this to my recommend list.
Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for a honest review.
This is my first book by this author despite her having many to her name and as much as I wanted to enjoy this book it fell short for me.
My first problem would be the writing and content. There was a lot of irrelevant moments and paragraphs that was totally useless to this book. In the end that added to an unnecessarily lengthy and somewhat boring novel. The conflict was strung out and presented an anticlimactic ending.
I don't know how else to describe my disdain for the writing or contents of this book other than the way it resonated the same feelings that I get when my grandma tries to relate to me. No disrespect to the author but the writing was very try hard. To some extent I love Pop culture references but it was very overdone and as much as I hate to use this word to describe things it was, cringe.
It's very hard for me to imagine grown adults saying stuff like, "Ya basic" or "Bitch, I'm Beyonce."
On the up hand, Alice was a very likable character and she did have chemistry with Pepper, but perhaps if the author spent less time writing random facts about the world and more time building their relationship I would have taken more of a liking to this book.
I'll leave it to you to decide if you want to read this book but I will not be adding this to my recommend list.
Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for a honest review.
judeinthestars's review against another edition
4.0
Karin Kallmaker has been writing romance novels for thirty years or so and she knows how to bend the rules just enough to keep things exciting. I didn’t read the blurb, because it’s Kallmaker and I knew the story would interest me. I wasn’t sure for a long time which characters would get romantically involved. Suspense isn’t often an ingredient in romance and I enjoyed it.
Alice Cabot is a very driven science journalist on the verge of burnout, which leads to her not always keeping her big mouth shut when she should. An incident with a congressman results in her editor moving her to the Style section for a report on Simply The Best, an extremely successful company selling women everything they can dream of, from clothes to yoni eggs. The CEO is the gorgeous and guarded Helene Jolie, and Alice can’t help but wonder what’s beneath the glamourous veneer. Helene’s new assistant Pepper Addington is tasked with providing Alice with all the information she needs while protecting the brand and Helene. All sorts of sparks fly when the New Yorker arrives in Beverly Hills and starts asking questions.
Karin Kallmaker is one of the first authors I read when I first found sapphic fiction 25 years ago and the only one from that period I still read. Her books are consistently good and her writing has grown without losing any of its energy.
As usual, Karin Kallmaker writes excellent characters. First impressions turn out to be mostly wrong and the characters’ true personalities are unveiled as the story unfolds. When we first meet Alice, she sounds burnt out, permanently grumpy and depressed, and the pandemic didn’t help. Neither does the alcohol she relies on to get through the day. She’s a New Yorker through and through and can’t believe anything good can come out of the land of pretence and bling. She’s also an excellent journalist, determined to get to the bottom of things, even when it means fighting her own bias. Helene has charisma in spades, her employees love her and so do her clients. Simply The Best seems to have found a miraculous formula to please women of various generations and backgrounds. Yet there are reasons why Helene is so wary of “serious” journalists. Then there’s Pepper. Not just a surfer girl, definitely not an airhead, Pepper is highly capable yet often underestimated. She’s kind, she’s smart, she’s enthusiastic and while probably not perfect, she’s profoundly good. And she’s one of those rare people with whom what you see is actually what you get, provided you’re willing to really look.
I don’t usually think of an imaginary cast for characters, since I don’t picture characters, despite the sometimes very detailed descriptions authors provide. I hear them though, and I had Jean Smart in my head every time Alice interacted with her mother. I’m not sure which woman I’d have her play, however. I also had Danielle Brooks at other times for Alice. Then I thought Cate Blanchett would be great as Helene, even if her hair and eye colour is all wrong and her company as seen through Alice’s eyes sounds like Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop. Her energy is right though. As for Pepper, Brie Larson came to mind.
Chemistry in this book goes three ways, not all heartwarming and sexy. Sparks fly at first sight and do their best to hold on despite characters being deliciously obtuse and fighting the inevitable. Verbal sparring and powerplay between uneasy enemies bring a different kind of chemistry in the arena, with awe and admiration completing the triangle.
Pepper’s friends, Helene’s trusted PA, Alice’s mother are all interesting secondary characters. There’s also an unexpected cameo by a well-known bear. Or the idea of the bear. Anyhow, it made me laugh more than once.
One of the things I love in Karin Kallmaker’s books is the way she sets the scene. Her characters have real jobs, not just titles mentioned here and there. It’s part of who they are, part of the story, almost akin to world-building in sci-fi or fantasy. That said, Karin Kallmaker has earned the right to write all the words she wants and I’ll happily read them, but to be honest, this novel could have been quite a bit shorter and the ins and outs of Simply The Best may be where those extra words could have been found.
Neither fluffy nor too heavy, Simply The Best hits the right balance, incorporating current news and societal themes in what remains, fundamentally, a romance novel.
ARC provided to Rainbow Literary Society for an honest review.
Alice Cabot is a very driven science journalist on the verge of burnout, which leads to her not always keeping her big mouth shut when she should. An incident with a congressman results in her editor moving her to the Style section for a report on Simply The Best, an extremely successful company selling women everything they can dream of, from clothes to yoni eggs. The CEO is the gorgeous and guarded Helene Jolie, and Alice can’t help but wonder what’s beneath the glamourous veneer. Helene’s new assistant Pepper Addington is tasked with providing Alice with all the information she needs while protecting the brand and Helene. All sorts of sparks fly when the New Yorker arrives in Beverly Hills and starts asking questions.
Karin Kallmaker is one of the first authors I read when I first found sapphic fiction 25 years ago and the only one from that period I still read. Her books are consistently good and her writing has grown without losing any of its energy.
As usual, Karin Kallmaker writes excellent characters. First impressions turn out to be mostly wrong and the characters’ true personalities are unveiled as the story unfolds. When we first meet Alice, she sounds burnt out, permanently grumpy and depressed, and the pandemic didn’t help. Neither does the alcohol she relies on to get through the day. She’s a New Yorker through and through and can’t believe anything good can come out of the land of pretence and bling. She’s also an excellent journalist, determined to get to the bottom of things, even when it means fighting her own bias. Helene has charisma in spades, her employees love her and so do her clients. Simply The Best seems to have found a miraculous formula to please women of various generations and backgrounds. Yet there are reasons why Helene is so wary of “serious” journalists. Then there’s Pepper. Not just a surfer girl, definitely not an airhead, Pepper is highly capable yet often underestimated. She’s kind, she’s smart, she’s enthusiastic and while probably not perfect, she’s profoundly good. And she’s one of those rare people with whom what you see is actually what you get, provided you’re willing to really look.
I don’t usually think of an imaginary cast for characters, since I don’t picture characters, despite the sometimes very detailed descriptions authors provide. I hear them though, and I had Jean Smart in my head every time Alice interacted with her mother. I’m not sure which woman I’d have her play, however. I also had Danielle Brooks at other times for Alice. Then I thought Cate Blanchett would be great as Helene, even if her hair and eye colour is all wrong and her company as seen through Alice’s eyes sounds like Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop. Her energy is right though. As for Pepper, Brie Larson came to mind.
Chemistry in this book goes three ways, not all heartwarming and sexy. Sparks fly at first sight and do their best to hold on despite characters being deliciously obtuse and fighting the inevitable. Verbal sparring and powerplay between uneasy enemies bring a different kind of chemistry in the arena, with awe and admiration completing the triangle.
Pepper’s friends, Helene’s trusted PA, Alice’s mother are all interesting secondary characters. There’s also an unexpected cameo by a well-known bear. Or the idea of the bear. Anyhow, it made me laugh more than once.
One of the things I love in Karin Kallmaker’s books is the way she sets the scene. Her characters have real jobs, not just titles mentioned here and there. It’s part of who they are, part of the story, almost akin to world-building in sci-fi or fantasy. That said, Karin Kallmaker has earned the right to write all the words she wants and I’ll happily read them, but to be honest, this novel could have been quite a bit shorter and the ins and outs of Simply The Best may be where those extra words could have been found.
Neither fluffy nor too heavy, Simply The Best hits the right balance, incorporating current news and societal themes in what remains, fundamentally, a romance novel.
ARC provided to Rainbow Literary Society for an honest review.