The God of Good Looks

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A joyously satisfying will-they-won't-they love story set against the backdrop of the Trinidadian beauty industry about a young woman finding her feet and forging her own destiny. A joyously satisfying will-they-won't-they love story about a young woman finding her feet and forging her own destiny, set against the backdrop of the Trinidadian beauty industry Bianca Bridge has always dreamt of becoming a writer. But Trinidadian high society can be unforgiving, and having an affair with a married government minister is a sure-fire way to ruin your prospects. When Obadiah Cortland, make-up artist and legend in the island's beauty scene, offers her a job as a lowly assistant, Bianca reluctantly accepts it's the closest to her dreams she's going to get. But Obadiah has a reputation for being aloof and tyrannical, and it will take all the strength her mother taught her to endure it. 'The God of Good Looks' may be as fierce as she'd been warned, but there are surprises to discover in Bianca's new role- unexpected friendships, the art and artistry involved in make-up, and a revolution in her idea of what it really means to be beautiful. Most surprising of all, she begins to suspect there might be cracks in Obadiah's carefully crafted fa ade. Could it be she's not the only one who knows how easy it is to tumble down the social ladder Sparkling, big-hearted and life-affirming, The God of Good Looks is a story about prejudice and pride, the masks we wear, and what we can become if we dare to take them off.

Reviews

Phenomenal! A book worthy of a standing ovation. I will never forget how this novel made me feel. It's effortlessly beautiful * Lizzie Damilola Blackburn, author of Yinka, Where Is Your Huzband *
A dazzling delight of a debut. The God of Good Looks is a captivating portrait of contemporary Trinidiadian culture, a canny exploration of makeup's power as artifice and art, and a tender celebration of unexpected connections and the human need to love and be loved. I gasped, I laughed, I cried-I didn't want it to end! * Coco Mellors, author of Cleopatra and Frankenstein *
A glittering will-they, won't-they Bridget Jones re-boot * Nikki May, author ofWahala *
Full of characters whose struggles you feel to your bones-and will be rooting for all the way through. Bianca might just be one of my all-time favourite heroines. Fresh, smart, and packed with razor-sharp social commentary-a perfect blend of page-turning and thought-provoking * Caroline Mackenzie, author of One Year of Ugly *
Part feminist tract, part love letter to an island, The God of Good Looks takes a look at Caribbean island life and culture rarely seen in books, that of its bristling, competitive carnival culture and beauty world. McIvor writes with wit and confidence of a world where female beauty is celebrated and monetized. Her heroine, an outsider tarnished by scandal, navigates both with skill and satire. Every page we wince and smirk. A self-aware, modern, female-centered novel out of Trinidad which breaks new ground. * Monique Roffey, author of Costa Book of the Year,The Mermaid of Black Conch *
McIvor shines in this pitch-perfect narrative of power imbalances ... McIvor combines tight plotting and strong character development as Bianca-empowered by her late mother's lessons of strength-gets the last word with those who've wronged her. This makes for a winning story of comeuppance * Publishers Weekly *
Mc Ivor's debut novel, set in her home country of Trinidad and Tobago and rich in social commentary, presents aspiring writer Bianca Bridge, who rather reluctantly accepts notoriously bossy entrepreneur Obadiah Cortland's offer of a position with a beauty magazine. In the alternating voices of Bianca and Obadiah, Mc Ivor effectively captures a surprising and evolving relationship in a mix of humor and drama. Along the way, she innovatively expands the established tropes of Caribbean literature, cleverly using the beauty industry to challenge conventional notions of womanhood and attractiveness. Trinidad's current social and political reality forms a provocative backdrop as Bianca struggles at her lowest point, professionally and personally, then slowly gains confidence in a tale that tracks the universal theme of female agency in familial, professional, and social settings. Obadiah's character arc, though different, also captures the growing self-awareness of a person who has tackled social hierarchies by concealing his true self. Memorable characters, evocative descriptions, and a well-paced story make this an eminently enjoyable novel. * Booklist *

Author Bio

Breanne Mc Ivor is an award-winning writer. Her short story collection, Where There Are Monsters, was published in 2019. Mc Ivor holds degrees in English from the universities of Cambridge and Edinburgh and has a certificate in Advanced Professional Makeup Artistry. She lives in her home country of Trinidad and Tobago. The God of Good Looks is her debut novel.