Review: Sweet Girl by Rachel Hollis

 After devouring Party Girl, I decided I had to seek out the next book in the series. Lucky me, Rachel Hollis’ Sweet Girl was available via the Kindle Owners Lending Library, so I didn’t have to break my resolution of not buying new books (to satisfy the Triple Dog Dare I’m doing). I cannot believe that I am able to get great books via this program–I recommend taking advantage of this program if you have a Kindle. You may just find a new to you author that you really like–like I have with Rachel Hollis!

Mackenzie (Max) Jennings is the ultimate chip-on-her-shoulder girl. Recently finished with Grad School, Max spends her nights slinging cocktails at a bar in Downtown LA until an opportunity to pursue her dream job (baking) falls in her lap. Unfortunately, Max can’t tell anyone about it, due to a health scare she had months ago (which happened during the events of Party Girl). She takes the job and juggles for a while, until her body declares it to be too much to handle. Suddenly, she’s keeping secrets and the only person she CAN tell is the guy she swore she’d never talk to, Taylor. Suddenly, her secret life becomes a job AND a sort-of relationship and her friends and family fear the worst as her lies are discovered. However, it isn’t until Max has a blowup and reveals a secret she’s been keeping for six years that her well-built walls start to fall. Is Max really a sweet girl under all that mascara, or is she destined for being forever jaded as the dream she has spent her life wanting starts to fall away from her?

I wasn’t too sure about the character of Max after the first book, she seemed interesting, but I got a totally different picture in my head of her. However, once I read this book, I know her a lot better and I feel like I would have spent a lot of time with Max had she been real and had we run in some of the same circles.

It was great to hear about the baking world. Baking is something I truly like to do, but never have the time to do it anymore. I’m even a certified Wilton baker (true story, I couldn’t make a rose, but I could make a decent Han Solo out of icing). It was cool, and yet disarming to get into Max’s cool-on-the-outside head. But, this story was a true lesson in the idea that everyone is carrying something around as baggage that you need to respect.

I still love Rachel Hollis’ world, even if it is only a quick drive on the 405-N for me to visit. And I cannot wait for her next book. Taylor was an unexpected treat, whom I found a little more to my taste than Brody, if you can believe it.

Have you ever kept a secret that ended up being found out? Or, have you tried the Kindle Owner Lender’s Library, and did you like it? Be sure to share in the comments below!

Challenges: Sweet Girl by Rachel Hollis satisfies the following challenges:
Popsugar Challenge: A Book You Can Read in a Day
MMDChallenge: A Book You Can Finish in a Day
LEP Reading Challenge: 30. Written by an author local to your hometown or State.