The God of Good Looks is filled with characters you cannot help but cheer for. The entire cast all are fresh, entertaining and engaging. Mclvor takes us to Trinidad and Tobago we learn so much about the culture, history and the make-up industry, which I found so interesting! What I loved is that we journey with Bianca as she comes into her truth. I love how realistic her character was, you truly feel for her as someone who has little friends, is a social pariah and not sure where her path is in life, added to that, she's got no family support or her mother to take care of her. I love that it was set in Trinidad, and YES, I will admit, it took awhile for me to wrap my head around a story set in a high fashion make up house being in Trinidad but once I got use to it I really enjoyed it.

I did think the book dragged a little and it could have been 50 pages shorter but overall I loved how entertaining the read was. The main characters Bianca and Obadiah were very endearing and I want everyone to meet them.

With thanks to Netgalley and the author for allowing me to review The God of Good looks

From the blurb, The God of good looks sounded like it should be a good book, but sadly it just didn't hold when attention, I made it to about page 50 before it became a DNF book. It just didn't hold my attention, and I didn't really care for any of the characters.

But going from the other reviewers and reviews everyone else seemed to enjoy it.

Read this book so long ago and unfortunately didn’t post my review in time! Review to come, apologies for the delay

A good piece of contemporary fiction I enjoyed the characters and found myself rooting for them.

This book has great wit, while tackling many difficult themes; from misogyny to friendship.

Bianca Bridge has always wanted to become a writer but after an affair with a married government official she finds herself a pariah of Trinidadian society. When she meets Obadiah Courtland the renowned makeup artist0 and 'God of Good Look's their relationships starts off rather rockily, However, once Bianca starts to write for his beauty magazine both Bianca and Obadiah will never be the same.

This book was a hidden gem; I went into the story a little blindly but I was not disappointed, The relationship between Bianca and Obadiah, the cast of characters, the setting and the setting were all really well written and I quickly finished the book as I was desperate to find out how Bianca's story ended, This was so much more than the romance novel I was expecting; 4 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.

This was not at all what I was expecting but I loved it.

I was drawn in by the title and the tropical setting of Trinidad but stayed for Mc Ivor's writing and the way she captured my attention from the first page. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the story from the two perspectives of Bianca and Obadiah and particularly liked Bianca's being told as interviews for her upcoming novel.

The book tackled a lot of themes but did it all with heart, humour and a lot of depth and nuance which was particularly interesting.

I very rarely do so after reading the eBook but I'll definitely be buying a physical copy to have on my shelves.

4.5 ⭐️

I had the pleasure of listening to this promising debut on audio and found it utterly captivating from start to finish. All credit to the narrators for bringing the characters as well as Trinidadian society so vividly to life.

I found the two main protagonists — aspiring writer Bianca and makeup artist Obadiah — likeable and well developed, and found myself rooting for them more and more as their stories unfolded, and we got to discover the real people behind their public masks.

Mc Ivor tackles a multitude of themes, from class, patriarchy and misogyny to the power of friendship and finding one’s voice. All of them explored with a delightful sass and wit that had me chuckling aloud.

I loved the dual POVs: Obadiah’s in the first person, and Bianca’s through interviews she does with herself for the book she’s writing as a tribute to her mother. They complemented each other perfectly.

I consider Mc Ivor to be an exciting new talent and look forward to seeing what she produces next.

A contemporary fiction with much greater depth. I loved the descriptions of food in this and the sense of place. Also one for fans of romance too!! A great story.

so many 🚩 🚩 🚩. the love interest demands to know our mc's weight (context: she is a model, he is a make-up artist), she doesn't tell him and he indignant. later on, he is somehow able to discover her weight so he tracks her down when she is out with a friend and gets a courier to deliver her a letter with her weight on it. the two meet up and he proceeds to humiliate her, telling her that has no future as a high fashion model given that she doesn't weigh "below one-twenty five" and equates modelling to stripping. am I meant to find him, a stranger who has just been obscenely rude to her, telling her that she is a "remarkable combination of tiny tits and a wide waist" charming? this is the type of book that makes me wary of f/m pairings. i hate when in romance books you get male love interests who are utter dicks to the main girls be compared to Mr. Darcy...as if that makes all of their nasty behavior acceptable, charming even when the guy is in question is just a fucking stronzo in bad need of therapy.

if you want to read this you should check out reviews from readers who have actually read it or even liked it. ymmv.
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Thankyou to the publishers for a copy of this book ,.

This was definitely outside of my comfort zone , but I wanted to give it ago see if I would
Ike it . I can say took me a little while to get into it but I did enjoy .probably a story which I think many could learn from and feel empowered

There was times I was bit all over place with the book . But over all it was good . I enjoyed the writing style and and plot .

I've given the book 3 stars

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I found this book a little difficult to get into, but once you're through the first Bianca section and hear from Obadiah, something just clicks with the story. I liked getting the narrative from the two separate angles, as it allows you to see different elements of the characters as they grow. I also enjoyed seeing a different side of the beauty industry and being able to see the balance between the exploitation of female insecurity, and empowerment.

I enjoyed The God of Good Looks – it was great to read a book set in Trinidad and Tobago.
The story centres around Bianca who has a lot on her plate. She’s working through grieving for the loss of her mother while also braving being at the centre of a national scandal while trying to heal the rift between her and her father.
There’s some serious topics covered in this book – political scandal, affairs, racism, death and disordered eating.
Bianca is also trying to be a successful model despite the scandal and everything else going on in her personal life.

Obadiah is the other main character and love-interest. He is a well-known makeup artist, who gives Bianca a chance to work as a content editor for his makeup magazine (this job aligns with Bianca’s passion for writing).
He seems so cold and ruthless to her when they first meet, but they become an unlikely team. Bianca pushes him to be more risky with the magazine, which leads to him being more vulnerable with her, and we understand the reason for his actions the more we read. He also begins to mend his relationship with his sister, which is a huge step for them both.

There’s plenty of political commentary littered throughout the book – crime, poverty, corruption are also explored. As well as beauty expectations, toxic relationships, unhealthy relationships with food and much more!

I also enjoyed the secondary characters in this book - Dante and Radhika were great supporting characters for Bianca and Obadiah.

Will Bianca make the magazine a success? Will she heal her relationship with her father? Will Obadiah and his sister mend their relationship?

With thanks to NetGalley and publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book, the second one I've read by this talented author. Set in Triniad and Tobago, it was really good to learn more about this region and the gulf between those who wield power and the 'have-nots'. The two main protagonists in our story are Bianca Bridge and OC. The dynamic between these two characters is brilliant and as their back stories emerge, we gradually learn more about them. It's lovely to see how their relationship changes and evolves as each has an effect on the attitude and self worth of the other. Beautifully written and both funny and emotional. Great read.

Superbly vibrant and steeped in culture, with a really endearing main character - Bianca. Following her journey and character development was a joy.

The cover is exceptionally beautiful, and gives you a peak into the energy of the book.

The two person point of view really enhanced the ability of the reader to really get to know the characters.

I enjoyed this story about Bianca and Obadiah. Based in Trinidad and Tobago, the story gives great insight into Caribbean life. Well written, great characters. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC

This was a really interesting and entertaining read. I enjoyed learning more about life in Trinidad and Tobago about make-up and one's relationship to it. I also enjoyed how the narrative was carried out: flitting betweent he two main characters and understanding how they perceived each other. It was funny in parts, sad in others. A very enjoyable read.

Set in Trinidad and Tobago, TGOGL is a novel which follows protagonist Bianca Bridge, a model and wannabe writer who is trying to start over after being involved in a major scandal. Her affair with a government minister was on the front page of every newspaper and has left her quite isolated. That was until she is given a job offer, working for than the notoriously difficult make up artist Obadiah Cortland as an editor on his beauty magazine, and after Bianca says yes she can finally work on her dreams of finally being a writer.

Ok there are quite a few things I loved about the book. I loved Bianca as a character, and I love that her POV of the book is written as her journalling/journal entries. I also loved reading about the beauty and make up industry and I think it’s great that this book highlights the current socio-political climate of Trinidadian society.

But what I didn’t quite vibe with? Well I think I just wanted more. I felt like the plot was just a bit meh in parts, and expecting a bit more substance, and something to give it the wow factor. I think the romance aspect of the book was quite weak, and (imo) when you work with romance you either have to commit to it, or ditch. There are so many other great storylines happening in the book that Bianca and Obadiah’s relationship gets a little lost.

Overall, I still enjoyed reading this book, and it’s certainly one to add to your summer TBR’s

The download date was unfortunately missed, I would be happy to re-review if it became available again. I have awarded stars for the book cover and description as they both appeal to me. I would be more than happy to re-read and review if a download becomes available. If you would like me to re-review please feel free to contact me at thesecretbookreview@gmail.com or via social media The_secret_bookreview (Instagram) or Secret_bookblog (Twitter). Thank you.

Rating - 4.5 stars rounded off to 5

Bold, glamorous and a refreshing entertainer!

Thanks NetGalley & Penguin General UK - Fig Tree, Hamish Hamilton, Viking, Penguin Life, Penguin Business, Fig Tree for the ARC!

Synopsis -

Bianca Bridge aspires to become a writer. She despises her current flailing modelling career, but unfortunately, her tarnished reputation and affairs are not helping. When Obadiah Cortland, an aggressive businessman and make up expert offers her a job with his magazine, she readily accepts. That’s when the creative juices begin to flow for Bianca and as she finally finds her footing, she needs to face challenges both on the personal and national front.

Review -

What a unique experience this was in terms of the setting, in the island of Trinidad and Tobago! Alternating between the POVs of both Bianca and Obadiah, we get to know these characters closely as though we are best friends. I especially enjoyed the narrators' sing-song voices & perfect Caribbean lilt, that gave these characters a quirky edge with all the charm and sass!

Bianca was a lovely, unassuming and relatable girl. I admired her hardworking nature, resourcefulness and her desire to be independent her being born into wealthy family.

It takes a bit more time to warm up to Obadiah. But behind his haughty, belligerent façade, he was a sweetheart. A self-made successful entrepreneur who loved his work, pursued his passion and most importantly respected women, giving credit where it’s due.

I loved the witty dialogues and the satirical humour the author employs in her writing. Also the supporting characters add their own value to the story.

It was great fun as well as an awakening transformative journey to witness Bianca and Obadiah gearing up to take the world of make-up and glamour by storm - tackling the rampant classicism, bureaucracy, economic disparity, insane crime rates and colonial patriarchy.

With a killer spin on make-up and fashion, along with some amazing team work for the magazine, the all new boisterous and courageous Bianca gracefully rises to the occasion, gathering the strength to fight for her career as well as Obadiah’s.

An unflinchingly daring debut that is sure to be in vogue!

I'm sorry to say this was a disappointing read - I had high hopes but it did not deliver as a romance or as social commentary. Fell flat with dull characters and a slow plot.