Bounce Don't Break: Brande's Guide to Life, Love, and Success

Playboy Playmate of the Year, 2001, and an actress on Baywatch Hawaii, Roderick has parlayed her childhood dream into reality star fame, appearing on Celebrity Apprentice and The Surreal Life. But readers expecting the usual titillating tidbits should look elsewhere. The anecdotes that Roderick, also a businesswoman, wife, and mother, shares about her life might dip a toe into the tricks of the trade (there's a chapter entitled "T&A Won't Get You Ahead"), but they ultimately remain firmly rooted in practicality: save your money, invest, work hard, and never stop learning. Even Roderick's take on finding Mr. Right is less sexy than self-help. Readers may not share Roderick's earnest point-of-view, or be able to call on mentors like Hugh Hefner and Donald Trump for advice (both of whom weigh in here), but perhaps there's comfort to be found in learning that even Heff's bunnies encounter the challenges of the "average" woman. (July)