The Accidental Beauty Queen

In this lively novel from Wilson (Unleashing Mr. Darcy), twins switch places to compete in a beauty pageant, leading to a transformation much deeper than makeup. When Charlotte Gorman travels to Florida to support her twin sister, Ginny, in a beauty pageant, she expects nothing more than a vacation. The librarian with a love for Harry Potter doesn’t put much stock in the pageants her sister has devoted her life to. But, after Ginny suffers a competition-ending allergic reaction, Charlotte reluctantly steps in for her during the preliminary rounds. As Charlotte gets her footing (literally, in the case of the platform heels she has to wear), she strikes up a romance with one of the judges, creating a web of secrets that she fears might result in her sister being disqualified. Within the fun premise, Wilson embeds a touching story about women supporting women as Ginny begins to understand her own former uncaring behavior by seeing Charlotte take her place in the pageant. As the competition progresses through the bikini and talent sections, Ginny helps Charlotte behind the scenes, coaching her successfully through the stages. While Charlotte’s outsider perspective begins as a critical look at the world of pageantry, she finds a lot of goodness and talent within the insular community. Wilson’s engaging novel weaves a forbidden romance around Charlotte and Ginny’s authentic camaraderie, making for an affecting tale of sisterly love. (Dec.)