Audiobook: The Accidental Beauty Queen

I grabbed this eAudiobook from my local public library because I knew I would be spending three hours in a car. I wanted something light, fun and a story that I could easily jump in and out of. (Note: I have the attention span of a gnat hopped up on Red Bull. Look! Squirrel! But I digress ..) 

This was a cute but predictable story about identical twin sisters (one a beauty queen and one a school librarian) who swap identities so the beauty queen can compete in a pageant. Yup, a 'Parent Trap' meets 'Miss Congeniality'.  

There were cute moments and bonus points were awarded for the many (perhaps excessive?) Harry Potter references and the fact that Charlotte was a school librarian. The romance is quite secondary in the plot and its basis is physical attraction, proximity and a hearty serving of Insta-Love (argh!). There's a bit of sizzle between Charlotte and Gray Beckham but unfortunately, I was left wanting to know Gray Beckham better.

Joy Osmanski did a good job narrating this sweet, light coming-of-age with a side of romance story. Ultimately, this is a story about the bond between two sisters that had a Hallmark movie feel to it. It was an enjoyable and easy listen that I finished in a couple of days.

My Rating: 3.5 stars

Author: Teri Wilson

Genre: Romance, Light Read

Type and Source: eAudiobook from public library

Publisher: Simon and Schuster Audio

First Published in Print: December 4, 2018

Narrator: Joy Osmanski

Run Time: 7 hours, 29 minutes

Opening Lines: My sister has always been the pretty one. The Jane Bennet to my Elizabeth, the Meg March to my Jo.

Book Description from GoodReads: In this charming romantic comedy perfect for fans of Meg Cabot and Sophie Kinsella, critically acclaimed author Teri Wilson shows us that sometimes being pushed out of your comfort zone leads you to the ultimate prize.

Charlotte Gorman loves her job as an elementary school librarian, and is content to experience life through the pages of her books. Which couldn’t be more opposite from her identical twin sister. Ginny, an Instagram-famous beauty pageant contestant, has been chasing a crown since she was old enough to enunciate the words world peace, and she’s not giving up until she gets the title of Miss American Treasure. And Ginny’s refusing to do it alone this time.

She drags Charlotte to the pageant as a good luck charm, but the winning plan quickly goes awry when Ginny has a terrible, face-altering allergic reaction the night before the pageant, and Charlotte suddenly finds herself in a switcheroo the twins haven’t successfully pulled off in decades.

Woefully unprepared for the glittery world of hair extensions, false eyelashes, and push-up bras, Charlotte is mortified at every unstable step in her sky-high stilettos. But as she discovers there’s more to her fellow contestants than just wanting a sparkly crown, Charlotte realizes she has a whole new motivation for winning.