Review: Chronicles of a Lincoln Park Fashionista by Aven Ellis

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Synopsis from Goodreads:

Recent college graduate Avery Andrews is ready to begin a new life in the big city. She’s landed an apartment in Chicago’s famed Lincoln Park neighborhood–and has her eye on the cute commodities trader just a floor above.

If Premier Airlines knew about her fear of flying, they never would have hired her to be their marketing assistant—but it’s not like Avery wants a lifelong career. Right now she simply wants a job to pay her bills…and fund a few little shopping excursions, too.

Her new lifestyle comes with a price tag, as Avery is not only faced with paying a ridiculous rent but finds she’s perceived as one of the vacant, husband-hunting fashionistas who live in the area. Avery resents this stereotype—so she doesn’t want a lifelong career, and she loves fashions she can’t afford, but that doesn’t mean she is empty-headed and spoiled, does it? 

When an opportunity to participate in a documentary at work arises, Avery finds a two-fold solution to her problems. She’ll earn extra money for it, and the documentary will show her as a serious career woman, enabling her to shed that husband-hunting fashionista label for good.

When the camera is on, Avery attempts to be a motivated professional woman. But when she is challenged by Deacon Ryan, the videographer assigned to cover her story, Avery finds herself wanting things she was never supposed to want—like a lasting career—and Deacon. And Avery might just gain more from the experience than a perfect career image and extra cash to put in her Tory Burch wallet…

My Thoughts:

I'm always a little tentative when it comes to new adult. I've read enough terrible, cliche plot-lines that I'm pretty picky and cautious. But Wendy praised this book so highly and then when I won a copy from her (funny story, I didn't even realize I had entered her giveaway...) I decided to give it a go. I definitely don't think I liked it as much as her and some of my other blogging friends who have read it, but I did enjoy it. It's about a girl, Avery, who's just graduated college with a degree in marketing. She takes a job at a luxury airline because she can't find anything in the fashion industry. Her biggest secret? She's terrified of flying. When her company asks her to participate in a documentary about her life as a marketing assistant, she agrees. Enter Deke, the hot camera-man. Here's what I liked:

Deke!!! 

Is it a surprise to anyone that I fell in love with the smoldering camera-man? Nope. Not even a little bit. Deke was all kinds of sexy. He's kind of this quiet, quirky guy. He wears vintage tees and doesn't say much and is completely not Avery's type. But that's the best thing isn't it? Phil (my husband) was so not my type when we met, but I decided to give him a chance and fell in love. I completely believe that you'll find love in the places you won't normally look. So this romance was perfection. I loved slowly getting to know Deke as he slowly let Avery in throughout the book. And when we finally got some action? Steamy!! 

The Career Aspect

I actually really enjoyed following Avery's story as a new graduate in her first job. Being somewhat close to that time in my life it was really relatable and I loved watching her stretch her wings. I thought the way she carried herself at work was believable. She's kind of quiet at first and tentative, which I think we all are in any new job, but particularly straight out of college. But she gains more confidence the more she gets her feet wet and I was so proud of her at the end for what she accomplished.

The Fashion

In case you don't know, I'm a bit of a fashionista. I went to college for fashion merchandising and although career-wise I'm not really doing anything with it, I still LOVE fashion. There's something about spending a day at the mall, trying on tons of clothes, bringing it all home and adding it to your closet. There's something magical when I create a new outfit that's just perfectly me. I especially love when I haven't gone shopping in a while and create a brand new outfit out of pieces I already own. I don't own a lot of designer stuff because well...money. But I was drooling over all of Avery's pieces that she purchased and wore around the city. The Burberry scarf, her various dresses and shoes. My fashionista heart was singing. 

The Setting

I'm from Chicago so I was instantly able to connect to the setting of this book. I loved reading about the places Avery visited and it really allowed me to take a trip down memory lane and fondly remember my city. I live just outside of DC now, but I miss Chicago badly. 

But I also had some definite issues with this book... the biggest one being... 

Avery

Avery drove me batty. The whole book she questions whether or not Deke likes her even when we got to a point where it was blatantly obvious. And she whines about it so much and I just couldn't deal with it anymore by the end. I was just so annoyed at the constant, "I can never have him." "He doesn't want me." "He's with Isabelle." Oh. My. God. Shut up. Shut up. Shut up. Sorry. I just couldn't deal with her. And because I was so annoyed with her throughout most of the book, I just never warmed up to her. 

Avery's Roommate Sasha and her Coworker Rebecca

Nope. Couldn't stand these two women. They were awful. Sasha was just so superficial and shallow. She had no self-respect and I could not deal with the way she spoke to Avery. I felt like Avery never really stood up to her which is what really annoyed me. And then there was her coworker Rebecca who complains constantly about being overworked, but spends all day flirting with another coworker and making passive aggressive comments to Avery. Again, I didn't like that Avery never spoke up and tried to talk to Rebecca about the situation. In the adult world, you have to communicate with people and Avery never really did that. She didn't handle either situation poorly per se, but I think she could have handled them both better.

Have you read this book yet? Did Avery drive you crazy? Were you swooning over Deke with me? How did you feel about the fashion? And the setting? Have you ever been to Chicago?