Beauty, Frederick G. Dillen
Beauty, Frederick G. Dillen
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Beauty
A Novel

Author: Frederick G. Dillen

Narrator: Chris Andrew Ciulla

Unabridged: 7 hr 33 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 03/04/2014


Synopsis

This "absorbing and memorable novel" (Tom Perrotta) set in the world of corporate intrigue is about a woman who must choose between her dream job and everything else—her savings, her reputation, and an unexpected chance at love.As a corporate "undertaker" for a mergers and acquisitions firm in New York, Carol MacLean travels from factory to factory, firing blue-collar workers who remind her of her father and the kids she grew up with. The payoff is huge: if Carol works hard enough, her boss has promised to make her CEO of one of the firm's holdings. Just when it seems like her dream might come true, on a trip that takes her away from New York to a desperate fishing town in coastal Massachusetts, Carol gets a call from the office: "You're fired."Those words shake Carol to her core. But with the help of the townspeople and a charming local fisherman, she begins to understand the power of life's second acts. She becomes determined to save the factory she almost shut down. As Carol throws herself into transforming the company, she must choose between the job she has always wanted … and everything else.From award-winning author Frederick G. Dillen, Beauty reminds us that sometimes in the pursuit of what we think we want, we lose sight of what matters most.

About Frederick G. Dillen

Frederick G. Dillen is an award-winning author whose short fiction has appeared in literary quarterlies and Prize Stories: The O. Henry Awards. His first novel, Hero, was named Best First Novel of 1994 by the Dictionary of Literary Biography. His second novel, Fool, was honored by Nancy Pearl as a Book Lust Rediscoveries selection in 2012. Dillen and his wife, Leslie, are parents of two grown daughters and live in New Mexico.

About Chris Andrew Ciulla

Chris Andrew Ciulla, an Earphones Award–winning narrator with over 350 credits, is an on-screen actor, voice actor, host, boxing analyst, and radio personality. He has performed characters for the popular video game series Fallout and Mafia, and can be heard frequently voicing commercial campaigns. A versatile performer with over twenty-five years of experience, he produces original audio content under his own production banner, Leonardo Audio.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Terri on September 09, 2016

Original review found at [URL not allowed] 3.5 stars I received an advanced copy of this novel from the publisher Simon & Schuster via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. Its expected publication date is March 4th, 2014 This is the kind of story you want to pick up when you a......more

Goodreads review by Michele on September 09, 2016

I found this book to be far less about corporate intrigue and much more about people, plain and simple -- about the desires and agendas and wants of human beings. A pleasant, easy read and a happy ending with the 'root for the underdog' story-line makes it a sure winner. I wouldn't hesitate to recom......more

Goodreads review by Jen (Feffer) on August 01, 2014

I was, initially, really interested in reading Beauty: A Novel. It’s a tale about a female executive who goes to shut down a dying fish processing plant, only to discover she wants to buy it. She falls in love with the town and the people. It sounded like exactly my kind of book! Instead, this one k......more


Quotes

“Intriguing…A feel-good story with a dash of romance.” Publishers Weekly

“An absorbing story of one smart, hardworking woman handling the ‘fat boys’ of corporate leadership on their own turf, with masterfully developed characters and, as a bonus, a poignant romance.” Booklist

“Dramatic and emotional…And it’s nice to have a middle-aged heroine for a change.” Library Journal

“After a career closing factories, a woman reclaims her blue-collar roots, revives a plant and saves a community…Kudos to Dillen for his unusual premise. The workplace drama that follows is rousing.” Kirkus Reviews

Beauty is a heart-bursting gem of a novel—a love story, a riveting tale of high-stakes intrigue, and a hero’s journey that spins a contemporary twist on timeless values rooted deep in the American soul. Dillen’s tightly crafted narrative is the modern working woman’s Rocky. You will root for these vivid, off-beat characters waiting to leap up from the last pages with a fist pumping cheer for their hard earned redemption.” Carol Cassella, bestselling author of Gemini and Oxygen