The Accidental Pinup — Books, Beauty, & Buys

By: Danielle Jackson
Published Year: 2022
Publisher: Berkley
Pages: 320

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This in no way shape or form influenced my opinion of this novel.

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): Rival photographers are forced to collaborate on a body-positive lingerie campaign, but they might have to readjust their focus when sparks fly.

Photographer Cassie Harris loves her job—her company Buxom Boudoir makes people look beautiful and feel empowered with her modern twist on classic pinup photography. Cassie’s best friend, Dana, is about to launch her own dangerously dreamy lingerie line and wants Cassie to shoot and direct the career-changing national campaign. But company politics and Dana’s complicated pregnancy interfere, and Cassie finds herself—a proud plus size Black woman—not behind the camera but in front of it.

Though she’s never modeled herself, Cassie’s pretty sure she can handle the sheer underwear and caution tape bralettes. She’s not sure she can work so intimately with the chosen photographer, her long-time competitor in the Chicago photography scene, Reid Montgomery. Their chemistry is undeniable on set, however, and feelings can develop faster than film…

First Impressions

I was a little hesitant to read this book. The cover was cute but the title and the summary didn’t sell me. However, I saw a few people say positive things online and ultimately decided to accept this book for review. I also have continued to make it a goal to diversify the books I read and this book’s main character is both a person of color and heavier set, so I decided to give it a shot.

What I thought

I wish I had listened to my gut instinct.

Cassie is a boudoir photographer who has a pinup style and has been trying to make it as a more commercial photographer. Reid is a white male photographer who has a similar photographer and continually beats Cassie out for the same jobs. When Cassie’s best friend Dana has a lingerie line, she sets Cassie up to be the photographer. However, when Dana is put on bedrest for her pregnancy and is unable to model, the company decides Cassie would be better as a model than a photographer and she has to work with Reid, her arch-nemesis.

This book was so boring. I felt like I was reading a Mad Lib romance novel. It was insanely formulaic and I found no chemistry between the characters. I actually got so bored with this story that at about 60% I jumped forward to the 80% mark. Even from there I skimmed the final 20% just to finish it.

So much of this book could’ve been cut out. Reid is asked to be the photographer even though Dana demanded Cassie be. But, the whole point is that being a white man he doesn’t see how this is an issue. In addition to that though, once Cassie is made the Art Director, the company asks Reid to “keep tabs” on Cassie. This plot point was just so weird to me. Like, I understand the company wants to make sure their vision is produced but Cassie and Reid pretty much have the same style. And he does it for money to help his brother. Yet he lives on the Gold Coast? I don’t understand how he simultaneously lives in a super expensive apartment, wins every photography in the city, and yet is hurting for money as that seems to be his primary motivator.

I also disliked how quickly they fell for each other. It was definitely an insta-love type of story but it seemed like more for him than her since she disliked him and he didn’t even know who she was. In addition to that, if I heard one more time about what a knockout Cassie was and how slammin her bod was in the lingerie my eyes would’ve rolled out of their head. There was one scene where no less than 3 people commented on how hot she was as she walked on set, yet she never felt like she was worthy of being a model and was shy in front of the camera. Gag me.

The ending played out exactly as I expected, but I did at least finish it.