I've been meaning to write about this book for MONTHS. (But as we all know, bad blogger...) "One Flight Up" is a novel by Susan Fales-Hill. This woman never fails to astonish me. Wickedly funny, terribly nice, whip smart, a terrific writer, a devoted ballet patron (wonder what she thought of "Black Swan"?!), fab wardrobe, and most thrilling of all, a long-time Lancome fan!
I can't remember how I met Susan, but I had read about her from time to time in magazines like Vogue. Then her memoir "Always Wear Joy" was published. (The title refers to the legendary Patou fragrance and her mother's advice.) Someone sent it to me when I was working at Harper's Bazaar. It was a beautiful read about a beautiful family and made this person I only knew as a one-dimensional fashion magazine fixture so much more in my mind.
So, of course, I was excited to hear Susan was working on her first novel. I read "One Flight Up" earlier this year and couldn't put it down. It's a juicy, sexy, girly read that manages to be poignant and heartbreaking at the same time. It will make you question your moral compass. What should a woman put up with? Or not? You might be surprised what--and whom--you root for while reading "One Flight Up."
If you need one last gift for your favorite fashionista bookworm, brave the malls and the masses tomorrow and pick up one or both of Susan's books. As for me, I'm going to try to magically transport myself to a beachfront chaise lounge at some Caribbean resort so I can re-read "One Flight Up" while slathering on the Lancome sunscreen and sipping a tropical drink. Or two.
PHOTO SWIPED FROM SUSAN'S BLOG
