What do you think?
Rate this book
Apocalipstick
When it comes to men, beauty columnist Rebecca Fine always seems to be on the scruffy end of the mascara wand. But all that changes the morning she meets Max Stoddart, her new colleague at the Daily Vanguard. With his upscale suit, Hugh Grant hair, and obscenely sexy good looks, he’s a single woman’s dream come true. Finally, her grandmother can stop surfing the Net for eligible Jewish males. But is Max the catch of the decade - or just a major babe magnet?
Meanwhile, Rebecca’s old high school nemesis has resurfaced, a former blonde bombshell called Lipstick who is now engaged to Rebecca’s widowed dad. And it’s goodbye to articles on toe cleavage when a hot tip sweeps Rebecca to the centre of the Paris cosmetics world, where a miracle anti-wrinkle cream is about to be launched. That is, until she blows the whistle on a scandal that could set the beauty business - and the future of world peace - reeling. Will Rebecca win the recognition, not to mention the Pulitzer, she yearns for... and get the man of her dreams? Stay tuned.
Meanwhile, Rebecca’s old high school nemesis has resurfaced, a former blonde bombshell called Lipstick who is now engaged to Rebecca’s widowed dad. And it’s goodbye to articles on toe cleavage when a hot tip sweeps Rebecca to the centre of the Paris cosmetics world, where a miracle anti-wrinkle cream is about to be launched. That is, until she blows the whistle on a scandal that could set the beauty business - and the future of world peace - reeling. Will Rebecca win the recognition, not to mention the Pulitzer, she yearns for... and get the man of her dreams? Stay tuned.
322 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 2003
About the author
Sue Margolis
18 books137 followersSue Margolis is the author of nine books, which have more than half a million copies in print from Bantam Dell. She lives in England, where she's at work on her next novel.
Sue worked as a reporter for the BBC, before leaving broadcasting to write her first novel. She lives in London with her journalist husband Jonathan. They have three grown up children. Sue’s hobbies include napping, constantly interfering in her children’s lives, not going out, eating - especially the remains of the previous night’s take-out curry straight from the fridge, and watching made for TV true-life movies in her PJs.
She died of lung cancer, aged 62.
Sue worked as a reporter for the BBC, before leaving broadcasting to write her first novel. She lives in London with her journalist husband Jonathan. They have three grown up children. Sue’s hobbies include napping, constantly interfering in her children’s lives, not going out, eating - especially the remains of the previous night’s take-out curry straight from the fridge, and watching made for TV true-life movies in her PJs.
She died of lung cancer, aged 62.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
November 12, 2022
Typical predictable corny chick lit. No thinking required.
June 10, 2007
Rebecca is an up-and-coming journalist with a dad who’s about to marry one of Rebecca’s old school-mates, a grandma is dead-set on marrying Rebecca off to a nice Jewish fellow, and a best friend who is having problems with her husband in the bedroom. Meanwhile, Rebecca is falling in love with the new guy at the office and trying to nail a big investigative story that could earn her the promotion she is dying for. It’s all a bit far-fetched, but that’s what makes this such an enjoyable story.
March 29, 2007
a reminder of why i don't read books where the title is scrawled in lipstick. even if the book is free.
October 25, 2023
I feel genuinely bad when I have to give a book a 1 star. This book took me forever to get through. There was so much going on without purpose that it felt monotonous. The main character always seems to jump to conclusions non stop.. but instead of meet cute it just gave off cringe for me. This has so many things that just made me roll my eyes that I had to wonder how it got 4 stars from most. The characters seemed insufferable and self absorbed and even the smallest amount of communication or honesty could have made it entirely redundant. I’m just not a fan.
January 2, 2022
Did not like any characters. The protagonist was (I assume) suppose to be a strong female, but was walked all over and had zero voice…especially with men. The plot was absolutely unbelievable. Two stars because it was at least entertaining.
January 23, 2009
Read on my annual summer backpacking trip, when I'd exhausted what I'd packed in for the week's reading, and with no other options to hand. I borrowed it from one of my traveling companions, of whom the fact that she is a lover of bad chick-lit is the only negative thing I have to say. It served its purpose: something to read while ensconced in a hammock at 3,500 feet above sea level in the wilderness of Northern California. I really tried to savor it and make it last, so it took me almost an entire day to read. Sadly, I had to pack it out myself. Now it has been BookCrossing-ed January 2009, and is travelling. May its next owner love it well and good, more than its last. (Bookcrossing ID: 374-6865508)
January 21, 2020
This book is like an insect trapped in a piece of amber. It is not your timeless love story but captures so perfectly (terribly?) a moment in time.
The main character is poorly defined and the supporting characters make even less sense all the while trying so desperately to be a clear knock off of Bridget Jones.
I loved how ridiculous it was that the main character was always at the mercy of answering machines even though she always had a cell phone with her, but it was always turned off! A fact that was maybe normal when the book was published in 2003 but makes no sense in retrospect. Like truly this woman’s life would be so much better if everyone just used their cell phones.
My absolute favorite (least favorite?) part of the whole book is a few paragraphs in the first third of the book. While on her SECOND DATE with a man HE GIVES HER a FOOT JOB in the middle of a Greek restaurant that thankfully had table cloths so you other diners couldn’t see a man’s foot rubbing a woman’s genitalia. Now I am not one to kink shame anyone and I think I am pretty well educated on interesting sexual acts but I have literally NEVER heard of this happening and the fact that main character orgasmed made no logical sense to me. I asked so many people (like a weird amount of people) if they ever heard of this happening and just received a lot of dumbfounded looks and people questioning if this book was real.
Honestly, that wasn’t even the weirdest part of the book but I felt blindsided that I didn’t see it mentioned anywhere else. I also think it is a good indication on what people should expect.
Last spoiler, a main plot point involves NAZI PRODUCED TRUTH SERUMS!?!
The main character is poorly defined and the supporting characters make even less sense all the while trying so desperately to be a clear knock off of Bridget Jones.
I loved how ridiculous it was that the main character was always at the mercy of answering machines even though she always had a cell phone with her, but it was always turned off! A fact that was maybe normal when the book was published in 2003 but makes no sense in retrospect. Like truly this woman’s life would be so much better if everyone just used their cell phones.
My absolute favorite (least favorite?) part of the whole book is a few paragraphs in the first third of the book. While on her SECOND DATE with a man HE GIVES HER a FOOT JOB in the middle of a Greek restaurant that thankfully had table cloths so you other diners couldn’t see a man’s foot rubbing a woman’s genitalia. Now I am not one to kink shame anyone and I think I am pretty well educated on interesting sexual acts but I have literally NEVER heard of this happening and the fact that main character orgasmed made no logical sense to me. I asked so many people (like a weird amount of people) if they ever heard of this happening and just received a lot of dumbfounded looks and people questioning if this book was real.
Honestly, that wasn’t even the weirdest part of the book but I felt blindsided that I didn’t see it mentioned anywhere else. I also think it is a good indication on what people should expect.
Last spoiler, a main plot point involves NAZI PRODUCED TRUTH SERUMS!?!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 21, 2020
Once upon a time, many moons ago I read an excerpt from this book in a Cosmo magazine. I was very much not a reader at the time and apart from required school reading, had NEVER read a book for pleasure, only magazines, and really only Cosmo, I was maybe 19. This booked caught me, hook, line and sinker. It was funny and witty and light and sexy and I devoured every page. It sparked a love of chick lit in me that grew and grew and turned me into a huge bookworm. I have read every title by Sue Margolis that I could get my hands on (which was sometimes difficult because her titles were not always released on this side of the pond). I recommend this book to anyone who likes to laugh and gasp and blush a little. And it’s held up, I’ve re-read it at least 3 times. Five stars, highly recommend.
May 23, 2017
I finished it quickly because I wanted to see if it would get better with each chapter but no. As soon as a chapter starts you know how it's going to end because it's very typical. I just wasn't impressed.
April 29, 2018
Fun little "chick-lit". Nothing amazing, but worth the quick read.
November 20, 2018
I thought this book was funny and witty and I read it super quick!
It was a perfect chick lit book!
It was a perfect chick lit book!
December 6, 2019
Nice story with enough going on to keep you coming back.
August 11, 2020
3.5 funny
October 21, 2020
A funnier version of Sophia kinsella, where the main character isn't such a ditz.
September 1, 2023
I read this book ages ago and enjoyed. Rest in Peace, Sue.
April 17, 2020
Hilarious & witty.
August 1, 2024
This was the first book I ever read that wasn't a children's book or required for school. I bought it with my own money while on a school trip to Washington DC because I wanted to get something from the Georgetown University bookstore they took us to, and I liked the name, lol. I was in high school, and I remember thinking it was the greatest thing ever, and I imagined someone like Carrie Bradshaw wrote it. It still holds a special place in my heart. <3
December 17, 2013
Rebecca Fine thinks she might finally be on her way to becoming the investigative reporter she dreams of when she gets an insider scoop that prominent Parisian cosmetics firm Mer de Reves' new anti-aging cream isn't all that it's cracked up to be. Life is starting to look good for the thirty two year old who has been filling in writing the beauty column for London's Daily Vanguard Saturday magazine for a friend on maternity leave. On the romance front, Rebecca wonders a few days after meeting the newest Vanguard reporter, Max Stoddart, whether they share a mutual interest while her "Grandma Rose" is busy playing matchmaker on her behalf through online Jewish dating services. Max, a Hugh Grant look alike in a fancy suit and sports car, causes Rebecca a major mascara mess his first morning en route to the office just before he appropriates her desk. To complicate her life further, Rebecca then learns that her long widowed father is getting remarried to her old high school nemesis Bernadette (aka Lipstick), of all people. By day, Rebecca and Max research their respective news stories; by night, they begin dating with hilarious results. Rebecca works diligently to determine what's behind the success of the new miracle anti-wrinkle cream. Her investigative skills pay off when she uncovers the scandal of the century for the cosmetics industry while also helping to solve world peace - for real! Author Sue Margolis shares another very humorous story of intrigue, romance, and major mishaps for the beloved heroine.
March 25, 2016
Und mal wieder ist die Beschreibung von amazon.de nicht ganz richtig. Rebecca kam zwar an ihrem ersten Arbeitstag zu spät zu einem Meeting, doch dieser Tag liegt schon einige Zeit zurück. Ihr Vater hat keine Affäre mit Bernadette, er ist mit ihr zusammen und hat sich mit ihr verlobt. Heirat ist ja nun doch etwas mehr als ne Affäre. Dann wird ihr Schreibtisch von Max besetzt und erst danach kommt die Kontaktanzeige.
Rebecca mag ihren Job als Schönheitskolumnistin nicht, ihr großer Traum ist es eigentlich, eine ernst genommene Journalistin zu sein. Daher hält sie stets die Augen auf nach der gro��en Geschichte. Passt es da nicht wie die Faust aufs Auge, als es bei einem großen Kosmetikhersteller angeblich nicht mit rechten Dingen zugehen soll?
Und was ist denn mit Bernadette und ihrem Vater? In der Schule haben sich die beiden mal gar nicht verstanden und Rebeccas Vater, Stan, ist – gelinde gesagt – reich. Nutzt Bernadette ihn nur aus um an sein Geld zu kommen? Alles merkwürdig.
Rebecca stolpert von einer komischen Situation in die nächste, während ihre Oma nie um einen guten Spruch verlegen ist.
Das Buch war ganz nett für zwischendurch, es war zum großen Teil vorhersehbar, aber das muss auch nicht immer schlecht sein.
Rebecca mag ihren Job als Schönheitskolumnistin nicht, ihr großer Traum ist es eigentlich, eine ernst genommene Journalistin zu sein. Daher hält sie stets die Augen auf nach der gro��en Geschichte. Passt es da nicht wie die Faust aufs Auge, als es bei einem großen Kosmetikhersteller angeblich nicht mit rechten Dingen zugehen soll?
Und was ist denn mit Bernadette und ihrem Vater? In der Schule haben sich die beiden mal gar nicht verstanden und Rebeccas Vater, Stan, ist – gelinde gesagt – reich. Nutzt Bernadette ihn nur aus um an sein Geld zu kommen? Alles merkwürdig.
Rebecca stolpert von einer komischen Situation in die nächste, während ihre Oma nie um einen guten Spruch verlegen ist.
Das Buch war ganz nett für zwischendurch, es war zum großen Teil vorhersehbar, aber das muss auch nicht immer schlecht sein.
August 10, 2011
I've always had a soft spot for books where the characters are English ever since I read the Shopaholic series. Hearing them use words like "pram" and "loo" always helped me to hear the characters accents in my mind. Unfortunately though, there were times in this book where I got a little lost in all of their "English-speak" haha.
The book was a cute, quick, read. It definitely had all the makings of a typical love story - with a few twists thrown in to make it a little different. The story revolves around the life of Rebecca, a columnist trying to make it into harder hitting news journalism. Aside from her journey to finding love, you also see her help her friends with their marital problems, adjust to her father re-marrying, and also have some additional comedic relief with her match-making grandmother.
Watching Rebecca and Max fall in love was definitely cute - as you can see how they both have a physical chemistry with each other as well as share a good sense of humor. Seeing Rebecca deal with her insecurities with Max definitely helps show how her character grows throughout the book.
The book was a cute, quick, read. It definitely had all the makings of a typical love story - with a few twists thrown in to make it a little different. The story revolves around the life of Rebecca, a columnist trying to make it into harder hitting news journalism. Aside from her journey to finding love, you also see her help her friends with their marital problems, adjust to her father re-marrying, and also have some additional comedic relief with her match-making grandmother.
Watching Rebecca and Max fall in love was definitely cute - as you can see how they both have a physical chemistry with each other as well as share a good sense of humor. Seeing Rebecca deal with her insecurities with Max definitely helps show how her character grows throughout the book.
September 11, 2007
British Chick Lit-Sue Margolis tells a funny story mixed with caddiness and embarrassing situations. Definitely for a mature audience as she can also get graphic with sex scenes.
Thirty-two-year-old Rebecca Fine wants a few changes in her life. Tired of her mindless beauty column in a weekly London magazine, she hopes to break into investigative reporting; but when her boss asks her to relinquish her work area for a desk in the corner to make way for the new golden-boy reporter, Max Stoddart, Rebecca feels as though she'll never move beyond mascara and eye-shadow commentary. As for her personal life, her overbearing grandmother won't stop setting Rebecca up on blind dates, and her father, Stan, becomes engaged to Lipstick, one of Rebecca's old schoolmates. But soon handsome Max asks Rebecca out, and a hot tip regarding fraud in the cosmetic industry sends her off to hunt for the hidden dangers behind a new skin cream. Will Rebecca fall flat on her face in skin-cream secrecy? Is Lipstick marrying Stan for his money? Is Max faithful?
Thirty-two-year-old Rebecca Fine wants a few changes in her life. Tired of her mindless beauty column in a weekly London magazine, she hopes to break into investigative reporting; but when her boss asks her to relinquish her work area for a desk in the corner to make way for the new golden-boy reporter, Max Stoddart, Rebecca feels as though she'll never move beyond mascara and eye-shadow commentary. As for her personal life, her overbearing grandmother won't stop setting Rebecca up on blind dates, and her father, Stan, becomes engaged to Lipstick, one of Rebecca's old schoolmates. But soon handsome Max asks Rebecca out, and a hot tip regarding fraud in the cosmetic industry sends her off to hunt for the hidden dangers behind a new skin cream. Will Rebecca fall flat on her face in skin-cream secrecy? Is Lipstick marrying Stan for his money? Is Max faithful?
March 10, 2014
Sue Margolis hasn't really disappointed me yet. I absolutely love her writing style, and after reading Spin Cycle & Breakfast at Stephanie's, I had to seek out some more novels from this entertaining author. APOCALIPSTICK was just as fun and witty.
When beauty columnist Rebecca Fine meets her extremely handsome new coworker, Max Stoddart, she is almost certain that he is the playboy-heartbreaker type. Nevertheless she gives him a chance and finds that he is well worth it. But, he has a major secret that he is keeping from her.
Adding more excitement to her life, Rebecca's old H.S. bully, Lipstick (Yes, darling. That's her name) has now come back as the fiancé of her 60+ year old dad. Could there be more? Oh yeah, she also receives a tip on an anti-wrinkle cream that could rock the beauty world bringing in lots of controversy.
There is so much going on in her life, who knows if she can take it all in at once. Get ready for juicy secrets, unexpected twists and bumps that make up a fun and exciting read!
When beauty columnist Rebecca Fine meets her extremely handsome new coworker, Max Stoddart, she is almost certain that he is the playboy-heartbreaker type. Nevertheless she gives him a chance and finds that he is well worth it. But, he has a major secret that he is keeping from her.
Adding more excitement to her life, Rebecca's old H.S. bully, Lipstick (Yes, darling. That's her name) has now come back as the fiancé of her 60+ year old dad. Could there be more? Oh yeah, she also receives a tip on an anti-wrinkle cream that could rock the beauty world bringing in lots of controversy.
There is so much going on in her life, who knows if she can take it all in at once. Get ready for juicy secrets, unexpected twists and bumps that make up a fun and exciting read!
July 26, 2011
After a bunch of serious reading, I'm giving my poor brain a break and reading something completely stupid: Apocalipstick. The characters remind me of some of the folks from the series Ab-Fab. The protagonist isn't a stand-in for either Edina or Patsy but the people she works for do remind me of a hybrid of Edina and Patsy.
Apocalipstick isn't a book I would have picked by myself to read but it was recommended to me by a man who goes to the BookCrossing meetings on a regular basis. Ian has also read the book although it wasn't goofy enough for his tastes: he prefers the parody books like the Georgia Nicholson series by Louise Rennison. So far though, I'm enjoying Apocalipstick for its dysfunctional characters and artificially high stress work environment. It's rather funny to have a woman who thinks most beauty aids are crap working for a beauty magazine.
Apocalipstick isn't a book I would have picked by myself to read but it was recommended to me by a man who goes to the BookCrossing meetings on a regular basis. Ian has also read the book although it wasn't goofy enough for his tastes: he prefers the parody books like the Georgia Nicholson series by Louise Rennison. So far though, I'm enjoying Apocalipstick for its dysfunctional characters and artificially high stress work environment. It's rather funny to have a woman who thinks most beauty aids are crap working for a beauty magazine.
January 1, 2013
I was going through my Kindle and remembered that I read this...Well actually it was kind of forgettable, so it took me a minute to remember if I actually read it or just downloaded it. It was your typical chick-lit book, single career girl finds prince charming, but he kinda seems like a toad so it takes a while before they decide they can't live without each other. Oh and I think there was some ridiculous side story about face cream in there. Fast fun read but ultimately hard to distinguish from every other chick-lit book. If I recall this is the book that got me thinking that it was time to read something that wasn't totally trashy. So glad I made that decision.
October 18, 2015
I thought, I might not like the book. It's chick-lit, nothing serious and I even had my 'culture barrier' moment in the beginning thinking I might put the book on pre-loved list. However, the story gets funnier, racier and some parts are kind of out-of-this-world situation or too good to be true- like 'meeting the Prime Minister' part, oh well. Anyway, I have to admit that some of the fictitious parts really make the story hilarious though, as I said earlier- it's too good to be true. But hey! At least this chick-lit really deserves its duty as a chic-lit!
December 8, 2009
I read this book for a Terrible Book Club. And it did not disappoint. It was full of stupid wacky hijinx and irritating characters with no character development. They all attempted to be funny but were not. There was very little originality here and it was pretty predictable. The plot was way drawn out and there were too many subplots, which were all tidily wrapped up in the last 10-20 pages.
November 3, 2012
Not an intelectually challenging book at all but it was a laugh out loud at some moments. Unfortunately the plot went downhill after the 2nd half of the book. The whole Veritaserum-like antiwrinkle cream just screams unrealistic to me and I feel like the author is trying to cram it down in just a matter of pages. Also the revelation about M comes too late...at the last chapter, no less -_- Still, if you want to give this book a go, don't approach it with high expectations
April 29, 2014
Sue Margolis, while an entertaining author, often seems to forget she has a crisis to attend to. This book, like Gucci Gucci Coo, seemed as if she suddenly reads the back covers of her novels and thinks "Oh, I have a problem to introduce, agonize over, and solve! But I've already written 85% of my book... Oh well, the readers won't notice that this crisis came out of very little prep." We do. Interesting, funny, just no real plot point.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews