Read by Chris Andrew Ciulla

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. Chapter 01: Battle Bay Chapter 02: New York Chapter 03: Salvage Chapter 04: The Ghosts of Fish Chapter 05: Too Old, a Zebra Chapter 06: Easy Parsons Chapter 07: Women Chapter 08: The Second Half Chapter 09: High School for Fishermen Chapter 10: Walls of Names Chapter 11: Our Dead Chapter 12: What Now? Chapter 13: Tea SOP Chapter 14: Fun Chapter 15: Management Chapter 16: Waterline Chapter 17: Going to the Kitchens Chapter 18: From Now On Chapter 19: Toothfish Chapter 20: Named Beauty Chapter 21: Heels Chapter 22: Obituary Chapter 23: Surprise Chapter 24: Loaves and Fishes Chapter 25: Your Honor Chapter 26: An American Picture Chapter 27: Lying Chapter 28: To the Judge Chapter 29: Leave it Running Chapter 30: Glory Chapter 31: Painter "Intriguing…A feel-good story with a dash of romance." "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." "Dramatic and emotional…And it's nice to have a middle-aged heroine for a change." "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." "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."

Mode of access: World Wide Web