Suck It In and Smile
Laurence Beaudoin-MasseA funny, touching look at the life of a social media influencer who starts to question the #of life goals she has created for herself.
"In Suck It In and Smile, Beaudoin-Masse shows the ephemeral nature of online fame and the stresses associated with presenting and maintaining a persona that isn’t real. An amusing and heartfelt read, the novel will open the eyes of many and may help them accept who they really are." - Canadian Review of Materials
Every day, Ellie motivates her hundreds of thousands of followers to become the best versions of themselves by posting videos of exercise routines and high-protein breakfast recipes. Far from the shy teenager that she was, she is now in a very public relationship with singer Samuel Vanasse, and together they have become one of the most popular influencer couples in the country. She has succeeded. She shines.
And yet, Ellie worries that her life is not as flawless as she makes it seem on YouTube and Instagram. Between her obsession with the "ideal weight," her growing attraction to another man, her family's disdain for her career as a content creator and a collaboration with another influencer who Ellie can't stand, a thought haunts her. What if, by trying to become everything she wanted to be, she's lost herself along the way?
"Beaudoin-Masse expertly weaves Ellie’s emotional distress — often taking the form of a quiet, burning rage and desperation — into the storyline. The pacing is well done, and the supporting characters are interesting... A relevant read that comes close to making substantial social revelations." - Kirkus Reviews
Suck it In and Smile is an intimate exploration of our obsession with appearances and the hypocrisies that appear when you must craft the perfect online life.