About this item
A spellbinding psychological debut novel, Swan Huntleys We Could Be Beautiful is the story of a wealthy woman who has everything - and yet can trust no one.Catherine West has spent her entire life surrounded by beautiful things. She owns an immaculate Manhattan apartment, she collects fine art, she buys exquisite handbags and clothing, and she constantly redecorates her home. And yet, despite all this, she still feels empty. She sees her personal trainer, she gets weekly massages, and occasionally she visits her mother and sister on the Upper East Side, but after two broken engagements and boyfriends who wanted only her money, she is haunted by the fear that shell never have a family of her own. One night, at an art opening, Catherine meets William Stockton, a handsome man who shares her impeccable taste and love of beauty. He is educated and elegant and even has a personal connection - his parents and Catherines parents were friends years ago. But as he and Catherine grow closer, she begins to encounter strange signs, and her mother, Elizabeth (now suffering from Alzheimers) , seems to have only bad memories of William as a boy. In Elizabeths old diary she finds an unnerving letter from a former nanny that cryptically reads, "We cannot trust anyone...." Is William lying about his past? And if so, is Catherine willing to sacrifice their beautiful life in order to find the truth? Featuring a fascinating heroine who longs for answers but is blinded by her own privilege, We Could Be Beautiful is a glittering, seductive, utterly surprising story of love, money, greed, and family.
About the Author
Swan Huntley is the author of The Goddesses and We Could Be Beautiful. She earned her MFA at Columbia University and has received fellowships from the MacDowell Colony and the Ragdale Foundation. Her shorter writings have appeared on Salon, The Rumpus and McSweeney's Internet Tendency, among others. She lives in California and Hawaii.
