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In Pursuit of Beauty
From the mind of acclaimed reporter Gary Baum comes In Pursuit of Beauty, a striking debut novel that examines the nature of truth and allure in our modern world.
What would you endure to fulfill your dreams?
What would you do to have the perfect body?
For Dr. Roya Delshad, the answers are anything and everything. A sought-after Beverly Hills plastic surgeon, Roya is also the highest example of her craft. She’s had every inch of her own body sculpted, one procedure at a time. All to escape a painful and lonely past.
But when Roya gives the gift of beauty to those who can’t afford the cost, the media labels her “the Robin Hood of Roxbury Drive,” and she soon finds herself pleading her case from inside a prison cell.
Hoping to resurrect her reputation and obscure a trail of unhappy clients, Roya tells her story with the help of the blithely handsome Wes Easton, a journalist and failed screenwriter who agrees to ghostwrite her memoir. In a twistingly tense pas de deux, Wes struggles to tell fact from fiction, and Roya seeks to explode his notions about aspiration and desire, sending their collaboration off the rails.
A bold, stylish, and provocative thriller about surfaces and their hidden depths, In Pursuit of Beauty explores what it means to become exactly who you once yearned to be.
What would you endure to fulfill your dreams?
What would you do to have the perfect body?
For Dr. Roya Delshad, the answers are anything and everything. A sought-after Beverly Hills plastic surgeon, Roya is also the highest example of her craft. She’s had every inch of her own body sculpted, one procedure at a time. All to escape a painful and lonely past.
But when Roya gives the gift of beauty to those who can’t afford the cost, the media labels her “the Robin Hood of Roxbury Drive,” and she soon finds herself pleading her case from inside a prison cell.
Hoping to resurrect her reputation and obscure a trail of unhappy clients, Roya tells her story with the help of the blithely handsome Wes Easton, a journalist and failed screenwriter who agrees to ghostwrite her memoir. In a twistingly tense pas de deux, Wes struggles to tell fact from fiction, and Roya seeks to explode his notions about aspiration and desire, sending their collaboration off the rails.
A bold, stylish, and provocative thriller about surfaces and their hidden depths, In Pursuit of Beauty explores what it means to become exactly who you once yearned to be.
256 pages, Hardcover
Published July 1, 2025
12 people are currently reading
4193 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
June 28, 2025
In Pursuit of Beauty by Gary Baum. Thanks to @wunderkind for the gifted copy ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Dr. Rita Delshad is telling her story from behind bars for the first time. Known as the “Robin Hood of Roxbury Drive”, she explains her controversial past as a notorious plastic surgeon.
While a little slower paced in the beginning, this still hooked me a quarter the way through. If you enjoy stories of journalistic investigation, including alternate view points and interviews, give this one a try. It shows the lengths some go to for society and isn’t what is expected.
“Let beauty be a promise of happiness.”
The Pursuit of Beauty comes out 7/1.
Dr. Rita Delshad is telling her story from behind bars for the first time. Known as the “Robin Hood of Roxbury Drive”, she explains her controversial past as a notorious plastic surgeon.
While a little slower paced in the beginning, this still hooked me a quarter the way through. If you enjoy stories of journalistic investigation, including alternate view points and interviews, give this one a try. It shows the lengths some go to for society and isn’t what is expected.
“Let beauty be a promise of happiness.”
The Pursuit of Beauty comes out 7/1.
June 26, 2025
An exceptionally written and paced appraisal of the lengths to which people will go to succeed — and look good while doing it. The alternating points of view had my sympathies in constant flux, and, even when things get dark, there is sharp humor throughout. (i.e. half of the chapter titles share names with tracks from the Britney Spears catalog.) Perfect for summer reading if you want to spend some time with a fully-realized and quintessentially Los Angeles story. Lucky to score an advanced copy and will be recommending to friends.
August 17, 2025
A plastic surgeon jailed for insurance fraud agrees to meet with a reporter and convinces him to collaborate on a book about her. The story is narrated by two voices: she tells us about her background and motivations; he tells us about the interviews and research he conducts. The final part is in third person, describing their actions once she is paroled.
The interesting structure well suits the interesting story about a girl dealt the less beautiful genetic hand, often in the shadow of her very beautiful sister (as well as her mother), who makes herself over in her sister’s image and becomes a plastic surgeon to help other women. In this age of the Kardashians, butt implants, and “mommy makeovers,” the territory is familiar but the story is made more relevant by the way the surgeon justifies her actions.
Should only the rich have access to surgeries that make them feel better? Yet, even in countries where health care is more readily available, medical necessity is not the same as psychological need. It’s a bit far fetched but still entertaining. 3.8 rounded up.
My thanks to the author, @BlackstonePublishing, and #NetGalley for access to the audiobook of #InPursuitofBeauty for review purposes. It is currently available.
The interesting structure well suits the interesting story about a girl dealt the less beautiful genetic hand, often in the shadow of her very beautiful sister (as well as her mother), who makes herself over in her sister’s image and becomes a plastic surgeon to help other women. In this age of the Kardashians, butt implants, and “mommy makeovers,” the territory is familiar but the story is made more relevant by the way the surgeon justifies her actions.
Should only the rich have access to surgeries that make them feel better? Yet, even in countries where health care is more readily available, medical necessity is not the same as psychological need. It’s a bit far fetched but still entertaining. 3.8 rounded up.
My thanks to the author, @BlackstonePublishing, and #NetGalley for access to the audiobook of #InPursuitofBeauty for review purposes. It is currently available.
July 25, 2025
I received In Pursuit of Beauty in a Goodreads Giveaway. Thank you to the author and publisher; it’s much appreciated.
I feel really conflicted about this because I sure liked Roya but I thought Wes was sort of a jerk at times. I found Roya to be pretty relatable, despite her being fanatical about her cause. It was a compelling read and while it’s not my cup of tea, I can see why people like this. It really is fascinating to see how far people can go to be beyond perfect.
I feel really conflicted about this because I sure liked Roya but I thought Wes was sort of a jerk at times. I found Roya to be pretty relatable, despite her being fanatical about her cause. It was a compelling read and while it’s not my cup of tea, I can see why people like this. It really is fascinating to see how far people can go to be beyond perfect.
July 14, 2025
ARC Review! Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the advanced copy of this read in exchange for my honest review!
I will begin my review with a note that this is the debut work for the author Gary Baum. He’s listed as being an acclaimed reporter, and I feel like that piece of this shows through. But you must be willing to get through some dense prose to get to the heart of the story. There were moments where I was thinking, “There are so many words here. This sentence could be cut into a quarter and still get at the same meaning,” and I don’t necessarily love a book like that.
Dr. Roya Delshad is like a Robinhood of plastic surgery. When she realizes she can help women with lesser means get the body of their dreams through some *tiny* insurance adjustments, she becomes a hero. Until the insurance companies find out.
Now, Roya is serving her sentence in prison, and reporter Wes Easton sees the perfect opportunity to help her tell her side of the story. He convinces Roya to let her ghostwrite a memoir. Roya is determined to clear her name – but Wes is torn when it comes to deciphering fact from fiction.
I almost wish this had just been the memoir side of the story. I understand why Wes’ chapters were important for the plot, but I found them to be redundant and unnecessary. I think I would have enjoyed this one more had it just been Roya’s rise and fall story, rather than being something dual POV, story-within-a-story.
When I get down to the root of the plot, this was actually very interesting and unique. However, the writing style was lost on me, and I found myself feeling somewhat annoyed by how wordy it was.
I will begin my review with a note that this is the debut work for the author Gary Baum. He’s listed as being an acclaimed reporter, and I feel like that piece of this shows through. But you must be willing to get through some dense prose to get to the heart of the story. There were moments where I was thinking, “There are so many words here. This sentence could be cut into a quarter and still get at the same meaning,” and I don’t necessarily love a book like that.
Dr. Roya Delshad is like a Robinhood of plastic surgery. When she realizes she can help women with lesser means get the body of their dreams through some *tiny* insurance adjustments, she becomes a hero. Until the insurance companies find out.
Now, Roya is serving her sentence in prison, and reporter Wes Easton sees the perfect opportunity to help her tell her side of the story. He convinces Roya to let her ghostwrite a memoir. Roya is determined to clear her name – but Wes is torn when it comes to deciphering fact from fiction.
I almost wish this had just been the memoir side of the story. I understand why Wes’ chapters were important for the plot, but I found them to be redundant and unnecessary. I think I would have enjoyed this one more had it just been Roya’s rise and fall story, rather than being something dual POV, story-within-a-story.
When I get down to the root of the plot, this was actually very interesting and unique. However, the writing style was lost on me, and I found myself feeling somewhat annoyed by how wordy it was.
July 13, 2025
Book Review 📚✨
Thank you so much partner @blackstonepublishing @storygramtours for the gifted copy!
In Pursuit of Beauty
by Gary Baum
About the book 👇🏽
What would you endure to fulfill your dreams?
What would you do to have the perfect body?
For Dr. Roya Delshad, the answers are anything and everything. A sought-after Beverly Hills plastic surgeon, Roya is also the highest example of her craft. She’s had every inch of her own body sculpted, one procedure at a time. All to escape a painful and lonely past.
But when Roya gives the gift of beauty to those who can’t afford the cost, the media labels her “the Robin Hood of Roxbury Drive,” and she soon finds herself pleading her case from inside a prison cell.
Hoping to resurrect her reputation and obscure a trail of unhappy clients, Roya tells her story with the help of the blithely handsome Wes Easton, a journalist and failed screenwriter who agrees to ghostwrite her memoir. In a twistingly tense pas de deux, Wes struggles to tell fact from fiction, and Roya seeks to explode his notions about aspiration and desire, sending their collaboration off the rails.
🩺 My thoughts:
What a read! I can definitely say I’ve never read a book like this before. The alternate point of views had me invested in this story, while the Britney Spears song titled chapters gave me a nice little giggle. What a sharp and thought provoking thriller, perfect for the summer! In Pursuit of Beauty is out now!
Happy reading! 📖✨
Thank you so much partner @blackstonepublishing @storygramtours for the gifted copy!
In Pursuit of Beauty
by Gary Baum
About the book 👇🏽
What would you endure to fulfill your dreams?
What would you do to have the perfect body?
For Dr. Roya Delshad, the answers are anything and everything. A sought-after Beverly Hills plastic surgeon, Roya is also the highest example of her craft. She’s had every inch of her own body sculpted, one procedure at a time. All to escape a painful and lonely past.
But when Roya gives the gift of beauty to those who can’t afford the cost, the media labels her “the Robin Hood of Roxbury Drive,” and she soon finds herself pleading her case from inside a prison cell.
Hoping to resurrect her reputation and obscure a trail of unhappy clients, Roya tells her story with the help of the blithely handsome Wes Easton, a journalist and failed screenwriter who agrees to ghostwrite her memoir. In a twistingly tense pas de deux, Wes struggles to tell fact from fiction, and Roya seeks to explode his notions about aspiration and desire, sending their collaboration off the rails.
🩺 My thoughts:
What a read! I can definitely say I’ve never read a book like this before. The alternate point of views had me invested in this story, while the Britney Spears song titled chapters gave me a nice little giggle. What a sharp and thought provoking thriller, perfect for the summer! In Pursuit of Beauty is out now!
Happy reading! 📖✨
September 2, 2025
“Beauty is like money, it doesn’t necessarily make you happy but it makes life a whole lot easier”
This may have been one of the most thought-provoking books I’ve listened to all year. The narration alternates between Dr. Roya, a plastic surgeon serving time for insurance fraud, and her ghostwriter Wes, which makes a compelling story to listen to.
Through Roya’s perspective, we get an intimate look at the surgeries she endured, the intense education and training required to rise in her field, and the personal toll it all took. Her evolution is striking—you can hear how surgery helped her become the woman she always dreamed of being, as beautiful as her mother and sister. But the book doesn’t romanticize beauty either. Roya’s sister embodies the burden of being seen as “perfect,” while the ghostwriter reveals the advantages that attractiveness can grant, from doors opening (remember the Abercrombie greeters) to smoother social navigation.
The book tackles some difficult and important issues head-on: suicide after botched cosmetic surgery, the vast divide between who can afford procedures and who cannot, and the complicated relationship between appearance and self-esteem. What really elevated it for me were the interviews with people from different parts of Roya’s of life. Each viewpoint showed another part of Roya’s journey, some that totally changed her telling of events.
As an audiobook, the narration was excellent and made the shifting voices clear and engaging. It’s a book that lingers, asking you to reflect on how much our culture prizes appearance and at what cost and portrait of beauty as both liberation and prison.
Highly recommended if you want something that makes you think long after you’ve taken out your AirPods.
This may have been one of the most thought-provoking books I’ve listened to all year. The narration alternates between Dr. Roya, a plastic surgeon serving time for insurance fraud, and her ghostwriter, which makes for such a layered and compelling story.
Through Roya’s perspective, we get an intimate look at the surgeries she endured, the intense education and training required to rise in her field, and the heavy personal toll it all took. Her evolution is striking—you can hear how surgery helped her become the woman she always dreamed of being, as beautiful as her mother and sister. But the book doesn’t romanticize beauty either. Roya’s sister embodies the burden of being seen as “perfect,” while the ghostwriter reveals the advantages that attractiveness can grant, from doors opening to smoother social navigation.
The book tackles some difficult and important issues head-on: suicide after botched cosmetic surgery, the vast divide between who can afford procedures and who cannot, and the complicated relationship between appearance and self-esteem. What really elevated it for me were the interviews with people from different walks of life. Each viewpoint showed another facet of Roya’s journey, and together they built a portrait of beauty as both liberation and prison.
As an audiobook, the narration was excellent and made the shifting voices clear and engaging. It’s a book that lingers, asking you to reflect on how much our culture prizes appearance and at what cost and should insurance cover it?
This may have been one of the most thought-provoking books I’ve listened to all year. The narration alternates between Dr. Roya, a plastic surgeon serving time for insurance fraud, and her ghostwriter Wes, which makes a compelling story to listen to.
Through Roya’s perspective, we get an intimate look at the surgeries she endured, the intense education and training required to rise in her field, and the personal toll it all took. Her evolution is striking—you can hear how surgery helped her become the woman she always dreamed of being, as beautiful as her mother and sister. But the book doesn’t romanticize beauty either. Roya’s sister embodies the burden of being seen as “perfect,” while the ghostwriter reveals the advantages that attractiveness can grant, from doors opening (remember the Abercrombie greeters) to smoother social navigation.
The book tackles some difficult and important issues head-on: suicide after botched cosmetic surgery, the vast divide between who can afford procedures and who cannot, and the complicated relationship between appearance and self-esteem. What really elevated it for me were the interviews with people from different parts of Roya’s of life. Each viewpoint showed another part of Roya’s journey, some that totally changed her telling of events.
As an audiobook, the narration was excellent and made the shifting voices clear and engaging. It’s a book that lingers, asking you to reflect on how much our culture prizes appearance and at what cost and portrait of beauty as both liberation and prison.
Highly recommended if you want something that makes you think long after you’ve taken out your AirPods.
This may have been one of the most thought-provoking books I’ve listened to all year. The narration alternates between Dr. Roya, a plastic surgeon serving time for insurance fraud, and her ghostwriter, which makes for such a layered and compelling story.
Through Roya’s perspective, we get an intimate look at the surgeries she endured, the intense education and training required to rise in her field, and the heavy personal toll it all took. Her evolution is striking—you can hear how surgery helped her become the woman she always dreamed of being, as beautiful as her mother and sister. But the book doesn’t romanticize beauty either. Roya’s sister embodies the burden of being seen as “perfect,” while the ghostwriter reveals the advantages that attractiveness can grant, from doors opening to smoother social navigation.
The book tackles some difficult and important issues head-on: suicide after botched cosmetic surgery, the vast divide between who can afford procedures and who cannot, and the complicated relationship between appearance and self-esteem. What really elevated it for me were the interviews with people from different walks of life. Each viewpoint showed another facet of Roya’s journey, and together they built a portrait of beauty as both liberation and prison.
As an audiobook, the narration was excellent and made the shifting voices clear and engaging. It’s a book that lingers, asking you to reflect on how much our culture prizes appearance and at what cost and should insurance cover it?
November 16, 2025
ARC Book Review
3.5 stars ⭐️ rounded up to 4 stars ⭐️
Out now!
In Pursuit of Beauty follows Dr. Roya Delshad, a celebrated Beverly Hills plastic surgeon who has painstakingly sculpted both her body and her career. Driven by a desire to outrun a painful past, Roya channels her talent into helping women who can’t afford her services—manipulating insurance codes to make their dream procedures possible. Her good intentions, however, catch the attention of both the media and the insurance industry, earning her the nickname “the Robin Hood of Roxbury Drive” and ultimately landing her in prison.
While incarcerated, Roya turns to Wes Easton, a down-on-his-luck journalist and former screenwriter, to ghostwrite her memoir and reclaim her narrative. Their collaboration is fraught from the start: Wes struggles to separate Roya’s truth from her self-mythologizing, while Roya pushes him to question his own ambitions and desires. The book alternates between their perspectives, creating a layered story about truth, self-invention, and how far someone will go to control the version of themselves the world sees.
The premise is undeniably fresh, and the dual POV structure has the potential to heighten the tension. Roya’s chapters brim with dramatic flair, while Wes’ provide the behind-the-scenes mechanics of piecing together her life story. The cheeky Britney Spears–inspired chapter titles even add a surprising touch of levity.
However, the execution didn’t fully land for me. While Wes’ role is essential to the plot, his chapters often felt repetitive, and I found myself wishing the novel had focused more tightly on Roya’s rise and fall rather than employing a story-within-a-story framework. The prose itself is dense and heavily stylized—at times distractingly so. Despite feeling confident in my reading abilities, I repeatedly encountered vocabulary that pulled me out of the story. The book’s marketing as a thriller also felt misleading; its tone and pacing align more closely with literary fiction or fictional memoir.
That said, the final third of the novel was easily the strongest. The pacing tightened, the stakes sharpened, and the narrative threads came together in a much more compelling way. I genuinely enjoyed that section and wish more of the book had mirrored its clarity and drive.
Ultimately, while this novel wasn’t quite for me, I can absolutely see its appeal for readers who enjoy layered fictional memoirs, cerebral observations, intricate vocabulary, long chapters, and dual POV storytelling. If those are in your wheelhouse, In Pursuit of Beauty may be exactly your kind of read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the advanced copy of this read in exchange for my honest review!
3.5 stars ⭐️ rounded up to 4 stars ⭐️
Out now!
In Pursuit of Beauty follows Dr. Roya Delshad, a celebrated Beverly Hills plastic surgeon who has painstakingly sculpted both her body and her career. Driven by a desire to outrun a painful past, Roya channels her talent into helping women who can’t afford her services—manipulating insurance codes to make their dream procedures possible. Her good intentions, however, catch the attention of both the media and the insurance industry, earning her the nickname “the Robin Hood of Roxbury Drive” and ultimately landing her in prison.
While incarcerated, Roya turns to Wes Easton, a down-on-his-luck journalist and former screenwriter, to ghostwrite her memoir and reclaim her narrative. Their collaboration is fraught from the start: Wes struggles to separate Roya’s truth from her self-mythologizing, while Roya pushes him to question his own ambitions and desires. The book alternates between their perspectives, creating a layered story about truth, self-invention, and how far someone will go to control the version of themselves the world sees.
The premise is undeniably fresh, and the dual POV structure has the potential to heighten the tension. Roya’s chapters brim with dramatic flair, while Wes’ provide the behind-the-scenes mechanics of piecing together her life story. The cheeky Britney Spears–inspired chapter titles even add a surprising touch of levity.
However, the execution didn’t fully land for me. While Wes’ role is essential to the plot, his chapters often felt repetitive, and I found myself wishing the novel had focused more tightly on Roya’s rise and fall rather than employing a story-within-a-story framework. The prose itself is dense and heavily stylized—at times distractingly so. Despite feeling confident in my reading abilities, I repeatedly encountered vocabulary that pulled me out of the story. The book’s marketing as a thriller also felt misleading; its tone and pacing align more closely with literary fiction or fictional memoir.
That said, the final third of the novel was easily the strongest. The pacing tightened, the stakes sharpened, and the narrative threads came together in a much more compelling way. I genuinely enjoyed that section and wish more of the book had mirrored its clarity and drive.
Ultimately, while this novel wasn’t quite for me, I can absolutely see its appeal for readers who enjoy layered fictional memoirs, cerebral observations, intricate vocabulary, long chapters, and dual POV storytelling. If those are in your wheelhouse, In Pursuit of Beauty may be exactly your kind of read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the advanced copy of this read in exchange for my honest review!
July 6, 2025
📚 ARC BOOK REVIEW 📚
In Pursuit Of Beauty By Gary Baum
Publication Date: July 1, 2025
Publisher: Blackstone Publishing
📚MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐
Thank you to Blackstone Publishing #partner for the #gifted ARC in exchange for my honest review! I love being a #BlackstoneInsider!
📚MY REVIEW:
In Pursuit of Beauty was the story of Dr. Roya Delshad, a sought-after Beverly Hills plastic surgeon who becomes known as the Robin Hood of Roxbury Drive after it's discovered she's committing insurance fraud for some of her patients in order to make their elective plastic surgeries affordable with insurance coverage. While incarcerated for fraud, Roya convinces Wes Easton, a journalist and failed screenwriter, to ghostwrite her memoir.
The story is told through alternating dual POVs and in really long chapters. Wes's chapters describe in lush detail the information gathered in the process of ghostwriting, while Roya's chapters are ripe with salaciousness as she recollects stories from her life.
This was a VERY slow read for me, primarily because I was so bogged down by the plethora of vocabulary words that went over my head. I consider myself a pretty intelligent person, but this book seemed to be written with the vernacular to reach an elite group of readers (of which I am clearly not a part). My second issue with this book is that it's billed as a thriller -- and a thriller it was not. Unless there's a new subgenre of 'fictional memoir thrillers' that I've not stumbled upon, this is better classified as general fiction or literary fiction, and I think this book would connect with its target readers if its genre was labeled more authentically.
I will say, the last third of the book was the most enjoyable part for me, as there was definitely a better pacing and greater intrigue in the plotlines. While I really wanted to like this one, it just wasn't for me. However, this book may be for YOU if you enjoy fictional memoirs fueled by wildly intelligent observations and intricately complex vocabulary, a journalistic writing style, longer chapters, and dual POVs told in alternating chapters.
#InPursuitOfBeauty #GaryBaum #BlackstonePublishing #BlackstoneInsiders #gifted #ARC #bookreviews #bookrecs #booklover #bookaddict
In Pursuit Of Beauty By Gary Baum
Publication Date: July 1, 2025
Publisher: Blackstone Publishing
📚MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐
Thank you to Blackstone Publishing #partner for the #gifted ARC in exchange for my honest review! I love being a #BlackstoneInsider!
📚MY REVIEW:
In Pursuit of Beauty was the story of Dr. Roya Delshad, a sought-after Beverly Hills plastic surgeon who becomes known as the Robin Hood of Roxbury Drive after it's discovered she's committing insurance fraud for some of her patients in order to make their elective plastic surgeries affordable with insurance coverage. While incarcerated for fraud, Roya convinces Wes Easton, a journalist and failed screenwriter, to ghostwrite her memoir.
The story is told through alternating dual POVs and in really long chapters. Wes's chapters describe in lush detail the information gathered in the process of ghostwriting, while Roya's chapters are ripe with salaciousness as she recollects stories from her life.
This was a VERY slow read for me, primarily because I was so bogged down by the plethora of vocabulary words that went over my head. I consider myself a pretty intelligent person, but this book seemed to be written with the vernacular to reach an elite group of readers (of which I am clearly not a part). My second issue with this book is that it's billed as a thriller -- and a thriller it was not. Unless there's a new subgenre of 'fictional memoir thrillers' that I've not stumbled upon, this is better classified as general fiction or literary fiction, and I think this book would connect with its target readers if its genre was labeled more authentically.
I will say, the last third of the book was the most enjoyable part for me, as there was definitely a better pacing and greater intrigue in the plotlines. While I really wanted to like this one, it just wasn't for me. However, this book may be for YOU if you enjoy fictional memoirs fueled by wildly intelligent observations and intricately complex vocabulary, a journalistic writing style, longer chapters, and dual POVs told in alternating chapters.
#InPursuitOfBeauty #GaryBaum #BlackstonePublishing #BlackstoneInsiders #gifted #ARC #bookreviews #bookrecs #booklover #bookaddict
October 7, 2025
Thanks to Brilliance Audio and Netgalley for this eARC in audio format.
In Pursuit of Beauty begins with
Dr. Roya Delshad, (a successful plastic surgeon imprisoned for something to do with the free procedures she offers to women who can't afford to make themselves artificially "beautiful" by societal standards. That in and of itself is not illegal, so I imagine her precise crime is unveiled later in the book.
Well we can't love 'em all - this one was a quick DNF (Did Not Finish) for me. I found the detailed interplay and interrogation between the Dr. and her ghostwriter/journalist odd, and heavy-handed, My mind drifted from the 1st page on, and when I reached the part where the Dr. expressed her absolute delight (in excruciating detail), for sculptures at the Jean Paul Getty museum , that was when I knew I was done with this book (I think I made it to page 50).. The execution of this idea (that beauty is the most important attribute a person can have) is pretentious and unrealistic. The narrator has or projects a rather 'clipped" voice which drips pretention and sarcasm.
I feel this audiobook ( at least the first 59 pages) promotes personal dissatisfaction and body dysmorphia through the constant and all-consuming concept that you are not worthy of existing unless you are physically perfect, at least from the Drs viewpoint. Very shallow and unlikeable characters (although the author tried hard to prove the characters were pretentiously deep thinkers).
Your mileage may vary! ❤️🌹
In Pursuit of Beauty begins with
Dr. Roya Delshad, (a successful plastic surgeon imprisoned for something to do with the free procedures she offers to women who can't afford to make themselves artificially "beautiful" by societal standards. That in and of itself is not illegal, so I imagine her precise crime is unveiled later in the book.
Well we can't love 'em all - this one was a quick DNF (Did Not Finish) for me. I found the detailed interplay and interrogation between the Dr. and her ghostwriter/journalist odd, and heavy-handed, My mind drifted from the 1st page on, and when I reached the part where the Dr. expressed her absolute delight (in excruciating detail), for sculptures at the Jean Paul Getty museum , that was when I knew I was done with this book (I think I made it to page 50).. The execution of this idea (that beauty is the most important attribute a person can have) is pretentious and unrealistic. The narrator has or projects a rather 'clipped" voice which drips pretention and sarcasm.
I feel this audiobook ( at least the first 59 pages) promotes personal dissatisfaction and body dysmorphia through the constant and all-consuming concept that you are not worthy of existing unless you are physically perfect, at least from the Drs viewpoint. Very shallow and unlikeable characters (although the author tried hard to prove the characters were pretentiously deep thinkers).
Your mileage may vary! ❤️🌹
January 12, 2026
As a plastic surgeon with years of experience in reconstructive and aesthetic procedures, Gary Baum’s In Pursuit of Beauty offered a refreshing insider’s look at the evolution of cosmetic surgery, blending memoir with sharp industry critique. Baum’s narrative traces the surgeons' journey from early career idealism to confronting the ethical pitfalls of beauty standards, much like the pressures plastic surgeons face daily with patient consultations for Botox, breast augmentations, and complex flaps.
What struck me most was his dissection of how societal obsessions with perfection drive unnecessary surgeries, echoing our own cases where patients seek "ideal" results amid cultural demands. Baum doesn’t shy from failures: botched procedures, psychological fallout, and the surgeon’s moral tightrope, reminding me of plastic surgery’s razor‑thin margins where one small error can undo hours of work.
Among the book’s compelling voices, Roya, a meticulously drawn surgeon whose empathy stands out as a moral anchor. Through her, Baum explores how compassion and restraint can coexist with ambition, portraying a clinician who resists the glamour and commercialism surrounding her field. Roya’s quiet defiance reminded me of colleagues who uphold patient welfare against market pressures, embodying what it means to practice medicine as both craft and conscience.
His call for balanced, patient‑centered practice resonates deeply in most of our practices, urging restraint over excess. A compelling 3.5‑star read for medical peers grappling with beauty’s double‑edged blade.
What struck me most was his dissection of how societal obsessions with perfection drive unnecessary surgeries, echoing our own cases where patients seek "ideal" results amid cultural demands. Baum doesn’t shy from failures: botched procedures, psychological fallout, and the surgeon’s moral tightrope, reminding me of plastic surgery’s razor‑thin margins where one small error can undo hours of work.
Among the book’s compelling voices, Roya, a meticulously drawn surgeon whose empathy stands out as a moral anchor. Through her, Baum explores how compassion and restraint can coexist with ambition, portraying a clinician who resists the glamour and commercialism surrounding her field. Roya’s quiet defiance reminded me of colleagues who uphold patient welfare against market pressures, embodying what it means to practice medicine as both craft and conscience.
His call for balanced, patient‑centered practice resonates deeply in most of our practices, urging restraint over excess. A compelling 3.5‑star read for medical peers grappling with beauty’s double‑edged blade.
September 24, 2025
How far will someone go to be seen as beautiful?
In the novel In Pursuit of Beauty, Gary Baum takes us into the life of a plastic surgeon who is imprisoned for insurance fraud. She tells her story to a reporter who plans to write a book about her. The first two parts of the book are told through alternating chapters which are narrated by their two voices. She tells us about her background and all her reasons for acting as she did, and he tells us about his research. The last part of the book is in the third person and follows the story of her life after she is released from prison.
The book's structure allows the story to unfold with more intimacy and insight into this woman and her motivations. We are able to have some empathy for a plain girl who is forced to live in the shadow of her much more beautiful sister and mother, growing to understand why she would slowly change her appearance so much that she looks like a different person. And then watch as she does the same for other women. But it also allows us to see how she justifies and excuses her actions. The psychology is intriguing, especially in today's world, where beauty is often more important than anything else.
Thank you @BlackstonePublishing for my #gifted finished copy!
In the novel In Pursuit of Beauty, Gary Baum takes us into the life of a plastic surgeon who is imprisoned for insurance fraud. She tells her story to a reporter who plans to write a book about her. The first two parts of the book are told through alternating chapters which are narrated by their two voices. She tells us about her background and all her reasons for acting as she did, and he tells us about his research. The last part of the book is in the third person and follows the story of her life after she is released from prison.
The book's structure allows the story to unfold with more intimacy and insight into this woman and her motivations. We are able to have some empathy for a plain girl who is forced to live in the shadow of her much more beautiful sister and mother, growing to understand why she would slowly change her appearance so much that she looks like a different person. And then watch as she does the same for other women. But it also allows us to see how she justifies and excuses her actions. The psychology is intriguing, especially in today's world, where beauty is often more important than anything else.
Thank you @BlackstonePublishing for my #gifted finished copy!
September 1, 2025
I listened to the audio version of "In Pursuit of Beauty," narrated by Nikki Massoud and Evan Sibley, which delivers a compelling and textured listening experience. Their alternating voices suit the dual perspectives of Dr. Roya Delshad and journalist Wes Easton, helping me effortlessly shift between them. Both narrators captured the novel's tone. The back-and-forth dynamic brings nuance to the storytelling and heightens the psychological tension at the heart of the narrative.
The structure of the journalist telling the story while interviewing the subject, and the subject giving answers while also providing first-person input, allows the reader to see deeply into both characters. It's very clever, but I also found some of the writing to be crass to an unnecessary degree.
The audio production of In Pursuit of Beauty is polished and engaging. If you're drawn to character-driven thrillers that use voice acting to enrich perspective, this narrated version is an absorbing choice—well worth a listen.
The structure of the journalist telling the story while interviewing the subject, and the subject giving answers while also providing first-person input, allows the reader to see deeply into both characters. It's very clever, but I also found some of the writing to be crass to an unnecessary degree.
The audio production of In Pursuit of Beauty is polished and engaging. If you're drawn to character-driven thrillers that use voice acting to enrich perspective, this narrated version is an absorbing choice—well worth a listen.
August 11, 2025
Many thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the free audiobook in exchange for my honest review. Nikki Massoud and Evan Sibley narrate this story and I really liked their performance.
Dr. Rita Delshad is behind bars and finally telling her story as the infamous “Robin Hood of Roxbury Drive”, in which she explains her controversial past as a notorious plastic surgeon.
The chapters alternated between Rita's life and the investigative journalist's interaction with Rita and subsequent ghost writing of her memoir. I think its a true statement that this is a meditation on the values we place on the physical form, even if we say we don't. I preferred the chapters from the journalist's perspective as opposed to Rita's, which were slow and dry. I just kept waiting for something to happen and it never did. This is not what I expected.
Dr. Rita Delshad is behind bars and finally telling her story as the infamous “Robin Hood of Roxbury Drive”, in which she explains her controversial past as a notorious plastic surgeon.
The chapters alternated between Rita's life and the investigative journalist's interaction with Rita and subsequent ghost writing of her memoir. I think its a true statement that this is a meditation on the values we place on the physical form, even if we say we don't. I preferred the chapters from the journalist's perspective as opposed to Rita's, which were slow and dry. I just kept waiting for something to happen and it never did. This is not what I expected.
November 6, 2025
what a drag! first of all nothing really happened the whole time. it was very much a philosophical examination of beauty. i expected and wanted a plot about how this illegal plastic surgery business was operating. i wanted action. i didn’t get that. just a lot of yapping. the book should’ve been titled “roya” because really it was just a deep dive into the character, humanity, and flaws of this one character (as a human, not as a surgeon). there were some characterizations of her i did find highly relatable but at the same time the alternating POV was rather condescending towards her also. definitely felt like a woman written by a man (it was, but it probably shouldn’t have felt so obvious). manic pixie dream girl to the max
July 3, 2025
Thank you @blackstonepublishing for the gifted arc! #blackstoneinsiders
From the acclaimed reporter Gary Baum comes a striking debut novel that examines the nature of truth and allure in our modern world.
A reporter agrees to ghostwrite a memoir of infamous LA plastic surgeon Dr Roya Delshad, who is currently serving time for insurance fraud—by giving the gift of beauty to those who can’t afford it.
This was quite the unique read! The writing was sharp and witty, and though wordy at times, it never went over my head. The concept was very thought-provoking and edgy. I felt totally immersed in Roya’s story and she is a character I definitely won’t forget!
Rating 4⭐️
From the acclaimed reporter Gary Baum comes a striking debut novel that examines the nature of truth and allure in our modern world.
A reporter agrees to ghostwrite a memoir of infamous LA plastic surgeon Dr Roya Delshad, who is currently serving time for insurance fraud—by giving the gift of beauty to those who can’t afford it.
This was quite the unique read! The writing was sharp and witty, and though wordy at times, it never went over my head. The concept was very thought-provoking and edgy. I felt totally immersed in Roya’s story and she is a character I definitely won’t forget!
Rating 4⭐️
November 20, 2025
This book was a disappointment to me. The description said it was a thriller but I found no thrills to be had. It was just conversations between two shallow people that I came to dislike the farther I got into the book. They truly deserved each other and their wordy over intellectually nuanced conversations grated on my nerves. I found the writing to be verbose and repetitive. I listened to the audio version and the female narrator was good but the male narrator was short, stilted and clipped. Unfortunately I did not enjoy it much. 2 stars.
Many thanks to Net Galley and Blackstone Publishing - Audiobooks for a chance to listen/read an ARC version of this book.
Many thanks to Net Galley and Blackstone Publishing - Audiobooks for a chance to listen/read an ARC version of this book.
August 12, 2025
This is marketed as a thriller, but in my opinion, it reads much more like a mystery leaning literary fiction. The writing is solid, and the premise is definitely intriguing, but the pacing and tone didn’t quite match the tension I expect from a thriller. I usually love dual POVs, but in this case, I felt the main male character’s perspective took away from the story rather than added to it. Overall, it’s a solid read with some interesting themes, but not quite what I was expecting going in.
Thank you NetGalley & Blackstone publishing for the gifted copy.
Thank you NetGalley & Blackstone publishing for the gifted copy.
September 4, 2025
This would have made a much better movie or mini- series than a book. The concept is good and I really wanted to like it...but the prose is so dense and misses the mark when it comes to socio-cultural critique. I also feel like the protagonist's Persian-ness was used to explain/justify her obsession with vanity and maximalism which felt stereotypical and rude coming from a non-Persian writer. The character had potential but again, the mixed-race, Persian-Jew angle felt inauthentic and an attempt to hit SEO words, not build a memorable character.
December 19, 2025
4 stars.
This one was on the audible freebies for December and I really liked it.
In Pursuit of Beauty is the story of plastic surgeon who falls from grace for becoming the "Robin Hood" of plastic surgery and is convicted of large scale insurance fraud for seemingly benevolently finding ways to get insurance to pay for elective procedures.
It is also the story of the narcissicm of the surgeon, of our society and the relationship between the surgeon and the journalist who interviews her for a tell-all.
Unique.
This one was on the audible freebies for December and I really liked it.
In Pursuit of Beauty is the story of plastic surgeon who falls from grace for becoming the "Robin Hood" of plastic surgery and is convicted of large scale insurance fraud for seemingly benevolently finding ways to get insurance to pay for elective procedures.
It is also the story of the narcissicm of the surgeon, of our society and the relationship between the surgeon and the journalist who interviews her for a tell-all.
Unique.
July 22, 2025
This was a victim of unmet expectations. Narrated by Nikki Massoud and Evan Sibley, this is a meditation on the values we place on the physical form, even if we say we don't. I was quite captivated by the first half or more, but then nothing really happened and I expected something to happen. For a reflective piece, this was great, but it did not become the suspense or drama that I hoped.
October 9, 2025
This one just didn’t meet the expectations I had going in. Narrated by Nikki Massoud and Evan Sibley, it explores the value we place on physical beauty—even when we claim not to. The first half pulled me in, and I was totally on board, but then… not much happened. It’s solid as a reflective, character-driven piece, but I was hoping for more suspense or drama, and that never really materialized.
July 21, 2025
I find plastic surgery so interesting, I love learning about it. I liked the idea of this book, but it felt parts and people’s stories about her carried on for too long. It needed a bit more action for me. Thank you for this arc NetGalley.
September 15, 2025
Idk I don’t like any of the characters and found that I didn’t care about the story or characters. Nothing memorable
November 30, 2025
DNF-ed. Fabulous premise, really lame execution.
January 7, 2026
A clever and provocative thriller that explores the lengths people will go to for looks or success.
Beverly Hills plastic surgeon, Dr Roya Delshad is referred to as "the Robin Hood of Roxbury Drive" until she is jailed for insurance fraud. She decides she wants to share her side of the story, with the help of journalist Wes Easton, who agrees to ghostwrite her memoir. Wes struggles to determine fact from fiction, exploring below the surface ideas of beauty, aspiration or success.
This was a twisty, juicy and surprising story. It is clear that the author has firsthand experience in journalism and the culture of LA.
I enjoyed this as an audiobook, that was well narrated by Nikki Massoud and Evan Sibley. Their voices and pacing worked well with the characters depicted in this particular story.
3.5 stars (rounded up)
Beverly Hills plastic surgeon, Dr Roya Delshad is referred to as "the Robin Hood of Roxbury Drive" until she is jailed for insurance fraud. She decides she wants to share her side of the story, with the help of journalist Wes Easton, who agrees to ghostwrite her memoir. Wes struggles to determine fact from fiction, exploring below the surface ideas of beauty, aspiration or success.
This was a twisty, juicy and surprising story. It is clear that the author has firsthand experience in journalism and the culture of LA.
I enjoyed this as an audiobook, that was well narrated by Nikki Massoud and Evan Sibley. Their voices and pacing worked well with the characters depicted in this particular story.
3.5 stars (rounded up)
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