Nothing But a Smile

What are grandpa and grandma smiling about in this picture?

Nothing But A Smile fleshes out one titillating possible answer to what might be the genuine feelings hidden behind the frozen expressions of our grandparents' (or even parents') painfully formal black and white wedding photos. Lovers of, "The Bridges of Madison County," will recognize this story's familiar framework. But Amick plumbs a much deeper vein, mining details that evoke an era when the effort necessary for work and pleasure seemed far more hands-on and heartfelt than in today's digital age. And rather than charging toward an over-inflated modern Hollywood ending, Nothing But A Smile coasts to wholly satisfying final chapter.

Finally a fictional novel about pin-ups!

I came across this book on a search for "pin-up fiction" and found it to be the only one of its kind. I have a soft-spot for WW2 era pin-up art as well as other pop-culture associations with that time in history, so for me it was a highly entertaining read. The author craftily wrote the famous Gil Elvgren into the story, and even includes (what I'm pretty sure was) a quick nod to Hugh Hefner. The pop-culture references and slang used by the characters seem accurate for the time.
I think many of the characters and some of the plot lines had room for expansion, but that may just be because I was so interested in the characters, I wanted to know more.
It is a sweet, fun novel that although includes the downs of life, doesn't get bogged down by them. Perhaps part of the charm is the way Wink and Sal overcome the speed bumps they run across. Definitely worth the read, and I'll be hanging on to my copy.

I Couldn't Put It Down!!

My initial interest in Steve Amick's Nothing But A Smile was merely for the combination of the post-war era setting mixed with the alluringness of the pin-up girl lifestyle and less for the love story I suspected I would not be as interested in. However, by the time I got to the second chapter, I was completely entranced by the whole world of the characters and their story. Though a fairly straightforward tale of an (mostly) innocent struggle to keep a business afloat, it only leads the reader through a few predictable moments, easily forgiven and forgotten. The romance that emerges between Wink and Sal as they propel themselves into the world of creating "girlies" is as pure and sensational as Amick's writing is beautiful and boldly true to human nature.
Nothing But A Smile leaves you feeling less like you've been reading a book for hours and more as though you've been sitting in Wink and Sal's living room as they giggle and blush over letting you in on the secret side of their day-to-day lives. I couldn't put it down!

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.