Mercury in Retrograde is definitely a girl’s novel. We used to refer to this genre as “chick-lit” back in the day.
This short, fun novel provides an intimate look into the lives of socialites and fashion designers. I found it rather heavy in the beginning—probably because I know next to nothing about fashion, socialites, and fashionistas.
There’s lots of related slang and terms I didn’t understand, but if you typically read stuff like Vogue or Harper’s Bazaar, you’ll feel right at home. In fact, you’ll probably find this entire novel to be super relatable as a whole.
Mercury in Retrograde sits under a brief 300 pages, which makes it a fast and fun read. But it was so much fun, I wish it had been longer.
The author has a unique writing style and cadence—it took me a few chapters to get used to it. She has a terrific sense of humor. I especially liked the parts mentioning Penelope’s experiences working in television media.
One thing I didn’t like as much about Mercury in Retrograde is that it’s very predictable. It’s easy to figure out who Lipstick’s stalker is, and what Penelope’s love interest Thomas REALLY does every night after work.
What did you think about Mercury in Retrograde? Did it remind you of any other books?
Last Updated on February 19, 2026 by Sarah Ann
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