#Review: Presence Perfect by Rita Bhimani

Presence Perfect
Author: Rita Bhimani
Publisher: Rupa Publications
Rating: ⅘

As someone who’s always been interested in the subtle art of personal branding and communication, Presence Perfect by Rita Bhimani came as a compact, no-nonsense manual that felt like a timely refresher course—served with flair.

What stood out to me instantly was the book’s format: 24 short, crisp chapters, each designed to deliver a practical takeaway. In a world where attention spans are shrinking and scrolls are infinite, I appreciated how digestible the content was. It felt like having a seasoned mentor hand you power-packed advice over coffee, without the jargon or fluff.

Rita Bhimani’s voice carries authority, backed by over five decades of PR experience, and yet the tone is warm and unpretentious. The idea of boosting your PQ—Preen Quotient—is both quirky and catchy, and it’s this blend of style and strategy that makes the book enjoyable.

That said, I did find a few chapters a bit too breezy—while the tone was engaging, I sometimes wished for deeper exploration or real-life case studies that could bring the advice to life more vividly. Readers who are already well-versed in the personal branding space may find some of the tips familiar or slightly surface-level.

Still, the charm of Presence Perfect lies in its accessibility and spirit. It doesn’t pretend to be a deep-dive textbook on branding or communication. Instead, it gives you a confident nudge—whether you’re preparing for a boardroom pitch or just trying to make a better impression in daily interactions.

In a nutshell, it’s a light, energetic read that delivers motivation in manageable doses. It reminded me that presence isn’t just about looking the part—it’s about being intentional, strategic, and consistently self-aware. Not groundbreaking in content, perhaps, but absolutely refreshing in style.

Find this book here.