Author: Lauren Weisberger
Narrator: Laura Benanti
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Publication Date: June 2018
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible
Description: New York Times bestselling author Lauren Weisberger returns with a novel starring one of her favorite characters from The Devil Wears Prada—Emily Charlton, first assistant to Miranda Priestly, now a highly successful image consultant who’s just landed the client of a lifetime.
Welcome to Greenwich, CT, where the lawns and the women are perfectly manicured, the Tito’s and sodas are extra strong, and everyone has something to say about the infamous new neighbor.
Let’s be clear: Emily Charlton, Miranda Priestly’s ex-assistant, does not do the suburbs. She’s working in Hollywood as an image consultant to the stars, but recently, Emily’s lost a few clients. She’s hopeless with social media. The new guard is nipping at her heels. She needs a big opportunity, and she needs it now.
Karolina Hartwell is as A-list as they come. She’s the former face of L’Oreal. A mega-supermodel recognized the world over. And now, the gorgeous wife of the newly elected senator from New York, Graham, who also has his eye on the presidency. It’s all very Kennedy-esque, right down to the public philandering and Karolina’s arrest for a DUI—with a Suburban full of other people’s children.
Miriam is the link between them. Until recently she was a partner at one of Manhattan’s most prestigious law firms. But when Miriam moves to Greenwich and takes time off to spend with her children, she never could have predicted that being stay-at-home mom in an uber-wealthy town could have more pitfalls than a stressful legal career.
Emily, Karolina, and Miriam make an unlikely trio, but they desperately need each other. Together, they’ll navigate the social landmines of life in America’s favorite suburb on steroids, revealing the truths—and the lies—that simmer just below the glittering surface. With her signature biting style, Lauren Weisberger offers a dazzling look into another sexy, over-the-top world, where nothing is as it appears.
My Thoughts: This was a fantastic wrap up to a series that has been one wild ride. No Andrea in this story and Miranda makes an appearance but not in the way I have come to expect of her, so it was quite interesting and surprising. After the events of the second book, Emily has moved to Los Angeles to become an image consultant for the celebrity class. She has had moderate success until she starts losing clients for more prestigious opportunities. Emily finds herself visiting her friend Miriam in the wilds of Greenwich, Connecticut, which is a big step for Emily as she does not do the suburbs…ever.
Miriam used to be a big shot lawyer in New York until she realized that her career was removing her from every aspect of her young children’s lives, so she and her husband, Paul, pack it in and move to Greenwich where she has to learn to navigate a whole new class of women who bide their time until school pickups with Pilates, lunch and in depth conversations about the latest, greatest and controversial plastic surgery techniques and procedures. Miriam feels way out of her depth and begins to wonder if her former eighty hour a week job is less of a stressor.
Karolina is a former Victoria’s Secret model and the face of L’Oreal and has been married to New York Senator Graham for ten years and loving stepmother to twelve year old Harry. It appears she is living the dream until she is pulled over and arrested for DUI with Harry and his friends in the car. On the heels of her arrest, her husband informs her she is unstable, has a drinking problem and he no longer trusts her with his son. Cue the divorce lawyer music…
These women join forces to prove Karolina’s arrest was a set up by her husband to obtain a quick divorce so he can marry his mistress, the daughter of a former President. Emily and Miriam will pull out all the stops to remake Karolina’s public image, expose the dark secrets Graham is hiding and somehow survive the Greenwich wives and mothers looking down their noses.
This book was so much fun. Emily is in top form and that is saying a lot because I had a major grievance with her after book two. I’m so glad that Emily has come full circle, as it were, to be present for her friends while rebuilding her career and facing off with Miranda. I won’t spoil anything, but Miranda’s appearance in this story, though small, carries a punch and reminded me all over again that Miranda didn’t get to where she is by sitting back and letting life happen to her. She is an action taker and when Emily receives assistance from this unexpected quarter, I couldn’t help but wonder if Emily has enough of her soul left to sell this time around.
The friendship dynamic between the three women was very enjoyable to watch and getting the separate points of view of all three women throughout the book helped me connect to them each on a more meaningful level. The writing is woven tightly with each moment drawing the reader further into the lives of these interesting women. The audio narration performed by Lauran Benanti was superb, bringing the personalities of these characters to life.
My Final Verdict: Though it’s a little bittersweet to see the series come to an end, there are still many surprises tucked into this story that will delight the reader. I highly recommend this story to fans of women’s fiction as well as strong characters who speak their mind and take no prisoners and could care less whether they impress you or not.
Thank you to the publisher, Simon and Schuster, who provided an advance reader copy of this book via NetGalley.
No comments:
Post a Comment