Lauren Weisberger – 4/5 Stars
Read this if you:
· have a dream you feel like no one believes in
· have ever tried to help a loved one but ended up making things worse for them
· know the feeling of loving someone even when you hate them for something they’ve done
· hate parents who make their six year olds fence to improve their future college admission applications
Synopsis:
Peyton Marcus has it all – she’s an anchor for a most-watched morning show, and has perfect hair, smooth skin, and a beautiful family. Her sister, Skye, lives in a New York suburb and, though she has a fancy degree, spends her time taking care of her family and dreaming of a life outside of the PTA. Max is Peyton’s daughter who is graduating from high school and about to enjoy her last summer at home before leaving for Princeton to pursue her dreams in film. All three of these woman are about to find out just how quickly all of their hard work can unravel. All it takes is one little lie…
My thoughts on the book:
Although there was a huge event that happens at the beginning of the book, the progression of the story is mostly character driven rather than plot driven. I actually enjoyed how this was set up because I loved that the characters were flawed, it made them really relatable. I found the main character, Peyton, to be a bit unlikeable at the beginning of the story so it was nice to see her more humanized by the end. I also really enjoyed how Weisberger was able to paint an intricate picture of the fabulous lives the characters lead in New York and the ridiculous lifestyle of the Paradise City moms. I found that reading from different points of view also really helped to give a full picture of how serious the aftermath of the scandal was. I loved the relationship dynamic between Skye and Peyton. Even though they were both so different, they were so close as sisters and really came through for each other no matter what. I wish there was more of a development in Skye’s story, it felt a bit unfinished at the end of the book and I felt as though I was left wondering what happened with her and her family.
Huge thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for sending an ARC of this book!