Gossip

Mar 12, 2013 Bonnie rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adult, blog-tour, chick-lit, arcs-read, read-in-2013, seriously-disappointing, buddy-read

My rating: 1.5 of 5 stars
A copy of Gossip was provided to me by William Morrow for review purposes.

'Interesting how things change: the people you thought would be friends forever disappear, and others become more and more important to you over time.'

Lovie French is a sixty year old boutique owner living in Manhattan and is the narrator of the story. She is still close to her two best friends, Avis and Dinah, that she went to school with when they were young and over time their families have beco...more

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Apr 18, 2013 Tori Hoeschler rated it 3 of 5 stars

The Title is Misleading.
I selected this item to read and review from the amazon vine program because at the time I was in the mood for what I thought would be fun "chick lit". What I ended up with, while not altogether bad, was the opposite of lighthearted and, actually, had nothing to do with "gossip" at all. What you do get is a saga of sorts that follows two women who's lives are uniquely intertwined and continue to intersect at pivotal points throughout their upbringing and adulthood. It is...more

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Feb 05, 2013 Lloyd Russell rated it 4 of 5 stars

Gossip is Beth Gutcheon's 9th book. I have a history with Beth (it's not what you think). She is married to the headmaster of the school, Hillbrook, that all 3 of my kids attended. One of her books, Saying Grace, centers on a private school very similar to Hillbrook. In fact, there is an incident in the book that closely approximates the experience that my youngest, Lauren, went through as a child. Lauren stuck her finger in the armhole of a Ken (of Barbie and Ken fame) doll, and nothing we did...more Gossip is Beth Gutcheon's 9th book. I have a history with Beth (it's not what you think). She is married to the headmaster of the school, Hillbrook, that all 3 of my kids attended. One of her books, Saying Grace, centers on a private school very similar to Hillbrook. In fact, there is an incident in the book that closely approximates the experience that my youngest, Lauren, went through as a child. Lauren stuck her finger in the armhole of a Ken (of Barbie and Ken fame) doll, and nothing we did could extricate it. Finally, and I'm not kidding here, we had to call the fire department who came and, after much discussion and effort, cut the doll from around her finger. It sounds crazy, but it actually happened. Imagine how much fun it was to read Beth's book and know (or at least suspect) that it was patterned after what happened to Lauren.

But enough of my asides. Gossip tells the story of Lovie French who owns a dress shop in Manhattan that caters to the high end of society. Lovie's story starts in boarding school where she becomes lifelong friends with Dinah and Avis. A lot of different stories branch off from the main characters, including their children and everybody's respective careers. Mix in some affairs, extra-marital and otherwise, and it covers a lot of ground.

This book reminded me of Meg Waite Clayton's The Four Ms. Bradwells. They both chronicle the friendships of women who meet at a young age and then stay friends long into adulthood. Besides that similarity, both authors can really write. Their books resemble literature which, as many of you know, I try to avoid (my mind being a bit too simple to appreciate good writing!). Beth has a great vocabulary which she uses in such a way that it does not distract from the story. That's not an easy thing to do. We've all read books in which the author loses his/her way because of a dependence on "big words." Beth uses her big words naturally. They enhance the story, not the other way around. I recommend this book to all of those people who don't need shoot-'em-ups in order to enjoy a book (and you know who you are). As for you men out there, if you have at least a trace of metrosexual-ness, then you will enjoy it too.(less)

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Jun 02, 2012 Donna Jo Atwood rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-summer-challenge, first-person-narrator, women

This is one of those books that you almost don't read because the title makes it sound like a mindless little chick lit or teen angst-y thing and that's not what you're in the mood for right now. Well, in this case, the title is misleading--and spot on at the same time.

Lovie has been friends with Dinah and Avis (who are not "best" friends with each other) since they were boarding school classmates in the 1960s. It is now fifty years later and we find out where the friendships have led. In a way...more

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May 12, 2012 Candace rated it 3 of 5 stars

Gossip, by Beth Gutcheon, is a novel surrounding a group of well to do friends living in Manhattan's Upper East Side. The story is told from the view point of Lovie, an unmarried, sixty-something high end boutique owner. Without a family of her own, Lovie considers her two best friends and their children her family. Dinah is a well known and equally high maintenance gossip columnist/author/aspiring chef. Quiet and dignified Avis is a successful high end art dealer. In these three women Gutcheon...more Gossip, by Beth Gutcheon, is a novel surrounding a group of well to do friends living in Manhattan's Upper East Side. The story is told from the view point of Lovie, an unmarried, sixty-something high end boutique owner. Without a family of her own, Lovie considers her two best friends and their children her family. Dinah is a well known and equally high maintenance gossip columnist/author/aspiring chef. Quiet and dignified Avis is a successful high end art dealer. In these three women Gutcheon is able to spin a realistic story about life, love, loss, and the everyone's ever present enemy- gossip.

Gutcheon begins her story in present day New York with Lovie working in her store. Hiding Dinah in another room so that the New York gossip mongers and press leave her alone, Lovie begins flashing back to when she, Dinah, and Avis attended the same boarding school. Lovie and Dinah were friends from the start. However, Lovie and the older Avis did not grow close until adulthood. With that said, Avis and Dinah were never friends. It was during Avis's marriage to an alcoholic that Lovie really began to cherish her friendship with Avis. While remaining unmarried, Lovie watched as Dinah and Avis had children of their own. She became the Godmother to Dinah's little Nicky and was just as close to Avis's Grace.

It took me a little while to find my footing with Gossip. It was hard for me to follow the flashbacks involving many unfamiliar characters right off the get go. However, I'm glad I did not give up because Gossip had quietly hooked me by the time I read further into the novel- to the point that I didn't want to put it down. Yes, that was me running on the treadmill at the gym reading this book. Gutcheon did a great job in creating realistic and 3 dimensional characters. I may not live the New York lifestyle as her characters, but I can still relate to their hopes, dreams, and nightmares.

Gutcheon triumphantly tackles many issues including September 11th, death, affairs, alcoholism, the recession and of course gossip. The way Gutcheon wrote about September 11th particularly captivated me. Dinah's ex-husband worked in the World Trade Center and because of being late he was not yet to work that morning. However, he was in the middle of the chaos and Gutcheon does a fabulous job of describing not only his feelings, but also those of his children and ex-wife before they knew he was out of harms way. In Gossip, the whole climate of the upper class transitioned from that of 'living the good life' to being face planted back into reality.

I was shocked when I read the ending of Gossip. It takes a lot to catch me off guard, but Gutcheon was able to pull it off. She definitely throws her readers for a loop with the conclusion of her novel. I recommend Gossip to readers young and old. In it you will find a heart warming and wrenching tale of life.
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Apr 24, 2012 Maria rated it 5 of 5 stars

The 411 by Sonia:
Let me introduce you to another one of my friends, meet Sonia who is a mother of three children and a friend of mine. Because Maria's Space book reviews has taken a back seat over the last few months due to me business, some good friends are helping me provide my readers with book reviews until I can jump back in.

Here is Sonia's very first book review:

When I first got this book I was a little weary usually not my kind of read but I am so glad I decided to read it.

I don't want t...more The 411 by Sonia:
Let me introduce you to another one of my friends, meet Sonia who is a mother of three children and a friend of mine. Because Maria's Space book reviews has taken a back seat over the last few months due to me business, some good friends are helping me provide my readers with book reviews until I can jump back in.

Here is Sonia's very first book review:

When I first got this book I was a little weary usually not my kind of read but I am so glad I decided to read it.

I don't want to give too much of the book away with too many spoilers so here is my non-spoil review:

Loviah was my favorite character she's not as well off as the other girls but got in to a high society boarding school on a scholarship and befriends two girls from different walks of life Dinah and Avis. Dinah and Avis can't stand each other but remain friends for the sake of Loviah who loves them both dearly.

After graduation Loviah moves on to open her own dress shop and has an affair with a married man.Dinah becomes a gossip columnist/author, and Avis a high end art dealer. All are living on the upper east side of Manhattan.

It was a good story told through the eyes of Loviah although I kept finding myself a little confused at times because the book goes from past to present/present to past often, I had to keep skipping back and forth to get the stories of the characters straight but when I did, it was worth it.

The writer does a wonderful job of creating characters and lives that were very real. At times I felt like I was a part of them and couldn't wait to find out what happens next. As in reality, even those living the high society lifestyle get a dose of reality at times.

The ending of the book was such a shocker and a worthwhile surprise for the reader. .To me the book showed no matter where you come from, we all have our secrets and problems. We all can relate to the characters in the story within our everyday lives with different people we come across and within our own personal relationships. This book is really good a must read not at all like I thought it would be.(less)

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Apr 05, 2012 Book Him Danno rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, books-sent-by-author-publisher-for

Loviah French is stuck. Having come from the wrong side of the tracks she has gotten into an elite prep school on scholarship. While there she belongs without belonging, ultimately graduating with two opposite, but life long friends. Instead of attending college like them, she instead interns with a high end dress shop, ultimately becoming an in-demand dresser for the rich and famous; including her friends. She has a relationship with a married family man, stealing bits of time and happiness ar...more Loviah French is stuck. Having come from the wrong side of the tracks she has gotten into an elite prep school on scholarship. While there she belongs without belonging, ultimately graduating with two opposite, but life long friends. Instead of attending college like them, she instead interns with a high end dress shop, ultimately becoming an in-demand dresser for the rich and famous; including her friends. She has a relationship with a married family man, stealing bits of time and happiness around his life. She is a women stuck on the edge of all the grand social status that New York has to offer, but is never quite able to take those final steps into that sphere.

The story of her two friends is told through the eyes of Loviah, as she goes from awkward teen to matronly godmother. And it is the term godparent that the title gossip is derived from. In the book the word gossip was a historical term for the godparents, as it would be their job to talk about the godchild over the years. Gossip was a good thing discussing a child you both loved. We see this talk between Loviah and her wild roommate Dinah, always the contrarian; and between Avis, the older more prim and proper girl.

The two opposing friends endure each other for the sake of their love of Loviah; and ultimately they are fused together, for better and for worse, through their association for her. I see this book as Loviah’s endless struggle to love both her friends without disparaging the other. To balance their eccentricities and walk the highroad; to be a good friend.

What is never explicitly discussed in the book, but is central is how Loviah must have walked her own path through life. A scholarship girl, who works in a service capacity to the society women, who also is having an open affair with a married man; her life must have been subject to the small minded gossipers who definitely did not have her best interests at heart. Her experiences must have refined her so much that she is able to hold her head up high, to proudly be a friend to those around her.

One of my favorite quotes in life is to treat all those you meet as damaged in some way, having secret struggles, and most of the time you would be right. Loviah’s is a life that has seen a lot of struggles, yet she triumphs as a friend. Through all the vicissitudes of life, she is there for the ones she loves, even if they do not necessarily care for each other. It should be noted that this book finishes with a bang a little out of step with the first 85%, but in a good way. Sort of sprinting for the tape at the end of a race. A great story well worth reading.
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Mar 28, 2012 Nancy rated it 3 of 5 stars

My thoughts: Gutcheon has a solid writing style and POV. I really have no strong opinions one way or the other with this book. It's about three women who went to an elite high school and had Lovie as the connecting point. Avis is the older of the three and much more refined. She marries rich albeit older and has a daughter named Grace.

Dinah's character is solid and remains unchanging. She is loud, fun and irreverent. She marries Richard and has two sons; one is responsible and the other is not....more

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Oct 18, 2012 Jennifer Louden rated it 3 of 5 stars

I loved this book and could not stop reading it - a smart contemporary Edith Wharton mini-saga. Love Gutcheon's writing in general - her books have long been favorites. Then why not 4 stars?

The mean spirit that creeps in - not from the author but from the characters - hurt to read. I totally bought it but didn't like it.

The main - yet still minor - downgrade for me was the focus on how women look, and how that is part of their worth. Again, this is central to the story. I get that. But it piss...more

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Apr 10, 2013 Michelle rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013, women-s-fiction

3.5 stars. Having read Beth Gutcheon numerous times I knew in advance this book would be deeper and more complex than the “Gossip” title and Upper East Side protagonists might suggest. (Not to mention the wretched hardcover picture of two chicks in high heels). The blurb calls it “sharply perceptive and emotionally resonant” and I agree. Anyone expecting a lighthearted, catty tale of the gossipy privileged will be disappointed. (I wasn’t expecting this but, again, I’m familiar with the author)....more 3.5 stars. Having read Beth Gutcheon numerous times I knew in advance this book would be deeper and more complex than the “Gossip” title and Upper East Side protagonists might suggest. (Not to mention the wretched hardcover picture of two chicks in high heels). The blurb calls it “sharply perceptive and emotionally resonant” and I agree. Anyone expecting a lighthearted, catty tale of the gossipy privileged will be disappointed. (I wasn’t expecting this but, again, I’m familiar with the author). There are some truly hilarious moments, but in a wry and black humor kind of way.

I love Gutcheon’s writing style. There is something very unique and intelligent about her prose. In this book the reader is kept at a distance from protagonist Lovie. It is, I believe, by design and works due to the storyline and in particular the conclusion of this book. Alas, this style does not always make for full engagement in the characters’ lives. I loved the complexity of the relationships in this, of Lovie with her friends, her godchildren, random store customers, and most of all her long-time beau. Loved this relationship. Love, love, loved it. Really unique and different.

All that said, myriad relationships mean a lot of characters, and thus confusion, at least for me. Many of the characters also had names starting with “A” or a “D,” which doubled down on my confusion. I had a hard time keeping everyone straight. For the life of me I could never remember Belinda’s deal and she has a major role but I couldn’t really find a reason to care.

I thought the ending was powerful and I did not see it coming. Conversely, that I didn’t see it coming is a bit odd. There should’ve been some hints. I guess there were a few. It still felt kind of random, though overall the author handled it well.

As I mentioned, the writing in this is sold and the character studies thorough. I don’t think this is for everyone but the right type of reader would enjoy this and other books by this author. Gutcheon has a truly unique voice.(less)

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Mar 12, 2013 Becky rated it 5 of 5 stars

In some places, gossip has become an industry. New York City, the biggest little city in the world, where everyone seems to know everything about everyone else, is just such a place. It is here that Loviah "Lovie" French and her friends Dinah and Avis have made their lives. They all attended the same boarding school in the 60s but only Lovie and Dinah remained friends after. As Lovie makes her way up in the fashion industry, eventually opening her own shop, Dinah makes a name for herself as a co...more In some places, gossip has become an industry. New York City, the biggest little city in the world, where everyone seems to know everything about everyone else, is just such a place. It is here that Loviah "Lovie" French and her friends Dinah and Avis have made their lives. They all attended the same boarding school in the 60s but only Lovie and Dinah remained friends after. As Lovie makes her way up in the fashion industry, eventually opening her own shop, Dinah makes a name for herself as a columnist in various papers, but leaves the business after a quietly hushed scandal. Meanwhile, Lovie and Avis reconnect and become close friends. Lovie watches as both Dinah and Avis make their families and move on in their lives and is thrilled when Dinah's youngest son falls for Avis's daughter. But Lovie soon finds herself in the middle of a mess, one that stems from some unsavory gossip, and one that ends in tragedy for them all.

I admit I struggled a bit with the synopsis here. I didn't want to give away too much and I almost resorted to using the publisher's copy until I realized that it only thinly veils the outcome of the story anyway. In my defense, I didn't actually read the cover copy before diving into this book, and I truly think that it made it that much of a better read for me. I would love for everyone to experience the book that way.

I've not read Gutcheon before, but I certainly plan to read more of her in the future. I found myself completely entranced by this book and while it's certainly a character driven tale (and I loved them all), what initially drew me in was Gutcheon's prose. Her writing is so vivid and musical, I couldn't help but be sucked into the story.

Lovie, as the narrator, is hard not to connect with. I think you'd have to be a bit of a sourpuss not to love her. And then there are Dinah and Avis. Dinah is maddening! Her attitude towards just about everyone, including (sometimes) Lovie, makes you want to slap her. But really she's not all that bad and Gutcheon presents her in full -- warts and all, so to speak. She has her own moments and her own troubles. I had a harder time with the kids, Grace in particular, only because as the reader we get to see so much more of Avis than her own daughter does. By the time their relationship is on the mend, the story is already headed downhill.

But I didn't know that! Yes, I suspected things were coming to a head. I had no idea the outcome would be what it ended up being. It was shocking compared to the rest of the story and because it was so unexpected, it was completely jarring. This is a book that I think is going to stay with me for a while. But as I said, I'm already browsing Gutcheon's backlist for a new addition to the TBR. Gossip was a pretty excellent read in my humble opinion!(less)

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May 14, 2012 Patty rated it 5 of 5 stars

Gossip
By
Beth Gutcheon

My summary...

Girls from various backgrounds attend Miss Pratt's Boarding School. The novel follows them throughout their lives but the focus is mostly on Lovinia, Dinah and Avis. You can tell from their names that it is sort of the olden days.

My thoughts...

Oh my...I really did love this book. From the girls first meetings...some in the right clothes, others in the not so right clothes, and still others in homemade clothes...I was into this book.
It mostly takes place in New...more

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May 11, 2012 Eileen Granfors rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: coming-of-age, divorce, families, friendship, grief, local-color, marriage, men, school-stories, social-issues

Sometimes I just need a book like this -- not too intense or fact-filled. Women's lives and a good period piece. 1960s to post 9/11.

Beth Gutcheon's "Gossip" is not a light-weight, flighty book as you might expect from the title.

She quickly dispels such notions by providing the etymology of the word "gossip" early on. Boarding school frenemies, Lovie, Dinah, and Avis share their lives in school, but it is the years after they grow up that tell us so fully and deliciously the way dreams can come t...more

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Mar 18, 2012 Sandie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-books, 20th-century-women

How tenacious is that inborn instinct to know all there is to know about other human beings and to distribute our knowledge to those around us. Most of us prefer to think gossip is just a "sharing" of information, but often this sharing is destructive and occasionally even deadly.

GOSSIP is the new offering by Beth Gutcheon that relates the story of Dinah, Avis and Loviah "Lovie", three women from diverse backgrounds who form an unlikely bond while at boarding school, and follows their relationsh...more How tenacious is that inborn instinct to know all there is to know about other human beings and to distribute our knowledge to those around us. Most of us prefer to think gossip is just a "sharing" of information, but often this sharing is destructive and occasionally even deadly.

GOSSIP is the new offering by Beth Gutcheon that relates the story of Dinah, Avis and Loviah "Lovie", three women from diverse backgrounds who form an unlikely bond while at boarding school, and follows their relationship through years of life's highs and lows as each confronts the subjects of divorce, companionship, motherhood, friendship, jealousy, and ultimately examines the various aspects of love. We see love, some nurturing - some destructive, in its many incarnations as it is experienced by and between men and women, parents and children, and friends and "frien-enemies".

Told entirely from the perspective of Lovie French, owner of a small women's boutique that caters to the who's who of Manhattans Upper East side, the reader only gets her single point of view as it relates to others who inhabit her world. It is only Lovie's convictions and sentiments, Lovie's impressions and judgements, and Lovie's perception of others feelings that the reader is privy to. This could be a positive or a negative for the reader since you can accept Lovie's rather myopic views and insights about the other characters in the story or use those observations to form your own opinion. For example, Lovie appears to be the "sounding board" her friends use to vent their personal life traumas and frustrations. Her apparent admiration of Dinah is difficult to understand since (to this reader) the Dinah character was over-bearing, self-absorbed and vindictive while Lovie came across as nothing more than a passive, often gullible and less than objective observer of even her own life. The people in this narrative were primarily one dimensional with an occasional second dimension popping up here and there.

As a text-book lesson in the destructiveness of rumor, innuendo and gossip as well as a vehicle lending veracity to the old saw that "life goes on" the book achieves some measure of success, however, in the realm of well developed, multi faceted characters it leaves much to be desired. Perhaps the author's true intent was to show her audience via these cardboard characters that those whose lives are devoted to the propagation of gossip possess no genuine depth. 2 1/2 to 3 stars(less)

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Feb 25, 2013 Ken rated it 3 of 5 stars

A Thinking Person's---THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF NEW YORK CITY, written in a light and breezy style, filled with wonderfully written scenes.

This is the story of three female 'baby-boomers' who met in boarding school, and remained close over the next fifty years. The author, Beth Gucheon, includes a rather antiquated definition of the title word, however the novel is driven by rumor, malicious talk, and light, indiscreet chatter, in fact, the tone of the novel is downright, 'gossipy'. The three women...more

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Apr 05, 2012 Samantha Robey rated it 2 of 5 stars

Some books I just can’t connect with, and unfortunately Gossip by Beth Gutcheon was one of those. I was looking forward to this book – who doesn’t love some gossip and I thought the cover was really cute - but it just fell flat for me. The beginning started off slowly – way too slowly – and it was downhill for me from there. The story is narrated by Lovie Walker, yet the POV is divided amongst her and two other characters. There’s a lot of jumping between past and present and POV that made it ha...more

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Mar 23, 2013 Alexis Villery rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Three women connected through an elite boarding school grow through life's trials and tribulations. Where Avis is quiet and refined, Dinah is outgoing, loud, and fun. Avis marries an alcoholic and raises her only daughter, Grace with the help of her stepmother and the nanny. Dinah marries and has two boys. One is responsible and the other wanders through life without much direction and undecided about his goals. Lovie finds herself solidly in the middle of both. She chooses a life as an outsider...more

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Jul 04, 2012 Antoinette rated it 4 of 5 stars

You truly can't judge a book by its cover, and this novel is a prime example. It looks like chick lit and sounds like chick lit, so it must be chick lit, no? No. (But there are high heels AND pink type on the front! Has the whole world gone topsy-turvy?) It's actually a thoughtful novel about society circles. It's about what's said to others and, sometimes more important, what isn't said.

The narrator is a member of a group I occasionally wish I could join: those who can keep their opinions to th...more

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May 26, 2013 lorie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Listened to this book on CD while I drove to St. Louis. It was a perfect book for the purpose, not too deep, not too shallow. I looked forward to listening to it each time I got into the car. I probably would not have been as thrilled with it if I were reading it, though. There were a couple of surprises in the book that gave me pause. One was the main surprise of the book and the other was the shattering of one of the character's "great expectations" in a relationship. Both caused me to think a...more

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Sep 11, 2012 Bebe (Sarah) Brechner rated it 3 of 5 stars

Unsettling, well written novel about the lives of three grown women in NYC who became friends at an upscale boarding school as young girls. The tone is unemotional but provocative. The title of the novel sets up an expectation that the novel is chick-lit and a bit airy, but it is not. I found the writing compelling and interesting. I never engaged with the characters but with the even, almost flat tone carried through by the author, it is not surprising and may be intentional. Some excellent obs...more

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Jul 19, 2012 Chivon rated it 2 of 5 stars

This book was okay. It took me until the middle of the book to realize that it really was about Gossip. It was a series of gossip surrounding the lives of these three boarding school classmates after they had grown up. I could have rated the book three stars because I decided to just skim the rest and decided to finish reading because I skimmed over some pretty interesting parts. If your looking for anything scandalous or drama-filled this is not the book for you. (At least until the end) The st...more

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Mar 20, 2012 Jenny rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012

Taken from my blog at www.takemeawayreading.com

Back before my blogging days, I read and thoroughly enjoyed Beth Gutcheon's The New Girls about four prep-school classmates from the 60's who reunite as adults. Some components of Gossip were similar to that which makes me wonder if this is a common theme coursing throughout multiple books of hers. Anyway, my enjoyment of The New Girls excited me when I saw she had a new book coming out; and it's set in NYC so, wa-la! Of course I had to read it.

Goss...more

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Mar 22, 2012 Jael rated it 4 of 5 stars

Ever read a book and thought, "It's ok, but not great." That's what I was thinking as I was nearing the end of Gossip by Beth Gutcheon. ... But then you get to the end, and you're opinion TOTALLY changes. You start thinking deeper about everything you just read.

Gossip, what does it really mean? I always thought it was a rumor spread by a bunch of spiteful and nosy people. I still think that, but the original meaning was talk between two people who are the godparents of the same child. Interestin...more Ever read a book and thought, "It's ok, but not great." That's what I was thinking as I was nearing the end of Gossip by Beth Gutcheon. ... But then you get to the end, and you're opinion TOTALLY changes. You start thinking deeper about everything you just read.

Gossip, what does it really mean? I always thought it was a rumor spread by a bunch of spiteful and nosy people. I still think that, but the original meaning was talk between two people who are the godparents of the same child. Interesting right? How did this word get so far away from it's original intent? Gossip these days can make or break your career, destroy friendships, destroy families, or (like all of these hack reality stars) it can make you famous. In the case of this book, it can cloud your judgment.

Loviah "Lovie" French has always been stuck in the middle. As the owner of a small dress shop, Lovie is privy to a lot of secrets and gossip.Who is marrying who? Who is cheating with who? Who is getting a divorce? The list could go on. People feel they can talk to Lovie. They know Lovie will keep their secret. They know she won't pass judgment. There are times when Lovie wants to say more during these exchanges. If they're bashing one of her friends, Lovie is tempted to speak up but sometimes it just isn't worth it to get in a fight over gossip. When it's her turn and she needs a shoulder to lean on, Lovie turns to her long-time lover, Gil, who also happens to be married. In private, Gil and Lovie can be themselves in private but in public they have to tone it down, otherwise people might spread "gossip."

Lovie's best friend Dinah Wainwright has made a career out of writing about the rich and famous people of New York. Her personality is very in your face. She loves to talk. She wants to be your friend. She has two sons, but to hear her speak you would think Dinah has only one child. RJ is settled in his life with a wife and kids, but Nicky is the one she worries the most about. She wants badly to see him succeed.

Avis Metcalf is the total opposite of Dinah. Avis is quieter and more reserved. She's more obsessed with her career than forming a bond with her only daughter, Grace. But Avis' friendship with Lovie is extremely strong. It is put to the test when Grace and Nicky get married. Lovie is like the middle man. It must be daunting to people who are really in this situation. You have to watch what you say around one friend. What one friend might find funny, the other won't. It doesn't help matters when Grace and Nicky's marriage takes a drastic turn. I can't say what it is (read the book to find out), but I will say I wasn't expecting it. Towards the end of the book I was in totally shock. I'm thinking, "did she just write that?"

If I'm going to judge a book by it's cover, I was expecting a light, chick-lit story. By the end, it was very thought-provoking. It doesn't hurt you to spread gossip, but what about the person you're talking about? Did you ruin their life? How will it effect that person's career? Their family? What satisfaction do you get by talking about a person? This book was a little slow to start, but by the end it was a very worthy read.

Rating: Superb

Note: I received a copy of the book from FSB Associates in exchange for an honest review.(less)

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Apr 30, 2012 Mary rated it 4 of 5 stars

Loviah French runs a upscale dress shop in Manhattan. She's maintained her friendships with two of her boarding school friends. Avis Metcalf came from money and runs in that circle. She works in the art field, buying and collecting for clients. Dinah Wainwright writes a society column. Avis and Dinah are two totally different kinds of people and their friendship is very strained. Lovie gets along with both and for years, keeps their secrets. Lovie is quite privy to a lot of secrets that she keep...more

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May 04, 2012 Nancy rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is the first Beth Gutcheon book I've read. I suspect most of her books are like this--filled with details about Life in the Upper Crust. There's a boarding school, gal-pals who are forever misunderstanding each other because they come from two sides of the class/financial divide, and lots and lots of fashion, great wine, restaurants you'll never go to, and extra-marital canoodling. You know, gossip.

I'm giving it four stars, because it was pretty delicious stuff, although all the assumptions...more

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Mar 07, 2012 Laurel-Rain rated it 5 of 5 stars

Friendships born in prep school days, and which continue into adulthood and old age, form the core of "Gossip: A Novel," that reads like a powerful and emotional chronicle of intimacy and betrayal, trust and fidelity, friendship and motherhood...and explores the way we use "information" to sustain, and occasionally destroy, one another.

Narrated by Loviah French, who runs a small, high-end dress shop on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, we are privy to her inner thoughts and feelings as she tells...more Friendships born in prep school days, and which continue into adulthood and old age, form the core of "Gossip: A Novel," that reads like a powerful and emotional chronicle of intimacy and betrayal, trust and fidelity, friendship and motherhood...and explores the way we use "information" to sustain, and occasionally destroy, one another.

Narrated by Loviah French, who runs a small, high-end dress shop on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, we are privy to her inner thoughts and feelings as she tells the story. She shows her feelings, her fears, and the connections she has to the people who surround her in her somewhat solitary life.

Dinah Wainwright was one of Loviah's school friends who seemed to know exactly what to do in every situation. She commented on everything and seemed to have the right connections. She was readily accepted.

After college, she became a writer about family, food, furniture, or fashion; she went to art openings, book parties, and even celebrity functions. At one point, she headed up a column called "Dinah Might."

Avis Binney was almost a total opposite, quietly living her life with impeccable social credentials. Her stepmother Belinda became a beloved mother figure to Avis, Loviah, and many of their friends.

Over the years, through marriages that fail for various reasons, the connections between the women remain. However, some have frayed with time, resentments, and the inevitable pull of other connections.

When Dinah's son Nicky marries Avis's daughter Grace, the union seems to promise a better future for the old friends, albeit with some competition between the women when the child is born.

What bitterness held by Dinah and manifested in little "blind items" in the society pages creates a core of ill will? How will this emotion come back to haunt her? How will Nick's problems maintaining his various pursuits affect his marriage? And in what ways will the inevitable fall-out descend upon them all?

The story told through Loviah's eyes felt like a conversation. At times, she even uses the terms "you know how it was" or "we all know" about various aspects of what she's describing. Personalizing the story in this way made it incredibly touching and helped me really connect with the characters.

The astounding finale blindsided me, and yet I could also sense something coming; lest I leave any spoilers, let me just say that it was chilling. Gutcheon is a fabulous storyteller, and this story in particular earned five stars from me. I recommend it for everyone who has ever maintained long term friendships and can testify to the damage wrought over time by the little things that chip away at those connections. (less)

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Mar 01, 2013 Lori Paximadis rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book is smarter and better written than the cover might lead you to guess. However, in the end I was really disappointed with it, specifically the last 50 pages. The author started and built on a few different storylines, but in the ends it seems like she gave up — it was too much trouble to wrap everything up, so let's just take everything in a different and depressing direction and just let it all flop right there on the page like a dead fish with nothing resolved.

Still, it was interesti...more

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May 01, 2013 Amy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013

Three and a half. I like her writing style, good characters and setting. Two issues I have with this: first, one of the three main characters, Dinah, is a mean spirited, vindictive shrew, and I was actively rooting against her by the end. I don't know if the author was trying to say something about gossip columnists being angry, bitter people or something like that, but it was frustrating that Lovie kept such a toxic person around without ever really calling her on her cruelty. Second, it's pret...more

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Jan 06, 2012 Nette rated it 4 of 5 stars

I obtained an advanced reader's copy of this (I *certainly* didn't snag it on Ebay because, gosh, that would be wrong), so it looks like I'm the first person to write a review. I've read and enjoyed Gutcheon's books before -- I remember them as being nicely written domestic dramas -- but this one was perhaps a cut above. It was written with great delicacy and cleverness; her observation of upper crust New York society reminded me a bit of Dominick Dunne or even Tom Wolfe. By the way, my ARC had...more

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Apr 24, 2013 Carla rated it 2 of 5 stars

What a piece of fluff. I should have known so from the title of the novel. However, I've read Beth Gutcheon books before and rather enjoyed them, even if they are "light reading". This however was a bore throughout. What intrigued me was the relationships with the three women who meet at a boarding school in the 60's and their friendship throughout the years. There was some "gossip", but it surely didn't define the book. More of a book that shows that the "rich and famous" have troubling relatio...more

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