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New Money
" This book is the perfect summer beach read." ~ Kristin Hannah , #1 New York Times bestselling author of Firefly Lane A young Southern woman of modest means suddenly finds herself thrust into New York's high society when she discovers that she is the illegitimate daughter of a recently-deceased billionaire.Savannah Morgan always had high hopes. She dreamed of becoming a writer and escaping her South Carolina town, where snooty debutantes looked down on her for not having a closet-full of Lilly Pulitzer and aspiring further than chairing a society ball one day. But at twenty-four, she's become a frustrated ex-cheerleader who lives with her mother and wonders if rejecting a marriage proposal was a terrible mistake. But Savannah's world is turned upside-down when she learns that the father she never knew is Edward Stone, a billionaire media mogul who has left Savannah his fortune on the condition that she move to Manhattan and work at his global news corporation. Putting aside her mother's disapproval, Savannah dives head-first into a life of wealth and luxury that's threatened by Edward's other children, the infuriatingly arrogant Ned and his sharp-tongued sister, Caroline, whose joint mission is to get rid of Savannah, with the help of their icy socialite mother. Savannah's love life is also complicated by the move, and she eventually must decide between Jack, a smooth and charming real estate executive, and Alex, a handsome aspiring writer/actor. Now Savannah's must navigate a thrilling but treacherous city while she tries to figure out what kind of man her father truly was.Lorraine Zago Rosenthal's New Money is a keenly observed and exciting peek into a world of privilege and glamour with a spirited and charming heroine at its center.
335 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2013
10 people are currently reading
1217 people want to read
About the author
Lorraine Zago Rosenthal
5 books500 followersLorraine Zago Rosenthal is the author of five novels, including OTHER WORDS FOR LOVE, CHARMED, and ALWAYS AND FOREVER, which was released on November 11, 2025.
Lorraine was born and raised in New York City, and she is a graduate of the University of South Florida. She earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and master’s degrees in education and English. She currently lives near Cincinnati, Ohio with her husband.
Connect with Lorraine on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lorrainezago/
Lorraine was born and raised in New York City, and she is a graduate of the University of South Florida. She earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and master’s degrees in education and English. She currently lives near Cincinnati, Ohio with her husband.
Connect with Lorraine on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lorrainezago/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews
July 5, 2013
New Money is an entertaining, fast, engaging read with a sweet and spunky lead character. I loved Savannah, who is a smart, independent, modern girl with heart, courage, and admirable southern values. The story has romance, humor, surprising plot twists, mystery, and fleshed-out, sympathetic characters. Parts are funny and had me laughing, and others were so emotional. I had no idea how it was going to end but I liked how things turned out. New Money is a well-written page-turner that I highly recommend.
July 29, 2013
Loved it! New Money has everything I ask for in a novel: a relatable main character, interesting secondary characters, a gripping story, a fluid writing style, and a vivid setting. I agree with the other reviews that it should become a TV series. While I was reading, I visualized it that way and even imagined actors in the various roles. (Hot guys to play Jack and Alex, please!) The story and characters jumped off the pages and kept me glued to the book. There was so much action and suspense and I wanted to know what was going to happen next. Also, I loved Savannah and her mom, and I really liked Tony, too. All the characters were interesting in different ways, and many of them had surprising secrets. I breezed through the book in just a few hours. It was really that good.
July 16, 2013
I have been waiting for this author’s second novel since I read her first book. New Money did not disappoint! Each character was very well written with interesting qualities and story-lines. A lot of unexpected things happened. There was a surprise around every corner of this fast-paced plot set in Savannah Morgan’s humble home of Charleston and the glitz of her new life in Manhattan. I flew through the book in a day, it was so un-put-down-able.
October 17, 2013
This is a great story. I got so caught up in Savannah’s life and dilemmas that I zoomed through the novel in one night. The writing is brisk and natural, and the whole story feels very modern, here-and-now.
I related to Savannah’s common, everyday struggles at the beginning of the story, including her longing to break free of a dull, ordinary life and reach for her dreams. It’s torture to want to shine but be trapped in a “dead-end, soul-killing” job just to pay the bills. Who hasn’t felt held down by that, and by family obligations? (Me.)
Then Savannah’s life changes with one phone call from New York, and I was hooked on the thrill and danger of what comes next. She has to deal with new siblings who are LIVID at being robbed of their inheritance, and she has to live in a wealthy world where everyone sees her as “trash."
I sympathized with Savannah because she is a good person in a tricky, confusing, overwhelming situation. She makes mistakes, but she wouldn't be a realistic character if she didn't.
She views her sister-in-law, Kitty, as an angel giving her a hand, but Savannah does the same thing for whoever she can. She is generous anytime she sees the need. But she shuns credit for any of this. She also doesn’t grab chances to take down her enemies. She could have destroyed Ned early on, and she could have hurt Caroline and Ainsley by revealing their secrets, but she doesn’t. Despite her new “rich-girl” status, she’s a moral person underneath. I think she would stay that way no matter what, but I liked that Tony, her driver, was there to ground her through the whole story. He was like a brother to her, which she needed.
I liked that the characters in New Money are developed and sympathetic, even the villains. Ned and Caroline are cruel to Savannah, but their reasons are understandable. I'd be mad too if I got cut out of a fortune by my own father! And when I read more about their backgrounds, I understood their personalities. They both also had moments of weakness, even though they tried to hide them from Savannah. She and Ned put on a bold front to try to chase Savannah away, but her glimpses behind the scenes show the cracks in their armor.
Some of my favorite characters were Tony, Kitty, Alex, and even Fabian, the slime-ball who I loved to loathe. He is an outsider like Savannah, but unlike her, he gravitates toward the dark side. He reminded me of Perez Hilton when he was into bullying celebrities.
This book is a really gripping story that is entertaining and fast moving but has a lot of depth. There is romance, sex, twenty-something-girl problems, laugh-out-loud lines, and more serious aspects that are subtly placed. You expect a fluffy read, and it flows that way, but there is a lot more to it if you look closely.
I enjoyed it a lot and will be on board for the next Savannah novel. Ned and Caroline evolve as the story unfolds, so I'm curious to see how things will go with them, and there is a cliffhanger about what happened to Savannah's father that keeps me wondering about him...
I related to Savannah’s common, everyday struggles at the beginning of the story, including her longing to break free of a dull, ordinary life and reach for her dreams. It’s torture to want to shine but be trapped in a “dead-end, soul-killing” job just to pay the bills. Who hasn’t felt held down by that, and by family obligations? (Me.)
Then Savannah’s life changes with one phone call from New York, and I was hooked on the thrill and danger of what comes next. She has to deal with new siblings who are LIVID at being robbed of their inheritance, and she has to live in a wealthy world where everyone sees her as “trash."
I sympathized with Savannah because she is a good person in a tricky, confusing, overwhelming situation. She makes mistakes, but she wouldn't be a realistic character if she didn't.
She views her sister-in-law, Kitty, as an angel giving her a hand, but Savannah does the same thing for whoever she can. She is generous anytime she sees the need. But she shuns credit for any of this. She also doesn’t grab chances to take down her enemies. She could have destroyed Ned early on, and she could have hurt Caroline and Ainsley by revealing their secrets, but she doesn’t. Despite her new “rich-girl” status, she’s a moral person underneath. I think she would stay that way no matter what, but I liked that Tony, her driver, was there to ground her through the whole story. He was like a brother to her, which she needed.
I liked that the characters in New Money are developed and sympathetic, even the villains. Ned and Caroline are cruel to Savannah, but their reasons are understandable. I'd be mad too if I got cut out of a fortune by my own father! And when I read more about their backgrounds, I understood their personalities. They both also had moments of weakness, even though they tried to hide them from Savannah. She and Ned put on a bold front to try to chase Savannah away, but her glimpses behind the scenes show the cracks in their armor.
Some of my favorite characters were Tony, Kitty, Alex, and even Fabian, the slime-ball who I loved to loathe. He is an outsider like Savannah, but unlike her, he gravitates toward the dark side. He reminded me of Perez Hilton when he was into bullying celebrities.
This book is a really gripping story that is entertaining and fast moving but has a lot of depth. There is romance, sex, twenty-something-girl problems, laugh-out-loud lines, and more serious aspects that are subtly placed. You expect a fluffy read, and it flows that way, but there is a lot more to it if you look closely.
I enjoyed it a lot and will be on board for the next Savannah novel. Ned and Caroline evolve as the story unfolds, so I'm curious to see how things will go with them, and there is a cliffhanger about what happened to Savannah's father that keeps me wondering about him...
September 17, 2013
I was drawn to New Money because I read the author’s first novel and it became one of my favorite books. That book takes place during the '80s and is about a teenager, and I couldn’t wait to see what the author would do with a story about a young woman in her twenties during the here and now. I’m happy to say I wasn't disappointed.
New Money is not your typical chick-lit novel. Yes, it has all the chick-lit elements I love, incl. humor, glamorous New York City high society and flirtations/romance with sexy guys. But Savannah is better than the standard chick-lit heroine. There is no shallowness or self-absorption here. She comes from a single parent home, never had money until her father died and is so selective with men that she thinks long and hard about getting close with anyone after the breakup of a serious relationship that almost ended in marriage. She is hardworking and has respect for herself and others. She is a pleasing combination of old-school values and modern, enlightened progressiveness. I also liked that she has the compassion to do nice things for people who aren’t nice to her. There is an understated reference to this from one of her love interests, who comments on karma. Savannah had the dirt on some people, but she didn't use it against them. She didn't want to ruin anyone even though she could have. I liked that, too.
The book is fast-paced and the writing is crisp and smart. I was so wrapped up in the story that I couldn’t put the book down and finished it in a marathon read. I also enjoyed the social commentary within the story about respecting alternative lifestyles, homelessness, the ugly side of the internet and the struggle some women face with becoming mothers. This is expressed subtly through characters like a scummy gossip blogger (Fabian) and Kitty, Savannah's boss/sister-in-law/friend.
My verdict: New Money is quality fun.
New Money is not your typical chick-lit novel. Yes, it has all the chick-lit elements I love, incl. humor, glamorous New York City high society and flirtations/romance with sexy guys. But Savannah is better than the standard chick-lit heroine. There is no shallowness or self-absorption here. She comes from a single parent home, never had money until her father died and is so selective with men that she thinks long and hard about getting close with anyone after the breakup of a serious relationship that almost ended in marriage. She is hardworking and has respect for herself and others. She is a pleasing combination of old-school values and modern, enlightened progressiveness. I also liked that she has the compassion to do nice things for people who aren’t nice to her. There is an understated reference to this from one of her love interests, who comments on karma. Savannah had the dirt on some people, but she didn't use it against them. She didn't want to ruin anyone even though she could have. I liked that, too.
The book is fast-paced and the writing is crisp and smart. I was so wrapped up in the story that I couldn’t put the book down and finished it in a marathon read. I also enjoyed the social commentary within the story about respecting alternative lifestyles, homelessness, the ugly side of the internet and the struggle some women face with becoming mothers. This is expressed subtly through characters like a scummy gossip blogger (Fabian) and Kitty, Savannah's boss/sister-in-law/friend.
My verdict: New Money is quality fun.
April 6, 2018
After reading this author's first novel, "Other Words for Love," (which I adored), I quickly investigated her subsequent books and found the Savannah Morgan series. "New Money," the first in this two-part series, is an engaging story of a southern girl whose life changes overnight but isn't the perfect situation it might appear to be. I loved the upper-class New York setting, the depth of all the characters, the family issues and the romance and the intrigue. I devoured this in a weekend and really enjoyed it.
July 23, 2018
After reading the author's YA novel, I had to try New Money. I recommended it to my book club, and after reading, the consensus was that everyone loved New Money. On to the sequel!
August 7, 2017
I read the author's debut novel and loved it so much that I looked for her subsequent work.
I found New Money (which is the first novel in a two-book series) and absolutely adored it.
I read it in one sitting...so compelling, entertaining, fun, interesting, and well-written with complex characters. I could not put it down, just kept turning the pages to see what would happen next. So many twists and turns, lots of action and crisp dialogue.
The author really knows how to make you sympathize with characters who aren't perfect. She did the same with her first book, Other Words For Love.
New Money is a different genre...Other Words for Love is a serious, literary novel with a young adult main character. New Money is more lighthearted, fast-paced, and fun. The main character is in her 20s.
I highly recommend this book!
I found New Money (which is the first novel in a two-book series) and absolutely adored it.
I read it in one sitting...so compelling, entertaining, fun, interesting, and well-written with complex characters. I could not put it down, just kept turning the pages to see what would happen next. So many twists and turns, lots of action and crisp dialogue.
The author really knows how to make you sympathize with characters who aren't perfect. She did the same with her first book, Other Words For Love.
New Money is a different genre...Other Words for Love is a serious, literary novel with a young adult main character. New Money is more lighthearted, fast-paced, and fun. The main character is in her 20s.
I highly recommend this book!
November 5, 2014
A young woman, Savannah Morgan, wants to be a writer. As the story begins, she is fired for not backing down. Reared by a single mother, Savannah is struggling to become something beyond "white trailer trash" when she finds she is the wealthy heir of a New York business man.
Leaving her mother and best friend behind, she travels there and meets her new family. They are not pleased and half-brother Ned and half-sister Caroline will do everything they can to send her packing. The lure of a journalism career, money, two new guys, and new friends may sway her to stay as she learns to negotiate the pitfalls of workplace politics, the land mines of media attention, and the pride of knowing what it means to be Edward Stone's daughter.
Leaving her mother and best friend behind, she travels there and meets her new family. They are not pleased and half-brother Ned and half-sister Caroline will do everything they can to send her packing. The lure of a journalism career, money, two new guys, and new friends may sway her to stay as she learns to negotiate the pitfalls of workplace politics, the land mines of media attention, and the pride of knowing what it means to be Edward Stone's daughter.
October 22, 2013
This book should have been written for girls in grade school. The plot was incredibly far fetched, the characters were too simple, and it was beyond believable. This one goes further than my usual "I'll read chick-lit for a guilty pleasure," and extended into "I'm reading this to make myself dumber."
June 11, 2018
Absolutely a well written book from the beginning to the end the author had me totally captivated.
October 4, 2015
If it weren't for my stubborn determination to get through some of the books that had been languishing on my currently reading shelf for too long, I never would have made it through
New Money: A Novel
. I hated the main characters, I hated the too-good-to-be-true fantasy of her finding out she had a wealthy father, and I certainly felt bitter about her being handed a job it would take me years to work up to. All in all, this book was a miss for me across the board of plot, characters, and writing.
April 15, 2020
Like we all should, I have been staying at home and social distancing. I have increased my reading intake tremendously and am always on the lookout for a book that will help me to mentally escape the current situation in the world. This book achieved that goal! It is a page turner, an engaging and entertaining tale with romance, excitement, and glamour. The characters all had more than one side to them, and the book has great writing. Thanks to the author for helping me escape during this rough period in our world. I recommend this book and will be starting the sequel today!
July 20, 2013
This is a fantastic book. I was unable to put this book down while I read it. While I read this book, I felt like I was right there in New York with Savannah. I also really liked the relationship Lorraine Rosenthal created between Savannah and Tony. This book should definitely be on your reading list!
September 23, 2020
A fun, quick, compelling and escapist read. The sequel (Independently Wealthy) is great and even better than the original! That's rare, so I'm sending a shout-out to the author for making it happen! I read these books in less than three days and just gobbled them up. I just wanted to keep turning the pages.
July 13, 2013
ARC first reads.
Trying not to give too much away here...This was a nice quick easy read. I especially enjoyed the friendship between savannah and tony. I guess I watch too much tv because I found myself thinking this would be an interesting tv series.
Trying not to give too much away here...This was a nice quick easy read. I especially enjoyed the friendship between savannah and tony. I guess I watch too much tv because I found myself thinking this would be an interesting tv series.
July 21, 2013
When I read the caption of this book I wasn’t sure if it would be super-cheeseball or an idealized rags-to-riches princess story. I was pleasantly surprised it was neither, and started to really get into it in the first 50 pages. The words flowed smoothly, the dialogue was believable, and it was funny. I loved all the little jabs, one-liners, and nods to the Southern culture, and I started anticipating when the next zinger was coming. The main character, Savannah, is written like a real person, someone you know, more of a follower than a leader, loves her single-mama to pieces (yay! single moms unite!), and seems to really want to do “the right thing.” Savannah mainly follows her (rich) best-friend Tina-- who has appointed herself Alpha-Female. I loved Tina in the beginning. She’s the Marlboro Light smoking Disney Princess (think the blonde debutante in The Princess and The Frog), her step-mother is fun to hate, and you want to shake her daddy’s accent and full-name-calling right off his face.
When Savannah unexpectedly finds herself unemployed, she also unexpectedly find herself moving to NYC. She discovers her mama did know who her daddy was, and that he was a rich, rich man. Savannah gets a boatload of money if she works for his corporation, with the additional catch of working for her half-brother and half-sister. The half-brother I hated from the start but I actually liked the half-sister character. As the book continues she meets two different guys and has to decide which one she likes better. The uba-rich, playboy, good-looking cuz he’s so smooooooooth, and did I mention BFF to her douche brother... Jack.
or Alex, the totally laid back, naturally gorgeous, but not obnoxiously rich, bartender and .
Other characters include her sister-in-law boss “Kitty,” Tina comes to New york on an extended visit. Tony, her driver, becomes her Jiminy Cricket. And Ainsley, the over-eager intern.
About half-way through I started to run into some troubles. For example-- and I know it’s stupid-- but I just couldn’t get past how much she aquired with her first “paycheck.” And I also didn’t much like that she could have worked a different way . Savannah seemed to make decisions quickly, extreme decisions on a tight time line. I felt it was a bit off, realistically. I also had a hard time with Savannah’s progression, with all of the life choices slammed at her and all the money, she was bound to have a bit of a change occur overall. I thought everyone was a really hard on her, including herself, and she wasn’t really that bad.
New Money is hard for me to review without giving too much more away by naming specifics/spoilers, and I honestly couldn’t put my finger on exactly how I felt about this book at the end... which I know sounds strange. I didn’t hate it by any means, and I liked the first half a lot. The second half was kind of hard for me to get into, but I did read on the back cover it has been optioned for a TV show or movie, and I think that is a FABULOUS idea. There was a great, sleazy Web-blogger character that you love to hate. The book was well-written grammatically, and the dialogue was true to real conversation (which is huge for me). I think I just had a hard time justifying everyone’s actions towards Savannah, and her actions in return. It also had a lot going on, and if the time lapse had been extended some that may have helped. Also, there was some unresolved issues, but I think a second book is in the works, so its cliffy without being totally unresolved.
I won this book as a First Reads Goodreads Giveaway, and I enjoyed reading it. I would recommend it for a beach read, transit read, or some other light reading, and if you are from the South I recommend getting out your Pimento Cheese Spread and diving right in.
July 19, 2018
Couldn’t even finish it
The book started off okay, kinda childish rambling trying to get you to fall in love with characters that you end up not liking them. “Rag to riches” story that is just so unreal and the author doesn’t even try to make it believable. Made it to page 140 and had to stop when her “love interests” entered the picture because it was actually embarrassing to even continue reading. Don’t bother buying this book, I’ve read actual teen novels way better than this
The book started off okay, kinda childish rambling trying to get you to fall in love with characters that you end up not liking them. “Rag to riches” story that is just so unreal and the author doesn’t even try to make it believable. Made it to page 140 and had to stop when her “love interests” entered the picture because it was actually embarrassing to even continue reading. Don’t bother buying this book, I’ve read actual teen novels way better than this
July 2, 2017
It was okay. The author definitely fails in that she placed NYC as the center of the universe. The book would have been so much better had she reversed Charleston & NYC. Doable especially since one of her plot tricks was to insist the heroine have to stay in NYC despite spending her life elsewhere. Too bad the author & her publishers are New Yorkers. If she had to place NY as the center, then why not have the timeline in January/February? Stale, little 'I heart NY story'.
October 19, 2018
New Money has everything I hope for in a novel: A relatable protagonist, love interests (Alex and Jack) who make me swoon; three-dimensional side characters; complex family relationships; an entertaining, surprising, gripping plot; excelling writing that pulls me in and flows throughout; and NEW YORK in all is sparkling, glamorous, gritty glory. The book was a page-turner that I couldn’t put down! Even better: There's a part II! (Independently Wealthy)
October 22, 2018
I can truly say that I loved this book. I could tell it was going to be great from the first chapter. This was funny, entertaining, interesting, and, more importantly, written exquisitely. The characters were well-rounded, realistic, and believably flawed, which added to their appeal. It's a great curl-up-with-some-hot-cocoa on a chilly Saturday afternoon and get lost in someone else's adventures.
April 17, 2023
After reading this author's debut novel, I had to get my hands on her later books. I was impressed by her ability to switch from an almost literary YA novel to more commercial women's fiction. I read New Money in one sitting. A fun, compelling, well-written and highly entertaining story. I enjoyed the sequel even more. I look forward to Lorraine's upcoming work.
October 5, 2017
Very cliche.....southern belle has a surprise inheritance and takes off to 'the big city'. In NYC, she is pitted against her newly-discovered half brother and half sister. Meets two men and has to choose between them. Alienates her best friend from home......
Everything you expect is in here.
Everything you expect is in here.
December 6, 2016
This book was a shorter reader but gave you ALL the feels the entire time. I would highly recommend it!
August 26, 2019
Not much here really, rags to riches at its worst.
April 27, 2020
A terrific, juicy and captivating weekend read! Loved it.
April 2, 2021
Fun, quick, easy, silly, indulgent read, taking place in charleston + nyc.
July 2, 2013
I love a good coming of age-small town girl moves to the big city kind of story. I love them especially when the person in question comes from the South. See being Southern is a way of life, not a mark on intelligence. There is more of a cultural difference than an intellectual one. In the South, you care for your neighbor even though they may be degenerates. You may not like their lifestyle but because they live next door you have to invite them to your backyard bbq's or bring over a pie once in a while. In an urban setting, it's OK to forget you even have neighbors because everyone has their own agenda and there's an unspoken agreement on ignoring the presence of other people while trying to achieve your lofty goals....whatever they were...its easy to forget, the lights are so shiny.
In regards to this story, I was not so wrapped up in the thrill of the new shiny city. Yes there are moments when Savannah is struck with awe at her surroundings but not for long enough. She becomes comfortable with the city far too quickly. Granted she doesn't have to struggle with finding a place to live or looking for transportation because she comes into an inheritance that allows her to overlook the struggle of scouring the city for such things, but in my mind someone who comes from grassroots would have more interest in an urban environment that is as culturally rich as New York. She doesn't. Savannah is so wrapped up in herself and trying to get a grasp on the new relationships (or lack there of) between her new family, that she fails to take in the opportunity and richness (literally) of the world around her.
Savannah has been the child of a single mother her whole life. She has never known her father. After quitting her job and basically suffering the standard woes of living in a small town (everyone knows everything about you all of the time) she is informed that she is to receive an inheritance from her richer than cheesecake father in NY. After accepting the stipulations of the inheritance, she begins her life in a new city. She has a job, a home, and an allowance that grows the longer she stays in New York. This story could have been about so many things. So many things. Instead we are forced to focus on Savannah trying to bring her home life to New York. She gets pulled in to her half-siblings mess of a life and somehow ends up as some sort of Hiltonesque socialite before she gives up and returns home.
For someone in their early 20's who is just trying to figure out what they want in life, I suppose this could be realistic. You want to share your new life with your friends. You want to have any relationship you can with your new family. I get that. But there has to be something else. Did she never go to the Met, just once? Why would she visit the same exact restaurant like 10 times throughout the book?
I wanted this story to be better. The more I read the less interesting the storyline became and the more I began to dislike everyone in the book.
More reviews can be found on my blog at: www.ihatecatsbr.com
In regards to this story, I was not so wrapped up in the thrill of the new shiny city. Yes there are moments when Savannah is struck with awe at her surroundings but not for long enough. She becomes comfortable with the city far too quickly. Granted she doesn't have to struggle with finding a place to live or looking for transportation because she comes into an inheritance that allows her to overlook the struggle of scouring the city for such things, but in my mind someone who comes from grassroots would have more interest in an urban environment that is as culturally rich as New York. She doesn't. Savannah is so wrapped up in herself and trying to get a grasp on the new relationships (or lack there of) between her new family, that she fails to take in the opportunity and richness (literally) of the world around her.
Savannah has been the child of a single mother her whole life. She has never known her father. After quitting her job and basically suffering the standard woes of living in a small town (everyone knows everything about you all of the time) she is informed that she is to receive an inheritance from her richer than cheesecake father in NY. After accepting the stipulations of the inheritance, she begins her life in a new city. She has a job, a home, and an allowance that grows the longer she stays in New York. This story could have been about so many things. So many things. Instead we are forced to focus on Savannah trying to bring her home life to New York. She gets pulled in to her half-siblings mess of a life and somehow ends up as some sort of Hiltonesque socialite before she gives up and returns home.
For someone in their early 20's who is just trying to figure out what they want in life, I suppose this could be realistic. You want to share your new life with your friends. You want to have any relationship you can with your new family. I get that. But there has to be something else. Did she never go to the Met, just once? Why would she visit the same exact restaurant like 10 times throughout the book?
I wanted this story to be better. The more I read the less interesting the storyline became and the more I began to dislike everyone in the book.
More reviews can be found on my blog at: www.ihatecatsbr.com
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 27, 2015
I received this book through Goodread's First Reads - thank you!
When I first started this book I thought I wasn't going to be able to get into it. I don't normally read "chick-lit" and was worried that the story was going to be cheesy and superficial. Luckily, I was (mostly) wrong. It had substance and personality and kept me entertained throughout. Savannah is a sweet but strong southern girl, likable and not unlike many other twenty-somethings trying to find their place in the world. She makes mistakes but has good intentions and owns up to her faults. I like that while she inherited a large amount of money out of the blue, she had to work for it (which she did so happily) and didn't let the sudden wealth go to her head. In some ways that didn't seem realistic, because I think most people would show a little more excitement than she did in that situation. BUT it was a show of her character and her upbringing that she didn't change who she was simply because she had a larger bank balance.
The character who seemed the most "real" to me was Tony, Savannah's driver-turned-friend. I enjoyed the dynamic of their relationship and liked that in the midst of all the snobs and glam and glitz, Tony was there to keep Savannah grounded and normal. Then there's Tina, her best friend since forever who brings all the sass and drama of a soap opera. Sometimes I felt like their relationship hadn't graduated high school with them, but together they were entertaining. As for Savannah's love triangle with Jack and Alex, I think it could have been a little more developed. There's just enough romance to read about ... you can see why she likes both of them, you can see the connection she has with each ... but emotionally it fell a little flat. Any time there was a true sense of thrill or adventure it was usually in a negative way, focusing on the turmoil of the relationships and not the romance itself.
Also lacking was more discussion on Savannah's revelation of who her father was, and the fact that she never had a chance to know him. It was mentioned, and there were some conversations regarding the topic, but like the love triangle it needed more development. So did her adaptation of life in the big city. For an inexperienced young woman from a small southern town, she seemed to acclimate herself a little too easily and without mention.
If the story had been more developed in the areas I mentioned, I could have bumped this up to a 4 or 5 star rating. All in all, I was pleasantly surprised by it and enjoyed reading it. I could see it playing out on a TV show or in a movie. I recommend it to anyone looking for a fun, light read.
When I first started this book I thought I wasn't going to be able to get into it. I don't normally read "chick-lit" and was worried that the story was going to be cheesy and superficial. Luckily, I was (mostly) wrong. It had substance and personality and kept me entertained throughout. Savannah is a sweet but strong southern girl, likable and not unlike many other twenty-somethings trying to find their place in the world. She makes mistakes but has good intentions and owns up to her faults. I like that while she inherited a large amount of money out of the blue, she had to work for it (which she did so happily) and didn't let the sudden wealth go to her head. In some ways that didn't seem realistic, because I think most people would show a little more excitement than she did in that situation. BUT it was a show of her character and her upbringing that she didn't change who she was simply because she had a larger bank balance.
The character who seemed the most "real" to me was Tony, Savannah's driver-turned-friend. I enjoyed the dynamic of their relationship and liked that in the midst of all the snobs and glam and glitz, Tony was there to keep Savannah grounded and normal. Then there's Tina, her best friend since forever who brings all the sass and drama of a soap opera. Sometimes I felt like their relationship hadn't graduated high school with them, but together they were entertaining. As for Savannah's love triangle with Jack and Alex, I think it could have been a little more developed. There's just enough romance to read about ... you can see why she likes both of them, you can see the connection she has with each ... but emotionally it fell a little flat. Any time there was a true sense of thrill or adventure it was usually in a negative way, focusing on the turmoil of the relationships and not the romance itself.
Also lacking was more discussion on Savannah's revelation of who her father was, and the fact that she never had a chance to know him. It was mentioned, and there were some conversations regarding the topic, but like the love triangle it needed more development. So did her adaptation of life in the big city. For an inexperienced young woman from a small southern town, she seemed to acclimate herself a little too easily and without mention.
If the story had been more developed in the areas I mentioned, I could have bumped this up to a 4 or 5 star rating. All in all, I was pleasantly surprised by it and enjoyed reading it. I could see it playing out on a TV show or in a movie. I recommend it to anyone looking for a fun, light read.
January 3, 2016
Another trite rags to riches tale
I sometimes enjoy a rags to riches story, but New Money fell flat. The plot was so outlandish that I was not remotely entertained. Samantha Morgan, a 25-year-old woman from South Carolina, discovers that her father was billionaire mogul, Edward Stone, who had a long-ago relationship with her mother. She is in for the surprise of a lifetime when Mr. Stone's attorney reads the will. As long as she works for the family firm, Samantha will receive buckets of money each month, as well as a luxurious furnished apartment on Central Park West. Mr. Stone's two other offspring receive nothing. I would have to live in an alternate universe to believe this premise.
Samantha, who lives in the requisite shabby house with her mother, packs up and moves to New York. An egalitarian babe in the woods (or in this case, a big city), Samantha befriends the driver sent to fetch her from JFK after refusing to sit in the backseat. This improbable relationship lasts throughout the story.
In her inappropriate attire and big hair, she meets the Family Stone. Is it any surprise that she is not welcomed with open arms into the family fold? Mr. Stone's will did not specify her position at his company. The kind wife of the philandering son finally spares Samantha from the mailroom and makes her an assistant for a magazine. Because Samantha is an aspiring writer, she is over the moon.
All manner of evil plots and cabals ensue among the Family Stone in attempts to rid themselves of Samantha, whom they look upon as a member of the lucky sperm club.
As a confirmed shopaholic, I would have immediately set up shop at Bergdorf's after a day at Kenneth's getting a makeover, but Samantha, bless her heart, is apparently content with her down home look. I have no clue what she did with hundreds of thousands of dollars because there is nary a mention of a bank, much less a financial advisor. Where is the usual story of a duckling transformed into a swan? I could not even live vicariously through the formulaic plot of most rags to riches stories!
As the old saying goes, there is no meat on this bone. I was sorely tempted to stop wasting my time, but I rarely leave a book unfinished.
A question for my fellow readers. Have the rules of grammar changed from the days of yesteryear? Is anyone else bothered by phrases like the following when used as subjects of sentences? "Him and I", "Him and me", "Her and I", "Him and her went ..." among others, seem to be commonplace. They grate on me like fingernails on a blackboard. Have I become my picky English teachers from years gone by?
I sometimes enjoy a rags to riches story, but New Money fell flat. The plot was so outlandish that I was not remotely entertained. Samantha Morgan, a 25-year-old woman from South Carolina, discovers that her father was billionaire mogul, Edward Stone, who had a long-ago relationship with her mother. She is in for the surprise of a lifetime when Mr. Stone's attorney reads the will. As long as she works for the family firm, Samantha will receive buckets of money each month, as well as a luxurious furnished apartment on Central Park West. Mr. Stone's two other offspring receive nothing. I would have to live in an alternate universe to believe this premise.
Samantha, who lives in the requisite shabby house with her mother, packs up and moves to New York. An egalitarian babe in the woods (or in this case, a big city), Samantha befriends the driver sent to fetch her from JFK after refusing to sit in the backseat. This improbable relationship lasts throughout the story.
In her inappropriate attire and big hair, she meets the Family Stone. Is it any surprise that she is not welcomed with open arms into the family fold? Mr. Stone's will did not specify her position at his company. The kind wife of the philandering son finally spares Samantha from the mailroom and makes her an assistant for a magazine. Because Samantha is an aspiring writer, she is over the moon.
All manner of evil plots and cabals ensue among the Family Stone in attempts to rid themselves of Samantha, whom they look upon as a member of the lucky sperm club.
As a confirmed shopaholic, I would have immediately set up shop at Bergdorf's after a day at Kenneth's getting a makeover, but Samantha, bless her heart, is apparently content with her down home look. I have no clue what she did with hundreds of thousands of dollars because there is nary a mention of a bank, much less a financial advisor. Where is the usual story of a duckling transformed into a swan? I could not even live vicariously through the formulaic plot of most rags to riches stories!
As the old saying goes, there is no meat on this bone. I was sorely tempted to stop wasting my time, but I rarely leave a book unfinished.
A question for my fellow readers. Have the rules of grammar changed from the days of yesteryear? Is anyone else bothered by phrases like the following when used as subjects of sentences? "Him and I", "Him and me", "Her and I", "Him and her went ..." among others, seem to be commonplace. They grate on me like fingernails on a blackboard. Have I become my picky English teachers from years gone by?
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