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The Overnight Socialite
Lucy Jo Ellis, from a small town in Minnesota, moved to New York with the dream of becoming a famous designer, but so far, working in a dress shop cutting out patterns, she hasn’t gotten very far. Wyatt Hayes is a Harvard-educated anthropologist from money, very old money, who just dumped his socialite girlfriend. Suddenly inspired while waiting for a taxi, he bets his friend that he can turn a girl, any girl, into a bona fide New York socialite, no matter how corn-fed she is. Lucy needs a job, so she agrees to the experiment. In a whirlwind of personal trainers, designer gowns, spa retreats, and elocution lessons, Lucy is transformed, and now she must decide which of the Lucys is really her, and if Wyatt is simply a scientist or if there is more to his story. Clark offers a charming twenty-first-century update of Pygmalion and My Fair Lady. --Hilary Hatton (Booklist)
292 pages, Hardcover
First published June 2, 2009
36 people are currently reading
1147 people want to read
About the author
Bridie Clark
11 books40 followersBridie Clark was born on October 7, 1977, and spent a happy childhood in West Hartford, CT. Her parents encouraged her early love of reading and writing.
In 1999, Bridie graduated from Harvard College, where she was an editor of The Harvard Crimson. She has since worked as a book and magazine editor, and written for The New York Times, Vanity Fair, New York, Quest, and Elegant Bride.
Bridie’s debut novel, Because She Can , was published in nineteen countries around the world and was reviewed and featured in dozens of magazines and newspapers, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, Vanity Fair, Glamour UK, and USA TODAY. Her second novel, The Overnight Socialite , was published by Weinstein Books in December 2009.
In 2006, she co-wrote The Gawker Guide to Conquering All Media (Atria, July 2007) and co-founded Blue State Coffee.
Bridie lives in New York City with her husband and daughter.
In 1999, Bridie graduated from Harvard College, where she was an editor of The Harvard Crimson. She has since worked as a book and magazine editor, and written for The New York Times, Vanity Fair, New York, Quest, and Elegant Bride.
Bridie’s debut novel, Because She Can , was published in nineteen countries around the world and was reviewed and featured in dozens of magazines and newspapers, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, Vanity Fair, Glamour UK, and USA TODAY. Her second novel, The Overnight Socialite , was published by Weinstein Books in December 2009.
In 2006, she co-wrote The Gawker Guide to Conquering All Media (Atria, July 2007) and co-founded Blue State Coffee.
Bridie lives in New York City with her husband and daughter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 315 reviews
January 15, 2011
3 1/2 to 4 stars - The Overnight Socialite is about Wyatt, a New York blueblood who's realized his reputation as an up and coming biological anthropologist has kind of fizzled out; in large part because he's done little to nothing, other than yearly "research" safaris and socializing, to further his career. Lucy Jo Ellis is a struggling, wannabe designer from Minnesota. Immediately following a break-up, Wyatt and his best friend Trip are discussing the state of Wyatt's life when Wyatt proclaims that, as an anthropological experiment, he could take any regular girl and turn her into a socialite in a matter of months. Enter Lucy Jo, who's just had the most disastrous night of her professional life. Wyatt offers her a chance to become a socialite and help her with her dream of becoming a designer. Thinking he might be proposing something less than gentlemanly, she turns him down. However, after a couple of desperate weeks, Lucy Jo decides she has two options: return to Minnesota or take Wyatt up on his offer. Unbeknownst to her, Wyatt plans on writing a book about her transformation from nobody to It girl.
I occasionally like a good chick lit book, but typically don't read the ones about the fur wearing, champagne swilling, useless rich who think anyone making six figures or less is impoverished and who consider shopping a full-time job. The Overnight Socialite does have all of that, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that, overall, it was a good read. Aside from Wyatt and Lucy, there is a small cast of characters who also have storylines; something I wasn't expecting, but liked, nonetheless. The book jumps around between Lucy, Wyatt and the people they interact with (just a couple pages at a time for the secondary characters). Mostly, though, it's about Wyatt and Lucy and how, during Lucy's transformation, Wyatt learns not to judge people simply on their pedigree, or lack of it, while Lucy finds herself as a designer and becomes more confident in her own abilities. Of course, not everything is smooth sailing thanks to Wyatt's ex, his secret book and Lucy's made up past.
My biggest complaint with this book was the ending. The book itself gets three and half to four stars, the ending gets about two and a half. I think at least one other reviewer mentioned it as well; it seemed like there was a chapter to wrap things up that was missing. The author gave us some idea of how it was going to end, but I would've liked to have seen how it all played out. After all, I'm paying for the book, I don't want to have to finish off the ending in my head. Despite the abrupt ending and some predictability, the book was better than I thought it would be. If you're looking for a good, light, beach read type book, I'd recommend picking up The Overnight Socialite.
I occasionally like a good chick lit book, but typically don't read the ones about the fur wearing, champagne swilling, useless rich who think anyone making six figures or less is impoverished and who consider shopping a full-time job. The Overnight Socialite does have all of that, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that, overall, it was a good read. Aside from Wyatt and Lucy, there is a small cast of characters who also have storylines; something I wasn't expecting, but liked, nonetheless. The book jumps around between Lucy, Wyatt and the people they interact with (just a couple pages at a time for the secondary characters). Mostly, though, it's about Wyatt and Lucy and how, during Lucy's transformation, Wyatt learns not to judge people simply on their pedigree, or lack of it, while Lucy finds herself as a designer and becomes more confident in her own abilities. Of course, not everything is smooth sailing thanks to Wyatt's ex, his secret book and Lucy's made up past.
My biggest complaint with this book was the ending. The book itself gets three and half to four stars, the ending gets about two and a half. I think at least one other reviewer mentioned it as well; it seemed like there was a chapter to wrap things up that was missing. The author gave us some idea of how it was going to end, but I would've liked to have seen how it all played out. After all, I'm paying for the book, I don't want to have to finish off the ending in my head. Despite the abrupt ending and some predictability, the book was better than I thought it would be. If you're looking for a good, light, beach read type book, I'd recommend picking up The Overnight Socialite.
June 18, 2015
Fun, fast-paced with a touch of drama and a smidge of romance.
The main character is like-able and all though the story is not terrible believable it did not bother me while reading this book. A perfect summer book to read on the beach.
The main character is like-able and all though the story is not terrible believable it did not bother me while reading this book. A perfect summer book to read on the beach.
August 3, 2012
This book started off as a gut-busting joy, settled into a funny-ish pleasureable tale, and ended as a tedious and predictable let-down.
I was really loving this book, right from the start Wyatt and Trip and Cornelia and Lucy Jo had me in stitches! When "Project Lucy" got going, the story oddly seemed to lose some of its steam, the build-up to the project was so much funnier and better. It was still funny with lots of zingers, but it wasn't the same, and that's sad seeing as how there were only about 40 or so pages pre-project. I liked Wyatt and Lucy apart more than I did together, Wyatt just seemed to have more zest without her.
Along the way, I felt like a lot of the story became seriously repetitive. The same things were said over and over in different ways. I came to hate Cornelia, she turned out to be nothing but a nasty, jealous, jerk. I wanted to cheer when things didn't go her way, but it was so predictable. Eloise, Trip's longtime girlfriend became a snore while hounding Trip for marriage. Lucy became a bit of a snore herself. I was hoping that it wouldn't end %99 percent of the way you just knew it would, but it did. Rita, Lucy Jo's mother was a complete idiot. How hard is it to keep your mouth shut if you well know what's going on? Why did she keep showing up getting ready to say that she was Lucy's mother to any and everybody when she knew exactly NOT to do that? Huh? Why?
It's hard to work a story like this with modern technology. This story would work perfect in even 1999, but in 2009 it's a little hard to believe. Wyatt was sharp enough to create an on-line life for Lucy incase people researched her and bribe some of his friends to play along, but who would believe that the only images of a supposedly known socialite are from the same year and all within two months?
I was really loving this book, right from the start Wyatt and Trip and Cornelia and Lucy Jo had me in stitches! When "Project Lucy" got going, the story oddly seemed to lose some of its steam, the build-up to the project was so much funnier and better. It was still funny with lots of zingers, but it wasn't the same, and that's sad seeing as how there were only about 40 or so pages pre-project. I liked Wyatt and Lucy apart more than I did together, Wyatt just seemed to have more zest without her.
Along the way, I felt like a lot of the story became seriously repetitive. The same things were said over and over in different ways. I came to hate Cornelia, she turned out to be nothing but a nasty, jealous, jerk. I wanted to cheer when things didn't go her way, but it was so predictable. Eloise, Trip's longtime girlfriend became a snore while hounding Trip for marriage. Lucy became a bit of a snore herself. I was hoping that it wouldn't end %99 percent of the way you just knew it would, but it did. Rita, Lucy Jo's mother was a complete idiot. How hard is it to keep your mouth shut if you well know what's going on? Why did she keep showing up getting ready to say that she was Lucy's mother to any and everybody when she knew exactly NOT to do that? Huh? Why?
It's hard to work a story like this with modern technology. This story would work perfect in even 1999, but in 2009 it's a little hard to believe. Wyatt was sharp enough to create an on-line life for Lucy incase people researched her and bribe some of his friends to play along, but who would believe that the only images of a supposedly known socialite are from the same year and all within two months?
January 17, 2010
Surprisingly intelligent chick-lit with a truly ridiculous plot—it’s basically a Pygmalion update, but with more focus on the clothes. Still, I admired Clark’s restraint: you could totally see the precise moment where she could have, say, given her villain an over-the-top taking down, but she pulls back and refrains. Likewise, I admired her choice to focus less on the romance and more on her protagonist’s career goals. This wasn’t great, but it was different, which in this genre especially I find admirable.
August 16, 2025
3.5 stars
got me hooked and enjoyed it hehe light read! :D
got me hooked and enjoyed it hehe light read! :D
April 14, 2010
A chick-lit book is always my pleasure-read. If it isn't fluffy and cheesy, of course. Bridie Clark's The Overnight Socialite was quite a delightful read that kept me hooked through its 292 pages.
My opinion
The Overnight Socialite started like a typical chick-lit book. We have the heroine who has everything going against her. A very low paying job. No career growth. A terribly embarrassing day that would make anyone want to scream her lungs out and curse the maker. And, she gets looked down on by the Who's who? of the socialite world. Exactly when she is on the verge of giving up, hope comes to her in the form of a man named Wyatt, who offers her the chance to transform her life in 3 months.
Wyatt, on the other hand, belongs to the upper echelon of the socialite world who insists on a blue-blood parentage in anyone who is part of the socialite circle. The moment he is shrugged aside by his callous and ambitious girlfriend, Cornelia Rockman, he yearns to do something about his life. And writing a book about transforming an ugly duckling into a gracious swan is his means to that end.
This book is a The Princess Diaries meets celebrity tabloids kind of story. I found that I enjoyed this book at many levels. It was mildly funny and the behavior and beliefs of the socialites were quite laughable at times. Lucy's attempt to blend into the glamorous yet unforgiving world of the socialites gave me many a chuckle.
The writing was also impressive. As opposed to most chick-lit books, this is written in a non-fluffy style that I wouldn't associate with chick-lit books. Bridie Clark writes in a non-rambling style that worked well with my obsession with good writing.
However, although I liked this book, I wasn't captivated. I couldn't connect with any of the characters who I found very one-dimensional. I wasn't convinced. Most of the characters have the common threads of jealousy, mistrust, ambition flowing through them and at many points, we come across the question of money vs love. I liked watching how some characters came around from their former shallow selves. But after years of being someone or being with someone, I couldn't understand how they could change so conclusively in a day or a week. I thought the book lost a bit of its depth towards the final pages, which ran a bit rushed in its aim to grant closure to all the characters.
Overall, this was a good fun light read. I did enjoy reading it, especially the insights into the fashion industry and the lives of the socialites. I was impressed with the amount of research Bridie Clark did to write this novel. There are several tangential references to many well-known characters and events laced throughout the story, and many a time, that encouraged me to Google some of them. But I wish the plot was more believable and the characters more wholesome.
Title Demystified
Lucy Ellis is Wyatt's subject for his thesis on how one's ancestry and customs have no effect whatsoever on whether one can be a socialite or not. I can tell you that some parts of this research convinced me of Wyatt's belief. But like Cornelia, I found several gaps in the story put forward by Wyatt and Lucy.
Cover Art Demystified
The very fun-looking and chick-lit cover totally belies the kind of book The Overnight Socialite is. Sure, it is chick-lit, but not fluffy. Instead, it is a "mature" chick-lit, if that's possible. I love the midnight-blue cover that screams glamor and style!
My opinion
The Overnight Socialite started like a typical chick-lit book. We have the heroine who has everything going against her. A very low paying job. No career growth. A terribly embarrassing day that would make anyone want to scream her lungs out and curse the maker. And, she gets looked down on by the Who's who? of the socialite world. Exactly when she is on the verge of giving up, hope comes to her in the form of a man named Wyatt, who offers her the chance to transform her life in 3 months.
Wyatt, on the other hand, belongs to the upper echelon of the socialite world who insists on a blue-blood parentage in anyone who is part of the socialite circle. The moment he is shrugged aside by his callous and ambitious girlfriend, Cornelia Rockman, he yearns to do something about his life. And writing a book about transforming an ugly duckling into a gracious swan is his means to that end.
This book is a The Princess Diaries meets celebrity tabloids kind of story. I found that I enjoyed this book at many levels. It was mildly funny and the behavior and beliefs of the socialites were quite laughable at times. Lucy's attempt to blend into the glamorous yet unforgiving world of the socialites gave me many a chuckle.
The writing was also impressive. As opposed to most chick-lit books, this is written in a non-fluffy style that I wouldn't associate with chick-lit books. Bridie Clark writes in a non-rambling style that worked well with my obsession with good writing.
However, although I liked this book, I wasn't captivated. I couldn't connect with any of the characters who I found very one-dimensional. I wasn't convinced. Most of the characters have the common threads of jealousy, mistrust, ambition flowing through them and at many points, we come across the question of money vs love. I liked watching how some characters came around from their former shallow selves. But after years of being someone or being with someone, I couldn't understand how they could change so conclusively in a day or a week. I thought the book lost a bit of its depth towards the final pages, which ran a bit rushed in its aim to grant closure to all the characters.
Overall, this was a good fun light read. I did enjoy reading it, especially the insights into the fashion industry and the lives of the socialites. I was impressed with the amount of research Bridie Clark did to write this novel. There are several tangential references to many well-known characters and events laced throughout the story, and many a time, that encouraged me to Google some of them. But I wish the plot was more believable and the characters more wholesome.
Title Demystified
Lucy Ellis is Wyatt's subject for his thesis on how one's ancestry and customs have no effect whatsoever on whether one can be a socialite or not. I can tell you that some parts of this research convinced me of Wyatt's belief. But like Cornelia, I found several gaps in the story put forward by Wyatt and Lucy.
Cover Art Demystified
The very fun-looking and chick-lit cover totally belies the kind of book The Overnight Socialite is. Sure, it is chick-lit, but not fluffy. Instead, it is a "mature" chick-lit, if that's possible. I love the midnight-blue cover that screams glamor and style!
February 27, 2010
My thoughts...When this story first began, I found myself overwhelmed with the name dropping. All the fancy designers, labels, $500 shoes made me sort of dizzy and a bit turned off. However, once the story started to take off and the plot took over the glitz blended nicely into the scenery. The plot was a unique twist on an old story infused with romance, heartbreak, and a whole lotta money. The Overnight Socialite gave readers a pretty good look into the elite social setting in New York City. Readers get several different POV's because story not only followed Lucy and Wyatt, the main characters, but also several of their friends and acquaintances. The ending wrapped up, but it felt a little abrupt. You could definitely make strong inferences about the character's lives, but I longed for more details.
As far as the characters go, they grew on me. Initially, I could not imagine someone taking Wyatt up on his offer to be a social experiment, but after considering Lucy Jo's dreams and the extent of her devastation, it seemed plausible. I mean what did she have to loose? Her character really changed as the story progressed, but not as much as Wyatt's. I enjoyed reading his scenes. His stubbornness, his denial, and his pride made him an interesting character. My favorite character by far was Eloise, Lucy's friend. Of all the characters in the book, she was the most real and down-to-Earth, (with the exception of Lucy's mother). Overall, most of the characters were interesting and memorable
The cons...The only issue I had while reading came from too many POV's. There were several characters in the story who's point of view really contributed to the story. For example, the thoughts of Cornellia, the villianess, really helped the story move along and helped drive the reader's emotions. There were several subplots using various characters that I just skimmed through or skipped all together. These sections felt like filler and took away from the main story line too much, in my opinion.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and was rather sad when the story ended. I would recommend it to fans of chick-lit.
As far as the characters go, they grew on me. Initially, I could not imagine someone taking Wyatt up on his offer to be a social experiment, but after considering Lucy Jo's dreams and the extent of her devastation, it seemed plausible. I mean what did she have to loose? Her character really changed as the story progressed, but not as much as Wyatt's. I enjoyed reading his scenes. His stubbornness, his denial, and his pride made him an interesting character. My favorite character by far was Eloise, Lucy's friend. Of all the characters in the book, she was the most real and down-to-Earth, (with the exception of Lucy's mother). Overall, most of the characters were interesting and memorable
The cons...The only issue I had while reading came from too many POV's. There were several characters in the story who's point of view really contributed to the story. For example, the thoughts of Cornellia, the villianess, really helped the story move along and helped drive the reader's emotions. There were several subplots using various characters that I just skimmed through or skipped all together. These sections felt like filler and took away from the main story line too much, in my opinion.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and was rather sad when the story ended. I would recommend it to fans of chick-lit.
July 29, 2009
Lucy Jo is just a normal mid-west girl with big dreams. She moved to New York City to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming a fashion designer. But life is rough. She is doing a menial job in a designer sweatshop. Just when she thinks she might have an opening to pursue her dreams, disaster strikes. She's ready to give it all up and go home when she meets Wyatt.
Wyatt Hayes had just gotten out of relationship with the top socialite Cornelia. He needs to prove to himself and the world that he still has it and decides to transform Lucy into an "It" girl. He trains her in manners, sets her up on an exercise program to get her a fit figure, and teaches her the ways of the high society. And just when Lucy thinks she might get another chance to pursue her dream, distater strikes once again. Will Lucy get her dream, or will she pack it up and move back home to Minnesota.
This was the typical rags to riches plot. But the whole story definitely had a unique side to it. I loved all of the characters- Wyatt and Lucy, and Eloise and Trip. I was rooting for Lucy--I wanted her to come out on top! And I loved that Wyatt seemed changed. I could identify with Eloise and her feelings about her relationship with Trip. And I like the ending between those two, even though it may not be the happiest. The only thing I can say that I didn't like about the story was that I wish it was longer. I would love to know more about what happened between Wyatt and Lucy. This was a really cute, fun, high-society story!
Wyatt Hayes had just gotten out of relationship with the top socialite Cornelia. He needs to prove to himself and the world that he still has it and decides to transform Lucy into an "It" girl. He trains her in manners, sets her up on an exercise program to get her a fit figure, and teaches her the ways of the high society. And just when Lucy thinks she might get another chance to pursue her dream, distater strikes once again. Will Lucy get her dream, or will she pack it up and move back home to Minnesota.
This was the typical rags to riches plot. But the whole story definitely had a unique side to it. I loved all of the characters- Wyatt and Lucy, and Eloise and Trip. I was rooting for Lucy--I wanted her to come out on top! And I loved that Wyatt seemed changed. I could identify with Eloise and her feelings about her relationship with Trip. And I like the ending between those two, even though it may not be the happiest. The only thing I can say that I didn't like about the story was that I wish it was longer. I would love to know more about what happened between Wyatt and Lucy. This was a really cute, fun, high-society story!
July 3, 2011
Well, well, well...
I am completely and utterly baffled by the ending. It makes me want to scream WTF at the top of my lungs while simultaneously banging my head onto my laptop. It wasn't even a cliffhanger- it was like the end of a paragraph or a chapter! The Overnight Socialite was published in what, 2009 and there doesn't seem to be news of a sequel coming out. What absolutely sets me off is not knowing what happens next. It could have been a four star book but the way it ended completely caught me off guard.
To be fair, it was a well paced and delightfully fun contemporary fairytale chick-lit. I did think that there was way too many descriptions of clothing and designer names. Sometimes it's nice to read about what a character is wearing, but seeing it being mentioned five times in one chapter can be a tough ball to swallow.
The characters in the novel brought entertainment and joy to the novel. It was fun to see Lucy Jo's transformation and subsequent movement through the 'elite' of our society. Cornelia also makes a very believable and annoying villain that never ceases to make me think that there really are some people out there who is just like Cornelia.
While I understand this is a chick-lit book and while it reminded me of Gossip Girl and The Devil Wears Prada in many aspects, I liked how Lucy Jo is hardworking, understanding and also pretty intelligent. In all, it wasn't the most stellar book but definitely worth picking up and reading!
I am completely and utterly baffled by the ending. It makes me want to scream WTF at the top of my lungs while simultaneously banging my head onto my laptop. It wasn't even a cliffhanger- it was like the end of a paragraph or a chapter! The Overnight Socialite was published in what, 2009 and there doesn't seem to be news of a sequel coming out. What absolutely sets me off is not knowing what happens next. It could have been a four star book but the way it ended completely caught me off guard.
To be fair, it was a well paced and delightfully fun contemporary fairytale chick-lit. I did think that there was way too many descriptions of clothing and designer names. Sometimes it's nice to read about what a character is wearing, but seeing it being mentioned five times in one chapter can be a tough ball to swallow.
The characters in the novel brought entertainment and joy to the novel. It was fun to see Lucy Jo's transformation and subsequent movement through the 'elite' of our society. Cornelia also makes a very believable and annoying villain that never ceases to make me think that there really are some people out there who is just like Cornelia.
While I understand this is a chick-lit book and while it reminded me of Gossip Girl and The Devil Wears Prada in many aspects, I liked how Lucy Jo is hardworking, understanding and also pretty intelligent. In all, it wasn't the most stellar book but definitely worth picking up and reading!
February 21, 2011
It took a couple chapters to get into this book, but once I did, I really enjoyed the writing. I loved the name dropping, and to see what a socialite's life is like. I liked the plot of a girl going from desperate with a dream to working hard and achieving it. I did think it was realistic (the author never says how much weight Lucy Jo lost, only that she worked out twice a day and ate better, what any girl should do instead of lipo). I liked the love/hate thing going on with Wyatt. But what really turned me off and got the book a three start rating, is the ending. The ending so was abrupt, it seemed like the author had no idea where to go with the book, so just stopped writing. The author has side stories going on, and I really wanted to know what happened with Trip, Eloise, Max, Cornelia and Theo. This story was not a thought-provoker, so it seems like I was left out to dry, having to try and think through if the author left any hints that everything would work out or not. Life's unpredictable, but come on, through your reader a bone here.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 4, 2015
Too much telling and not enough showing. You hear a lot about how they realize they are attracted by each other, but aside from looks, you don't quite see why. The whole side story with the mother was odd - some of her actions are far too stupid for a woman as intelligent as she is (her lack of sophistication doesn't mean a lack of brains.) and it copycatted a mini-series from 25 years ago where the half Indian movie star passes off her sari-wearing mom as a servant.
The secondary couple, Trip and Eloise, felt much more real. Loved them. Well, ok, love/hate with Trip.
A tertiary couple, Fernanda and her boyfriend, felt very influenced by a half forgotten Sex & The City story line.
The secondary couple, Trip and Eloise, felt much more real. Loved them. Well, ok, love/hate with Trip.
A tertiary couple, Fernanda and her boyfriend, felt very influenced by a half forgotten Sex & The City story line.
September 13, 2015
I really enjoyed most of the book. What I did not like was the ending. I get that authors leave you hanging so you can create the best possible scenario for you, but this ended like 2 pages before that!
Also, the beginning part was a little forced (the setup for the scenario) and I wanted to slap the author for saying her original size 10 was a chunk. WTF, please do better at providing good protagonists for young ladies! This was not good for people with eating disorders! And the lead character was a little naive, which could be true but even I am not THAT naive.
All in all, a good read and glad I picked it up for free at my hotel ;)
Also, the beginning part was a little forced (the setup for the scenario) and I wanted to slap the author for saying her original size 10 was a chunk. WTF, please do better at providing good protagonists for young ladies! This was not good for people with eating disorders! And the lead character was a little naive, which could be true but even I am not THAT naive.
All in all, a good read and glad I picked it up for free at my hotel ;)
June 21, 2015
A modern take on Pygmalion, the Overnight Socialite is a fun, intelligent read especially if you're into glitz, glam and fashion. As a New Yorker who works in the fashion and beauty industries this book was right up my alley. One of the best chick lit books I've read in a while. My only issue was the ending...but then again, it leaves room for a sequel.
August 10, 2021
Pretty Cozza rivisita in chiave moderna la famosa commedia Pigmalione di Bernanrd Shaw. Rivisitazione a mio avviso simpatica e divertente. Peccato per il finale che risulta troppo affrettato e ambiguo proprio come la versione cinematografica di My Fair Lady.
Non avevo letto alcun libro di quest'autrice e forse non le avrei mai dato un'opportunità se non fossi rimasta affascinata dalla trama.
Trama che è chiaramente prevedibile sotto molti aspetti, almeno per quel che riguarda la storia di Lucy e Wyatt, ma l'autrice ha pensato bene di inserire ulteriori personaggi con le loro storie (pertanto il punto di vista si sposta continuamente tra essi, forse qualche lettore troverà la cosa un po' irritante).
L'inserimento di ulteriori storie è simpatico ma la trasformazione di Lucy ne ha risentito un po', infatti, è avvenuta un po' troppo repentinamente.
L'autrice offre un affresco di quella che dovrebbe essere la mentalità della gente che conta di New York (tutta apparenza e ipocrisia, dove l'unica cosa che vale sono il denaro e un cognome altisonante, dove il look è tutto e fare beneficenza è solo un modo per sponsorizzare la propria immagine).
Dico "dovrebbe" perché davvero non riesco a credere che esistano persone che vivono così (almeno lo spero!).
L'ambientazione è ai nostri giorni per cui non vi meravigliate se ritroverete personaggi del mondo della moda e dello spettacolo o riferimenti continui a marchi famosi.
Per quanto riguarda i personaggi forse avrebbero avuto bisogno di una caratterizzazione più approfondita perché le premesse c'erano davvero tutte. Wyatt è un ricco scapolo annoiato mentre Lucy Jo una ragazza dolce, un po' "in carne", provinciale con il sogno di diventare stilista.
E' un chick-lit leggero e veloce ma che offre anche qualche spunto di riflessione soprattutto per quel che riguarda la superficialità e l'ossessione per la celebrità (temi molto attuali).
Lettura da ombrellone!
Non avevo letto alcun libro di quest'autrice e forse non le avrei mai dato un'opportunità se non fossi rimasta affascinata dalla trama.
Trama che è chiaramente prevedibile sotto molti aspetti, almeno per quel che riguarda la storia di Lucy e Wyatt, ma l'autrice ha pensato bene di inserire ulteriori personaggi con le loro storie (pertanto il punto di vista si sposta continuamente tra essi, forse qualche lettore troverà la cosa un po' irritante).
L'inserimento di ulteriori storie è simpatico ma la trasformazione di Lucy ne ha risentito un po', infatti, è avvenuta un po' troppo repentinamente.
L'autrice offre un affresco di quella che dovrebbe essere la mentalità della gente che conta di New York (tutta apparenza e ipocrisia, dove l'unica cosa che vale sono il denaro e un cognome altisonante, dove il look è tutto e fare beneficenza è solo un modo per sponsorizzare la propria immagine).
Dico "dovrebbe" perché davvero non riesco a credere che esistano persone che vivono così (almeno lo spero!).
L'ambientazione è ai nostri giorni per cui non vi meravigliate se ritroverete personaggi del mondo della moda e dello spettacolo o riferimenti continui a marchi famosi.
Per quanto riguarda i personaggi forse avrebbero avuto bisogno di una caratterizzazione più approfondita perché le premesse c'erano davvero tutte. Wyatt è un ricco scapolo annoiato mentre Lucy Jo una ragazza dolce, un po' "in carne", provinciale con il sogno di diventare stilista.
E' un chick-lit leggero e veloce ma che offre anche qualche spunto di riflessione soprattutto per quel che riguarda la superficialità e l'ossessione per la celebrità (temi molto attuali).
Lettura da ombrellone!
April 19, 2024
Yeaaaah I had to DNF this about 40% in. The only reason I made it that far was because I hoped it would get better... It didn't. What drew me in was the concept of the book. It reminded me of the movie She's All That with Freddie Prince Jr., but with a fun twist! Who wouldn't want to hear about the wealthy living in Manhattan and fashion? Sounds like fun! However, it was not delivered.
The multiple POV's from the characters was poorly executed. There was no indication that you were going from one POV to another - it just happened and it made the dialogue so confusing. Not well organized. And some POV's weren't necessary. If the author stuck to Wyatt's and Lucy's and introduced characters from their viewpoints, it would've worked!
Also, the author added unnecessary details about the side characters that I did not care about. I understand the author was most likely trying to give us a taste of a wide variety of characters in this wealthy lifestyle, their environment and their relationships, but the writing was not there. Some small details would've been fine because the main focal point should've been Wyatt and Lucy.
The dynamic between Lucy and Wyatt didn't make sense that much either because the author didn't embellish any real connection between them. A closed off, critical guy and a small town girl with a big heart. Who hasn't heard of that already? Like c'mon. And once again, it could've been done better.
The story was there. It just wasn't executed well.
The multiple POV's from the characters was poorly executed. There was no indication that you were going from one POV to another - it just happened and it made the dialogue so confusing. Not well organized. And some POV's weren't necessary. If the author stuck to Wyatt's and Lucy's and introduced characters from their viewpoints, it would've worked!
Also, the author added unnecessary details about the side characters that I did not care about. I understand the author was most likely trying to give us a taste of a wide variety of characters in this wealthy lifestyle, their environment and their relationships, but the writing was not there. Some small details would've been fine because the main focal point should've been Wyatt and Lucy.
The dynamic between Lucy and Wyatt didn't make sense that much either because the author didn't embellish any real connection between them. A closed off, critical guy and a small town girl with a big heart. Who hasn't heard of that already? Like c'mon. And once again, it could've been done better.
The story was there. It just wasn't executed well.
December 13, 2023
very nostalgic as it reminds me of an early 2000s fashion obsessed girl just trying to make it in the b of city! americas next top model x project runway x how do i look x what not to wear. would’ve eaten this up if i was an adult back then as much as i did now.
it’s 4 months worth of multiple plots and povs (my absolute fav- it feels like a movie) but i think it’s timed well. especially wyatt and lucy jo being around each other all times of the day, him seeing her in her worst moments.
time flies when there’s a gala and shoot to go to- oh i just got invited to a showing let’s see if we can squeeze it in! a romance sure got squeezed in.
reminds me of crazy rich asians trilogy, but set in the early 2000s and of American high society and old money and fashion in NYC. and definitely more tame.
kinda bored with the ending for wyatt and lucy jo, and maybe the actual end of the book period. definitely felt like a “oh i’m not sure what to do here let’s just make it like a typical feel good romance movie here”
some parts of the book and specially in wyatt’s character and his actions towards lucy jo are off. like he knows her by now, why would he think she would accept that? of course he’s softened up due to being around her, but he definitely wasn’t himself in those moments.
oh my god and lucy jo’s mother. what the heck woman.
it’s 4 months worth of multiple plots and povs (my absolute fav- it feels like a movie) but i think it’s timed well. especially wyatt and lucy jo being around each other all times of the day, him seeing her in her worst moments.
time flies when there’s a gala and shoot to go to- oh i just got invited to a showing let’s see if we can squeeze it in! a romance sure got squeezed in.
reminds me of crazy rich asians trilogy, but set in the early 2000s and of American high society and old money and fashion in NYC. and definitely more tame.
kinda bored with the ending for wyatt and lucy jo, and maybe the actual end of the book period. definitely felt like a “oh i’m not sure what to do here let’s just make it like a typical feel good romance movie here”
some parts of the book and specially in wyatt’s character and his actions towards lucy jo are off. like he knows her by now, why would he think she would accept that? of course he’s softened up due to being around her, but he definitely wasn’t himself in those moments.
oh my god and lucy jo’s mother. what the heck woman.
July 14, 2018
Eigentlich war die Geschichte ganz süß, aber für mich hat sie irgendwie nicht so recht funktioniert. Lucy ist stellenweise sehr blass gewesen, Wyatt war am Anfang ein Idiot sondergleichen und obwohl er sich im Verlauf der Handlung schon verändert hat, fand ich ihn trotzdem immer noch leicht unsympathisch. Was mich auch sehr genervt hat, waren die vielen Sprünge in der Perspektive, die völlig wahllos gesetzt waren und teilweise nicht mal durch Umbrüche irgendwie angekündigt wurden. Der Schluss war mir dann auch zu abrupt. Schade eigentlich, denn ich finde gerade dieses Thema hat durchaus Potential.
April 7, 2020
This story was a fun escape. Even though I knew more or less what the plot would be (Pygmalion, or My Fair Lady for people like me who don't have all of Shakespeare memorized) I still found the characters engaging enough to want to watch them grow.
There were a few moments that haven't aged well (did everybody in the elite really have Blackberries in 2008?), there were more comments on the weight of women characters than I thought necessary (although most of is crowd is supposed to be pretty shallow so I guess that checks out), and the end felt just a bit rushed for some of the side plots, but overall it was a good time.
There were a few moments that haven't aged well (did everybody in the elite really have Blackberries in 2008?), there were more comments on the weight of women characters than I thought necessary (although most of is crowd is supposed to be pretty shallow so I guess that checks out), and the end felt just a bit rushed for some of the side plots, but overall it was a good time.
July 21, 2024
A retelling of Show's Pygmalion: again, why do we need retellings? Far worse than adaptations, prequels, sequels or spinoffs they are trite and unimaginative variations of the source materials. In this case, trying to fit the story into the New York context is unrealistic and the protagonists, Wyatt and Lucy Jo, are weak simulacres of prof. Higgins and Elisa Dolittle. The antagonist, Cornelia, is so exaggerated it becomes immediately a caricature. The whole thing reeks of banality and harlequinesque predictability. Do yourselves a favour and go back to Show, or at least to "My Fair Lady" and don't waste your time on this trash.
October 19, 2017
This book was a delight to read. It leads us into a world of opulence and privilege. Only the top 1% of society can ever live in this world but this book examines how easily a mid western girl can infiltrate the system with a little help from the inside. The story talks about how savage the fashion world can be and how catty the media can be. The only downside to the book was the ending. The book seemed to climax at the final chapter leaving us with a yearning for a longer story. What happens after the big show???
September 20, 2021
This was a fun story. Easy read. Not too crazy of a plot. I liked it. Wanted to know what happened to all the characters Would I pick it up and rad it again? No, I don't think so. But, I would classify it as a good beach read (though I read it at home and unfortunately not while on a beautiful beach).
July 25, 2022
Real Rating: 2.5
This was a Pygmalion retelling. That should be enough to tell you that I didn’t like it all too much :D I mean, nearing the end, it got a lot better. Like, A LOT, but still, the way this all played out and the fact that there was no definite ending and that there’s no sequel really took me out of it :D Can we please get a sequel :D I wanna see Lucy Jo and Wyatt make up.
This was a Pygmalion retelling. That should be enough to tell you that I didn’t like it all too much :D I mean, nearing the end, it got a lot better. Like, A LOT, but still, the way this all played out and the fact that there was no definite ending and that there’s no sequel really took me out of it :D Can we please get a sequel :D I wanna see Lucy Jo and Wyatt make up.
July 8, 2023
The story was cute. It was a different take on Pygmalion. The premise is okay, the details about the fashion world and the world of socialites was interesting. I don't know that there is much character development, but some of the characters definitely grow on you, such as Lucy, Eloise, Dottie. A couple of the minor characters show character growth. One example is Fernanda. She realizes she wants to be a better person and you see her changing as the book proceeds.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 1, 2024
My Fair Lady in unsere Zeit projiziert
Eine sehr nette Geschichte für zwischendurch. Lässt sich leicht lesen, ist aber keine hochtrabende Literatur. Also, wenn man mal nach einem etwas anstrengedem Buch, etwas lockeres lesen will ist man hier auf jedenfall gut mit bedient. Eine nette, vorrausschauende Liebesgeschichte....genau die richtige Urlaubslektüre.
Eine sehr nette Geschichte für zwischendurch. Lässt sich leicht lesen, ist aber keine hochtrabende Literatur. Also, wenn man mal nach einem etwas anstrengedem Buch, etwas lockeres lesen will ist man hier auf jedenfall gut mit bedient. Eine nette, vorrausschauende Liebesgeschichte....genau die richtige Urlaubslektüre.
August 21, 2024
Was given this book from my aunt so just picked it up and started reading! There were a few things that were outdated such as using a blackberry and using the term “socialite” since most would refer to that as an “influencer” now. Still really enjoyed reading this story every time I picked this book up it was an enjoyable read.
September 7, 2017
It's not just inspired by my fair lady - it IS my fair lady. Right down to the elocution scene. Solid writing, but I got bored when I realized it wasn't going to veer even a little bit from the original plot.
September 7, 2017
I'd give this 3.5 stars. It was definitely entertaining and funny, and the perfect book to read on vacation or unwind with. It was definitely a bit predictable and I really didn't like the abrupt ending. However, I'd recommend this book to people looking for a good beach read.
August 13, 2018
While not My Fair Lady, it was entertaining fluff. I was initially put off by the point of view jumping from person to person but, by the second half of the book it didn't bother me as much. I much prefer stories told from only one person's perspective.
June 15, 2019
Although, the idea of the plot seemed fun and enjoyable, as someone who spent their teenage years obsessing over Gossip Girl and is still a sucker for all things NYC highlife, i have to say - WOW what a major waste of time!
February 17, 2020
Cute and funny with great pacing, this recession-era Cinderella (Recessionderella?) story inspired by Pygmalion and My Fair Lady, has heroines who aren't banking on getting a rich husband, but rather on succeeding in their own lives. A fun read.
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