SOLVED. Chicklit set in NYC about a single mother who works in the fashion industry [s]

[theinfinitemonkey]

The book is about a single mother with an eccentric daughter (~5 yrs) named Starr. They have some ugly cat that Starr adopted. They live in a working class borough of NYC - like Queens or Bronx or Brooklyn. She lives with Grandparents but during the book (view spoiler)[ her Grandma dies (hide spoiler)]. That event uncovers a whole side story about her Grandfather's first love and their tenants (they live in a brownstone or something like that). I believe her family is Italian. Their neighbours are Irish, and one of the sons is her best friend from childhood. At one point, the youngest son (still in high school) kisses the main character (view spoiler)[ but it turns out he's gay and trying to figure out his sexuality. He thinks the main character must be a lesbian as she's been alone for so long. (hide spoiler)] Her best friend and his younger brother have a minor fight when he sees him kiss her. Her childhood best friend is married to her other best friend that she met in high school. All three became best friends, and the other girl had some kind of tragic past (abusiveish father?) and her childhood best friend (Irish boy next door... sorry I can't remember any character names which I know is making this description confusing) takes care of her and eventually they enter into a relationship. When the book starts, they are having marital problems. (view spoiler)[ It comes out that the main character and her childhood best friend had sex once when he was temporarily broken up with their other best friend, when she was his girlfriend. The main character confesses this to her female best friend during a fight. The irish best friend really loves Starr and is a potential father. (hide spoiler)] The other potential father is an older man that the main character used to live with in NYC. (view spoiler)[ She was never allowed to pick up his phone but once did, and a child was on the line. Turns out he was married and had a kid back in London. She moved out, and afterwards found out about her pregnancy. (hide spoiler)] In a toy store, she meets a man that says her daughter looks very familiar. Turns out he's the half brother of her ex. he's very nice, they start dating and he wants her to move to London with him so he can be a father to Starr and right his brother's wrongs. (view spoiler)[ Main character decides to find out who the father is turns out it's her ex. She still ends up with her best friend though. (hide spoiler)]

A side story is her sister, who was always kind of snobby and better than their circumstances growing up (sort of like the Grandma) comes back home (can't remember if she had a kid or not) when her marriage to a wealthy man falls apart. The two sisters become closer and understanding of each other throughout the book.

The main character works in fashion, but I don't know what exactly. I remember that she admired her boss. but always wondered how she was with her gross/skeezy husband. On the side she makes the bridesmaid dresses for a wedding, which brings her closer to the tenants which helps unearth the whole grandparents side story. (view spoiler)[ at the end, her best friend's mother (the realtor) gets a her a store to open up her own shop. (hide spoiler)]

I read this book a few years ago, it seemed to be contemporary (set in the 2000s).

Fell free to ask me any questions for further clarification, I realise this was kind of a confusing description.

[SparksofEmber]

Eeee! I think I found it for you! Hanging by a Thread by Karen Templeton.

A reviewer on Amazon says: Ellie works a dead end job in fashion dreaming of a more glamorous life. Not so far away from her job in Manhattan she has a 5 year old daughter, Starr and a grandfather who she affectionally calls Leo whom she lives with in Queens. Ellie works hard and her life isn't all that complicated until the life she settled for starts giving her complications. Her two best friends Luke and Tina begin to have marital problems. Ellie's worst fear is realized when someone she's close to dies and she gets to the bottom of some old family secrets. Ellie is put in some not so shining positions in this book such as she's in love with a married man, there's some question as to the paternity of her daughter, but her razor sharp wit and good heart help her through.

[theinfinitemonkey]

Ladysaotome wrote: "Eeee! I think I found it for you! Hanging by a Thread by Karen Templeton.

A reviewer on Amazon says: Ellie works a dead end job in fashion dreaming of a more..."

omg yes you have!! I have been looking for this forever, so thank you so much :D I don't know what magical google powers you possess but all I can say is that I'm glad you're using it for good ;)

[theinfinitemonkey]

Should I put this in Adult fiction? Or should Chicklit go into the other - solved section? Sorry, new to the group so a bit unsure.

[SparksofEmber]

I would bet Adult fiction should be fine.

And it took several searches but the magic words were "site:amazon.com lives in queens daughter starr best friend's married"

[Kris]

Yes, only Google for good. :)