Chasing Harry Winston: A Novel by Lauren Weisberger
|
List Price: Our Price: $0.01 You Save: $25.94 (100%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of Chasing Harry Winston: A Novel
Book Review: Another Goody
Summary: 4 Stars
We've explored the workings of a fashion magazine and learned a bit about public relations, now get ready for a 180 because this time around, because the newest Lauren Weisberger title Chasing Harry Winston is nothing like its older siblings.
This story follows three friends Leigh, Adrianna and Emmy, all best friends, and all in dire need of a MAJOR life change! Each is very unsatisfied with the current state of their love lives and as they chat over dinner one night, they decide it is time for them all to stop just going with the flow and rewrite their futures. Each has a year and a major resolution to stick to. Will they make it through or lose steam quicker then they came up with the idea?
Leigh is a successful editor at the publishing firm of Brook Harris and has recently been assigned her biggest assignment to date. She will be the editor of genius author Jesse Chapman's newest book! This is a big responsibility for a junior editor, but Jesse has asked for her specifically, after hearing her take on his previous titles. Outside the office Leigh has a very trying relationship with famous sports anchor Russell. Everything should be awesome but, for some reason Leigh does not feel anything remotely romantic kind of love when it comes to him. She keeps hoping the feelings will take root, but time is starting to run out.
Adrianna, daughter of a famous model, can have any man she wants. Her stunning looks and her mastery of men (thanks to her mothers teachings) she has had many a suitor. None of them, however, has ever turned into a full blown relationship. It's always been that she pays attention for purely lustful and conquering reasons. So, Leigh and Emmy challenge her to have a full blown monogamous relationship with someone, which seems easy in theory, but not so much in practice
Emmy is in love, for five years she been dating Duncan, who she thinks is the perfect man for her. They have been together five years and she is waiting in anticipation for that meaningful piece of bling that will make her dreams come true. So, when Duncan drops the bomb that their not only breaking up, but he is leaving her for his twenty-two year old personal trainer, she is furious. Needless to say Emmy is devastated and at a complete loss for what to do next. So, her resolution the other two decide is to treat her love life more like Adrianna and not obsess that every man she comes in contact with could be the "one".
The same insight that Lauren has became famous for with her books is throughout this novel, though in different packaging so to speak. The story is a little long and frustrating in places, but definitely worth reading.
4 out of 5
[...]
Book Review: Girls on the town!
Summary: 4 Stars
Adriana is about to turn thirty and even though she is the daughter of a gorgeous Brazilian supermodel, she worries that maybe her looks might not keep in the lifestyle she is used to. Her mother reminds it is not only looks but her feminine wiles that will help her find the right man. Adriana has no problem finding the right man, the right man for that night. And her parents are getting less and less amiable about her living rent free in their New York penthouse and spending their money.
Her best friend Leigh is paired with the perfect man, Russell. Not only is he the host of a top ESPN show, he is understanding, remembers anniversaries, and wants to marry her. Both their families are thrilled. Leigh is hoping the stress of her editor's job at a big publishing house and the additional stress of taking Jesse Chapman, past Pulitzer Prize winner is the reason behind her reluctance to commit to wedding plans.
Best friend Emmy would love to have Leigh's "problems". After bring unceremoniously dumped by live in boyfriend, Duncan, she is awash with misery. After all, what is so bad about wanting to get married and start a family? Why does every man she mentions it to suddenly remember a previous commitment and high tail it out of there? She passed on a job scouting out restaurants for Chef Massey, the hottest thing in the food universe for Duncan. And now, all she has is a horrid parrot, Otis as a roommate.
The Emmy and Adraina realize their lives aren't going as planned, and decide a complete shakeup is needed. Each makes a commitment to try a lifestyle that propels her in a different direction than the path they're currently on. Leigh makes no such promise; her friends don't even know how conflicted she is about the wedding. They should be worried about losing all they have access to the right parties, great clothes, careers.....they want to be happy and maybe this is their chance.
Laauren Weisberger is back with another hard to put down book about fabulous singletons. Not quite as good as Devil Wears Prada but a fun read.
Book Review: 40 YO male hated to love this book.
Summary: 4 Stars
There I am stranded in O'Haire Airport looking for something to read, having loved the movie Devil Wears Prada I saw the cover and decided to give it a try. Sitting on the floor waiting for the plane I started reading and was hooked from the beginning.
Let me say I have never read a single line of "Chick Lit" before. I found this book has a real perspective that I have not seen or heard before, The 30 year old woman worried about getting older and being alone. The characters are great and DAMN if I could just get a look at Adriana and see what she looks like. By the end of the book I wanted to google her.
Sure you might be able to smell some plot points coming, but the payoff is in the heart of the plot point and the detailed world Mrs (or is it Miss) Weisberger creates in the head of these characters. As a male reader I found myself going "Oh so that's what they are thinking." You chicks are complicated and although it's doesn't un-complicate women it might make a male understand what rattles around in their heads.
The phrase "Chick Lit" to me represented a bubble gum style book, what I mean by that is that once done with the book the flavor is gone with no substance. That is not true of this book. There are heart felt relationships, women who actually like "sex" and a search for your true self.
There is an incredible scene towards the end of the book where Leigh, naked, Looks at herself in the mirror after a life changing event and doesn't regret it only to have that regret seep in to both the reader and Leigh's heart.
The only fair comparison to Sex and the City is that there is a small group of women that are friends in New York. SatC covered the search for meaningful relationships. CHW starts out the same way, but subtly shifts to the search for ones self. There is more to this book than meets the eye. It's not only about learning to love other people, It's about making hard choices to eventually love yourself.
Guys might even find what goes on in women's head illuminating and the Parrot might be the greatest scene stealer!
Book Review: another fantastic read by lauren weisberger
Summary: 4 Stars
Very Sex And The City esque... although the book got off to a bit of a slow start, i found myself totally absorbed not only with the 3 main characters, but with the peripheral characters, as well. once again, lauren weisberger is hilarious and i laughed outloud quite a few times. especially regarding "Otis." lol
my only complaint, albeit minor, is the way the author would reach a crescendo on a story point and the next paragraph, which you assume would continue, does not. it skips to another character, at a different point in time, and then she would go back to that previous, pivotal point via flashback at a later time in the book. i got used to this, and thinking back, i believe she wrote "the devil wears prada" in a similar style (but not "everyone worth knowing") however, i found it a little tedious at times as it was always at a paramount place in the story and it takes you a moment to clue-in that she's moved on and you'll have to find out later how that specific situation turned out. if not for the overuse and curious placement of flashbacks, i would have probably rated it 5 stars but i did find that a bit jarring at times. it interrupted the natural flow of the book. it was almost written as a screenplay for movie and you could feel someone saying "cut" and flashing to a different scene in a movie... but for a book, i felt it was unnecessary and overused.
other than that, if you like Sex And The City, you will most certainly adore this book. it's a perfect beach read... i just wish it had been a bit longer.
happy reading! :)
Book Review: Chasing their Dream
Summary: 4 Stars
Here is the story of three young NYC women (think Sex in the City) all with different points of view but all bonded by college friendships. Adriana, Leigh and Emmy are approaching 30 and feel that they're running out of time to do all they want and still have time left for the proverbial marriage and family. The girls get together and make a pact among themselves that within a year each will do something that is entirely opposite their own personal lifestyles. Emmy will shed the "embarrassing" reputation of only a few loves and fall in and out of relationships without looking back as Adriana has and in turn Adriana will try to adjust her lifestyle to committing to only one man and at the end of the year, it will be determined which girl has truly lived up to the challenge of changing her personal lifestyle. Leigh has to make good on a life change as well and is in search of admitting to herself that she is not the recipient of the "perfect" love that everyone has believed she has found in her sportscaster fiancé, Russell. The story has its moments of absolute hilarity and also some very serious reality checks that most women experience as they move from their carefree 20's into their more responsible 30's. It is a book that will entice the reader to keep reading. I have to agree with some previous reviewers that the ending was somewhat flat, however, on a whole; "Chasing Harry Winston" is a very relaxing and entertaining way to spend a lazy afternoon.