C
| Carrie Pilby | Catch a Rising Star | Celebutantes |
| Cents and Sensibility | Chasing Harry Winston | Choosing Sophie |
| Citizen Girl | Confessions of a Serial Dater | Consider Lily |
| Crossing the Line |
Carrie Pilby - Caren Lissner (2003)
As the book blurb says: “Carrie Pilby needs to find 10 things she loves. And do five things she fears . . . But first she has to leave her apartment.” Carrie doesn't fit in - she skipped three grades through school so had finished Harvard by age 19 - and prefers lying in bed in her apartment. It doesn't help that Carrie looks down on everyone with a lower IQ (which includes almost everyone in New York). The only person she sees regularly is her therapist, who comes up with a plan to get her interacting socially, including joining an organisation and going on a date. But Carrie goes about her mission in her own quirky way, picking a church to join so she can expose it as a cult, and turning to the personal ads for a date, picking Matt who is wanting to cheat on his fiancée.
6/10
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Catch a Rising Star - Tracey Bateman (2007)
Former daytime soapie star Tabby Brockman is sacked from her job in a bookstore after an incident with a rabbit costume. But it seems God does have a plan for her - she's getting the chance to return to her TV role on Legacy of Life: her character Felicia Fontaine isn't in fact dead but is emerging from a coma. But back on the set she finds her nemesis Rachel Savage is also joining the cast, the TV writer who killed her off still hates her and she's got to find a way to bond with her character's children. On the personal front, her mum has set her up with an unwanted boyfriend, who just won't leave her alone, and she's got a big crush on stage dad David - but Rachel already has her claws in him. It's book one in the Drama Queen series - more books centred on Tabby's flatmates Dancy (You Had Me at Good-bye) and Laini (That's Not Exactly Amore) follow.
6/10
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Celebutantes - Ruthanna Hopper and Amanda Goldberg (2008)
Probably my favourite Hollywood insiders' book so far. Lola was born into Hollywood royalty on Oscar night - her father is an award-winning director. But she has two main problems - she's an Actorholic getting over a devastating break with actor SMITH (Sexiest Man in the Hemisphere) and she's got Career Deficit Disorder - or no idea what to do with her life - a disorder very common with Adult Children Of in Hollywood. Meanwhile her best friend Kate, a very ambitious agent, is still trying to leap up the ladder while her best actress friend Cricket is still striving for her big break. Then upcoming fashion designer Julian, Lola's BGF (Best Gay Forever), appoints her as his Hollywood ambassador to get someone into his gowns for the Oscar red carpet. But her rival Adrienne Hunt is out to destroy her career and she has to deal with self-centred actresses like Olivia. With lots of celebrity bad behaviour and name-dropping.
7/10
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Cents and Sensibility - Maggie Alderson (2006)
Stella Fair, luxury reporter for a London newspaper, knows all about elite brands but somehow starts dating Jay Fisher, without realising the renowned playboy is the billionaire heir of an American banking group. Then her six-times married father Ham doesn't want her seeing Jay because he dislikes his family. Throw in some work problems alongside romantic tensions with a colleague and stepbrother, and Stella finds that money might make the world go round but it doesn't make the path to love any easier to tread - even in Prada wedges.
7/10
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Chasing Harry Winston - Lauren Weisberger (2008)
Emmy’s latest long-term relationship has just ended. Instead of Duncan popping the question, he’s run off with his personal trainer. Adriana only ever has flings and doesn’t have or need a job. But as she approaches 30, she’s beginning to think things need to change. So Emmy and Adriana make a pact - Emmy is to sleep with a man from every continent while Adriana is looking for one man to place a diamond ring on her finger within the year. Meanwhile their friend, the slightly neurotic book editor Leigh, is about to get engaged to her boyfriend, Russell, a real catch. So why has author Jesse Chapman got her all hot under the collar? If you have been hankering after some pure chick lit (and aren’t looking to scratch the surface too deep), this story about three friends trying to change their lives may be just as welcome as a four-carat diamond ring.
7/10
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Choosing Sophie - Leslie Carroll (2008)
Former burlesque dancer Venus de Marley (aka Olivia) finds out only by reading the New York Times obituaries that her estranged father has died. Leaving her fiancé in Colorado, she heads home for the funeral and discovers the eccentric millionaire has left her his beloved baseball team, the Bronx Cheers, as long as she “closes the circle”. Also attending the funeral is 20-year-old Sophie Ashe, who Olivia adopted out as a baby - she thinks that their bonding is what he meant by closing the circle. As Sophie moves in, Olivia fights a legal challenge, puts the players in a raspberry-coloured uniform and drafts some new talent. There's lots of baseball jargon but it helps pull you into the drama of a game. But it was a bit disconcerting to see that famous team sometimes referred to as Red Sock. Also suggest you skip the conclusion offered in the Extra Innings part of the book.
5/10
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Citizen Girl - Nicola Kraus and Emma McLaughlin (2004)
Recent graduate Girl has had a feminist upbringing and been taught to make a difference. After being fired from her non-profit job for standing up for her rights, she meets Guy at a networking event and he hires her to work for My Company. Her role is to attract Ms magazine into the company's net site. But Girl plans to use her place in corporate America to extract a huge donation for a woman's charity. One of the most panned chicklit books, it's in our Top 10 Most Disappointing.
4/10
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Confessions of a Serial Dater - Michelle Cunnah (2005)
Rosie is dumped by boyfriend Jonathan after she fights off his lecherous boss at a dinner dance. But the night is not completely lost because she also meets a gorgeous doctor, Dr Love, who saves her from a pair of crippling shoes. She thinks she's finally found her dream man when a chance encounter brings her into contact with the doctor again but Luke Benton has a secret past. Somehow Rosie ends up on a wedding table from hell to find she's slept with all the men present (like a female Hugh Grant from Four Weddings and a Funeral).
6/10
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Consider Lily - Anne Dayton and May Vanderbilt (2006)
Lily Traywich works in the children's wear section of her parents' department store. She's Christian, goes to Super Single Sundays, has never had a boyfriend and writes a fashion victim's blog. After a bad press report about a store fashion parade that she organised, Lily allows best friend and fashionista Reagan to make her over. Soon Lily is dressing in the latest fashions and is even dating. But is her new way of life causing her to lose hold of everything that matters?
6/10
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Crossing the Line - Lauren Baratz-Logsted (2004)
In the sequel to The Thin Pink Line, just as Jane reaches the end of her fake pregnancy, she finds a baby abandoned outside a church on Christmas Eve. She throws a New Year's Eve party for her family and friends to reveal all about her pregnancy and the new baby, who she christens Emma. As Jane makes plans to become Emma's foster parent, she befriends a black woman to help her learn about the baby's heritage. But then her book, the Cloth Baby, comes out and looks like spelling the end to her foster chances. The story then heads towards a too-predictable conclusion.
5/10