Thursday, July 7, 2011

Review - The Wedding Writer by Susan Schneider

TITLE:    The Wedding Writer
AUTHOR:    Susan Schneider
INFO:    Paperback, Fiction, 356 pages
PUBLISHED:   St. Martin's Griffin, 2011
SOURCE:   Received from Author for Review

FROM GOODREADS:  
  Four talented women, one glossy wedding magazine: life should be as perfect as a bridal catwalk… right?

Lucky Quinn writes up weddings for one of the hottest bridal magazines. And it wasn’t easy to get there. From humble beginnings, she outsmarted her way into the center of New York’s glamorous magazine industry – making up for her background with a sharp mind, whip-thin physique, and ceaseless ambition.

Then, in one day, her life is utterly transformed; two of the magazine’s major competitors fold, and Lucky is named Editor-in-Chief, replacing the formidable, but aging Grace Ralston, who had been at the magazine’s helm from day one. Grace taught Lucky everything she knows, but now it seems that she taught her too well…

As the ripples of Lucky’s promotion spread, the intricate lives of four women begin to unfold. Felice, Your Wedding’s elegant and unshakable Art Director is now being shaken for the first time by troubles at home. Sara, the Fashion Director, is famed for her eagle eye for fashion trends and exquisite hair. But, for all her know-how, “the Angel of Bridal” has never come close to starring in a wedding herself – she’s picked the dress, but where’s the groom? Grace, recovering in the wake of her sudden, humiliating fall from power, must learn to accept herself – and love – after a life dedicated to fulfilling other women’s dreams. And, through it all, Lucky begins to discover just how lonely the top really is.

MY TAKE:    The publicity blurb for this book grabbed my attention right away as it made me think of "The Devil Wears Prada".  I had really liked both the book and the movie so I hoped to be similarly entertained with The Wedding Writer.  I am pleased to say that I wasn't disappointed.  The author's obvious experience in this field shines through brilliantly in both the plot and the starring players.

The characters appeared to be right on target with some of the bitchy, backstabbing behaviour that you would expect from certain types of women.  I must admit to not caring at all for Lucky at various times throughout the story.  Though I did like how her tale comes almost full circle and she became a much more sympathetic character for me as the story ends.  All of the leading women had interesting storylines with similar, but slightly unique challenges and obstacles.  Of the four, I think Grace was easily my favorite.  Her issues with sudden unemployment, odd effects of stress on her body, an unexpected love and the strained relationship with her daughter help add a lot of depth to this page-turner.  I found myself really rooting for her and the hoped for outcome on all of her trials and tribulations.

Susan Schneider's writing style is very easy to read and flows smoothly from one lady's chapter to the next.  She is quite descriptive and draws you right into the story.  I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to others who like juicy stories with a bit of grit.  ~ I must say that it also made me glad that I'm not employed for this particular publication!
Out of 5 JEWELS, I give it:

Purchase a Copy HERE

 
Image and video hosting by TinyPic
 

~~~~~ Disclaimer:  All opinions expressed on this blog are 100% my own.  I do not receive monetary compensation for my reviews but do utilize affiliate links.  I may receive books in  order to facilitate a review, but this does not guarantee a good review - only a completely honest one.  Each review post denotes how I obtained the book.

1 comment:

Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us. Feel free to tell us what you think. (Please note that we have comment moderation turned on so we'll never miss a message from one of our readers.)