Pieces of Happily Ever After by Irene Zutell

Alice Hirsh is trying to adjust to life in the San Fernando Valley after living in New York. Judgmental and borderline unfriendly, Alice relies on her  family- Alex, a wonderful husband and father, working as an entertainment lawyer for the stars, and her precious daughter Gabby. But everything turns when Alex announces he needs a “break”- then Alice finds pictures of her husband cuddling with the hottest man-eating actress in Hollywood, also Alex’s newest client. Suddenly, she is on the verge of getting a divorce, and is having to deal with the demise while the paparazzi is stalking her and five year old Gabby asking all the hard questions.

Alice struggles to get through each day, trying to pick up the broken pieces around her. She finds friends with the most unexpected people- another mother who loves wearing Winnie-the-Pooh sweatshirts but can swear like a sailor and an ex porn star trying to make a better future for herself. Their friendships help support Alice through her mother’s declining health and a possible love interest- with a former paparazzo.

Pieces of Happily Ever After by Irene Zutell is a heartwarming tale of a very real situation and one women’s experience of trying to get her life back on track. I loved the spin with the fairy tale, seeing how Gabby’s love of fairy tales could relate to Alice’s life. The supporting cast really helped shape the novel, with just enough detail on each person’s lives. This is feel good reading material that shows no matter how much you lose, there is more you can gain to get your happily ever after.

 

 

The Infidelity Pact by Carrie Karasyov

Four friends living in L.A are bored with their family lives, especially their husbands. Ringleader Victoria schemes up the perfect plan for them: an infidelity pact. Each woman will have one year to have an affair, and the only people they will confide in will be each other. Though the other friends seem hesitant at first, it doesn’t take long for them to dive in to their new lives.

Victoria starts sleeping with her husband’s biggest nemesis, another agent who is always competing with Justin over clients and prestige. Eliza is following the pact reluctantly, knowing that her marriage to Declan isn’t perfect but still not wanting to be unfaithful. Until she sparks the flames with an old crush, Tyler, who also happens to be a huge movie star who is willing to give up his family life for Eliza. Helen jumps right into infidelity, sleeping with random men and even women. She was having doubts about her marriage anyways, thinking her husband Wesley was too old and boring for her, but staying together for their daughter. And LeeLee takes the pact seriously, planning to run away with her other lover, long time friend and Senator Jack Porter. Her husband Brad doesn’t care about her, and doesn’t support her financially like Jack could do for her. Splitting up the family would be difficult for her two daughters, but she was ready to think about herself.

At first, each of the friends are loving their new lives, feeling the freedom and exhilaration that comes from cheating. But each of their situations takes serious turns, and life decisions need to be made. After their secrets are found out and a possible murder is committed, the women begin to wonder if they made the right choices.

The Infidelity Pact by Carrie Karasyov gives a startling eye-opener to L.A’s own desperate housewives, and if you are wanting a behind the scenes the look of the steamy lives of the wealthy elite, look no further. Each woman offers her own unique problems with her marriage and family life, and once situations take dangerous turns, the book becomes even more irresistible to put down.

All Eyes on Her by Poonam Sharma

Monica Gupta is an ambitious junior associate at the elite Steel law firm, trying to work her way up the ladder despite a bitter rival in the office. She works with Hollywood celebrities, representing them as they brave the tricky world of divorce along with the public and tabloids capturing their every move. Her newest clients, Cameron and Lydia, are proving to be a tough couple, keeping Monica more and more distracted from her own crumbling love life. Fiancé Raj won’t speak to her, and jetted off to the other side of the Pond while continuing to ignore her calls and emails. To top everything off, her irresistible ex-boyfriend is requesting Monica’s help representing his own divorce, causing more confusion for Monica about what she really wants.

All Eyes on Her by Poonam Sharma is a page turner until the end, keeping readers wondering how Monica’s love life will play out. The mix of celebrities and an “average” character fits together nicely, giving chick lit readers a taste of the Hollywood hoopla. The only problem I had with this book is that the plot seemed to jump around too much. I found myself confused when story lines would end abruptly, or not enough information was given on a character. Because the main character was written so well and I felt I could really connect with her, I was able to stay interested and intrigued throughout the entire novel, wondering who Monica would eventually end up with.  Look for All Eyes on Her to be overall charming- bringing you laughs and making you think.

Secrets of the Hollywood Girls Club by Maggie Marr

Secrets of the Hollywood Girls Club is an extreme eye opener of what the Hollywood scene is all about. Narrator and leading publicist Kiki Dee leads us through the lives of four friends trying to stay on top of their Hollywood game. Actress Celeste Solange is trying desperately to maintain her youthful face, even when it means going under the knife. But the real fact she is trying to hide is her kinky sex tape made with ex husband before it is leaked to the internet and her devoted fans find out she isn’t as sweet and innocent as her persona seems- and before her husband and Worldwide Pictures exec Ted Robinoff realizes it exists. Mary Anne Meyers, the naive screenwriter from Minnesota, is attempting to begin a relationship with the delicious actor Holden Humphrey, but him being forced to act opposite is mentally unstable ex-girlfriend is causing cracks in the blossoming relationship. Lydia Albright, producer and new president to Worldwide Pictures knows about Celeste’s sex tape and how important it is to keep the secret, ensuring the longevity of Celeste’s career and the multimillion dollars her company has invested in the actress. And agent Jessica Caulfield-Fox is trying to help all her friends avoid a scandal, all while trying to juggle her new role as producer/manager/wife/mother.

The four friends stick together, but end up putting all their careers on the line to try to keep the sex tape under wraps. But publicist Kiki Dee has just stumbled upon a very large secret, something so huge, so extreme, that it would throw all of Hollywood into a tailspin. But can she prove it? And can the friends manage to keep their secrets, careers, and personal lives in check throughout the whole ordeal?

Secrets of the Hollywood Girls Club by Maggie Marr will keep anyone on their toes, constantly flipping pages in hopes of uncovering all the dirty secrets the power players of Hollywood keep. If you love the celebrity world, this book is a must for your list!

Star by Pamela Anderson

Anyone who enjoys anything about celebrities and the Hollywood gossip will need to put Star on their list of must-reads. And the surprising author? None other than famous, shameless, yet loveable Pamela Anderson. Star is undoubtedly based off of Anderson’s real life- being discovered in a tight t-shirt at a football game, appearing on covers of men’s magazines, donning a tiny one piece in a TV show about lifeguards-but what I really enjoyed about this book is that it is not all fact. There is fiction written, and as a reader we can try to guess what is real life and what is not.

The scenarios that we read are sexy, humorous, compelling, and jaw dropping. Jaw dropping to say the least. Sex, drugs, and more sex including group orgies at what may or may not be the Playboy Mansion fill the pages of this steamy debut novel from Pamela Anderson. The writing is surprisingly witty and believable, and the cliff hanger at the end makes us excited for the follow up. This memorable book will make you think, will make you cringe, but best of all will make you laugh, as you can’t help but fall in love with the somehow believable heroine.

The Truth About Diamonds by Nicole Richie

The Truth About Diamonds by Nicole Richie (Hollywood socialite, in case you were unaware), is a sort of memoir on her own life. After seeing what BFF Paris Hilton could do with a book deal, I can’t say I was real excited to crack this one open. But I have always been a fan of Nicole, so I thought I would give her a shot.

You follow Chloe, the main character that is based off Nicole’s life. She leads you through all her downfalls, the drugs she was on, entering rehab at a young age, a parent’s messy divorce, and the ups and downs with Simone, another rich socialite who is Chloe’s BFF (eh em, Paris Hilton). I felt my heart tug at a few chapters (surprising me) really feeling and believing the characters as I watched their lives play out. Each and every supporting and small character came alive with vigor and I felt as though I could be transported into the ‘famous for being famous’ life.

This book was written while Riche and Hilton were going through their now quite famous feud, and Riche goes all out on trashing Simone (who is clearly based upon Hilton). As the novel takes us through the years, we realize how evil and manipulative Simone can be, trying to take as much of the spotlight away from her gal pal to put her on top, even all throughout the girls’ reality show (The Simple Life).

Though the writing wasn’t completely stellar, I think it showed how much effort Nicole Richie actually put into writing this chick lit novel, and not wanting to have a ghostwriter. Some of the language perplexed me, and more than once was I confused at where the plot was going, but a strong finish kept me thinking about the characters and their lives even after I turned the last page.