Ladies' Night

Starred review from May 6, 2013
Grace Stanton’s elegant lifestyle blog, Gracenotes, has grown into a lucrative business, thanks to her popular recipes and decorating and craft ideas, in Andrews’s latest (after Spring Fever). But when she discovers that her husband and her assistant are having an affair, her life and career both collapse in a moment. Moving back in with her mother, Grace fights her husband, who’s intent on betraying her further by locking her out of their house and seizing their bank accounts, taking control of Gracenotes, and sabotaging her online reputation. His bad behavior is aided and abetted by notorious woman-hating judge Stackpole, who does nothing to defend Grace and sends her to a divorce recovery group run by a hapless counselor. Grace quickly builds friendships with the members of her recovery group—and begins a romance with the sole male attendee. She also investigates the curious behavior of the judge and her counselor, and starts a new blog to document her stylish restoration of a Florida cottage. Bestseller Andrews is at the top of her game, delivering a smart, funny perfect-for-summer read with a hopeful heart. Agent: Stuart Krichevsky, the Stuart Krichevsky Literary Agency.

May 15, 2013
Andrews (Spring Fever, 2012, etc.) presents a delightful novel about love, revenge and more love. Lifestyle blogger Grace Davenport Stanton is required to attend divorce group counseling sessions after driving her husband's expensive Audi into their swimming pool in a fit of rage. But who can blame her for acting out? Worried about her husband's whereabouts, Grace discovers Ben and her very nude and much younger assistant, J'Aimee, in a compromising position in the front seat of the car. After her tirade, Grace finds herself living in her mother Rochelle's apartment above the family-owned bar; attending divorce counseling sessions mandated by Judge Cedric Stackpole; and, thanks to Ben, unable to access her blog and bank accounts. Forced to begin anew, Grace creates another blog, kicks into high gear taking on a renovation project, which she shares with her readers, and rescues an abandoned dog. She also bonds with fellow members of the divorce group over drinks at the bar, where they share their stories: Camryn, the take-no-prisoners television reporter; Ashleigh, the self-absorbed second wife of a plastic surgeon; Suzanne, a quiet and secretive teacher; and Wyatt, the only male of the group, who has a young son, an aging parent and a dying business to care for. While Grace and Camryn investigate their suspicions about the court-ordered sessions and their group facilitator, she and Wyatt become involved in a sometimes-rocky romance. The main characters are challenged by several misunderstandings, a couple of near-disasters and loads of obstacles. The author provides a wonderful blend of action, repartee and offbeat characters in a just-plain-fun story. Humorous and witty and as entertaining as a good night out.

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May 15, 2013

Grace Stanton runs such a successful lifestyle blog that her husband, Ben, quit his job and works with her. When Ben cheats on her, Grace drives his car into the swimming pool. Now she is living above her mother's Florida bar, the Sandbox, and attending a court-assigned therapy group. But instead of therapy, Grace and the other women end up at "Ladies Night" at the Sandbox, discussing the therapist who seems to have her own problems. Even as Grace finds a little house to fix up, and a man with his own marriage problems, she can't escape the mess she left behind. VERDICT Set on Florida's Gulf Coast, featuring sunsets and walks by the water, Andrews's latest beach read (after Spring Fever) will have great appeal for readers who enjoy stories of women rebuilding their lives, with the support of other women. Add in a dog, a sweet little boy, hilarious stories of women getting revenge, and romance, and it's a vacation escape. [See Prepub Alert, 11/30/12; 250,000-copy first printing; national tour.]--Lesa Holstine, Evansville Vanderburgh P.L., IN

Copyright 2013 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2013
Grace Stanton, a former interior designer now turned lifestyle blogger, seems happy with the way her life has evolved and with the small company she has built. Until she finds her husband cheating on her with her own personal assistant. Not fully equipped to handle such a devastating encounter, Grace does what any other startled, betrayed wife would do: she drives her despicable husband's car into a pool. After that episode, Grace is forced to attend therapy sessions for divorc'es, where she meets other angry marital misfits. She also moves in with her mother. Just when she feels she's reached a new low, Grace invites the misfits to her mother's beach bar, the Sandbox, where they begin hosting their Ladies' Night sessions, plotting revenge on those who have hurt them but also learning how to move on and finally reach happiness again. As Mary Kay Andrews, the Atlanta-based writer Kathy Hogan Trocheck has been providing readers with romantic beach reads for many years, and her newest novel offers another engaging and satisfying tale of life, loss, and love.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)