A Perfect Heritage

Starred review from May 1, 2015

Vincenzi's novels are formulaic and the ending can usually be predicted halfway through--but this does not take away from the satisfaction of her stories. Her newest (after Another Woman and Forbidden Places) doesn't disappoint. The House of Farrell, a failing cosmetics company established in 1953 by a young couple, Athina and Cornelius Farrell, is the centerpiece around which all the characters revolve. Bianca Bailey, a financial whiz, is hired to turn the business around and bring the brand into the 21st century. Her nemesis is, surprisingly, Athina, the matriarch who doesn't approve of these modern ideas and is trying to hold onto her power. Through Bianca, the reader is introduced to a slew of entertaining characters (a list of them at the beginning of the book helps with any confusion). Vincenzi touches upon many current topics: infidelity, family strife, working women, bullying, and trying to have it all. Superbly blending the past with the present, the author not only writes a truly solid soap opera but takes an in-depth look at the world of cosmetics, advertising, and business. VERDICT Fans of Vincenzi will welcome this novel, a perfect summer read.--Marianne Fitzgerald, Severna Park H.S., MD

Copyright 2015 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2015
A revered skin care doyenne battles a private equity turnaround team in Vincenzi's latest (More Than You Know, 2012, etc.). Athina Farrell founded the House of Farrell cosmetics firm with her handsome husband, Cornelius, in 1953, the year of Queen Elizabeth's coronation. Now, as the queen's diamond jubilee approaches, the venture capitalists who have taken over Farrell's have installed Bianca, a high-powered turnaround artist, as CEO, charged with the Sisyphean task of revitalizing the near-bankrupt firm. Athina, now 85 and widowed, had no choice but to allow the buyout, but having negotiated 51 percent of the stock for herself and her two children, Bertram and Caroline, she hopes the family can retain control of the company. Since her superannuated lawyers didn't build voting rights into the mix, this may be more of a challenge than Athina anticipated, but she has an ace up her well-tailored sleeve: a recipe for a blockbuster perfume. As is typical with Vincenzi's novels, this premise brings together myriad characters (the Character List at the beginning is indispensable) and subplots. Bianca, who has depended on her staid banker husband, Patrick, to do the heavy domestic lifting as she toils 24/7, has her world upended when he enters the all-consuming field of hedge fund analysis. With both parents thus preoccupied, preteen daughter Milly endures vicious bullying at private school; her anguish is noticed but not addressed. Florence, a longtime Farrell's retainer who manages a tiny but opulent store frequented by London's glitterati, has a secret: she and Cornelius carried on an affair for years. Why did Athina withhold her perfume formula for decades? All part of the matriarch's plan to sabotage the CEO, Bianca thinks. After about 400 pages, the multiple plotlines begin to pay off. While many readers may find this fictionalized case history of a company in crisis absorbing, others, particularly those seeking an escape from long-winded meetings and office politics, may not. A workplace drama that often feels too much like work.

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June 1, 2015
Bianca Bailey should be used to the meteoric highs and crushing lows that come with her high-powered career, but each new job manages to surprise her in different ways. Hired by a venture capital firm to help pull a once-thriving skin care company out of the red, Bianca is surprised to find such resistance from the company's founder and matriarch, Lady Farrell. Determined to bring House of Farrell into the twenty-first century by developing innovative products while honoring the company's rich history, Bianca quickly realizes that a complete company overhaul is necessary. Between navigating company politics, Farrell's undermining, and her own family drama, Bianca's never had to fight so hard for good results. A Perfect Heritage is an ensemble novel, combining the perspectives of the Farrell family, company underlings, near-retired board members, and assorted family members all affected by the changes at House of Farrell. Vincenzi uses clashing egos, raw ambition, and layers of intrigue to build a sweeping, immersive novel, far from a dry compilation of meeting minutes. Fans of Mary Kay Andrews and Vincenzi's other work will enjoy this engaging beach read.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)