Everyone Worth Knowing

August 22, 2005
A 27-year-old New York banker quits her job and finds work at a posh PR agency, trading her navy pantsuits for low-slung jeans and skimpy tops so she can hang out with the beautiful people at "in" places like Bungalow 8 (though first she has to find out what Bungalow 8 is
). Weisberger's bestselling The Devil Wears Prada
hinged on a similar fish-out-of-water scenario, and while it may have worked then, this time around it feels like a rehash. Bette Robinson begins as a likable enough character, but it isn't long before Weisberger's caricature of her becomes frustrating: Bette is surprisingly successful at her new job, even as she's constantly complaining about "the ridiculousness of what we were doing"—i.e., orchestrating Manhattan social events in such a way that the agency's clients look good in gossip columns. Bette's personal life gets equally ridiculous treatment, as she enters into a "just for looks" and very public relationship with a British heartthrob who's really gay, as her friends and family (and the guy she really likes) look on in horror. The book occasionally entertains—as when it makes jabs at the very critics who panned DWP
—but not nearly often enough. Agent, Deborah Schneider at Gelfman Schneider
. 400,000 first printing
.

September 15, 2005
Who wouldn't want a job that allows one to party for a living? That's just what Bettina "Bette" Robinson has. When she quits working at an investment bank, her uncle, a well-connected columnist, hooks her up with "the "hot PR firm, Kelly & Company. For Bette, a style-challenged, romance novel -obsessed daughter of hippies, the high-stakes world of celebrity takes a little getting used to -especially once she is catapulted into the arms of one of New York's most eligible bachelors and finds her every move splashed about in an infamous gossip column. Her new catch doesn't interest her as much as the hunky nightclub bouncer, Sammy, yet she must keep up the ruse for appearances. When her hectic schedule and the vicious rumors end up upsetting friends and family, Bette must decide if the charmed life is worth her self-respect. Despite the overabundant name- and brand-dropping, this is a solid sophomore novel from Weisberger ("The Devil Wears Prada"), who gives us a smart, complex character to root for in Bette. Recommended for public libraries. [See Prepub Alert, "LJ" 6/15/05.] -Misha Stone, Seattle P.L.

Copyright 2005 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2005
Weisberger, the infamous former " Vogue" employee and best-selling author of " The Devil Wears Prada "(2003), returns to the chick-lit arena with her latest novel. Here, Weisberger introduces Bette Robinson, a twentysomething Manhattan investment banker who is tiring of the 80-hour weeks required to maintain her career. Impulsively, Bette quits her job and then languishes for a few months with no real interests or ideas (or apparently worries about income). By chance, she meets the head of Manhattan's hottest PR firm and quickly snags a flashy job as a manager for celebrity and socialite parties and events. Bette easily adjusts to this lifestyle and soon finds that she is palling around with celebs, dating a rascally playboy, and garnering mentions in various gossip columns. Not surprisingly, she'll have to come back down to earth to realize that she nearly blew it with the one decent guy in her life. Packed with celebrity mentions and insider takes on exclusive Manhattan nightspots, this novel will captivate Weisberger's fans, who are sure to enjoy the dishy, if expansive, details.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2005, American Library Association.)