Because She Can

September 11, 2006
The not–Anna Wintour character in this much-hyped my-boss-is-famously-unpleasant roman à clef is not–Judith Regan—or, to be positive, is Vivian Grant of Grant Books, "the most hotheaded, ruthless woman" in publishing. She physically and verbally abuses her staff, is having an affair with a married New York City official (who dresses in drag) and has made a "fortune by producing tabloid-inspired blockbusters." And though up-and-coming literary fiction editor Claire Truman has heard all the gossip, she takes a job as an editor at Grant Books and quickly discovers Vivian lives up to her reputation as a foul-mouthed, über-demanding, tantrum-throwing tyrant. Claire tries to maintain some semblance of a life (she's engaged to dreamboat Randall Cox, who went from big man on campus to big man at Goldman Sachs, even though she's really in love with Luke Mayville, a sensitive writer/unrecognized genius), but vicious Vivian keeps her within spitting (and swearing) distance 27 hours a day. Clark, who worked at Regan Books, nails the dark side of the vulgar, spiteful boss archetype, and though the plot is as shopworn as the characters, those in the Page Six and Lloyd Grove set will appreciate this devilish read.

November 1, 2006
Iowa native Claire Truman is an editor in New York, fulfilling her lifelong dream. When her kindly mentor retires, an old college crush, the gorgeous Randall Cox, puts her in touch with cutting-edge editor Vivian Grant (supposedly based on notorious publishing diva Judith Regan, for whom debut author Clark once worked). Although warned of Vivian's legendary temper and mistreatment of employees, Claire sees the job as a steppingstone. But Vivian's insane demands and vicious rages soon exhaust Claireand she also tires of editing smutty ghostwritten books. Still, Claire is determined to stick it out, especially once she begins editing a fabulous book by Luke Mayville, her mentor's nephew. Even while her love life with Randall is running suspiciously smoothly, Claire can't ignore her underlying attraction to Luke. There are no surprises in this plot, and it would be nice if Claire were to find her backbone sooner, but Clark keeps things moving along. The real hook, however, is the likely publicity, and therefore interest, in this "Devil Wears Prada" for the book-publishing world.Lisa Davis-Craig, Canton P.L., MI

Copyright 2006 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2006
Clark, who once worked for publishing mogul Judith Regan, makes her debut in a devilishly funny companion piece to Lauren Weisberger's " Devil Wears Prada "(2003)" ," substituting the book business for the fashion industry. Claire Truman, who works for a top-tier New York publisher, is about to lose her beloved mentor to retirement. Then she runs into her old college crush, wealthy Randall Cox, who begins squiring her to all the trendiest restaurants in town and lands her a job interview with Vivian Grant, a highly successful publisher known for churning out best-sellers on porn, pulp, and politics. Things start promisingly, especially when Claire is given the go-ahead to sign up talented first novelist Luke Mayville, but Claire soon starts receiving midnight phone calls full of impossible demands from her imperious new boss. Faced with a soul-crushing workload and a marriage proposal from her too-good-to-be-true boyfriend, an overwhelmed Claire must suddenly make some life-altering decisions. This entertaining novel rises above its predictable plot and sometimes-flat characters on the strength of its humor--Vivian's vitriolic tantrums are laugh-out-loud funny.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2006, American Library Association.)