I have no idea which lovely publicist at Harper Collins sent me a surprise copy of The Wives by Laura Weisberger in return for an honest review but I’m very glad they did and would like to thank them anyway!

Published on 12th July 2018, The Wives is available for purchase through these links.

The Wives

*Published in the USA as When Life Gives You Lululemons*

He set her up. They’ll bring him down.

Emily Charlton does not do the suburbs. A successful stylist and image consultant to Hollywood stars, she cut her teeth as assistant to legendary fashion editor Miranda Priestly in New York. But with Snapchatting millennials stealing her clients, Emily needs to get back in the game – and fast.

She holes up at the home of her oldest friend Miriam in the upscale suburb of Greenwich. And when Miriam’s friend, model Karolina Hartwell, is publicly dumped by her husband Graham, a senator with presidential ambitions, Emily scents the client of a lifetime.

It’s not just Karolina’s reputation that’s ruined. It’s her family. And Miriam and Emily are determined he won’t get away with it. First they’ll get Karolina’s son back. Then they’ll help her get her own back. Because the wives are mad as hell . . .

My Review of The Wives

Emily Charlton’s stay with friend Miriam will bring her into contact with disgraced Karolina.

The Wives is a hugely fun and entertaining summer read. The plot with its triumvirate of women and errant men is entirely predictable, but actually that’s what I enjoyed. I wasn’t intellectually challenged or emotionally wrecked by reading The Wives but I did find it smashing escapism, I had fun reading it and found it funny and engaging.

Emily takes centre stage and I loved her sarcastic comments and approach. I think there’s a little bit of Emily that we’d all like to have in us. Ironically, given that she is the catalyst for most of the action, Karolina felt the least knowable of the three women to me and consequently I found her the most intriguing. Miriam is the perfect foil for both Karolina and Emily as she occupies the middle ground in all aspects.

I was aghast at the portrayal of society in the suburbs because it was so vivid an image of superficiality, with women spending their days entirely shopping, working out or trying to catch out their husbands. At times The Wives felt possibly quite misandric which I found slightly disturbing and scarily fascinating. It was so far removed from my own experiences that reading it was a bit like I was watching something awful that I could hardly bear but couldn’t tear my eyes from. Again, this made for real entertainment and enjoyment in the read.

I really liked Lauren Weisberger’s sassy style too. I found the dialogue natural and the chapter headings amusing and occasionally quite shocking! So too are some of the events which again add to the gloriously escapist elements of this book.

The Wives is acerbic, witty and an ideal escapist read for packing in your suitcase. Great fun and I really enjoyed it.

About Lauren Weisberger

Lauren Weisberger is the author of The Devil Wears Prada, which spent more than a year on the New York Times hardcover and paperback bestseller lists. The film version starring Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway won a Golden Globe Award and grossed over $300 million worldwide. Her other novels have also been bestsellers. She lives in New York City with her family.

You can find out more by following Lauren on Twitter @LWeisberger and visiting her website. You’ll also find her on Facebook.