Thank you to Simon & Schuster for providing me with a copy of Lauren Weisberger's novel, When Life Gives You Lululemons, in exchange for an honest review.
PLOT- Emily Charlton has left her job as Miranda Priestly's assistant and is making a name for herself in Hollywood, working as an image consultant. When she loses a few high-profile clients to a much younger ( and trendier) competitor, Emily heads to the suburbs of Connecticut to take refuge in the home of her dearest friend, Miriam. Miriam's life as a suburban mom is completely different from Emily's fast-paced lifestyle. While in Connecticut, Emily gets a career lead, when Miriam's friend Karolina, a former super-model and wife to a Senator, becomes involved in a front-page scandal. Emily soon realizes that Karolina's situation may have a sinister side. Can Emily survive living in the suburbs, while she works to repair Karolina's tarnished reputation?
LIKE- Emily Charlton is one of the most entertaining characters in Weisberger's The Devil Wears Prada, and I was thrilled to see her as a main character in When Life Gives You Lululemons. This isn't a sequel, but a stand-alone book that you can definitely read without having read Prada, but fans will be excited for the return of both Charlton and the devil herself, Miranda Priestly.
When Life Gives You Lululemons has a solid cast of three strong female leads. I felt the most sympathy for Karolina, who faces severe judgement in the public eye for a crime that she didn't commit. The fact that she is both rich and beautiful, seems to give others the freedom to be hyper-critical and over look other aspects of her personality, like her intelligence and warm heart. Weisberger's novels often deal with themes of celebrity, serving to push-back against the way society both obsesses and criticizes those in the public eye. Karolina's situation is a sad one, made more so by the fact that her step-son, whom she adores and has raised for many years, is taken from her during the scandal.
Weisberger has a knack for clever titles. I enjoyed the fish-out-of-water scenario with Emily having to spend time in Greenwich, CT.. She may know how to handle Miranda Priestly, but suburban housewives are a new breed of high-maintenance women for her to master.
DISLIKE- When Life Gives You Lululemons was an enjoyable read, it is not one that is very memorable. I finished it a few weeks ago and even as I am writing this review, I'm struggling to recall key plot points or even how it ended.
RECOMMEND- Yes. I recommend When Life Gives You Lululemons to fans of The Devil Wears Prada. It's also a solid pick for a beach read.