" I grabbed this book at our Annual Book Sale, and the only reason why I read it was because it was small enough to fit in my purse for my airport jaunts. Basically, this book is mindless and pointless. In the fashion of Plum Skyes or Bergdorf Blondes (both terrible) this book is about New York socialites and their meaningless circles and deceptions. The book begins with a dinner party which sets up the plethora of characters. One thing I couldn't stand about this book was that the first chapter's voice was only around for one chapter. The main character is a woman named Ponce (yes, she was named after Ponce de Leon. This is totally tragic yet interesting) who is a Southern beauty who married up like Anna Nicole Smith and found her place among many "important" people. She's a widow and is called "The Spare Wife" since she is able to be friends with both people in a couple. She can direct any wait staff at a dinner party yet talk politics and sports with any man in the room. Everybody trusts her with their man. Well, this is where the book makes no sense whatsoever. A blonde beauty who seems to have it all with no man in her life is just a ridiculous plot point. That's like imagining Cindy Crawford as Mother Theresa. It just doesn't make sense.
The book has too many characters, and it is hard to keep everyone straight. Also, Ponce isn't so good after all since she is carrying on with an affair with a well-known fertility doctor that has miraculously impregnated every dried up woman in New York. Overall, I'd say skip this one. I am glad I had the book while I was playing airport standby roulette, but it is just pointless.
Jen's Rating: * "
— Jennifer, 1/20/2014