Synopses & Reviews
There are starter jobs. Starter cars. Starter houses. And then there are starter wives...
From the bestselling author of Maneater comes The Starter Wife, a sexy, savvy, and wickedly funny novel about life after divorce and one woman redefining herself after years of marriage to a Hollywood studio head.
When her husband Kenny dumps her by cell phone mere months before their ten-year wedding anniversary, Gracie Pollock finds herself reeling. Though her nine-year role as the wife of a semifamous Hollywood studio executive often left her dry and she never fully embraced the "status" (according to Kenny), Gracie has grown accustomed to the unique privileges afforded by Tinseltown's brand of power and wealth: reservations at Spago on a Friday night; beauty treatments by dermatologists (Arnie), manicurists (Jessica), and colorists (Cristophe) to the stars; line-jumping at Disneyland with her daughter and Ugg-wearing celebrity offspring. And despite the fact she had consented to name their daughter Jaden in a (failed) attempt to lure Will Smith to one of Kenny's productions, Gracie believed she and Kenny were different from other Hollywood couples. She never thought she'd be a starter wife. But now that her marriage is over, her phone isn't ringing, her mailbox is empty, and it's only through a faux pas by her world-class florist that she learns her husband has upgraded: Kenny is dating a pop tartlet.
With images of Kenny's 'tween queen everywhere she turns, Gracie seeks refuge at her best friend's Malibu mansion for some much-needed divorce therapy. Soon she's associating with all the wrong people, including a mysterious hunk who saves her from drowning, the security guard at her gated community, and God forbid Kenny's boss, one of Hollywood's better-known Lotharios.
With her signature wit, sassy style, and cameos of the rich and famous and wannabe rich and famous Gigi Grazer tackles the most delicious and dastardly details of a divorce and recovery, Hollywood style.
Review
"Just when one thinks Grazer is getting too serious, more outrageous realizations and celebrity cameos surface, keeping the story fresh. The result is a fun, sometimes surprising, summer read." Cleveland Plain Dealer
Review
"Grazer clearly knows this scene, and is a lively, wry reporter of Hollywood's strident triviality and narcissism. But the novel falters, as many screenplays do, after the setup." Lisa Zeidner, The Washington Post
Review
"Ms. Grazer is a kind of Jackie Collins with a sense of humor....The novel, which begins as a satire, unaccountably turns into a rather creepy mystery-romance. This goes a long way toward explaining why the The Starter Wife is a non-starter." The Wall Street Journal
Synopsis
When Gracie's semi-famous husband unceremoniously dumps her by cell phone, she finds herself finding refuge with all the wrong people, including a mysterious hunk who saves her from drowning, and her ex-husband's boss, one of tinseltown's better-known womanizers.
About the Author
Gigi Levangie Grazer is the screenwriter of Stepmom, the Columbia TriStar movie starring Julia Roberts and Susan Sarandon. Her previous novel, Rescue Me, is being developed into a film at Fox Searchlight. Grazer lives in Pacific Palisades, California, with her husband, producer Brian Grazer.