There's a lot of humor in this novel, and anyone who enjoys send-ups of the Hollywood scene (some of us because we're disappointed we didn't make it in ourselves, and we want to believe these people are actually unhappy in spite of wealth and recognition) will get at least some laughs out of the story of poor Gracie, over-the-hill at 41. But while the author, via Gracie, can aim a arrow straight and true at Hollywood's heart, she never develops a story worthy of her wit. The first half of the book is a long comedy routine, and by the time we're supposed to care about what happens to Gracie it's too little too late.
I'm waiting for someone to write a book about how intensely gratifying it must be to be so accomplished at the art of acting that you can will roles for which there is unimaginable competition and not only have people pay money to come watch you but to do so for pleasure. Every novel needs conflict, but an author could certainly design a story in which that comes from another source.
Get That Novel Written

I read this book after seeing the commercials for the mini series. I must say I am glad I read the book first. I enjoy the show, but wish they would not have strayed so much from the book. In the book Crickett was a devoted friend throughout, and did not have a cheater for a husband. Joan was also more likeable in the book. I liked the character Will (name changed in the show) better in the book as well.
My advice, read the book!!

This is probably one of the worst books I have ever read. I picked it up at the airport to spend the next 7 hours on the plane - and boy did I regret it. The only reason I kept reading was because there was nothing else to do.
The main character - Gracie is so ridiculously self absorbed, shallow, vain and dumb that it's impossible to empathise with her when her husband dumps her - for Britney Spears! I mean, even Britney looks like a genius next to Gracie.
The plot (if you can call it that) is a done to death story about a wife who gets dumped by her rich and successful husband as he hits middle age, for a younger woman. There is no hint of grief or maturity in Gracie at that point. She's immediately scouting around Malibu looking for someone to date/make out with?
The name dropping gets on your nerves, the friends are one dimensional characters, Sam bored me to death.. The book seems like the work of a 6th grader, with a wafer thin plot, whiny and irritating characters and a school-girl style of writing.
And I can't believe there's a movie coming out based on this book!!!!

I picked up this book in the airport before a recent trip to Aruba. From the moment I picked it up, I could not put it down. Grazer writes a witty, fun, and humurous story that is the perfect beach/vacation read with characters that leave you wanting more and more. When a heard there would be a Lifetime television movie/show based on The Starter Wife I was delighted. Only thing is now it must live up to the print version.

I was reading over some of the other reviews and people seemed to not like the book, but honestly I thought it was really good. I started reading the book because i seen that there was going to be a show on TV this summer themed after the book and I already had it but hadnt read it yet so I wanted to read it before the show began. I did have a few issues with it, but all in all i rally enjoyed reading it. The whole Will and Gracie seemed to be a little bit like the long running sitcom "Will and Grace" and sometimes things seemed predictible or a little unbelievible. All in all the book was good, I enjoyed it, and would reccomend it to someone who just wanted a good book to enjoy by the pool this summer.

I really enjoyed this book. It is a great story for any woman over 30. It was funny and sexy. I would recommend this for a vacation read if you want something light but great

I really enjoyed this book. It is a great story for any woman over 30. It was funny and sexy. I would recommend this for a vacation read if you want something light but great

This is the first book of Grazer's that I read and I found it to be entertaining. I actually did find her to be likeable, although a terrible mother! But quirky likeable and there were parts that I found to be laugh out loud funny. Her off the wall end-of-story romance is funny, but unbelievable. But-hey! Isn't that what reading is sometimes about? Not a deep and meaningful book but not a waste of money either.

This was so disappointing! If i could ask for my money back i would. It was very hard to read, none of the characters were likable, the plot was laughable and not intereasting at all. Blah.

I'll probably never eat lunch in this town again after this review, but this is probably the worst Hollywood Book I have ever read and there is some stiff competition out there.
Not only is this poorly written and deeply unfuny, but it goes on forever. Grazer either has something on Britney Spears or Spears is a very patient, tolerant friend because she comes off horribly in this.
'Starter Wife' has little going for it except a single scene at The Ivy restaurant where Gracie has dinner with hubby and pals who all order fried onions but nobdy eats them - that wouldn't be cool.
Everything else, including the homeless beach bum who rescues Gracie (you just know he's secretly a multi-millionaire) and de rigeur best gay friend (who naturally gets the best lines) is just embarrassing.

As a 20-something, native Angeleno living elsewhere, I absolutely loved curling up with this book - everything typically LA/Hollywood is in here - it was like I was back on La Cienega, stuck in traffic, and people watching from the haven of my Jetta. The truths in here are undeniable - messy relationships publicized on the covers of tabloids, young children blindsided by the confusion of divorce, and at-all-costs publicity stunts. Readers looking for a good vacation book and who are familiar with the LA celebrity scene should be very happy with "The Starter Wife." It's the closest I could get to buying a plane ticket to LAX and walking around Malibu in Uggs.

I loved it and look forward to more of her books.
The lead character was very likable and it was fun watching her journey through the break-up and divorce and how she was able to cope. It is a book of hope for anyone who has had marital problems or just pure fantasy and fun for those who have not.

Dismiss everything you think you know about Hollywood and its ever-increasing divorce rate and steep through the protective cover to the novel expertly woven within only without the mess. Yet don't be fooled for this isn't exactly a health book or a study of self-development. It's a self-professed novel of pure fiction and it comes fully-prepared for an ever-growing populace intent on making an impression in the illustrious, superficial, sexy world of Hollywood. Enter to find a plethera of possibilities and directions for this novel to venture in. As everyone knows there comes a period in every girl's life when they'll be in dire need of protection against their body's natural monthly blood flow. Never fear Gigi is here to help as it's finally her time to inject a much needed sense of calm into a hyper-sensative section of the world with her very own bubbly sensability. All bubbles are set to burst as 'The Starter Wife' explodes on to the Hollywood divorce scene. Three months before this novel was released, and without the benefit of a plot, I thought up my own direction I thought this novel might take. 'A Starter Wife' I thought could be like 'A Stepford Wife' only better and the two are thankfully no relation at all to each other. 'The Starter Wife' has a purpose. It will keep you feeling warm and toasty for not only is the writing bright and bubbly, Gigi wisely permeates a relaxed air, that usually come when reading all Hollywood hype, being you never know what to believe, that encourages it's characters to soak up the sun and surf after lead charcter Gracie Pollock is given a wake up call from her husband Kenny who pronounces over cell phone that he wants a divorce. Forcing Gracie suddenly out of her state of grace with whining alarms constantly sounding in her head, charifing one thing Kenny couldn't do in their ten year marriage with one daughter Jayden. That being successfully work a security system to a million-dollar mansion. Thank God Gracie will be through with that headache, because she couldn't work it either. Her life will be okay she thinks because this new found freedom from Kenny, will give her time to constantly revise and refine her lifestyle, like she does on a regular basis to her successful children's books. One thing's for certain she has to find her knight in shining armour before it's too late because without Kenny, Gracie knows her Hollywood ties will be cut and she can't have that, unless she gets help of some kind. In a place like Hollywood it wouldn't be wise to have enemies, but someone like Kenny's new girlfriend or her make-believe new man could snag her plans for a happy future and leave her helpless. While another powerful boss she's known for years has his sights set on her as well, and a hair-brained fantasy she doesn't know about for a funeral, and he can't wait to fulfil it...

Just like one's own individual fingerprints, that would help crack any baffling mystery, Gigi Levangie Grazer taps out 'The Starter Wife' her third book in a neat selection of stand-alone original novels. With her own unique set of rules to writing, and profound insight into the subject matter, she is my only choice to write a book like this. She is far from clueless when it comes to Hollywood couples and what makes them tick. When it comes to writing novels Gigi will always be the one I go to because she is not only a master storyteller, but she holds the all important master key. I would never want to be without it. Gigi urges her readers and newcomers to her books to take their thumb and forefinger and experience the ebbs and flows of a novel that would be hindered if it wasn't for Gigi's limitless imagination. Gigi will always make an indelible impression on the written word to me. I hope 'The Starter Wife' finds a good home.

This book was such a joy to read. I found it hilarious. Yes, it's silly & unbelievable at times (like other reviewers suggested), but it's FICTION PEOPLE! Of course the characters are over-the-top, it's based in LA. I got the book from my sister & passed it on to many friends. They all loved it. It's a light, easy read that will take your mind off of your own problems and allow you to escape into the shallow lives of the rich & beautiful. P.S.- another great read that is similar to this is The Nanny Diaries.

Middle-aged Gracie is a typical Hollywood wife, right down to her botox injections and designer wardrobe. When her husband dumps her after almost ten years of marriage, Gracie finds herself without love, without friends, and most importantly, without status. (But at least she's still got the money!)

Actually, most of what I know is from the dust jacket since this book was too torturous to finish. The plot is predictable and uninteresting and is littered with so much name-dropping that sometimes it's hard to follow. The characters are taken straight from Stereotype 101 and are so badly written that they're impossible to relate to. The writing is ponderous and lumbers along awkwardly, lacking polish, wit, or interest. Especially irritating is Grazer's insistence on using Gracie's name as much as possible. For example:

"Gracie thought about it; they'd never been to marriage counseling. Gracie had gone to counseling in the beginning of their marriage - there were many issues to overcome. More or less her personality issues - the fact that Gracie had too much personality. Gracie said and did pretty much what Gracie pleased, in the beginning. Before Gracie learned The Way of the Wife" (p 38).

I lost interest after about 20 pages, plowed my way through 40 more, then gave up. It's very obvious that this is a poorly-veiled autobiography (Grazer/Gracie) and that as a Hollywood wife, Grazer DOES have the connections and clout her protagonist lacks or this book would never have been published.

Definitely not worth your time!

I usually give books the benefit of the doubt and stick with them even if I don't like the first few chapters. I think I made it to page 30 on this one before I took it back to the library (so glad I didn't spend $ on this book!).

I just couldn't stand the name dropping and superficial characters. Their lifestyle is just foreign to me and not something that appeals to me.

Maybe the book would have surprised me but I expect it followed a predictable formula. Guess I'll never know but I really don't feel like I missed anything very special.

"Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman" or "The Good Wife Strikes Back" by Elizabeth Buchan are books of the same concept (I assume) and quite enjoyable. Stick with them instead.

I'm not sure why so many reviewers have been so negative about this novel. It is what it is--An entertaining and quasi-satirical look at life in L.A.'s fast lane. Gracie Pollock is a likeable character whose husband informs her of their impending divorce over a cell phone call. The clues were there, but Gracie was too caught up in her own life to see them. We see her "recovery" and redemption as she goes through her rocky divorce and attempts to find new love. Sure, some of the characters are a bit over the top. So what if the celeb references aren't 100% accurate...This is still a fun read. Take this one too seriously, and you'll be disappointed. Take it for what it is, and you will read late into the night.

I am soooo glad that I checked this out of the library and didn't pay for this garbage. I really should of listened to the reviews on this book before I wasted a day reading it. Actually, about half-way through I skimmed. The first couple chapters weren't bad, but the rest was just awful.

Gracie, her ex-husband, her friends...they are the most pathetic, shallow bunch of fakes I've ever read about. What's even worse is that's the authors real life (maybe not the divorce part, but the rest of it).

In the end, all I have to say is DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME!! I should of listened to the others, but I didn't, and now I regret that I wasted so much time when I could of been reading something worth while.

The Starter Wife started out promisingly vapid, in an entertaining way, but rapidly became more disgusting than anything else. The narcissitic self obsession rang true (not surprising given the author's similar lifestyle), and the ways in which it was indulged were fascinatingly ridiculous. However, those descriptions only hold interest for so long, and then the book digresses into an unrealistic, annoying conclusion. The insight into an actual L.A. Wife Of lifestyle is unbelievable enough; to try to throw in a homeless guy that leads an exemplary lifestyle then reconciles with his family and inherits their billions... there's a limit to the willful suspension of disbelief.

I enjoyed the Starter Wife simply because I like a novel that has a bit of this and that in it, not just rambling thoughts. I also find this author's take on Hollywood, and its politics, interesting. I would defintely recommend it along with other "Hollywood favorites" such as: "Take Your Shirt Off" and "Maneater".

Fiction doesn't get any more shallow than this, and don't let anyone kid you that it's a satiric comedy of manners. Gossipy name dropping and bed hopping may entertain Grazer's crowd but anyone with a brain is going to get turned off quickly. The book is a complete waste of time and money. I stopped reading after the first 10 pages. Yuck.

So terrible I couldn't get past the first ten pages. And I kept trying. The characters are unlikeable. The style of writing is amatuerish at best. A waste of time.

I found this to be one of the funniest books I've read in a long time. The people giving it bad reviews lack a sense of humor and probably don't live in L.A. I live on the westside of Los Angeles and my husband works in the entertainment industry, and Grazer is spot on with her description of the Hollywood crowd and life in L.A. (everyone IS in Ugg boots!). This is certainly not great literature, but if you want a book where you can forget about your troubles and just laugh, this is the one.

Books like The Starter Wife don't promise more than they deliver, so the fact that I found this book to be a bit shallow and contrived didn't come as a big surprise.

That said, this is a pretty silly book. The author didn't seem to know if she was writing a scathing social commentary on Hollywood and marital pecking orders, or a morality tale on the evils of materialism, or a fairy tale. Some of the characters seemed incredibly one-dimensional -- think gay decorator and shallow ex-husbands.

When the book began, I thought I was reading a gripping account of a middle-age woman getting skewered by divorce and finding herself, in the style of First Wives Club. Instead I got a stew of coincidences and attempts at satire.

If I try to be generous, I can imagine this book as a sort of Tales of the City for the new millennium, set in LA instead of San Francisco.

Ultimately, though, it just kind of falls apart by the end. If you're interested in Hollywood lifestyles, or middle-age women or divorce, it could be worth a read. Grazer writes cleanly, in a conversational style with cultural references that make the book timely and fun.

But if you think you'll find something profound, The Starter Wife will surely disappoint.

After reading some of the reviews posted here, I thought this book would be a horrible read. Wrong! A friend from my writer's group recommended "Starter Wife" and said it was very funny. She was right! If you're looking for a fun, Hollywood-based chick-lit book, you've come to the right place. Gigi Levangie Grazer writes a hilarious account of what it's like to be the "Wife Of" a Hollywood producer. When Gracie's husband leaves her for Britney Spears, she's on her own to rediscover herself. I know some of the reviewers found Gracie to be a shallow character, but I didn't see this side of her. I found her to be a very thoughtful forty-year-old who handled her divorce with an amazing amount of grace and humor! There were many parts in this book where I found myself laughing out loud. If you want a great escape, definitely delve into "The Starter Wife."

I thought the subject of the book would have made this an interesting read or I wouldn't have purchased it. However, I'm disappointed. It started off OK and I thought it'd keep going at an interesting pace, but it got silly and corny and even though it's fictional, it's stupid to have written that Gracie's husband, is going out with Britney Spears. It became weird and didn't hold my interest. Some parts were mildly funny and the rest was boring. I don't know if I'd purchase another book of hers based on this.

I've have only read half of this book and I'll quit wasting my time right now. The main character is totally unsympathetic. I can't figure out why she married the self-centered jerk in the first place. The writing is jerky and just doesn't flow. I suggest to anyone considering this book...don't waste your time.

It was a very hard read. If you are not into the hollywood scene and name dropping, somethings would not make much sense or have any significance. It is hard to feel sorry or have much compassion for the weathly hollywood socialites. I did not enjoy the characters or the storyline.

Oh, what a poorly written book!

Sure the terrain's interesting -- Hollywood wives, etc. -- but if it weren't for those H'wood connections of author Grazer's (her husband is big producer Brian Grazer), this bit of hastily slung-together and trite drivel would never have gotten a publishing contract.

What's worse, this is another of those novels that insult women's independence and abilities. It says it's a satirical look at H'wood and marriage there -- but the heroine only finds happiness in the end through, you got it!, yet another man who solves all her problems. Eeeeuuww! Only get it at the library (if you must), as smart women can't support insulting endeavors like this.

I generally don't read books like this but got it for free so figured what the heck. If you like the worst of Lifetime movies or pointless fairytales you will probably like this book. I congratulate Grazer, a real life "wife of" for even finding the time and motivation to write the book but it seems she writes as a sort of hobby, a way to amuse herself as opposed to trying to write anything of substance. She displays some talent at witty dialogue but even that becomes trite and I had to skim the last 25 pages just see what happened. Over all, the book lacks imagination which is unfortunate because the premise allowed for an interesting story. If she chose to, I'm pretty sure Grazer could have written a book of some substance with something interesting to say but instead she chose vapidity. I see between the lines of this book that Grazer has potential to be a decent writer but seems to lack the motivation to to try her hand at something thoughtful. I'm assuming Grazer must have a somewhat interesting inner and outer life but she instead looks to sitcoms and gossip rags for inspiration and so the plot and character development reflects that. While I'm guessing she just wanted to write something fun and light, TSW falls below the bar of guilty pleasure. Poised to have future books published, I hope she chooses to challenge herself as a writer and produce something worthwhile.

Having just finished reading a very heavy book, I needed something light and airy and uplifting. I found Starter Wife to be just what I needed. I enjoyed the characters and was quickly interested in Gracie Pollack as she began her search for her "self" ... having been dumped so unexpectedly from her Hollywood executive husband of almost 10 years..... on a cell phone! Can you imagine?
I listened to this book on the unabridged audio and Susan Ericksen gave such life and great voice to each character. This became much more than just some Hollywood wife finding herself. I found Gracie to have great substance. She was someone I would really like to know. I really did enjoy this book.
JMHO //(*_*)\\

Having just finished reading a very heavy book, I needed something light and airy and uplifting. I found Starter Wife to be just what I needed. I enjoyed the characters and was quickly interested in Gracie Pollack as she began her search for her "self" ... having been dumped so unexpectedly from her Hollywood executive husband of almost 10 years..... on a cell phone! Can you imagine?
I listened to this book on the unabridged audio and Susan Ericksen gave such life and great voice to each character. This became much more than just some Hollywood wife finding herself. I found Gracie to have great substance. She was someone I would really like to know. I really did enjoy this book.

This is the first book by this author that I have read and I am so impressed that I am purchasing her other books. The Starter Wife is a fast and fun read with smart dialogue and an ending that will make you mist up a bit. If you read to get that little escape from life's stesses, this is the book for you. It's a great ride. If you enjoyed The Nanny Diaries, this will be right up your alley. Give it a go and enjoy.

I still have mixed feelings about The Starter Wife. It starts out feeling very similar to Maneater, because it has the same fast, witty, clever pace. And for that reason, I didn't like the beginning as much, because I wanted something different from Maneater. But it also started about talking about the world of being the "Wife of" somebody in fast-paced, excessively superficial Hollywood. I was curious about this particular world, but that thread gets lost once the star of the novel, Gracie Peters Pollock, learns that her husband intends to divorce her for Britney Spears (I suspect that Britney actually has better taste than the book makes it seem). Now Gracie has become a "starter wife," i.e., a nobody in the world that she has gotten so used to. Gracie exits that illustrious "Wife of" world and goes to live in the further secluded world of Malibu Beach. And the book really turns into a story about a woman who is hurting over her husband's betrayal and trying to get on with her life. Trying to remind herself that there is a life to get on with. Interesting, but I had no idea that was where the story was going. Still, it was entertaining. But finally, the story becomes a fairytale, with Gracie falling in love with a very handsome man who turns out to be homeless and then turns out to be the errant son of a very old-riche San Francisco family. So, Gracie is the Wife of Somebody again, and her ex husband is a pitiful loser. Not clearly written, not really captivating, but there were several clever, laugh-out-loud moments. You might want to buy Maneater, but get this one from the public library. In this case, Levangie Grazer is better at social commentary than at storytelling.

The book started out pretty good. The stage was set by the description of the "wife of" and the culture so it looked like this may be a good book. Then it just turned into a a big mess with no real plot. I kept reading to the end thinking "It has to get better, It will get all tied together at the end" So I kept reading the whole time wishing it was over. But it never got better. I would not recommend this book.

I decided to read this book after seeing a review of it in an issue of People (that should have been my first clue of what was to come). This book started out mediocre and progessively worsened until I was sorely tempted to just stop reading altogether. The characters were undeveloped and uninteresing. This author even managed to make Britney Spears boring. In similar books, most readers are rooting for the jerk/husband to get his comeupance. In this book,I just didn't care. I wanted it to end. The Starter Wife is not even as good as a really bad Danielle Steel novel.

I enjoyed the Starter Wife simply because I like a novel that has a bit of this and that in it, not just rambling thoughts. I also find this author's take on Hollywood, and its politics, interesting. I would defintely recommend it along with other "Hollywood favorites" such as: "Take Your Shirt Off" and "Maneater".

This book was hilarious for a few chapters...chick lit with an edge. But somewhere in the middle it got confused and started to become a wannabe mystery drama ....I think the the author lost her voice and didn't know where she was going with this story.

Gigi Grazer's The Starter Wife is an interesting read. I am a huge fan of Maneater and could not wait for TSW to be published. I think Mrs. Grazer is an extremely talented and funny author and ALL of her novels need to be adapted to screenplays as they would make wonderful movies.

The premise of The Starter Wife is a fascinating concept. Gracie Pollok is a heroine who experiences very drastic personality and lifestyle transformations throughout the novel. I found it interesting to see her chronicled initially as a smug, resigned "wife of" a Hollywood big shot. As a financially independent children's book author in her single years, she finds it easier to succumb to her husband's controlling and demeaning treatment of her during her married years than to stand up to him. Ultimately, she is forced to come to terms with having taken the easy route when she realizes he is leaving her for Britney Spears. While I enjoyed Gracie's introspection about her life, I felt the ending of this book was a little unrealistic. However, when Gracie returns to her roots, Gracie wins not only in love but by gaining her self-respect back.

This is an enjoyable book particularly if you happen to be dealing with these themes in your own life (or if you are obsessed with celebrities and the Hollywood lifestyle as I happen to be). If you haven't read Maneater yet, read it first. I eagerly anticipate future novels from Gigi Levangie Grazer.

I look forward to reading more of Mrs. Grazer's work. She has a very talented mind and I wish her the best in her career.

This is the first book I've read by Gigi Levangie Grazer, thus I can't comment on her previous novels as many reviewers have done. But anyhoo, here's my take on THE STARTER WIFE:

Gracie Pollock receives the absolutely horrendous news that her husband is leaving her for another woman. Her husband delivers this cruel revelation over a cell phone. This untimely bomb is dropped just before he and Gracie's prenup agreement would have become invalid. How crude. I wanted to kick the cad myself.

Don't worry, in this fairy tale-type world, poor Gracie and four-year old child don't have to start heading for the "poor house." They become housesitters for one of Gracie's benevolent rich friends and get to dwell in a fabulous abode--the type of atmosphere suitable to her tastes. At least for a while. And during this time of introspection, Gracie realizes she needs to quickly snatch up another man of means. Problem is she has two choices, a charming nere-do-well or the rich (not so charming) friend of a friend. What's a poor girl to do?

There's lots of clever dialogue, waaaay too much name dropping. And then there's Gracie's obsession with growing older, which I found realistic. After all, at 41 years old, by Hollywood standards, Gracie's practically ready to be carted off to the glue factory.

All in all, I enjoyed this fun and fluffy read and may check out the previous two novels by this author.

This story, more of a 4.5 star book, takes off from page one and gets the reader laughing throughout the book. The writing is fast paced and very good.

Gracie is married, almost 10 years, to Kenny, a Hollywood studio big shot, when he decides he doesn't want to be married to her anymore and tells her over the cell phone on a bad connection. Gracie goes into a whirl of a time, trying to figure out who she will be since she has been the Wife Of... for so long. The couple have a young daughter, Jaden, who adds bubbly dialouge to the story as well.

The description of Hollywood wives and marriages is a hoot ~ when Gracie leaves for Malibu (8 miles away) to get her life back on track, she encounters a new set of wealthy there too. Her close friends, Will and Cricket, keep her sane while their lives are also colorful.

Kenny begins to date a younger celeb (no surprise there) and remains self-centered throughout the book. It's a wonder he and Gracie had such a romantic early time of it.

While in "bu", Gracie is attracted to a strange man on the beach who turns out to be HOMELESS! This was a stretch for me and the only thing holding back from a 5 star read for me. Sam Knight is more than you think and the ending is a surprise.

This is a GREAT book for summer reading; I will surely check out her other books.

I resisted reading this book because with so little time to read as a working mother, it just wouldn't be worth it. I was wrong. Grazer is an incredibly astute and clever writer. Her observations are right on and she has managed to create likeable characters in a world full of idiots. I love the pacing of her story, I love all the tiny details (Palisades Breeders is my favorite, I also like how she makes fun of the nursery school next to the dry cleaner.So true) that make this book so authentic. I think it is an impressive book, and kudos to Grazer for telling it like it is.

Very enjoyable. A great take on the rich and famous and their crazy mixed up lives. A funny look at the trials of seperation and divorce.

This writer impressed me in "Maneater" and I love the sassy tone of her writing. This one is just as good as her former and the premise--girl gets dumped by hubby via cell phone--is true fun-fiction! I haven't had this much fun reading about Hollywood since the novel "Take Your Shirt Off". Can't wait for her next one either!!!

Good in the beginning, definately had the feeling towards the end that it was one of those "all books must end happily with the same type of ending" that most of Danielle Steele's books ended with.

Self-sufficient girl (children's book author) Gracie meets boy (Hollywood exec.) Kenny. Girl marries Boy and waxes (not philosophical), pedicures, implants and straightens and colors her way through almost ten years of marriage. Boy leaves Girl to increase the population of the male mid-life crisis-er. Girl grows up (sort of)?

Right up until the end, Levangie Grazer is on an eccentric and witty roll. Gracie is the queen of the acerbic and flippant one liner. Statements that quite literally had me laughing aloud.

What's a girl to do when she gets dumped via cell phone? (This is grim, though not as dour or provocative as Carrie Bradshaw's infamous post-it-note). Why you carb-out, entrust your scandalmonger friends (a lovely, oh so stereotypical trio, the reader doesn't {or shouldn't} feel cheated by) with your outlandish uncertainties and fall in love with a homeless guy!

The dialogue is shamelessly lit-lite...but it's also gleefully stabbing and clever. Gracie is a one-dimensional character with brilliant dimensions. Kenny barely makes it into the dimished dimensional, non-media magnet set.

The Starter Wife had me fused to its pages until the last two chapters when Grazer pulls the typical tactic of tying up the lose threads. Why start being typical here? I would have loved for those threads to not only remain undone but to have frayed even more and I sense Grazer could have effortlessly pulled this off, if she hadn't backed off.
Well, maybe one can hope for an alternative ending when the paperback comes out?
Still, this was great fun and so worth the ride.

The most amazing thing about The Starter Wife is that it manages to be overwritten and underwritten at the same time. The story is flat. The characters are over-the-top clichés. And the author has the tendency to reiterate what she's written in two or three different ways, right after another. A good editor would have insisted on cutting the rest which would have resulted in a book shorter by a fourth. Not a bad thing.

I admit I picked this book up after reading the NYT Magazine profile on the author. I really wanted to believe that Levangie Grazer is worthy of having her work in print because she's a good writer and not the wife of a famous producer. I could get all huffy accuse Levangie Grazer of sucking up resources a talented but unconnected writer could have used, but the first rule in Hollywood and in New York is "it's not what you know, but who you know." Now I know not to waste my time and money on Levangie Grazer other attempts at stringing together sentences.

The Starter Wife is a delicious read - a fun and heartfelt fairy tale for the grown up crowd. More sophisticated than Grazer's last novel, Maneater, but just as yummy.

Gracie has it all, or so it seems. That's until her mentally vapid semi-famous Hollywood exec hubby realizes that she'll never put him on the cover of Us Magazine - so really now, what good is she? Never mind her nine years of hosting parties, inane conversations, being dieted, waxed, sanded, pummeled, pricked and plucked for him, oh, and raising their daughter. If she were a truly devoted Wife Of she'd have learned how to play the Hollywood game and done right by him. So obviously -- she has to go -- and fast. Time for her to be cruised. By cell phone, of course. (Cruised = divorce before year 10 when CA alimoney kicks in.) A pre-Kev Britney -- now that'll put him on the cover of Us!

Kicked to the curb with their daughter, Gracie seeks refuge with a friend in Malibu. Her high maintenance lifestyle gone, along with all the friends that a Wife Of loses when she becomes The Starter Wife, Gracie must reclaim her true self and move beyond the anger and betrayal. The local supply of eligible bachelors is anorexic, so Gracie ends up hanging with the "wrong" people in Malibu - the inappropriate, and the have-nots. Will Gracie find love? Will it be with the King of Hollywood - the manly boss of her ex (revenge is so sweet), or the mysterious steely-eyed stranger who saves her from the surf, or maybe he of the bumpity bump blanket on the beach?

The book is so enjoyable in part due to the easy to empathize with Gracie. Her insecurities and way of looking at life are endearing, her plight is universal, and her friends are hilarious.

Gigi Grazer's sharp, witty writing eviscerates the ridiculous of Hollywood with the precision of a 90210 surgeon in this funny and telling novel. My only issue? Who are wives number one through eleven?! Do tell!

I just finished reading The Starter Wife and thoroughly enjoyed it. It was an often hilarious laugh out loud read and I recommend it for a quick summer read. Some of the negative reviews on here surprise me. I haven't read a lot of chick lit, but I recently finished The Devil Wears Prada and I found The Starter Wife to be far superior. I plan to read some Bruce Wagner soon so I'll see how that compares. Granted, as one reviewer commented, the 2nd half of the book was a tad unrealistic, but isn't that what fiction is about -- to suspend reality for the reader and sometimes have a happy ending? Most of the books I read are serious/heavy fare (just finished Fall on your Knees and A Fine Balance recently) and it was refreshing and somewhat more relaxing to read a funny smart book. I tend to get very involved in whatever I'm reading so it was nice to finish a book and not feel depressed!

As another reviewer said, the book started out well. I found myself chuckling at a couple of spots in the first couple of chapters. But the author could not hold it together. There were so many plot holes, I kept flipping back to the beginning of the book to see what I missed. Did Lou really kill himself? What happened to the kid who ran over Lavender? Was Gracie thin or not? She talked about herself as though she were unattractice but then she kept saying how hard she worked (not to mention the "work" she had done). Where was the real Gracie? And where was her kid half the time? And other questions kept popping up. I managed to finish the book, but truthfully it was like a bad Movie of the Week.