Rating: 
Summary: Couldn't put it down!
Review: I have never read 'First Wives Club' but I did see it on TV and thought that this was so much better than that movie (thank goodness!) and an excellent, extremely enjoyable book on 3 women who are with horrible husbands and how they try to change their lives. One of the reviews descibed it as 'high quality candy for the mind' and I would definately have to agree! After reading many crime fiction novels, I really needed the lives of Michelle, Jada and Angie to make me laugh out-loud yet still be sad for these women and their idiot husbands. Even though it is a very long book (about 500 pages), I just couldn't put it down as I read about each woman, her life, how true friendships last lifetimes and how to get revenge on your truly idiotic ex! Sensational, funny, sad and poignant reading from a wonderful author who really made a difference to my Saturday. I will definately by getting the next Olivia Goldsmith novel!
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing
Review: I wasn't expecting Shakespeare when I picked up this book. It looked like lighthearted fun, and so I gave it a go. To begin with, I found the women's troubles just dragged out and dragged out until I'd had enough of them. Jada's storyline was the worst for it. What I can't understand is how everyone Jada has to deal with is bigoted, impatient, unkind and prejudiced, yet her husband manages to be surrounded by decent, caring, helpful people and in many cases, they're the same people! We're supposed to believe that everyone falls for the sob story of the lazy worthless husband? I don't buy that. I started skipping pages in the middle because I was quite sick of it all, and so I read the endings, and I was disappointed there too. Instead of achieving a real victory over their slimeball husbands, the women get even in a seriously illegal way, and I don't see how they could possible get away with it. It was all very implausible and an insult to the reader's intelligence. It was a shame the author didn't put more fun and less drama into this book. It would have been more enjoyable to see the wives get their revenge in creative ways that didn't see them breaking the law and becoming wanted criminals. There was a lot of potential, and the friendship was enjoyable to read about, but there were too many flaws. The next time I want a lighthearted read, I'm going back to Jackie Collins.
Rating:
Summary: So sad by her death
Review: I am a fan of Olivia Goldsmith. It is shocking that she died recently. Her wit and humor are what drew me to her stories (Bestseller, Switcheroo). I hope she is remembered for the vibrant female characters depicted in her stories. She will be missed.
Rating:
Summary: trash to the trash
Review: Based on the excellent, clever movie "The First Wives Club", I bought two of Olivia Goldsmith's books. Both went into the trash. "Young Wives" is disapponting and poorly written with a very preditable, stereotypical plot. I have never taken the time to review a book, but this one was such a waste of time and money, I feel obligated to warn other readers - beware.
Rating:
Summary: Loved It!!
Review: With this book, I judged the book by its cover and called it fluff as some of you did, but as I got into it, I really enjoyed it. I felt sorry for Michelle enduring that police raid, and she don't know nothing about nothing. That husband was a piece of work. Now Angela got the last laugh in the end indeed, but how could her best friend do such a thing to her? THen act like all is well? Yep, she got hers too. Then Jada's old man, ... wouldn't work if they sent the job to him, and now he wants alimony and the house?? Sounds unbelievable, but if I didn't go through something similar myself(sans house and alimony), I wouldn't have believed it either. Personally I love Ms Goldsmith's books. She seem to get average women who go through the worst type of things and yet, things work out for them in the end.With the exception of one book, I have enjoyed each of her books I've read. And look forward to her latest.
Rating: 
Summary: For man-haters only
Review: I'm a young wife myself, so I picked up this book thinking it would be a fun read (as I had heard such good things about Goldsmith). I hated this book for its irrational stupidity-- Not only are the wives' "revenge" schemes, in most cases, illegal, immoral and/or dangerous (making them no better than the men who've wronged them), the characterizations, in a lot of cases, just don't work. For instance, I don't think the profile of an abusive husband would be one who lavishes his wife with everything for 14 years, and then one day is stressed and starts beating her regularly. Doesn't work that way. The other thing that REALLY disturbed me was (SPOILER WARNING)Angie's plans for her baby. I'm sure some people might think it's really noble of her to try and raise the baby herself and never tell the father--sure, that's great for Angie, but what about the kid who's losing out on a father AND living in poverty? Couldn't the child possibly inherit millions when he/she is older if they DO tell the father? Losing out on a second set of grandparents, who, according to the book, are loaded and well connected, and could get the kid where he/she needs to go in life? I really had an issue with that. Also, the way Michelle and Co. happily spend all the drug money to get what they need for their illegal/immoral/dangerous "revenge" plots, but she gives up her Lexus to feel "clean". Ummm, okay.
Rating:
Summary: Stop the Insanity
Review: I've really enjoyed this author's earlier works, but this novel left me flat. The storylines were painfully predictible. There were some jewels hidden in the mire, though it wasn't really worth the effort to find them. I found myself saying please finish and let the pain stop. The stories were contrived and generally unbelievable.
Rating:
Summary: Disappointed
Review: I was pretty disappointed with this book. I'd read such good reviews of Olivia Goldsmith that I was expecting a really funny book. This book is about men that are the lowest of the low and the women who love them. I found the female characters to be fairly stupid and the male characters to be dispicable. This might be a fun read if you'd recently been with a guy who has done something horrible to you, but if you're not a man hater at the moment, you'll probably be unhappy with this choice.
Rating:
Summary: Concept fiction is good, but take this author's agenda away!
Review: Olivia Goldsmith did a great job with _First Wives Club_, and her "concept" fiction -- that is, stuff built up around Hollywood (_Flavor of the Month_), fashion (_Fashionably Late_), or publishing (_The Bestseller_) -- was even better. But the problem is that when she attempts to construct a story without a theme, it ends up with a theme. Repeat after me: "Men are bad. Men are evil. Men are pigs." I'm as feminist as the next woman, but come freaking on. I can only tolerate so much drivel personifying Evil Comes In The Y Chromosome. It's really sad, because her earlier fiction is great. This stuff is pathetic.
Rating:
Summary: absolutely empowering, hilarious and wonderful!
Review: I loved this book! The beginning wasn't totally rip roaring but soon enough it got exciting enough so that I couldn't wait to see what would happen to all the characters. Each character is very well fleshed out. Olivia Goldsmith is a very witty and talented writer. You really feel for Jada, Angela and Michelle. They make you cheer for them and hope for the sweet revenge they deserve to get on their husbands. You won't believe the things their horrid husbands put them through, but at the same time you know it could happen. (I have a cousin whose ex-husband always finds ways to make her life difficult even though they've been divorced for over seven years! He has almost full custody of the children because he has more money than she does, (quite a bit) yet somehow, he fixes his finance books to make it look like he doesn't have much money -- so that he is able to wiggle out of giving her a dime!) What happens to these women is nasty but the revenge they get evens the score. Read this book! It will make you laugh out loud, and you will really feel for the characters. It'll also make you feel empowered, like you could handle it if you ever have to go through what they did. If you have girlfriends, you will somehow make it through! Ms. Goldsmith, you literary goddess, you!
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