Rating: 
Summary: Amanda Brown Does It Again with "Family Trust"
Review: Pros: Easy to read and follow, never gets "heavy"
Cons: Somewhat predictable, rich people aren't you
Recommended: Yes
Bottom Line: Overall, the book was a good and quick read (~325 pages), and was enjoyable, mostly because Amanda Brown keeps it from getting too heavy and the story is fun.
------------------------------------------------------------------------Right away, you know what kind of story this is. The book starts out with a detailed description of Becca, a high-powered financial something-or-another, who doesn't have time to stop to eat, let alone date. So much so, that she has to have back up bagels around just in case she forgets to nourish herself. Then, it goes into a detailed description of Edward, who is obviously too rich to plan his own dates (he needs a "social secretary" whose sole job is to decide which functions that he'll attend and with whom), and doesn't seem to do anything besides attend benefits. Their lives seem to be perfect, but is it really? What's missing is the precocious little girl. They get their opportunity to become complete when Emily is bequeathed upon them when her parents make her an orphan. Although I can't recall if it was explained, it doesn't matter, it furthers the plot. This is where is becomes somewhat predictable, as they try to adjust to life with her, fall in love with each other and her and find that the lives they had been living were shallow and empty without a child. As a parent, I can almost understand that message. Not to say that the book was fun to read, almost a guilty pleasure like watching Jerry Springer. It makes you feel good imaging privaleged folk have to deal with things that us everyday folk deal with everyday. Since this is by the author of Legally Blonde, you can bet there's going to be a movie. I see Christina Applegate playing Becca and Hugh Grant as Edward. (You heard it here first!)
Rating: 
Summary: simply mediocre.
Review: This is my third chic lit book after Bergdorf Blondes and Legally Blonde. I enjoyed reading the latter so I took a chance and bought Family Trust. Unfortunately, I wasn't really enjoy reading this one. The way Becca Reinhart's life being described on earlier chapter were simply vibrant, energetic and ongoing.. I enjoyed reading these part.. but when she had to drop everything in her life and followed what Emily has to say.. its just too good to be true.
Rating: 
Summary: It's not the destination, it's the journey
Review: You know how this book will end but the wild twists and turns towards that end make this book well worth reading. Becca Reinhart is a Type-A business magnate in NYC when she learns her college friend Amy has been killed in a plane crash along with her boyfriend Arthur. Amy and Arthur have a four-year-old named Emily. Amy named Becca as Emily's guardian should anything happen to her. Arthur has named HIS old pal Edward Kirkland as Emily's guardian should anything happen to him. Edward Kirkland is an affable rich guy who attends charity events as part of his job at the family philantrophy trust. He basically has no choice, although he does enjoy squiring different debutantes to these affairs. He seems constantly thrust together with Bunny, a very ambitious social-climbing childhood friend, whose mother is friends with HIS mother -- a grand dame of this circle. Eddie, Becca and Emily form an unconventional family as they strive to care for Emily under these unusual circumstances and navigate the horribly competitive, scary world of finding Emily the "right" preschool yadda-yadda-yadda so that they are still deemed fit guardians at their 3-month hearing. Meanwhile, Eddie's life --- pre-planned by the women he knows without his consultation -- threatens to blow apart not only his own life, but Becca's and Emily's as well. This is an awesome little book.
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