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Book Reviews of The Starter Wife

The Starter Wife
The Starter Wife
Author: Gigi Levangie Grazer
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ISBN-13: 9780743265034
ISBN-10: 0743265033
Publication Date: 4/4/2006
Pages: 384
Rating:
  • Currently 3.4/5 Stars.
 124

3.4 stars, based on 124 ratings
Publisher: Downtown Press
Book Type: Paperback
Reviews: Amazon | Write a Review

47 Book Reviews submitted by our Members...sorted by voted most helpful

reviewed The Starter Wife on + 19 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
Fun, humorous read! Ms. Grazer provides an insightful view into the personal relationships of the power brokers in the entertainment industry. She does a great job making you feel like a fly on the wall while adding a huge dose of satire to keep you smiling. I can't wait to read another one of her books. It was a nice escape.
reviewed The Starter Wife on + 11 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
First half of the book was tedious and a little repetitious. The author overexplains, "the Wife Of" and, "the Starter Wife". The second half was indeed a seriously good book that I couldn't put down.
reviewed The Starter Wife on + 3 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
I enjoyed this one. Easy reading. I thought it had a nice unexpected ending.
reviewed The Starter Wife on + 14 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
I picked this up in an airport bookstore and wasn't disappointed. It was a light, quick read that kept me occupied on a plane ride. It's a good travel/summer book. Much more entertaining than the TV series. I'd recommend it to anyone who's looking for something mindless to occupy them on a summer vacation.
reviewed The Starter Wife on + 14 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
Quick read. Found it entertaining. Physical characteristics are slightly different from the tv movie.
skywaywaver avatar reviewed The Starter Wife on + 148 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
A great look at Hollywood for what could pass as the inside. Reminded me a lot of The Dead Hollywood Moms' Society.
Great beach read with a sweet ending...
reviewed The Starter Wife on + 18 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
Great beach book!
reviewed The Starter Wife on
Helpful Score: 2
Seems to be written well, but I never could get interested in it long enough to finish the first couple of chapters. I'm sure this type of book appeals to someone, though....just doesn't appeal to me. Glad I didn't pay to see the movie.
reviewed The Starter Wife on + 13 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
I don't usually read chick lit but liked this one. Great for the beach or pool this summer!
reviewed The Starter Wife on + 12 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
An intelligent and entertaining look at the dark...and fun...side of Hollywood life.
reviewed The Starter Wife on + 33 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
I finished it because I wanted to see what happened, but it wasn't one that I couldn't wait to get back to. The back sounded so much better and there were a few funny parts, but not a fantastic book by any means.
reviewed The Starter Wife on + 8 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
funny, sweet, I read it in 2 days....
reviewed The Starter Wife on + 59 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Made me laugh out loud.
reviewed The Starter Wife on + 82 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Funny, full of twists and turns, definitely a chick book. Not very deep and full of meaning, but a fun summer read.
Betty-Ann avatar reviewed The Starter Wife on + 5 more book reviews
Good mind-candy; quick read; interesting/unexpected ending. Shows how sad and ridiculous the materialistic and superficial lifestyle is.
reviewed The Starter Wife on + 293 more book reviews
This was a quick read. Gracie's husband dumps her - over her cell phone, of all things. She ends up living at a friend's beach house for the summer, trying to get her head and life back in order. Dates her husband's boss, almost drowns, meets a homeless man (who of course isn't). Fun book.
reviewed The Starter Wife on + 3 more book reviews
This is a light and fluffy book but it has a really upbeat, happy ending. So if the economy is getting you down this book will cheer you up. Gigi Levangle Grazer was recently divorced by Brian Grazer which makes me wonder if she foresaw her future on the horizon.
Shannonsamples avatar reviewed The Starter Wife on + 2 more book reviews
Great story of a strong woman
leahann avatar reviewed The Starter Wife on + 13 more book reviews
Okay...I loved the TV series and thought the book would be a lot of fun to read. Wrong! It was nothing like the show. I couldn't get into the book at all and as a matter of fact; I didn't like the way the Author wrote at all either. What a shame. I really hope someone has better luck with this book than I did.
reviewed The Starter Wife on + 5 more book reviews
This book was hilarious and very cleverly written.Its one of those books that you are sad to reach the end because you want to continue to be part of the story and stay with the charecters.I loved it!
reviewed The Starter Wife on + 18 more book reviews
This book was very funny and the characters very loveable. I did not want the story to end!
reviewed The Starter Wife on + 20 more book reviews
I initially loved this concept on the mini-series turned show turned cancelled show on USA. Molly was a blast to read about in her triumphs and her quirky friends and pulling herself back together after being dealt a shock via Kenny. She is truly endearing and hilarious! This was a great read poolside or with a glass of chardonnay in the evening to escape the day.
reviewed The Starter Wife on + 3 more book reviews
I started it as a summer read - but never finished. Must have been pretty good, since it was made into a tv movie/series.....
reviewed The Starter Wife on
A really easy read, the ending was fun & unexpected.
teachingelementary avatar reviewed The Starter Wife on + 8 more book reviews
This is a great summer read. Its a fun easy read, perfect for that road trip to the beach! Loved the ending because I wasn't expecting it!
I-no-books avatar reviewed The Starter Wife on + 93 more book reviews
This was such a fun book to listen to. Much better than the film/TV series with Debra Messing. The characters are much more developed and it had me laughing out loud at some parts. Great chick Lit!
reviewed The Starter Wife on + 33 more book reviews
Delightful story (although definitely chick lit).
reviewed The Starter Wife on
I consider this to be a "light" read. Good for long car trips, plane rides, or to take the beach. The plot is a little out-there, but it is well-written and held my attention.
reviewed The Starter Wife on + 13 more book reviews
Hollywood insider tells story of what happens when a woman goes from "wife of" a Hollywood mover & shaker to "starter wife" following a cellphone divorce notice.
thepinkpapayagirl avatar reviewed The Starter Wife on + 12 more book reviews
So much more fun than the tv series, even though I loved the series!
ginamig avatar reviewed The Starter Wife on + 76 more book reviews
Literallt took me 150 pages of reading to really get into this book. Once I did though, I could not put it down! It wound up being truly likeable!
reviewed The Starter Wife on
I loved this book full of suprises
reviewed The Starter Wife on + 337 more book reviews
Funny, poignant tale of a Hollywood wife who is left by her studio executive husband for a younger woman. Okay, for Brittany Spears. How Gracie finds herself again is a great story.
reviewed The Starter Wife on + 66 more book reviews
Long, but good read
reviewed The Starter Wife on + 17 more book reviews
Over the top pretentious. I couldn't suspend my disbelief to go along with the story - it was too over the top, just a stupid plot. My book club's choice - none of us enjoyed it.
VeganFreak avatar reviewed The Starter Wife on
Good, fun, chick-lit(ish) story about a woman in her forties, having to deal with people in Hollywood and rediscover who she is.
reviewed The Starter Wife on + 13 more book reviews
When her husband, Kenny, dumps her by cell phone (!) mere months before their ten-year wedding anniversary, Gracie Pollock is dazed and confused. Though life as the wife of a semi-famous Hollywood studio executive often left her yawning. Gracie always believed she and Kenny were different from other Hollywood couples. She never thought she'd be a starter wife.

But Kenny has upgraded, and with images of his new pop tratlet girlfriend everywhere Gracie turns, she seeks refuge at her best friend's Malibu mansion. Then a mysterious hunk saves her from drowning and suddenly drowning in her sorrows seems like a waste of time. And hen she takes up with Kenny's boss, one of Hollywood's better-known Lotharios, she discovers that maybe life after divorce - Hollywood-style - isn't so bad after all!
Readnmachine avatar reviewed The Starter Wife on + 1474 more book reviews
Entertainingly snarky tale of the Hollywood subculture of the Wives Of almost-somebodies. The main character's husband, a studio executive, informs her by cell phone that he wants a divorce, and she's torn between terror at losing her pampered lifestyle and relief that she no longer has to press herself into the mold of Wife Of. The novel loses a bit of oomph as a secondary (?) romance plot intrudes.
reviewed The Starter Wife on
I really enjoyed this book. Lots of fun, easy to ready and to get lost it. I would recommend this book as great book to read on the beach this summer!!
LadyBook81 avatar reviewed The Starter Wife on + 60 more book reviews
I liked the TV series a lot. This was actually pretty good. I'm glad that they changed some things from the book when they adapted it to the tv series. All in all this was a good book. i do think, however, that the tv series was a lot funnier than the book.
reviewed The Starter Wife on + 7 more book reviews
This was a cute, fun read! Lots of name dropping and a few laugh out loud lines made this fun! Better than the USA TV show! It was hard not to picture Debra Messing as yet another "GRACE" but I enjoyted it!
reviewed The Starter Wife on + 988 more book reviews
Gracie always believed she and Kenny were different from other Hollywood couples. She was never supposed to be a starter wife.... â When Gracie Pollock is dumped by her husband, Kenny -- on her cell phone, no less -- mere months before their tenth wedding anniversary, she is left completely dumbfounded. Sure, life as the wife of a semi-famous Hollywood executive often left her yawning, but she was blissfully accustomed to the luxurious and cushy lifestyle it afforded her (not to mention a fabulous designer wardrobe).

But Kenny had moved on (and younger) to a new pop tartlet girlfriend who seems to be everywhere Gracie turns. While she's seeking refuge at her best friend's Malibu mansion, one day a mysterious hunk saves her from drowning -- and suddenly drowning in her sorrows seems like a waste of time. And when she finds herself smitten with Kenny's boss, one of Hollywood's better-known Lotharios, Gracie discovers that life after divorce -- Hollywood-style -- isn't so bad after all!
reviewed The Starter Wife on + 161 more book reviews
A look at Hollywood divorce and the Malibu colony life written by the wife of a film producer. insider insights written with great WIT. very funny yet touching. a good read. not your average "romance" novel.
reviewed The Starter Wife on + 7 more book reviews
When her husband, Kenny, dumps her by cell phone (!) merre months before their ten-yard wedding anniversary, Gracie Pollock is dazed and confused. Though life as the wife of a semi-famous Hollywood studio executive often left her yawning, Gracie always believed she and Kenny where different from other Hollywood couples. She never thought she'd be a starter wife.

But Kenny has upgraded, and with images of his new pop tartlet girlfriend everywhere Gracie turns, she seeks refuge at her best friend's Malibu mansion. Then a mysterious hunk saves her from drowning and suddenly drowning in her sorrows seems like a waste of time. And when she takes up with Kenny's boss, one of Hollywood's better-known Lotharios, she discovers that maybe life after divorce -- Hollywood-style -- isn't so bad after all!
reviewed The Starter Wife on + 215 more book reviews
When her husband Kenny dumps her by cell phone mere months before their ten year wedding anniversary, Gracie Pollock finds herself reeling. Her role as a 9 year wife of a semi-famous 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 walth: reservations at Spago on a Friday night: beauty treatments by dermatologists, manicures, colorists. She never dreamed she would become a "starter wife." She learns her husband has upgraded to a "pop tartlet." She seeks refuge at her friend's mansion for a much needed divorce therapy. Soon she is associating with all the wrong people, including Kenny's boss.
reviewed The Starter Wife on + 88 more book reviews
When her husband Kenny dumps her (by cell phone) mere months before their ten-year wedding anniversary, Gracie Pollock finds herself reeling. Though her role as the wife of a semifamous Hollywood studio executive often left her cold, Gracie had grown accustomed to the unique privileges extended to Tinseltown's power elite: reservations at Spago on a Friday night; beauty treatments by dermatologists (Arnie), manicurists (Jessica), and colorists (Christophe) to the stars; line-jumping at Disneyland with her daughter and Ugg-wearing celebrity offspring. And despite consenting to naming their daughter Jaden in a (failed) attempt to lure Will Smith into 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, she's a social pariah, 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 the `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.
reviewed The Starter Wife on + 49 more book reviews
To any one who would like this book I just want to tell you that I ended up with 2 copies of the book. One I got from here which was in good condition but I gave it to a friend and the other one someone bought for me and it is missing pages in the back of the book.[None of the story is missing it is just extra pages, ads for other books and such like that.]
About the book, well some of the things I liked better than the miniseries. Some I didn't. I agree that the beginning just drags on way too much.