In some places, gossip has become an industry. New York City, the biggest little city in the world, where everyone seems to know everything about everyone else, is just such a place. It is here that Loviah "Lovie" French and her friends Dinah and Avis have made their lives. They all attended the same boarding school in the 60s but only Lovie and Dinah remained friends after. As Lovie makes her way up in the fashion industry, eventually opening her own shop, Dinah makes a name for herself as a columnist in various papers, but leaves the business after a quietly hushed scandal. Meanwhile, Lovie and Avis reconnect and become close friends. Lovie watches as both Dinah and Avis make their families and move on in their lives and is thrilled when Dinah's youngest son falls for Avis's daughter. But Lovie soon finds herself in the middle of a mess, one that stems from some unsavory gossip, and one that ends in tragedy for them all.
I admit I struggled a bit with the synopsis here. I didn't want to give away too much and I almost resorted to using the publisher's copy until I realized that it only thinly veils the outcome of the story anyway. In my defense, I didn't actually read the cover copy before diving into this book, and I truly think that it made it that much of a better read for me. I would love for everyone to experience the book that way.
I've not read Gutcheon before, but I certainly plan to read more of her in the future. I found myself completely entranced by this book and while it's certainly a character driven tale (and I loved them all), what initially drew me in was Gutcheon's prose. Her writing is so vivid and musical, I couldn't help but be sucked into the story.
Lovie, as the narrator, is hard not to connect with. I think you'd have to be a bit of a sourpuss not to love her. And then there are Dinah and Avis. Dinah is maddening! Her attitude towards just about everyone, including (sometimes) Lovie, makes you want to slap her. But really she's not all that bad and Gutcheon presents her in full -- warts and all, so to speak. She has her own moments and her own troubles. I had a harder time with the kids, Grace in particular, only because as the reader we get to see so much more of Avis than her own daughter does. By the time their relationship is on the mend, the story is already headed downhill.
But I didn't know that! Yes, I suspected things were coming to a head. I had no idea the outcome would be what it ended up being. It was shocking compared to the rest of the story and because it was so unexpected, it was completely jarring. This is a book that I think is going to stay with me for a while. But as I said, I'm already browsing Gutcheon's backlist for a new addition to the TBR. Gossip was a pretty excellent read in my humble opinion!
To see more stops on the tour, visit the official TLC tour page here.
For more on Beth Gutcheon and her work, check out her official website here. You can also like her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter.
Rating: 5/5
1 comment:
I hope you enjoy Gutcheon's backlist as well!
Thanks for being on the tour.
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