Mercury in Retrograde

A quick entertaining read. Great book for the beach or the park. I found some scenarios to be hilarious and the characters endearing. A must read for summer.

I have to admit, I was a little skeptical of a book with a main character named Lipstick, but Paula Froelich won me over with this juicy, fun read that's perfect for anyone who's ever lived in New York, worked a crappy job, had their family expect too much of them, or had relationship troubles. In other words, everyone. Riffing on the world she knows well, Froelich has reporter Penelope Mercury running all over the city under horrible conditions, only to be fired and wind up with one of the craziest bosses in the world. Meanwhile, rich girl Lipstick splits off from her wealthy family and must "slum it" (yes, at an address many of us would kill for). Dana, the lawyer, seems stuck in a dead-end job while still mourning the death of her marriage. The three neighbors wind up doing much more than yoga together, supporting each other through Lipstick's stalker, Penelope's stint as a TV Easter Bunny, and Dana's decisions about what truly matters to her. The most fun story line by far winds up being, yes, Lipstick's, armed as she is with a nemesis who's stolen her boyfriend, a self-created fashion mystery, and a budding romance. This is a perfect summer read that'll win you over with its in many ways innocent charm (if you're expecting hot and heavy bedroom scenes, they're not here, though there is plenty of flirting). Perfect for your beach bag (or subway commute!).

"Mercury in Retrograde" is definitely going to be one of the must reads for Summer. The book follows Penelope, Lena (better known as Lipstick), and Dana. When the book begins the women are complete strangers to each other but they meet when a yoga instructor brings them together to do yoga. Then they become fast friends who like to gossip about their lives with each other. I thought all of the characters were engaging and easy to root for. Even Lipstick, who ordinarily would be one that readers who hate because she is a socialite and is a bit stuck up in the beginning. But she is likeable and I liked that she stands up to her parents to say that she is going to make in on her own. I felt sympathy for Dana, who got divorced from a jerk and has to rebuild her confidence. And I found all of the stuff Penelope did for work to be really funny. I found this book to be a fast read- I read it in two days. Actually, I wouldn't have minded if the book had been longer because I really enjoyed reading the story about the three women. I think this book should definitely be on every chick lit readers Summer reading list.

To start with, I'm not a huge fan of either chic lit or shows like Sex in the City. I've never been a with it girl, cool, have enough money to dine in fancy restaurants every night of the week, or live in a big city where other cool and together people live. I love a good story though, and intriguing characters that really explore different cultural perspectives in more than a superficial way are great no matter what the setting. Mercury in Retrograde has all of it. The characters are real and flawed, and the details of their lives are interesting without being an anthropological exercise. The author brought a depth to what might in other hands have been a stereotypical telling of characters like the socialite, the reporter, the hard working lawyer, and brought out a common truth in the experience of any woman, or person, who finds their entire world has crumbled and must recreate their lives. That's what I really loved about this book - that that awakening experience can happen to anyone even though the details might be different. She's also just a great storyteller who knows how deep to go, and how to keep it fun without being vacuous. I can't wait for her next novel.

This is a debut novel from Paula Froelich. I had my doubts, as the title made me think of the 60's and the Age of Aquarius era. Some of the sections had an apropos horoscope for the 3 main characters ongoing throughout the book, and yet it was nothing like the 60's, thank goodness! The horoscopes were very clever in that they tied into that particular chapter's events. The main character, Penelope Mercury, is an aspiring journalist, stuck in a dead end job. The two new friends that she makes on her journey are Lena "Lipstick Carcrash" Lippencrass, a broke Upper East Side socialite, and Dana Gluck, a corporate lawyer workaholic, who is having a melt down after her divorce. Are those names or what?!! And, as the title suggests, anything that could go wrong absolutely does! I felt like I had a front row seat to the New York social calender events, as well as an insider view of Cable TV and the gossip sheets. And the fashion, well, Sex and the City watch out! I became interested and invested in these characters almost immediately, and I had a lot of fun reading about their antics. The conclusion was satisfying, and the writing was fresh, original and entertaining. Ms. Froelich is quite witty with her Seinfeld styled humorous dialogue. I did not want to put this book down! Get ready to lose some sleep! I highly recommend this book.