They always say you should write what you know, but in Lauren Weisberger’s case maybe it should be write what you used to know.

While I appreciate authors attempting to age up their content as their readers and they themselves age, the noble pursuit aspect of it gets lost if the content ceases to be interesting.

It’s been a long time since The Devil Wears Prada first hit the shelves, and Weisberger has not achieved that level of originality, humor, and likability in any of the novels she has written since. But at least for a while, they were decent escapist fun.

This book, unfortunately, lacks even that. Ripped from the headlines plots almost never make good novels, and this one is definitely no exception. Adding to the reader’s misery: The characters were uninspired, boring, and unlikable. This is tropey, mommy drama stuff that feels insipid and irritating.

Mostly though, this book just isn’t funny, and that’s where Weisberger has shined in the past.

I always enjoy a book that's both easy to read and keeps me totally engaged. This book was both. Timely, this story looked at the rippling effects of one family's involvement in the college admission scandal. Although the story is about much more than just the scandal itself, we learn through the character's experiences that some choices, while well-intentioned, can cause pain and heartbreak beyond what we can imagine. This book would be perfect to take on your long-awaited summer vacation and would be a fun choice for your next book club.

I found Where the Grass is Green and the Girls are Pretty, by Lauren Weisberger, to be just an ok read. It would be suitable for a beach or pool read but don't expect the level of enjoyment that The Devil Wears Prada brought.

Thank you so much for this ARC!

I have loved Lauren Weisberger FOREVER. I especially enjoy her comical yet sometimes thought provoking writing. It was interesting to read a personal (yet, of course, fictionalized) account of what really could have went down in the college admission scandals. It gave a peak into what may have caused parents to commit these acts and how it affected entire families.

This was probably not my favorite Weisberger book, but still a light and enjoyable summer read.

Where the Grass is Green and the Girls are Pretty is a perfect title for this novel that centers around the lives of two sisters, Peyton and Skye, who appear to have it all on the surface while in reality are struggling with challenges and secrets that threaten to destroy their lives. Peyton, both gorgeous and the pillar of physical perfection on the outside is at the height of her career and is the morning face of a leading news network. She is married to her loving, attractive husband Isaac and their daughter Max has just been accepted to Princeton. Skye is brilliant, well-educated, and married to the man of her dreams, Gabe, lives in a wealthy suburban town outside of the city and is a stay-at-home mom to their adopted daughter Aurora. Both women appear to have it all on the surface and to everyone else from the outside looking in but that could not be farther from the truth. Rather, each woman harbors secrets that threaten to unravel the lives that they have built for themselves. Then, one split second decision by one of them threatens all their lives and causes a spiral effect of unintended consequences.

The novel takes the reader on a journey through parenting in an ever-challenging world and offers the reader an opportunity to bond with the sisters over issues of aging, college pressures, child rearing, money issues and marriage. The author does a good job of developing the relationships among the characters and the importance of family and bonds that tie them together even during the worst of times.

The novel was a light, quick read with added humor despite various struggles and challenges faced by the characters. The ending fell somewhat flat as major storylines are not completed and readers are left to wonder how things played out. The parts that are resolved seem forced and an unlikely ending particularly as to the college admission scandal.

Overall, this book was enjoyable and keeps the reader engaged. The pace moves quick and it is an easy read even if some of the story lines are somewhat plausible. It makes for a good beach read or vacation escape. It reinforces the old saying, the grass is not always greener on the other side.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

Lauren Weisberger never fails with her light, easy-to-read books! The characters are relatable, and this is the perfect beach read!

Peyton Marcus is a successful morning tv show host with a happy marriage, a daughter and enough money to provide for any wants or needs they may have. But she jeopardizes all of that when she decides that perhaps a small donation to the right people may help her give her daughter an advantage getting into the ivy league school of her choice. In her mind she hasn't done anything wrong. However how will the rest of her friends and family react when they find out? This book takes a peek behind closed doors of a family caught in the middle of a college admissions scandal. Peyton is forced to look inside herself and come to terms with her short comings and in the end discover that the most important things in life can't be bought with money and must come from the heart.

I was drawn to this book because of the title - I'm a Guns N Roses fan! This story is taken straight from our current nightly news. Parents are "donating" to prestigious schools to insure that their children will be accepted. I enjoyed the story line as well as the characters. I wouldn't hate it if we got to know more about the lives of these characters in the future. 3.5 stars

Oh man. I really wanted to like this one. Lauren Weisberger is usually a sure thing. But this one just...fell flat.

I don't know if I'm the wrong audience or I was just expecting a fun, sweet beach read. But this wasn't it. I feel like I may have just been the wrong reader for this book. The premise behind this one... I feel like fell extremely flat for me.

So unfortunately, this one was just a complete dud for me and I found myself just skimming to the end. (Which was nothing special). So yeah, I just didn't really enjoy this one at all.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an my honest review.

This was such a fantastic book! We follow along as two sisters Peyton and Skye navigate through their adult lives despite being embroiled in a college admissions scandal centered around Peyton’s daughter Max. Their worlds are both turned upside down, and they aren’t sure what to do when all that they thought they wanted in their lives started to disappear. However they both come to discover that what they wanted may have just been for appearances sake, and not what actually would make them happy.
I loved following along with each character through the scandal, and seeing how each one of them learned and grew through the experience.

As shiny and veneered as they come in the Manhattan New York scene, Peyton, a morning show host and household name, is bound and determined to guarantee the most glowing and enviable future for her daughter, Max. Max is the polar opposite of her seemingly flawless mother. A bit jaded and less than jazzed about attending Princeton in the fall, Max wants to use her intelligence and creativity to pursue an education and job in film. It seems as though her path has been determined for her...until everything blows up in her families face.

During this time of university scandal after scandal, where rich people find themselves trapped in their nefarious attempts to loop hole their way through the Ivey league vetting system, Peyton and her family are now in the crosshairs and her once adoring public prove to be less than forgiving.

With paparazzi wolves at their backs and "friends" shedding them from their lives, Peyton and Max go to the one place that remains safe and without the threat of crucifixion. A place called Pleasant, where Peyton's sister Skye resides. A housewife, Girl Scout leader, and all around mom, Skye is also dealing with her own skeletons while trying to carve out a place for herself that has somehow become lost. Through scandal, heart break, lies, and misjudgment, can this family survive? Or will it all blow apart?

I love Lauren Weisberger and everything she writes. This book was no exception. The glitter and glamour of the upscale lifestyle of New York is always enjoyable. There wasn't anything specific I can point out that was particularly appealing. I just love these types of contemporary stories and especially the way in which Weisberger writes them.

I'll read pretty much anything Lauren Weisberger writes- her stories are entertainingly filled with the bad behavior of the wealthy and those close to it, and this one is in that same style. Expect a story that is more about family connections and secrets than focused on action, and one that is well suited to poolside reading.

I have to admit that the first part of this book was a struggle. The relationship between the two sisters was the only thing that kept me interested and even then I had swallow my disbelief that a kind man like Isaac would love and adore a selfish, self absorbed woman like Peyton.

I really liked Max and as the story fleshed out I finally became engaged with the rest of the cast as well. The story wouldn’t have worked or been nearly as effective without Peyton’s pig-headed willfulness. This has all the markings of a beach read but a little meatier. I would absolutely recommend it as a compelling and satisfying read.

The newest book by Lauren Weisberger centers around a nationally-known tv news anchor getting caught up in a college admissions scandal. I might have liked this book a bit more if I hadn't recently read "Girls With Bright Futures" by Tracy Dobmeier and Wendy Katzman which was a more entertaining - but maybe not as realistic - look into the cut-throat world of college admissions. I didn't like Peyton (the news anchor) from the beginning of the book and those thoughts never changed for me. I also didn't quite understand Peyton's sister and how/why she created the life for herself that she did in Westchester County. (I think Weisberger's "When Life Gives You Lululemons" was a much more entertaining look into the world of the Westchester and Fairfield County elite.) This is still a worthy beach read if you keep your expectations low.

Where the Grass is Green and the Girls are Pretty is a light read about rich people having rich people problems. It was well written, but I found it hard to sympathize with the characters, and the ending was kind of abrupt.

I’ve always been a big fan of Lauren Weisberger’s books so was excited to read her latest book! This book was 3.5 stars for me. The premise was the college admission scandal where parents pay “consultants” to put in a good word to get their kids into prestigious schools. This story line felt a little flat to me and I didn’t find myself particularly connecting with the characters. It has the typical Lauren Weisberger wit and was fairly easy to read. I did like the ending but felt the book was a little hard to get into in the beginning. Looking forward to reading this authors next book and hoping it’s the book I’ve come to know and expect from this author! Thank you to netgalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review!

Highly readable story about the expectations self-imposed on women when they're students, daughters, mothers, sisters, wives, and professionals. Peyton and Skye are siblings in their late 30s, and to all outside appearances, they have the world in their hands. Both deal with insecurities and struggle to keep their glossy outside image intact. When Peyton makes a stupidly bad moral choice, the glossy image for both sisters falls apart. I enjoyed reading how both Skye and Peyton dealt with their individual disasters, and especially enjoyed the characters of Max and Marcia. What I also loved about this story were both husbands -- both supportive of their wives and strong in themselves. Refreshing to read a book where the bad guy isn't a guy. This will be read as a distracting summer confection but there is a satisfying moral and message here.
#netgalley #laurenweisberger #Wherethegrassisgreenandthegirlsarepretty

3.5 stars

All is well in the lives of Peyton, Skye and Max.

Peyton is the co-host of a popular morning news TV show, Skye is a stay-at-home mom trying to find happiness outside of PTA meeting and play dates, and Max is excited that she has finally graduated high school.

Everything changes when they find themselves in the middle of a college admissions scandal, a scandal that was caused by one person but has everyone paying the price.

This book was entertaining with laugh out loud moments. The majority of the book took place in a wealthy suburb of NYC called Paradise City. I’m a huge fan of reading about the wealthy, their dramas and all the ridiculous things they spend their money on – so in that aspect the book did not disappoint!

Overall, the book was good. I enjoyed the storyline and all the drama that came along with the college admissions scandal. I also really liked the banter between the sisters, Peyton and Skye.

This would be the perfect summer time read.

A huge thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchnge for my honest review.

I want to thank Random House and Net Galley for this ARC of Where the Grass is Green. I am posting this on Net Galley as well as GoodReads , today 5/20/2021. I have read all of Lauren Weisberger's books, and have enjoyed them all on various levels. I loved The Devil Wears Prada. I was not so impressed with the sequel. I thought Last Night at the Chateau Marmont was delightful. This book ranks somewhere in the middle. The premise is intriguing.Peyton and Skye are sisters, who live very different lives. Peyton is a broadcaster on a daily morning TV news program. Skye was a teacher , in who taught in third world countries and then inner city schools.before she and her husband adopted a daughter.Peyton has a daughter, Max, who is graduating High School . This takes place in 2020, after the Varsity Blues Scandal. The blurbs on the book mention that both women have lies that can wreck their lives. It is not a spoiler to say that Peyton has given money to a "charity" to ensure that her daughter is admitted to Princeton. This is addressed almost immediately, however, the blame is placed on her husband,Skye's lies are not addressed until somewhat later. The action , as it were , takes place over a summer, with both women undergoing changes and angst. It is interesting, that the book chooses to mock the superficiality of the well off, while both protagonists are highly superficial.The character of Max, Peyton's daughter, is interesting and could have had more to do- I feel that there is a whole other story there to be told. I liked the interplay between the sisters, and felt that that was the best part of the book. The mother of the girls was also involved in the storyline, and again, could have been a more integral part. I have been complaining all winter that books are too long , and do not come to a conclusion ,but rely on the 6 months later epilogue to sum up.This book is shorter( 350 pages) and has a cliffhanger type ending. I want more story and a a followup:)A few notes,:1) I am not sure that I buy that after all of the Varsity Blues scandal that people( especially a new anchor) would still be gullible enough to fall for a college admittance scheme , 2 years later. 2)The title comes from a Guns n Roses song - Paradise City, as much of it is set in a fictional suburb called Paradise. 3) We don't get a real sense of the men's roles, there are 2 husbands and a semi boyfriend, who are there as a Greek Chorus to the sisters/daughter.

Lauren Weisberger's character development is simply spot-on in Where the Grass is Green and the Girls Are Pretty. From the daytime talk show host to her entire extended family, we become engrossed in this story and feel real emotion for the cast. Excellent work!