Skye and her sister Peyton are both at that 40 mark in their lives. Peyton is the anchor for an early morning show. She is well-known and fights really hard to keep herself looking youthful by exercising and visits to her dermatologist. Her husband is Issac who has a great relationship with their daughter Max who has just graduated from high school and is headed to Princeton University, her father’s alma mater. Skye is the go-to person to organize and coordinate events at her daughter’s school and her neighborhood. Her one ambition in life is to build a girls’ residence for unfortunate girls.

On the exercise machine, Peyton sees a newsflash with her husband being arrested for writing a large check as a bribe for admitting Max to Princeton. Peyton is told by her news station to lie low and Max is humiliated. At the same time, Skye has been outed for running up their credit card to complete the girls’ residence when she is supposed to be relying on donations. Oh wow! Trouble is here for both sisters.

I was really looking forward to sitting back and reading a fun novel equal to “The Devil Wears Prada” or “When Life Gives You Lululemons.” Well, that was not what I got. Here we have a story that centers around a 17-year-old girl, Max, who has been “wronged” by something her mother did that didn’t seem at the time to be a big deal. Well, it jumped on the back of last year’s headline scandal and literally rode it into the sunset. At the same time, it gave Max the upper-hand in everything with her family leaving her parents cowering in her “righteous” presence. Give me a break. So much angst. This should have been a sassy story but became one typical of today where parents are so fixated on their children’s college that they don’t allow them to be children and learn lessons on their own. I can’t believe I spent so many hours reading this book hoping it would get better. Sorry. Not for me. I hope that the author can get back to writing the way she used to. However, I will be kind and give the book 3 stars.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I was a big fan of The Devil Wears Prada and When Life Gives You Lululemons so I was immediately excited to read Lauren Weisberger’s new book Where The Grass is Green ...
Where the Grass is Green and the Girls Are Pretty takes a satirical look at those living lives of quite high privilege. The family of morning news anchorwoman Peyton gets caught up in a new college admission scandal as Peyton’s trying to buy her daughter’s ticket to Princeton. This action causes an enormous ripple effect on quite a few people connected to Peyton. Daughter Max is the character to root for as she is young and has the chance to forge her own direction as her life is turned on its head. I wish I could have felt more for the other main characters, but they were quite ensconced in their privilege without too much reflection and the “helpful” charity work done to feel better by one of the main characters had the feel of an outdated white savior kind of charity work. This part was not reflected on and did not feel like satire to me.
Author Lauren Weisberger has an easy writing style and insightful wit which makes the book entertaining and a fun read overall.
Thank you so much to NetGalley, Random House, and the author for early access to this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! No spoilers. Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to. Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Maybe even a book club pick.

2.5 Stars. Peyton has the perfect job, perfect husband, and a Princeton-bound daughter, but when a lie implodes their family, Peyton and her daughter, Max, escape to her sister Skye’s home in Paradise, a swanky New York suburb.

I was excited to read this newest novel by the author of THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA, but unfortunately this one was a miss for me. However, I think I was just the wrong audience for the book. The novel dives into the privileged world of the upper class, and the drama and scandal surrounding their everyday lives. Personally, I just felt like it was too much of the fashion, Botox, and lavish lifestyles of the elite crowd, and there was not enough to the plot. While this was not the best book for me, I would definitely still give it a chance if the synopsis interests you!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for providing me with an advance copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed this book, Giving it 3 stars and here's why

Pros :
- Lauren Weisberger is best remembered for 'The Devil Wears Prada',that was delicious and juicy, this isn't as good as the 'The Devil Wears Prada.' I have to give it to Lauren because since 2003 she's tried to create another huge hit and this almost hit the mark for me..
- Lauren Weisberger writes Snarky women really well. This book is Ripped from the headlines and deals with the college admission scandals.. It's a pretty basic premise but Lauren's signature snark and thoughtful storytelling worked for me.
-The book started off superficial as all get out, But thankfully it developed into some important and serious conversations about privilege and what wealthy parents will do for their children.
- If you enjoy books focusing on pop culture and the scandalous lives of bitchy privileged women check this book out.

The Cons:
- I saw the ending a mile away

I had read a couple of other books from Lauren Weisberger that I enjoyed and the book's description drew me in. It was loosely based on the college bribery scandal of a couple of years ago and followed the life of a family caught in the scandal. It brought up a lot of thoughts and feelings that I could see families involved in the "real" scandal might have. This was a book I thought about some after it was over and just how one person's choice of actions changed the trajectory of many other people's lives.
Kindle ebook – I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley for the purpose of an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This book was just okay for me. Definitely not one of my favorites by this author. The story is about a college admissions scandal & the family fallout & drama that ensues. While I thought the storyline had interesting potential the author focused more on the family relationships & issues and less on the actual admission scandal. Sisters, Peyton and Skye were the main characters with most of the storyline dealing with their past and present relationships & personal issues. While they were trying to make things right... several issues were left hanging.
I wish there had been more about Max, my favorite, the daughter of Peyton & Isaac who is the one suffering the most from the scandal.
It started off at a great pace but slowed up quite a bit as the book progressed.
Appreciate the opportunity to review the ARC. Thank you NetGalley & Random House Publishing. #NetGalley #RandomHouse

I was super thankful to get an ARC of this book, but it definitely fell flat for me. I didn't find myself connecting to any of the characters and was disappointed that a few of the storylines weren't followed through.

Where the Grass Is Green and the Girls Are Pretty by Lauren Weisberger is a novel centered around two sisters, Peyton and Skye, who couldn't be more different yet are both harboring big secrets. Quickly into the novel, it is discovered Peyton, her husband, and her daughter Max are embroiled in a college admissions scandal after a charitable "donation' to Princeton. Upon this discovery, Peyton's family is under a microscope as she is also a TV anchor personality putting her entire reputation on the line and her husband in jail. What once seemed like a picture perfect life reveals the secrets in the family that may tear them apart.

When I saw the premise of this novel I was instantly intrigued given the college scandals going on recently. In some ways this book humanized the people that were involved in these scandals yet at the same time made me realize how far removed people that choose to do this are. I found this a very interesting reading experience because I expected to hate Peyton yet at times I understood her desire to support and create safety for her daughter no matter what. At the same time Peyton was certainly not a likable character that I wanted to shake her when she didn't understand the reactions of her family members to her decision and the ramifications it had on them.

I found the dialogue to be natural and the novel had a light tone despite the seriousness of some of the plot points in this novel. I also appreciated the astute observations from the author about the characters and pop culture in general. The pacing of this novel was quick at the beginning as Peyton frantically tries to get her bearings with this scandal. However as the book progresses it slows down, especially in Skye's chapters. I almost wish the book would have only been from Peyton's POV. However by the end it started to pick up and ended in a fitting way for the plot and characters.

I found this book to be easy to read that had enough to think about or discuss, making it perfect for a buddy read while on the beach!

Many thanks to the publisher Random House and Netgalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

Peyton Marcus, the fabulous morning news anchor for ANN, was working out on the treadmill when she saw the breaking news that her husband was being arrested. And if that wasn’t bad enough, she was watching it play out on her news channel, voiced by her co-host Jim, who she had just been on the air with.

Jim had left the studio before she had, but apparently while she’d left to get to her workout, he’d doubled back for the breaking news and got to tell the world that Peyton’s husband, Isaac, had just been arrested in the second round of parents accused of buying their children’s ways into college.

Peyton knew the story of those parents. She’d reported on it. Now Isaac was being handcuffed and put in the back of a car, and she had to do something. She left her gym and ran the blocks to get to him before they took him away, and she got there before he’d left but well after the paparazzi had gotten there, to get the photos of her in her workout clothes. Isaac tells her not to say anything to anyone, and as he’s put in the car, their doorman escorts Peyton inside, away from the cameras, and puts her in the elevator to her apartment.

And when their daughter Max sees the news, she is devastated. She and Peyton had always had a contentious relationship, but Max had always been able to count on her father. Isaac had been the non-judgmental parent, Max’s safe place, but now he apparently doesn’t think she can get into Princeton on her own and had to bribe someone to get her in. She wasn’t even the one who wanted Princeton. She had wanted to go to film school on the West Coast, but Isaac had gone to Princeton. Now, Max can’t bring herself to talk to him, and Peyton doesn’t know how to fix their family.

While Peyton’s life is falling apart so publicly, her sister Skye is struggling with her own private pain. She and her husband Gabe had moved to Paradise for the school, a great public school for their adopted daughter Aurora. But now Aurora is six, and Skye is bored. She was well educated, and she’d been a teacher in Harlem and before that in Africa. But she became a stay-at-home mom for Aurora, and now her contemporaries are heading up non-profits and establishing new schools in underdeveloped countries, she is the co-leader for Girl Scouts and the snack mom when needed.

Skye has been working on a small non-profit of her own, a house where 8 girls from Harlem could come live in Paradise and get a good education, create opportunities for themselves that they might not get in city schools. But as she’s waiting for her financing to come through, she’s in a holding pattern and finding it harder and harder to figure out what it is she really wants to do with her life.

As these two sisters try to straighten out their respective lives and take responsibility for their choices, will they figure out how to repair everything’s that gone wrong? Or will they lose their lifelong sister bond along with everything else they once cared about?

Where the Grass Is Green and the Girls Are Pretty is a powerful story of the family bonds that pull us apart and hold us together. Author Lauren Weisberger, best known for her first novel The Devil Wears Prada, has written yet another compelling story about the relationships that break us and make us, and the decisions that we make that push us towards our dreams or take us in the wrong direction.

I liked Where the Grass Is Green and the Girls Are Pretty a lot. I had a hard time setting it aside when I needed to do other things. But with the story line of the college bribery, I was expecting the story to be a little juicier, to throw a little more dirt around. Instead of going there though, Weisberger focuses on the family relationships and how the small decisions made when you’re maybe not paying full attention can have cruel consequences for someone else. Sassy and smart, humble and healing, Where the Grass Is Green and the Girls Are Pretty is a story, ultimately, of hope and redemption, which makes it a lovely tale to get lost in for a while.

Egalleys for Where the Grass Is Green and the Girls Are Pretty were provided by Random House Publishing Group through NetGalley, with many thanks.

Although the main characters in this book were ok, my favorite character in this book was Max. Reading about this young lady's struggles with her parents when they reached in and tried to turn the tables in their direction as it affected the college admission of this wonderful young lady. I loved the way she evolved and grew into the person she always wanted to be. I have read every Lauren Weisberger book and found this one to be a great story that is probably a big turn from her last few books. I recommend the book to anyone who wants a great read.

Happy publication day to Lauren Weisberger! Her latest novel, Where the Grass is Green and the Girls Are Pretty, is out TODAY! A big thank you to Random House publishers for providing me with an advanced digital copy for review!

I was a big fan of Devil Wears Prada, and have enjoyed most of her books since then. This particular book is all about the college admissions scandal of 2019. Remember Lori Loughlin? We are going back in time to where parents pay people off to give their children an upper hand, where looks are more important than anything and status is the most important thing in life.

This book is an easy read - the focus is less on action and more on how one decision can set off a chain of events that affects those closest to you. The focus is more on the relationships between a family after one member makes a really bad choice.

At the end of the book, in the Acknowledgement section, Weisberger indicates that she had a rough go of writing this book. Her long term editor had passed away in late 2019, and then the pandemic hit, but she was still trying to write a "beach read" novel. While it's not her typical light fare, it still is a great read.

I enjoyed reading about Peyton and Skye's relationship while they each struggled from the fall out. Even Max's sections are interesting to read as she tries to find her new path in life that she didn't think was possible.

If you are looking for an easy read that focuses on relationships, then this may be the book for you!

Fast read by this best selling author! Two sisters, totally different, who run into problems with wanting the best for people at any cost, showing their perfect lives while hiding their perfect lies. Payton is the darling of a popular morning news show, picture perfect, fighting aging all the way and stressing about her daughter, Max, getting into an Ivy League college. Skye, is the perfect leader/volunteer, always ready to spearhead another worthy cause, but gets in over her head with her current project. Eventually, their worlds come crashing down.

Another admission scandal at the forefront of this book. I guess I’m just done with the rich buying their way. These sisters have issues, Mom is pretty cold, Dad has moved on. Both in loving marriages, but husbands seem pretty clueless as to what’s going on. I really enjoyed the character of Max, the dutiful daughter who is just overrun by her parents and their wishes, who finally finds her voice. I found the chapters ‘wordy’ skimming over some overly descriptive parts, rolling my eyes thru another book of the rich and famous. A good enough book for the beach or if you are looking for a lighter read. Not a lot of substance, but a lot of fluff, with a pretty predictable ending.

Thanks to Ms. Weisberger, Random House and NetGalley for this ARC. Opinion is mine alone.

I had no idea what the book was about (I purposely don’t read the synopsis) but wanted to read it because it’s by the author of The Devil Wears Prada. I’ll admit that I let out a groan when I started reading and realized it was about the college admission scandals. UGH!! I’m so over it, but I had to finish it so I could provide an honest review.

Turns out, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Max is by far the star of the book. Her character is extremely likeable and relatable. I loved the relationship with her dad, so it was tough to watch her heartache as the drama unfolded.

This book is about so much more than just the college admissions scandal. It’s about family, mother/daughter expectations, how your upbringing influences your life’s choices, figuring out your future, falling in love, and so much more. Go grab your copy!

I'm something of a Lauren Weisberger fan. In my opinion, she really sets the bar for snarky and hilarious women's fiction. I mean, hello, The Devil Wears Prada is a CLASSIC. What I think is so special about her books is that she's able to combine humor, believable dialogue, and complex characters (you know, great writing) with a thoughtful and dynamic discussion of important issues - particularly issues that women face.

This book is no different. Sisters Peyton and Skye are living completely different lives but both striving for success - but what does success mean? Is it fortune and fame as a leading news anchor and sending your daughter to a prestigious university? Is it establishing a thriving nonprofit and leading the PTA? And what happens when something threatens all that you've built, and you have to examine what is really important in life and how society's expectations may have pushed you in a direction you never intended to go? These are scenarios that women face every single day, and Lauren Weisberger has created a story where the reader can laugh through - but also really think - about what they would do.

If you are looking for a fun, fantastic, fast-paced read that has some depth, I highly recommend you pick up this book!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Random House, and the author for early access to this book in exchange for my honest review.

I think I am the wrong demographic for this book. I was thinking it would be more of a sassy romp but it was not that at all. Just couldn't connect to the characters or the book at all.

It will work perfectly for those who are looking for a juicy, light and quick read. The author’s easy writing style will help you literally breeze through this one. Peyton, a morning show anchor ends up being the breaking news story herself and it then moves on to how the family deals with this scandal. It shows how one small mistake changes her life forever. Through this journey she starts understanding her daughter better and tries to not be a helicopter mom anymore. Her daughter, Max is probably the best character in this book and all the readers will definitely be rooting for her to succeed in life.

My one concern was it did not come close to the author’s previous works. I expected more drama so that was a bit letdown.

Where the Grass is Green and the Girls are Pretty is a ripped from the headlines story about a college admissions scandal very similar to the Varsity Blues scandal from a couple of years ago. Peyton and her husband Isaac really want their daughter Max to go to Princeton, even though she’d rather go to film school. They might have gone a little too far in doing whatever they could to ensure Max’s acceptance. Peyton’s sister, Skye, is a stay-at-home mom in the suburbs. She’s also starting a residence home for underprivileged girls but still feels unsatisfied with her life.

I didn’t like Where the Grass is Green as much as I liked When Life Gives You Lululemons. Where the Grass is Green seems a little too much like a Lifetime movie for my taste. I know it’s a beach read so I wasn’t expecting a masterpiece but even still, I was left wanting a little more substance. There are too many clichés and also some continuity errors and a wonky timeline that I had trouble following.

I also had a really hard time feeling any sort of empathy for Peyton even though I was supposed to. Just like I feel zero empathy for Lori Laughlin and her husband. Yes, what she did was partly out of love but we all love our kids and we don’t all do illegal things to help them out. None of the characters seemed very well developed except for Max. I felt a lot of empathy for her. I thought the ending was a little too convenient for some of the characters and left some of the characters hanging. We never find out if Skye told her husband about her secret.

Judging from the other reviews, I’m in the minority of not loving this book so make sure you read other reviews too before you make up your mind about reading it yourself.

Happy pub day to Where the Grass is Green and the Girls are Pretty (cue up the Guns N' Roses because part of the story takes place in Paradise.) I loved The Devil Wears Prada pre-movie days, and I've since read pretty much everything Lauren Weisberger writes. Thank you Random House for providing a NetGalley ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Peyton is a mega-successful news anchor - until she sees her husband Isaac on the news, being arrested for paying to get their daughter Max into Princeton. The fallout also impacts her sister Skye, whose charity funding gets pulled due to the scandal. The sisters are forced together to try to sort out what's left of their lives and figure out a way to move forward.

I love books about sisters, so I enjoyed the exploration of Peyton and Skye's relationship. Weisberger gave them both plenty of secrets and baggage in their backstories, and it was fun seeing this information come to life. My favorite character was Max - I connected with her struggles with parental expectations. I did think the ending was a little cheesy, but hey, it's a light read, why not? Consider adding this one to your beach bag! 3.5 stars rounded to 4.

I have read all of Weisburger’s previous novels and was so excited to read this new novel. This book centers on two sisters: Peyton and Skye, their families, and a college admissions scandal. Her writing is, as always, very witty and smart. Recommended!