The Debutante Divorcée

Sykes made a splash on the socialite lit scene with her debut, Bergdorf Blondes (2004), which centered on rich, glamorous party girls looking for the perfect accessory--husbands. Her follow-up celebrates the opposite: what the young wealthy women do when they unload said husbands. According to stylish divorcee Lauren Blount, they have the time of their lives, taking solo honeymoons, having divorce showers, and pursuing any man they like. Newlywed Sylvie Mortimer, the novel's narrator, isn't envious in the least--she's basking in the love of her handsome husband, Hugh, even if she's a little miffed that business obligations pulled him away from their honeymoon. But then Sophie D'Arlan, a notorious seductress who only dates married men, sets her sights on Hugh, and Sylvie fears she may soon be joining the ranks of the debutante divorcees, even though it's the last thing she wants. Readers who enjoy the novels of Candace Bushnell and the writing team of Carrie Karasyov and Jill Kargman will cotton to Sykes' depiction of Manhattan's jet-setting elite.