In her engaging second novel, Lauren Weisberger (The Devil Wears Prada) follows the trials and tribulations of another young woman who secures a dream job, only to find that it’s not what she was expecting. New Yorker Bette Robinson’s relatively staid life working in banking changes drastically when she gets a new job at a PR firm. Soon, she is frequenting Manhattan’s hottest clubs and making the acquaintances of pop culture’s finest. When one night of revelry results in a chance meeting with British hottie Philip Weston, Bette becomes the most popular employee at her firm. Gossip columnists and paparazzi follow every move Bette and Philip make, and Bette’s boss is thrilled at the resulting publicity. But Bette isn’t so sure that her relationship with Philip is any more substantial than their nights of photo ops. Bette’s chance meeting with bouncer and up-and-coming chef Sammy Stevens results in a budding romance, though Bette isn’t quite sure that Sammy measures up to her ideal man, the hero of her favorite romance novel. Despite Bette’s relationship woes, the most captivating aspect of her character is her warring conscience, which wonders whether catering to the rich and famous is a particularly worthy life goal. On top of that, Bette must cope with the fractured relationship with best friend Penelope and frequent arguments with her parents, aging hippies who believe that Bette should be employed in a more productive venue. Much as she did in The Devil Wears Prada, Weisberger provides a bird’s-eye view of a world few inhabit while poking fun at the ridiculous behavior of some of the celebrities and their associates. Readers will likely be both intrigued and appalled by this humorous look into the lives of the rich and famous.
Valiant Women is a vital and engrossing attempt to correct the record and rightfully celebrate the achievements of female veterans of World War II.
