Reviews for The ex-debutante
Library Journal
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Lawyer and former debutante Carlisle Wainwright Cushing fled Texas for Boston a few years ago and found career success and love. But when Carlisle's oft-married mother pressures her to handle her latest divorce and a letter from a dear family member asks her to save their hometown's debutante ball, Carlisle feels the tug of family ties. To the concern of her employer and the chagrin of her fiance, she takes a leave of absence from her job and her relationship to fix things at home. Further complicating matters is that her fiance has no idea that she comes from money, and the man representing her mother's soon-to-be ex is none other than Carlisle's first love, the still dreamy Jack Blair. Lee's second novel (after The Devil in the Junior League) is a fun and engaging story about the crazy things women do for love and family. The witty first-person narrative is an absolute pleasure to read. Highly recommended for popular fiction collections. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 12/07.]--Samantha Gust, Niagara Univ. Lib., NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Library Journal
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Another doubting debutante (see Katie Crouch's Girls in Trucks), New York lawyer Carlisle must run home to Texas to save friends, family, and the debutante ball. With a national tour; reader's guide. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus
Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Lee (The Devil in the Junior League, 2006, etc.) takes another jab at old Texas. Lawyer Carlisle Wainwright Cushing hasn't been back to her Texas hometown since she ran away to Boston, where she eschewed her wealthy past for a new life. Now, happily engaged, Carlisle reluctantly returns after getting an urgent call from her impossible-to-please mother: The Wainwright-sponsored Symphony Association Debutante Ball is about to be canceled, and Carlisle's mother is going through the most recent of multiple divorces and needs her daughter to represent her. Carlisle has no desire to get involved with any of this. Upon returning to Texas, though, she is reunited with her former flame, confident Jack Blair, who always threatened her self control with his reckless passion. For flaky reasons made up for the sake of the plot, Carlisle decides to save the debutante ball and assist with the divorce. Comedic chaos ensues, as do sentimental moments of self-discovery. Her relationship with her fiance suffers as her attraction to Jack (also engaged) grows. Carlisle, unqualified and initially dispassionate, attempts to groom teenagers into debutantes. The debutante ball is supposed to allow young women to feel accomplished and proud; however, it is presented as nothing more than young girls prancing around in wedding dresses for archaic reasons. The girls do not slowly transform into kind, graceful women. Rather, they cat fight and one-up each other with gross displays of wealth. Rather nonsensically, Carlisle's trials—in the courtroom and out—teach her to appreciate her family and her community. Funny and slightly ridiculous. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Publishers Weekly
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
The latest tongue-in-cheek blusher from Lee (after The Devil in the Junior League) finds that coming out in Willow Creek, Tex., society has its snags. At her own debut, Carlisle Wainwright Cushing failed to execute the Texas Dip-"a deep full curtsy where a girl sinks so low that she touches her forehead to her skirt"-properly. Now almost 30 and a successful Boston divorce attorney, Carlisle is summoned home to represent her diva mom Ridgely in her latest divorce. Carlisle is also asked to rescue the troubled Hundredth Annual Willow Creek Symphony Association Debutante Ball, and to teach seven iffy debs-to-be the Texas Dip. But the attorney representing her mother's soon-to-be-ex is Carlisle's old heart-throb, the former bad boy Jack Blair-who is the brother of the ultra rich Hunter Blair, and father to India, a spoiled deb-to-be. Can Carlisle deal with all the challenges while allowing her renewed feelings for Jack to "come out"? Lee depicts Carlisle and the antiquated debutante tradition with equal parts chagrin and tenderness. (Apr.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Book list
From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.
Tired of the trappings that go with being a duke's great-great-granddaughter, a direct descendant of Sam Houston, and the youngest member of one of Texas' premiere families, attorney Carlisle Wainwright Cushing moves to Boston, where no one knows her. Now, she is back in Texas to handle her mother's fifth divorce. Carlisle hasn't told the family that she is engaged. She also hasn't told her fiancé about the blue blood running through her veins, her past as a debutante, or the fact that her family is filthy rich. It's bad enough that Carlisle has to stay in Texas to help with her mother's legal woes, but she is also coerced into working on the Symphony Association Debutante Ball. To make matters worse, opposing counsel on the divorce is none other than Carlisle's former flame. Lee (The Devil in the Junior League, 2007) once again demonstrates her trademark wit in this hilarious, fast-paced romp that proves you can go home again, but you probably shouldn't.--Mosley, Shelley Copyright 2008 Booklist
