November 15, 2022
My Fair Lady meets Working Girl in Singapore. Samantha Song is an avid follower of Singapore's social scene; her dream job is writing for S, the country's preeminent glossy magazine, but without connections or money, she settles for an entry-level job at a PR firm. There, she meets Anya Chen, a socialite whose family has fallen out of the top circles but retains their wealth. Anya introduces Samantha to her friend Timothy Kingston, heir to his family's business and fortune, who chafes against his predetermined path, wishing to do something creative with his life. If only he could prove that his birth should not determine his future! Samantha, whose optimism, quick thinking, and tolerance for risk truly feel cut from the same cloth as Melanie Griffith's Tess McGill, convinces Timothy to turn her into a socialite, asserting that they can both get what they want from the deal. With Anya's help--and her wardrobe--Socialite Samantha Song is born. Things go swimmingly at first, but no one will be surprised by the complications that come with her continued success, including jealous friends, a burgeoning romance, and an evil ex. The real pathos comes from Samantha's mother, a manicurist who works long, exploitive hours to pay off the immense debt left by her late husband. The book seems unsure how to reconcile this subplot with a more urgent question: Will Samantha make it to the famous S Gala and complete her transformation? There is sweetness to this story of glitz and glam despite some missed opportunities.
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November 1, 2022
Samantha Song has always dreamed of writing for a high-society magazine in Singapore, but her lack of connections means she has no chance of getting a foot in the door. When her work friend Anya introduces her to Timothy Kingston, disillusioned heir to one of Singapore's most wealthy families, the three hatch a plan: turn Sam into a ""socialite"" long enough for her to make an impression on Missy, the editor-in-chief of S, the poshest of the posh magazines. Borrowing clothes from Anya and invitations from Tim, Sam soon makes a splash in society, literally, with a glass of wine spilled on Tim's ex at a dinner party. But even as her scheme starts to bear fruit, Sam finds herself torn between following her dreams and staying true to herself. Zhao's debut is a sparkly page-turner, with hints of Crazy Rich Asians and The Devil Wears Prada. Readers will root for Sam even as she bungles her plans and distances herself from her hard-working mother and best friend. A delightful blend of emotion and aspiration.
COPYRIGHT(2022) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
November 21, 2022
Zhao updates My Fair Lady in her sparkling debut, a high society farce set in Singapore. Samantha Song, a PR pro with a working-class background, toils away at an entry-level firm while longing to be a reporter for the prestigious magazine S. After Sam’s wealthy coworker Anya Chen introduces her to Timothy Kingston, the son of one of Singapore’s richest families, Sam sees a path to her dreams. Sam and Timothy begin dating, and at Sam’s behest, Anya and Timothy mount a campaign to transform Sam into the latest hot socialite. The scheme works, and Sam thinks she’s hit the jackpot until things go disastrously wrong at the worst possible moment, with a humiliating zinger from Timothy’s ex, Lucia Yen. Zhao brings buckets of charm to her characters, portraying Timothy as a well-heeled man who doesn’t take himself too seriously, and she makes palpable Sam’s insecurity as she navigates Timothy’s glittering world. The author also gets plenty of mileage from arrogant socialite Lucia, who reads like she strutted off the pages of The Devil Wears Prada. Readers will be eager to see how Zhao follows up this whip-smart and witty rom-com.