Teen nannies and society girl wannabes Adrienne and Liz finally have everything they've ever dreamed of. At least, that's what they think. While Adrienne's relationship with Brian, her boyfriend of two-years, is over ever since he kicked her to the curb to creep around with rich girl debutante, and celeb wannabe, Cameron Warner, Adrienne doesn't mind flying solo for awhile. But when Graydon "Gray" Warner, begins making advances towards Adrienne. Advances that seem much more sincere than the ladies man has ever displayed before, she begins falling for his charm. However, when Adrienne's charge, and Graydon's half-sister, whiz kid Emma Warner, begins putting her detective skills to the test, she discovers some very unsettling news about her new crush, that leave her wondering whether she's being played for a fool. Liz, on the other hand, feels that her relationship with Parker Devlin, wealthy heir, and handsome guy to boot, is going strong. That is, except for the fact that one day he's excessively attentive, and the next, he's running on cold, and dodging her phone calls, e-mails, and text messages, leaving her wondering what else is going on in his world of wealth. As if that weren't bad enough, Liz has got to deal with a fretful nine-year-old, whose supposed Child Psychologist extraordinaire mother seems to feel that the best way to compete with other society parents is by forcing her skittish child into taking horseback riding lessons, and competing in horsemanship shows. Now, the two girls (along with a handful of their friends) must get to the bottom of all of the secrets surrounding them, before someone ends up with a broken heart. Or, even worse, an unkind blurb on Page Six that could ruin their reputation forever.
Victoria Ashton never ceases to amaze me with her creative writing skills, and downright juicy characters. The fact that she combines uber-wealthy characters, with those who have to "work hard for the money" gives readers a chance to view both sides of the spectrum, and how hard it is for the working-class to win a chance to play in the world of the rich. Adrienne is an interesting character, whose kind, yet inquisitive nature make her appealing; while the various tricks she constantly has up her sleeve provide for some juicy entertainment. Though, I must admit, the character after my own heart is actually her charge, eight-year-old Emma Warner, whose intelligent lingo, and crazy schemes always leave me wanting more. As with the previous installments in this can't-miss series, Ashton has combined a pinch of money, a dash of fashion, and a whole lot of back-stabbing scandal that will leave you foaming at the mouth, and wanting oh-so-much more.
Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer