‘WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU LULULEMONS’ BY LAUREN WEISBERGER

I got to admit that I have yet to read REVENGE WEARS PRADA, the sequel to 2003 THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA. I had planned on doing so but life threw me a couple of curveballs I just couldn’t ignore. Nonetheless, I was certain that I would still enjoy the third book in the Prada series WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU LULULEMONS now available from Simon and Schuster, and of course I was right. Author Lauren Weisberger gives you exactly what you need: a feel-good, funny, sometimes touching sometimes sad, slice of suburban pie, with a front row seat to the goings-on of the celebrity image consultant craze.

Last time I checked, Emily was still working for the very hip but very scary Miranda Priestley, but in this novel she is a married woman and an image maker to the stars. Anything involving celebrities gets my motor going so we’re off to a good start. When she gets shrug off by the latest teeny bopper for the workings of a rival, she is pissed as she should. I mean, how can she stay successful if she starts losing big clients, right? In comes former supermodel now a senator's wife Karolina who, one day, gets falsely busted for driving under the influence. Angry and scared she withers like shrunken Lululemon yoga pants. But with the help of Emily and good friend Miriam—who has an image crisis of her own passing from a successful career as an attorney to a stay-at-home chubby mom—Karolina will try to turn a new leaf and, in return, change the lives of the people surrounding her. That is, if she doesn’t get cold feet first.

The theme for this third entry is the suburbs versus the non-suburbs, through the eyes of the three women but more precisely through the character of Emily, who, of course, wouldn’t be caught dead living there. It makes for some funny encounters, not to mention cringe-worthy situations (in over-the-top parties mostly), that never fail to entertain. The three ladies are likable and you certainly find yourself rooting for them in the long run. Yes, some situations are more effective than others but the overall effect is quite addictive to say the least. As a bonus, you even get cameos from Miranda Priestly and Andy Sachs themselves. All in all I would definitely recommend WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU LULULEMONS. I even look forward to the continuing saga of these charming if flawed grand ladies.

Thanks to the publishers and Net Galley for the chance of reading this novel in exchange for an honest review.




Until next post—Martin