First published 2005
Bette Robinson finds herself on the outside looking in at Manhattan's glittering social world. When an unexpected opportunity opens the door to New York's most exclusive parties and chicest venues, she steps into a realm where the right connections matter more than anything else. Bette navigates champagne receptions, velvet rope events, and the kind of gatherings where celebrities mingle with socialites. She discovers that gaining entry to this elite circle requires more than just showing up. The people who control access to this world have their own rules and expectations. As Bette learns to move through penthouse parties and exclusive clubs, she must decide what she's willing to sacrifice to belong. Her journey through New York's high society forces her to confront who she really is versus who she thinks she wants to become. The glittering surface of this privileged world conceals deeper questions about authenticity, friendship, and the true cost of acceptance.
Genres: contemporary, adult-fiction, 21st-century, contemporary-romance
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, social-climbing
Setting: Manhattan, New York
Period: 21st-century
648 pages · Hardcover · Thorndike Press