Agnes Murphy has it all. She’s married to Hollywood super-producer Trevor Nash. They have an adorable, smart eleven-year-old named Penelope but called Pep. They have a gorgeous house, expensive cars, staff to help with all their needs, and all the things that money could buy. And Agnes’s latest novel is about to be published. Is it possible to have a more perfect life?
When Trevor doesn’t show up to Agnes’ book signing, she thought it was unusual. But he’s busy. He could have gotten stuck in a meeting or something. But when she Ubers back home (her Uber driver recognizes the address and asks her to show his spec script to her husband, of course) and finds that her pass code no longer opens the front gate, she starts to get a bad feeling. Not as bad a feeling as when the security guy shows up and tases her, but still uncomfortable.
As the weeks go by, and she denies the problems in her marriage while Trevor acts like they’re already separated, Agnes tries to figure out where she belongs. Is it with other Hollywood wives and their designer shoes, assistants, stylists, blowouts, Botox, and vaginal rejuvenation? Is it with her father and his new, young, girlfriend who he met at Starbucks and can speak 5 different languages? Is it with the legendary director who wants to start a new life with her? Or with the marriage counselor (their marriage counselor) who hit on her at the end of hers and Trevor’s first session with him?
Thinking it all through, Agnes knows that she won’t be happy with any of those choices. She doesn’t want her marriage to end, but she can’t be the only one in it either, so she knows it’s up to her to find her own place. And she’s got her sister’s help with that. Fin is an ex-con with street smarts and the fearlessness to take on Hollywood. With her cocksure nerve and Agnes’ smarts and contacts, the Murphy sisters just may be able to make something even out of this messy Hollywood divorce.
Been There, Married That is the latest from Gigi Levangie, a Hollywood insider who knows a thing or two about being married to a producer. The novelist who wrote The Starter Wife and the screenwriter who wrote the Julia Roberts/Susan Sarandon Stepmother, Levangie marries a quick wit with a graceful way with storytelling that creates a truly magnificent book.
I adored this novel! Levangie’s astringent skewering of Hollywood and its standards mixed with her bittersweet, dry, super-smart, playing-with-words humor made me want to make her my new best friend. But underneath all that is Agnes’ warmth and a genuine caring about her family, and it made for such a lovely character. All of the characters felt real to me, in a Real Housewives sort of fake way, and I adored them all. I just wanted to stay in this story for as long as possible.
I am a sucker for any book that a publicist calls funny, or any of the synonyms they pull out for funny, but despite that, I find it’s rare to find a book that genuinely makes me laugh out loud, full belly laugh, snort laugh even. Been There, Married That did that for me. And it will again, as it’s going directly into my short list of funny books I turn to for a reread when life just gets the better of me.
This is the book I’ve been waiting years to find!
Galleys for Been There, Married That were provided by St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley, with many thanks.
