The working title of The Doorman Wears Dolce makes this instantly recognisable as the follow-up to surely the most fabulously titled debut of 2003 The Devil Wears Prada. For her second novel Lauren Weisberger sticks with what she knows; New York City, but this time it’s the achingly cool world of Manhattan’s party people rather than the fashion pack. At the beginning of the novel Bette (Bettina) Robinson, 27 year old daughter of vegan hippie parents is working eighty-hour weeks as a corporate drone in the offices of investment bank CWK Hoffman. The highlight of her social calendar is a dinner date with her uncle and his boyfriend every Thursday night. Handily, said uncle is also a famous, highly syndicated columnist who manages to secure Bette a shiny new job as a party planner at top PR agency. Cue our heroine’s descent into Manhattan’s social whirl as she struggles with the outrageous demands of celebrity clients plus unwelcome exposure in a regular gossip column. It’s a perfect escapist read, and fans of The Devil Wears Prada will love it but if you’re missing your SATC fix then I’d recommend Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin and Midnight in Manhattan by Francesca Delbanco as altogether more satisfying slices of the Big Apple
