Nancy's Theory of Style by Grace Coopersmith

Book Details
Nancy's Theory of Style by Grace Coopersmith
Paperback, 384 pages
2010, Pocket
ISBN: 1416598863

Synopsis
Lively young socialite Nancy Carrington-Chambers has always believed an excellent sense of style and strict attention to detail are what it takes to succeed, but her own husband Todd is showing symptoms of incurable tackiness, so Nancy flees their McMansion for her posh San Francisco apartment. She knows her event planning company, Froth, is a real winner, but she must prove herself by reinventing the turgid Barbary Coast Historical Museum fundraiser. Luckily, Nancy now has the perfect assistant. Derek Cathcart is British, impeccably dressed, gorgeous, and clearly gay—so why does Nancy find him so attractive?

Before Nancy can unravel her feelings, her irresponsible cousin Birdie abandons her little daughter with Nancy and takes off. Nancy, Derek, and Eugenia make an unlikely “family,” but strangely it seems incredibly right. Now Nancy’s parents are pressuring her to return to Todd, and she still has to pull off a spectacular party. For someone who’s always known exactly where she’s going, Nancy is in dangerously uncharted waters.

Irresistibly funny and romantic, Nancy’s Theory of Style shows that happiness and
love—just like fashion—aren’t about playing it safe.

Review
Nancy's Theory of Style is a fresh feeling novel of life, love, losing control and finally realizing what's truly important. Surprising plot twists really make this novel something special. Only readers extremely well-versed in chick lit plot staples will see any of the big reveals coming.

Nancy's Theory of Style started a little rough for me, taking a few chapters to get used to Nancy's way of speaking. It took slightly longer to get used to her completely self-involved lifestyle. Nancy's priorities in life aren't what the rest of us would call normal. She values style and the physical aspects of the world around her well beyond the people around her. While never cold-hearted, she strives for order and finds the messy quality of real, emotional life distasteful.

Nancy separates from her husband, acquires her dream assistant (British and gay with impeccable taste) and her world is perfect. That is, until it's turned completely upside down again and again. Nancy picks herself back up and carries on, each time forcing her to relinquish the control she cherishes a little more. When the final string of disasters happen, I found myself completely choked up with tears in my eyes. Nancy had found her way into my heart.

You will not like Nancy when the novel starts, but you can't help but love her in the end. This first novel from Grace Coopersmith is fabulous fun.

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