Last Night at Chateau Marmont takes the reader inside the lives of a young couple, Brooke and Julian, struggling to cope with fame and fortune. Brooke is working two jobs to support her struggling musician husband Julian. They are both understandably ecstatic when his first album makes it big, and all of a sudden, Julian is a star.
Along with stardom come paparazzi and long periods apart. The rumors and pictures of their private lives begin to wear down the couple, and this is a story of their ability to weather the storm.
I enjoyed reading about the “behind the scenes” look at fame. There’s a lot involved in becoming a star. It’s hard work, and takes a lot of time. I don’t know how realistic this depiction is, but it was enjoyable. I loved the characters, and they were the reason I kept listening. Brooke and Julian are depicted realistically as a young couple in love. Brooke’s friend, Nola, is also a stand-out character, and both sets of parents add humor and interest to these interactions.
I thought the pace was a bit plodding at the beginning. The build up to the climax of the story took most of the book. But the humorous and dramatic details from all parts of their lives kept my interest. Brooke’s clients and boss, Julian’s manager and publicist, and their extended families all add details and substance to their situation.
Weisberger writes dramatic, yet fluffy chick lit. This is a novel right out of People Magazine. Fans of Weisberger will surely want to check this one out, as well as anyone interested in celebrity lives. Teen girls will enjoy this story, just as they enjoyed The Devil Wears Prada, and there's nothing that would keep me from encouraging them to read this.
The audio book narrator for this one did a good job. Her voice was pleasing. My only complaint is that because the narrator didn’t really have very distinctive voices for each character, sometimes during a conversion it was hard to tell who was speaking.
Audiobook copy obtained from the library
384 pages
Rating: 3/5
Hmm, I'm not sure if this is the book for me. I love chick lit but I do need a more fast paced narrative. Thanks for the review!
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