In a world where therapists look like the Real Housewives of Equinox, where friends dispense Xanax like Pez, and where a woman’s status is directly linked to the how few carbs she eats…can one Hollywood wife take back her life? Agnes Murphy Nash is in big trouble. When she returns home one evening only to find the locks changed on the gates of their mansion, the security guard breaks the news: … guard breaks the news: her famous producer husband has filed for divorce. And he’s not going to play fair. Trevor Nash wants custody of their tween daughter, Pep, but only for the sake of appearances. And Agnes can’t let him win.
With the help of her ex-con sister, a Hollywood psychic, a ballsy female lawyer, and a host of friends and “frenemies,” Agnes realizes that when he changes the locks, she needs to change the rules. But a crisis can lead to opportunity, and for Agnes, this gigantic betrayal brings her to a crossroads that will have her asking herself what she really wants out of life, who she really wants to be, and which man she really loves.
Told with Gigi Levangie’s sparkling dialogue and wit, Been There, Married That is a drop-dead hilarious battle of wills that will make you laugh out loud, cringe, and keep turning the pages to see what crazy disaster will happen to Agnes next…and how she’ll rise from the ashes.
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I wish I had written this brilliant book… so funny! I loved, loved it.
BEEN THERE, MARRIED THAT by Gigi Levangie sounded like a fun but definitely not serious read, but only about half of it lived up to my expectations. The first half felt like I had been dumped into a crazy celebrity reality show and I have never had any desire to watch any of those. It was disjointed and felt like total stream of consciousness from a woman I had no desire to get to know. I almost gave up, finally made it through to a story that, while still a little reality show-ish, was easier to read and more interesting.
Agnes Murphy Nash, wife of a prominent Hollywood producer, is also a novelist. When her husband decides he wants a divorce, she’s basically left with nothing. Her soon-to-be-ex hates to lose, and that even comes to losing custody of their daughter. Most of Agnes’s royalties have gone toward helping her father and sister, so she is left with no money and having to fight for custody of her daughter. Watching Agnes try to figure out how she got to this point and where she wants her life to go in the future was fun. She had a fun sense of humor and an interesting look at her own life. Her sister, Finn, was her complete opposite and a great foil for Agnes.
This book is a tough one for me. The first half was tough to get through; it wasn’t my cup of tea, at all. The second half was humorous and finally got to the real story. The characters were not as developed as I would have liked and it felt like I had two different writing styles between the two parts of the book.
If you like celebrities and reality tv with a look at their lives, this is definitely the book for you. It’s definitely a beach/poolside read.
Thank you to NetGalley for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
#BeenThereMarriedThat #StMartinsPress #GiGiLevangie
Agnes Murphy Nash is the perfect Hollywood wife – she has the right friends, the right clothes, and even a side career of her own as a writer. Her husband Trevor is a bigshot producer, and from the outside it looks like they’re living a picture-perfect celebrity life, complete with tennis tournaments and lavish parties.
But the job description of a Hollywood wife doesn’t cover divorce, which is the way Agnes’ life is headed after she comes home one day to find her credit cards cancelled and the security passwords to get into her enormous LA home changed.
This was a very different genre for me but it sounded fun so when I was offered a copy by the publisher I gave it a shot. However I struggled with it, I didn’t find it hilarious but I did find it cringe worthy & wondered whether I would finish it. I did but I’m not sure if I’d read anything else by the author.
Rating: 2.5/5.0
Genre:
Contemporary + Humor
The synopsis sounded very interesting to me. I love the glitters of showbiz and that was one of the reasons I picked up this ARC. And it has a beautiful interesting cover art too. However, all that said I have to say that the writing was all over the place and somehow difficult and also confusing for me. There are lots of jokes and humor in one sentence that makes it confusing to understand the sentence or the purpose of the paragraph! This sounds crazy because honestly, I have not come across a book that was written in such a way before. I am not sure if this is the regular writing style for Gigi Levangie Grazer (As I have never read anything for her before) or is it just the author trying to make the whole story very funny and overdosed it with lots of unnecessary jokes that made an interesting premise to a bizarre strange experience!
I feel there was a big potential with the story and the characters if the writing was not that much all over the place. With Agnes being an author and the wife of a big Hollywood producer and going through a divorce should have been an interesting read. OK, enough of me talking about the potential that this book had and let me just say that this book did not live up to my expectations.
Many thanks to NetGalley and St Martins Press for providing me the ARC of this title in exchange for this honest and unbiased review.
The book is expected to be released: February 11th, 2020
Laugh out loud, witty, fun and engaging adventure filled with interesting charters, exciting dialog, unexpected turns and outrageous antics that make you keep reading to see what happens next. Fun reading!
This is a new to me author and it took me a minute to really get this authors way of writing. I was given an ARC for my honest review and here it is:
It’s very fast paced and there were moments where I would have to reread certain paragraphs to really understand. I can’t say this story was really the best for me but I am sure there will be some readers who will just love this story and writing. I encourage everyone to try it and make your opinion.
I did laugh a few times and I was able to finish the book. But wow it’s definitely not going to be for everyone. But I will always urge people to try it out because not everyone reads the same book.
I had a hard time getting into this book. There was humor and snark, but I just didn’t love the main character. Some readers might like it, but it just didn’t work for me.
I’m rounding my reviews up to 3 stars for the snark.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. My thoughts and opinions are my own and without bias or favor.
Since this was the first time in reading this author or even hearing of the name the story caught my eye. Having lived many years in Calif. and just been over a year having moved I could picture alot of the places. Funny too but not so funny after done with this daughter started going through similar stuff but hers mental too the husband that is. Anyways the humor I would say is not everyone’s cup of tea but it does fit Hollywood. Alot of times the people there do not make sense so some of this story would seem like that at beginning but it does slowly come out of that. Agnes kept most of my attention seeing how she handled herself with the situations also. It did have me turning the pages just to see what came next. Not my normal reading but was different.
***I received an ebook copy from the publisher at no cost***
The blurb on this one got me really hyped up to read it. I wanted to love it so much I couldn’t put it down. I sounded like a funny and promising story.
Unfortunately, it just didn’t do it for me. The characters were a bit too much for me. Agnes was way over-the-top. She had no relatable qualities about her, which was disappointing. I think I could have empathized with her if it didn’t seem like she was up in this ivory tower. I had a hard time paying attention because it seemed like every other sentence was a witty/sarcastic remark or some type of joke. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a HUGE fan of comedy. But when the humor is non-stop, it takes away from the story itself.
Some of the things in this story seemed too far-fetched for me too. Like the rehab thing with the almonds. I’m sure that was meant to be entertaining but it didn’t hit the mark for me.
The book did pick up as I read more. The later 1/3 of it is easier to read and a bit more entertaining. The author did a good job of creating a vivid picture for me so I felt like I was watching a movie versus reading a book. Her writing was strong too. I think that had there been a bit less nonstop humor and a bit more realism with the characters, this could have been a 4-star review for me versus a 3-star. And I would read other books from the author.
While this wasn’t the book for me, I’m sure it’s one that some readers will love. Give it a go and see if you like it!
Three stars to this novel!
Wow, what did I just read? It was a whole slew of different. I have to admit as I was reading the beginning chapters I wasn’t so sure that I was going to like or even finish it. But I kept reading and found that it was odd, it was quirky, dysfunctional, emotional and as hard to imagine it was also funny. A lot of that humor comes from main character Agnes. She seems to the only normal woman in a sea of nipped, tucked, botoxed, medicated women. Along with a ton of Hollywood shallow people. Her successful husband Trevor is the top of the list when it comes to being neurotic and self absorbed. He can take care of business when it comes to his career. But in his daily life? He wouldn’t know normal if it bit him in the butt. But he is one mean dude when it comes to divorcing Agnes. There isn’t anything too low for him to do. He wants to win no matter what. Destroying anyone one in his way and Agnes is in his way. And he sure pulls dirty trick after dirty trick. I kept wondering how on earth was Agnes going to get the upper hand in this one. Too bad she wasn’t the bad guy in this just has been a victim for way too many years. When I think of Trevor one word comes to mind…anal.
Their daughter, Pep (short for Penelope) is healthier than you would expect her to be but that is mainly I think because of Agnes.
A strong supporting character is Agnes sister Fin. Not your usual run-of-the-mill sister which made her really interesting. You mess with Agnes and Fin is going to make you pay..in very creative ways.
Of course the ways things ended up were just as quirky and unusual as the beginning. Quirky but satisfying and once again with some funny moments. So I ended up liking it but with some reservations!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”
Agnes and Trevor are the quintessential Hollywood couple. He is a producer and she is a stay at home mom, that also writes books. They have a daughter called Pep. Then out of nowhere, everything starts falling apart. Trevor wants what he wants and he is going to make Agnes pay. The craziness that ensues. Between Agnes’s friends, the lawyers and a cast of characters., you will just shake your head. I love Agnes’s sister Fin. Fin was the wild child. She has been in and our of jail. Agnes was the good child. She inserts herself into this mess and things get crazier. In the end, everyone comes together to agree amicably on the divorce.
Agnes is the perfect Hollywood wife, a writer that has everything she ever wanted, the marriage, the daughter and a closet that anyone will die for but things aren’t as easy as they seem.. her husband a very famous Hollywood producer seems to be going through a very weird stage in life that is making everything go through the trash.
Agnes is not ready to face all the lies and reporters trying to get a piece of her life.. she feels desperate and somehow lost that everything around her is collapsing but at the same time getting a place in her new life. People are taking sides and she feels like she is all alone in this new fight and stage in her life.
Been There, Married That The blurb really caught me but it was a little hard to get into, as they’re so many secondary characters and I got so confusing getting to know everyone and understanding who where whom.. the story was good, but I felt like the constant inner dialog and the many secondary characters made the story gets lost and the reader gets lost.. I feel like the story has so much potential and I did get the idea of where it was going but somewhere I got lost and felt like I needed more..
I have to admit I was getting warmer by the end of the book but the ending was kind of abrupt for my taste, I wanted to see a little more happiness in Agnes’ life as well as her daughter.
it is funny, occurrent, with a lot of crazy moments that will make you laugh hard I encourage you to read this story and make your own conclusions.
If you love new, modern, hip books with today’s language and the Hollywood scene, you’re gonna love “Been There, Married That” by Gigi Lavangie. Agnes is the main character who thinks she is happily married to a big name Hollywood producer. That is until he locks her out of the house and changes all the security codes!
I enjoyed being along for the ride. These days I am not keeping up with Hollywood and I didn’t catch onto the slang. I’m old! It did, however, hold my interest and I enjoyed some of the happenings between Agnes and her husband Trevor. She has a sister that is always getting in trouble, a father who dates questionable women and a daughter that is going through being embarrassed by her mom. The characters are delightful.
In the story Agnes is a writer who coincidently has a book or two named the same as Gigi Lavangie’s books!
This was my first book by her and I am sure I will be reading more. This book is definitely worth your time to read and I recommend it.
On the surface this book has teeth. The author is a former Hollywood wife, so the parts that deal with insider Hollywood are juicy (you just know they’re based in fact, and it’s fun to think about who might be represented). While these sections work and the satire is clear, it’s an awful lot of that mentality to deal with. I found myself getting irritated with the main character, which made it difficult to root for her. I also did not care for the writing style, as it felt like the author couldn’t stay on one topic for too long. The scenes ping-ponged like the characters’ thoughts. I’m sure other people will enjoy this book, but it was just okay for me. For a full review, please visit my blog at Fireflies and Free Kicks. Thank you to NetGalley for a digital ARC of this book.
I like contemporary women’s fiction as much as the next person. But, it seems like 90% of women’s fiction that I read ends up being rubbish. So, I wasn’t exactly thrilled when I got the email for Been There, Married That. I debated on deleting the email and pretending I didn’t see it. After reading the book, I wish I did.
The plotline for Been There, Married that was a mess. I do not have a problem following plotlines, but this one tried my patience. There was a significant amount of lag in the book. It happened right when Agnes had her mini-breakdown. The book never recovered. There were also dropped storylines, which is another thing I didn’t like. Don’t introduce a storyline and not complete it. Uggh!!
I found all of the characters (the teenagers included) to be unrelatable. I know that they are supposed to be a parody of what people think Hollywood wife is like, but man, it left a bad taste in my mouth. There were off-colored jokes and racial stereotypes (the Latina housekeeper). Let’s not forget that there were jokes about rehab. There were some funny parts of the book (Agnes being called A-Nus by Petra was one), but overall, I didn’t care for the characters.
The divorce storyline, unfortunately, was true to life. The lengths that Trevor went through to get dirt on Agnes and her sister, I believed. The fact that Penelope was caught in the middle, I believed also. I also believed that money buys things, and in this case, it was a frame-up of Agnes’s sister. Of course, the end of that plotline was as confusing as the rest of the book, but it was the most relatable thing in the book.
The end of the book was a confusing mess. I had to read the last chapters a few times before I understood what happened. I did NOT enjoy that.
This is Agnes Murphy Nash’s story. From the outside she looks like the perfect Hollywood wife next to her high profile producer husband, Trevor but on the inside Agnes is falling apart. Trevor has asked for a divorce and is making her life a living hell because of his connections. Even life with her eleven year old daughter, Penelope was strained. Throughout the story you get a peek into the lives of Hollywood’s rich and famous and if this is truly how they behave I am glad to have the life I live!
Overall I’m not sure what to think of this story. Parts of it were fun and interesting (I loved Agnes sister Fin and the workers in the house) while other parts were all over the place (Trevor). I did read the entire story to find out how the story ends and when it was over I sat there thinking what just happened! I really enjoyed Agnes most of the time. She seemed to have the strength to push forward in her life. I did not enjoy Trevor. At many times I just wanted to punch him in the face!
This beach read gives you a view into a Hollywood divorce. Agnes is married to Trevor, a big shot producer. She knows they aren’t happy anymore but she thinks who is in Hollywood? Out of the blue, Agnes finds out that Trevor wants a divorce. Not only is he finished with the marriage, he wants to “win” the divorce at all costs. Many hilarious situations ensue as Agnes navigates through the divorce and rediscovers herself. Along the way, she has help from her sister, Fin, whose antics will have you laughing out loud.
Fin is hands down the best part of this book. She is funny and gives her sister good advice about how to move forward. Fin clearly always lands on her feet no matter what the situation is. She does her best to make sure Agnes not only survives the divorce but is in a better place.
While there are many humorous parts to this book, Been There, Married That reads like a reality tv show. Everything is over the top. It is hard to find a character that you really want to cheer for. Agnes has become a pushover in the later years of her marriage and while you see her evolving, but she’s still a pushover at the end of the book. I found the stream of consciousness writing style difficult to read as well; it came off as rambling at times and distracted from the story line.
Thank you to the NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
Agnes Murphy Nash’s life would have been perfect in the outside. A budding author living the Hollwood life, married to a hotshot Hollywood producer until one day, after 10 years of marriage, he decides he is tired of her and wants a divorce. Her credit cards are cancelled and the passcode to their home is changed. Agnes was not going to take this lying down and that is when these crazy antics and laugh out loud moments begins! A fun and enjoyable read not to be taken too seriously. I enjoyed the satirical tone and seeing how Agnes will outwit the disastrous situation she finds herself in. Nice easy read and enjoyable. I enjoyed Levangie’s sense of humor and light hearted look at Hollywood.
Been There, Married That is a cute complicated take through marriage and divorce Hollywood style. There are many times that I wanted to strangle Trevor in this one. As you read you will see why. You will just want to scoop Agnes up and tell her everything will be okay. There are plenty of laugh out loud moments in this one. I enjoyed reading Been There, Married That. I found it very refreshing from what I’ve been reading of late. This is my first taste of what Gigi Levangie Grazer and I can’t wait to read more. I loved Agnes and her journey of starting over. This book is one to pick up.
Been There, Married That by Gigi Lavangie
I was really looking forward to reading this book. Ah, the lifestyles of the rich and famous. What the powerful elite must put up with. The author has a unique writing style that I enjoyed. Lots of witty sarcasm and humor. However, the story jumped around a lot without a break to indicate the story line or scene was changing. I found this to detract from the story. Overall, the book was an okay read, loved the writing, did not like the way it was organized.