Cocktails for Three [Hardcover]

Madeleine Wickham (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 6, 2001

At the first of every month, when the office has reached its pinnacle of hysteria, Maggie, Roxanne and Candice meet at London's swankiest bar for an evening of cocktails and gossip.Here, they chat about what's new in their lives and what's new at The Londoner, the glossy fashion magazine where they all work. But beneath the girl talk and the laughter, each of the three has something to hide: High-achiever Maggie is pregnant, and terrified at the prospect of becoming a mother; glamorous Roxanne is losing hope that her secret lover will leave his wife; and kindhearted Candice cannot escape the guilty secret that has pursued her since childhood.When a chance encounter at the cocktail bar sets in motion an extraordinary chain of events, their lives quickly spin out of control and their friendship is stretched to the limit.Suddenly, Maggie, Roxanne and Candice must face their fears and troubles alone, and it is only a matter of time before one of them snaps...In Cocktails For Three, Madeleine Wickham combines her trademark dark humor with remarkable insight to create an edgy, romantic tale.AUTHORBIO: Madeleine Wickham was born in London in 1969. She was educated at King's Colllege and wrote her first novel, The Tennis Party, while working as a financial journalist.Since then she has written five more novels, including A Desirable Residence and The Gatecrasher.She lives in Surrey with her husband and two sons.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Maggie, Roxanne and Candice, the heroines of Wickham's latest Brit romp, are three successful women in their early 30s working in the editorial office of the Londoner, a magazine enjoying a circulation renaissance. They meet on the first of every month at the Manhattan Bar, a posh lounge that caters to clientele sporting Prada bags. There, Wickham serves up a healthy dose of good-natured witticisms mixed with biting retorts as the trio bonds over adultery, pregnancy jitters and guilt. Freelancer Roxanne secretly dates an unknown referred to by the women as Mr. Married while jet-setting to Cypress and other foreign locales on a regular basis. Meanwhile, Maggie's stuck at home in the country on pregnancy leave from her position as editor. It is kindhearted reporter Candice, however, who is in for serious trouble. When she recognizes a waitress at the Manhattan Bar as Heather Trelawney, whose family was ruined by Candice's father, Candice decides to make amends. When Heather applies for a job as editorial assistant at the magazine, Candice supplies her with a writing sample of her own, landing her a job over 300 other applicants. Not heeding her friends' advice to leave well enough alone, Candice continues to extend herself beyond normal bounds of generosity and is surprised to discover in the end she's been duped and betrayed by Heather. In a predictable climax, Wickham delivers a nicely sewn up ending with each of the character's problems resolved, although none all that happily. Readers desiring a chatty, neatly told tale will be delighted by the author's deft handling of character development and drama.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Take three successful career women, the urbane world of London publishing, add friendship, then shake and serve this story in a cocktail glass with a slice of secrets as a garnish, and call the concoction Cocktails for Three. It is an entertaining tale about three friends, Candice, Maggie, and Roxanne, set in the world of sophistication, cocktails, and the Londoner magazine. Once a month the women meet at the Manhattan Bar over martinis to talk, laugh, and share the funny moments making up their daily lives. But there is more to this story than gin and gossip. Each friend hides a secret that she hasn't revealed to the others. As the plot pours forth, the secrets are revealed and life gets shaken up, scary for the trio. Wickham writes a witty tale that goes beyond mere gossip, fashion, and fun; she provides a wickedly insightful look at the choices women make between career, children, and relationships. Eileen Hardy
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books; 1st edition (July 6, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312281927
• ISBN-13: 978-0312281922
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (64 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,631,511 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars LOVED IT!, January 28, 2003

By 

A. Lively "self proclaimed girly girl" (usa) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cocktails for Three (Mass Market Paperback)

I must say that I was very impressed with "Cocktails for Three!".

You read about the tales of 3 best friends who meet at a Manhattan Bar the same night every month. They get to catch up on everything that is going on with their lives.

Maggie is pregnant. Roxanne has been dating a married man for 6 years. Candice has such a warm heart and can't seem to say "NO."

The end of the book will throw you for a loop. As other reviews have said, you will not see it coming.

This book kept me wanting to know what was going to happen next to the (3) characters. I am sure that you will be able to identify a personal friend of yours for Maggie, Roxanne and Candice. I was able to finish in just (1) day which is rare for me.

I can't wait to check out Wickman's other two books.

Enjoy!

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fun, feisty read!, February 10, 2003

By 

CoffeeGurl - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Cocktails for Three (Mass Market Paperback)

Cocktails for Three is a fun and feisty novel about three Londoners at critical points in their lives. They get together at their favorite bar after a difficult day at The Londoner -- a fashion magazine where they all work -- to discuss their latest exploits through cocktails. Each one of them is facing a dilemma.

Candice is a successful writer, but her stabilized career becomes threatened when she stumbles upon Heather, an old friend from high school...

Maggie is a married woman awaiting the arrival of her first child. She is quite content with her position as editor for The Londoner, which is why she is torn between continuing her career and giving it all up to become a full-time wife and mother...

Roxanne is beautiful, glamorous and free-spirited. However, she is stuck in a relationship that's going nowhere, for the man in question is married with children...

Cocktails for Three is a wickedly funny read that could satisfy all Chick Lit enthusiasts. Despite its banal and recycled plot, the novel's sharp dialogue, believable characterization and excellent prose make the novel a definite must read...

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The *kayters* review, February 8, 2003

By 

Katie F. "kayters" (Marietta, GA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cocktails for Three (Mass Market Paperback)

Madeleine Wickham proves once again that she is more than just a "chick lit" author. Though her novels are short, they do pack a punch and try to teach a little life lesson besides.

Candice, Maggie and Roxanne are best friends who work at the Londoner, a monthly magazine in - where else? - London, and meet on the first of the month for cocktails at the Manhattan Bar. This particular month finds Maggie ready to give birth, Roxanne still with her married with children boyfriend and Candice having just broken up with her co-worker boyfriend, Justin. Candice recognizes their waitress as a girl she was at school with and says her name, just as she realizes that her recognition was probably best kept to herself as the waitress, Heather Trelawney, had to leave school when her family lost all their money due to Candice's swindling father. It strikes good-hearted Candice that she can try and make amends to Heather by helping her get a job at the magazine. Unfortunately, her good deeds don't stop there and as the saying goes, "No good deed goes unpunished."

Follow these friends through the ups and downs of motherhood, affairs, death and evil machinations and enjoy every page of it.