Divas, Inc. [Paperback]

Donna Hill (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2004

Diva (n.): an extremely arrogant or temperamental woman.

Delicious Diva Tip #13: When in doubt, just do it anyway.

Tiffany Lane and Chantal Hollis are bonafide divas-in every sense of the word. They've also been Margaret Drew's best friends since they were children. Margaret has always been the plain Jane of the threesome, living vicariously through the exploits of her friends. But when Tiffany and Chantal head to Europe on an extended vacation, leaving Margaret to tend their apartments, Margaret decides to see how the other half lives. Co-opting their apartments, their boyfriends (current and past), their fabulous lifestyles and Tiffany's very savvy pooch, Virginia, Margaret finally feels like she has found the life she has always wanted and deserved. But her double living begins to catch up with her and Margaret might soon be homeless, manless, and friendless all in one swoop.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Three women--Tiffany Lane, Chantel Hollis, and Margaret Dre--have been friends since elementary school. Tiffany and Chantel are true divas, and Margaret has always been the plain, unsophisticated one. Even on her job as the assistant editor at a university press, Margaret has been unassuming and never challenged to her full potential. Her mother and grandmother also disregard her feelings and speak at her instead of to her. When Tiffany and Chantel decide to take an extended vacation in Europe, rather than invite Margaret to join them, they ask her to house-sit and watch Tiffany's dog. In spite of her hurt feelings, Margaret decides to take advantage of the situation. She experiences her friends' lives by living in their apartments, dating their men, wearing their designer clothes, and waltzing through their wonderful lifestyles. After many mishaps, Margaret learns that being a diva is within every woman, and the real requirement for membership in the club is belief in one's own self-worth. Another Hill winner! Lillian Lewis
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

"Provocative and audacious...engaging, fast-paced."

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin; 1st edition (July 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312316518
• ISBN-13: 978-0312316518
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,842,246 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

My official writing career began in 1987 when my first short story was published. My first novel, Rooms of the Heart was published in 1990. Since then there have been a slew of books and short stories that I've had published, from romance to women's fiction, chic-lit, erotica and mysteries. I enjoy them all. Three of my novels were adapted for television so that was exciting. I've had the honor of conceptualizing and editing several collections: After the Vows, Midnight Clear, Where There's a Will, Indecent Exposure, and The Hot Spot. I currently write full time and live in Brooklyn, NY with my family.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Divas...NOT, December 6, 2004

By 

NAJ "Book Princess" (Washington, DC USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Divas, Inc. (Paperback)

I have been seeing Divas, Inc. in the store for a while and kept picking it up and putting it down. Finally, I buy the book and begin reading against advice from a friend. I think, "It's not so bad, the writing is decent and it moves fast." After a couple of chapters, I determined that I would not subject myself to read this ridiculous and stupid story. Tiffany and Chantal are barely developed and Margaret continually got on my nerves. I do not expect plots to be exactly true to life but I kept going "Come on, be for real!" after Margaret kept getting into one mishap after another. Frustrated, I read the ending to see if this was all leading to something worthwhile, again, I must say that I was disappointed and thought that it was stupid. By page 120, I put the book down, actually I passed it on to a friend who would probably enjoy it a lot more than me. This is definitely one of those books that you get from a library or a friend. From one diva to another, do not waste your money on it. Add some money and get a nice pair of shoes.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Secrets to Divahood, August 14, 2004

By 

J.C. Wallington "jnettefrommi" (Detroit, MI) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Divas, Inc. (Paperback)

What do you do when your two best friends go on a 6-week European vacation and don't invite you? Instead, they expect for you to take care of their apartments, water their plants and walk the dog. If you are Margaret Drew, you take on the responsibility and do a little snooping. What Margaret finds transforms her from plain Jane to the ultimate diva in Donna Hill's newest novel, Divas, Inc.

From the time they were toddlers, Tiffany Lane and Chantel Hollis were on their way to becoming divas. Margaret Drew was lucky to be their friend, however she benefited very little from this alliance. Tiffany and Chantel wore designer clothes, Margaret shopped at K-marts. They lived in expensive condos in Manhattan and Margaret lived in a one-bedroom walkup apartment in Harlem. They rode around in Tiffany's Jaguar and Margaret caught the bus. So when Tiffany and Chantel decide to go to Europe and leave Margaret home to water the plants and walk the dog, she decides it's time for her to get a taste of the good life. Since they did not invite her to go along, Margaret felt justified in rambling through Tiffany and Chantel's closets. She began dressing in their designer clothes and shoes, wearing their make up and wigs, a new Margaret emerges and she is a diva. The question is can she handle all that comes with the title of diva?

Donna Hill displays her versatility as a writer as she tackles the "Chick Lit" genre. Having read other novels dubbed as "Chick Lit" written by British authors, I feel Divas, Inc. equals if not surpasses the other novels I read in this genre. Filled with quirky secondary characters such as Margaret's grandma, Willie and the dog, Virginia, this novel is a funny and enjoyable read. Are you a Diva? Take the quiz in the back of the book and find out where you rank!

Jeanette

APOOO BookClub

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Other Side, June 21, 2004

By 

Misherald "Missy" (Charleston SC USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Divas, Inc. (Paperback)

Tiffany, Chantel, and Margie have been the best friends from before the turn of time but when Chantel and Tiffany decide to go on a lesiure trip to Paris leaving Margie to house set Margie decides to take a look into their lives.

The book brings you laughter and mysterious scenes where it leaves you wondering have you figured it out or is Ms. Hill up to her usual schame of giving you the one to hook keeping you wondering until the very end.

The book is an excellent read keeps you hanging on for more!!