The First Wives Club [Paperback]

Olivia Goldsmith (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2008

Before Sex and the City...before The Starter Wife...there was The First Wives Club
The sharp-witted and sexy New York Times bestseller!

Elise, Brenda, and Annie have one thing in common: they were all first wives. Make that two things in common -- they were the secret to success for each of their spouses, faithfully supporting them as they rose to the top. Okay, three things: they were each abandoned for younger, blonder, sleeker women, "trophy wives" for their exes to sport about town.

It may not be on the menu at New York's finer restaurants, but revenge is a dish best served cold -- and while lunching at Le Cirque, the ladies decide the time for self-pity is over: now it's time to get even. How they conspire to give each man his due -- in full view of New York society -- makes The First Wives Club the "deliciously wicked" (San Francisco Chronicle) indulgence that, like vintage champagne, goes straight to your head...and captures your heart along the way!

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This empowering romp tells of three divorcees in late-'80s Manhattan who plot revenge against their ex-husbands and eventually win justice.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Annie, Elise, and Brenda are all good wives who have helped their husbands achieve success. Now that their men are at the pinnacle, they find themselves dumped for younger, sleeker "trophy wives." So they band together to form the "First Wives Club" for the purpose of seeing justice done. There are obvious problems with this first novel. For one thing, the husbands are the kind of guys you love to hate and the younger women are all immature and selfish. The first wives may have their problems (drinking, overeating, and so on) but they are warm, likable characters, unlike their rotten spouses. Despite all this, it's still easy to cheer when the men reap their just rewards, and the first wives find love, happiness, and success. Money, sex, drugs, and revenge make for a heady mixture sure to be popular in any general fiction collection. Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 11/1/91; Literary Guild alternate; movie rights to Paramount.
- Marilyn Jordan, Keiser Coll . Lib., Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 576 pages
• Publisher: Pocket Books (April 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416562834
• ISBN-13: 978-1416562832
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.6 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,098,764 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Hilarious & Witty!!!!, April 30, 2003

By 

Carri L. Shook "Shookie" (Jimtown) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The First Wives Club Movie Tie In (Mass Market Paperback)

I loved "The First Wives Club" despite it being not my usual choice of reading. The characters were well developed & it was so much fun to read. You really root for the characters & it is an empowering novel. This novel was so funny & witty-----it is delicious. This is one of those novels oyu can breeze right thorugh, and have so much fun with it.The plot is so original & well done. I would definitely recommend this to anyone, if you usually read deep, very emotional novels---here is your break from that, & if you read easy, fun novels, then here's another one that you'll love.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars There is a strong woman behind every successful man..., September 23, 2002

By 

"juj" - See all my reviews

This review is from: The First Wives Club Movie Tie In (Mass Market Paperback)

...or so the saying goes. But there is also a woman behind every man's downfall...another saying goes.

This novel is a satire on society's double standard norms. But instead of sounding feminist, bitter & pathetic, our heroines are funny & witty despite their intense desire to seek revenge...nay justice. The book dealt on how Elise, Brenda & Annie formed the First Wives Club, how they connived to mete out punishments to erring husbands & how they discovered their own identities & happiness along the way.

Despite having a more serious tone compared with its movie version, Goldsmith's book is funnier & revenge tastes sweeter. Oh, I can't help but gloat over the ex-husbands' downfall.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars What a raunchy revenge!, June 27, 2002

By 

Busy Mom (Ohio) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The First Wives Club Movie Tie In (Mass Market Paperback)

This is a book guaranteed to cheer up any woman who has gone through a bitter divorce at one time or another in her lifetime! It's fun, raunchy, sexy and glamourous ~~ a perfect book to read on a hot summer day!!

Elise, Brenda and Annie are wives that have been dumped by their greedy husbands for younger and blonder models. When a mutual friend committed suicide in her devastation over her divorce by a greedy Wall Street mogul, the three women decided that enough was enough! And while plotting the perfect revenge for their ex-husbands, they also discover themselves and love along the way!

This is a comic read ~~ perfect to take to the poolside ~~ and it's perfect escapism from reality! I highly recommend this Goldsmith novel ~~ it's one of her finest and funniest!!...