Going Topless [Paperback]

Megan McAndrew (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2004

Sibling rivalry has crossed many an ocean....

When Constance Wright arrives at her family's summerhouse on the Mediterranean island of Santerre for her father Ross's memorial, she hopes that boyfriend Jim, the New York investment banker on her arm, will boost her status in the family. Between her ravishing sister, Isabelle; her ageless French stepmother, Odette; and her English stepsisters, former model Lucy and famous artist Jane, there's a lot of competition for attention -- not to mention double beds.

...Now it's time to sink or swim.

What she hadn't counted on is the attraction Jim develops for one of the other women in the house...and the affinity she feels for the mysterious writer who moves in next door. As liaisons shift and tension soars, Constance finds that she's not the only one in the house whose love life is in turmoil. Complicating matters is the discovery of a Swiss bank account that Ross left behind. Now, the women of this eclectic family are about to learn more than they ever wanted to know about each other, their father, and themselves.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Pamela Redmond Satran author of Babes in Captivity Sexy, witty, surprising, and full of charm.

Kirkus Reviews Two sets of sisters reunite tensely on a Mediterranean island to honor their dead patriarch. Constance arrives at her family's dilapidated house in Santerre brandishing her new boyfriend Jim, hoping that his presence will improve her rank in the household. She's always watched her older sister Isabelle garner all the compliments and is surprised when the intriguing next-door neighbor takes a liking to her instead. Isabelle is on the prowl, wounded from publicly losing her famous and charismatic husband to a younger fling. She butts heads with her English stepsister Lucy, another beautiful, strong-willed woman who grew up longing to usurp Isabelle for the role of her father's favorite daughter. Even as an adult, she refuses to believe he could ever have wronged them. Lucy's younger sister, the sensitive Jane, also smarting from losing her lover, knows better. The man in the middle of all this is the late Ross Wright, a schemer who went down in his heavily mortgaged plane, leaving his family literally to pay the price for his poor investments. His third wife, Odette, certainly feels the burden. Forced to leave their New York apartment and move back to her native France, she too finds herself on the island, privy to the familial and culture clashes. Newcomer McAndrew realistically relays sibling love and tension as the sisters bicker with and comfort one another in the days leading up to their father's memorial service. The narrative takes some crazy turns that might seem preposterous in any other story, but McAndrew's skill is such that you buy every minute of the partner swapping, surprise appearances, quirky locals, and discovered treasure that pop up on the way to epiphanies about dear old dad, relationships, and life in general. A smooth, engrossing debut.

Newsday Masterful...If you're reminded of the novels of Diane Johnson, then you're on the right track...a wry, comic voice and a sharp eye.

Entertainment Weekly Perfectly formed characters...their couplings and uncouplings make for a fun French farce.

About the Author

Megan McAndrew is herself the daughter of expatriates. She grew up in France, Spain and Belgium before attending college in the United States. She worked in Warsaw, Poland, as a representative for the Financial Services Volunteer Corps. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her teenage son.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Pocket Books; Original edition (June 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743477243
• ISBN-13: 978-0743477246
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,640,866 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Megan Mcandrew spent her childhood in France, Spain and Belgium and worked for several years in international development before becoming a writer. She divides her time between Brooklyn and East Quogue.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Worthwhile book, April 3, 2005

By 

Bearette24 (New York, NY) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Going Topless (Paperback)

This was an excellent book, marketed as fluff, but actually sophisticated and witty, with characters you care about.

As the cover art implies, this book is quite similar to Diane Johnson's work, but more readable. This is the story of four sisters with two different fathers. They all gather with their father's third wife, a Frenchwoman named Odette, to hold a memorial for their late father on the fictitious Mediterranean island of Santerre.

They spend the whole summer on the island, and learn a lot about each other. Relationships shift and alliances form and dissolve as various interesting secrets are revealed. The author also comments on the differences between Americans, the English and the French.

Aside from a goofy organized crime subplot, I thoroughly enjoyed this book, which was more intelligent and multifaceted than the cover and title implied.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This ain't no chick lit, my darling, May 27, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Going Topless (Paperback)

My god what a surprise -- a marvelously entertaining book (yes, you may safely drag it to the beach and abuse it with sand and lotion) that also happens to be incredibly wise and just beautifully written with great skill, wit and grace. And it all happens under the Mediterranean sun. What more could you ask for?

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars powerfully interesting character study, May 26, 2004

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Going Topless (Paperback)

When family patriarch Ross Wright died in a plane crash, he left behind plenty of debts for his extended families to cope with. Still, the gathering of his female offspring from several marriages arrives at the Mediterranean island of Santerre to pay tribute to him in a special memorial.

Constance hopes that her boyfriend makes her look good with her family though she doubts she will attain the bar of Isabelle, her older sister. Isabelle is filled with resentment since her famous spouse dumped her for a younger model. Stepsister Lucy still competes with Isabelle for the role of departed dad's favorite by insisting that Ross was the greatest father and would never harm them. Isabelle only half fights to keep her throne because she is seeking a new stud, preferable the guy next door. He seems shockingly interested in Constance. Lucy's younger sister Jane hurts from the end of a relationship, but that and her dad's death do not color her reality as she sees that he left them to clean up his mess. Ross' four adult children pay their respects by arguing, fussing, and fighting with some comforting as only sisters can do.

Though the plot meanders, the strength of author Megan McAndrew lies in her ability to have the reader believe that all the male swaps, brawls, and hugs are normal family relationships. The sisters and key supporting players including dear departed dad seem so real that readers will believe that they are there to pay respect to Ross. This is a fabulous debut from a writer who has created a powerfully interesting character study of four ferocious females fighting at their father's funeral.

Harriet Klausner