The Pre-Nup (Bantam Discovery) [Paperback]

Beth Kendrick (Author)

Book Description

Series: Bantam Discovery | Publication Date: November 25, 2008

All you need is love? For the residents of swanky Mayfair Estates, a pre-nup is just another item on the wedding to-do checklist—but three friends get more than they bargained for when they promise to love, cherish . . . and sign on the dotted line.

Ellie married her handsome, wealthy Prince Charming when she was young, naive, and willing to sign a one-sided pre-nup in the name of true love. But seven years and one toddler later, her happily-ever-after has come screeching to a halt. If she can’t save her marriage, she’s determined to save her divorce, and she’s not about to let a lot of legalese stand in her way.

When Jen married Eric, he knew she wasn’t head over heels. Still, he insisted that they were perfect together and even bankrolled her blossoming business. But when Jen’s career finally takes off, she realizes that she may lose her husband. If Eric leaves, Jen will lose everything—including the marriage she values more than she thought.

Up-and-coming attorney Mara is sure her fiancé has forgiven her for a foolish one-night fling—until he adds a “cheating clause” to the pre-nup she had demanded. If he really trusts her, why the clause? And if she’s really trustworthy, why is she objecting?

As romance collides with real life, three very different women turn to each other for moral support and insights about how to safeguard their most valuable assets: their hearts.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Kendrick (Nearlyweds; Exes and Ohs) centers her painfully formulaic latest tale of domestic woe on that most unromantic document: the prenuptial agreement. Stay-at-home mom Ellie Barton, a twinset and pearls type, thought her life and family (blonde, curly haired little girl and a Ken-doll old-money husband) were perfect—until she sees a racy e-mail intended for her husband. Ellie's marriage isn't the only one going down the tubes; her two witty girlfriends are having pre-nup issues of their own: Mara, a lawyer with commitment issues, is having trouble drafting her own pre-nup, while health nut entrepreneur Jen's pre-nup could cost her her darling startup company. When Ellie's husband throws some punches in the divorce arrangements, the ladies roll out some dirty tricks of their own. It hits the required bases, but that's about it. (Nov.)
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From Booklist

Three friends find out how much havoc a prenuptial agreement can wreak. For Ellie, her perfect life as a wife and mother is upended when she finds out her husband is having an affair and taking advantage of every loophole to deny her any money. For Jen, whose husband is fed up with their passionless relationship, getting a divorce could mean losing her business. For lawyer Mara, a past transgression roils again when her fiancé adds a no-cheating clause to the prenup she requested. Her hurt feelings mask her own reluctance to commit. The trio turns to each other for help enacting revenge and rewinning hearts. Kendrick, the author of Nearlyweds (2007), once again dramatizes the honesty and loyalty among female friends. Her heroines are easy to like, and the story, if slightly predictable, is rooted in the heartache and triumphs of real life. --Aleksandra Walker

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Product Details

• Paperback: 290 pages
• Publisher: Bantam Discovery (November 25, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385342233
• ISBN-13: 978-0385342230
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.6 x 8.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #829,882 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I write fun, lively women's fiction as Beth Kendrick and a series for teens under the name Beth Killian.

To find out more about me and the books, please visit my websites:
www.bethkendrick.com
www.bethkillian.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars From Dianne at www.Booksandchat.com, November 25, 2008

By 

Dianne E. Socci-Tetro "Books & Chat" (Connecticut, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Pre-Nup (Bantam Discovery) (Paperback)

The Pre-Nup by Beth Kendrick

I'm going to start this by saying that I generally stay away from a lot of so called "chick-lit" because at my age they tend to talk down to me. I usually come away from those other books feeling very old. But there was something about this book that piqued my curiosity from the very first time I saw the cover and read the excerpt. I was not let down. This book did not talk down to me or my generation; as a matter of fact these three women Ellie, Jen and Mara seem ageless. We know they are young, yet Ms Kendrick never smacks you in the face with it. It was a lovely surprise.
This book is filled with laughs, tears and a wonderful plot that proves revenge is of course is a dish best served cold. We find out that while some men are scum and deserve everything they get in life, not all men are and that we have to let go of our own insecurities and learn to trust the opposite sex. We can`t always paint men with the same brush. Be aware that you will laugh your socks off when meeting a heart of gold stripper named Bentlie/Alex, so try not to be drinking anything that will stain!

Have fun reading this, because that's what this book is all about; fun and the lighter side of reading.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars do pre-nups help or hurt??!!, February 16, 2009

By 

Rachel Sims Turner (Birmingham, AL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Pre-Nup (Bantam Discovery) (Paperback)

At first glance this seemed like a typical chick lit book that is fun reading, but raises few questions. However, Ms. Kendrick tells an entertaining story, while also raising some provocative questions about whether pre-nups actually help or hurt. The three major characters are Ellie who has been married for about seven years to a husband who is cheating, Jen who has started a large business since her marriage, and Mara who is trying to negotiate her pre-nup before tying the knot. While seemingly typical couples on the surface, they demonstrate the real life complexities that can make deciphering a pre-nup difficult. I clearly got the message that a legal document written "before the fact" may not adequately protect or represent future situations! All three women are the closest of friends and their stories are interesting and inter-woven.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Happily Ever After?, December 10, 2008

By 

Linda Roberts (Worthington, Ohio USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Pre-Nup (Bantam Discovery) (Paperback)

Three women, good friends from college, find themselves in relationships which are affected, in one way or the other, by pre-nuptial agreements. Ellie is married to Mike, has a beautiful three-year old daughter and is a darling of Mayfair Estates society where she organizes fundraisers and benefits. Hers is the perfect marriage until she stumbles across the fact that Mike is having an affair. Jen, founder of her own business which markets a non-soda beverage which she invented, is married to Eric, once her best friend, but not necessarily the one passionate love-of-her life. Mara, high-powered attorney, is engaged to marry Josh, but why does she have this feeling of reluctance?

The Pre-Nup takes a look at relationships that are complicated not only by the emotions involved, but the legalities created by pre-nuptial agreements. Ellie, Jen and Mara are likable heroines and their friendship is fuel for plenty of humor. It's fun to watch how the three women work their way through their legal "difficulties. Pre-Nup is a fun, fast-paced read that held my attention from start to finish.