Read Between the Lies [Hardcover]

Lori Bryant-Woolridge (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 20, 1999

Step into the world of New York fashion and into the lives of three ambitious women, each of whom has a secret to hide.

Gabrielle Donovan is a stunning and feisty nineteen-year-old who comes to New York hoping to realize her dream of becoming a supermodel. Gabrielle quickly takes the fashion industry by storm, but just as her celebrity begins to soar, her past threatens to catch up with her.

Felicia Wilcot is a successful black woman from a privileged background whose hot public relations firm is responsible for Gabrielle's instant success. At home, however, Felicia is struggling to keep her troubled marriage intact, despite the temptation of an intense attraction to a downtown movie director.

Stephanie Bancroft always dreamed of being a rich and famous writer. In New York, while trying to realize her dream, she meets her nemesis--the beautiful Gabrielle Donovan. As a publicist at Felicia's firm, Stephanie helps prop up Gabrielle's image publicly while secretly trying to tear it down, vowing to let nothing stand in the way of the success she's determined to have.

With a good dose of Olivia Goldsmith and a splash of Bebe Moore Campbell, Read Between the Lies is the irresistible story of three captivating women who find themselves forced to risk everything in the name of love, power, greed, and survival.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In her fiction debut, a tale of three ambitious young career women trying to make it in the Big Apple, Emmy Award-winning writer Woolridge comes on like Judith Krantz with a social conscience. Gabrielle Donovan arrives in New York longing to become a supermodel; Stephanie Bancroft is determined to break through as a writer; Felicia Wilcot, the daughter of a wealthy black family and the wife of a successful attorney, wants her public relations firm to succeed on its own merits. When Stephanie lands a job as Felicia's secretary, she quickly books her new friend Gabrielle as a model for one of the firm's clients. As the three women's fortunes become intertwined, however, it becomes apparent to the reader that they all have secrets to hide. Gabrielle is illiterate, a fact that humiliates her even as she achieves her dream of superstardom. Felicia begins an extramarital affair with a controversial Spike Lee-ish director, despite their initial antagonistic encounters. Scrappy and opportunistic Stephanie reveals her true colors. When the truth about their pasts come out, will it finally set them free? Woolridge contributes lavish amounts of designer opulence and jet-set scenarios to her confectionery plot, adding some substance through her themes of secret illiteracy and the plight of successful black women. Some biting dialogue brings zest to what is essentially a classic combination of glitz, romance, secrets and lies. Agent, Marie Dutton Brown. (May) FYI: Woolridge is director of Project Literacy United States (PLUS) Outreach, and has worked in television broadcasting for ABC, PBS and Black Entertainment Television.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Woolridge's debut novel is a rags-to-riches tale about the travails of a young woman attempting to become a world-class model in order to fulfill her deceased mother's wishes. Gabrielle Donovan is befriended by and moves in with an elderly woman, Bea. Bea's other boarder, Stephanie Bancroft, is an aspiring writer and publicist at Wilcot & Associates. She befriends Gabrielle, too, but the friendship soon becomes conflicted. Stephanie's boss, Felicia Wilcot, owner of Wilcot & Associates, is Gabrielle's agent. Eventually Stephanie winds up with the responsibility of promoting Gabrielle's career, but secretly she is bent on destroying it. Meanwhile, Felicia's need to assert her independence and succeed at her growing business is straining her marriage. Reading between the lines to discover the truth about the interwoven lives of Gabrielle, Felicia, and Stephanie and their struggle to keep their skeletons in the closet creates a fast-paced and engrossing story. A definite hot-seller. Lillian Lewis

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 464 pages
• Publisher: Doubleday; 1st edition (April 20, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385492146
• ISBN-13: 978-0385492140
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.7 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (88 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,138,222 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dubbed "a writer to watch" by author E. Lynn Harris, Lori Bryant-Woolridge is the author of the best-selling novel, Read Between the Lies.The book was nominated for a Golden Pen Award in 2000. She is a contributing author to several top anthologies including: Best Black Women's Erotica, the award-winning Gumbo: A Celebration of African-American Writing, edited by best-selling authors, E. Lynn Harris and Marita Golden, and Brown Sugar 3: Opposites Attract.
Her eagerly awaited second novel, Hitts and Mrs. was released in January 2004 and quickly became a #1 Essence bestseller.
She is a fifteen-year veteran of the television broadcast industry, and is the recipient of an Emmy Award for Individual Achievement in Writing (1983). Lori is also the cofounder of the Femme Fantastik Tour, a literary tour dedicated to celebrating and empowering women; and the nonprofit organization, Mothers Off Duty, Inc., a group committed to helping teen mothers continue their education. She is also a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority.
She teaches creative writing and often conducts workshops for aspiring authors. She and her family live in New Jersey, where she recently completed her new novel, Weapons of Mass Seduction, which will be published April 17,2007, has been chosen as the Essence Book Club May pick.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Power of Black Women, March 1, 2000

By 

T. Wright "t-bird-29" (Maryland) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Read Between the Lies (Hardcover)

When we put our mind to it we can accomplish anything - - as Ms. Woolridge proves in this powerful page-turner!

The book is captivating on so many levels. There are social issues, romance issues, race issues, class issues, relationship issues, and there's even some mysstery and suspense.

This is a must read...And when your friends ask to borrow yor copy, encourage them to buy their own (or if you're a REALLY good friend you can buy it for them). Purchasing books helps to support new and upcoming authors!

Keep the books open my friends!

Peace.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars OUTSTANDING, I COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN, October 8, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Read Between the Lies (Hardcover)

This is a book worth reading. Lori Byrant Woolridge is a talented writer. This is an outstanding first effort. I found the story capitivating, I simply did not want to put it down. You will enjoy the story as well as Mrs. Woolridge's style of writing. Without giving anything away, I found the subject matter interesting, though it is somthing that I never think about. In that vein, I also found it a bit educational. But in the end, it was a novel with believable characters that was extremely entertaining to read. I certainly felt a full range of emotions angry, worried, sad and finally a sense of relief and elation. You will deny yourself a treat if you pass this one by. It is a story about people and how they deal with their ghost and about freedom and self-discovery. It is about greed and blind ambition. Finally, it is about the power of love, it's destructive and healing forces. ENJOY!!!!

Another smilar book that I enjoyed was "Welcome To The World Baby Girl" By Fannie Flagg. I would give "Read Between The Lies" a better rating then this book, because it developed the characters in a more interesting manner. "Read Between The Lies" draws you in quicker and holds your attention better. Though by the end, these two books offer very curious subjects and interesting and exciting stories.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Surprisingly great! 1, January 26, 2000

By 

Grown and sexy (Fort Washington, Maryland United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Read Between the Lies (Hardcover)

This book was awesome! It's a "can't put it down book"! I was taken by surprise of the great story, cliff hangers this book has. It's a must read, you WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED!