Smart Vs. Pretty [Mass Market Paperback]

Valerie Frankel (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 6, 2001

Out-of-work urban professional Francesca Greenfield has always known that she was the "smart" sister.  Amanda was the soft and lovely one who, from the beginning, had always garnered most of the attention -- and all the dates.  Now they've been thrown together in a last-ditch effort to save the family coffeehouse business before it goes permanently down the drain.

In the chaotic misdt of mad promotional schemes and piranhalike next-door competitors, the sisters Greenfield are going to have to put aside their hard-faught sibling rivalry --  and quick! -- for the family good.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Francesca and Amanda Greenfield have inherited the family coffee shop after the death of their parents - but now that a large chain coffee bar has moved in next door, the sisters business is days away from failure. Enter New York University business student Clarissa O'MacFlanahanagan, who offers to come up with a market strategy that will save the shop (plus the sisters's aparment above it) and provide Clarissa with her final school project. Desparate, Francesca (the smart one) and Amanda (the pretty one) agree, only to find events rapidly spiraling out of their control. Competing for the attention of their new friend and savior, neither woman is able to see that there is more Clarissa than meets the eye. Light , amusing, and generally entertaining, this is basically a story of two single sisters looking for love and business success in Brooklyn Heights. It will be giving nothing away to say that they find both. Readers of Jane Heller's amusing novels will enjoy this fifth novel by Mademoiselle editor Frankel. For most popular fiction collections.
Elizabeth Mary Mellett, Brooline P.L., MA
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"Blithe, sly, and hip -- and wicked enough to be really fun." -- -- Marcelle Clements, author of The Improvised Woman

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Avon (February 6, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061014788
• ISBN-13: 978-0061014789
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (98 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,181,686 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Valerie Frankel has written twenty-five books, and hopes to write many more. For more info about her books, magazine articles, cats, kids, life in Brooklyn, reviews of other people's books, go to www.valeriefrankel.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Alice Hoffman minus a few IQ points., May 19, 2000

By 

Rhea Silvia "archer1267" (Boston, MA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Smart Vs. Pretty (Paperback)

While reading Smart vs. Pretty, I kept thinking of Alice Hoffman (relationships between women, relationships between women and men, plus a little magick/New Age sensibility thrown in) but the rich descriptives that make Hoffman's books such a treat to read were missing. As the book evolved, I was also reminded of Woody Allen's "Manhattan Murder Mystery" - two ordinary people getting inadvertently involved with a crime and then playing detective on their own. Hijinks ensue.

Nonetheless the book met my expectations...it's a quick, breezy read, engaging in its own way. I read it on the morning bus, on the treadmill even. The girls in question (Frank ("smart") and Amanda ("pretty") get into more scrapes than Bridget Jones in both Fielding books combined, but somehow it's not as convincing or fun. The red herrings required a little too much suspension of disbelief. All this intrigue over...a neighborhood coffee joint? (I know, I know, it was less about coffee and more about prime real estate.) Some of the dialogue was laughable ("Is my touch painful because of your secret love for me?") but I did learn a lot about coffee beans (seriously). Frankel obviously did her research in that area.

I wish the book would have dealt a little less with plot twists and more with the relationship between the two sisters, which was obviously quite complex. Nevertheless, it's definitely appropriate for beach reading, the morning commute, etc.

24 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Nice Beginning, May 23, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Smart Vs. Pretty (Paperback)

This book is a quick read with many colorful characters. It's the story of two sisters and their plot to save their coffeehouse from financial ruins. Although the sisters have opposite personalities (hence, smart vs. pretty), they share the common bond of saving the family business and the love of their deceased parents. The sisters are interesting because they are quirky in their own way. I was surprised when the story turned into a murder mystery, but I didn't mind since the story remained focused on the sister relationship.

Unfortuately, as the story progressed, the text became juvenile and wandered off the point. Rather than exploring the sister theme in depth, the writer wasted a lot of ink describing what the characters were wearing. Still, there are many humorous moments in the book, particularly the scenes where the sisters find themselves in trouble with the police, the press, a freeloader, a rival coffeehouse, and a crazy wife. If you read this book, think Judy Bloom meets Mary Higgins Clark and you won't be disappointed.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Horrible!!, May 24, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Smart Vs. Pretty (Paperback)

From start to finish, I thought this was one of the worse books I have ever read! I only endured it until the end to see if it would improve but alas, it didn't. The characters were implausiable and the plot was idiotic. Many of the scenes were unrealistic. For example, what bank allows you to take out $55,000 from it's ATM and then go back for more???? My advice, don't waste your time!