The Next Best Thing: A Novel [Kindle Edition]

Jennifer Weiner (Author)

Book Description

Actors aren’t the only ones trying to make it in Hollywood.…At twenty-three, Ruth Saunders left her childhood home in Massachusetts and headed west with her seventy-year-old grandma in tow, hoping to make it as a screenwriter. Six years later, she hits the jackpot when she gets The Call: the sitcom she wrote, The Next Best Thing, has gotten the green light, and Ruthie’s going to be the showrunner. But her dreams of Hollywood happiness are threatened by demanding actors, number-crunching executives, an unrequited crush on her boss, and her grandmother’s impending nuptials.

Set against the fascinating backdrop of Los Angeles show business culture, with an insider’s ear for writer’s room showdowns and an eye for bad backstage behavior and set politics, Jennifer Weiner’s new novel is a rollicking ride on the Hollywood roller coaster, a heartfelt story about what it’s like for a young woman to love, and lose, in the land where dreams come true.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Weiner is coming off a year in Hollywood, and she puts the experience to excellent use in this utterly engaging story of a showrunner who, after six years of slogging, finally gets a series on the air, only to discover that her troubles are only beginning—meddling studio execs, egomaniacal actors and one crushable but unobtainable boss." (Time)

"Spares no bon mot in exposing Hollywood’s sexism, ageism and incurable penchant for extravagant silliness." (Kirkus )

"Full of warm and interesting characters as well as a wealth of insider industry detail (Weiner was a cocreator of an ABC Family sitcom), this is a must-read for Weiner’s many fans and anyone who enjoys smart, funny fiction." (Library Journal)

"An entertaining story about the dream-crushing compromises on the road from page to screen." (People)

“A knockout. Perfect comic timing meets effortless dialogue and an engaging plot…. Enjoy your place on top of the lit world, Jennifer Weiner. You've more than made it.” (The Miami Herald)

"Jennifer Weiner is funny and dead-on when it comes to building a satisfying summer read.” (New York Daily News)

“Ruth is a multidimensional heroine, and Weiner gives her real heart and soul. Readers will root for her to get everything she ever wanted—not to settle for the next best thing. This is contemporary women’s fiction at its finest.” (Booklist (starred review))

“Weiner’s snappy new novel showcases her humor and style." (Washington Post)

“A fascinating glimpse into the television industry…Weiner’s strong sense of comedy comes through in her characters’ witty banter and Ruth’s writing. You will cheer her on in her quest to find success and love.” (Fort Worth Star-Telegram)

“Weiner is a chick-lit writer with chops—and she puts them to expert use in this funny, feel-good tale.” (Better Homes & Gardens)

Review

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• File Size: 822 KB
• Print Length: 402 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1451617755
• Publisher: Atria Books; Reprint edition (July 3, 2012)
• Sold by: Simon and Schuster Digital Sales Inc
• Language: English
• ASIN: B0061NT77C
• Text-to-Speech: Not enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Not Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,297 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
  • #66 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Literary Fiction
  • #90 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Literary

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

43 of 47 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Difficult to finish... July 26, 2012

By Cal

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I have to begin by saying that I'm an avid reader and have read every one of J. Weiner's books. I'm having a difficult time even finishing this book. I'm 2/3 finished and fight every night to read more. Sadly, I think this is the worst book she's written... I'm totally uninterested in the plot, characters, etc... There are definitely better summer reads out there if that's what you're after!

53 of 64 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The BEST Thing July 3, 2012

By Susan Tunis TOP 100 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

Once upon a time, I worked in film and television. And I remember my boss telling me, "Nobody sets out to make a bad movie." And then she'd tell a story about an infamous flop, and how amazing the original script had been. I thought about this story as I read Jennifer Weiner's The Next Best Thing, a take on the television industry from one who knows whence she speaks. At the center of her tale is Ruthie Saunders, Weiner's skinniest protagonist to date. But Ruthie has her own body image issues, owing to a horrific childhood car crash that left her orphaned and scarred in more ways than one. Fortunately, Ruthie was raised by a loving grandmother that saw her through years of painful reconstructive surgeries, during which the two of them found comfort in television shows like The Golden Girls.

That's what Ruthie has always wanted to do, write for television, and readers get to know both her and her grandma as they follow Ruthie though her dues-paying years. All of which lead up to her big break--the chance to produce her own show. It is also called The Next Best Thing, and is a sitcom about a slightly heavy underdog and her grandmother making their way in the world. Much of the book entails Ruthie's struggles to bring her vision to life, while juggling her personal relationships.

Just now, I started to type, "First and foremost, this is a Hollywood satire." And then I deleted. Because while this absolutely IS a delicious Hollywood satire (which is sure to please fans of the Showtime series "Episodes"), I think any Weiner novel is automatically a novel about women, our relationships, our insecurities, and our dreams. I say "our," because I think there is a very universal appeal to Jennifer Weiner's flawed protagonists. Perhaps there are perfect, beautiful women out there leading charmed lives that don't relate to Ruthie's problems and insecurities, but if so, they're a rare breed. Also, I don't mean to imply Weiner's protagonists are interchangeable. They have commonalities. They tend to be funny, insecure, and Jewish--like Jennifer Weiner, and like me. Ruthie has her own voice, and as the novel went on, I was frequently frustrated with her. She could be very weak, and throughout the novel she describes herself as "broken." Regardless, she is still smart, funny, and relatable, and readers will root for Ruthie to find her way.

Additionally, like most Wiener novels, there's a delectable romantic subplot. Jennifer Weiner writes protagonists you want to be friends with, and perfectly imperfect men you could absolutely fall in love with. Along the way, she pokes plenty of fun at Hollywood, and several well-known and loosely-veiled celebrities. Personally, as a childless reader, I always enjoy the novels that DON'T deal with motherhood the most, and The Next Best Thing was a big hit with me. The Hollywood fantasy of it all harkened back to her blockbuster debut, Good in Bed. And the ending was just perfect! I think this latest novel is one of Jennifer Weiner's very best.

20 of 25 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Weakest effort yet July 8, 2012

By maggie simpson

Format:Kindle Edition

Bought this, at full price, like I do every one of Jennifer Weiner's books. I'm always hoping that each new title will finally be as wonderful as "Good in Bed" and "In Her Shoes." And it never is. Name-dropping, stereotypes and clunky pop culture references (like anotheer reviewer mentioned, gee, I wonder who "Cady" is supposed to be!), at the expense of character and plot development, make her latest work especially unreadable.

It is perhaps unfair to rate a book after only getting halfway through, but I had to stop reading when the author introduces George. He's one of the writers for the sitcom "The Next Best Thing." He's also a COMPLETE ripoff of 30 Rock's Twofer -- African American, Harvard, from a well-heeled family, and his paycheck comes from another budget because he's part of a "diversity initiative". That last detail was the basis of an entire episode of 30 Rock! There's a difference between homage and plagiarism.

I'm wondering if Weiner has some software that spits out these formulaic books. At this point they're clearly being churned out with little effort by the author (not to mention her publisher -- how does lifting AN ENTIRE CHARACTER, however minor, from someone else's work pass basic fact-checking?!) to meet deadlines and keep those royalties rolling in. I guess that's what happens when writers have to produce on demand.

I'm not sure if I'll slog through the rest of The Next Best Thing, but I'm willing to bet the narrator has a baby, since that seems to be the only happy ending available in Weiner's ouevre.

More About the Author

JENNIFER WEINER is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of ten books, including Good in Bed, In Her Shoes, which was made into a major motion picture, and The Next Best Thing. A graduate of Princeton University, Weiner lives in Philadelphia with her family. To learn more, find her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or at JenniferWeiner.com.

Amazon Author Rankbeta 

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#41 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Literary Fiction

#53 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Literary

#70 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Contemporary

#41 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Literary Fiction

#53 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Literary

#70 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Contemporary