We're happy to share with you an excerpt from Rachel Hollis' PARTY GIRL!
.jpg)
Party Girl by Rachel HollisGoodreads | Amazon
Landon Brinkley is making her dreams come true. After years of poring over glossy photos of celebrity parties in People and US Weekly, she’s landed her Holy Grail: an internship with the fabulous Selah Smith, event planner to the Hollywood elite. Moving from small town Texas to Los Angeles, Landon finds herself in a world in which spending a million dollars on an event – even for kids’ birthdays – is de rigueur. The thrill of working on A-list parties and celeb weddings is enough to get her through the 75-hour workweeks, the nightmare of a multi-day film festival, and abuse at the hands of a mercurial boss. But confronted with the seamy realities of the business, she is forced to make a choice: do whatever it takes to get ahead, or stay true to herself.
A roman a clef in the vein of The Devil Wears Prada, PARTY GIRL draws on the author’s real life experience for an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the celebrity-obsessed world of event planning. From the party habits of America’s favorite underage singer to the worst Bridezilla of all (the kind that graces the cover of your favorite magazine), PARTY GIRL reveals the ugly side of Hollywood’s prettiest parties.
EXCERPT:
My stomach is churning… I’ve imagined meeting her for years. I had it all
planned out. I was going to tell her how much I loved her design-aesthetic and how the
Pucci tablecloth she used for Margo Reeve’s 50th birthday party set the stage for one of
the prettiest tablescapes I’d ever seen. I never imagined she’d hate me before I’d even
opened my mouth, or that she’d blow away just as quickly as she arrived with her two
minions in tow, leaving me sitting on the floor with a binder labeled “Animal
Entertainment (Mammals)” on my lap.
I am still staring down at the binder when a pair of scuffed black combat boots
comes into view on the floor next to me. I look up at a petite Asian girl with wild choppy
shoulder length hair in an outfit of perfectly styled disarray. She’s wearing all black, but
her ensemble is a bit wilder than the sharp designer duds everyone else has on.
She looks down at the binder in my lap and then back into my eyes with a
serious expression.
“The definition of a mammal?” she asks without preamble.
I’m a little nonplussed by the question so I stutter ineloquently for a moment.
Unsure of what else to do, I answer.
“Animals that give live birth and nurse their babies.”
“And the Secretary of State?” She’s still staring intently at me.
“John Kerry.”
“Before him?”
“Hilary Clinton.”
“Capital of Uruguay?”
Is this girl crazy?
“Montevideo.”
“Your opinion of Kesha?”
“She’s kind of gross looking, but her music’s good for cardio.”
Her serious expression is replaced quickly by a genuine smile.
“May I ask why you’re asking such odd questions?”
She looks surprised by my curiosity, as if the definition of mammals is a valid
topic in the intern interview process.
“They call me Jin,” she says, sticking out her hand. Each nail is perfectly
manicured in neon yellow. “What’s your name?”
“I’m— Brinkley, I guess?” I reach to shake her hand and she uses the opportunity
to pull me to my feet.
“And your actual name is…”
“Landon.
“Well Landon Brinkley, most girls who roll through here, and believe me there are
a few, are dumb as a box of rocks. If I’m going to take you under my wing I have to make
sure you’re not a moron,” she says decisively.
“You’re going to take me under your wing?” I ask, confused.
She considers me for a second then seems to come to a conclusion with a nod of
her head. “Yes I am. And here’s your first lesson, you’ll do better with her if you don’t
show fear.”
“I wasn’t afraid.”
“Like hell! Selah can strike fear into the heart of an intern from a mile away!” She
giggles. “Have they given you a break or let you eat lunch or anything?”
I look nervously in the direction that Selah has gone.
Is this some test? Like, if I admit I haven’t eaten today or that I have a functioning
bladder she’ll tear around the corner and call me girl again. My new friend must sense
my hesitation.
“Don’t worry, they’re in an update meeting, they won’t be out for at least an hour.
Come on, I’ll give you a tour.”
When I still don’t move she giggles. “She’ll hate you even more if you piss
yourself and there’s far too much white upholstery around here to risk it. But if for some
miraculous reason they pull their heads out of their asses long enough to check on you
I’ll tell them I needed you for a project. Alec and Jane won’t mess with me, I promise.”
Even though I don’t feel much like smiling, my mouth twitches at her comment. I
consider not saying anything, but the book nerd in me can’t ignore it.
“Twilight… really?” I ask with mock incredulity.
Her smile just grows bigger. “The fact that you got the nebulous Volturi reference
only means you’re at least as big a nerd as I am. Come on.”
For someone so petite, she certainly seems sure of herself. With one more
glance at the forbidding closed office door I follow along after her.
My stomach is churning… I’ve imagined meeting her for years. I had it all
planned out. I was going to tell her how much I loved her design-aesthetic and how the
Pucci tablecloth she used for Margo Reeve’s 50th birthday party set the stage for one of
the prettiest tablescapes I’d ever seen. I never imagined she’d hate me before I’d even
opened my mouth, or that she’d blow away just as quickly as she arrived with her two
minions in tow, leaving me sitting on the floor with a binder labeled “Animal
Entertainment (Mammals)” on my lap.
I am still staring down at the binder when a pair of scuffed black combat boots
comes into view on the floor next to me. I look up at a petite Asian girl with wild choppy
shoulder length hair in an outfit of perfectly styled disarray. She’s wearing all black, but
her ensemble is a bit wilder than the sharp designer duds everyone else has on.
She looks down at the binder in my lap and then back into my eyes with a
serious expression.
“The definition of a mammal?” she asks without preamble.
I’m a little nonplussed by the question so I stutter ineloquently for a moment.
Unsure of what else to do, I answer.
“Animals that give live birth and nurse their babies.”
“And the Secretary of State?” She’s still staring intently at me.
“John Kerry.”
“Before him?”
“Hilary Clinton.”
“Capital of Uruguay?”
Is this girl crazy?
“Montevideo.”
“Your opinion of Kesha?”
“She’s kind of gross looking, but her music’s good for cardio.”
Her serious expression is replaced quickly by a genuine smile.
“May I ask why you’re asking such odd questions?”
She looks surprised by my curiosity, as if the definition of mammals is a valid
topic in the intern interview process.
“They call me Jin,” she says, sticking out her hand. Each nail is perfectly
manicured in neon yellow. “What’s your name?”
“I’m— Brinkley, I guess?” I reach to shake her hand and she uses the opportunity
to pull me to my feet.
“And your actual name is…”
“Landon.
“Well Landon Brinkley, most girls who roll through here, and believe me there are
a few, are dumb as a box of rocks. If I’m going to take you under my wing I have to make
sure you’re not a moron,” she says decisively.
“You’re going to take me under your wing?” I ask, confused.
She considers me for a second then seems to come to a conclusion with a nod of
her head. “Yes I am. And here’s your first lesson, you’ll do better with her if you don’t
show fear.”
“I wasn’t afraid.”
“Like hell! Selah can strike fear into the heart of an intern from a mile away!” She
giggles. “Have they given you a break or let you eat lunch or anything?”
I look nervously in the direction that Selah has gone.
Is this some test? Like, if I admit I haven’t eaten today or that I have a functioning
bladder she’ll tear around the corner and call me girl again. My new friend must sense
my hesitation.
“Don’t worry, they’re in an update meeting, they won’t be out for at least an hour.
Come on, I’ll give you a tour.”
When I still don’t move she giggles. “She’ll hate you even more if you piss
yourself and there’s far too much white upholstery around here to risk it. But if for some
miraculous reason they pull their heads out of their asses long enough to check on you
I’ll tell them I needed you for a project. Alec and Jane won’t mess with me, I promise.”
Even though I don’t feel much like smiling, my mouth twitches at her comment. I
consider not saying anything, but the book nerd in me can’t ignore it.
“Twilight… really?” I ask with mock incredulity.
Her smile just grows bigger. “The fact that you got the nebulous Volturi reference
only means you’re at least as big a nerd as I am. Come on.”
For someone so petite, she certainly seems sure of herself. With one more
glance at the forbidding closed office door I follow along after her.
Rachel Hollis Bio:
Rachel Hollis is the founder of the popular lifestyle blog www.thechicsite.com and Los Angeles-based event planning firm, Chic Events. At 27, she was named by Inc. Magazine as one of the “Top 30 Entrepreneurs under 30.” She has designed and produced fabulous parties for many of Hollywood’s elite, including Bradley Cooper, Rashida Jones, Al Gore, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Ivanka Trump, Jamie King, and Cuba Gooding Jr. (just to name a few). Most recently, she planned the nuptials of actress Sara Rue’s wedding, which garnered national coverage in magazines such as People and US Weekly.
In 2010, Rachel appeared as the wedding planner on the WE Network show “Jilted?” This six-part relationship series followed potential brides as they gave their suitors ultimatums to see if they would get the wedding of their dreams or get “jilted.”
In addition, Rachel is a lifestyle expert for The Talk, EXTRA, The Nate Berkus Show, The Steve Harvey Show, KTLA Morning News, Fox 5, Better TV and a regular contributor on PopSugar TV and Celebrations.com. She has been featured in People, InStyle, OK! Weekly, Entertainment Weekly, Better Homes and Garden, Traditional Home, Entrepreneur, Grace Ormand and the TV shows “Jilted” and “I Do Over” for the WE Network, “The Traveler’s Guide to Life” on the Travel Channel” and “Self Made.”
Tour Giveaway:
Description: Landon’s Brown Bag Special
Bag 1
- Essie Resort Collection
- Bite Beauty Cashmere Lip Cream
- Kokokahn Lip Balm
- Nicole by OPI Nail Polish
- big sexy hair styling product
- Acure leave-in conditioner
- RGB Nail Polish
- Revolution Organics Freedom Glow Beauty Balm
Bag 2
- Essie Resort Collection
- Bite Beauty Cashmere Lip Cream
- Kokokahn Lip Balm
- Nicole by OPI Nail Polish
- big sexy hair styling product
- Sulwhasoo Exfoliating Gel
- RGB Nail Polish
- Revolution Organics Freedom Glow Beauty Balm
a Rafflecopter giveaway
No comments:
Post a Comment
Due to time constraints we may not be able to personally respond to every comment made, but we do read and appreciate them all. 📚❤️🙂
✋ RBtWBC has a zero-tolerance policy for review harassment and author bashing. Such comments will be deleted at the the blog's discretion.