Maneater

by Gigi Levangie Grazer

Everything Clarissa Alpert wants, Clarissa Alpert gets.

Gorgeous, funny, and wildly uninhibited, her exes are a veritable Who's Who of Hollywood power players.

At twenty-eight (thirty-one), she is blessed with a firm (if curvaceous) bod, a designer wardrobe, a daddy-subsidized apartment, and an A-list speed-dial.

But with her thirty-second birthday looming, our heroine is starting to panic. Who on earth (Hollywood) could possibly make Clarissa Alpert an honest woman? Enter Aaron Mason, the latest, hottest new producer in town. From the moment Clarissa sees him, she sets her sights on making him the future "Mr. Alpert." With the eager help of her vivacious (if neurotic) friends, her aerobicized Latina mother, her philandering but loving ex-con father, and the most divine gay waiter in Hollywood, Clarissa finds herself phoning the florist to the stars (his private line) and planning the biggest wedding the town has seen in years -- even before the couple's first date. Catching Aaron's eye is not a problem. But it seems her intended might have his own agenda. Could Clarissa have finally bitten off more than she can chew?

Genres: Chick Lit, Fiction, Romance, Humor, Audiobook, Contemporary, Own

309 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 2003

About the author

Gigi Levangie is the author of six prior novels, including The After Wife and the New York Times bestseller The Starter Wife, which was adapted as a miniseries for USA Network.

She is the original writer of the screenplay for Stepmom and has written for Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Glamour, and other publications. Levangie lives in Los Angeles.

Reviews

[Chelsea Catalina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a hilarious book, the type that makes you laugh out loud while reading...the exploits of a high society Beverly Hills socialite as she plots a marriage to a stranger....very good take on pop culture

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm listened to the audiobook which is read by Uma Thurman! It took me a couple of tries with this audiobook, I got to badly scratched versions of this before I finally got an undamaged one.

I can't quite decide what to think about this book. The main character was a little (okay a lot) selfish and silly but also funny. Parts of this were a little gross, for example hearing about the main character's mother and her bowel movements, "If she ate corn she shit a cob" Um, great! Does a reader really want to read that?

Still, for chick lit this was had some impressive and unexpected plot twists. I really would have guess wrong if I had tried to guess what would happen in this book. And that doesn't happen much with chick lit! I would recommend this but I think this is definitely one of those books you have to be in the right mood for!

[Lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a really quirky, sex-in-the-city-esque book. I loved it and would recommend for anyone wanting a sunny beach read. It's not taxing and isn't something with save-the-world substance but it's fun!

[Brenda · Rating 1 out of 5]

0.5 stars. I hated Clarissa. Actually, I hated this entire book.

[Sanja · Rating 1 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook because it was narrated by Uma Thurman but please don't waste your time.

[Jennifer Turcotte · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wasn't for me.

[Kasey · Rating 4 out of 5]

The girl in this book was nuts. Actually everyone in the book was a little strange, presenting this cast of characters that could only be found in shallow LA. The main character was spoiled, living in an apartment paid for by her father and she just found out that she was being cut off from the family money. Her brillant plan was to find a rich man and marry him before the summer. She found her perfect catch except after they get married he tells her that he also has been cut off from the family fortune and that they are now poor. They then have to live in a tiny one bedroom apartment instead of his enormous Hollywood mansion. Hijincks ensue and at times i found myself feeling very good about my own life in comparrison to what this girl has going on. By the end is started to take a different turn but i was please with how it turned out.

[MyChickLitLife · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another gift from a friend. Read in a shopping centre food hall, during lunch breaks on my short-lived media job.

This is the story of the scheming, conniving, LA girl Clarissa as she sets out to bag herself a husband. The book's 10 years old - and it shows - and is written in a fast flowing, manic style which is VERY hard to settle in to. That, and the fact that the main character is a total unsympathetic bitch, made this pretty hard work to begin with.

But once you settle in, it's kinda fun. It's an insight into a completely different world. One I hope to NEVER be a part of.

Chick Liveability: Clarissa is hardly an everywoman, and it's pretty hard to identify with her. Short of how to trick a man into a marriage, I'm not sure what I can learn from her.

mychicklitlife.com

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Clarissa does what most of America laments that Hollywood socialites/young female stars/spoiled brats do not do - Clarissa grows up. Along the way, she exposes a biting wit, a sharp mind, a manipulative personality and the (apparently) stunning looks to get away with it. I found her smart and fun, and what was really lovely was that she was able to retain the wonderful parts of her personality even after she had matured into a responsible woman. This is a great Hollywood satire with a happy ending and lots of twists and turns.

[Teresa K · Rating 1 out of 5]

I couldn't even finish this book. I tried to wait to see if a plot twist would make me like the main character more, but i have yet to find that twist. I can read vapid chick lit and enjoy it but this character has no redeeming qualities other than being able to leech off her parents as a 30yo without a job.
Maybe if you can make it past pg 75 you'll like it.

[Sandy · Rating 1 out of 5]

definitely a chick book. the language in the beginning is pretty foul. then the middle of the book gets pretty cute. the ending, LAME.....

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it. It was especially fun for me because I live in a small town and have such a quiet life, so it's nice to live vicariously through characters like Clarissa.

[Joy]

They made this into a 2 part series on Lifetime starting this weekend.

[Jen · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was kind of sad and not even in a redeemable kinda way.

This book is about a self absorbed, selfish woman who all she cared about what being hot and finding a rich husband. The problem is that she was never given a chance to feel like she could be something more than that, she had terrible parents who told her she didn’t have any value but that of a house wife to a rich man and the thing is, she never made anything of herself. I kept wishing that Clarissa made a personal recovery, changed her outlook on life and made a career for herself.
She spent the entirety of her pregnancy by herself, the shitty baby daddy made very weak attempts at communicating with her after a very insulting conversation. The only good thing in her life, was her group of girlfriends. They were incredibly supportive.

The baby daddy was a liar and a cheat whose only quality was, what, his good looks? (Give me a break).

While this is an easy, quick read, the characters lack development and depth.

I’m gonna go be depressed by Clarissa’s life now.

[Abby · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this book really showcases toxic relationships and just being batshit insane in general. I don't think Clarissa or the Star Chamber are meant to be likable characters, I read it more as a "here's reality tv in a book". It's a step by step guide on what NOT to do. It's over exaggerated yet realistic at the same time and does a good job balancing the two.

The plot twists were unexpected and interesting. Clarissa's character arc could've used a little more patching up, but I think overall it gives a solid idea of a spoiled rich girl who thinks she's hit it big, and in reality, gets hit HARD by life and has to maneuver through it on her own for once. I wish the ending wasn't so rushed and we got a bit more info, but I'd read it again.

[Jodie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review is for the Audible version. I read this book years ago and remember really liking it. I realized today that the Audible version is abridged- which I normally never buy. If I had noticed that before, I would have skipped it. I do have a physical copy somewhere on my shelf, but I didn’t feel like getting my ladder out to search for it. Maybe I will revisit it in the future.
I did laugh at some of Clarissa’s antics. She’s very self-absorbed and shallow. Perfect book for me when I’m in a mood for something fun.

[Ashley Justice · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was excited to read this book after watching the Lifetime movie based on it with Sarah Chalke. To be honest, I read about half the book and could not finish it as I was incredibly bored. The main character was unrelatable, unlikable and frustrating to get to know. The way she takes advantage of her parents and treats men poorly is cringe worthy. The progression of the storyline was slow, leaving the reader wondering when the plot will begin. I do not recommend!

[Ashley · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was excited to read this book after watching the Lifetime movie based on it with Sarah Chalke. To be honest, I read about half the book and could not finish it as I was incredibly bored. The main character was unrelatable, unlikable and frustrating to get to know. The way she takes advantage of her parents and treats men poorly is cringe worthy. The progression of the storyline was slow, leaving the reader wondering when the plot will begin. I do not recommend!

[Bridget Bailey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read several of this author's books and enjoy this author as a nice chick lit book in between my heavier books to give myself a break when I have read too many disturbing ones in a row. This one didn't let me down. It was a good one. The main character was hilarious and delusional and just out of control but so funny to see what she was up to next with her scheming. I enjoyed reading this book a lot just to see what would happen next. If you like chick lit books, this is a good one.

[Christine Clark · Rating 1 out of 5]

Awful. I usually like these fun, light reads that are funny and fast paced. I found this crude, the character extremely unlikable and I couldn't get past the writing style. I never quit books early, but I didn't even make it through the first chapter of this one.

[AnnMarie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I bought this book for $1, and I'm glad I didn't pay more. This book was very boring and felt like nothing was happening. It read like a Lifetime movie, which if thats your thing, then you might like it.

[Tiffany · Rating 1 out of 5]

Yikes. Someone left this in a pile of books to give away when moving out of our apartment complex. I gave it a whirl. Chick lit with a completely unlikable protagonist. Ugh.

[Barbara Cryer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank heavens... finally finished it. Im not sure why it didn't grab me. It should have been an easy read. Click lit plot, fun group of characters, it just was of for me.

[Yvonne Crawford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it

[Czeska · Rating 1 out of 5]

If you can get past the superficial brain candy, no substance sort of fluff, you'll finally realize there are a lot of interesting humor and witty lines in this. Cruel, mindless, sex-in-the-city esque and entertaining at times. Not my genre of choice, really, but every once in a while, you need a beach book that doesn't get you thinking. Just light reading.

[Sadistic · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've read another book by this author and liked it so I figured that I would give her another chance. The story was interesting, but its too predictable. A materialistic girl is looking for a rich husband to marry, have kids so she never has to work again (boooorring). Not that she ever worked before.

She marries this guy who's not the guy that she thought he was then she ends up pregnant b/c she on purpose uses a turkey baster to take out the sperm out of the condom. Yeah like that would work, whatever.

Anyways, she then of course like typical "story telling" she changes after she realizes she just wanted a man to love her. The money, the places to go to don't matter. Its all been done before so its rather blah. The only reason I'm not giving it 1 star is that there was a lot of swearing, I like it when an author can write like an adult would talk.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this book for the online book club over at Tipped Uterus. Have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it. The tone is hysterical and this book has some of the best lines I've ever read. I'll come up with examples and post here later but for now just know the story revolves around a spoiled rich girl living in Hollywood, with one of the foulest mouths ever (that's probably why I liked her). She has several close friends, most of whom kind of seem like bitches. She deliberately targets an up and coming producer who is rolling in the dough, only to find out that she's actually married his incredibly poor best friend posing as said rich boy. Too bad that's after she gets pregnant.

Huh, another motherhood book. Interesting, since I didn't even pick this one. LOL

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great girlie book :) The main character, Clarissa, has been SPOILED her who life. She lives in LA and does not work. She has a core group of girlfriends and has dated every successful man she can get her hands on. She was happy with her life, but she is getting older and wants to find a man to settle down with. She has her eye on the newest guy in town and starts to plan their wedding even before they have their first date!

In the beginning of the book Clarissa annoyed me a little because she is so rich and doesn't do anything of importance with her life, but by the end I was rooting for her! Her life changes drastically and she finally figures out what is important to her. Great, quick read.

[Tori]

2004- Thirty-something (she's perennially 28) Clarissa Alpert has no job, no mate, but fabulous shoes and friends! However, Clarissa decides it's getting time for her to catch herself a man to settle down with and sets her sights on Aaron Mason, the latest, hottest new producer in town. With the help of her four friends (one who seems like a Paris Hilton copy...) Clarissa starts to plan the wedding of her dreams, before the couple even has a first date! Clarissa gets what Clarissa wants, so landing Aaron shouldn't be a problem...should it? Clarissa does get a bit on the nerves occasionally, and sometimes all the trendy nods in the book makes it feel like it will be quickly dated. However, it was mostly a fun read, since Clarissa is quite the unpredictable character.

[Lara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this to read on my cruise and it made the perfect beach book. Just fun chick lit. It was slightly ruanchy with more than a little language, but it was all very hilarious.

Clarissa is a pampered young woman intent on marrying a rich, famous, gorgeous guy in Hollywood. She sets her sights on an up and coming producer and pulls out all the stops to seduce and marry him and become pregnant with his child (financial insurance in case the marriage doesn't stick). But is the man she married really who she thinks he is? Maybe he's a bigger con artist than she is. It's super fun, super sassy.