The Ex-Debutante: A Novel - Softcover

Lee, Linda Francis

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0312354983 ISBN 13: 9780312354985

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin, 2009

Synopsis

When Carlisle Wainwright Cushing, of the old-moneyed Texas Wainwrights, moved to Boston three years ago to work at one of the city's most prestigious divorce law firms, she thought she had escaped the high society she'd grown up in – after all, no one in Boston, not even her fiancé, knew she was an heiress. But now, Carlisle has been lured back to Texas to deal with her mother's latest divorce and the family-sponsored 100th annual debutante ball, which is on the verge of collapse. She's afraid she'll never get back to Boston, at least with her reputation intact, especially when good 'ole Southern boy Jack Blair shows up on the opposite side of the divorce court, making her wonder if he's going after her mother in the proceedings--or her.

Carlisle's trip home challenges her sense of who she really is and forces her to face her family's secrets. Funny, smart, and poignant, The Ex-Debutante is a story about the risks one woman must take if she stands a chance of finding herself, real love, and her place in that crazy thing we call family.

About this title

From the Inside Flap

Carlisle Wainwright Cushing, of the old-moneyed Willow Creek, Texas, Wainwrights, is the daughter of larger-than-life Ridgely Wainwright . . . Cushing-Jameson-Lackley-Harper-Ogden. Given her mother's predilection for divorce, no one is surprised that Carlisle becomes a divorce lawyer and runs far away to Boston, where no one, including her fiance, knows she's an heiress. But now, three years later, Carlisle is lured back to Texas to deal with her mother's latest divorce and the family-sponsored 100th annual debutante ball which is on the verge of collapse.

Suddenly the determined lawyer is weighing the merits of beads versus crystals on ball gowns and teaching eighteen-year-olds to balance books on their heads, all the while trying to figure out how to tell her deeply Southern mother that she is engaged to a Yankee. Things go from bad to worse and soon Carlisle's afraid she'll never get back to Boston, especially when good ol' Southern boy Jack Blair shows up on the opposite side of the divorce court, making her wonder if the man is going after her mother in the proceedings, or her.

Carlisle's trip home challenges her sense of who she really is and forces her to face the secrets her family has tried to keep, well, secret. Funny and smart, poignant and true, "The Ex-Debutante "is a story about the risks one woman must take if she stands a chance of finding herself, real love, and her place in that crazy thing we call family.

From the Back Cover

Advance Praise for "The Ex-Debutante":
"I adored "The Ex-Debutante" and seriously read it in one don't-interrupt-me-on-penalty-of-death sitting. Linda's voice is so lively and vibrant and fun--and the story was completely compelling."
-Beth Harbison, bestselling author of "Shoe Addicts Anonymous"

"Original with fresh sparks of wit...Lee offers a story about the importance of family, unconditional love and looking beyond the false surface of perfection.
-Patti Callahan Henry, bestselling author of "Between the Tides"

""The Ex-Debutante" is fun, witty and totally "fabulous,""
-Rachel Gibson, "New York"" Times" bestselling author of "Tangled Up in You"

"Linda Francis Lee serves up heaps of delicious bon mits to split your sides. Thsi is one debutante ball to which you'll want to show up unfashionably early so as not to miss a singel page."
-Saira Rao, author of "The Chambermaid"

About this edition

• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 0312354983
• ISBN 13: 9780312354985
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 352