Nancy's Theory of Style by Grace Coopersmith

Publisher:  Gallery Books/Simon and Schuster
Pages:  362

 

From the Cover:

Lively young socialite Nancy Carrington-Chambers has always believed an excellent sense of style and strict attention to detail are what it takes to succeed, but her own husband Todd is showing symptoms of incurable tackiness, so Nancy flees their McMansion for her posh San Francisco apartment. She knows her event planning company, Froth, is a real winner, but she must prove herself by reinventing the turgid Barbary Coast Historical Museum fundraiser. Luckily, Nancy now has the perfect assistant. Derek Cathcart is British, impeccably dressed, gorgeous, and clearly gay—so why does Nancy find him so attractive?

Before Nancy can unravel her feelings, her irresponsible cousin Birdie abandons her little daughter with Nancy and takes off. Nancy, Derek, and Eugenia make an unlikely "family," but strangely it seems incredibly right. Now Nancy's parents are pressuring her to return to Todd, and she still has to pull off a spectacular party. For someone who's always known exactly where she's going, Nancy is in dangerously uncharted waters.

Irresistibly funny and romantic, Nancy's Theory of Style shows that happiness and

love—just like fashion—aren't about playing it safe.

We first meet Nancy Carrington when reading Marta Acosta's wonderful Casa Dracula series, she's one of Milagro's best friends, so she couldn't be all bad, could she?  She's one of those socialite girls who went to FU (Fancy University) with Milagro and ever since, they had become fast friends.  No one understand Nancy Fancy like Milagro does.

By the time we find Nancy in Nancy's Theory of Style, she has married her one time boyfriend, Todd Chambers.  Nancy knows they'll look fabulous together, have a fabulous life, and live in a fabulous house.  But, maybe fabulous isn't all it's cracked up to be, and maybe life isn't meant to be fabulous.  Nancy comes to realize that living with Todd isn't what she thought it would be, it's isn't her fairytale life that she thinks it's going to be, but then life isn't usually a fairytale unless you ignore reality, something Nancy comes to discover quickly enough.

Deciding she needs time away from her life and Todd, Nancy starts an events planning business, everyone is always so taken with her weddings, parties, and other affairs she has planned.  She knows this will be just the thing for her, she's the best and it will give her life new meaning, she'll be seen as successful, Toddless.  So, she moves back to her small apartment in Chateau Winkles, and starts setting up her business.  Todd, on a rare generous note, offers to pay for an assistant to help Nancy, to make her life easier.  Nancy is grateful for Todd's help, but is it really help or something else?

To add to her wrong choices in life, Birdie, her flighty cousins stops to visit Nancy, and leaves without taking one of her most important possessions with her, her daughter, Eugenia.  Nancy calls everyone she can think of, but Birdie has done a complete disappearing act, not to be found, and no one will take Eugenia either.  Having had Eugenia foisted upon her, Nancy has to learn how to care for a child, she's only ever had to care for herself.  Eugenia is a sweet kid who refers to Nancy as Auntie Nanny, much to Nancy's embarrassment, but she lets it go, to please Eugenia.

Into the picture strolls her fabulous assistant arranged for by Todd.  Derek Cathcart is everything Nancy has pictured the perfect assistant could be; British, gay, good-looking, and completely stylish, so fitting for her Theory of Style.  Things blossom for Nancy, in many ways, her business, her assistant, and her niece.  But, you know, just when you think you have it all, know it all.... that's when things start to come apart, a lesson Nancy has yet to learn.

Nancy's Theory of Style by Grace Coopersmith isn't your typical contemporary romance, nor is it Marta Acosta's typical paranormal romance.  It's the story of Fancypants Nancy and how she learns to grow up, that does eventually include romance, and it's a tasty little romance, between Nancy and her fabulously gay assistant, Derek.  But what Todd has paid for isn't only assistant services for Nancy, and it may cost her more than her heart.  Then there's Bailey Whiteside, and he's not what he appears either, he has all these investment ideas, and even starts to fill Nancy's head with thoughts of a socially acceptable match, but what he really finds socially acceptable is Nancy's trust fund.  Another issue for Nancy to deal with are her mother and father, they want life to appear happy, the perfect couple, but it's another fabrication in Nancy's life.

Nancy's Theory of Style is a humorous take on the lives of the rich and famous, and it isn't all fairytales and flowers.  Nancy Fancypants has some serious growing up to do, and as yet, hasn't be forced to do so.  She's made bad life choices too, including marrying the wrong man, and then almost making the same mistake twice.  Of all her society friends, it turns out only a handful are truly her friends.  Sloane, a friend from college, Milagro, GP, and Mrs. Winkles are the only ones besides her assistant, Derek, who we found out is Rick, really cares about Nancy.  All those hoity toity society type friends are just waiting for her to fall on her face, especially Junie.  I don't read many romances that aren't paranormals, because, let's face, I adore supernatural creatures!  But, as far as a funny, fast, quirky, quick read goes, Nancy's Theory of Style is it.  Milagro makes a few quick appears and never fails to make me laugh.  Nancy's so involved in her life, she can't really see what's happening all around her.  There are some laugh out loud ridiculous moments, some moments when you wish Nancy didn't have to learn things the hard way, and moments when you wanted to kick Nancy in the Fancypants.  If you haven't read Grace Coopersmith (aka Marta Acosta), I would definitely start here.  Then, rush out and buy her Casa Dracula series because you'll find you can't get enough.  I highly recommend this book to all romance lovers, you'll find yourself rooting for Nancy, after you get over the idea of kicking her in her Fancypants.  Nancy's Theory of Style is about life and growing up, learning to really live.  If you like to try this wonderful book, you can do it for free.  For a limited time (and I don't know how long that will be), you can read the Draft of Nancy's Theory of Style at Scribd.  It's a little rough and it doesn't have current cover art, but still so enjoyable.  Marta Acosta also has out a new YA paranormal, The Shadow Girl of Birch Grove (only her publisher things the title is too long... I'm rooting for Shadow Girl), if you want to try this book for free, click here.

Here's a peek at the back cover, love it almost as much as the front!

I picked up this book for my own enjoyment (even if it is available for free), Marta Acosta is a keeper for me.  All opinions expressed are my own.