Today, I’m delighted to share a guest post from the lovely Astrid Donal of Anna Godbersen’s The Bright Young Things books. She is here today to share her advice on how to hold a successful garden party!
The Lucky Ones
by Anna Godbersen
Hardback: 416 Pages
Publication: November 27, 2012 by Harper Teen
In 1929, the Bright Young Things escape Manhattan’s heat for the lush lawns and sparkling bays of White Cove, looking for leisure, love, and luck.
New York City’s latest It Girl, Cordelia Grey, is flying high with celebrity pilot Max Darby. But Max is a private person with a reputation to uphold—and a secret to hide. A public romance with a bootlegger’s daughter could cost him more than just his good name. . . .
Aspiring triple threat Letty Larkspur has finally gotten her big break, but will her talent—and special bond with the married silver-screen star Valentine O’Dell—make her a target in the cutthroat world of Hollywood? Perhaps the ingenue knows how to play the leading lady after all.
Newly married to her longtime sweetheart, socialite Astrid Donal finds herself spending more time with one of her husband’s henchmen than with him. With so many secrets between man and wife, is the honeymoon already coming to an end?
As summer reaches its hottest peak, these sun-kissed girls will find out if their luck can last . . . or if dark surprises are on the horizon.
A Few Essential Tips for Hosting a Perfect Garden Party
By Astrid Donal
1. Pick a day when there isn’t a cloud in the sky. Now some people will tell you that is impossible to do while also giving your guests’ the customary two weeks notice, but I find that I have rather a gift for predicting when the weather is going to be just right. I look at the calendar, and I say the whole date out loud (for instance: “Saturday, the sixth of August”), and if it sounds right I just know. Once you’ve committed to a date, confidence is all. Keep picturing everything sunny and fair, and above all, don’t worry or waver—remember, the heavens can smell weakness.
2. The correct mixture of people is essential. You do not want all polite people, because then no one will talk about your parties or what happened there; but on the other hand, if you have only bold, rash types, you run the risk of nobody talking to each other at all, or the whole lot of them disappearing to some roadhouse, or a rosebush being set on fire or some such. You must of course have a good number of girls who know to put themselves together, boys who are willing to dance, a wit or two, and a sporty fellow who is likely to instigate a game of twilight football.
3. Don’t be afraid to be bossy about the dress code! Isn’t it lovely when the girls are all in sleeveless whites and the boys are wearing lightweight linens and straw boaters? What? This is for your Winter Wonderland Issue? Never mind that, darling. Summer is my favorite season, and it is always summer in my heart, no matter what the weather or time of year, and to tell you the truth that is the only real advice I have on how to throw a joyful fete. Just pretend it is late July and the grass is thick and green on all the lawns of White Cove.
Anna Godbersen is the author of the New York Times bestselling Luxe series as well as the Bright Young Things series. She was born in Berkeley, California in 1980, and moved to New York to attend Barnard College, where she studied English and Creative Writing. After graduating she worked as the Literary Editor’s assistant at Esquire, and also wrote book reviews for the magazine’s website. She currently lives in the Greenpoint section of Brooklyn.
Author: Crystal
A story girl at heart, Crystal is a bibliophile who can easily spend the day immersed in a good read. She writes under the name Kristy Wang. You can follow her writing adventures on X and Instagram @_kristywang.
Vivien says
I wanted to get into this series more than I did. I loved the Luxe series, but this didn't grab me as much :/