This one just did not work for me. I couldn't connect with the writing or the characters. Thank you anyway.

I was excited to read this book. I've watched some episodes in the past and I thought this book would give insight or a fictional story from chatters on the show. Instead, to my dismay this was a memoir about Ms. Whitfield. Sasha is no doubt Sheree and you discover that from the first couple of sentences. I found the story to be showy, boastful and self serving. I had to put it down as it isn't a style of writing I prefer.

I've watched the RHOA since it began. So I'm familiar with some of the people who inspired these 'characters' while it's a few I can't figure out. Needless to say I felt very comfortable reading about these people. With all of the drama on the show I was happy with the glimpse behind the scenes before the show started. Sheree has pleasantly surprised me with her fictional truth lol.

I received a copy from NetGalley for an honest review.

Sasha Wellington's goal is to be a well-known fashion designer. She moves to Atlanta with a plan to be an entrepreneur. What a brave move! Within a short amount of time, she befriends Norman (a savvy gay stylist), Casey (an NBA player's wife), and Paris (a nightlife dancer). Sticking to her dreams prove difficult when Sasha gets mixed up in the fast-paced Hotlanta life and is romanced by a baller.

I am not sure what I expected before I started reading this new release by Bravo TV's Real Housewife of Atlanta, Shereé Whitfield. Although I must admit that I judged this book by its cover and by its author. The title is very urban and reminds me of those "hood" books I used to read way back in the day. The cover shows a woman living a lifestyle much like a wife, fiancée or side-chick.

I couldn't help but match every fictional character with someone from Shereé's real life, such as her ex-husband Bob, fashion stylist Miss Lawrence or fellow RHOA. This distracted me from the very beginning. But once I mentally matched the fictional characters with real life colleagues of Shereé's, I sat back and enjoyed the story, wondering how much truth this fiction is based on.

Fiction books from celebrities get an automatic side-eye from me. No, it is not fair. Yes, it is okay to dabble in the book field while being seen on our television screens via reality television. I don't expect to read literature with deep prose. In fact, I suspect ghost writers are usually used. And that is fine. But the tone of the main character in Wives, Fiancées, and Side-Chicks of Hotlanta is so Shereé! She did a great job of creating a reliable character that is easy to root for. Readers want to see Sasha Wellington (mmm hmm, same initials as the author) succeed.

However, this book will probably not appeal to avid novel readers. It is full of pop culture phrases like "throw shade" or "twerk" or "turn up." The supporting characters are not developed. The ending is beyond predictable and rushed, leaving readers with a cliffhanger. The book started off strong but the storyline didn't carry well giving the impression a deadline had to be met so "just end it here." Of course, this could be good for the author in future sales of the sequel. In conclusion, the intended audience are women who watch RHOA and enjoy rumors mixed with a hint of reality and hot mess drama.

LiteraryMarie

Sasha Wellington comes to Atlanta to make a name for herself in the fashion design industry. Relatively quickly she gains an ally in the form of her happy new best friend, Norman. He quickly shows her the ropes and pitfalls to avoid in order to grab Hotlanta by the tail and win.

Thanks to Norman ingenuity of getting them into an exclusive party where all the pretty people come out to be seen Sasha gets a taste of the high life. Eventually she meets a baller/shot caller through mutual friends and quickly becomes "that" girl on the very first night she meets him.

Sasha at times reminded me of Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz -- completely naive and out of her depth and she discovers her prince may not be so charming after all. This book ends on a bit of cliffhanger but the best reason to read this book is Norman, he stole Sasha's shine and I hope he gets his own drama-filled (love) story soon. My Grade: C+

As a Housewives fan I wanted to read this book. Its not exactly what I expected, but overall it was good. Sasha moves to Atlanta with hopes and dreams of starting her own clothing line and making it big. But all too soon she's side tracked by a new group of friends who introduce her to the world of money, parties and sexcapades. She becomes so wrapped up in this lifestyle and being with her man, she loses her morals and dreams.
While reading, I tried to pick out the characters and match them with their real life counterparts. Interesting in how much of the book has Paris in it, when NeNe & Sheree pretend to be frienamies on the show. Sad to think that someone would trade all their hopes & dreams in for fame & money by marrying a "star".

Taut with melodramatic scenes, agrarian sexual capers, adversarial dalliances, this story had me turning the pages at lightning speed. The idea of a young woman with goals and dreams getting caught up in the conspiratorial schemes of those closest to her was heart wrenching.

Sasha Wellington,forced to take the hand she has been dealt, must be willing to play the game and not get played. Leaving her home town and arriving in Atlanta was anything but luck for this budding Georgia peach. Living in Black Hollywood was nothing like she thought it would be.

In this gritty, amatory novel by Sheree Whitfield, we meet a naive woman with a one-year plan to rise up in the fashion world. With her flamboyant gay friend and a libidinous new acquaintances, Sasha sets out on a roller coaster ride she will never forget. At its zenith, Sasha’s newfound bliss is cracked to its core.

Sasha Wellington has a plan for herself and is eager to make it happen. She moves from Ohio to Atlanta., She is like a fish out of the pond. She meets a few people on along the way that will make or break her. Wives, Fiancess, and Side-Chicks of Hotlanta reads like a loose description of Sheree Whitfield's life. The book is the paper copy of the Real Housewives of Atlanta. It is not a bad read, but I felt that this story has been told over and over again on Bravo.

This book was a hot mess. You can tell this author is new because everything is overly described.