Been There, Married That by Gigi Levangie Grazer
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📚 Trevor & Agnes Nash are living the lush life of a Hollywood power couple with their daughter Pep. It seems like all is bliss, til Trevor decides he'd rather no longer be married and only focus on himself. What's a Hollywood wife to do?!? No one prepares you for this!!! 😅 A divorce ensues, and while you'd think they'd be able to handle this as adults, it seems divorce brings out the worst in some people. Trevor is competitive, to say the least, and will stop at nothing to "win". Agnes takes the hits and must find a way to look beyond the hell he is putting her through, in order to keep her daughter's best interest first and foremost.
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📚 I'll be straightforward and say that this was not an easy book for me to get through. I have a hard time DNFing a book, so I m•a•d•e myself finish it. Reading should never be this way. It was meant to be a fun, light read, but it seemed like the author was trying TOO hard to be funny and outlandish. I felt like this detracted from the story and it lost my interest throughout the beginning. I simply did not want to pick it up. However, it did get better in the second half. I feel like the author went back to the original storyline and stopped trying so hard to make the reader laugh. The characters were hard to love (😬😬😬 even simply to like), but I did enjoy Fin's character. She stole the show and it made me **almost** want a sister like her.
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📚 Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and the author for the e-ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review. Pub Date: 02/11/2020

Wow okay, where to start. This was all over the place. This should have been right up my alley because I love funny sarcastic books and people, but this wasn’t it. The humor was there though out the whole book, but I feel like it was way to much. Like Agnes didn’t know how to deal with what was happening and had to be sarcastic. I mean don’t get me wrong she was dealing with a lot of crazy shit but damn. She had her moments where she cracked me up and said some off the wall things so that made me happy.

Her husband was a total man child who was super wishy washy, threw tantrums, and very vindictive towards her. I feel like he should have gotten beat up or had a glass thrown at him because he just got away with so much and was on my nerves. I also thought I’d like her sister Fin, but sadly I didn’t.

I did like Pen the daughter and the house keepers they were super funny. They kept me reading till the end because I wanted to see more of them. Sadly though this is a 2 star read for me. I love the cover art, the title and really thought from the synopsis this would be for me, but I know we can’t like every book. I hope you love this book if you do decide to pick it up.

I received a free copy from Netgalley, the publisher, and the author in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for this ARC.

The one thing I read consistently about this author was her ability to make the reader laugh out loud - and that is absolutely true. This was an easy read between reading books to my newborn and trying to catch up on my physical TBR pile. It was easy to escape into, and easy to enjoy. I look forward to more from the author.

I had some very mixed feelings about this book. Overall, I thought it was ok, but there were places where if I was the type of person to just stop reading a book, I would’ve put this book down and never made it to the end.

Oh man... where do I start with this book?

Wow this was a rough one my friends. I'm not going to sugar coat this review and I'm sorry if you're not a fan of my honesty. The writing was ALL over the place. I'm a huge fan of humor and jokes in my books... but there was so many that I was getting confused as to what the heck I was reading? I think the author was trying wayyyyy to hard to have humor in her book.

And let me talk about the characters. YUCK! I was not a fan of Agnes at all.... I just feel she was ridiculously fake and wayyy to over the top Hollywood scene. Ok.. I live in OC and have never met someone like Agnes... but who knows I guess there could be someone this shallow?

To be honest, I skimmed more then half the book and felt like I wanted to poke my eyes out. I should have stopped reading this book but was hoping hoping for something.

I can't recommend this one at all.

1.75 stars

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Pub date: 2/11/20
Published to GR: 11/26/19

This is my first book by Gigi Levangie. I found this book funny for the most part, but the rapid fire one-liners and snarky comebacks got a bit tiring. Agnes tells her Hollywood insiders perspective on being a wife to a wealthy movie mogul until he's done with her. Trevor the producer soon-to-be-ex has very few, if any redeeming qualities. It's hard to understand the amount of utter nonsense she puts up with and the blasé attitude toward possible infidelity in her own home. Yes, it's fiction, but it's got to ring true, people in LA can't possibly be that jaded. There is a lot of LA and movie industry specific humor packed into this story that was funny by way of making them all caricatures of real people.

The people I wanted to see the most of were their pre-teen daughter Pep and Agnes's sister Fin, the house maids were pretty entertaining too. I tried really hard to love this book, but it was just too big of a stretch for me. Trevor and his lawyers were calculated and horrible to Agnes causing her a panic attack and they both ask her out after it's all over with? *smh* Levangie needed a better editor to help whip this book with potential into a really funny one.

I really wanted to like this one but it was so confusing to me I don’t know what was what I do really like the cover and I don’t really relate to the characters thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a Arc

I’ve read earlier work by the author Gigi Levangie Grazer and been a fan. When I saw she had a new book coming out, I was excited to read it, although I was a bit cautious because it seemed so similar to her previous work. She should be able to move beyond Hollywood marriage failures by now; she is that good a writer. But, this book, as an advance reader’s copy, is not ready to be released. BEEN THERE, MARRIED THAT is in dire need of a good editor and some hard evaluation. The characters aren’t remotely engaging, neither likable nor unlikeable, they are cartoon sketches incapable of sustaining a book. The book itself has some clever plot points but overall lacks an overarching theme. Today, in 2019/2020, boorish entitled Hollywood lacks the punch it once had. Celebrity and wealth come in different forms now; this book would have been much more engaging if the author had used a different vehicle (techies, social media, politics) rather than old time Hollywood. Or if it had to be Hollywood than some newer angle than the same old farce. The book reads as though text is missing. As though explanations or descriptions were removed because it is jumpy and lacks cohesion. It is a frustrating experience to read from an author capable of better work. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

The dialogue in this book seemed very scattered. It was hard to get into and I often had trouble with the characters being in one situation and in the next sentence, it was a completely different place or day.
I stuck with it and it got better. My favorite parts were the over the top spoiled lives of the filthy rich. Agnes finds herself being dumped by her famous producer husband in LA after nearly a decade of marriage. He goes thru nasty ways to lock her out of the house, stick her in a rehab spa, take full custody of their child and sell the house out from under her. None of the characters were likable at all, but it was entertaining to read. I received a complimentary ebook from Netgalley.com

BEEN THERE, MARRIED THAT - by Gigi Levangiez
St. Martin's Press
ISBN-10: 1250166810
ISBN-13: 978-1250166814
ASIN: B07SBQCQLB
February 11, 2020
Women’s Fiction – Drama/Comedy

Los Angeles – The Present

Agnes Nash’s husband Trevor toasted her at her 48th birthday party. He is an Oscar-winning movie producer. Although a rich Hollywood wife, Agnes is one of the few that works—as a writer. Currently, their pre-teen daughter Pep (short for Penelope) has exhibited her age’s troublesome attitude toward their mothers, and this along with her menopause symptoms, bothers her. Everything seems great until she hires an Uber to take her home from a book signing because Trevor never showed up. She finds the code at the gate to her mansion changed, and after climbing over the gate, she finds the house doors locked, too. Pep is in there asleep. After a trying episode (she was tased) with the neighborhood’s security guard, her determination wins the battle, and he unlocks a door. Inside, Trevor shortly join her and says their marriage is over and advises her Pep is staying with one of the housemaids for the night.

BEEN THERE, MARRIED THAT is written in first person and plunges deeply into Agnes’s mind, but all the while she is talking to the reader. The story revolves about the end of her marriage, the divorce, and how she will survive. Trevor is a douchebag throughout. Agnes gives a very wild, humorous, and acerbic look at her own life from her knowledge of rich wives’ lives and how, when those wives go through a divorce, they become social pariahs, even to previously good friends. Some of the references in brand names and social jargon is hard to understand, but as Agnes goes through some harrowing and humiliating experiences, it glues a reader to her predicaments. The many strange characters go through some twisted and unexpected changes. How can she keep custody of her daughter? Her felonious younger sister is there to help, but how helpful can she be? And can Agnes redesign her life into a better place? An interesting often hilarious read.

Robin Lee

To put it short, this book is a hot mess.
The beginning is so discombobulated that I couldn't find myself even wanting to continue. I tried to power through it but there is way too many words not making sense for me.

Been There Married That, provides readers with an interesting take on the trials and tribulations one may encounter when faced with divorce. I found this book as a amusing take on splitting up. But let’s face it there’s not much funny about navigating a divorce situation. But, as the old saying goes, sometimes, “laughter is the best medicine.” All in all, I enjoyed Been There, Married That.

This was the first book I’ve ever read by Gigi, I laughed out loud a lot while reading this book but had a hard time wanting to read it, it’s all over the place in the beginning and I have a hard time focusing if a book doesn’t snag my attention and this one didn’t.

Unfortunately, I did not finish this one. I could not get into it at all and couldn't connect to the characters. Personally, I found the writing really off and felt confused from the very start. Ultimately, this didn't work for me but I'm definitely in the minority.

I traveled to an exotic, foreign land with this book. Is Hollywood really like this?? Or does this book portray the land of the silver screen as we all want it to be? (“We” meaning someone like me who lives in Ohio.)

Our heroine, with the non-Instagram name of “Agnes”, “Aggie” for short (and she herself knows she doesn’t have a Hollywood name) has played her part of a Hollywood wife and deserves an Oscar. Part of the fun of the story is all the name dropping and descriptions of Hollywood life that Agnes rattles on about.

One fateful evening, Agnes Ubers home (27,000 square feet, 14 bathrooms) and she can’t open the gates. Her security code doesn’t work anymore. Agnes is no longer part of a BenJen-like Hollywood couple, she’ll soon be a Hollywood divorcee. Can Agnes get a real grip on her life? Can her sister Fin, with her shaky past, help her? And what about Pep, Agnes’ daughter? Will there be a happy ever after? For sure, there will be plenty of crazy characters and lots of laughs (no laugh-line wrinkles though with all the Botox available) along the way!

In Ohio, we do know what cotton candy is, and that’s the closest I can come to describing this wild and fun book. Been There, Married That is a glowing pink fluff of a book. Cotton candy is a blast to eat, and this book is a witty, hoot to read. Grab a bite of this tasty story and enjoy the pleasure of make-believe.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a review copy. This is my honest review.

After a string of dark thrillers, I thought this would be a silly, lighthearted read about a divorcé in Hollywood. Well, Agnes (the divorcé) is really just a horrible person who was married to a man-child and has surface-level friendships with a lot of other not-great-characters. I didn’t feel connected to anyone.
I guess it’s funny, but has very little depth and a lot of vulgarity. Definite not my thing.

Not going to lie, the only good thing about this book was the humor. There was too much going on for me in this one. I really didn't like any of the characters and for me, that's usually what makes me stop reading. I know this author has great writing style so I'll still read her work but this one is just not one I like.

Thank you Netgalley, the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

2.5*

As much as this book had a lot of hilarious lines, it just wasn't my cup of tea. I had a hard time connecting or liking any of the characters in this story. I admire the author's wit, but it sort of felt like comedy whiplash, which might appeal to those who really enjoy slapstick comedy.

I noticed another reviewer suggested some of her other books. I did like the writing style, so I'll likely give one of those a go at a future date.

Thank you to NetGalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. 
I don't have words to describe this book.  The other reviewers already said it.  The second half / last third of this book make it worth reading but really it's just too long.  So many supporting characters but they are what make the book readable.  Also I don't think I've ever read a book that needs adderall.

Had a good thing going , but the ending left something to be desired. A comical look into the divorces of the not so rich and famous, if your up for some light reading then this might be the one for you.