The quintessential summer read, I predict staycation readers everywhere will delight in Kwan’s colorful characters as they navigate embarrassing relatives and true love in pages punctuated with amusing footnotes that lend humor to privilege.

As soon as I heard Kevin Kwan was releasing a new book, I wanted to snap it up. But while there are some similarities with Crazy Rich Asians, Sex and Vanity is also quite different, for both good and ill. This is less fluffy, more substantive, but doesn't always come together the way I wanted it to.

What Sex and Vanity does really well is tackle big issues like racism, internalized racism, and the complexities of being of mixed race. The early portion of the book has more of the fun and silly tone you see in Crazy Rich Asians, but it becomes much more serious and that sometimes meshes less well with the often flippant style of writing. Uneven pacing and a plot arc that involves cheating on a somewhat clownish significant other also detracted from the overall story.

Lucie Churchill is from elite lineage, but struggles with her biracial identity. With a white dad and a Chinese mom, she never feels white enough or Asian enough and deals with a lot of internalized racism, partly due to microagressions from her WASPish family. The first half of this book takes place across a few days at a wedding when she is 19, but the rest of the book is more spread out and takes place a few years later. This pacing feels a little weird and sometimes plodding, especially because we are primarily follow Lucie's story rather than a whole cast of characters. (We do get other perspectives occasionally, but Lucie is clearly the MC)

I did really like seeing Lucie's journey toward love and self-acceptance, but along the way that includes kind of cheating on her fiancee and I wish that had been handled differently. And the fiancee is portrayed as very ridiculous. Including a strange scene involving his desire for role-playing during sex that I think is intended to be funny, but for me was just awkward and cringe-worthy.

Ultimately, I had mixed feelings on this one. I liked what Kwan was trying to do here, but I'm not sure it always quite landed. I received an advance copy of this book for review from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

So this was a pretty wild read, I did enjoy the lightness and silliness of it all. The main character Lucie annoyed me at first and made me feel as if she was being selfish. At the end, I did find the reason why she was acting out and why she needed to control the way her life was headed. Let me tell you that it was pretty dark once I started really to think about, but I won't get into that since it was above all a great happy little beach read.

It didn't compare to Crazy Rich Asians which is why I gave it three stars but I just couldn't make the same rating as the trilogy, It doesn't have anything to do with the Crazy Rich Asians trilogy but it did kind of remind of it with the way Kwan seems to write his stories and characters. Also being from Long Island and I lived on the east coast myself near the Hamptons. I can tell you that yes they are like that.

So I never read Pride and Prejudice (GASP!! What kind of reader and Library worker has never read Pride and Prejudice? Oh shush it's on my to-do list of maybe one day) but from my understanding, it was a retelling of it. I cannot compare but I still liked it and If this becomes a series like Crazy Rich Asians then you bet your butt I'm in line to grab the next one!

If this this were a movie I'd watch it, but it falls pretty flat as a novel. An over the top wedding party gets way out of control, with characters defined by their academic, social and financial credentials and not one the reader will remember or care about after they're introduced by their stereotypes. If you loved Crazy Rich Asians, which suffered from some of these flaws but was redeemed by its flair and pizzazz, which translated brilliantly from page to screen, ignore this heavily hyped book and wait for the movie .

I was excited to read this book, since I was a big fan of the Crazy Rich Asians series. I ended up having mixed feelings, so this more like a 2.5-3 star book for me.

What I Enjoyed:
- Author continues to use deliciously snarky footnotes
- Lovingly skewers the wealthy (new and old money) and their hanger-ons
- Features a hapa main character, who aren't often featured in popular U.S. fiction
- Crazy Rich Asian characters make brief cameos (love Kitty Pong's mention!)
- Good assortment of side characters who are fun to follow

What I Didn't Like:
- I found it hard to sympathize with the main character, Lucie. She seemed incredibly young and naive, and I probably would have enjoyed it more if she was a little older. The first section (where she's 19) had more of a YA feel. I enjoy reading YA, but this isn't a YA novel.
- Romance felt underdeveloped and very "love at first sight"
- Thinking back to Crazy Rich Asians, I'm not a huge fan of the author's main characters in general. I'm all about his side characters, who have richer personalities and are more fun to read about.
- It's missing a strong sense of conflict (other than Lucie's terrible behavior towards Rosemary Zao). Things resolved pretty smoothly and then just moved towards a happy ending.
- I'd consider this a beach read, but because of everything going on in the world right now, it didn't resonate with me. That's not really the fault of the book, but reading about wealthy people problems didn't really provide an escape. Probably not the right book for me at this time.

Another fun, satirical read from Kevin Kwan. While seemingly lighthearted, it does touch upon some serious issues like racism. Lucie was a little hard to relate to at first and her naivety was a little grating but, as usual, the supporting characters steal the show. Love the surprise cameo if one of my favorites from his first trilogy.

My first Kwan read was a hit for me. I was quickly hooked with all the quirky characters and the location. I didn’t even like any of the characters and still I enjoyed this read very much, it was hard to put down. The visuals were amazing, Mr. Kwan writes images so beautifully. We star is one of the most stunning places, Capri Italy. Lucie and her cousin (chaperon) are there for a wedding. Not a normal wedding, no imagine having an endless budget and a need to wow the world type wedding and you’d still to get close. It was a jaw dropping experience. While there she manages to meet a sexy Chinese man, one her family and friends would not approve of. In this world money and status comes trumps love every time. Too bad they keep getting thrown together and the feelings are real, even if not welcome.
Lucie is half Asian and was raise all her life not to let down her family. Avoiding her Asian heritage trying to blend in with her billionaire friends. She’s nasty, racist, a chameleon, who judges all based on her narrow views. I never grew to like her at all.

A look into the lifestyle of the Mega rich and elite, obsessed with status and pedigree. The setting is on the Island of Capri and Fifth Avenue, New York. Our heroine is Lucie Churchill, born to a Chinese Mother, and a blue-blooded American father. She travels to Capri for a wedding where she meets George Zao, and spends the next several years denying that she has any attraction to him. The story takes us from Capri and fast forwards us all those years later to New York, where she is becoming engaged to a Billionaire,
jet setter, Caucasian. The characters in this book are wonderful; well developed, quirky, and interesting. Lots of name dropping, and educational backgrounds for all. Snobbery at it’s finest! During this time, George Zao returns to New York, and back into Lucie’s life. She does everything in her power, and then some, to keep him out of her world, and deny her attraction. In the end, she can deny her heart no longer.

Kevin Kwan and his deliciously dishy footnotes are back! Fans of his “Crazy Rich Asians” trilogy will fall right back into step with him as his new, modern Edwardian story about young lovers, menacing cousins, and family expectations unfolds in “Sex and Vanity.”

Packed with references to the uber chic, severely posh, out of this worldly luxe, we meet Lucie Churchill who is in a tug-of-war between her attraction to the silent but deep George Zao, and the life she feels her family expects her to live. We travel with Lucie from an outlandish wedding week in Capri, where she and George meet, to five years later when she is newly engaged to someone the complete antithesis of George. What happened on the island of Capri that led Lucie to where she ended up? What direction is she taking her life now that she is in New York and seemingly on top of the world? It’s up to you, dear reader, to find out because SO much goes on that I do not want to give too much away -- it’s just too fun.

If you are looking for a great “beach read,” then I wholeheartedly recommend “Sex and Vanity.” Clearly an homage to E.M. Forster’s “A Room with a View,” its sometimes over the top references to a lifestyle I’ve only ever read about, kept me in suspense on how Kwan could keep outdoing himself. This fast, easy read also has some fun Easter eggs for fans of Kwan’s “Crazy Rich Asian,” so keep a lookout!

Delicious read for fans and newcomers alike! I was excited to receive this prepub and enjoyed every minute. This will be welcome in libraries and a great summer read for bookclubs, fan clubs, and anyone searching for well-written fiction.

NetGalley ARC | If you are looking for a multicultural June 2020 new book release that will take you to Capri and NYC, Sex and Vanity is perfect.

Although not quite as deep as Crazy Rich Asians, I loved Sex and Vanity just as much. Kwan immerses readers in pop culture references and delves into heavier topics in an engaging and even humorous way. The lavish pictures Kwan paints paired with themes of racism, ethnicity, and culture, make for a strong standalone. Lucie may be no Rachel, but her story is more about self-awareness and love. Such a fun read!

You can read my complete thoughts on The Uncorked Librarian: https://theuncorkedlibrarian.com/currently-reading-june-2020/

Thank you to the author and publisher for providing me with a free advanced copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Lucie Churchill, daughter of an American-born-Chinese mother and blue-blooded New York father, Lucie has always sublimated the Asian side of herself in favor of the white side. She meets George Zao in Capri one weekend and she adamantly denies having feelings for him. Several years later, when George unexpectedly appears in East Hampton where Lucie is weekending with her new fiancé, Lucie finds herself drawn to George again. 

I'm a huge fan of the Crazy Rich Asians series and Sex and Vanity is one of my most anticipated reads of the summer! I've picked up and put down many books lately and was hooked by the first chapter! Nothing has held my interest like this one!I binged this in two sittings and laughed out loud several times. Similar vibes as the CRA series with the lavish opulence, extreme privilege, high society and high fashion, but with different characters (and a couple brief appearances from some CRA players as well). CRA series still marks higher for me than this one but this was such a fun one for me.

Thank you @netgalley, @doubledayca, and @kevinkwanbooks for my advanced copy! This book publishes July 14.

#sexandvanity #kevinkwan #doubledaybooks

As soon as I saw Kevin Kwan had another story about fabulously wealthy characters but with a biracial protagonist, I immediately knew I would be reading it. Kwan's narrator in this book is just as gossipy and catty, with footnotes fact-checking his characters. Every character is introduced by listing the schools they've attended.

I never read A Room with a View so I can't say what this book would've been like if I knew the plot. After I read the Wikipedia article for the 1908 novel, I understood this was basically the plot of that book with updated devices and the addition of racial conflict. Rome is now Capri, London is New York, and Lucy/Lucie and George's kiss in Italy is much more intimate.

When I first saw that Kevin Kwan was writing another novel I was so excited! "Crazy Rich Asians" was such a blast and presented rich, upper-class society in a funny, satirical way while preserving a truly lovely relationship. In "Sex and Vanity" all of that quirky, not so tongue-in-cheek humor is present once again and the romance, when present, was smoking!

With Kwan's success, I had high expectations and unfortunately they ultimately fell short. Although "Sex and Vanity' was an entertaining read, the main love story between Lucie and George didn't have a lot of substance. Their entire relationship was based on a few chance meetings and was akin to many young adult novel romances. Girl meets boy, girl inexplicably hates boy for no apparent reason, girl suddenly realizes she's desperately in love with boy after a few days, and they live happily every after. Boring...

However, the most redeemable feature of this title was the exploration of microaggressions that come not only from chance met strangers, but family and loved ones as well. Kwan handles this subplot with precision. Ultimately I did enjoy reading "Sex and Vanity," but that was mostly due to the love that I have for "Crazy Rich Asians."

The problem with this book is fairly simple: there's no there there. No attempt to lean in to the sheer craziness of rich people (as in Kwan's other books), and no real development of the romance this book is ostensibly about. To be sure, there are attempts at both: lush real estate and shopping sprees are described, and we are TOLD that Lucie and George are interested in each other, but there is no definitive leap from this skimming of the surface, nothing to make this story soar.

Truth be told I wasn't expecting much out of the romance: I didn't care much for Nick and Rachel or any of the other couples in Crazy Rich Asians. For me, that element was always the weakest part of the story, and was more or less just a contrivance for craziness to spin around. What I definitely was expecting though was that dishy, gossipy feel Kwan's other books had in abundance: where you felt like you were being privy to all the behind the scenes insanity of these people. And yeah, that feeling was all but non-existent here. Instead, it's just a parade of fairly bland characters orbiting what has to be one of the most thinly written protagonists I've read in a while.

I have to say that I do appreciate what Kwan was trying to do with Lucie. I very much liked every time he addressed what it was like for her to have grown up (and to exist in the world) as a mixed race woman. But beyond that...I mean, how do you root for a character who does the things she does toward the end of this book? How do you care about a character who acts so inconsistently? For me, it was impossible; she was too frustrating. And that, on top of every other failing in this book, made it such a drag to read.

I really wish this had contained just a quarter of the verve and fun of Kwan's other books. But as it is...yeah, this one was not for me.

Perfect escapism for those of us dreaming of attending a wedding on Capri and the Amalfi Coast this summer, rather than sitting at home. Kevin Kwan's signature wit and access to the inner world of the uber-rich and uber-connected (and their hangers-on), with a meaningful subplot tackling racism and microaggressions within families.

Kwan's latest, an adaptation of Forster's A Room with a View, offers the fun, irreverent, look at wealthy lifestyles that one would expect, complete with fashion, art and architecture, and name dropping galore. Fitting the story into the frame of an adaptation felt a bit forced, and the main character Lucie doesn’t connect in the same way that Rachel Chu did in Crazy Rich Asians. Still, readers will clamor for this frothy summer read that offers escapism with a touch of romance.

I was thrilled to find a new Kevin Kwan book coming out! This book is absolutely delicious and I loved the descriptions of Capri. Especially enjoyed the shout out to my hometown Hobe Sound, FL (Kevin if you are talking about the rich part of Hobe Sound you actually mean Jupiter Island)! It was fascinating to watch Lucie struggle with her heritage and her family's unacknowledged racism.

This book wasn't nearly as engaging as the author's previous works. The name dropping feels too heavy here. Instead of feeling like one got a peek into an exclusive world, it just felt like a list of trendy things, places and people with little character development. My library system would purchase it, but there is not enough to discuss to make it a book club pick.

I did not find this as enjoyable as his other books. It is a fun, easy read but I found it hard to like the characters and found it hard to follow the story.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.