Mr. and Mrs. American Pie

It's 1969, in the flashy, fashionable, and fabulous city of Palm Springs, where the upper crust dwell on the lush golf courses and swanky country clubs. Mrs. Maxine Hortence Simmons is anything but your run-of-the-mill, play-by-the-rules Palm Springs housewife. She is master of calculation and will do just about anything to claim a point of power in her world of high society. As she puts it, women are more adept at the art of war than they're given credit for. And in her case, the country club is the battlefield and the socialites are the soldiers, shooting each other down with stealthy gossip and cutting each other's throats with well-disguised insults. But an unforeseen gorilla-style attack throws a huge wrench in all of Maxine's diabolical scheming, casting her as ruined woman into the dusty, unsophisticated state of Arizona.

Once plopped in a grubby condo near Scottsdale, Maxine meets Robert, a quiet and closeted bartender working to stay afloat, who finds Maxine's penchant for flamboyance and drama equal parts alarming and amusing. Maxine also becomes acquainted with her curious, spy-obsessed, adolescent neighbor Charles and his baby sister, Dawn, who have essentially been abandoned by their mother. Through her natural inclination to not only survive but thrive in adverse situations, Maxine is able to turn her less-than-ideal situation into an opportunity for the recognition and adoration she craves. Maxine's climb back the top will require her to win the beauty pageant title for Mrs. American Pie, a national title that will be televised for all the world to see. The catch? She needs a husband and kids to qualify. I think you can figure out where this goes.

I thought this book was hilarious from beginning to end. Maxine is bat-shit crazy and anything but dull. All of her antics are entertaining, but the influence of Robert, Chuck and Dawn make her a more likable character. y favorite part was the very end, when they get Dawn's perspective and rehash the development of all the characters. Definitely a good book for summertime, when you're lounging by the beach or pool and want a good laugh. Look for it in August!

I liked the use of three narrators for this book. I like that this book was true to the time period. Maxine is a (crazy) but awesome character and I truly enjoyed her journey in Arizona trying to recreate her once fabulous California lifestyle. This book covered some big issues: women's roles, Vietnam, and the struggles for gay men. I enjoyed the style of writing and would recommend this book to others. Thanks for the ARC!

Love! Truly, I can't say enough good things about this book. Mr. and Mrs. American Pie is one of the funniest books I have read in a while. Divorced, Maxine finds herself exiled to Arizona, where she works to recreate the fabulous life she once knew in California. Despite the fact that Maxine is certifiably crazy, you find yourself rooting for her and her faux-mily. The combination of humor and heart make this book a true stand out.

I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

What a completely insane and totally crazy book! Love, love, love! I wish I had half the brain Maxine does in cooking up all her schemes. She stays 10 steps ahead of everyone else. While this book is a time warp of 60's fun - Maxine takes her station in life to a whole new level. I definitely would recommend this book!!!

Mr. and Mrs. American Pie by Juliet McDaniel follows Maxine Simmons, Palm Springs socialite, who discovers that her husband is leaving her for his much younger secretary. After a catastrophic meltdown during Thanksgiving, Maxine finds herself exiled in Arizona trying to recreate the fabulous life she loved in California with her faux-mily. This book was surprisingly hilarious. I loved the different perspectives from Maxine, Robert, and Chuck. Each character was witty and charming. The story sets place at the end of 1969 and the beginning of 1970. The author examines some social issues during that time and shows that love can be found in unexpected places. I was hooked to the story from page one and there were some amusing surprises along way. Overall, I would highly recommend this novel if you are looking for a heartfelt hilarious read. The book releases on Tuesday 8/7/18.

This book was hilarious from the very first page.
Set at the end of the 1960s and early 1970s, the story begins with Maxine, a mid-30s housewife and self-absorbed social climber who is pushed into exile when her husband informs her on Thanksgiving that he will be leaving her for his much younger secretary.

As up until this point, Maxine's main claim to fame was winning a pageant and her husband on the same night in her youth, she does not take well to her sojourn in a condo in Arizona. Armed with a purloined library book on Napoleon, Maxine creates her own Elba and begins to plot her return to triumph with her new friends bartender Robert and the resourceful 12 year old neighbor who cares for his toddler sister.

The book is told from the point of view of Maxine, Robert, and Chuck, the neighbor, and each new voice is both distinct and hilarious.

There are some surprises along the way, and as amusing as the book is, it does take aim at some of the social issues of this turbulent time and examines how sometimes love is found in some unexpected places.

I really enjoyed this book and cannot wait to read more from Ms. McDaniel.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book.

This is the perfect beach book for any reader who enjoys women's fiction. The time period is well-portrayed -- late 1960s. The main character is fun and just vulnerable enough to keep you rooting for her. I like the three points of view (the pre-teen boy and the bartender friend, in addition to the main character).