A Lady's Guide to Selling Out

A Novel

by Sally Franson

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Pub Date Jan 23 2024 | Archive Date Mar 19 2024

Mariner Books

General Fiction (Adult) | New Adult | Women's Fiction

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Description

With “elements of The Bold Type, Mad Men, and The Devil Wears Prada” (Entertainment Weekly), a young woman navigates a tricky twenty-first-century career—and the trickier question of who she wants to be—in this savagely wise debut novel.

At 28, Casey Pendergast is not where she thought she’d be. Sure, she’s killing it at her high-paying advertising job, but when she thinks about the idealistic English major she used to be, she can’t help the nagging feeling that perhaps her best friend Susan is right – Casey is a sellout who’s traded her dreams for a high-rise condominium, expense account, and designer handbags.

When her boss assigns her to a lucrative new campaign to lure acclaimed authors into becoming content creators for corporations, Casey doubts that her literary idols will buy into this particular brand of capitalism. But determined to give it her best shot, she begins her trek across America, only to find herself stunned by how easily these writers agree to compromise their work and integrity in exchange for some extra cash. As she grapples with her own conscience, and falls in love with one of the authors she’s courting, Casey begins to question just how much she’s willing to sacrifice to chase material success.

A witty and razor-sharp coming of age story perfect for our time, A Lady’s Guide to Selling Out is a winning debut novel about a young woman navigating career, love, and friendships, all while redefining success on her own terms and figuring out who she really wants to be.

Advance Praise

“This frothy, sneaky tale from Franson intermixes elements of The Bold Type, Mad Men, and The Devil Wears Prada.” —Entertainment Weekly

“A gorgeous treat. Sally Franson’s voice is addictive: whip-smart, biting, and clever. I kept pausing to reread parts of it with a huge smile on my face.” —Jane Green, author of Summer Secrets

“Bitingly funny...Franson’s snappy debut nimbly skewers the high-flying world of advertising and romance in the age of social media...Comparisons will be made to The Devil Wears Prada, but Franson’s irresistibly flawed heroine holds her own as she strives to find honesty, meaning, and even love in a demanding world, resulting in an addictive, escapist novel.” —Publishers Weekly  

“A wry, observant take on career success and ambition.” —New York Post
 
“A high-spirited heroine loses herself in a vortex of modern striving in this debut novel...Come for the hilarious narration, stay for the whirlwind plot, luxuriate in the satirical gleam.” —Kirkus Reviews

“A fast-paced and quick-witted trip into the world of advertising today. With smart, funny characters and perfectly crafted dialogue, Franson cleverly explores the battle between giving in and staying true to oneself.” —Booklist

“Perfectly captures the glamorous highs and hilarious lows of the cutthroat world of new advertising—the Wild West of our time. Casey Pendergast is an unforgettable heroine, a feminist Don Draper for our age, navigating the bizarre ways in which art and commerce intersect. Sally Franson’s debut is exhilarating, terrifying, and totally addictive.” —Lucy Sykes, author of Fitness Junkie  
 
“Funny, fast-paced, and seductive...hilariously terrific.” —Julie Schumacher, author of Dear Committee Members