NEW RELEASE
Armani Angels - Cate Kendall (2011)
PR consultant to the stars Gemma decides she needs a new altruistic direction so a friend connects her with Melbourne's grand dame of philanthropy, Frances. But Gemma's 21st century methods of guest databases, invitations by emails and eBay auctions don't go down well with the stick-in the-mud Dame and the UP-Kids' committee. So Gemma is challenged to a fundraising duel. Each will hold a charity function on the same night - and whoever raises the most is the winner. As preparations take Gemma away from her troubled marriage and misbehaving teenage son even more than usual, she also deals with a growing attraction to a New York colleague. It's loaded guest lists at dusk for these two society women as the old school goes to battle with the new kid in town. With a bitchy social writer keeping track of events throughout, this is an amusing story and by the end you want both women to win.
The writing duo behind the Cate Kendall name are back with another designer-inspired book title. Armani Angels shines a spotlight on the social set and their good causes. The summary says: "PR guru Gemma Bristol is on the edge. Haunted by panic attacks, she can barely maintain her veneer of chic control as she manages her celebrity clientele's every whim as well as the daily challenges thrown at her by wayward teen Tyler, her complex career and her flailing marriage to Stephen. To further add to her stress, Gemma's constant stream of parties and life of affluence starts to sicken her with its decadence. With the help of her flaky, yet well-meaning girlfriend Chantelle, she attempts to relieve her rich-girl guilt by offering her PR skills to Grand-Dame of Charity, Lady Frances. The Dame and her committee of well-connected ladies raise funds for underprivileged children by hosting the social event of the year, The Chocolate Ball. Arriving on the scene with iPhone drawn and database-merge systems on high alert, Gemma is shot down in flames by Dame Frances and her old-school committee, who are quite frankly, more than happy with their tried-and-true methods and quite soon a war is waged. Dame Frances challenges the naive, new-money upstart to a duel. Each one is to host her own Chocolate Ball and whoever raises the most funds will reign as the ultimate charity queen. Meanwhile Gemma's marriage hits rock-bottom, her son gets suspended for defacing the school and her boss in New York is cranking up the heat in both the boardroom and the bedroom."