Brooke loved reading the dishy celebrity gossip rag Last Night. That is, until her marriage became a weekly headline.Brooke was drawn to the soulful, enigmatic Julian Alter the very first time she heard him perform “Hallelujah” at a dark East Village dive bar.Now five years married, Brooke balances two jobs—as a nutritionist at NYU Hospital and as a consultant to an Upper East Side girls’ school, where privilege gone wrong and disordered eating run rampant—in order to help support her husband’s dream of making it in the music world.Things are looking up when after years of playing Manhattan clubs and toiling as an A&R intern, Julian finally gets signed by Sony. Although no one’s promising that the album will ever hit the airwaves, Julian is still dedicated to logging in long hours at the recording studio. All that changes after Julian is asked to perform on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno—and is catapulted to stardom, literally overnight. Amazing opportunities begin popping up almost daily—a new designer wardrobe, a tour with Maroon 5, even a Grammy performance.At first the newfound fame is fun—who wouldn’t want to stay at the Chateau Marmont or visit the set of one of television’s hottest shows? Yet it seems that Brooke’s sweet husband—the man who can’t handle hot showers and wears socks to bed—is increasingly absent, even on those rare nights they’re home together. When rumors about Brooke and Julian swirl in the tabloid magazines, she begins to question the truth of her marriage and is forced to finally come to terms with what she thinks she wants—and what she actually needs.
Last Night at Chateau Marmont: A Novel
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Review
"Incisive...an absorbing, thoroughly entertaining read" —Booklist
"Weisberger has insightful takes about the price of success in our celebrity-obsessed culture" —Publishers Weekly
"The perfect end-of-summer romp" —BookPage
"A good antidote to summer TV — it's a haunting look at what might happen if your life became a reality show but you never signed off on the cameras" —Entertainment Weekly
"Learn about the dark side of the limelight in this latest novel from The Devil Wears Prada chick-lit maestro Lauren Weisberger" —Star
"Weisberger has insightful takes about the price of success in our celebrity-obsessed culture" —Publishers Weekly
"The perfect end-of-summer romp" —BookPage
"A good antidote to summer TV — it's a haunting look at what might happen if your life became a reality show but you never signed off on the cameras" —Entertainment Weekly
"Learn about the dark side of the limelight in this latest novel from The Devil Wears Prada chick-lit maestro Lauren Weisberger" —Star
“If you like reading tabloid magazines, tracking the latest celebrity hookups, or are a fan of Weisberger's books, then Last Night at Chateau Marmont is the book for you.” —Associated Press
“Her fourth novel provides the same kind of authentic peek into a rarified sub-culture that Prada did...as fervently flippable as a gossip magazine” —USA Today
“Weisberger gets the star-making machine right, and the little details that make up the essence of the couple’s relationship feel poignant and true” —People
About the Author
Lauren Weisberger is the New York Times bestselling author of The Devil Wears Prada, which was published in forty languages and made into a major motion picture starring Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway. Weisberger’s three other novels, Everyone Worth Knowing, Last Night at Chateau Marmont, and Chasing Harry Winston were all New York Times bestsellers. A graduate of Cornell University, she lives in New York City with her husband and two children. Visit LaurenWeisberger.com.
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Most helpful customer reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By Gail Cooke
TOP 50 REVIEWER
Format:Hardcover
Ever wish that you could actually have everything you've dreamed of, that all you've worked and hoped for would really come true? That happened to Brooke and Julian Alter. All their dreams came true and more. It was the more that was the problem.
With LAST NIGHT AT CHATEAU MARMONT Lauren Weisberger (The Devil Wears Prada) has created another tale about the world of celebs and a young woman who wants to be part of it, but when that happens decides it's not such a good idea after all. In this case it's not just one young woman but a young husband and wife, Julian, an aspiring singer/songwriter, and Brooke, a nutritionist who some day hopes to have her own practice. Meanwhile she's working two jobs (a nutritionist at a NYU hospital and a counselor at an Upper East Side girls school) to support them because she knows, just absolutely knows that he's brilliant and soon that brilliance will be recognized,
Well, at last it is after Julian gets his big break ' performing on the Jay Leno show. Before long his music is nearing the top of the Grammy charts, he's signed by Sony, and asked to tour with Maroon 5. Yes, this is thrilling, exciting to the max, but it soon puts a strain on their relationship when Brooke isn't able to keep her jobs in check and be with Julian when he performs. In addition, her once laid back husband is now sporting a designer wardrobe, his picture appears regularly in the gossipy Last Night, and he's managed by a conniving agent,Leo, who thinks any publicity is good publicity.
Speaking of publicity, when Brooke sees Julian and a strange girl wrapped around each other at the Chateau Marmont in photos spread all over Last Night she cannot believe her eyes. But, there for the world to see is a shot of the girl leaving Julian's room at six in the a.m.
What has happened to their once loving, trusting relationship, and what really happened LAST NIGHT AT CHATEAU MARMONT?
When Weisberger creates characters she does it with a flare for satire and comedy, such as a plastic surgeon father-in-law who had offered to redo Brooke's breasts at cost when she and Julian became engaged, and a hot young rock star who give Brooke sage advice after the photos surface: 'Start spending that money immediately.......don't cut off your nose to spite your face.'
Dispense with credibility, smile, and enjoy.
- Gail Cooke
With LAST NIGHT AT CHATEAU MARMONT Lauren Weisberger (The Devil Wears Prada) has created another tale about the world of celebs and a young woman who wants to be part of it, but when that happens decides it's not such a good idea after all. In this case it's not just one young woman but a young husband and wife, Julian, an aspiring singer/songwriter, and Brooke, a nutritionist who some day hopes to have her own practice. Meanwhile she's working two jobs (a nutritionist at a NYU hospital and a counselor at an Upper East Side girls school) to support them because she knows, just absolutely knows that he's brilliant and soon that brilliance will be recognized,
Well, at last it is after Julian gets his big break ' performing on the Jay Leno show. Before long his music is nearing the top of the Grammy charts, he's signed by Sony, and asked to tour with Maroon 5. Yes, this is thrilling, exciting to the max, but it soon puts a strain on their relationship when Brooke isn't able to keep her jobs in check and be with Julian when he performs. In addition, her once laid back husband is now sporting a designer wardrobe, his picture appears regularly in the gossipy Last Night, and he's managed by a conniving agent,Leo, who thinks any publicity is good publicity.
Speaking of publicity, when Brooke sees Julian and a strange girl wrapped around each other at the Chateau Marmont in photos spread all over Last Night she cannot believe her eyes. But, there for the world to see is a shot of the girl leaving Julian's room at six in the a.m.
What has happened to their once loving, trusting relationship, and what really happened LAST NIGHT AT CHATEAU MARMONT?
When Weisberger creates characters she does it with a flare for satire and comedy, such as a plastic surgeon father-in-law who had offered to redo Brooke's breasts at cost when she and Julian became engaged, and a hot young rock star who give Brooke sage advice after the photos surface: 'Start spending that money immediately.......don't cut off your nose to spite your face.'
Dispense with credibility, smile, and enjoy.
- Gail Cooke
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
3.2 out of 5 stars
105 reviews
50 of 53 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
If you enjoyed "Devil Wears Prada", I think you'll like this one
Aug 22 2010
By Holly K
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover
My experience with this particular author is that I read "The Devil Wears Prada" quite a while ago and loved it from beginning to end. "Everyone Worth Knowing" felt like a retread to me and the enjoyment level dipped. The reviews were so negative about "Chasing Harry Winston" that I didn't even borrow it from the library. I am not sure what inspired me to pick this novel up, but I think I was in the frame of mind where I was looking for another TDWP-type book, so I went back to the source.
Brooke and Julian and are a Manhattan couple who dated for two years and have been married for five. She is a nutritionist working two jobs (totally 60 hours a week, minimum) to support the dreams of her talented, musician husband. When Sony comes to him with a recording contract and his career begins to take off (or maybe a better word would be skyrocket), the stresses and strains on the relationship quickly become apparent. Brooke has worked long and hard to develop her career and is trying to juggle the life she has created with the new reality of a husband who is never home, never knows where he is going to be, and becomes the center of a "machine" which makes him into a product to sell rather than the husband she loves.
The story really centers around Brooke and it is her skin we are living in. Julian is more absent than present through much of the story and we really only know what he is thinking and feeling by his conversations with Brooke. While much of the turmoil may have been able to be anticipated, the reality is much more intense and everything happens to quickly that they really don't have time to prepare. Co-workers, friends and family surround them and some are incredibly supportive and some continue the same patterns of self-absorption they have exhibited their whole lives (I pretty much wanted to smack Julian's mom throughout the novel).
Snappy dialogue, detailed descriptions of fabulous clothes, rich and famous people, and a peek into the lifestyles of the (newly) famous. A book that I finished in 24 hours since I couldn't put it down and had to find out what happened. The ending could have gone a couple of different ways and it wasn't until I got there that I knew for sure what the result would be.
Fun, fast, witty - I may have to go back and try "Chasing Harry Winston" after this.
Brooke and Julian and are a Manhattan couple who dated for two years and have been married for five. She is a nutritionist working two jobs (totally 60 hours a week, minimum) to support the dreams of her talented, musician husband. When Sony comes to him with a recording contract and his career begins to take off (or maybe a better word would be skyrocket), the stresses and strains on the relationship quickly become apparent. Brooke has worked long and hard to develop her career and is trying to juggle the life she has created with the new reality of a husband who is never home, never knows where he is going to be, and becomes the center of a "machine" which makes him into a product to sell rather than the husband she loves.
The story really centers around Brooke and it is her skin we are living in. Julian is more absent than present through much of the story and we really only know what he is thinking and feeling by his conversations with Brooke. While much of the turmoil may have been able to be anticipated, the reality is much more intense and everything happens to quickly that they really don't have time to prepare. Co-workers, friends and family surround them and some are incredibly supportive and some continue the same patterns of self-absorption they have exhibited their whole lives (I pretty much wanted to smack Julian's mom throughout the novel).
Snappy dialogue, detailed descriptions of fabulous clothes, rich and famous people, and a peek into the lifestyles of the (newly) famous. A book that I finished in 24 hours since I couldn't put it down and had to find out what happened. The ending could have gone a couple of different ways and it wasn't until I got there that I knew for sure what the result would be.
Fun, fast, witty - I may have to go back and try "Chasing Harry Winston" after this.
30 of 32 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars
A Little Too Fluffy
Aug 29 2010
By Whatsername
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover
Basic premise is: Lounge singer husband of ordinary young married NY couple (Julian and Brooke) gets discovered and goes big time; couple struggles with sudden fame and loss of ordinary status quo and the imbalance between his changing idea of lifetyle/career/relationship and her expectation that they should remain "normal."
Although I knew going in that this book was going to be a pretty light read, I still found some of the plot lines a little too much to swallow. Brooke blithely sends Julian off to become a major rock star while she putters around their NY apartment with the dog. Brooke nags Julian endlessly about how he's never home any more but then refuses to quit either of her part-time jobs when he asks her to in order for them to spend more time together. Brooke agonizes incessantly about Julian being around beautiful sexy young women, but makes excuses for her own weight gain and never seems willing to wear anything but sweat suits. Brooke pouts that Julian never takes her anywhere and then is miserable when she is expected to attend any of his entertainment-world social functions. By the last hundred pages, I just wanted the whining to end and didn't really care whether or not the marriage could or would be saved.
Not a total waste of time, but keep your expectations low.
Although I knew going in that this book was going to be a pretty light read, I still found some of the plot lines a little too much to swallow. Brooke blithely sends Julian off to become a major rock star while she putters around their NY apartment with the dog. Brooke nags Julian endlessly about how he's never home any more but then refuses to quit either of her part-time jobs when he asks her to in order for them to spend more time together. Brooke agonizes incessantly about Julian being around beautiful sexy young women, but makes excuses for her own weight gain and never seems willing to wear anything but sweat suits. Brooke pouts that Julian never takes her anywhere and then is miserable when she is expected to attend any of his entertainment-world social functions. By the last hundred pages, I just wanted the whining to end and didn't really care whether or not the marriage could or would be saved.
Not a total waste of time, but keep your expectations low.
18 of 18 people found the following review helpful
2.0 out of 5 stars
I really wanted to like it...
Mar 29 2011
By Shidoe
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Kindle Edition
Here is a quick rundown of what's wrong with this book:
1 .The writing is corny and simplistic. The editing was lacking too, as mentioned before there was an obvious error with the time difference between the east and west coast. I noticed it right away and I am not even from the United States.
2. Brooke is unlikeable. For years she works 2 jobs to support Julian. To our understanding she does so until he makes it because they need the money. So why is she complaining when he asks her to take a break? Isn't that what she was expecting? She complains that she never sees him anymore, well she married a musician, what did she think was going to happen? And what's wrong with taking a break and following your husband around? Why is he the one having to make sacrifices to see her? And seriously, who wouldn't say yes to taking a break from work to accompany their husband in glamorous locations around the world.
3. Because it's hard to like her, the author throws a semi cheating plot towards the end of the book to give readers an opportunity to really feel sorry for her. But then she avoids confrontation and decides to complain a lot more without even looking at the incriminating photos first. What??
4. The Nola character: it's hard to understand why Nola is such a loyal friend to Brooke. Brooke doesn't bring anything to their friendship except complains about her situation: even worse, a situation she is aware Nola is jealous of. Their friendship is not realistic and brings absolutely nothing to the book.
5. All of the characters lack depth. Give more relatable background information on your characters and people will like them. The author gives background information which has nothing to do with the present plot. It's like the author knows she should do that but doesn't know how to do it.
6. The over the top name dropping throughout the book made me cringe.
7. I got the impression the author didn't do any research on the sudden fame experience but rather just wrote what she imagined it to be
8. The book is boring. The interesting plot is Julian's experience of sudden fame however, the book only follows Brooke who stays behind.
9. By the end of it you don't care about finishing the book.
If you want a good book on the same subject, I strongly recommend `The year of living famously' by Laura Caldwell, a much more realistic and likeable story.
1 .The writing is corny and simplistic. The editing was lacking too, as mentioned before there was an obvious error with the time difference between the east and west coast. I noticed it right away and I am not even from the United States.
2. Brooke is unlikeable. For years she works 2 jobs to support Julian. To our understanding she does so until he makes it because they need the money. So why is she complaining when he asks her to take a break? Isn't that what she was expecting? She complains that she never sees him anymore, well she married a musician, what did she think was going to happen? And what's wrong with taking a break and following your husband around? Why is he the one having to make sacrifices to see her? And seriously, who wouldn't say yes to taking a break from work to accompany their husband in glamorous locations around the world.
3. Because it's hard to like her, the author throws a semi cheating plot towards the end of the book to give readers an opportunity to really feel sorry for her. But then she avoids confrontation and decides to complain a lot more without even looking at the incriminating photos first. What??
4. The Nola character: it's hard to understand why Nola is such a loyal friend to Brooke. Brooke doesn't bring anything to their friendship except complains about her situation: even worse, a situation she is aware Nola is jealous of. Their friendship is not realistic and brings absolutely nothing to the book.
5. All of the characters lack depth. Give more relatable background information on your characters and people will like them. The author gives background information which has nothing to do with the present plot. It's like the author knows she should do that but doesn't know how to do it.
6. The over the top name dropping throughout the book made me cringe.
7. I got the impression the author didn't do any research on the sudden fame experience but rather just wrote what she imagined it to be
8. The book is boring. The interesting plot is Julian's experience of sudden fame however, the book only follows Brooke who stays behind.
9. By the end of it you don't care about finishing the book.
If you want a good book on the same subject, I strongly recommend `The year of living famously' by Laura Caldwell, a much more realistic and likeable story.
›
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3.2 out of 5 stars
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