Book Review And Preview: Opening Belle By Maureen Sherry

This is a book review and sneak preview of Opening Belle by Maureen Sherry that is due to be published by Simon and Schuster on 2 February 2016.

Maureen Sherry was born and raised in New York City, she has 4 children, and before becoming an author was a high powered managing director on Wall Street. As well as fiction, Maureen has written children's books.

This novel is loosely based around the author's own experiences of working in a broker firm on Wall Street, New York City. It is also being made into a movie Opening Belle staring Reese Witherspoon that is due to be released in 2017.

Set in New York City in 2007, this is the story of Isabelle a 30 something career woman, who is juggling being a Mum to three young kids, a loving wife to her stay at home husband and working full time in her high powered job on Wall Street.

It was interesting to see life inside a Wall Street precinct, and male chauvinistic work environment, and a career woman trying to balance home and work life. Towards the end of the story it went into mostly money talk, banks and lending, explaining the lead up to the impending financial crises that hit America. Paired with friendships with work colleagues and so called love interests that were so far fetched I simply stopped enjoying the book - it all seemed so unrealistic.

The writing style is fun and modern, but the story line doesn't resemble a real life working woman (in my humble working woman opinion!). If it wasn't for the witty and funny words carrying it along I don't think I would have finished it.

I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in an insiders view into the financial market and the lighthearted life of a career woman.

I give this book 3 stars out of  5

Jarrah Jungle's Star Rating:

1 Bad - I'd rather eat brussel sprouts topped with anchovies than read this again
2 Not Good - I'd rather watch paint dry than read this again
3 Ok - I'm sitting on the fence - its not great but not terrible either
4 Good - I'd give up a bottle of the worlds best champagne for this read
5 Great - I'd pass up a date with Johnny Depp for this read

Opening Belle can be purchased from the author here and Simon and Schuster

Sharing my book review on Good Reads here and Netgalley

Disclosure:  NetGalley partner with bloggers such as me to help promote authors and their books and I was given this ebook published by Simone and Schuster to review. As always, all opinions are my own.

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[Image via Amazon]