Ex-Debutante by Linda Francis Lee

From the Publisher

When Carlisle Wainwright Cushing left her native Texas to start a new life in Boston, she had no regrets. The former Texas debutante, who never felt at home in her Southern skin, had found liberation--or so she thought. Until the day she gets an urgent call from her mother, reporting that: One, the Symphony Association Debutante Ball, which Carlisle's family has sponsored for years, is about to be called off; Two, her mother's divorce has the whole town talking; And three, the family's good name is at stake and Carlisle is the only one who can fix it all. So Carlisle takes a leave of absence from her law firm and goes to Texas to help. Her fiance, who has no idea she's an heiress, can't know that she's organizing the ball, handling the dramas of the girls involved, settling her mother's suit--and coming face to face with the true love of her life, whom she ran out on when she left Texas. Her trip home challenges Carlisle's sense of herself and brings the pieces of her past togther, so that when she finally re-meets the man of her dreams, she's in a perfect place to tempt fate.

Publishers Weekly

The latest tongue-in-cheek blusher from Lee (after The Devil in the Junior League) finds that coming out in Willow Creek, Tex., society has its snags. At her own debut, Carlisle Wainwright Cushing failed to execute the Texas Dip-"a deep full curtsy where a girl sinks so low that she touches her forehead to her skirt"-properly. Now almost 30 and a successful Boston divorce attorney, Carlisle is summoned home to represent her diva mom Ridgely in her latest divorce. Carlisle is also asked to rescue the troubled Hundredth Annual Willow Creek Symphony Association Debutante Ball, and to teach seven iffy debs-to-be the Texas Dip. But the attorney representing her mother's soon-to-be-ex is Carlisle's old heart-throb, the former bad boy Jack Blair-who is the brother of the ultra rich Hunter Blair, and father to India, a spoiled deb-to-be. Can Carlisle deal with all the challenges while allowing her renewed feelings for Jack to "come out"? Lee depicts Carlisle and the antiquated debutante tradition with equal parts chagrin and tenderness. (Apr.)

Samantha Gust - Library Journal

Lawyer and former debutante Carlisle Wainwright Cushing fled Texas for Boston a few years ago and found career success and love. But when Carlisle's oft-married mother pressures her to handle her latest divorce and a letter from a dear family member asks her to save their hometown's debutante ball, Carlisle feels the tug of family ties. To the concern of her employer and the chagrin of her fiancé, she takes a leave of absence from her job and her relationship to fix things at home. Further complicating matters is that her fiancé has no idea that she comes from money, and the man representing her mother's soon-to-be ex is none other than Carlisle's first love, the still dreamy Jack Blair. Lee's second novel (after The Devil in the Junior League) is a fun and engaging story about the crazy things women do for love and family. The witty first-person narrative is an absolute pleasure to read. Highly recommended for popular fiction collections. [See Prepub Alert, LJ12/07.]

Kirkus Reviews

Lee (The Devil in the Junior League, 2006, etc.) takes another jab at old Texas. Lawyer Carlisle Wainwright Cushing hasn't been back to her Texas hometown since she ran away to Boston, where she eschewed her wealthy past for a new life. Now, happily engaged, Carlisle reluctantly returns after getting an urgent call from her impossible-to-please mother: The Wainwright-sponsored Symphony Association Debutante Ball is about to be canceled, and Carlisle's mother is going through the most recent of multiple divorces and needs her daughter to represent her. Carlisle has no desire to get involved with any of this. Upon returning to Texas, though, she is reunited with her former flame, confident Jack Blair, who always threatened her self control with his reckless passion. For flaky reasons made up for the sake of the plot, Carlisle decides to save the debutante ball and assist with the divorce. Comedic chaos ensues, as do sentimental moments of self-discovery. Her relationship with her fiancee suffers as her attraction to Jack (also engaged) grows. Carlisle, unqualified and initially dispassionate, attempts to groom teenagers into debutantes. The debutante ball is supposed to allow young women to feel accomplished and proud; however, it is presented as nothing more than young girls prancing around in wedding dresses for archaic reasons. The girls do not slowly transform into kind, graceful women. Rather, they cat fight and one-up each other with gross displays of wealth. Rather nonsensically, Carlisle's trials-in the courtroom and out-teach her to appreciate her family and her community. Funny and slightly ridiculous. First printing of 100,000. Agent: Amy Berkower/Writers House

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