The Perfect Manhattan

I found this book to be a really fun read. I've never been to the Hamptons, but after reading The Perfect Manhattan, I have a clear mental image of what it must be like. The novel provides a lot of insight into the life of a bartender and the class issues that exist in the Hamptons. It's funny and easy to get through. Highly reccomended!

Grab your bikini, a cool cocktail, The Perfect Manhattan and head for the beach! This sizzling summer read is perfection. You won't be able to pull yourself away, I promise! Cassie is a character you can hold on to, she is real and lives in us all. After graduating college she finds herself swept away by glamour and glitz only to find that this path of partying, celebrity, and trust funds just reinforces who she is and what she dreams to accomplish! Toomey and Shear provide a backstage pass to New York City nightlife and the many layers of the saucy Hamptons! We also get a gritty and different glance at the bar tending profession that will have you leaving your favorite bartender better tips! Take this ride, it insightful, thought-provoking and just plain FUN!

I have been hearing about this book for a while and was excited to pick it up. When I finally got my hands on it, I couldn't put it down for a second, it is absolutely terrific and it never disappointed. The look behind the bar provides an insiders view that is both smart and intriguing. Cassie's story of life after college is one that I could really relate to: uncertain about life and a career path, poor, confused, unlucky at love, all things I experienced to the nth degree. I loved this book and recommend it to everyone.

Encaptures the summer spirit in an empowering story of the search for one's self through working hard and partying harder!! You won't be able to put it down ~ a must read, perfect while perfecting your tan!

This story is one we can all can relate to - the long journey of finding yourself in the mist of partying, broken hearts, shots, and blurry (crazy) sleepless nights, and somehow, through it all persevering and coming out having a true understanding of who we are and what we value. I couldn't put this book down! It gives you a unique 360 degree view of being a bartender and the powerful draw of the glitzy and glamorous "celebrity" life. It will immediately cause an appreciation for the service industry and a desire to taste the New York City and Hampton night life! Shear and Toomey create a brilliant fine line of loving and feeling disappointed in our heroine (and in ourselves) as she gets us to sympathize with her desire to impress, while abandoning (just for a moment) who she really is. This book whisks you away and you find yourself so caught up in the exhilarating plot, that you are knee-deep in the desire to achieve this status and are routing for things that aren't necessarily in the main character's best interest. However, by the end she shows us the power and strength of being true to yourself, and we are a bit ashamed that we get so caught up in the first place! It is a book that you don't want to end, and as the pages dwindle you can't help but get bummed out - that this was that one great summer read! It is truly a MUST READ! Perfect for a BOOK CLUB!