The iconic author of the bestselling phenomenon Crazy Rich Asians returns with the first novel in the new Cities Trilogy.
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The iconic author of the bestselling phenomenon Crazy Rich Asians returns with the glittering tale of a young woman who finds herself torn between two men.
An Independent BEST BOOK OF 2020
On her very first morning on the jewel-like island of Capri, Lucie Churchill sets eyes on George Zao and instantly can't stand him. She can't stand it when he gallantly offers to trade hotel rooms with her so that she can have a view of the Tyrrhenian Sea, she can't stand that he knows more about Casa Malaparte than she does, and she really can't stand it when he kisses her in the darkness of the ancient ruins of a Roman villa.
The daughter of an American-born Chinese mother and a blue-blooded New York father, Lucie has always sublimated the Asian side of herself, and she adamantly denies having feelings for George. But several years later, when George unexpectedly appears in East Hampton, where Lucie is weekending with her new fiance, she finds herself drawn to him again. Soon, Lucie is spinning a web of deceit that involves her family, her fiance and ultimately herself, as she tries to deny George entry into her world - and her heart.
Moving between summer playgrounds of privilege, peppered with decadent food and extravagant fashion, Sex and Vanity is a truly modern love story, a daring homage to A Room with a View, and a brilliantly funny comedy of manners set between two cultures.
PEOPLE WATCHING HAS NEVER BEEN SO MUCH FUN.
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'Sex and Vanity scores high on all intended fronts; the opening half, set in Capri, is bathed in sunshine and sexual tension. The novel reads like travel porn, listing the island's best and lesser-known sights, places to eat, stay and drink. And then there is the story of Lucie Tang Churchill, a biracial New York princess from the Upper East Side, attending an eye-wateringly extravagant wedding.' GUARDIAN
Industry Reviews
This is a delightful reworking of a much-loved classic, complete with designer outfits, glamorous parties, and exotic locations. * Independent BEST BOOKS OF 2020 *
Sex and Vanity scores high on all intended fronts; the opening half, set in Capri, is bathed in sunshine and sexual tension. The novel reads like travel porn, listing the island's best and lesser-known sights, places to eat, stay and drink. And then there is the story of Lucie Tang Churchill, a biracial New York princess from the Upper East Side, attending an eye-wateringly extravagant wedding. * Guardian *
Sex and Vanity is basically your PERFECT SUMMER READ. Set in Capri, New York & the Hamptons, the location descriptions are so evocative you will feel like you're there. The characters bounce around the globe engaging in pretty much the binary opposite of social distancing so a double win for this delicious, delightful romp. -- Sara Lawrence * Daily Mail *
this satirical romp through the gilded lives of the international super-rich is laugh-out-loud funny, with all the crackle you'd expect from the author of Crazy Rich Asians, plus a tender love story at its heart. * Sunday Mirror *
Effervescent, grand cru escapism. All the playful Kwan hallmarks are present and correct. Sex and Vanity may poke plenty of fun at the moral iniquities of the impossibly wealthy but it's also astute on the racism that can exist within Asian families as well as without. * Metro *
Delicious and delightful, I adored it. * Daily Mail *
As fizzy and refreshing as a peach Bellini. * Best *
