2016 USA Best Book Awards: Chick Lit/Women's Lit, Finalist
Named "Summer Book Pick" by Us Weekly * Redbook Magazine * Brit + Co * Buzzfeed * SheKnows * Bustle *
From international #1 best-selling authors Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus comes a story about a girl from the trailer parks of central Florida and the two powerful men who shape her life—one of whom will raise her up to places she never imagined, the other of whom will threaten to destroy her. Amanda Beth Luker has spent her whole life desperately looking for someone who can show her the way out of her trailer park Florida town. And then, finally, help arrives—in the form of Tom Davis, a successful lawyer with political aspirations who grew up just a few towns over from Amanda. But it’s his wife, Lindsay, who really captures Amanda’s imagination. Strong, smart, and determined, she gives Amanda something she’s never had—a role model. Meanwhile Amanda is introduced to the wealthy, charismatic, and deeply troubled Pax Westerbrook. He clearly desires Amanda, but if she gives in will that move her closer to the life she’s always dreamed of—or make it impossible? Amanda rides Davis’s political success all the way to Washington, where he becomes Senator and will later be tapped for president and even make a bid for the White House. But when Amanda starts to suspect, and later confirms, his moral indiscretions, her loyalty is tested. Will a girl from a trailer park even be believed if she goes public with damning information? Will she be willing to risk losing everything she’s gained?
Industry Reviews
2016 USA Best Book Awards: Chick Lit/Women's Lit, Finalist
"The Nanny Diaries' Emma Mclaughlin and Nicola Kraus take on Washington, D.C."
- Us Weekly, "Best Reads for the Beach"
"[So Close] speaks to all of the craziness we're enduring on account of this year's U.S. presidential election."
-Redbook Magazine, "21 Books By Women You Have To Read this Summer"
"This political coming-of-age page-turner is a must-have companion for your summer travels."
-Brit + Co, "20 Hottest Reads to Add to Your Summer Reading List
"When we're looking for a great beach read, romantic, fast-paced, gripping page-turners fill the bill."
-Parade magazine, "10 of the best beach reads to indulge in this summer"
"[So Close] is a great rags-to-riches story with a sincere, determined protagonist."
-Library Journal
"Guarded, genuine Amanda makes a compelling heroine in McLaughlin and Kraus's most moving outing yet."
-Booklist
"This political page-turner will keep you hooked until Scandal is finally back on our screens."
-Bustle
"While you're packing your bag for a day at the beach make sure to throw in one of these hot summer reads!"
-Buzzfeed, "6 Summer Reads to Throw in Your Beach Bag
"A skillful follow-up to their juggernaut The Nanny Diaries, So Close is a sharp cultural examination of ambition, politics, and the exhausting climb that can be chasing dreams. Amanda Beth is both a heart-breaking and refreshingly relateable protagonist. Female readers will enjoy smiling and crying with her, as we see Amanda battling the wrong attractions while trying to rise above her life's cruel station. Playfully barbed commentary makes this all the more fun."
-Colleen Oakes, best-selling author of the Elly series, The Queen of Hearts series, and the Wendy Darling series
"Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus have created a fascinating world with relatable, ambitious protagonist you can't help but root for. So Close is a must-read if you've ever wondered what it takes for a politician to be elected."
-Lisa Henthorn, author of 25 Sense, and television writer of Swingtown, The Beautiful Life, and The Glades
"Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus have done it again. So Close is a page turner about loyalty, love, ambition, family, and friendship. Amanda is a strong and vibrant character who stays with you long past the last page."
-Susie Schnall, author of The Balance Project and On Grace
"Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus deliver an engaging story of a young woman determined to change her trajectory. So Close is about love, loss, and the choices one makes on the road to success. This is an endearing read that makes you want to root for the underdog."
-Nicole Meier, author of The House of Bradbury
Past Praise for Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus
On The Nanny Diaries
"A national phenomenon."
-Newsweek
"Impossible to put down."
-Vogue
"McLaughlin and Kraus . . . [have a] carefully calibrated sense of compassion and delicious sense of the absure."
-Entertainment Weekly
On How to be a Grown Up
"Such a cupcake o f a book, it feels like you're doing something more self-indulgent than reading."
-Kirkus Reviews
"This humorous and rewarding look at one woman's second act is . . . smart and lively."
-Booklist
