Diary of a South Beach Party Girl

Diary of a South Beach Party Girl
Gwen Cooper
Simon Spotlight Entertainment
ISBN: 978-1-4169-4089-0
Fiction, Contemporary
Reviewed by Vianna Renaud

In this new novel by Gwen Cooper, be prepared to be transported to the spectacular world of Miami’s South Beach during the late 1990s. The first ever insider look at this golden time in the city’s history, the novel follows the life of Rachel Baum, a sheltered girl from the suburbs who moves to South Beach looking for something new. After going through numerous trials and tribulations with friends, lovers, and everything in between, she comes to realize that she is actually not as ordinary and boring as she originally thought. In this tale of self discovery amidst the backdrop of glittering celebrities, nice and not so nice friends, drug fueled nights at the best clubs, endless parties, and the continual pursuit of a certain man, she learns that sometimes life is less complicated, without all of what South Beach has to offer, in it.
I thoroughly enjoyed this surprisingly fresh work. From start to finish, I found it impossible to stop turning the pages as I was invisibly propelled from chapter to chapter. Ms. Cooper transported me into her scandalous world of decadence and debauchery with the entertaining plot and interesting characters. With startling wit and insight into life and relationships, especially in your 20s, with the added bonus of seeing Miami in a new light, I feel that every modern girl would enjoy this tantalizing yet truthful tale of life.