I received this book for free from the library in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Source: the library
The Daughters Break the Rules
by
Joanna Philbin
chick lit in a hardcover edition that was published by Poppy on November 2, 2010 and has 288 pages.
Explore it on Goodreads or Amazon
Other books by this author which I have reviewed include The Daughters, The Daughters Take the Stage
Second in The Daughters young adult series about a trio of high school friends and the travails they suffer from having famous parents. This installment focuses on Carina Jurgensen and Alex Suarez.
My Take
It’s another case of how it can all go wrong when you don’t talk to your kids. Carina lashes out because her dad won’t listen to her. Nor will he talk to her. He simply treats her like another one of his employees. The lash back results in the billionaire’s daughter losing her credit cards, her cool iPhone, and having to subsist on $20 a week.
It’s a good story. Carina discovers her true self and some backbone even as she finds true love…with her dad AND the right guy this time. Parents, get your kids to read this one as it teaches all the truisms you’ve been trying to get into their status-obsessed heads. I really can’t blame Carina for acting as she did; her dad was being a jerk and needed his own leash pulled tight. I loved her mother’s end run around him.
The Characters
Carina Jurgensen, the sports-minded “daughter of billionaire Karl Jurgensen“, discovers what’s real and what’s not when her “clever” idea to raise money for a non-starter of a trip backfires. Only, it’s not the backfire we expected when Carina realizes the value of money and friendship.
Alex Suarez is a DJ Carina meets when she tries to hire the hot-and-happening DJ of the moment. It’s Alex who takes Carina on her educational tour of New York City and the amazing layers beneath it…that are free. It’s Alex who opens Carina eyes to what’s real. While his sister Marisol opens her eyes to a different kind of beauty.
Lizzie Summers and Hudson Jones, the talented “daughter of chart-topping pop icon Holla Jones” are Carina’s best friends, although they take a step back when Carina proves too desperate for acceptance without thought of her friends. Todd Piedmont is Lizzie’s boyfriend (see Daughters) and, oh man, is that pissing Carina off!
Ava Elting is obsessed with the most statusy anything, and she too gains a lesson about value — too much fun to watch! Of course, we all know the lesson will take awhile, a long while to stick! Carter McLean heads up the most elite group at Chadwick. And he’s interested in Carina!
The Cover and Title
It’s a white background with a sketchy outline of a lunch counter and Lizzie, Carina, and Hudson are in huddle at the “bar” trading secrets.
It’s really more of a The Daughters Breaks the Rules. And, oh man, does Carina break ’em. Family, corporate, friendship…
