When we met the heroines of Bright Young Things (now out in a $9.99 paperback, 9780061962677), Cordelia Grey and Letty Larkspur had just arrived in New York City in the summer of 1929 from Ohio, and Astrid Donal, aimless and bored with the predictable society in Long Island, delighted in gaining two fascinating new friends.
It's still the summer of 1929 in Beautiful Days. Cordelia struggles with the loss of her father so soon after their reunion; Astrid is dismayed to find that being engaged to a bootlegger is no easier than dating one; and Letty tries to summon the courage for another go at the Broadway scene. In the meantime, the war between the Greys and Hales heats up, and the girls become players in a deadly game of brinksmanship. For readers who enjoy glamour, glitz and gangland, Godbersen's series offers a Boardwalk Empire meets The Great Gatsby for the younger set. --Jenn Northington, events manager at WORD bookstore