Ani (pronounced Ah-nee, not Annie) FaNelli, at 28, seems to have the perfect life. On her finger she proudly wears the gigantic emerald ring that her fiancé, handsome blueblood Luke Harrison, placed there. They live together at an impressive zip code in Manhattan, and he pays most of her expenses including designer clothing and handbags. She writes for THE WOMEN'S MAGAZINE, and enjoys the cutthroat and superficial world of writing for a magazine in the Big Apple. Obsessed with her size, she tries any diet that will aid her in becoming a size 0, in celebration of their upcoming elegant wedding at the Harrison family estate. She is a phony on the edges of the upper crust New York society that she longs to become part of. She wears a perfect mask but underneath are deep, dark secrets that are threatening her future. Ani wants to be loved for who she truly is. She has re-invented herself so completely that Ani does not really know who she is, and the mask is starting to crack under the constant strain of perfection. Her perfect life is a perfect lie.

At 14, Ani was disgraced and thrown out of a Catholic school for being caught with drugs. Her ambitious mother, wanting Ani to be part of the upper social strata, enrolls her in Bradley, an exclusive and prestigious co-ed prep school. Once there, Ani's goal is to be accepted by the right group. She gets in a lot of trouble as the new girl there. What happens to her one night with four male classmates brings her public humiliation and scorn. The shocking trauma and nightmares follow her. Her story is filled with unexpected twists and some violent and shocking details. I found her decisions totally unacceptable and stupid.

This is the debut novel from Jessica Knoll and the film rights for it have been acquired by Lionsgate with Reese Witherspoon producing.

As I followed Ani's journey, I changed from really disliking her to rooting for her. This plot is addictive, heartbreaking, filled with topics that touch on today's issues, such as rape, bullying, and peer pressure. I think you will have a difficult time laying this book down until the final page. Great read.