Emily Charlton's once successful image consulting business has been floundering for the past several months, all thanks to an unscrupulous competitor. When Emily sees that that former model Karolina Hartwell's life has suddenly come crashing down, Emily sees just the opportunity to get her business back on its feet. Luckily, one of Emily's friends, Miriam Kagan, knows Karolina personally. Emily needs only to channel some of what Miranda Priestly taught her not so long ago.

Emily was my favorite character in THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA, possibly because I saw the movie first and Emily Blunt made an indelible impression on me. Needless to say, I grabbed WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU LULULEMONS as quickly as I could, and I was not disappointed. To my surprise, except for a few minor details, WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU LULULEMONS stands perfectly on its own. There was however one thing that seriously bothered me, and I can't even fathom how it made it as far to the advanced review copy. There is a situation of highly dubious consensual sex, if not outright non consensual sex. Worst of all, the offence is committed by one of the lead female protagonists, and it has no bearing whatsoever on the story as a whole. While this is comprised of only a few lines, I found it extremely offensive. Such an act posed by a female does not make it "more okay" than from the part of a male character. Hopefully, those few distasteful lines will have been removed before publication or at least in subsequent editions. I was able to get over it, but I can't forget nor forgive that I read it.

Apart from that unfortunate faux pas, WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU LULULEMONS is a terrific read. I was pleased that Emily hasn't mellowed one bit: she is still as abrasive, as unforgiving, and obsessed with fashion and her figure as she ever was. She is stuck in a suburbia she despises, and Lauren Weisberger paints a decidedly colorful picture of the suburbs. I loved all three female protagonists, but Karolina was by far my favorite: she is a splendid, complex character for whom I was cheering every step of the way. WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU LULULEMONS is more than a caustic look at suburbia and appearances, it is in fact a great mystery novel with a surprisingly solid story. I was hoping that everything would turn out alright for everyone, but I hadn't the foggiest idea how it would happen.

Readers hoping for a healthy dose of Miranda Priestly however might be left wanting. Although the Devil herself plays a pivotal role in the outcome, she appears only very briefly. WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU LULULEMONS is very entertaining, very clever, with some of the most brilliant dialogues around, and in my opinion, should be this summer's beach read.