What is more appealing as the subject of a summer read than a peek into the uber-elite and secretive lives of celebrities?  Answer – nothing.  Elite moviemaker Ted Stabler's wife, Holly, is planning a Bump to Pump fundraiser that has to go off without a hitch.  That will be next to impossible if personal assistant Zanne isn't at the helm of the planning and execution.  Zanne, Ted's personal assistant, is also his work wife – she is his go-to right hand, his mind reader, his need fulfiller, and his tantrum preventer.  With Zanne in charge, nothing can go awry… right?  Told over the course of a day and through three wildly different but inextricably linked personalities of Ted's "wives," Alison B. Hart's THE WORK WIFE unpacks a reckoning of epic proportions that the party's preceding events are leading up to.    THE WORK WIFE follows three richly developed characters and effortlessly and believably weaves their days together.  There's Zanne, the dutiful, overachieving personal assistant, who fronts a tough exterior but is wrestling with her demons and emotions as she navigates the next milestones in her life.  There's Holly, the current Stabler matriarch (and trophy wife), who desperately wants to be acknowledged more seriously for her accomplishments but simultaneously won't venture too far out of her comfortable cocoon.  And finally, there's Phoebe, Ted's first wife, and a feisty, scrappy movie producer-cum-teacher who is finding the courage to make the movie of her dreams after decades out of the business.  Their paths converge in both predictable and unexpected ways throughout the day, resulting in a steadily-paced read infused with a satisfying amount of depth and drama.   Drawing from her own authentic experiences as a personal assistant, Hart offers a credible peek into the functioning of the exclusive home organization – a fully-equipped staffing model dedicated to managing the day-to-day lives of the ultra-wealthy so they don't have to do so.  This tale explores which sacrifices are worth it to realize the life of your dreams, how the modern-day power struggle between men and women still manifests itself, and what exactly does it take for a woman to feel empowered to own her destiny and power?  If you appreciate subtle and nuanced story-telling, you will certainly appreciate THE WORK WIFE.  If you're looking for an escape from the doldrums of summer chores, deadlines, and shuttling the family from one activity to the next, this is a great escapist read!