There’s a lot of buzz about this book at the moment, and it certainly is a summer frothy read- but complex, hence the review nearly as long as the book! College professor Rachel is an American with Chinese origins, having left there with her mother at a very early age. Her mother raised her alone and made a comfortable life for them with her career as a real estate agent. But none of this has prepared her for a summer in Singapore with her boyfriend Nick, his family and friends- for they really are crazy rich asians. Rachel didn’t even know Nick had that kind of family money, but as they prepare for his best friend’s wedding Rachel discovers it’s actually the society wedding of the year- with all the scandal, gossip, bitchiness and opulent overspending that goes along with it. In the meantime Nick’s family are wondering who this girl is, who her family are, and how they can break the couple up!

Kooks for your Kindle?– Now i’m reasonably well read on Chinese recent history (well ok, Wild Swans is one of my favourite books, but that’s educational right?), but I had no idea that a lot of Chinese families with old money escaped China when communism was on the rise and went to nearby Taiwan/Malaysia/Singapore. So these families have been around for so long that there is a certain amount of snobbery, at least in some of the characters portrayed here, as such it echoes the snobbery you might expect from the British or American old-money establishment.

Anyway suffice to say there are some crackpots here, Nick’s mother Eleanor and her cronies go all out to find out Rachel’s heritage and scheme to pair him with a more well-bred young lady. Nick’s cousin Eddie is a monster, overwhelmingly concerned with his social standing, appearances and the exact temperature of his closets (55 degrees F for cashmere and fur, 75 for leather…), and not remotely interested in the wellbeing of his wife and children. Cousin Astrid is down to earth and married to Michael, a regular guy who runs his own company- but his annual bonus equates to only one of the many couture dresses that his wife splurges on a few times a year with her own money. She thinks all is well and that he doesn’t know about all the family properties placed in her name by her parents while they live in a modest flat on his income. But all his resentment has to come out somewhere…

Finally Peik Lin is Rachel’s old college friend from Singapore, glad to finally have her friend come to visit her homeland, and stunned at the scene Rachel has entered into. Minor characters include Oliver, another cousin who likes to observe from outside with some gentle gossip and a little meddling. Kitty Pong sounds like the name of a performer in a seedy bar in Bangkok, in fact she’s a gold-digging Chinese soap opera actress, trying to hide her mainland accent and pretend she’s from Taiwan. There are many more fascinating characters, way too many to keep straight!

The Bella-Swan-Pathetically-Self-Sacrificing-Factor– Our heroine is blindsided by the situation she’s dropped into. Instead of a relaxing summer travelling around Asia in flip-flops, she’s presented for judgement to a very intimidating family; involved in the Asian wedding of the year; and thoroughly set up by all those against her. Fortunately Peik Lin is on her side and has the resources to make sure Rachel is sartorially equipped, even if she is socially out of her depth. I’m happy to report that Rachel keeps her dignity, even while whisked away on the hen weekend from hell with a bunch of catty women she doesn’t know (yes, even a free trip on a private jet to a beautiful island can be a nightmare it seems!). She puts up with a lot for Nick’s sake, but as befits a self respecting modern professional woman in her early thirties she puts her foot down when it gets too bad. Nick, by the way, is a lovely chap whose only sin seems to be neglecting to prepare Rachel for Singapore. Admittedly that was quite a biggie.

Painting a Picture for your Paperback?– If living vicariously with the rich and famous, with over the top name-dropping luxury is your thing, you’ll love it. I’m not one for brands, but can appreciate the impressive detail. It’s a whole other world with the private jets, massive houses, wardrobes (women’s AND men’s), and crazy amount of money. If you’ve passed through the far east it’s easy to see where these people might shop- although it’s more likely to be Paris- but they move in totally different circles, with private dining and country clubs. The storytelling here gives an amazingly vivid image of Singapore, from the food markets to the upscale locations, all well done.

Evaluation of your eBook?– For such a superficial theme there is surprising depth and heart in some of the characters, especially in Astrid and Michael’s struggle, and Nick’s best friend Colin is certainly more than your typical playboy. I loved the ending, which wasn’t at all predictable, neither was it neatly tied up. The fast-paced gossipy style is fun but a little hectic, with brand names and character names flung around with abandon, but it’s not essential to keep up with the minor characters. Some of the characters are deliciously over the top, with one flinging a rejected thirty-nine carat diamond into snow never to be retrieved, and others totally down to earth and relatable. Definitely a fun, escapist summer read.

Frothy Ranking: 4/5 cocktails.

Can be obtained from:

UK: Only 79p on Amazon.

US: A little more on Amazon, at $12.99, but only $1.44 on Kobobooks!