More than You Know

Former fashion journalist Vincenzi’s latest page-turner (after Another Woman) intertwines several romances with the world of fashion, the post-WWII real estate boom, changing roles of women in society, and new attitudes about sex and drugs in 1960s London. Upper-class Eliza Fullerton-Clark snubs her family’s wish to see her wed a proper prospect, instead embarking as a globe-trotting fashion editor. Sparks fly when she meets Matt Shaw, a lower-class property developer hoping to make it big in the war-torn areas of London that need rebuilding. Meanwhile, Matt’s sister, Scarlett, becomes an air hostess and falls for a married man. Matt and Eliza tie the knot and have a daughter, but Matt’s misogyny threatens Eliza’s ambition, and years of resentment lead to a bitter custody battle. Vincenzi reminds readers how difficult it was for women in a prefeminist era as they struggled emotionally, socially, and financially to assert themselves and attain equality. Still, this is primarily a lively romp filled with fashion, scandal, and lots of glamour, all tied up for the requisite happy ending. Agent: Clare Alexander, Aitken Alexander Associates. (Apr.)