Review: Hedge Fund Wives by Tatiana Boncompagni

Hedge Fund Wives tells the story of newly minted HFW, Marcy Emerson, and her adjustment to life among the super wealthy and the NYC social scene. Marcy and her hedge fund manager, John, have recently arrived to Manhattan from Chicago; John's star is rising in the world of finance and he expects Marcy to help it ascend by playing the role of society wife perfectly. Meanwhile, Marcy feels out of place among the catty wives and the unrelenting focus on extravagant dinners, private jets and expensive clothes. She comes from much more humble beginnings and had a career of her own before moving to NY - she finds it difficult to eschew all that for lunch at Bergdorf's and charity events. Will Marcy learn to navigate the world of hedge fund wives or will those wives get the best of Marcy?

As Marcy walks into the baby shower honoring the wife of one on John's colleagues, she is distinctly out of place in her pink puffer jacket as she breezes past a rack of fur coats in the expansive lobby of one of the wives. When she is given a chilly reception by some of the wives, Marcy feels even more out of place. Fortunately, she sits next to one of the more down to earth wives, Jill, who has her own career as a magazine  publicist. Jill introduces Marcy to Gigi and the three become fast friends with Jill and Gigi showing Marcy the ropes of the HFW role and community.

And Marcy needs her friends - despite her best efforts to be the perfect hedge fund wife, Marcy can't seem to please John. His own insecurities become evident as he feels the need to have the perfect apartment decor (he has decided the Emerson's "design niche" is eco-conscious), serve the perfect wine and food and move in only the most exclusive social circles. Jill and Gigi provide much needed relief from John's constant demands - in those friends, Marcy also gains perspective. Despite how wonderful their lives may appear on the outside, Gigi and Jill both struggle with their marriages and confirm that money doesn't buy happiness.

My Thoughts
This is a fun, entertaining book. It is always interesting to peer through the glass at the lives of the rich - watch as they shop, dine and celebrate. In that respect the book delivers - we dip in and out of the chic NYC department stores and restaurants such as Bergdorf's and Lever House and see the inside of palatial NY apartments. At the same time, it is also gratifying to see that those with money have their own challenges and chief among them is often the money.

This book in not unique - there are a lot of women's fiction books which give you glimpses into society life in NYC.  In fact, this book reminds me a lot of The Recessionistas which I read a number of years ago.  Both books cover the social lives of the NYC finance sector in the post 2008 economic collapse.  Unlike The Recessionistas, however, Hedge Fund Wives has a likable protagonist - Marcy is smart with good values in a shark tank of beautiful but vapid wives.  If you are looking for a quick read and like to peek into the NYC social scene, I recommend this book.