Gus Hempelstein had only wanted to change things a little bit. He was about to find out that when you were dealing with Vabeh Gregson Bennett, you had to go big or find another playground.

Morgan and Devon Gregson Bennett are an interracial creative power couple living happily enough in Brooklyn until a freak accident leaves a little girl orphaned in Los Angeles. Setting aside reservations about the price motherhood will exact on their marriage and careers, Morgan and Devon agree to adopt Vabeh, a bi-racial ethnic-hair-products heiress. Vabeh touches down in New York, wearing last season’s fur and on a mission to quickly distinguish herself from the other bold-faced names at her new school, the tony School for Spoiled Kids.

Vabeh’s meteoric ascension as a painter isn’t enough to quell her ambition, so she opens the Walk-In Art Gallery. Soon, she has collectors and classmates clamoring for her attention. All is proceeding according to plan, until her trusted gallerina, Gus Hempelstein, turns in his skinny jeans and defects to open a rival gallery, the Sit Down, backed by Devon’s ex-lover and powerful art world patron, Pim Logan.

Even with a publicist and therapist working overtime on Vabeh’s behalf to protect her art world darling status, Morgan and Devon’s parenting skills are put to the test as the press breathlessly covers their every move.

Will Vabeh crumple under the weight of Gus’s devastating betrayal, or will she dust it off, chalking it up to just another day on the playground?

Ara Tucker

Audiobooks