Lies and Weddings

Kwan (Sex and Vanity) makes his triumphant return with another irresistible tale of the ultra-rich and uber-dramatic. In this novel, readers are treated to the saga of the Gresham family—a British earl, his Hong Kong supermodel wife, and their three adult children. The earl’s son Rufus and his childhood friend Dr. Eden Tong provide the down-to-earth core of the story as the soapy action builds around them, from volcanic eruptions and shocking family secrets to matchmaking, scheming, and seduction, all played out by larger-than-life characters in the kinds of locations most can only dream of visiting. The book is written in Kwan’s inimitable style, loaded with footnotes both interesting and snarky and chock-full of descriptions of luxury objects, ridiculous fashion, and globe-trotting travel. It has its serious moments too, reflecting on race, class, and extreme wealth, but the bulk of the novel is scandalous fun. Some readers may find the constant product placement exhausting and the large cast confusing, but fans of Crazy Rich Asians will be delighted by another romantic, melodramatic treat from Kwan.