Join P2P’s Book Club: Two Steamy Reads to Kick Off Summer!

Move over Oprah, the Pier to Peer girls are starting a book club! Yup, so many of you expressed interest in being part of a book club, we thought it would be a shame not to start one with all of you! Join us in reading each month’s book pick and then come back to the site and let us know what you think! Already in a book club or want to start your own? No problem! Talk to your club members about reading the P2P book of the month and then comment on P2P with some of your group’s feedback!

Valley of the Dolls

Last month our book club read Valley of the Dolls by Jacqueline Susann. This book, an instant hit when it was originally published in 1966, is a juicy summer read that has survived the decades!

A Brief Summary

When Anne Wells moves from Lawerenceville, MA to New York City in 1945 to avoid falling into the pattern of becoming a housewife, she finds employment with a top talent agency representing the Broadway musical Hit the Sky. She meets and befriends various actresses in the show including Neely O’Hara, a struggling vaudeville actress who lives in her building, and Jennifer North, a showgirl with an incredible body, but little talent. Over the next twenty years, the women share in the highs of success and love mixed with the trials of self-destruction.

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Hosting Our Book Club Meeting

I had the pleasure of hosting our book club’s meeting last month and decided to have a little FUN with the theme! I drew inspiration from the post war 1940′s to create a menu, a signature cocktail and spirited decor!

Classic Champagne Cocktail Recipe

“Dolls”

Table Decor

“Doll” Cupcakes 

Individual Crudite

1940′s Fashion

Here are a few tips for hosting a 1940′s Valley of the Dolls Party!

1. Serve some post-war favorite dishes including casseroles, crudités, shrimp cocktail, and deviled eggs!
2. The characters in the book sure did LOVE their cocktails! Consider serving one of the many  1940′s favorites, including classic champagne cocktails,  side cars, or whiskey sours.
3. Have a post-discussion movie-watching party and compare the 1960′s-set movie to the 1940′s-set book! The film features familiar faces like Patty Duke and Sharon Tate.
4. Use the china, silver and crystal you likely have stashed away from your wedding. If you were hosting a party in the 40′s you’d be sure to use your finest tableware!
5. Dress the part! Encourage your friends to dress in their 1940′s best! There are many tutorials on YouTube for how to make your hair and make-up look authentic!

This Month’s P2P Pick!

This month we have decided to join the masses and read Fifty Shades of Gray, the first book of the trilogy.  Order your copy of this steamy National Bestseller and start reading! Then come back to our site and tell us what you think! I haven’t been able to put these books down!