Sex and Vanity - Kevin Kwan | Spoiler Free Book Review

Crazy Rich Asians is one of my favourite movies of all time so when Kevin Kwan released a new book, I was so excited to read it! I saw a lot of mixed things about this one so I wasn't sure what to think before going into it. 
Sex and Vanity - Kevin Kwan | Spoiler Free Book Review
Blurb

"On her very first morning on the jewel-like island of Capri, Lucie Churchill sets eyes on George Zao and she instantly can’t stand him. She can’t stand it when he gallantly offers to trade hotel rooms with her so that she can have a view of the Tyrrhenian Sea, she can’t stand that he knows more about Casa Malaparte than she does, and she really can’t stand it when he kisses her in the darkness of the ancient ruins of a Roman villa.
The daughter of an American-born Chinese mother and a blue-blooded New York father, Lucie has always sublimated the Asian side of herself, and she adamantly denies having feelings for George. But several years later, when George unexpectedly appears in East Hampton, where Lucie is weekending with her new fiancé, she finds herself drawn to him again. Soon, Lucie is spinning a web of deceit that involves her family, her fiancé and ultimately herself, as she tries to deny George entry into her world – and her heart.
Moving between summer playgrounds of privilege, peppered with decadent food and extravagant fashion, Sex and Vanity is a truly modern love story, a daring homage to A Room with a View, and a brilliantly funny comedy of manners set between two cultures."

My Review

Going into this, I was expecting a love triangle story but in my opinion, it wasn't that. Lucie is our main character and she has a slight holiday romance with George and then in part two of the book, she is with someone else. There wasn't really any cross over between the relationships and I didn't understand the attraction at all to the second man or with George if I am completely honest. 

I really liked Lucie in the first 100 pages of the book but as the story went on I found her to be incredibly annoying and irritating. But justice for George because I really liked him and he was my favourite character from the book. Like with the previous Kevin Kwan books, these characters are crazy rich and everything is luxe and over the top. But the characters a lot of the time in this book come across as unlikeable. And speaking of previous books, one of my favourite characters from the last series makes a little appearance in this which I loved! 

In terms of the plot, not a lot happens. There were a few dramatic and interesting moments in the book but I didn't find it to be boring. Kevin writes extremely descriptive books and I can always easily picture the scenes. Having read all four of Kevin's books now, I do think this one is my favourite in terms of writing style even though there are a few problematic terms used. This book discusses racism as well. 

Sex and Vanity is available here

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