Opening Belle

A Novel

By: Maureen Sherry

Narrated by: Julia Whelan

A whip-smart and funny novel told by a former Wall Street insider who reveals what it's like for a working woman to balance love, ambition, and family in a world of glamorous excess, outrageous risk taking, and jaw-dropping sexism.

In 2008, Isabelle - a self-made 30-something Wall Street star - appears to have it all: an Upper West Side apartment, three healthy children, a handsome husband, and a high-powered job. But her reality is something else. Her trading-desk work environment resembles a 1980s frat party, her husband feels employment is beneath him, and the bulk of childcare and homecare still falls in Belle's already full lap.

Enter Henry, the former college fiancé she never quite got over, now a hedge fund mogul. He becomes her largest client, and Belle gets to see the life she might have had with him. While Henry campaigns to win Belle back, the sexually harassed women in her office take action to improve their working conditions and recruit a wary Belle into a secret "glass ceiling club" whose goal is to mellow the cowboy banking culture and get equal pay for their work. All along, Belle can sense the financial markets heading toward their soon-to-be historic crash and that something has to give - and when it does, everything is going to change: her marriage, her career, her world, and her need to keep her colleagues' hands to themselves.

From Maureen Sherry, a prize-winning writer and a former managing director on Wall Street (who never signed a nondisclosure agreement when she left), Opening Belle takes listeners into the adrenaline-fueled chaos of a Wall Street trading desk; the lavish parties; the lunchtime rendezvous; and, ultimately, the heart of a woman who finds it easier to cook up millions at work than dinner at home.

©2016 The Glass Ceiling Group, Inc. All rights reserved. (P)2016 Simon & Schuster, Inc.

Great story but not funny at all

I found the sexism and harassment wildly unsettling!
But I’m so glad she didn’t sign the non disclosure agreement

Interesting, entertaining and witty

Really quick and fun read! Great summer book for book club. The storyline jumps right in a captures the reader.

Julia Whelan’s narrative skills…

Alexa and I are looking forward to listening to this Audible gem. Will write more later. Over and out for now. Carry on.

Good story, so-so narration.

I enjoyed this compelling story, but the narration was too much. I could have done with less of the character voices; especially the male characters who all sounded like drugged up stoners.

good book

although I have some critique for the book, overall I enjoyed it and would recommend it.

Good story...

...almost ruined for me by the narrator. The story starts out being read by a Samantha Jones/Kim Cattrall wannabe. Luckily, it’s dropped 2/3 of the way through the book for the story to end on a more enjoyable note for the listener.

A great read

Enjoyable timely informative and interesting I really enjoyed the book . There was a great lesson to be learned from this novel.

Funny and true

A fun plot-driven story. And everything Belle describes is true: the fraternity atmosphere, infidelity and power. It's an entertaining peek at inside peek at what it's like to be a woman in Wall Street. Listen to the book before the movie comes out!

Wonderful surprise

This book was recommended by a relative of the author and was even better than they said! Some parts were among the funniest circumstances I have ever heard. Ms Sherry has the unique quality of being able to explain very complicated machinations of the derivatives market in a manner easily understood. Her understanding of personalities and proclivities is impressive and her principles especially precious in the chaotic and self-serving world we live in at the moment!
Thank you Maureen for such an educational and delightful book! Please continue writing!!

Outstanding!!!

Loved every detail. Great from start to finish. Excellent narration. I spent 14 yrs on a big trading floor on Wall St. That may be why o found this to be so relevant.