Pink Glass Houses

A Novel

By: Asha Elias

Narrated by: Stacy Gonzalez, Saskia Maarleveld, Andi Arndt, Helen Laser, André Santana, Amy Landon, John Pirhalla, Robin Miles, Michael Crouch, Jane Oppenheimer

Length: 8 hrs and 18 mins

Publisher's summary

“Delicious, decadent, and utterly diabolical. No one serves up a scandal like Asha Elias.”—Kirsten Miller, author of The Change

A seductive social satire about the wealthy PTA moms of an elite elementary school in Miami Beach, Pink Glass Houses is very Big Little Lies and Pineapple Street, but with diamonds, a tan, and a glass of rosé.

There’s a reason people call Miami Beach “a sunny place for shady people.”

Welcome to Sunset Academy, the most coveted elementary school in Miami Beach, where there are three categories of families: rich, wealthy, and ultra-wealthy.

Perfectly tanned and smiling Charlotte Giordani is Sunset Academy’s alpha mom. With a sleek blowout and relentless charm, Charlotte’s brashness serves her well. She’s up for election as the PTA president and is riding high, having just secured a massive donation from billionaire Don Walker and his socialite wife Patricia. Don and Patricia are philanthropists, media darlings, and the owners of Villa Rosé, a newly built modern glass house that everyone is talking about. (It’s either spectacular or a tacky eyesore, depending on how you feel about billionaires.)

Enter Melody Howard, a wide-eyed transplant from Wichita, Kansas. At first a skeptic about Miami Beach and its endlessly hashtaggable social scene, Melody finds herself sucked into the glossy, frenetic world of Sunset Academy moms. Melody’s easygoing manner and background in nonprofit management make her an asset to the PTA. But when she emerges as a rival for the PTA presidency, Charlotte begins to unravel. Even the most powerful players on the social scene prove to be vulnerable when an investigation into white-collar crime—triggered by another school mom, the formidable Jamaican-American Judge Carol Lawson—threatens to take down the whole institution. No amount of rosé can soothe tensions as the drama builds to a shocking crisis point.

Told in rotating first person voices, Pink Glass Houses is an irresistibly voyeuristic peek into the lives of the rich and infamous, where cocaine playdates, $100,000 kiddie birthday parties, and relentless social climbing are a way of life.

"Asha Elias takes us on a wildly entertaining journey into the seamy underbelly of Miami Beach—the glamorous, cutthroat, scandalous and sometimes deadly world of (I’m not making this up) elementary-school fundraising."—New York Times bestselling author Dave Barry

©2024 Asha Elias (P)2024 HarperCollins Publishers

Fun beach read

Read this while on vacation and it had the catty, gossipy aspects of a fun tv show set in Miami

I loved the narrators but the book was just okay

I wanted to fall in love with book and I hoped the snark and sarcasm would build depth but I ended the book feeling like it was very surface level and I am not sure anyone really changed. The narrators were the best part of the book

fun mama drama thriller

the cover caught my attention and when I read the synopsis I was sold and pre-ordered this book. the book definitely was everything I love in this type of domestic thriller. the book is told in multiple POV all having their own narrators. the book is satire but if you have ever dealt with PTO moms especially in a wealthier neighborhood this is so relatable. I devoured this book in one sitting.

It passed the time.

It’s hardly a deep or consequential book, but I kept listening until it ended . Fifteen word minimum.

When fiction catches a glimmer of fact

I lived in South Beach as an educator moving from the Northeast and raised in the Midwest. As a friend of mine always says about real life: "You can' make this stuff up." True -- which is probably why this literary little oevre drew me towards it even as I knew I might feel like I was voluntarily watching a car crash. To that end, the story is an all too true whiff of the shiny life in South Beach -- as told by parents involved with their children's schools. Alas, I know some of these stories or, rather, some toomuch too close to this -- one, in particular, with an ending more brutal even than this. To that end, enjoy this beach (Beach?) read then wash your brain out with something wholesome as life in South Beach -- whether it be the filthy rich or the homelessness on the street -- breaks your heart as it blows your mind.

Ridiculously good

I hate how much I loved this story. But I’m annoyed with one important open story line. (You’ll know which one I’m referring to once you listen.)

Fun read

I Loved the first person narration, great character development, nice to get in to the heads of various characters. Fun plot lines, enjoyed it!

excellent

Absolutely loved! Finished in 2 days. Great book about snotty PTA mom's. Should be listed as a domestic thriller.

Amazing character development

Masterfully crafted novel that captivates from start to finish. The storyline is compelling, weaving intricate plots and rich character development. The writing is top-notch, demonstrating the author’s prowess with vivid descriptions and eloquent prose. Each page draws you deeper into the narrative, making it a truly unputdownable read. Highly recommended for all.

Accurate!

I live in Miami Beach, and for every character, I can picture their real-life counterpart 😆. It’s entertaining and they should make it into a movie or series!