Kate Jameson had a difficult childhood. Her mother died when she was young, leaving her in the care of an alcoholic father. Kate was taken in by the Horowitz family, including big-hearted, no-nonsense Mrs. Horowitz, a surrogate mother figure, and Bina, Kate’s best friend. The Horowitzes and Kate’s other friends, dubbed the Bitches of Bushwick, all live on the wrong side of the river for Kate, however, and embody everything about Brooklyn that she strove to leave behind. Kate made a new life for herself as a psychologist for an exclusive private school in Manhattan, developing a veneer of sophistication and a new group of polished, educated friends. From her urbane boyfriend to her new best friends, a gay couple, Kate has everything she ever wanted except marriage. She has even learned how to balance her two worlds without ever having them collide.Then, one night, Bina shows up brokenhearted because the man she thought would propose told her he wanted space instead, and Kate’s two lives begin to merge. Her gay friends, Elliott and Brice, begin showing up for baby showers and weddings in Brooklyn, and that’s when they hatch their plan to bring Bina’s boyfriend back to her. They want her to date Dumping Billy, a bartending, French-speaking Lothario whose ex-girlfriends always wind up marrying the very next man they date. Kate goes along reluctantly, denying the attraction she herself feels for Billy while she and her friends coldly manipulate him for their own ends. When the time comes for Billy to dump Bina, Kate makes her move and starts falling for him herself, plagued by worries that she’s just like all the others. That ceases to matter when Billy learns he’d been manipulated, and he dumps Kate for her perfidy. Kate deals with her past and present, feeling bleak about the future until all is put to rights.While I could relate to some of her emotions, I found Kate an unsympathetic character: snobby, self-righteous, and cold. While her Brooklyn crowd treats her as if she never left the neighborhood, she holds them in contempt for their lack of taste, sophistication, and success. Not only that, she’s always so busy being pissed off at everybody for not seeing things her way, she misses important things that are going on in their lives. Bina is genuinely hurt by her boyfriend’s behavior, as he nails everything with a pulse in Hong Kong, but Kate never takes the time to actually listen when Bina tries to talk to her, merely telling her to shut up and get him back because they were together for six years. Meanwhile, everyone down to her across-the-hall neighbor is genuinely concerned and interested in Bina’s life. Though often mildly amused by their taste, Elliott and Brice develop a genuine affection for Kate’s Brooklyn friends and seamlessly integrate themselves into the crowd. I hoped that Kate might come to realize she was superficial and judgmental and become a better person, but was disappointed in that regard. Instead, everything falls into place and she gets everything she wanted without a single epiphany.Though I found Kate’s character arrogant, she was nonetheless well-drawn, as were all the other prominent characters. I also liked this book for the underlying depth that had been missing in a couple of Goldsmith’s fluffier books. While I’m glad I don’t have to live in Manhattan, it’s always fun to visit, and this book does not disappoint.
Kate left her Brooklyn roots and made it to Manhattan. She has a good job and great friends there. But then one of her old Brooklyn friends shows up heartbroken, Bina has fallen apart after her boyfriend left to explore his "singleness". What to do in a situation like this? Well there is always the enigmatic Billy Nolan, all Brooklyn and all gorgeous. Not to mention that when ever he dumps a girl that girls marries the next guy that comes along, and it doesn't take that long either. Could he be the answer to Binas problem? She can date Billy, get dumped and wait for Jacks return. But the problem might be what Billy feels about the whole thing.This book got me thinking because I honestly didn't care for Kate, early on she mentions how glad she is to be out of Brooklyn, and how much better she is because of it, and this cos she dress better. That comes back later on when she thinks that even if she has the most "simple" dress she still looks so much better than the rest at the wedding she is on. I did recent that only because she lives in Manhattan she is so much better, more worth than those not living in the real big city. All this because of the expensive and fine clothes she wears. What kind of message is that? Or perhaps she only wants to diss Brooklyn, but I took it in too, and it means me too then.And what is with this obsession to get married. Sure I love it in a book, but it was like they couldn't live without it, it defined them. And why marry someone you haven't known for long? Can that really tun out great, it wasn't like they showed in great emotions either, like it was kismet.Oh and I am really tearing at the book now. It wasn't that bad actually. Yes it never did have me laughing or smiling, first once at the end. I was never that interested, and I quickly understood how everything would turn out. But I am sure others could love this book, well at least like it. I guess that because of what Kate said early on I never warmed up to her, and she was bitchy throughout the book, in a way.I think I will stop giving ratings, it is so hard. But since I didn't like the book in the end, I can't recommend it. I rather say that it's up to each to make their own impression of it. Books I don't like others love. That is life. Maybe others can laugh at it too.Though I can say that I give most of my books 3, because it's so hard to choose, and this book wasn't a 3 even if it was an easy read that didn't take much out of you.
What do You think about Dumping Billy (2004)?
Honestly, this book wasn't all that good. I didn't expect it to be amazing. You could tell from the blurb it was going to be just a fluffy book that didn't make you think. But that doesn't mean it's allowed to be bad. First, Kate. She wasn't a very interesting character. I found her predictable, and doesn't stand out from all the other women in the book. She goes on and on about how much she can't stand Brooklyn, then goes back there to see her friends all the time. Her friends who's names all start with B of course. But not Kate. If you're going to go with a theme like that, stick with it for the whole group, please.Then Brice and Elliot. At first I thought Elliot was going to be the one interesting character in the book. But his gayness got too much. Sorry, did you catch that? He's gay. Also, Brice is his partner. And here's something else about him - he's gay. Him and Kate are best friends. Because he's gay. Just like Brice. His boyfriend. BOY FRIEND. There can be more to a gay character than they're sexuality, Goldsmith.Her work was pretty interesting. But it was way too forced. I wanted it to be part of her daily routine, not a scene that's shoved in there just to look interesting. It got better once her boyfriends started coming to her work, but before that it was unnecessary.And the ending. I don't want to spoil it (though I do wonder why you're reading it), but life does not end that happily-ever-after. I'd love to see them 10 years from now and see how happy they are then. I mean, think, please, before you jump into these things.Overall, I give this two stars. Simply because I did manage to finish it, so there must have been some good points in there. Subtle ones, but still there
—Victoria Scott
I'm having a bad run, I think, probably because I'm trying to find good contemporary romance and I'm not seeing it. This book was so boring I couldn't keep going. I started skimming furiously after chapter 6, in which we still haven't met Billy and all that's happened so far is Kate's gone to work, bantered with her gay friend, gotten a manicure, and gone to dinner with her boring boyfriend and gay friends. I thought things might get ineresting when her friend comes crashing into her life, sobbing because of a bad breakup, but then it takes 4 more chapters to get the story (while the phone rings off the hook) and we still haven't met Billy. The setup looked interesting from the book blurb, but 10 chapters in nothing has happened.
—Christine
She's changed her style, but her roots are showing. Katie Jameson left Brooklyn for Manhattan the first chance she got. Her two worlds collide when her best friend Bina needs her help. Olivia Goldsmith's Dumping Billy lured me in with its wit and charm.The story is based in Brooklyn and in Manhattan. The way Olivia Goldsmith describes the two different Burroughs makes me see the differences in my head. Like when Katie is talking about the little garden outside her apartment window and then she later compares it to Billy's garden in Brooklyn. She talks about how big, beautiful, and lush it is.The book has some comedy. For example Brice and Elliot, Katie's Manhattan friends, always made comments about Katie's Brooklyn friends, that would make me laugh out loud. There was also some dramatic moments especially when Katie's heart is broken by a mystery man.This book reminds me of a song by Demi Lovato called Two Worlds Collide. The song talks about the struggles of a persons two different worlds coming together. It kind of describes what Katie is going through.The main character Katie is a psychologist who works at a private school. In this book she struggles to keep her Brooklyn and Manhattan friends separate,with no avail. She also just cannot seem to find Mr. Right. She Learns to be honest with how she feels. Elliot, Katie's Manhattan best friend, works with Katie at the School. When Katie's needs cheering up, he knows just what to say to make her feel better. He always has a trick up his sleeve, he came up with the dumping billy plan. Bina, Katie's Brooklyn best friend, desperately wants to get married. She goes through a lot of turmoil before she reaches that goal. Billy Nolan is the guy that shakes up everybody's world.Finally This book took me through an emotional roller coaster, But I enjoyed every page. I would recommend this book to any teenage to young adult female, who enjoys romantic comedies. I had never heard of Olivia Goldsmith before I saw this book in the library, but I will definitely read more of her books.Page Total 323
—Wendy
