Spotlight: Small Admissions

Today we're featuring Small Admissions by Amy Poeppel as part of BookSparks' 2016 Fall Reading Challenge.

Synopsis:
When ambitious Kate Pearson’s handsome French “almost fiancé” ditches her, she does not roll with the punches, despite the best efforts of her family and friends. After abandoning her lofty career goals and grad school plans, Kate spends her days lolling on the couch, watching reruns of Sex and the City and leaving her apartment only when an infrequent dog-walking gig demands it. It seems that nothing will get her out of pajamas and back into the world—until, miraculously, one cringe worthy job interview leads to a position in the admissions school department at the revered Hudson Day School.

In her new position, Kate learns there’s no time for self-pity or nonsense during the height of the admissions season, or what her colleagues refer to as “the dark time.” As the process revs up, Kate meets smart kids who are unlikable, likeable kids who aren’t very smart, and Park Avenue parents who refuse to take no for an answer. Meanwhile, Kate’s sister and her closest friends find themselves keeping secrets, hiding boyfriends, dropping bombshells, and fighting each other on how to keep Kate on her feet. On top of it all, her cranky, oddly charming, and irritatingly handsome downstairs neighbor is more than he seems. Through every dishy, page-turning twist, it seems that one person’s happiness leads to another’s misfortune, and suddenly everyone, including Kate, is looking for a way to turn rejection on its head, using any means necessary—including the truly unexpected.

“Small Admissions is quick-witted and razor-sharp. With a chorus of varied and absurd voices, you'll laugh at everyone involved while secretly fearing that you see yourself in the mix. Amy Poeppel manages to tell a story both poignant and hilarious, hinting that this wry and absorbing debut is the beginning of an exciting career.” ~Taylor Jenkins Reid, Author of One True Loves

Amy Poeppel is a graduate of Wellesley College. She lives with her husband and three sons in New York City, where she worked in the admissions department of a prestigious independent school. She workshopped a theatrical version of Small Admissions at the Actors Studio Playwrights/Directors Unit. She later expanded it into this novel. Visit Amy at her website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.