A disgraced publicist seeks a new beginning by agreeing to be a dorm mother at her old boarding school. Gillian Brodie never imagined herself returning to her sleepy Sonoma boarding school at age 38, but then again, this past year was full of surprises. After she erroneously trusted a client who'd been accused of sexual abuse, Gillian's successful career as a celebrity publicist shattered. Dubbed "the playboy's publicist" and approached by other sexual harassers wanting her to represent them, she decided to close her New York City firm and take an offer to be a dorm mother at Glen Ellen Academy--trying to see it "not as an admission of defeat, but as a new beginning." While Gillian is grateful for the opportunity to return to Glen Ellen, she remains haunted by an older betrayal, this one involving her best friend from school days, Miranda. Gillian and Miranda had both vowed never to act on their romantic feelings for the final member of their trio, Aiden, but then Gillian discovered that her two friends had been secretly dating for months. Despite Gillian's subsequent Yale education and glamorous career, Aiden was "a kind of bittersweet reminder of the one thing that she'd never gotten to have." That is, until Gillian learns she's dorm mother to a girl named Rainbow, whose single father is none other than Aiden. As Gillian navigates being a guardian to several needy teenagers and beginning a new relationship with Aiden, her return to Glen Ellen helps unravel years of trust issues and missed opportunities. Parker's novel explores second chances in a beautiful setting--the picturesque academy and delectable wine country scenery bring out the best in her writing. Beyond depictions of Sonoma, however, Parker's novel is disappointing. Gillian's character never feels fully explained, and when compared to students like pathological liar Bunny or eccentric twins Farrah and Freddy, her personality is dry. An interesting concept lacks a compelling main character. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Parker's faltering sophomore effort (after The Shortest Way Home) follows a disgraced publicist who returns to work at her former boarding school. After representing a director who was later found guilty of sexual harassment, 38-year-old Gillian Brodie folds her New York City--based company and accepts an offer to work as a dorm mother at her alma mater, Glen Ellen Academy, in California's wine country. Gillian has been around the world and worked with countless celebrities, but she's still hung up on her high school crush Aiden Lloyd and the drama that kicked off when he started dating their best friend. As luck would have it, Aiden now owns a winery in town and is the single father to one of Gillian's charges, a senior named Rainbow who's tight with class president Bunny Winthrop. Gillian is fond of Bunny, who's envious of viral singer classmates Freddy and Farah Shirazi and worried they'll steal the show at homecoming. After Gillian helps the Shirazis deal with the media, the school puts her to work on a potential embezzlement scandal. Unfortunately, Parker never goes very deep, and because Gillian's past betrayals remain unresolved, the saccharine ending doesn't feel earned. It's not bad, there's just not much to chew on. (Aug.)

Gillian is a successful, high-powered New York City publicist until a client's betrayal destroys her career. When she receives an unexpected offer to be a "dorm mom" at her alma mater, Glen Ellen Academy, Gillian accepts with relief. She has mostly good memories of her time at the ritzy boarding high school in Sonoma, even as a scholarship student amid wealthy kids. Although she did feel betrayed when her two best friends, Miranda and Aiden, became a couple. Now, years later, Aiden's daughter is one of her charges, and Gillian and Aiden begin to revive their relationship. Gillian enjoys the interactions with the teens more than she expected and is beginning to feel comfortable until twins face sudden fame, and an ugly scandal threatens the school. Luckily, Gillian is ready with her PR background to save the day. Parker (The Shortest Way Home, 2018) offers an intriguing twist in this tale of revisiting high school as an adult and redeeming one's past; that and a touch of romance and the lure of second chances make for a fun read.