BORN BARRON

Kane debuts with a novel about a 23-year-old woman who grew up poor and later gets a taste of a childhood friend’s seductive wealthy life.

Shane Lacy is barely making ends meet in a tiny apartment somewhere in America. She and Jake, her husband of five years, each work multiple jobs and hardly see each other. But it’s Jake who goes on vacation—a two-week hunting and fishing trip with family and friends. Shane plans to spend that time alone until she learns her estranged mother, Agnes, isn’t doing well. She hasn’t seen or heard from Agnes for almost as long as she’s been married. She has no fond memories of her childhood; her mom took in strays (animals and hapless boyfriends), often leaving Shane to fend for herself. But in returning to care for a shockingly malnourished Agnes, Shane reunites with her former bestie, Simone Barron, whose rich father died mere days earlier—in prison. Shane seemingly blames herself for the so-called (and initially cryptic) Barron scandal, claiming she left her hometown after “ruining everyone’s life.” Simone, however, welcomes Shane into her affluent world of lavish Ritz-Carlton digs and parties with foie gras and escargots. There’s also dashing Sebastian Kane, who entices Shane with exhilarating sex. She spends her Jake-free weeks enamored of Sebastian and a lifestyle free of financial worries and discontent. But not everything is as glorious as it appears; signs point to someone’s possible deceit, while retaining an upper-class standing comes at a price Shane may not be willing to pay.

Characters in Kane’s book range from unlikable to outright detestable. Jake, for example, expects Shane to squeeze baking muffins for his trip into her busy schedule, and one of Simone’s wealthy friends is a blatant racist. The author nevertheless excels at developing the motley cast. Shane winds up babysitting for Simone’s young daughter, Vivi, a sweet girl who, oddly, rarely speaks. The protagonist also befriends Sam, a homeless man with a vivid backstory and a startling secret. Shane, meanwhile, is both sympathetic and believable. She certainly has her flaws, but her sometimes-harsh demeanor is a constant reminder of the rough life she’s endured. It’s further indicative of the nitwits she deals with daily, like her bar-owner boss who leaves his one-night stands for Shane to send away. Her first-person narration reads convincingly, the voice of an outsider among the “überwealthy.” She describes stepping onto a yacht: “It’s modern and cozy, sexy, sleek, and warm all at once. I forgot my shoes at the beach in my drunken stupor and feel incredibly stupid walking around with sandy feet all over the shiny floors for as far as I can see.” It’s a dreary story overall, even when there’s humor. Agnes’ insistence that Shane’s father is one of the “Tom” celebrities (Brokaw, Selleck, etc.) is funny but also gives credence to Shane’s implication that her mother is clinically insane. The ending packs a punch even if some readers will see it coming.

A hard-hitting, riveting tale of the dangers of affluence and social disparities.