Climbing in Heels

A Novel

De: Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas

Narrado por: Stephanie Németh-Parker

Climbing in Heels, Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas's debut novel, is a fictional tale of the rise of three secretaries at the hottest agency in 1980's Hollywood, giving you a glimpse into the boys-will-be-boys club and the women who wanted a seat at a table where they were expected to serve. Elaine was a top agent at the William Morris Agency (WMA) in the late 1980s and at ICM (International Creative Management) in the 1990s. She represented many A-list actors, including Jennifer Lopez, Julia Roberts, Tim Robbins, and Madonna.

It's the story of friendship, betrayal, survival, standing up when they pass you by, and saying I won't go when they want you gone. And it's also a story about how some of those women became very much like the monsters who trained them.

Meet Beanie Rosen, the fast-talking and even faster-thinking Valley girl who knows where she wants to go, and doesn’t care if she doesn’t look the part.

Mercedes Baxter, who learned early on how to leverage the monied friends of her monied friends' parents until she found a foothold in Hollywood.

And Ella Gaddy, a sexy free-spirit anti-debutante from a white-glove Kentucky home who shakes up any room she walks into.

Listen to Climbing in Heels and watch these women meet, meld, fight, strategize and climb their way into your heart.

A rollicking tale of sex, drugs, and power–in heels.

A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin’s Press.

©2025 Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas (P)2025 Macmillan Audio

Reseñas de la Crítica

"The heart of the book is gossip: agent politics and dirty dealings, actor name-drops, affairs left and right, power and the power-hungry. [And main character] Beanie is smart, tenacious, and fun to watch...Juicy."—Kirkus

“Sexy, sharp, and unapologetically bold, CLIMBING IN HEELS plunges you into the glamour and grit of Hollywood in the 1980s. Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas delivers an entertaining debut, pulling readers into the messy, electric lives of three women who refuse to be sidelined.”—ALISSA DeROGATIS, AUTHOR OF CALL IT WHAT YOU WANT

“If you love Hollywood stories—from Valley of the Dolls to What Makes Sammy Run?, to The Player—get this book now. Get it, read it, share it, gift it. You won’t be able to put this delicious book down. So, grab a cup of coffee and curl up with Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas’s CLIMBING IN HEELS. You’ll be really glad you did.”—AMY FERRIS, AUTHOR OF MARRYING GEORGE CLOONEY

Too many detsils

I wanted to like this book more than I did. I loved the beginning but the further it progressed the more complicated it got with too many characters and story details. I lost interest and wanted it to end. The editing was flawed with repeated sentences and at one point the narrator coughed. Not great.

Fun Read!

What a fun read, didn’t want it to end. Each of the characters written well with interesting storylines. Felt reminiscent of the fun felt when reading a Jackie Collins novel. Looking forward to the TV series.

Didn’t Live Up to Expectations

Had been looking forward to the release of this novel for months. It has been hyped by several book influencers I like on Instagram. Novel started out ok, but it had way too many minor characters. It was difficult to keep all of the names straight. Turns out, I did not like any of the characters. Slimy people in a slimy business. Given all of the name dropping, readers age-50 and older would appreciate the who’s who. Younger readers probably would not. Book will not age well. Was glad it was over.

What’s up with the narrator coughing (not part of the story)? Poor editing.

Excellent Reed

This book starts out as a series of vignettes about three women, which is a great way to give you the background before their stories come together. It is a page Turner, with drama and comedic moments as well as real harsh truths. I will note that in this audio version, there are several mistakes left in the recording including repeated lines, coughing and noise in the background.

Great character development

Really fun! Loved all the main characters and enjoyed the layers of other characters that built the story. Good depth. Interesting. Captivating. Laugh out loud and emotional.