Outside In - Courtney Thorne-Smith

Kate Keyes-Morgan has it all: an acting career on the hit soap opera Generations, the car, the house, and the husband (Hamilton), also her manager. Unfortunately, Kate realizes too late that she sold her soul to the devil to have this life. She regularly attends therapy with Penelope, a counselor chosen by Hamilton for her belief that a woman's sole mission in life is to create a safe haven for their husbands.

Eventually, Hamilton decides to take on the management of Sapphire Rose, the star of Generations, and, of course, dumps the wife for the doting girlfriend. Sapphire, naturally, is a conniving little tart, and eventually has Kate fired from the show. Kate finally gets mad and takes control of her own life, eventually landing on top.

Granted, the plot has been done before, but Thorne-Smith has written a novel worth reading. The characters are well-developed and believable, as is the dialogue.

It is also worth noting that the author starred as Alison on Melrose Place, Georgia on Ally McBeal, and Cheryl on According to Jim.