Caviar Dreams, Tuna Fish Budget: How to Survive in Business and Life

I have always liked Margaret on RHONJ, and was interested in reading her book once I had heard she was coming out with one. I’ll admit, I originally did not have high hopes. I’ve read Caroline, Melissa, and Teresa’s books and was not impressed with them. Caroline’s was too self-important and she gave herself too many pats on the back. Melissa’s marriage book should have been labeled science fiction, because I time traveled back to the 1950s where all women did was serve their husbands. Teresa’s books were okay, but it was very obvious a ghost writer wrote it.With that being said, I went into Marge’s book expecting to be mildly entertained but I figured it would be along the same caliber as the other RHONJ books. I have to say, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Margaret was open on the show about having a ghostwriter, which I didn’t mind because the book still felt like I was sitting across from Marge, listening to her recount her life experiences. The flow and pacing was perfect, and I appreciated the honesty and humor. Normally when I read these books I look forward to hearing about them discussing the show and spilling dirt on other housewives. But with Marge’s book, I was completely satisfied just reading about her life and journey, and the RHONJ content at the end was just an added bonus.The Marge had a tough life, but I liked that she always brought it back to family and thinking of the important things in life. What I admired most is that she owned whatever mistakes she made in life, and didn’t hide behind them. Her matter-of-fact yet empathetic personality drew me in, and I found myself eager to pick the book back up. I love her relationship with Joe (their great chemistry on TV is always fun to watch), but I also enjoyed learning more about Jan and her children. I can feel the love she has for them through her words.Overall, this book is worth a read even if you don’t want RHONJ. The Marge is uplifting and has a good work ethic that was fun to read about. I would recommend this book for sure.

No dust jacket, now I have to find one elsewhere. Not happy! Does not say anything anywhere about not having it!

Even if you are not a fan of RHNJ you should still read this book. Margret Joseph is so much more than what you see on Bravo. Honestly, After reading about the journey that has brought her to this point I am impressed with her resilience, business experience, and her blunt honesty about all the various aspects of her life.

I loved reading this book. I’ve been a huge RHONJ fan for so many years and this was the first housewife book I’ve bought. I thought it was so transparent and conversational, you feel like you’re listening to Margaret tell you her love story. It’s not overly edited and clearly came from a place of love for Margaret.

I really like Margaret Josephs. There is no question that she’s a genuinely good friend to most everyone she meets. She’s also aware of her flaws, but tends to see them as advantages in business. She may get a lot done, but she needed to take a lot more time to write this book well. It was definitely slapped together by a ghost writer who had a lot of trouble with chronology. I enjoyed learning about her life, but the story could have been so much richer and more helpful to young women entrepreneurs.First off, the book jumps from past to future and back again often, with little connection. One minute she is married to Jan, the next she is striking out on her own, then back to struggling with him. She spends so much time describing her marital challenges that we forget the nature of their business.Events like her wedding in Vegas get repeated. Unfortunately, repetition is rife throughout this book. She tells us over and over and over again about the problems in her marriage when I would have loved to know a lot more about her creative process, and the dynamic between the women on the team beyond them being described as emotionally close best friends.Margaret doesn’t seem to see the contradiction between her excessive spending and appetite for the best things in life, and her frustration with not having money for her business. I am afraid that she is quite like her mother when it comes to finances. While I am team Margaret, I can definitely see why Jan was controlling in this regard. The sad irony is that, had he stayed involved with her business, she likely would not have made so many naive and costly mistakes. Not a very empowering thought, but she absolutely needed someone to tamp down her enthusiasm and plan for the worst case. Did she not have a lawyer? Or trust one?The constant theme throughout the book is the predatory nature of men, even Jan. It sheds devastating light on how they behave in business and are thrilled to take advantage of women in every way. Unfortunately, the way Margaret learned to interact with men from her mother set her set her on a path for engaging with them in a hyper sexual manner. Honey attracts bees.I would encourage Margaret to try this again, or maybe attempt to improve it through her podcast. I am quite sure there are many fascinating details hidden in the business story of how she grew her lifestyle brand that would emerge, beyond the men who exploited her or frustrated her growth. Her decision not to drink has served her extremely well in life. A drunk Margaret would have been even easier prey for sharks.

I love Marge. I actually heard about her years and years before her debut on the RHONJ. A friend who owned a small business met Margaret at a gift show and could not stop talking about her and her products. I put two and two together when Marge debuted on RHONJ and talked about The Macbeth Collection. It's clear that this woman leaves an impression on people wherever she goes!This book was a great insight into Margaret's life. Everything that you see on RHONJ makes complete sense after reading this book.I appreciated Margaret's honesty about everything. That is very hard to do in general. I cannot imagine being on national television and doing it. From her experiences with older men in power (Are they all pigs?! ), to her upbringing, her marriage and lessons she learned in business she is very open and honest. Her stories are all very colorful and hilarious. There are a lot of valuable lessons in this book that I appreciated. Marge is a fun personality and that comes across on tv and in this book!

Love this book. Can’t put it down. Such a great insight into Margaret’s life.

I thoroughly enjoyed Margaret Joseph's book. If you are a fan of the RHONJ, it fills in a lot of blanks and really lets you get to know "The Marge". The book dwells more on her life and not so much on the RHONJ, but I found it a very interesting read. Gives great insight into her relationship with her mother.

The book was dented and ripped?? Disappointing when it’s a gift.