Dobri prijateljici Liz in Merry se razideta po končani fakulteti in začneta živeti popolnoma drugačni življenji. Medtem ko Liz postane slavna pisateljica na Manhattnu, se Merry poroči in preseli v Kalifornijo. Ker Merry svoji prijateljici zavida njen uspeh in slavo, se tudi sama odloči napisati roman, v katerem razgali svoje slavne hollywoodske sosede. Kmalu prijateljici postaneta rivalki, ki se poleg slave borita tudi za istega moškega.
Liz and Merry Noel become friends as college roommates and their friendship endures over the years. Liz becomes a respected "serious" novelist. Merry Noel marries, has a daughter and writes, too: "trash" fiction which becomes enormously successful. Their story begins in college and jumps ahead some years at a time to show their relationship with each other and those in their orbits as they grow and mature.