Released on Fat Tuesday, this Mardi Gras–inspired episode of Lit with Lara Ashley dives into Park Avenue.

A novel about wealth, ambition, romance, and the quiet cost of success.

In this episode, Lara Ashley reflects on power and performance, the masks we wear in our careers and relationships, and what it means to pursue ambition without losing ourselves. Using the spirit of Mardi Gras as a lens, she explores themes of indulgence, legacy, reinvention, and the tension between image and authenticity.

Lara also highlights a New Orleans–rooted author whose work deepens the conversation around power and inheritance, and closes the episode with a curated Community Library for readers drawn to stories of glamour, ambition, and identity.

Pour a drink, settle in, and enjoy a thoughtful Fat Tuesday read that lingers ...