Season 4 Overview

Cast & Info

On fourth season of Bravo's The Real Housewives of Orange County, Tamra Barney, Vicki Gunvalson, Jeana Keough and Lauri Peterson are back, and welcoming a new housewife to the block, 30-year-old blond bombshell Gretchen Rossi, who poses an immediate threat with her youth and golden good looks. The ladies continue to strive to live the good life, but in reality, the perfect lives of contemporary women juggling family, friends and careers isn't always as fabulous it seems. The ladies are tackling greater challenges while coming to terms with past secrets and lingering issues.

Vicki is building her insurance empire, sometimes to the detriment of her marriage to Donn. Tamra copes with her relationships with her estranged father and her taxing 21-year-old son, Ryan, while also keeping busy as a stay-at-home mom with three young kids. Jeana tries to figure out her next move following an emotional separation from her husband, Matt.

Lauri continues to enjoy life as a blissful newlywed, but issues with her son, Josh, may tarnish her fairytale. There is competition in store for this complicated circle of friends.

Gretchen is the newest housewife on the block, and a jaw-dropping Orange County bombshell. Gretchen's fiance, Jeff, is an older man who spoils her rotten with diamonds and gifts. They enjoyed a whirlwind romance and engagement that came to an unexpected and heartbreaking turn when Jeff was diagnosed with a rare form of Leukemia. An outgoing party girl, it's easy to peg Gretchen as a gold digger (and the other ladies have their doubts about her), but she cares for Jeff and stands by him through very serious hardships that test her character.

As usual, the men and kids are caught in the whirlwind and do their best to try and understand their complicated wives, mothers and daughters, but insight into these women proves once again to be anything but simple. This fourth season will explore the women on a deeper level, bringing their stories full circle to uncover the secrets that often lie behind closed doors. The gates, Botox injections and mansions can't keep reality from intruding for too long. What will finally unfold when the gates are opened?

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