Starred review from May 2, 2005
Glamour, fashion, gossip, scheming—they're all here in a page-turning debut starring Siena McMahon, feisty granddaughter of Hollywood movie legend Duke McMahon. In the tradition of Jackie Collins and Danielle Steel, Bagshawe strews Sienna's path to stardom with bumps aplenty. Family trouble began before Siena was born, when Duke decided his mistress should move in with his wife and kids, but Siena, born in 1981, had a pretty cushy childhood as a granddaughter of the wife—at least until she finds her beloved grandfather dead in the family's Hollywood manse. Siena's father, jealous of the attention Duke lavished on Siena, cows his wife into packing their outspoken 10-year-old to an English boarding school, and when Siena later defies her father's plans for her (Oxford med school) to become a supermodel (and thus kick-start an acting career) he disinherits her. Bagshawe nimbly captures Siena's fierce ambition, and like her glam novel predecessors, she keeps the pages flying with steamy sex and keen behind-the-scenes takes on the fashion, movie and television businesses. Secondary characters, such as British director wannabe Max De Seville, Sienna's on again/off again love interest, shine almost as brightly as Siena, and Bagshawe nips in an entertaining side plot about Max's half-brother's struggle to keep his 16th-century Cotswold farm from the hands of a dodgy Cockney developer. This is one of those big, juicy summer beach reads—not too deep, just wildly entertaining. Agent, Luke Janklow. Major ad/promo.
May 15, 2005
Gorgeous, smart, and talented Siena McMahon is Hollywood royalty -granddaughter of movie star Duke McMahon and daughter of big-shot Hollywood producer Peter McMahon. Though she yearns to be a movie star like grandpa, daddy wants her to study medicine at Oxford. When Siena does something that essentially seals her fate in her father's eyes, she has no choice but to go her own way. As she matures, Siena makes both brilliant and disastrous decisions in terms of her career, her love life, and the people she keeps in her inner circle, experiencing dizzying levels of happiness and despair. At 500-plus pages, Bagshawe's debut is a hefty slice of escapist cake in the vein of Judith Krantz and Jackie Collins. And although the plot is often predictable, who cares? This cocktail of sex, Hollywood, and a dysfunctional family is simply intoxicating. Public libraries should expect big demand. [See Prepub Alert, "LJ "3/15/05.] -Samantha J. Gust, Niagara Univ. Lib., NY
Copyright 2005 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
May 1, 2005
Bagshawe set out to write a book that broke free from the chick-lit mold. She succeeded in producing an epic romance with ultraglamorous characters--no Bridget Jones here. The book opens with the story of philandering movie star Duke; his coolly detached wife, Minnie; and their decidedly untraditional home--Duke's mistress shares quarters with his true family. After Duke's death, Bagshawe follows the lives of his granddaughter, Siena, and his illegitimate son, Hunter. The two have reunited just as they're both becoming Hollywood stars. But when Hunter's best friend, Max, betrays Siena, their refashioned family is split once again. Siena then becomes involved with a hotshot producer until a violent incident leaves her forever changed. Although the lengthy novel could have done with some judicious editing, the Hollywood setting and the volatile relationships will keep readers enthralled. Recommend it to fans of Danielle Steele and Nora Roberts.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2005, American Library Association.)
August 1, 2005
With only one previous audiobook under her belt (Bergdorf Blondes
, Hyperion Audio), Walger's sensational narration of Bagshawe's deliciously sinful novel proves she's a budding audio star. Walger (who appears on TV's CSI: NY
) throws herself into this adaptation with giddy abandon and palpable enthusiasm. Narrating most of the book with her crisp, confident British accent, she effortless slips into American characters, giving each an individual cadence and personality. Bagshawe's decades-spanning Hollywood tale of glamour, greed, lust and revenge will remind listeners of the sweeping, high-caloric sagas by Jacqueline Susann or Lynda LaPlante. Like those two authors, Bagshawe excels at creating characters who are borderline unsympathetic but always compelling. While the big, juicy beach novel has been trimmed a bit, Jessica Kaye's excellent abridgment keeps the various story lines coherent while never slowing the pace below a gallop. Walger's remarkably adroit characterizations never let the multitude of characters become confusing. The only flaw in this production is that the musical cues sometimes play too loudly, threatening to drown out the narration rather than enhancing it. Simultaneous release with the Warner hardcover (Reviews, May 2).
September 5, 2005
High school sophomore Alison is withdrawing: she broke up with her senior football quarterback boyfriend and avoids hanging out with her dad and younger brother. "The strength here lies in Clark's ability to create a very real world through vivid details," wrote PW
. Ages 14-up.