- Hardcover: 316 pages
- Publisher: St. Martin's Press; 1 edition (3 Feb 2009)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0312379447
- ISBN-13: 978-0312379445
- Product Dimensions: 21.3 x 14.5 x 3.3 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,356,698 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Note: I received an ARC of this book through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers programme.
Tess Drake is a high-flying literary agent on the staff of a top entertainment agency. Sufficiently high-flying that she wants to branch out on her own, rather than continue to take a salary that's a fraction of the money she brings into the business. As the novel opens, she's just been given one final push in that direction by the death of her boss. Tess liked Lowell; she loathes Cosima, the woman who's about to take over, and the feeling's mutual.
The problem for Tess is that she's made more enemies than just Cosima along the way to success. She's left frantically trying to put together her new business without letting slip what she's doing, in the middle of the uproar generated by Lowell's death from auto-erotic asphyxiation. Oh, and then there's the police investigation into the suggestion that Lowell's death wasn't an accident, and that Tess might have had something to do with it.
It's fast, funny, and more than a little over the top. It's also unashamedly for an adult audience, as is obvious right from the first page. There is swearing and there is sex, and most of it is there for genuine plot and character development reasons. There's also a lot of acidly funny commentary on the entertainment business, with much dropping of real names to add to the realism.
Tess is often unlikeable, but she's also aware of her flaws, and there's real growth in her character during the book. She's also fiercely loyal to a few people for more than commercial reasons, and genuinely regrets the damage she's accidentally caused to relationships she valued.
The book's a blend of chick-lit and mystery, and does a good job of both, but is not going to appeal to everyone. I can see why the reviews on LibraryThing range from loathing to loving it. For me personally it was a page-turner, and while I sometimes wanted to shake some sense into Tess, by the last few chapters I very much wanted her to break free of the trap that had been laid for her. The novel is complete in itself and does have a satisfying ending, but I'd love to see what happened next. I'd gladly read a sequel to this book.
Tess Drake is a high-flying literary agent on the staff of a top entertainment agency. Sufficiently high-flying that she wants to branch out on her own, rather than continue to take a salary that's a fraction of the money she brings into the business. As the novel opens, she's just been given one final push in that direction by the death of her boss. Tess liked Lowell; she loathes Cosima, the woman who's about to take over, and the feeling's mutual.
The problem for Tess is that she's made more enemies than just Cosima along the way to success. She's left frantically trying to put together her new business without letting slip what she's doing, in the middle of the uproar generated by Lowell's death from auto-erotic asphyxiation. Oh, and then there's the police investigation into the suggestion that Lowell's death wasn't an accident, and that Tess might have had something to do with it.
It's fast, funny, and more than a little over the top. It's also unashamedly for an adult audience, as is obvious right from the first page. There is swearing and there is sex, and most of it is there for genuine plot and character development reasons. There's also a lot of acidly funny commentary on the entertainment business, with much dropping of real names to add to the realism.
Tess is often unlikeable, but she's also aware of her flaws, and there's real growth in her character during the book. She's also fiercely loyal to a few people for more than commercial reasons, and genuinely regrets the damage she's accidentally caused to relationships she valued.
The book's a blend of chick-lit and mystery, and does a good job of both, but is not going to appeal to everyone. I can see why the reviews on LibraryThing range from loathing to loving it. For me personally it was a page-turner, and while I sometimes wanted to shake some sense into Tess, by the last few chapters I very much wanted her to break free of the trap that had been laid for her. The novel is complete in itself and does have a satisfying ending, but I'd love to see what happened next. I'd gladly read a sequel to this book.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
When I started reading this book, I really didn't think I was going to enjoy it. I didn't like Tess Drake, the main character. She came across as ruthless, unfriendly and overly sexed. However, as I read the book my opinion of her changed. Okay, so I wasn't so keen on all the sex scenes (it's just not my type of reading) but in the end she showed herself to be hard working, and a little bit hard done by - although by her own admittance, this was due to mistakes she had made.
Without giving too much away, the plot was interesting enough and there were plenty of twists and turns - particularly at the end, although I have to say the happy ending was one I'd already predicted, but I think that the book pointed the reader in this direction anyway.
Overall, I thought it was a great book, which I found easy to read and spent most of today reading!
Without giving too much away, the plot was interesting enough and there were plenty of twists and turns - particularly at the end, although I have to say the happy ending was one I'd already predicted, but I think that the book pointed the reader in this direction anyway.
Overall, I thought it was a great book, which I found easy to read and spent most of today reading!
Format:Hardcover
I really enjoy Brian Freeman's books, so I was intrigued to learn that he also writes under the name Ally O'Brien. Thought I would give this book a go, since he's such a good crime writer! This was good 'chick lit'. Easy to read, funny and made me want to read on. Worth a read if you enjoy a bit of escapism and don't want to use your brain!
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