Tuesday 21 December 2010

GUEST FICTION REVIEW: Lady Eleanor reviews: Bad Girls - Rebecca Chance

Release Date: 05/08/10

BOOK BLURB:

They met in rehab - but some of them had rather more therapy than they bargained for. Supermodel Amber Peters should have the world at her feet. But her secret addiction has led her down a dangerous path. Lap dancer Skye Ellwood is desperate to get out of the life she's living, but has no idea how - until a client makes her an unusual proposition. Following an ultimatum from his fiance, A-list movie star Joe Jeffreys is finally heading to rehab to sort out his sex addiction - and save his squeaky-clean image. Spoiled daughter of a legendary rock god, Petal Gold is convinced she's a huge star in waiting, and she'll trample on anyone she thinks is standing in her way. Passion, jealousy, betrayal, revenge and scandal: during their tumultuous thirty days at Cascabel clinic, the lives of Amber, Skye, Joe and Petal will be transformed forever. But for one of them, the stakes could not be higher - or more dangerous.


REVIEW:

The second novel by Rebecca that I’ve read and to be honest I really am wondering what the hell this author is not only on, but how the hell she’s getting published. Whilst the premise of this story is a typical set up (four characters all meeting in rehab) that seems to be about the extent of planning that the author put into this title. Each character is a poorly ill-conceived stereotype that not only don’t mesh but don’t make any real sense as the author doesn’t give you any hooks to allow you to empathise with them which for me is essentially the death of a title.

Key examples of this include:
1) A very young “It” girl who judging by the average readers age for this type of books is someone they can’t associate with.
2) The clichéd stripper who is essentially just a walking honey trap so that she can “kiss and sell.”
3) A Supermodel who must suffer from schizophrenia as she changes from an assured woman to a mewling little girl with no explanation.
4) An Actor who is essentially just there for the author to add some hot and heavy action that is to be honest anatomically impossible.

All in, the whole title was a very poor joke as the whole set up is something that’s been seen time and again and if I’m not going to beat about the bush there are better things to spend your money on. Add to this an overly drawn out plot that felt like it was taking forever to do anything coupled with ridiculous set ups alongside basic model characters and you were left wondering if the author treats her audience with contempt as this title really did leave me feeling cheated and that there were better things I could have spent my time doing. Finally, as if you haven’t guessed already, save your cash, save your time and wait that little bit longer as the new Jackie Collins is on the way. At least with her she knows the trade and exactly what women want.

1 comment:

Diane Girard said...

It sounds like the writer - let's not refer to her as an "author" found a publisher/pusher who wanted to cash-in on the rehab story trend. Perhaps sales will be as bad as the book is.

I appreciate the honest review.