The second book I picked up from the forever-talented
Jackie Collins after the glorious HOLLYWOOD WIVES was none other than LOVERS & GAMBLERS. I wanted another great trashy read and I
couldn’t have found a better one. I was in my early 20s, fresh from being out
of the closet and having the time of my life. Well, what I thought to be the
best time of my life. The truth of the matter is I was lost, lost in booze, sex
and dope. It was the ‘80s and everyone around me was on autopilot. As
Jerry Blake used to say in TV's STRANGERS WITH CANDY, good times! Anyway, to make a long story short, I needed a
breather from my wild ways, and this latest Jackie Collins was exactly what the
doctor ordered.
LOVERS & GAMBLERS takes you into the glamourous world of Dallas and Al,
two gorgeous misfits who suffer greatly in the name of love. Their
destined-to-be-together union is a roller coaster ride of secrets and sins only
Jackie can concoct, and that means a whole lot of fluff appeal. Sort of like my
love life back in the day if you will. Kidding. In reality, underneath the disco
ball I felt totally lost. Before going too much After School Special on you,
let me just reiterate that thank Heavens I had novels such as LOVERS & GAMBLERS to soften the edge.
It literately kept me from going cuckoo. Yes, as odd as it may seem, it took a
superficial book like this one to ground me.
Indeed, LOVERS
& GAMBLERS worked like a balm to my angst. It didn’t cure my permanent unhappiness
(therapy did) but it sure gave me a break from all the shit thrown my way. Because,
yes, life in the fast lane is far from being what’s it’s cracked up to be. Any trashy read can tell you that. I just needed to tell
it to myself and take it from there. What I didn’t know then, and that’s the
coolest part, was how devoted I would become to the genre in the following years—to
the point of starting my own blog and share the love with others. I truly hope
my many silly entries, either about books, films or miniseries, give you an
ounce of the thrill I feel when I’m writing them. Long live trash.
Until next post—Martin
.
2 comments:
I just came across your site and can't believe that it's filled with pretty much every title I read in highschool back in the 90s. I read this one in the ninth grade during a really long car ride while on a family vacation. It was during that era when Collins' books were all reprinted with just the name on the cover and a really garish colour in the background (this one was purple!). I really need to check this one out again. I remember really loving it.
And just a quick request here; Can you sometime spotlight the very mysterious Dona Vaghn? She came out of nowhere in the early 90s with a huge bestseller (Rivals), followed it up with a couple others that were every bit as great as anything published in that day, then dissappered. Would love to hear your take on her.
Hey Craig, welcome aboard. Thanks for visiting. It's always a thrill to read and meet other fans of the genre. I do own some books by Dona Vaughn (pseudonym?) and I will gladly do a spotlight in the near future. Promise.
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