JACKIE COLLINS’ PARIS CONNECTIONS

  

When I first read Jackie Collins serialised novel L. A. CONNECTIONS in 1998 I remember thinking that it would definitely make a great miniseries. But since minis were quickly becoming a thing of the past, I had little hope that it would come to fruition, let alone become a movie or a TV movie. Cut to 2010 and surprise, surprise, the thing was actually happening, thanks to the UK chain store Tusco which then produced (with the help of Collins herself) an actual movie adaptation and released it on DVD exclusively. It took this Canadian blogger a multi-region DVD and another 15 years to finally catch a copy to review.

 

The main premise of JACKIE COLLINS’ PARIS CONNECTIONS is basically the same as in L. A. CONNECTIONS: American reporter Madison Castelli (Nicole Steinwedell) flies to Paris to investigate a murder mystery involving dead models during Fashion Week. There she hooks up, in more ways than one, with old fling and photographer Jake Sica (Anthony Delon) who agrees to help her with the case.

 

Shot on location, JACKIE COLLINS’ PARIS CONNECTIONS is a sight for sore eyes with its panorama view of the City of Light and the many glittery sequences of the fast-moving jet setters. Whether focusing on a catwalk or simply on a terrace café director Harley Cokeliss (BLACK MOON RISING) clearly succeeds in capturing the essence of Collins vision in the French capitol. Story wise, Michael Tupy does a fine job translating the author story to the screen. His understanding of the characters, especially of the heroine, makes for a fine light-hearted mix of romance and suspense. The entire cast seem to enjoy themselves as well, including GAME OF THRONES Charles Dance and the late international star Anouk Aimée (A MAN AND A WOMAN) who makes a delightful cameo as a sought-after but headstrong designer.

 

Nicole Steinwedell who, as noted earlier, plays the sassy heroine is completely new to me. She already has quite an impressive acting resume, however, in shows like DAWSON’S CREEK, TWO AND A HALF MEN, CSI and feature films like A SINGLE MAN. In 2024, according to Wikipedia, she was appointed Vice-President and Banker for a private firm in New-York. So my guess is that she’s put her acting chomps aside for a career in finance. We wish her well. Maybe she’ll turn up in something else someday. She sure is a good enough actress.

 

JACKIE COLLINS’ PARIS CONNECTIONS may come down to as nothing more than a frivolous whodunit whose time is indeed more spent on looks than substance, and still I dig it—as expected. If you’ve managed to make it thus far through this post, guess what: you‘re addicted to this type of cinematic brain candy just as I am. And for that I only have one thing left to say: respect.

 

Until next post—Martin

 

 

THE PEOPLE FROM 'THE WORLD IS FULL OF MARRIED MEN’, THE NOVEL

A few weeks ago, after DNFing many books I thought would bring me joy, I decided to go back to the basics and reread my favorite authors, starting with Jackie Collins. I remember a time when I couldn’t get enough of her. I always seemed to have my nose in one of her books to the point of dreading the day that I would have to wait for a new release. I cured that itch by slowing down on my reading. Even now, after her passing in 2015, I still have some titles from hers just waiting to be cracked open. So anyway, without further ado, let’s focus on her debut novel THE WORLD IS FULL OF MARRIED MEN (Signet, 1969).

 

Set in London in the swinging ‘60s, the story focuses on three main characters: the cheating husband, the wife and the mistress. Two are  antagonists. Can you guess which one? I bet you can. Yet, Collins manages to make them all sympathetic despite their many flaws. Take the character of Claudia, for example, the bitchy self-possessed mistress. The author clearly does not want you to root for her. Despite of that, it’s really hard not to, especially when you get the feeling that you know exactly where she’s coming from (dysfunctional family, insecure little girl, the discovery of sex at a young age...). Like many girls her age, you know that she’ll be fine. She’ll even make it as an actress, her fervent wish. It’ll only take more casting couches to get there. And besides, isn’t that why David came into the picture in the first place? 

 

David, the other antagonist, is a successful advertising executive who desperately needs excitement in his life. And what better way to get it than having a wild fling with the most beautiful girl passing at his firm, because truthfully, his wife barely does it for him anymore. She may still be pretty, faithful, understanding and all that shit but the sparks are definitely gone. If only his mistress Claudia was a little less cray-cray he’d convince her to marry him. Oh, make no mistake, this guy loves the recklessness in her, especially in between the sheets, but he sometimes wishes he could tame her, like he does pretty much with his wife. No can do, it seems, which leads him into all kind of embarrassing situations. But he won’t give her up, not yet. Not until he feels that the relationship has really run its course. Then who knows who will be next? Now, where the heck is his secretary?

 

Which brings us to the most important character in the novel, Linda, the wife who’s being cheated on. Sure, she knows something is up. She is not stupid. David has not been the same lately. He’s never home anymore. Plus, he’s barely touched her in months. Had the children been grown she would have started thinking of leaving him. For now, well, she just can’t. Or so she thinks, for a chance meeting in a sit-in protest in downtown London will change the course of her monotonous life. And that my friends is the exact moment of the Jackie Collins girls can do anything motto, because, yes, Linda will eventually emancipate herself from her present life. She will discover that, like her cheating husband, she can do whatever the fuck she wants. It will start with a fling, then move on to a more serious relationship which, however, will not be as evident from the get go. But I’ll let you find out the rest for yourself.

 

THE WORLD IS FULL OF MARRIED MEN, like all of Collins later work,is a feminist novel. Empowering women is her thing, and thank heavens for that, for I would not have it any other way. It’s what makes her novels so compelling. But let’s get something straight before I finish. Not all men are pigs in her novels. Some of them are actually pretty decent. You just got to pair them with the required antagonists—male or female, I must add. Then the story truly sparkles—and boy! does THE WORLD IS FULL OF MARRIED MEN glow... Pick it up and see for yourself.

 

 

Until next post—Martin 

Our queen on the cover of the 1968 HC

THE STUD (1978)

So here I am about to discuss yet again an earlier screen adaptation from the late Jackie Collins and I still have a hard time dealing with her passing. It’s not like I knew her or anything but, damn, how I miss that lady. I never had the chance to meet her in person but her many responses to my silly emails proved just how devoted she really was to her readers. Some say that it was probably just her assistant substituting for Collins but I don’t care. If one of my emails, tweets, handwritten letters, did manage to reach her in any way, shape, or form than I’m more than a happy trooper. Besides, I still have my TWO signed pics hanging in my house.

Now let’s move on to THE STUD. I think I read the novel before seeing the British film but I’m not 100% sure. One thing I’m positive, however, is that it was right after reading HOLLYWOOD WIVES since for me this was the one that started it all. I vaguely remember catching glimpses of THE STUD on TV years before but it was only much later that I came to associate it with Jackie’s work. Strangely enough, though, the author must have had ESP or something, for watching Joan Collins in this film is almost like watching the character of Alexis doing her thing before joining TV’s DYNASTY. It’s as if 90 minutes are spent test-screening the actress for her next big gig in America.

THE STUD in question is Oliver Tobias, a social climbing hottie, whom Joan can’t get enough of. So much so that they’re doing it all over the place: in lifts, in limousines, in water where he almost makes it with another guy but manages to escape just in time (darn!). He also has an eye for Joan’s step daughter which ultimately ruins his sexual relationship with the older woman as he starts questioning his lifestyle. When Joan gets tired of him and learns of his plans to open a discotheque of his own (he is the manager of Collins’ highly-sought nightclub), she gives him the boot—not before getting him roughed up by some bodyguards in the club’s bathroom, leaving him with a messed-up face and a broken dream (no new discotheque for him, as it turns out). Disillusioned with everything (including his would-be relationship with the step daughter which doesn’t go anywhere) he then rushes out of the establishment before the clock strikes midnight on the New Year to start anew. The end credits roll.

What’s still cool about THE STUD, besides the club scene and all the sexual situations that come with it, is finally being able to see a central male character regarded solely as a sex object. Not an innovation per se but one seldom used in cinema. But that’s Jackie Collins for you, always pushing the envelope. Plus, the soundtrack is a must for ‘70s disco fans. From K C & the Sunshine Band to Tina Charles to Rod Stewart, it’s all here for your ears to enjoy. I recently purchased the DVD copy of THE STUD (and its sequel, THE BITCH) from KL Studio Classics and re-watched it and, suffice to say, I still had a good time. I’m up to the audio commentary by film historians David Del Valle and Nick Redman (who?). It should probably be interesting. Supposedly co-star Oliver Tobias believes the film ruined his career. Too bad for him but he sure is tasty in it. If you have yet to see him (and Joan of course) in action take the plunge and catch this film. Being a Jackie Collins fan sure does help but if you’re in it solely for the boobies of her sis or the hot bod (without the schlong reveal) of Tobias, I’m sure you’ll have plenty to sink your teeth into.

Until next post—Martin

‘LOVERS & GAMBLERS’ BY JACKIE COLLINS

 

 

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

 

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JACKIE COLLINS’ ‘LADY BOSS’ (1992)

 

Two years after the ratings success of LUCKY CHANCES, NBC gave the greenlight to the third chapter in the Santangelo saga called LADY BOSS. Again, the teleplay was going to be written by Collins herself and she was also going to co-executively produce the whole thing. The big difference is that Kim Delaney was going to replace Nicollette Sheridan as Lucky. Just as the character of Lenny was now going to be portrayed by sexy Jack Scalia. In fact, only hunky actor Phil Morris returned. If you recall, he played Lucky’s illegitimate half-brother lawyer. But truth be told, I couldn’t care less who was or who wasn’t going to be in it (this is how interchangeable those actors are). All I wanted is to see the end result which I finally did on that Sunday in October of 1992.

I was in a serious relationship at that time. Turned out the guy was one mean S.O.B. but back then I was in love. Or what I thought to be love. But moving on… I remember sitting my ass down after work and playing part one of the miniseries and I just couldn’t be happier. I had devoured Jackie’s novel the year prior and thought the adaptation was relatively faithful to the book. 25 years later I still find LADY BOSS to be grand.   

Kim Delaney is great as Lucky. She puts some much-needed spunk into the character. Nicollette Sheridan’s take is much too basic. Here we finally get a three-dimensional enough performance that is more relatable. Same goes for her other-half Jack Scalia. His Lenny is much more charismatic, much more at ease in his own skin, therefore more in control of his performance. Or is it just that I still have the hots for him? I mean, who wouldn’t? Look at the guy. Clearly he’s the perfect choice for a leading man.  
 

The whole whacky storyline in which Lucky infiltrates (disguised as a frumpy secretary) a Hollywood studio to expose the shady goings-on before taking it over works with a capital W. Of course this little game of hers does not bode well with her actor hubby, who, despite being unhappy there, is set against the idea of her becoming his boss. But Lucky being Lucky ends up doing what she wants, and of course the marriage suffers. The mini also features a Madonna-like star whose celebrity status brings her all sorts of problems, such as the presence of a low-life brother (!) who gladly sells stories about her to the rags. There’s also the presence of the late Joan Rivers as a Cindy Adams-like columnist who warns screen-legend Yvette Mimieux (in her last role before disappearing from the limelight) that her rich husband is screwing another woman. And yeah that is president-to-be Donald Trump making a cameo appearance. Add to the mix the recently departed Vanity who plays Phil Morris’ client-love interest and you got yourself one heck of a firecracker miniseries.  

Directed by THE OTHER SIDE OF MIDNIGHT Charles Jarrott, with a catchy opening title theme composed by KNOTS LANDING Dana Kaproff, it is fair to say that JACKIE COLLINS’ LADY BOSS is stronger than its predecessor. Evidently the glam miniseries were fizzling out by then but from the looks of this one, it hardly shows. So I’m glad to report that the trend went out with a bang. We have yet to see this title graduating to the DVD market, however, but let’s not despair. HOLLYWOOD WIVES did eventually get there. So I gather that the rest of Jackie’s adapted work will see the light of day. 

 

 

Until next post—Martin

 

JACKIE COLLINS’ LUCKY/CHANCES (1990)

 

OK, folks, delicate subject here: Jackie Collins. I still have a hard time coping with her passing. In my eyes she was going to live forever.   But moving on: the moment I found out that a three-part TV adaptation of her grandest oeuvre CHANCES was happening I got goosebumps all over. Finally after all these years someone has had the good sense to greenlight this project. The HOLLYWOOD WIVES miniseries was long gone and its proposed sequel HOLLYWOOD HUSBANDS never got made. So it was only natural that the next step should be bringing CHANCES to the small screen. Of course I had already read the novel and its sequel LUCKY on which this proposed miniseries was to be based. In my mind both books should have had separate identities but I was willing to accept whatever Hollywood had to offer.   

When LUCKY/CHANCES finally aired on NBC in October of 1990 it came as no surprise that I was in heaven. Seeing it all materializing right before my eyes proved to me right then and there that indeed there was a God and her name was Jackie Collins. I finally could enjoy something that was right up my, and her, alley. I recently re-watched the miniseries and let me tell you that contrary to the reruns of TV’s SEX IN THE CITY it does age well despite a few noticeable flaws, starting with the overall look of the film. Oh don’t get me wrong, everything is glammed up to the hilt, whether the focus is on the swinging ‘20s, the flower-power era of the ‘60s or the glamourous days of the late ‘70s—early ‘80s. No, what I’m referring to is the prosthetic effects used on the actors to age them. I never realized how foamy and phony they all looked. They almost distracted me from all the drama: drug addictions, sexual situations, Machiavellian manipulations, you name it. And dead bodies, so many dead bodies: in the streets, in swimming pools, in exploding cars...  

Make no mistake, I am all well aware that LUCKY/CHANCES is a direct rip-off of Mario Puzo’s THE GODFATHER with its tale of rival Mafiosos in Vegas that traces 40-some years, but to soap fans everywhere it’s still must-see TV. Nicollette Sheridan, fresh from her KNOTS LANDING days, gives it all she’s got as Lucky Santangelo—the mobster’s daughter who wants to prove her worth as a business woman—and comes out relatively unscathed. She may not be the greatest actress alive but she does have her moments in the lead. So do most of the cast like Grant Show, Michael Nouri, Audrey Landers and Sandra Bullock in one of her first roles. Of course they all look sensational with their chiseled faces and saccharine smiles. You do not venture into a Jackie Collins novel or a TV adaptation expecting any less.

What made me cringe a little, though, is realizing how stale and clichés some of that dialogue appears despite Collins having written the teleplay. Actor Vincent Irizarry barely helps either as kingpin and ladies’ man Gino Santangelo. His performance is as amateurish and stiff as that fake moustache he sports during the mini’s second half. But most of all I blame this on my advanced years which have made me more cynical towards what is supposed to be good or not. As camp appeal goes however LUCKY/CHANCES (as the HOLLYWOOD WIVES mini which has been too harsh a review on this blog) is by far one of the best thing to watch on TV besides THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF BEVERLY HILLS or THE ROYALS on E! It may be far from being artsy fartsy but, boy, does it deliver. Now, the only thing left to say is this: when is JACKIE COLLINS’ LUCKY/CHANCES coming to DVD in North America, Mr. Distributors? When?!!!

 

Click here to read all about its adapted sequel, the LADY BOSS miniseries.

 

 

Until next post—Martin

 

'HOLLYWOOD WIVES', THE MINISERIES

 

You know the old saying: some things are much better left in the past. Well, that’s exactly my thoughts regarding HOLLYWOOD WIVES the miniseries, the tale of a psychopath searching for his long-lost mama among Tinseltown’s most powerful players.  Although it has a super cast (Stefanie Powers, Angie Dickinson, Rod Steiger, Roddy McDowell…) and super production values I cannot express enough how disappointed I am to have re-visited it.  I would have preferred keeping it lovely in my mind.  Indeed, the first time I ever caught it, I was about 20, fresh from watching the spectacular LACE on ABC the year prior.  It was the mid-‘80s and nighttime soaps ruled the networks.  Every channel dealt with the problems of the rich.  It was about the same time that I got a hold of HOLLYWOOD WIVES, the novel.  It was my first Jackie Collins read, and suffice to say, not my last. From then on, getting everything else she had written became my top priority. 

So imagine the thrill I felt knowing that a miniseries based on the novel was coming to ABC.  It took a few months, but when the three-parter finally aired during February sweeps in 1985, I was glued to the set.  I remember digging the overall presentation, thinking it was relatively faithful to the novel despite the many snips here and there.  I also remember that it won its timeslot, making it a top-rated TV program.  After that, I heard that its sequel HOLLYWOOD HUSBANDS was in the works; then nothing; nothing until LUCKY/CHANCES made its way to NBC in 1990. 

It took 30 years for HOLLYWOOD WIVES to finally hit the DVD market in North America but when it did I immediately got myself a copy, of course.  The five hour event (without  commercials) is on two discs. Though a technical anomalies warning is issued before viewing, I can attest that the overall image quality is quite decent.  The sound quality, however, is another matter.  The dialogue may be crisp and clear, but the background music on the other hand is almost ear-splitting, forcing the viewer to lower the volume repeatedly.  Irksome perhaps but tolerable enough (at least it was to me) when compared to the joy of finally seeing this miniseries all over again. 

Well, that’s what I thought at first, but it soon became apparent that I had been misled by my youth and exuberance.  The whole thing ended up being sillier and more unrealistic than I could ever have imagined.  I know it’s Jackie Collins we’re talking here, but many a time did I find myself uttering those irritating comments you despise when coming from others: yeah right, that’s impossible, or my favorite: Oh bitch please!  Take the character of sexpot Gina Germaine, played by fresh from her THREE’S COMPANY dismissal Suzanne Sommers.  Gina wants a part desperately.  So she bangs director Neil Grey (Anthony Hopkins) for it.  While he takes a shower she reaches inside his garment bag and produces the secretive script.  Now, how would she know it’s there in the first place?  Is she psychic or something? There is no mention of him telling her or us where he hides it.  But more importantly, why would he put it there? Wouldn’t it be much simpler to keep it under lock and key, like in an attaché case perhaps?  I could go on and on (don’t get me started on Candice Bergen’s shoplifting scenes) but this is just one of many implausible situations that are there just for the sake of keeping the plot going.   

I can already hear some of you advising me to take it all with a grain of salt, and I would if HOLLYWOOD WIVES the miniseries had not been such a downer after all.  Maybe it just proves something:  that my love for anything glam-related does have a certain limit, that whatever I’m watching or reading or re-watching or re-reading needs to be brought up to a certain level of consistency for me to enjoy it completely. Otherwise it’s a no-no. 

 

 

Until next post—Martin 

 

 

 

FAREWELL, JACKIE COLLINS

 

True story: when Jackie Collins succumbed to breast cancer on September 19th I had a dream that day that a different author had died: Judith Krantz of SCRUPLES fame. Woke up in a flash, all confused and tense, wondering why the heck I had dreamt about her passing.  Was this some sort of a premonition, an ESP kind of thing?  I immediately got up and hurried over to my PC to check if my prediction was correct.  It was not—thank God.  So I went back to bed, shaking my head in discouragement for having been such a drama queen—totally clueless to the fact that another grand dame of commercial fiction had just met her maker.

 

Yes, the queen of fluff is gone, kids.  And this sucks—big time.  Like many of you I had spent many hours reading her work, wishing that one day we would meet face to face.  Alas, it was not meant to be.  But I got the next best thing.  We became acquaintances online.  But to tell you the truth, I doubt she really knew who I was.  Because let’s face it, she had millions of fans like moi.  And between writing her many sizzlers and promoting them extensively, she barely had time to socialize with any of us.  Still it felt good getting a quick e-mail from her acknowledging a comment of sort; or being picked at a Q & A live stream during one of her book tours; or the best, having her retweeting me because I blogged about one of her titles or acknowledged one of her adapted films or mini-series.  We may not have been close friends in the real sense of the word but in my mind it felt like we were.  

 

Having been around the block a few times, I occasionally let myself be tempted by other genres (horror mostly).  But because of Collins I always return to my first love: glam fiction. It gives me the extra oomph I need whenever the world seems cold and distant.  And now that she’s gone, I need the escape more than ever. I’ll probably pick up her latest, but before I do that, tell me this: why do we always wait until someone has passed on to finally acknowledge all the good they have brought into our lives?  I mean I could have easily told her how I felt when she was around. I think it would have pleased her, even touched her. Then again, she probably knew it already. I just wonder if she really was aware of how much of an impact she had on people, especially on the gay community.  She was one of the few commercial writers who embraced the gay lifestyle in her work. She made no qualms about it and got a whole new readership in return. Whether this was coming from the heart or a simple use of business acumen (or both) barely matters.  What does is that she was indeed a kick-ass writer and I will miss her dearly.  So here’s to you, Jackie Collins.  Hope they make room for your steamy novels up there.  If not, I’m sure you’ll break the mold—as you always have done.

  

Until next post—Martin

MIXED BAG: JACKIE COLLIN'S 'THE SANTANGELOS' AND MORE

 

Here's a first look at Jackie Collins's new Santangelo novel  in hardcover or digital from St. Martin's Press called, well, THE SANTANGELOS. 

"A vicious hit, a vengeful enemy, a drug addled Colombian club owner and a sex crazed Italian family ...the ever powerful Lucky Santangelo has to deal with them all. Meanwhile Max - her teenage daughter - is becoming the "It" girl in Europe's modeling world. And her Kennedyesque son, Bobby, is being set up for a murder he didn't commit. But Lucky can deal. Always strong and unpredictable, with her husband Lennie by her side, she lives up to the family motto - Never fuck with a Santangelo. Lucky rules ...the Santangelos always come out on top. The Santangelos is an epic family saga filled with love, lust, revenge and passion."

 

Though I'm a little behind on my Collins reading (shame on me!) I expect nothing but great things from this big-ass sizzler (500 + pages).  U.S. release date:  June 16 2015.  U.K. readers get it two weeks earlier.  Also, St. Martin's Press will release in May an omnibus of two Lucky Santangelo earlier novels, THE GODDESS OF VENGEANCE (2011) and DROP DEAD BEAUTIFUL (2007) in paperback or digital, just to get us in the mood.

Lastly, just got word that Jackie's next novel will be called THE BITCHES OF BEVERLY HILLS.  Again, an eye-catching title.  More on that one later.

UPDATE:  Looks like UK readers will have to wait a little longer for the release of THE SANTANGELOS.  It has been pushed back to September 10/'15.

Until next post—Martin 

MIXED BAG: VINCENZI, COLLINS, BRADFORD, LOKKO, MENSCH, HARPER

Rejoice, kiddies, the hardcover for the new Penny Vincenzi is hitting the shelves mid-June 2014 from Headline (UK and Canada), and it has a new title: A PERFECT HERITAGE. Pick it up. I know I will. Here’s the premise:

　

The House of Farrell - home of The Cream, an iconic face product that has seen women flocking to its bijoux flagship store in the Berkeley Arcade since 1953. At Farrell, you can rely on the personal touch. The legendary Athina Farrell remains the company's figurehead and in her kingdom at the Berkeley Arcade, Florence Hamilton plies their cosmetics with the utmost discretion. She is sales advisor - and holder of secrets - extraordinaire. But of course the world of cosmetics is changing and the once glorious House of Farrell is now in decline, its customers tempted away by more fashionable brands. Enter Bianca Bailey, formidable business woman, mother of three, and someone who always gets her way. Athina and Bianca lock horns over the future of the House of Farrell but it is the past that tells its devastating tale of ambition and ego, passion and wonder. Here is a tale of survival ...and a kind of promise.

***

 

Jackie Collins is all set to promote her new novel, CONFESSION OF A WILD CHILD, out now digitally and in hardcover from St. Martin’s Press (and in the UK, from Simon and Schuster). Yes, it’s all about Lucky Santangelo as a teen, and it’s written in the first person, à la Carrie Bragshaw. But with Collins at the reign, it’ll be another super read:

 

 

Lucky Santangelo is a powerful and charismatic woman. But how did she become the woman she is today? Many people have asked, and in Confessions of a Wild Child we discover the teenage Lucky, and follow her on her trip to discover boys, love and how she fought her father, the infamous Gino Santangelo, to forge her own individual and strong road to success. Confessions of a Wild Child takes you on trip and navigates the teenage years of a wild child who will eventually rule an empire. Even at 15 Lucky follows her own path, and it's a crazy ride taking the reader from a strict girls school in Switzerland to an idyllic Greek island, a Bel Air estate, a New York penthouse, and a shuttered villa in the South of France. Nobody can control Lucky. She knows what she wants and she goes for it with no holds barred. Lucky at 15 - a true revelation.

 

***
 

Mark your calendar, America. April 1st 2014 is when CAVENDON HALL, the new novel by Barbara Taylor Bradford (St. Martin’s Press), sees the light out day. Already released in the UK from HarperCollins Publishers, it centers around an aristocratic family and their servants during the early 20th century; sort of like a homage to TV's "Downton Abbey", if you will. Here’s what you can expect:

BTB at her superb best. A sweeping saga set around the aristocratic Ingham family of Cavendon Hall and the Swanns who serve them, set on the eve of World War 1. Two entwined families: the aristocratic Inghams and the Swanns who serve them. One stately home: Cavendon Hall, a grand imposing house nestled in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales A society beauty: Lady Daphne Ingham is the most beautiful of the Earl's daugthers. Being presented at Court and then a glittering marriage is her destiny. But in the summer of 1913, a devastating event changes her future forever, and puts the House of Ingham at risk. Life as the families of Cavendon Hall know it - Royal Ascot, supper dances, grouse season feasts - is about to alter beyond recognition as the storm clouds of war gather.

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Orion will once again publish the new hardback by Lesley Lokko due out early summer 2014. Tentatively entitled IN LOVE AND WAR, it is set against the backdrop of the Arab Spring and it’s the first time the author has "written about a place – and events – that are still in the process of evolving", according to Lokko. No cover yet to disclose but the premise sounds intriguing:

　

Lexi Sturgis is a woman in a man's world, a war correspondent whose life has taken her to some of the world's most troubled regions. Lexi is never happier than when she's dodging bullets, chasing down the leads that other reporters only dream of getting, or swapping stories with her rivals at the bar. She thrives on risk, danger and the thrill of the chase, while keeping everyone else at arm's length - colleagues, friends and lovers. TV executive Jane Marshall needs a Big Idea. With her career nose-diving and her colleagues circling for her job, she needs to pull something major out of the hat. And Lexi might just be what she needs. When a young British woman is kidnapped in Egypt, both Lexi and Jane are thrown together on a journey which will change their lives entirely. It will take them into a world where no one is quite what they seem and menace lurks in every corner. Sometimes, when your back's against the wall, the only thing to do is trust in the person closest to you...

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If you’re still wondering what the heck happened to Louise Bagshawe’s new novel BEAUTY, fret no more. It has been released by Headline since January of this year, using the nom de plume of Louise Mensch (her married name). The premise:

　

Blend it. Sculpt it. Shape it. Use it...There isn't a woman on earth who doesn't have her beauty secrets. But for Dina Kane, beauty is more than just business. It's power. And it is the secret. She's dragged herself up from poverty to Park Avenue. She's rolled with the punches. And she's learned how to win. Now someone is out to destroy her, and all she's built. They've underestimated Dina Kane. She's staying at the top - and she's happy to wait for the perfect moment to exact her revenge...

 

　

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Last but not least, Avon UK (a division of HarperCollins) will publish two novels by best-selling author Sasha Wagstaff (RECIPE FOR LOVE) using the pseudonym Ella Harper. The first one, entitled PIECES OF YOU, "calls into question the perfect relationship and how hidden truths can get in the way of the perfect picture". Expect it in September 2014.

 

#1 CONTEMPORARY FICTION BESTSELLER As compelling and powerful as Jojo Moyes and Liane Moriarty, PIECES OF YOU is a heart-rending, but ultimately life-affirming novel about a love tested to its limits. The perfect marriage. A devastating secret. An impossible choice. Lucy was always sure of one thing - her future with husband and soulmate Luke. But after eight long, heartbreaking years trying to have a baby, that future is crumbling before her eyes. When a terrible accident puts Luke into a coma, Lucy is forced to reassess everything she thought she wanted. Then Stella arrives. A woman Lucy's never met, but with a secret that will change her world forever ...

　
Until next post—Martin