Tuesday 13 March 2018

‘OUTRAGEOUS FORTUNE’ BY LULU TAYLOR




Many months ago, after a hectic year reviewing books for NetGalley, I decided that my blog should re-focus solely on ‘80s trash. It seemed the safest way to go since I found myself completely way over my head. However, something unexpected happened later on, something that made me rethink the whole situation: my fervent addiction to more current releases. Yes, despite my profound love for books of yesteryear my sudden attraction to anything newer had made a topsy-turvy out of the whole blog thing. But what is safe to say, however, is that what started as a total devotion to vintage trash has now evolved to anything goes. So to continue on in the same league, expect the unexpected in 2018, dear readers. What you’ll see may be older or it may be newer—but it’ll strike your fancy just as much as it’ll strike mine. At least I hope it will. This brings me to this week’s title, OUTRAGEOUS FORTUNE from bestselling author Lulu Taylor. This one comes directly from my pile but it’s a more recent release (2012, Arrow), one that could easily have been from NetGalley.  

Let just say right away that OUTRAGEOUS FORTUNE reads exactly like a ‘80s novel. It has glitz and glam written all over it. There are two central characters. One is from a posh family whose vast wealth is mostly invested in hotels and villas. She is daddy’s favorite among two other half-siblings who despise her; the other is from the lowest class imaginable. Party seems to be her middle name as she can’t help herself boozing-up and doing drugs in between striping performances in seedy joints. As you can imagine both women have nothing in common and will never cross path. Or so you think. In a space of 600 plus pages divided into four parts their lives will intertwine to the point of having to reinvent themselves just to survive. I don’t want to give anything away but let’s just say that their ways to fulfillment include lies, heartaches, double-dealings, cringe-worthy confrontations but most importantly late in the plot girl bonding. And that’s what makes this novel a cut above, the way the author manages to patiently flesh-out her two heroines before coming to their inevitable get together. In other words, all the right ingredients to make OUTRAGEOUS FORTUNE a glittery treat.  

Lulu Taylor is no amateur. She’s been at the writing game for quite some time now. This particular title is her fourth novel—with secondary characters from her previous three—and you can feel the confidence in her delivery. Sure, the narrative could have been a tad richer and some of the plot twists are less impressive than others, but the overall effect is quite enjoyable, as are the prerequisite romantic affairs of her main protagonists. If you’re on the look-out for an easy but still impressive offering Miss Taylor definitely is the author for you. She may barely reinvent anything with this Cinderella take of making it with or without daddy’s money but the dedication with which she serves her dish makes OUTRAGEOUS FORTUNE a very fine novel indeed.


You can still catch OUTRAGEOUS FORTUNE wherever books are sold.  





Until next post—Martin 

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