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Scarlet
- GenresRomance
276 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
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50 people want to read
About the author
Leigh Marsden
4 books4 followersLeigh Marsden is a novelist from New Zealand. She writes relationship dramas with an erotic twist. She lives in Geraldine, in the South Island of New Zealand with her husband and daughter.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 8 reviews
July 15, 2024
Wow. That was a rollercoaster! Flew through the last half overnight.
A long personal journey, a lot of growing, a fair amount of raunch.
Karma prevails.
A long personal journey, a lot of growing, a fair amount of raunch.
Karma prevails.
January 4, 2013
Book 3 / 100
Book: Scarlet
Author: Leigh Marsden
ISBN: 978-0-14-356544-4
Okay, so, part of the appeal of this book was its local origins, the author lives in a town not 50 minutes drive from where I am :) as well, I read somewhere that it was Penguin’s (the publisher) sauciest book ever, and since at the time I brought it I was wanting to recapture the feelings I got from the Fifty Shades trilogy, it seemed to suit. Ultimately I was right, but it did take some work to get there.
So the story follows George Scarlet, a thirty year old waitress (yes, a female with the name George, get over it :P) and her route down the road to happiness. We learn as the story unflolds, through flashbacks, that she had some serious daddy issues stemming from her father’s inability to display his affections, not just for her but also for her sister and mother. There is a scene that anyone who loves animals will want to avoid where the father, almost casually, puts down George’s pet dog after an accident. Later on we also learn how her mother died during a house (well, farmhouse) invasion and attempted robbery (attempted only because they didn’t have anything worth stealing), and how all these elements led to George running away from home and becoming almost a man-eater.
In the current period we follow George through her relationship with her fellow waitress Cass, her affair with her married flatmate Justin and the various flings with essentially strangers. Things come to a head when Cass takes George along to a sex party, a sex party that’s a front… For a forced pornography ring. Using her wits and brains George escapes the set and with the help of Justin and his wife she moves into a flat with two female police officers.
Spurred on George undergoes a transformation, trimming off her long red locks and going blonde, getting a new job (because she couldn’t go back to the restaurant where Cass was) and meeting a new guy, her perfect match one could say. She has a chance encounter with her estranged sister (estranged because as a teen George had an affair with her brother-in-law) opens the opportunity to reconnect with her family, and the niece she never knew she had.
The Cass situation turns nasty when through another chance meeting, Cass drugs George and forces her onto a porn set. Fortunately the police officer flatmates were on the case and had been keeping an eye out, it seems George wasn’t the first person this had happened to.
Highlights (good and bad)… This story was a bit hard to follow at the start, it was jumping back and forth between various flashbacks and now, however once it settled down the story was very engaging.
Rating… 4 out of 5 stars. It’s worth a shot if you can push past the slightly disjointed start, and can cope with the terrible things that happen to George, don’t worry, it’s a happy ending :)
Book: Scarlet
Author: Leigh Marsden
ISBN: 978-0-14-356544-4
Okay, so, part of the appeal of this book was its local origins, the author lives in a town not 50 minutes drive from where I am :) as well, I read somewhere that it was Penguin’s (the publisher) sauciest book ever, and since at the time I brought it I was wanting to recapture the feelings I got from the Fifty Shades trilogy, it seemed to suit. Ultimately I was right, but it did take some work to get there.
So the story follows George Scarlet, a thirty year old waitress (yes, a female with the name George, get over it :P) and her route down the road to happiness. We learn as the story unflolds, through flashbacks, that she had some serious daddy issues stemming from her father’s inability to display his affections, not just for her but also for her sister and mother. There is a scene that anyone who loves animals will want to avoid where the father, almost casually, puts down George’s pet dog after an accident. Later on we also learn how her mother died during a house (well, farmhouse) invasion and attempted robbery (attempted only because they didn’t have anything worth stealing), and how all these elements led to George running away from home and becoming almost a man-eater.
In the current period we follow George through her relationship with her fellow waitress Cass, her affair with her married flatmate Justin and the various flings with essentially strangers. Things come to a head when Cass takes George along to a sex party, a sex party that’s a front… For a forced pornography ring. Using her wits and brains George escapes the set and with the help of Justin and his wife she moves into a flat with two female police officers.
Spurred on George undergoes a transformation, trimming off her long red locks and going blonde, getting a new job (because she couldn’t go back to the restaurant where Cass was) and meeting a new guy, her perfect match one could say. She has a chance encounter with her estranged sister (estranged because as a teen George had an affair with her brother-in-law) opens the opportunity to reconnect with her family, and the niece she never knew she had.
The Cass situation turns nasty when through another chance meeting, Cass drugs George and forces her onto a porn set. Fortunately the police officer flatmates were on the case and had been keeping an eye out, it seems George wasn’t the first person this had happened to.
Highlights (good and bad)… This story was a bit hard to follow at the start, it was jumping back and forth between various flashbacks and now, however once it settled down the story was very engaging.
Rating… 4 out of 5 stars. It’s worth a shot if you can push past the slightly disjointed start, and can cope with the terrible things that happen to George, don’t worry, it’s a happy ending :)
May 31, 2015
I picked up this book entirely based on its cover. I'm really conflicted how to rate this book, probably more 3.5 stars than 3. I'll start off by saying there's a lot of sex in here. It's the story of a woman in love with two people, with her past used as the reason why she makes such terrible life choices. After some events she resolves to make a new start and make amends with her past. Some parts of the book are simultaneously gripping and a little predictable. For example there's a twist at the end which is a little unexpected but also predictable once it starts happening. Not my usual thing but a quick gripping read.
April 22, 2012
A fantastic read, by a very talented writer.
Looking forward to the release of Crush.
Looking forward to the release of Crush.
June 12, 2012
Raunchy page turner
February 2, 2013
Good to read a 'local' book. Easy and quick to read and a ncie twist at the end of the story.
November 4, 2014
I found this book a while ago and after a few pages I couldn't stop reading it at the book shop so I had to buy it !
It's a must read :)
It's a must read :)
Displaying 1 - 7 of 8 reviews