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Adored
To the outside world, Siena McMahon has a fairy-tale life. Born into a great Hollywood dynasty-granddaughter of movie legend Duke McMahon, daughter of billionaire producer Pete McMahon-she is blessed with beauty, brains, and wealth...a proverbial princess. Yet behind the wrought-iron gates of the sprawling McMahon mansion in Hancock Park, her life is far from idyllic. The McMahons are bound together not by love but by infighting and ambition. When a gold-digging English aristocrat, Caroline Berkeley, worms her way into their lives and their home, the family's potent mix of jealousy and wealth explodes.
Packed off to school in England, Siena starts making plans to leave the moment she arrives. She is determined to become a Hollywood star in her own right-just as her grandfather had said she would be. And once back in L.A., the rejections, betrayals, and failures she'll face will only make her stronger and tougher than ever before. But at what price? In the utterly dysfunctional landscape of her life-among friends, lovers, and family-she must find the people who will help her survive, help her become the person she was meant to be, help her be truly Adored. Set in the most glamorous cities of the world-L.A., London, Paris, and New York-Tilly Bagshawe's debut novel is like the real-world Hollywood it mirrors: deliciously escapist, wickedly sexy, and always irresistibly compelling.
Packed off to school in England, Siena starts making plans to leave the moment she arrives. She is determined to become a Hollywood star in her own right-just as her grandfather had said she would be. And once back in L.A., the rejections, betrayals, and failures she'll face will only make her stronger and tougher than ever before. But at what price? In the utterly dysfunctional landscape of her life-among friends, lovers, and family-she must find the people who will help her survive, help her become the person she was meant to be, help her be truly Adored. Set in the most glamorous cities of the world-L.A., London, Paris, and New York-Tilly Bagshawe's debut novel is like the real-world Hollywood it mirrors: deliciously escapist, wickedly sexy, and always irresistibly compelling.
548 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2005
145 people are currently reading
1250 people want to read
About the author
Tilly Bagshawe
50 books912 followersMatilda Emily N. Bagshawe was born on 12 June 1973 in England, UK. She attended local all-girls Catholic schools near her family home in Surrey. She was a single mother at 17, but she won a place at Cambridge University and took Persephone, her ten-month-old baby daughter with her. As a journalist, she went on to enjoy a successful career in London, and contributed regularly to The Sunday Times, Daily Mail and Evening Standard, before turning her hand to novels. Her first book, Adored as Tilly Bagshawe, was a smash hit on both sides of the Atlantic in 2005, and she hasn't looked back since.
Tilly is married Robin Nydes, a US businessman, and the couple have two sons together, Zac and Theo. The family divide their time between their homes in London and Los Angeles. Tilly is also the sister of the writer and politician Louise Bagshawe.
Tilly is married Robin Nydes, a US businessman, and the couple have two sons together, Zac and Theo. The family divide their time between their homes in London and Los Angeles. Tilly is also the sister of the writer and politician Louise Bagshawe.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 180 reviews
June 13, 2008
"Adored" is a dreadful book. Bagshawe is an unimaginative, creativity-challenged author who can barely assemble a readable sentence. I could stop there, but where's the fun in that?
First of all, I fully realize that "Adored" is a so-called "trashy novel". I didn't expect great literature or a life-changing experience when I picked it up. It was compared to "Scruples", a book I really liked 20+ years ago, so I thought I'd give it a shot. Please, shoot me. While I didn't expect great literature, I did expect to be entertained by a competent writer. That was my first mistake. My second was continuing to read even though I knew what a dog I had on my hands. It was so bad that I had to finish it just to make sure it was SO bad. Mission accomplished.
The story was unbelievable, the characters unlikable, and the writing undecipherable at times. In the 70s a legendary movie star (Duke!!) moves his mistress into the home he shares with his "long-suffering" wife (Minnie), and adult son and daughter (Pete and Laurie, and also Pete's wife, Claire). Yeah, sure. The mistress soon has a son (Hunter) who is ignored by his own parents and despised by everybody else in the house, until Pete & Claire's daughter Sienna is born 5 years later. Hunter and Siena become close friends. Pete hates his father, Duke. So why does he keep living under Duke's roof? Why put up with the torment of it all? Pete hates that Siena and Hunter are close, and that Duke and Siena are close. So why continue to live in the same house? Why????? Duke dies when Siena is 10, so Pete finally has a chance to have some influence on his own daughter. Hunter and his mother are kicked out of the house, and Duke is dead, remember? What is Pete's response? Send Siena to boarding school in England. WTF?? Claire, meanwhile, stands by and lets Pete do whatever he wants regarding Siena. Sends her to boarding school. Cuts her out of their lives completely when, at 18, Siena decided to pursue a career in modeling and acting instead of going to medical school. Claire doesn't like it, but she loves Pete so very much that she goes along with it. Why Claire loves Pete is a mystery. He's just as big a prick as his father, but in different ways. The story goes on, blah blah blah. Whatever. It is just so flawed, from beginning to end. There wasn't a single character I liked enough to even care how they turned out. Most of the men were jerks; most of the women were weak. Most of the time I was annoyed.
Did I mention that Tilly Bagshawe is a horrible writer? Honestly, I do not understand why this book was published. It seems like there was no editing done at all. I know that can't be true, so I shudder to think what the first drafts were like. Here is an example of some of the stuff that DID make it into the book:
1)"As long as you kept your head down and worked hard, he had always found him to be a fair and reasonable boss." Huh? Too much 'you' and 'your'; not enough 'he' and 'his'.
2)"...and the taxi drivers came in from Queens every morning with six inches of pure white icing on top of their marzipan-yellow cabs." Is that so? Sorry, but marzipan is not, by definition, or association, yellow. Like say, a taxi-cab might be considered. Something can be described as taxi-cab yellow, but not marzipan-yellow.
3)"The blazing afternoon sunshine poured down its life-giving energy on the orange and lemon trees that grew in every garden, overflowing with abundance and color, fruitfulness and life." Oh my god. Please, make it stop.
4) "....stood like gleaming sentinels at the foot of the biggest, most melodramatic staircase Siena had ever seen." Melodramatic staircase? Seriously, Tilly; are you trying to give me an aneurysm??
5)Page 115: "The school year had ended the week before and months of glorious freedom stretched ahead of both her [Siena] and Hunter". Siena then finds Duke dead in the kitchen. Page 121: "The first few weeks after Duke's death were a miserable blur to Siena"..., "She became almost indifferent to the paparazzi...as she got off the school bus each day..." Why is Siena on a school bus if there is no school? Plus, way back on page 107 it was established that Siena was taken to and picked up from school by either the nanny or her mother!! If I, a disinterested, casual reader am able to catch these mistakes in one reading, why can't the person who wrote it do so? Or perhaps the person who is paid to edit? Why does it fall on my shoulders to do this important work?? Wait, it IS important that I work late into the night to trash this 3 year old book that nobody cares about, right??
6)Page 311. Reading along about Siena this, Siena that. She she she. But in the middle of it, without quotation marks, or any kind of break, is "I mean, what did he have to do today that was so earth-shatteringly important that he couldn't spend five minutes talking to that stupid whale of a woman about how happy he was to be with her?" Me again. You see, I put quotes in because I'm quoting the book. Tilly, though, just decided she'd slip into the 1st person for one sentence. One portion of a sentence, actually, because by the end she had moved from "I" back to "her" (meaning Siena, not the 'whale of a woman'). It wasn't Siena 'thinking' a quote. Just "I" out of nowhere. Out of place. Bad, bad, bad.
7)Finally. Speaking of the 'whale of a woman'. In Tilly-land all you need to know about a person to hate them sufficiently is that they're fat. Duke and Minnie's daughter Laurie is "fat, useless". Well, Tilly, she's only useless because you don't have the imagination to make her anything else. The 'whale of a woman' is a journalist. Page 309;"..fat, garrulous middle-aged woman...";"..her blubbery jowls shaking."; "..her fat wet lips..". Page 310: "He hated journalists, especially fat women journalists." Page 313 "...the fat journalist". Thirteen(!!) lines later, she's still "The fat journalist..." Are you kidding me, Til? Is that the best you can do? Really, we get it; Fat=bad. Unfortunately for you, Tilly=bad writer.
Could I go on about why this book sucked? Sure. But I won't. I've barely touched on the plot. The glaring errors of the presentation jump out at me so much that I tend to focus on them instead of the overall badness of the story, though. I wonder what book didn't get published so that this one could be published. I wonder why somebody wanted to possibly stake their reputation in pushing this one through when it was so flawed. I wonder who encouraged the author to keep plugging away at it. I notice that her sister Louise Bagshawe is the author of several books; perhaps that has a lot to do with this one being published. Perhaps not. I wonder why I've spent so much time going on and on about it. I see that Tilly has written two other books which I have no interest in reading. I've suffered enough.
First of all, I fully realize that "Adored" is a so-called "trashy novel". I didn't expect great literature or a life-changing experience when I picked it up. It was compared to "Scruples", a book I really liked 20+ years ago, so I thought I'd give it a shot. Please, shoot me. While I didn't expect great literature, I did expect to be entertained by a competent writer. That was my first mistake. My second was continuing to read even though I knew what a dog I had on my hands. It was so bad that I had to finish it just to make sure it was SO bad. Mission accomplished.
The story was unbelievable, the characters unlikable, and the writing undecipherable at times. In the 70s a legendary movie star (Duke!!) moves his mistress into the home he shares with his "long-suffering" wife (Minnie), and adult son and daughter (Pete and Laurie, and also Pete's wife, Claire). Yeah, sure. The mistress soon has a son (Hunter) who is ignored by his own parents and despised by everybody else in the house, until Pete & Claire's daughter Sienna is born 5 years later. Hunter and Siena become close friends. Pete hates his father, Duke. So why does he keep living under Duke's roof? Why put up with the torment of it all? Pete hates that Siena and Hunter are close, and that Duke and Siena are close. So why continue to live in the same house? Why????? Duke dies when Siena is 10, so Pete finally has a chance to have some influence on his own daughter. Hunter and his mother are kicked out of the house, and Duke is dead, remember? What is Pete's response? Send Siena to boarding school in England. WTF?? Claire, meanwhile, stands by and lets Pete do whatever he wants regarding Siena. Sends her to boarding school. Cuts her out of their lives completely when, at 18, Siena decided to pursue a career in modeling and acting instead of going to medical school. Claire doesn't like it, but she loves Pete so very much that she goes along with it. Why Claire loves Pete is a mystery. He's just as big a prick as his father, but in different ways. The story goes on, blah blah blah. Whatever. It is just so flawed, from beginning to end. There wasn't a single character I liked enough to even care how they turned out. Most of the men were jerks; most of the women were weak. Most of the time I was annoyed.
Did I mention that Tilly Bagshawe is a horrible writer? Honestly, I do not understand why this book was published. It seems like there was no editing done at all. I know that can't be true, so I shudder to think what the first drafts were like. Here is an example of some of the stuff that DID make it into the book:
1)"As long as you kept your head down and worked hard, he had always found him to be a fair and reasonable boss." Huh? Too much 'you' and 'your'; not enough 'he' and 'his'.
2)"...and the taxi drivers came in from Queens every morning with six inches of pure white icing on top of their marzipan-yellow cabs." Is that so? Sorry, but marzipan is not, by definition, or association, yellow. Like say, a taxi-cab might be considered. Something can be described as taxi-cab yellow, but not marzipan-yellow.
3)"The blazing afternoon sunshine poured down its life-giving energy on the orange and lemon trees that grew in every garden, overflowing with abundance and color, fruitfulness and life." Oh my god. Please, make it stop.
4) "....stood like gleaming sentinels at the foot of the biggest, most melodramatic staircase Siena had ever seen." Melodramatic staircase? Seriously, Tilly; are you trying to give me an aneurysm??
5)Page 115: "The school year had ended the week before and months of glorious freedom stretched ahead of both her [Siena] and Hunter". Siena then finds Duke dead in the kitchen. Page 121: "The first few weeks after Duke's death were a miserable blur to Siena"..., "She became almost indifferent to the paparazzi...as she got off the school bus each day..." Why is Siena on a school bus if there is no school? Plus, way back on page 107 it was established that Siena was taken to and picked up from school by either the nanny or her mother!! If I, a disinterested, casual reader am able to catch these mistakes in one reading, why can't the person who wrote it do so? Or perhaps the person who is paid to edit? Why does it fall on my shoulders to do this important work?? Wait, it IS important that I work late into the night to trash this 3 year old book that nobody cares about, right??
6)Page 311. Reading along about Siena this, Siena that. She she she. But in the middle of it, without quotation marks, or any kind of break, is "I mean, what did he have to do today that was so earth-shatteringly important that he couldn't spend five minutes talking to that stupid whale of a woman about how happy he was to be with her?" Me again. You see, I put quotes in because I'm quoting the book. Tilly, though, just decided she'd slip into the 1st person for one sentence. One portion of a sentence, actually, because by the end she had moved from "I" back to "her" (meaning Siena, not the 'whale of a woman'). It wasn't Siena 'thinking' a quote. Just "I" out of nowhere. Out of place. Bad, bad, bad.
7)Finally. Speaking of the 'whale of a woman'. In Tilly-land all you need to know about a person to hate them sufficiently is that they're fat. Duke and Minnie's daughter Laurie is "fat, useless". Well, Tilly, she's only useless because you don't have the imagination to make her anything else. The 'whale of a woman' is a journalist. Page 309;"..fat, garrulous middle-aged woman...";"..her blubbery jowls shaking."; "..her fat wet lips..". Page 310: "He hated journalists, especially fat women journalists." Page 313 "...the fat journalist". Thirteen(!!) lines later, she's still "The fat journalist..." Are you kidding me, Til? Is that the best you can do? Really, we get it; Fat=bad. Unfortunately for you, Tilly=bad writer.
Could I go on about why this book sucked? Sure. But I won't. I've barely touched on the plot. The glaring errors of the presentation jump out at me so much that I tend to focus on them instead of the overall badness of the story, though. I wonder what book didn't get published so that this one could be published. I wonder why somebody wanted to possibly stake their reputation in pushing this one through when it was so flawed. I wonder who encouraged the author to keep plugging away at it. I notice that her sister Louise Bagshawe is the author of several books; perhaps that has a lot to do with this one being published. Perhaps not. I wonder why I've spent so much time going on and on about it. I see that Tilly has written two other books which I have no interest in reading. I've suffered enough.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 29, 2012
I read some of the negative reviews and was sincerely shocked.
First, I really didn't think Bagshawe was a terrible writer, I thought she did a splendid job of taken on such an awkward group of characters and making it work out is some odd fashion.
Second, although this part makes sense the readers are missing the whole ideology behind the way the characters are. Everyone keeps complaining about how the characters are selfish and have no moral compass. Stop!!! and think to yourself. Doesn't that sound like every individual on this planet. I applaud Bagshawe for doing the impossible that many other romance authors wouldn't do, Nora Roberts, Judith MaCnaught, she made her characters real!!! All her characters are real and it just makes you believe the romance of it all. Every single character in that book could be related to an acquaintance or friend of mine.
Bagshawe is a great writer and everyone should read this book. Of course they are time when you want to punch the characters for their lack of decency but then in the next page you love them; this is life and Bagshawe in this book writes romance that have real people in it and not some perfect character that can never exist in the real world. She writes about real life and if she is hated for it well then it probably sucks to be living
First, I really didn't think Bagshawe was a terrible writer, I thought she did a splendid job of taken on such an awkward group of characters and making it work out is some odd fashion.
Second, although this part makes sense the readers are missing the whole ideology behind the way the characters are. Everyone keeps complaining about how the characters are selfish and have no moral compass. Stop!!! and think to yourself. Doesn't that sound like every individual on this planet. I applaud Bagshawe for doing the impossible that many other romance authors wouldn't do, Nora Roberts, Judith MaCnaught, she made her characters real!!! All her characters are real and it just makes you believe the romance of it all. Every single character in that book could be related to an acquaintance or friend of mine.
Bagshawe is a great writer and everyone should read this book. Of course they are time when you want to punch the characters for their lack of decency but then in the next page you love them; this is life and Bagshawe in this book writes romance that have real people in it and not some perfect character that can never exist in the real world. She writes about real life and if she is hated for it well then it probably sucks to be living
June 27, 2007
I really enjoyed this book. It was surprisingly deeper than most "chick lit" and I found it interesting and hard to put down. It does a good job of offering a different view of the hollywood life and the ups and downs of the business. I really enjoyed this book and would reccomend it!
August 12, 2010
This is a good read! Really good looksee into the Hollywood world - all fictional, of course.
No matter how true or real the scenarios are though, the characters are very well fleshed out. I really could sympathise with Siena, Hunter, Max, Tiffany and all... And I really adored Max. Both he and Siena are such imperfect characters that they felt really human.
The plot is your usual scandal-ridden, heart-breaking/makeup, psychotic family story, nothing that can surprise you really. But the humanity of stars and the well-written characters made this a good beach read.
Or a good read on long commutes.
No matter how true or real the scenarios are though, the characters are very well fleshed out. I really could sympathise with Siena, Hunter, Max, Tiffany and all... And I really adored Max. Both he and Siena are such imperfect characters that they felt really human.
The plot is your usual scandal-ridden, heart-breaking/makeup, psychotic family story, nothing that can surprise you really. But the humanity of stars and the well-written characters made this a good beach read.
Or a good read on long commutes.
June 3, 2012
I loved this book.
The characters were troubled individuals with so much real life in bedded in them. The ups and downs of a dysfunctional family that everyone at some point has to face. Dirty secretes, the misconception of children.
Innocent minds playing with the idea of right and wrong.
I found sienna's rise and downfall intriguing. I loved reading her journey through which she found herself, and threw away the person she thought she ought to be.
The characters were troubled individuals with so much real life in bedded in them. The ups and downs of a dysfunctional family that everyone at some point has to face. Dirty secretes, the misconception of children.
Innocent minds playing with the idea of right and wrong.
I found sienna's rise and downfall intriguing. I loved reading her journey through which she found herself, and threw away the person she thought she ought to be.
January 14, 2022
No conocía esta autora y sinceramente me ha gustado su forma de escribir … es cierto queje parece un culebrón de Hollywood pero engancha ya que encuentran a una familia disfunciónql con unos personajes que hace todo y más por la fama, el dinero y el prestigio, olvidando los lazos familiares , los sentimientos y la humanidad.
El libro a pesar de tener muchos personajes principales, se centra en Sienna y vamos viendo su evolución desde niña a mujer , siempre rodeada de fama y siempre deseando amor de sus padres y seres queridos.
Lo único malo y por eso no le doy más puntuación es el final , demasiado brusco y repentino para ella después de lo que ha pasado, tal vez hubiera esperado un poco más sobre su relación con Max y no todo un cuento de hadas , aún así no es mal libro.
El libro a pesar de tener muchos personajes principales, se centra en Sienna y vamos viendo su evolución desde niña a mujer , siempre rodeada de fama y siempre deseando amor de sus padres y seres queridos.
Lo único malo y por eso no le doy más puntuación es el final , demasiado brusco y repentino para ella después de lo que ha pasado, tal vez hubiera esperado un poco más sobre su relación con Max y no todo un cuento de hadas , aún así no es mal libro.
February 16, 2009
I was given this book by a friend to read whilst I was holidaying in Thailand.
She said I wouldn't be able to put it down, she was right. From start to finish this book contains thrills, sadness, good times and of course even better times. It has all the glitz and glam of Hollywood glamour, following into today's times.
It is written very well and defiantly keeps you involved.
I would say the importance this book shares is family, affairs, also the right to be adored.
She said I wouldn't be able to put it down, she was right. From start to finish this book contains thrills, sadness, good times and of course even better times. It has all the glitz and glam of Hollywood glamour, following into today's times.
It is written very well and defiantly keeps you involved.
I would say the importance this book shares is family, affairs, also the right to be adored.
February 1, 2016
Fun book.
Full review: http://sleaze-factor.blogspot.ca/2016...
Full review: http://sleaze-factor.blogspot.ca/2016...
March 13, 2012
Wow!! I just finished Adored last night and i was so sad to see it end. I thought this was fantastic and i also read that this was Tilly's first book, so good job!!!
The storyline realy moved along and nothing dragged on.
Highly recommend to those who love "trashy" chick lit novels. Very easy to read and one recommenedation, make sure you have plenty of time to read it because you will be spewing when you have to put it down.
This is the second Tilly Bagshawe book i have read and i will definitely be reading more.
The storyline realy moved along and nothing dragged on.
Highly recommend to those who love "trashy" chick lit novels. Very easy to read and one recommenedation, make sure you have plenty of time to read it because you will be spewing when you have to put it down.
This is the second Tilly Bagshawe book i have read and i will definitely be reading more.
September 13, 2013
Though this was considered a trashy romance novel...it easily stands out as one of my favorite guilty pleasures. I bought this book in an airport and finished it on my round trip...even reading at my vacation destination. I then passed it on to a best friend who fell equally in love. Unexpected delight could be found along every corner of this book...it's smarter than a Collins, too bad Bagshawe didn't seem to continue the trend. Still looking for another similar book to feed my occasional hungers. Def a fave for a long time...
December 20, 2012
A real long, total filmy n seriously time killer book...it has all big drama n larger than life scenarios in it...too many details, too many characters to make you wonder why they were ever there...too many open ends making you wonder what happened to those characters...n still, it keeps you turning the page...a perfect guilty read...a novel you aren't really proud to b reading, but would complete any which way ;)
May 26, 2009
When I was at the library last time, this book caught my attention for two reasons, a)the cover model was wearing the most equisite diamond necklace and b)it was thick as hell. Knowing that I needed a distraction to last me two nearly three hour train rides and a big time killer I decided to check it out.
This was clearly not going to be a nobel prize winner, nor is it ever going to charm Oprah enough to make her book list- it's a big fat, predictable, mildly smutty romance novel that reads like a soap opera. And yes, I enjoyed it. Tilly Bagshawe's Adored is one of those mindless distractions where everyone is rich and good looking and the charcters are easy to figure out... good guys and bad guys. It's not the greatest of romance novels but it wasn't the worst either... it ranks somewhere in the middle....
It was hard to pick who the main character was, Duke or Siena McMahon... (grandfather and grand daughter respectively)- as the first part of the book covered his "sins" and the second and third part covered her "sins". Both are highly attractive and successful movie people who find themselves caught up in the soap opera of Hollywood. You'll be hard pressed to find one single plot... it's more of a cheesy account of soap opera type life.
I didn't like that sometimes the story skipped by to quickly... and the parts that should get more detail, don't and we just find out their outcome in a small dinky paragraph. I was also disappointed in the smut factor. If I'm going to read a romance novel, then DAMMIT, I want smut to go along with it. The smut factor in this book is "mild", and imagine my horror getting to the middle and not being rewarded with a big fat smutty sexy scene. (Don't cry for me too much though- my current book I'm reading now, making up for the lack of smut in this book!)
All in all I appreciated this read for what it was, a hefty distraction. (It took me nearly two weeks to read and that's WITH several hours in one sitting... it's a monster!) It's your average romance novel fair- and unless you like to get caught up in a little guilty pleasure reading, it probably won't be everyone's cup of tea. (Plus, it does get really effing long!) I'm giving it a 4/10- I didn't hate, just didn't love it either.
This was clearly not going to be a nobel prize winner, nor is it ever going to charm Oprah enough to make her book list- it's a big fat, predictable, mildly smutty romance novel that reads like a soap opera. And yes, I enjoyed it. Tilly Bagshawe's Adored is one of those mindless distractions where everyone is rich and good looking and the charcters are easy to figure out... good guys and bad guys. It's not the greatest of romance novels but it wasn't the worst either... it ranks somewhere in the middle....
It was hard to pick who the main character was, Duke or Siena McMahon... (grandfather and grand daughter respectively)- as the first part of the book covered his "sins" and the second and third part covered her "sins". Both are highly attractive and successful movie people who find themselves caught up in the soap opera of Hollywood. You'll be hard pressed to find one single plot... it's more of a cheesy account of soap opera type life.
I didn't like that sometimes the story skipped by to quickly... and the parts that should get more detail, don't and we just find out their outcome in a small dinky paragraph. I was also disappointed in the smut factor. If I'm going to read a romance novel, then DAMMIT, I want smut to go along with it. The smut factor in this book is "mild", and imagine my horror getting to the middle and not being rewarded with a big fat smutty sexy scene. (Don't cry for me too much though- my current book I'm reading now, making up for the lack of smut in this book!)
All in all I appreciated this read for what it was, a hefty distraction. (It took me nearly two weeks to read and that's WITH several hours in one sitting... it's a monster!) It's your average romance novel fair- and unless you like to get caught up in a little guilty pleasure reading, it probably won't be everyone's cup of tea. (Plus, it does get really effing long!) I'm giving it a 4/10- I didn't hate, just didn't love it either.
January 11, 2013
Let's see - - if you are beautiful and wealthy and have a great Hollywood name, you can pretty much berate and belittle everyone around you and they'll still come running back to you. Now, let's add a little humility here when that beautiful face is totally ruined by a madman that you knowingly hooked up with, and who has also ruined you financially, and VOILA! You are instantly a far better person. To top it all off, we add a gorgeous uncle who is a TV star and who is the equivalent of a saint, and his best friend who is also gorgeous and races between being a stupid saint (for loving our abusive heroine) and a juvenile jerk who throws temper tantrums (i.e., lies to and sleeps with a budding Hollywood waitress/actress).
On the other hand, there were times when listening to this story was---well, fun. Some of Bagshawe's ideas were great; the young actress so confused by an erratic upbringing that her own personality is warped; the glamour, glitz and brutality of Hollywood; the family in England trying desperately to hold on to the family estate. But then she ruins it with foul-mouthed expletives that are doubly shocking when heard in rapid succession on an audio CD, and with story lines that are poorly and hastily resolved.
If that weren't bad enough, the audio CD is read by a young English woman who has clearly done some work on accents, as she has a passable American accent throughout - - - with the exception of the way she pronounces our heroine's surname when she is being "American". I'm sorry ma'am, but if you want to have an American accent, please acquaint yourself with our nasty "a" sound in the name McMahon. No matter how you slice it, and no matter what part of our country you are from, it is NOT pronounced "McMonn". The fact that the name is repeatedly used throughout the narrative makes it even more grating.
All in all, this is one to skip. Save your eyes and/or your ears for better material.
On the other hand, there were times when listening to this story was---well, fun. Some of Bagshawe's ideas were great; the young actress so confused by an erratic upbringing that her own personality is warped; the glamour, glitz and brutality of Hollywood; the family in England trying desperately to hold on to the family estate. But then she ruins it with foul-mouthed expletives that are doubly shocking when heard in rapid succession on an audio CD, and with story lines that are poorly and hastily resolved.
If that weren't bad enough, the audio CD is read by a young English woman who has clearly done some work on accents, as she has a passable American accent throughout - - - with the exception of the way she pronounces our heroine's surname when she is being "American". I'm sorry ma'am, but if you want to have an American accent, please acquaint yourself with our nasty "a" sound in the name McMahon. No matter how you slice it, and no matter what part of our country you are from, it is NOT pronounced "McMonn". The fact that the name is repeatedly used throughout the narrative makes it even more grating.
All in all, this is one to skip. Save your eyes and/or your ears for better material.
June 21, 2016
To the author who finished the great Sidney Sheldon's work- in- processes, I just knew that this book can't be turned down every once in a while. Of course, Sheldon is a whole lot of a league different from Tilly Bagshawe, however, she still manages to give me the similar thrill I had with the former.
Back to Adored, the story revolves around three generations whose lives are surrounded with fame, wealth and beauty. The McMahons are the greatest influences in all aspects of Hollywood. The story spilled of events and manipulation behind the cameras in which, I think, are close to real happenings in the entertainment industry.
The characters in the story are spiteful. All of the people related to Duke McMahon are nasty, pretentious snobs who only cared for their wealth and images just like him, with the exception of Hunter which is actually unbelievable because, in addition to his being an illegitimate child, he is described as an angel with no hateful thoughts. Every people uses another and attacks them just to fill their satisfaction that they are one level ahead. It's also unthinkable that they could easily be successful in every little they do without having sacrifices for it.
Nevertheless, the story is one that made me up all night- finishing all 1892 pages of it in the shortest time possible- because I really wanted to know what would happen next. The story has some draggy gaps in between however, unexpected twists in every chapter enforce you to turn another set of pages. I'm also contented that the ending did not contain those irritating push and pull between romantically involved characters. It was as realistic as I hope it would be.
Back to Adored, the story revolves around three generations whose lives are surrounded with fame, wealth and beauty. The McMahons are the greatest influences in all aspects of Hollywood. The story spilled of events and manipulation behind the cameras in which, I think, are close to real happenings in the entertainment industry.
The characters in the story are spiteful. All of the people related to Duke McMahon are nasty, pretentious snobs who only cared for their wealth and images just like him, with the exception of Hunter which is actually unbelievable because, in addition to his being an illegitimate child, he is described as an angel with no hateful thoughts. Every people uses another and attacks them just to fill their satisfaction that they are one level ahead. It's also unthinkable that they could easily be successful in every little they do without having sacrifices for it.
Nevertheless, the story is one that made me up all night- finishing all 1892 pages of it in the shortest time possible- because I really wanted to know what would happen next. The story has some draggy gaps in between however, unexpected twists in every chapter enforce you to turn another set of pages. I'm also contented that the ending did not contain those irritating push and pull between romantically involved characters. It was as realistic as I hope it would be.
June 15, 2016
Another classic Bagshaw - everything is going along okay, all goes tits up, and then everything is super great by the end with everyone being loaded with impeccable fashion sense. Although in this case you find yourself hating the main character for much of it.
A nice light ready when you just need something you don't need to think about, with some Jackie Collins esq drama thrown in.
A nice light ready when you just need something you don't need to think about, with some Jackie Collins esq drama thrown in.
March 12, 2009
trashy trashy novel. needed a good editor. BUT SO MUCH FUN. this was a great, beachy, fast, naughty read.
and i liked that unlike so many other trashy novels, this one was a good length- most of them are over before they get going. though with better editing, this one would have been about 50-100 pages shorter.
and i liked that unlike so many other trashy novels, this one was a good length- most of them are over before they get going. though with better editing, this one would have been about 50-100 pages shorter.
May 24, 2013
Superb!!! Words truly fail me......This book is simply amazing!
The author, Tilly Bagshawe, is a superb writer. I couldn't put the book down. I was immersed in the story and couldn't wait to see what happens next. WOW...WOW......I intend to read every one of her books. She is one talented writer!!
The author, Tilly Bagshawe, is a superb writer. I couldn't put the book down. I was immersed in the story and couldn't wait to see what happens next. WOW...WOW......I intend to read every one of her books. She is one talented writer!!
March 16, 2009
I wasn't expecting greatness, but from the little blurb in the beginning by the author, about how there isn't enough SUPER TRASH in chick-lit right now... I was expecting some irony, some entertainment, some SOMETHING.
It was just bad. Badly written, badly imagined, bad, bad, bad.
It was just bad. Badly written, badly imagined, bad, bad, bad.
February 16, 2013
An amazing book. Lots of drama, lots of heart ache. All that glitters is not gold is pretty much what sums up this book. It's an excellent read. I read for three nights straight until I finished so I recommend this to anyone who loves a bit of drama, a bit of romance and a bit entertainment.
September 27, 2007
It was my cheesy, I'm on vacation book and definitely served it's purpose.
March 11, 2008
This book was super trashy and slutty and it was a waste of my time. I got through the first 5 chapters and was over it.
October 3, 2019
Re-read of a physical book in my collection. I enjoyed it enough to add a star to the original rating.
March 27, 2016
A little on the predictable side I thought but an easy, entertaining read to escape everyday life!
January 9, 2018
The storyline was quite predictable and reads more of a Danielle Steel / Jackie Collins book. That being said if you looking for a lazy not challenging read, then it might be the book for you.
July 27, 2011
ugh. Can't believe I read the whole thing...
July 26, 2025
This book took a minute for me to get through but I honestly didn’t think it was that bad of a book. Sure, the writing could have been better and I would’ve been much happier with less unnecessary sex scenes, but I thought it was an interesting story. The book was predictable in a sense but at the same time totally shocking. I really thought the book would be centered more on Siena and her climb to success, but the book more or so focused on Siena’s family and all the people connected to the story, which ultimately I was a fan of.
I would like to say though that I think it would’ve been a better story if Siena and Max reconnected after childhood in Hollywood as both struggling artists (or at least Max and then Siena as someone experiencing no acting breakthrough despite her modeling). Max would offer her a role as his leading lady while no one else will, and together, despite their immense differences, they would create a great project while simultaneously fighting and falling in love. I would’ve enjoyed that enemies to lovers dynamic so much more. But I get that that would turn the entire plot upside down. I just think that story would’ve given Siena more depth and a connection to her true dreams of acting and Max a little more independence rather than just being solely dependent upon Siena the entire story.
I will say that both Tiffany and Hunter were too good to be true as people. I hated Randall. Claire made progress. I LOVED INES SO MUCH.
“She was crying for one person only. And he was thousands of miles away in England crying for her” (507).
Okay, loved this scene. Max going outside and crying in desperation for Siena while she is simultaneously crying for him on the plane. *Dramatic sigh
“Maddie had asked him one night at super why he only smiled with his lips. “You’ve switched your eyes off,” as she put it; he’d had to leave the table and bolt upstairs to his room to cry”. (531-532)
This was cute and probably the best writing in this entire novel. Max is crying again, as he basically does the entire last half of the book after Siena leaves him.
I would like to say though that I think it would’ve been a better story if Siena and Max reconnected after childhood in Hollywood as both struggling artists (or at least Max and then Siena as someone experiencing no acting breakthrough despite her modeling). Max would offer her a role as his leading lady while no one else will, and together, despite their immense differences, they would create a great project while simultaneously fighting and falling in love. I would’ve enjoyed that enemies to lovers dynamic so much more. But I get that that would turn the entire plot upside down. I just think that story would’ve given Siena more depth and a connection to her true dreams of acting and Max a little more independence rather than just being solely dependent upon Siena the entire story.
I will say that both Tiffany and Hunter were too good to be true as people. I hated Randall. Claire made progress. I LOVED INES SO MUCH.
“She was crying for one person only. And he was thousands of miles away in England crying for her” (507).
Okay, loved this scene. Max going outside and crying in desperation for Siena while she is simultaneously crying for him on the plane. *Dramatic sigh
“Maddie had asked him one night at super why he only smiled with his lips. “You’ve switched your eyes off,” as she put it; he’d had to leave the table and bolt upstairs to his room to cry”. (531-532)
This was cute and probably the best writing in this entire novel. Max is crying again, as he basically does the entire last half of the book after Siena leaves him.
July 16, 2019
“Adored” a Sydney Sheldon book by Tilly Bagshawe takes us deep into the Hollywood business and lifestyle.
The story is about Siena McMahon a girl born amid hollywood scandal and opulence.She adored her grandfather Duke (a Hollywood legend) as a young girl, for his fame and success. It lured her towards Hollywood as a supermodel.
The rejection from her parents and the betrayal from one true love, pushed her into the hands of the most malicious rich man Randall Stein.
Adored is all about the ups and downs in Hollywood, the isolation, struggle, heartbreaks, above all the non-stop fuss from paparazzies.
This book was interesting in its own odd fashion, takes us into its own abominable Hollywood lifestyle. Tilly Bagshawe has done a wonderful job in the usage of characters. She concluded the chase for fame, by the final realisation of the true meaning of life.
Life of Siena McMahon was not so adorable.
#TillyBagshawe #Adored #SydneySheldon
The story is about Siena McMahon a girl born amid hollywood scandal and opulence.She adored her grandfather Duke (a Hollywood legend) as a young girl, for his fame and success. It lured her towards Hollywood as a supermodel.
The rejection from her parents and the betrayal from one true love, pushed her into the hands of the most malicious rich man Randall Stein.
Adored is all about the ups and downs in Hollywood, the isolation, struggle, heartbreaks, above all the non-stop fuss from paparazzies.
This book was interesting in its own odd fashion, takes us into its own abominable Hollywood lifestyle. Tilly Bagshawe has done a wonderful job in the usage of characters. She concluded the chase for fame, by the final realisation of the true meaning of life.
Life of Siena McMahon was not so adorable.
#TillyBagshawe #Adored #SydneySheldon
May 7, 2019
Bagshawe's writing is similar to Sidney Sheldon's, so I now truly understand why she was chosen to continue Sheldon's legacy. This novel, as "trashy" as it is, keeps up with the lively, fast paced storytelling, with a female protagonist that's very easy to root for.
If that's not peak Sidney Sheldon, I don't know what is.
Would recommend this book for women who live for the thrill, but in a more digestible, romance type format. 4/5, good, would read again, but can be forgettable.
If that's not peak Sidney Sheldon, I don't know what is.
Would recommend this book for women who live for the thrill, but in a more digestible, romance type format. 4/5, good, would read again, but can be forgettable.
August 25, 2024
I would rate this book at 3 1/2 stars but goodreads doesn't allow 1/2 stars. I found the story line entertaining, but a good 300 pages, maybe more, could have been shaved off of this 944 page book. The only big negative I have is that the author seemed to have an obsession with heavyset people by calling them many different derogatory names. There was no need for it.
May 7, 2017
would have been better if it would not make the main characters go through every possible awful event then get together at the very end of the book with little explanation of what changed their mind about being together
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