Royalties

by Andy Marx

America has never seen anything to match the innovation, energy, romance, and excitement of the 20th Century. And the embodiment of all this is Eve Solomon, a young woman who embraces the vitality of the times with a fervor. Determined to make a name for herself in the fledgling music business of 1908, she ultimately becomes wildly successful. But the same steely determination that takes her to the heights of the entertainment world cannot bring her the one thing she wants more than the love of her life, Alex Getz, a struggling Vaudeville comic who becomes one of Hollywood’s biggest stars. As their careers and lives intersect across the years, there is a price to pay—a royalty for true love that can never be measured.---Published by Taliesin Publishing, "Authors and stories that echo in your heart long after the book is closed."

449 pages, Paperback

First published June 30, 2014

Reviews

[Ann Ellis · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Fangs

I received this book from the author and from 'Paranormal Romance and Authors That Rock'. This is my honest review.

Royalties is a historical romance novel. It is well paced and written. The characters a fleshed out nicely. The description of the world of early to mid-20th century is accurate. This is not your typical romance novel, but to be sure there's plenty of angst and unrequited love.

The story centers around two primary characters, Eve and Alex, and how they navigate their person and professional lives. The story bounces primarily from their points of view, occasionally the writer will put in another perspective. It makes for an entertaining novel.

Both Eve and Alex are in the entertainment business. Alex is a rakish comedian. Eve is a beautiful pianist that works for a publishing company as a plugger. As Eve and Alex's lives intersect at key points in their careers unforeseen circumstances and people in their lives conspire tear them apart.

Eve is a strong and clever female character. She pulls herself out of poverty to success in her chosen field of music. Alex is not as strong in character as his love, Eve. He doesn't have a strong ambition, but his mother does. This presents issues on how Alex can keep balance in his life. He tries to be faithful and please his overbearing mother, family, Eve and his fans. The only ones not disappointed in him is his fans. It's interesting to see how fame and failure effects their relationship with each other, friends, colleagues and family.

This is the is the first time I have had the pleasure of reading his work. I am impressed with Andy Marx's writing. Mr. Marx has done his research about the entertainment industry at the beginning of the twentieth century and how the industry changes over the course of Alex and Eve's lives and how it effects them. I highly recommend this book.

[Frank Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

An entertaining story with a broad sweep. Marx is a good writer and he took a couple turns that I did not see coming. I will warn you about one thing-there is a Forest Gump dimension to the story where our heroes happen to be in the perfect place at the perfect time once or twice too often. But the third act redeems this book by returning the focus to our two leads.

[MELODY · Rating 5 out of 5]

Royalties is more then likely the best book I've read in 20 years! Which is saying something I read 7 to 10 books a week. Royalties is reminiscent of the great classics. Mr. Marx, pulls you into another era so beautifully. The characters are so very real! It's a love story of all time, the likes of Gone with the Wind and The Thorn Birds. Oh what a movie this would make! I spent many a Saturday watching old movies and listening to the likes of Charlie Chaplin, Mae West, Gershwin and Copeland. It brought back those happy memories.

Thank-you so much for writing this lovely novel. If you buy one book this year make it Royalties!

[Cathy Geha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This saga that spans decades tells the story of a woman and two men that love her. It includes ambition, family, betrayal and history galore. The book reminds me of some that I have read in the past…those long books with glitz and glamor, famous people and money, love and betrayal and historical events referred to and seen through the lives of the characters in the book. I kept hoping that at some point there would be a generation that found true happiness and love and that they would be able to live in that love but instead I came away feeling sad for most of the characters in the book.

[Lauracastellano · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book...loved all the musician references. Could not put it down.