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MONEY
Emily Kent is the daughter of one of the most powerful women on the planet. Her mother and billionaire father have laid the world at her feet - it's not enough. Emily is determined to make her own luck.
LUST
Claudia Kent is Emily's step-sister - all she craves is love. Desperate to escape the misery of her past, she meets the man of her dreams. Or so she imagines...
VENGEANCE
Nathan Kent is the son of no one. Adopted, and then discarded by the one family who could have loved him, he has only one goal in life - to get his revenge.
GREED
As disgraced tycoon Jack Kent and his wife Innocence fight for supremacy over their vast empire, family ties are flung aside - no one will stand the way of their obsession with money, sex and power.
Emily Kent is the daughter of one of the most powerful women on the planet. Her mother and billionaire father have laid the world at her feet - it's not enough. Emily is determined to make her own luck.
LUST
Claudia Kent is Emily's step-sister - all she craves is love. Desperate to escape the misery of her past, she meets the man of her dreams. Or so she imagines...
VENGEANCE
Nathan Kent is the son of no one. Adopted, and then discarded by the one family who could have loved him, he has only one goal in life - to get his revenge.
GREED
As disgraced tycoon Jack Kent and his wife Innocence fight for supremacy over their vast empire, family ties are flung aside - no one will stand the way of their obsession with money, sex and power.
445 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
6 people are currently reading
380 people want to read
About the author
Anna Maxted
29 books190 followersAnna Maxted is a bestselling author based in North London, England. Born in 1969, she is married to fellow author and journalist Philip Robinson and they have three young sons. She writes female contemporary fiction which is viewed to be at the high end of the chick lit market. Anna Maxted read English Literature at Girton College, Cambridge, before becoming a journalist. She is former Assistant Editor of Cosmopolitan, and has freelanced for most national newspapers and magazines, including The Independent on Sunday, The Daily Telegraph, The Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror, The Times, Daily Express, FHM, Esquire and Living Etc.
...
As well as being rich in humour, Anna's novels invariably deal with some of the deeper and more complicated issues facing women, such as grief, abandonment, rejection, motherhood, and sibling rivalry.
Her first novel Getting Over It, was semi-autobiographical and based very much around her experience of the death of her own father.
(wikipedia)
...
As well as being rich in humour, Anna's novels invariably deal with some of the deeper and more complicated issues facing women, such as grief, abandonment, rejection, motherhood, and sibling rivalry.
Her first novel Getting Over It, was semi-autobiographical and based very much around her experience of the death of her own father.
(wikipedia)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
February 24, 2010
If it was possible I would give this book zero stars.
There are so many reasons why this book is awful.
First off if you look at the cover you think this book is a enjoyable happy read. It's not. If I had any indication of what a dark story this is I would of never picked it up, however the cover and description never give any indication.
Second the story is not told in any sort of linear form which is confusing. It switches back and forth between different characters as it goes, also switching back in forth in time. This is just confusing.
Third this is just the most depressing story I've ever read. While I don't need a story to end with all of the characters skipping off into the sunset, I want to at least feel some sort of happiness with the end of the book. This book just ended with a bloodbath, and a feeble attempt at closure.
Also the behavior of all of the characters makes it hard to like any of them. They all take turns being selfish and self serving, and never really change.
All around an really bad book.
There are so many reasons why this book is awful.
First off if you look at the cover you think this book is a enjoyable happy read. It's not. If I had any indication of what a dark story this is I would of never picked it up, however the cover and description never give any indication.
Second the story is not told in any sort of linear form which is confusing. It switches back and forth between different characters as it goes, also switching back in forth in time. This is just confusing.
Third this is just the most depressing story I've ever read. While I don't need a story to end with all of the characters skipping off into the sunset, I want to at least feel some sort of happiness with the end of the book. This book just ended with a bloodbath, and a feeble attempt at closure.
Also the behavior of all of the characters makes it hard to like any of them. They all take turns being selfish and self serving, and never really change.
All around an really bad book.
March 20, 2012
Ended up skimming through the end of the book, wanted to finish only because I hate to leave a book unfinished, not because of any merit in the book itself. Hated it.
December 31, 2009
I've read Anna Maxted's other books. They're usually chick lit with a thread of a serious issue woven throughout . . . but overall enjoyable. This one was horrible. The cover makes it look like you're going to get a type of Shopaholic story about a rich girl who learns a little bit about life. It's not that book. Not at all. Instead of shopping and silly love affairs you're going to get sex, child abuse/molestation, creepy weird violence (like for example, someone poking a child's eye out), a bombing, a stalker, family members unwittingly dating each other, etc. It made me feel sick to my stomach for most of the book and I was relieved when I finally finished it. Not at all like any of her other books and not a "rip-roaring tale" as Publisher's Weekly said. Made me wonder if Anna Maxted had some sort of head injury recently.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 27, 2009
To say this book was a terrible disappointment is a huge understatement. I had high hopes to sit down and read a novel about the cut-throat big business world of the rich and powerful with some family scandal thrown in. Instead, it was nothing more than a trashy novel. The first chapter alone contained underage drinking, drug usage, sex, partying all centered around a 15 year old. I had hoped the book would get better and there was a reason for such a distasteful beginning. Sadly, that never happened. The story line was predictable and not very interesting. The characters were shallow and not well developed or believable. I felt like I was reading a book written by someone who was bitter towards those more fortunate than she is. Some scenes were distasteful enough that I felt like I had to wash out my eyeballs after reading them. I certainly won't be buying any of Anna Maxted's books. To me, they're not worth the paper they're printed on.
January 9, 2010
This is my least favourite Anna Maxted book yet. Of the main characters, there was only one that was ALMOST likeable, the others were immensely unlike-able and I hoped they would meet a gory and torturous ending.
The plot was rambling and disorganised. The ending was predictable from about a quarter of the way into the book. Plot twists required such a ridiculous amount of suspension of disbelief that they were almost predictable again. I can't count the number of the times I rolled my eyes reading this book.
While I have read Maxted's other works, she has been slowly losing me throughout her last 2-3 books. This one may have just ended our relationship for good.
The plot was rambling and disorganised. The ending was predictable from about a quarter of the way into the book. Plot twists required such a ridiculous amount of suspension of disbelief that they were almost predictable again. I can't count the number of the times I rolled my eyes reading this book.
While I have read Maxted's other works, she has been slowly losing me throughout her last 2-3 books. This one may have just ended our relationship for good.
December 28, 2009
This book really confused me. Perhaps I should have read the description more carefully, but it sounded like a "chick lit" novel. Yes, the description mentions a malicious stalker, but this line does not give the reader any hint at the darkness and violence in the story.
The story centers around the wealthy Kent family. Patriarch Jack has been brought low through bad investments and scandal. He is "saved" from complete ruin because he devious second wife Innocence stole part of his company from him. Their vapid daughter Emily is a horny, spoiled teenager, who gets pregnant after seducing the son of a rich Scottish earl. Jack's adopted daughter from his first marriage, Claudia, has no use for the family fortune, making her way in the world as a reporter. The family is seriously dysfunctional and messed up, even without the presence of a "malicious stalker."
What does the stalker add to the tale? A bomb and several murders of people connected to the family. Seriously? Yes, seriously. The story is way more violent, dark and sinister than the front cover or the description let on. The "malicious stalker" is indeed the heart of the story, although you don't realize it until a you're 120 pages in.
The strong point for the novel is its organization. The "malicious stalker" is not introduced until the second quarter of the novel and you don't realize he has been introduced until later. Instead the evil one shows up in "Book Two" as an extra character with seemingly little connection to the rest of the story. Yet, the violence glimpsed in the snippets of his story hint at the overall violence to come.
Overall, I really did not know what to make of this novel. I felt misinformed as to its story and thus confused when it went in a dark direction. "Chick lit" it is not. For that reason alone, the title and cover image need to be changed to more accurately reflect the "malicious" content.
The story centers around the wealthy Kent family. Patriarch Jack has been brought low through bad investments and scandal. He is "saved" from complete ruin because he devious second wife Innocence stole part of his company from him. Their vapid daughter Emily is a horny, spoiled teenager, who gets pregnant after seducing the son of a rich Scottish earl. Jack's adopted daughter from his first marriage, Claudia, has no use for the family fortune, making her way in the world as a reporter. The family is seriously dysfunctional and messed up, even without the presence of a "malicious stalker."
What does the stalker add to the tale? A bomb and several murders of people connected to the family. Seriously? Yes, seriously. The story is way more violent, dark and sinister than the front cover or the description let on. The "malicious stalker" is indeed the heart of the story, although you don't realize it until a you're 120 pages in.
The strong point for the novel is its organization. The "malicious stalker" is not introduced until the second quarter of the novel and you don't realize he has been introduced until later. Instead the evil one shows up in "Book Two" as an extra character with seemingly little connection to the rest of the story. Yet, the violence glimpsed in the snippets of his story hint at the overall violence to come.
Overall, I really did not know what to make of this novel. I felt misinformed as to its story and thus confused when it went in a dark direction. "Chick lit" it is not. For that reason alone, the title and cover image need to be changed to more accurately reflect the "malicious" content.
January 3, 2016
I would like to give this disorganized mess zero stars. I feel like I lost IQ points while reading it and only kept going because a. I was trapped in a long flight and b. The pledge from my campfire girl days always rings through my head "I must finish what I begin." It's awful and I don't even want to anonymously put it in our neighborhood free library because I'll feel guilty subjecting anyone else to 400+ pages of this schlock.
January 7, 2010
Disappointed one of my favorite meaningful fluff british chick lit authors, Went Hollywood thriller.
June 21, 2012
2.5 stars
Did Anna Maxted really write this? Wow. I've read everything she's written for years and felt safe picking this one up without even reading the back cover. I've come to expect a certain quality from Maxted. I've seen her books referred to as the thinking girl's chick-lit (even though I've never considered her novels chick-lit).
Maybe Maxted wanted to take a break from her usually serious subject matter and have some fun. Who could blame her? But I sure wish the cover had come with a disclaimer (Warning: Not the Anna Maxted You Remember!) so I would have gone into it forwarned. Maybe a little blurb that said: "Like Jackie Collins? You'll love this one!" I think had I not had such high expectations going in I would have loosened up a bit and enjoyed the ride. Because it really was sheer over-the-top silliness. These people weren't just rich, they were uber-rich. Innocence (yes, her name was Innocence, go ahead and laugh - I did) wasn't just a mean stepmother, she was a vile, cruel, hateful stepmother. And the baddie (I'll leave him/her nameless to avoid possible spoilers) wasn't just a typical baddie. S/he was an over-the-top psychopathic baddie. (And the whole reasoning for the lifelong vendetta was a little weak and hard to swallow. I mean, really?) But, the larger than life characters, extreme circumstances and sheer absurdity just added to the fun.
My only quibble was the constant shift in time frame. Two years previously, now ten years before that, jump ahead 15 years, 10 minutes later, one year ago... it was enough to give you whiplash. The jumping timeframe was severely overused and became confusing... and annoying.
Fingers crossed that this was a one-off for Maxted and she'll now return to her usual style that I enjoy so much.
Did Anna Maxted really write this? Wow. I've read everything she's written for years and felt safe picking this one up without even reading the back cover. I've come to expect a certain quality from Maxted. I've seen her books referred to as the thinking girl's chick-lit (even though I've never considered her novels chick-lit).
Maybe Maxted wanted to take a break from her usually serious subject matter and have some fun. Who could blame her? But I sure wish the cover had come with a disclaimer (Warning: Not the Anna Maxted You Remember!) so I would have gone into it forwarned. Maybe a little blurb that said: "Like Jackie Collins? You'll love this one!" I think had I not had such high expectations going in I would have loosened up a bit and enjoyed the ride. Because it really was sheer over-the-top silliness. These people weren't just rich, they were uber-rich. Innocence (yes, her name was Innocence, go ahead and laugh - I did) wasn't just a mean stepmother, she was a vile, cruel, hateful stepmother. And the baddie (I'll leave him/her nameless to avoid possible spoilers) wasn't just a typical baddie. S/he was an over-the-top psychopathic baddie. (And the whole reasoning for the lifelong vendetta was a little weak and hard to swallow. I mean, really?) But, the larger than life characters, extreme circumstances and sheer absurdity just added to the fun.
My only quibble was the constant shift in time frame. Two years previously, now ten years before that, jump ahead 15 years, 10 minutes later, one year ago... it was enough to give you whiplash. The jumping timeframe was severely overused and became confusing... and annoying.
Fingers crossed that this was a one-off for Maxted and she'll now return to her usual style that I enjoy so much.
April 21, 2010
I must say that this book was not at all what I expected from Anna Maxted, and I have not figured out if that's a good thing or a bad thing. She is well known for dealing with serious subjects such as eating disorders, death, abuse, and rape with both humor and sensitivity. It's her comedic voice that makes her such a brilliant writer, and that was missing from this novel. It was very, very dark, and more of the Sandra Brown or even Jackie Collins than her usual work. With that being said, I am all about pushing the boundaries and trying something new (listen up, Jodi Picoult, I'm talking to you!) and it was, although not what I expexted, an excellent read. Maxted fans may be left scratching their heads, but they will not be disappointed.
March 9, 2010
This was one of the most unenjoyable books that I've ever read and I could kick myself that I actually spent money and time on it. I should have just stopped reading, but I was halfway through the book before I realized that it really wasn't going to get any better.
The characters were all shallow and with no redeeming features, so I didn't even care when bad things happened to them. I'm just so happy that I finally finished it so I can read something else!
I've read several of Anna Maxted's books and enjoyed them, but this was a real disappointment.
The characters were all shallow and with no redeeming features, so I didn't even care when bad things happened to them. I'm just so happy that I finally finished it so I can read something else!
I've read several of Anna Maxted's books and enjoyed them, but this was a real disappointment.
April 4, 2011
Ugh. If what you like about Maxted's book is a believable, relatable heroine dealing with serious issues then there's absolutely no reason for you to read this book.
And talk about a case of "don't judge a book by its cover"! If you're thinking you're getting chick lit or even "women's fiction" BEWARE - this book goes heavily into psychopath territory, with very little warning.
Add to all that that the writing is far below Maxted's usual quality and I have to wonder if she wrote this or if someone snuck onto her computer and it got published without anyone noticing.
And talk about a case of "don't judge a book by its cover"! If you're thinking you're getting chick lit or even "women's fiction" BEWARE - this book goes heavily into psychopath territory, with very little warning.
Add to all that that the writing is far below Maxted's usual quality and I have to wonder if she wrote this or if someone snuck onto her computer and it got published without anyone noticing.
October 19, 2014
Looking for the literary equivalent of a soap opera? This is your book. This story is drama-filled to the point of being over the top. Every dramatic twist you can think of is in here: business tycoons with their empires, family drama, adoptions, love affairs, murders, etc. The last 100 pages felt like they were trying to out-do the previous pages making me want to nearly give up as it was all too much.
September 3, 2011
What do you do when you really aren't finished but you are done with the book? I didn't enjoy this. I've read other books by this author and enjoyed them, but I was halfway through the book and decided I didn't want to pick it up and read it anymore!
But it's still going to count towards my yearly reading goal... is that cheating? Not gonna worry about it. :)
But it's still going to count towards my yearly reading goal... is that cheating? Not gonna worry about it. :)
January 6, 2010
She has always been a favorite author of mine, but I found this book very disappointing. She does have a flair for writing about the darker parts of human personalities and experiences, but this book is dark to the point where there is only one redeemable character in the book, and the rest are vile. It was not an enjoyable read.
March 19, 2010
I LOVE Anna Maxted, so I was very disappointed to get 99 pages into this and realize that I was hating it. Bad characters that I didn't care about. Confusing structure. Weird brand-dropping. Melodrama out the wazoo. I stopped reading it.
January 13, 2010
I just really couldn't care about any of these characters... only read the rest because I was stuck on a plane!
February 15, 2010
This is the second worst book I've ever read. It stands out memorably. I usually like Anna Maxted books, but this one felt really contrived and awful.
November 18, 2020
Possibly the strangest book I’ve ever read. If you have been a Maxted fan for her cute rom-coms, give this a hard pass. It was definitely the most disgusting piece I’ve read in a long time. I was so used to her cutesy love stories that I picked this up with certain expectations. That said, I’ve been known to read thrillers or even horror novels. This had no suspense and wasn’t very clever. Simply put: it was vulgar, she tried to include every disgusting thing humanly possible to divorce herself from her other novels and not in a way necessary to the story. Grotesque violence (even against children), rape (again, even against children), graphic sexual content (including from the perspective of a 13 year old), incest, and generally terrible people treating each other terribly. It felt like everything was just for shock value. Just gross.
June 9, 2020
Anna Maxted's previous books have had meaning and some depth, surprising for the mass produced British chick lit genre. This book, however, was wildly disappointing. The back-and-forth narration between too many characters made each one that much more one dimensional. The plot which [SPOILER!!] leaves most of the cast dead at the end of the book, with only the unlikely pair of female survivors beginning to bond despite their rocky history was trite, poorly developed, and all around annoying. Disappointing for an author who was able to say something with her previous stories.
September 11, 2025
Based on the cover, I was expecting a light, fun chick lit book… boy, was I wrong! There’s a need to keep note of the varying timelines and from whom’s perspective you are reading from but, otherwise, very well written. A story set over many decades (60s to 2000s), there is a long wait for resolution. Most of the characters were unlikeable, and this didn’t help as you began to not care what happened to them… or even wanted something bad to happen to them!
July 16, 2021
This was the first book I have read by this author and maybe that’s why I enjoyed it, no preconceived ideas about her style of writing. Yes, it was dark, but in a “Desperate Housewives” sort of way. Guess I’m glad I wasn’t born into money lol
April 10, 2018
This was surprisingly, delightfully dark. I imagined Shopaholic or Devil Wears Prada, and it had shades of that. But it was a lot more. Funny, indulgent, creepy. Really fun to read.
June 20, 2018
My 5th Anna Maxted book… the other 4 weren't too great, but this one is by far the worst and just disturbing.
June 24, 2018
predictable and far too long
July 9, 2020
This is not like any of her other books. Hard to follow and super twisted. The rest of her books are great. What happened?
May 3, 2021
Was an ok read. Lots of build up for an interesting ending. When reading this book you must pay attention to what year you are in and whose point of view your reading.
May 11, 2024
Niet uitgelezen…
January 13, 2025
Starting the year with a re-read of an oldie but goodie. Anna Maxted is a fave, and if you haven’t discovered her, grab any of her titles and enjoy!
October 1, 2016
Before I started reading this book I got a warning from a friend who said it was a disaster..
Yeah now I totally agree. The first 70ish pages were ok, but later it just went down hill.
This book isn't really in my normal genre but I wanted to read it anyway I just don't know if that was a mistake or not.
This book made me feel quite boring and annoyed because of the characters behavior, the writing could have made up for this so it would still be an ok book but it didn't.
Xx ReviewReviewNYC..
Yeah now I totally agree. The first 70ish pages were ok, but later it just went down hill.
This book isn't really in my normal genre but I wanted to read it anyway I just don't know if that was a mistake or not.
This book made me feel quite boring and annoyed because of the characters behavior, the writing could have made up for this so it would still be an ok book but it didn't.
Xx ReviewReviewNYC..
Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews