Legs

by Angela Lam

Trina Kay knows she has it a smart, sexy boyfriend and business partner, a closet full of designer clothes, and a multimillion dollar mansion overlooking Silicon Valley. But things spiral out of control once her boyfriend, Tom, puts up a billboard of her legs to advertise their real estate business.Furious with Tom's decision to exploit her body, Trina flees to Sonoma County where her best friend, Val, lives. She plunges into her new life with a fierce determination to succeed by opening her own real estate brokerage and starting to date. Things don't work out exactly as planned. Trina's living in a luxury apartment she can't afford with bills she can't pay. And the one nice man she's met has driven away before she could get his number. On the brink of bankruptcy, Trina finds a job working for Ms. Lashay at Smart Loans during the beginning of the mortgage crisis. Just when things couldn't get worse, the past threatens to collide with the present, and Trina is forced to make difficult decisions that will change her life and those around her forever.

Genres: Chick Lit

356 pages, Paperback

First published September 23, 2008

About the author

Angela Lam, formerly Angela Lam Turpin, writes across genres, from sweet contemporary romances to candid memoirs to sexy thrillers and everything in between.

Reviews

[Joanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great read, I found myself on many occasions in the shoes of Trina, feeling her emotions as my own. It is a one of a kind story, about a woman's independance and all the real decisions I have found myself making in life with career, family and men. Turpin really sets a great foundation as a novelist with this book, I am excited to read what she comes out with next.

[Kelly Moran · Rating 3 out of 5]

Author Angela Lam Turpin has worked in the real estate industry for over fifteen years. Her book-length memoir, Red Eggs and Good Luck, won the Mary Tanenbaum Award for Creative Nonfiction. Her essay, Strange and Wonderful, appeared in Wild Child: Girlhoods in the Counterculture by Seal Press. Legs is her debut novel with Blood Moon Rising soon to be released. She resides with her husband and two children.
Trina Kay is pretty certain that she has all her ducks in a row- Her business partner and boyfriend is sexy and smart, they have a multi-million dollar mansion overlooking Silicon Valley, and she has a closet full of designer clothes. But when the economy forces drastic advertising measures for their business, Trina finds her life spiraling out of control when her boyfriend, Tom, puts up a billboard of her legs. Furious that he exploited her body that way, Trina takes off for Sonoma County and the comfort of her best friend, Val. Determined to succeed in her own real estate brokerage business, Trina begins dating again. Now, she’s living in a luxury apartment she can’t afford, the bills are piling up, and the one decent dating prospect drove away before she could even get his number. Desperate not to file for bankruptcy, she lands a job for crazy Ms. Lashay. And just when things couldn’t get any worse, Trina’s past collides with her present, forcing her to make difficult decisions that may very well send her over the edge.
I’m finding myself with mixed emotions after reading this book. It has been listed as both Literature and Romance alike, but I feel it fits along the lines of Chick Lit appropriately. While reading the book, I felt there was a lot of business reading on the real estate market, which slowed it down marginally. I also felt like I kept waiting for something to happen, even though a lot was going on in the plot. Her family could be a little over-the-top at times, and the main character, Trina, was a bit childish periodically. The story is told in first person, which isn’t my favorite.
In saying that, I truly enjoyed the author’s quick wit and sense of humor. It allowed the characters dimension and personality to shine. I laughed aloud a few times. Her understanding of the economy and housing market allowed for a learning experience and realistic setting for occupation and place. I adored the secondary character she created with Val. Her eye for detail was refreshing, as well. If you are a Chick Lit fan or are interested in learning about real estate, this is a recommended read.

Kelly Moran,
Author and Reviewer

[Maria Elmvang · Rating 3 out of 5]

Katrina Kay (KK) discovered that there is a truth to the old saying of keeping business and pleasure separate. So far it's been wonderful being business partners with her boyfriend Tom, but when he decides to use a photo of her naked legs on a billboard ad, she realises it's time to break up the partnership. Unfortunately Tom decides that this means breaking off the relationship as well, and soon KK finds herself trying to start over in a new town, far away from her family and friends.

They're not too keen on being left behind though, and are determined to bring KK and Tom back together, so KK finds herself continuously being torn between old friends and new obligations. It's time to stop letting the opinion of others control her life, and start living according to her dreams and desires.

Legs is a very entertaining debut novel from Angela Lam Turpin. Authors are encouraged to "write what you know", and Angela Turpin has done just that by centring her book on the lives of two real estate agents. This is a career not often ventured into in books, making for interesting reading about a profession I knew hardly anything about. The main characters are intriguing, though I often found myself wanting to shake first one and then the other for not talking things through and not listening properly.

My only issue with the book was KK's family members, who were somewhat over-the-top, and therefore came out looking more like caricatures than real people. I hope families like that are few and far between.

That aside I greatly enjoyed the book and can highly recommend it for a day at the beach or a rainy afternoon.

[Sydney · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was such a pleasant surprise! I really enjoyed the evolution of the main character, Trina. She starts off as a hard driving, materialistic, self-centered power realtor. Her boyfriend seems to be her male equivalent... putting Trina's legs on a billboard to advertise their business. At first I didn't entirely understand Trina's strong reaction to the billboard, but as you read further into the book, it all comes in to focus.

The relationships and the way they are written really make this book. Trina's interactions and conversations with her parents, her best friend Val, her boyfriend Tom, a woman who eventually becomes her boss, and even smaller characters are so believable.

I look forward to reading more from this author!

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was nice to follow the personal evolution of Trina. I found myself comparing and relating to her character while reading Legs. I enjoyed the book, although I did find some of the realty/financial jargon a little bit tedious. I look forward to reading other books by Angela Lam Turpin.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here are a couple of reviews of my debut novel, LEGS:

http://reviews.armchairinterviews.com...

and

http://bogormen.livejournal.com/11594...

[Amy]

Local author, figure I'll check it out.