When Marnie, Tina and Lee share a house in famous Bondi Beach they are young, driven, ambitious. Yet below the surface each has her own agenda. Marnie, strong, confident and privileged, is escaping the stifling conservatism of her home town – and a father who will forever mark her relationships with men. Tina, driven to overcome her impoverished background, promises herself a home on Sydney harbour by the time she’s 30 – no matter what she has to do to get it. Lee dreams of showbiz success far from a suffocating life in the suburbs. When her ambitions are cut cruelly short, her daughter is meant to live them for her. A quarter of a century later the three friends learn that dreams come with no guarantee and the city is a much more dangerous place.
Jennifer Bacia's first suspense thriller, Indecent Ambition, (original title Shadows of Power) was a debut author’s dream. -The novel sold for a record-breaking advance. -It became an international best seller and Book Club Choice. -The movie rights were optioned, sales were made to leading foreign publishers and an extract featured in Cosmopolitan magazine.
Now the author of 8 successful novels and dozens of short stories, Jennifer promises her readers a book they simply can’t put down.
Her best-selling suspense thrillers, A Very Public Scandal, Indecent Ambition, Never Forget Me and Whisper Her Name are irresistible fast-paced stories featuring strong, intelligent women set against the glamour and intrigue of international backgrounds.
She also writes contemporary domestic fiction that most women will relate to. Everything to Lose, Best Kept Secrets, One Door Closes and The Almost Perfect Lover are rich involving stories that focus on women's dreams aspirations, illusions and regrets.
Jennifer has also published a guide to writing called Bestseller! How to Write Novels that Sell based on the creative writing course she was invited to establish at Bond University. Bestseller! is full of practical advice and offers a unique analysis of what made her own debut novel so appealing to publishers.
Jennifer's surname is probably Italian in origin and is pronounced as ‘batcher’
You can contact Jennifer on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/jenniferbaci... or visit her website at www.jenniferbacia.net where her novels and writing guide are available. PLEASE NOTE SOME TITLES HAVE BEEN CHANGED: A VERY PUBLIC SCANDAL was first published as Mask of Paradise. WHISPER HER NAME was first published as Angel of Honour NEVER FORGET ME was first published as Whisper from the Gods. INDECENT AMBITION was first published as Shadows of Power. ONE DOOR CLOSES was first published as Table for Three.
This was a good story about three friends who met as young women when they first moved from home to Sydney. Their dreams and how what you want to happen does not always happen the way you had seen it.
The story is so-so, the plot shifting between the three female characters, Marnie, Tina, and Lee as they deal with changes in their lives and careers in Australia. The author adds backstory that fills in the blanks as to how each character got where she is in her life.
The pace of the story is leisurely. The men range from helpful to loving to cruel. By mid-way, I didn't really care what happened to any of the women. The reader barely shifts accents let alone tone to differentiate the characters.
This was a book I bought when I had a much bigger disposable income - about 8 years ago. I re-read it just to make sure I can give it away, and it was just as crap as I remembered it to be. Standard chick lit which brings nothing new to the table (pardon the pun).
This was called thriller/ crime/ mystery in the library, but it wasn't so I was just left disappointed.
Some thing(s) I liked: ✅Writing was fine
Some thing(s), not so much: ⭕Boring ⭕Nothing happened ⭕Sad, old bimbo regrets getting married and having a kid so abandons everything to "make her fortune" trope is just embarrassing to read about. Oh and then she gets raped because she gets into a dangerous situation with a man she doesn't know. 🤮 ⭕It was touted as a thriller, but it was women's lit. Like a lifetime movies special my mum likes. Not for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Three and a half stars. Didn't mind this. Wasn't the greatest writing ever, but good story about three friends and how their lives have changed since they first met as teenagers. All the women were relatable and well fleshed out. I did feel sorry for Lee and the turn hers took. I like that all the women were strong characters and really had minds of their own. The stalker twist was a bit flat at the end, expected it to be something more than it was, but it did keep me interested. Have seen this author has books for $3 on the ibook store. Think I will check out some of her others later on.
I enjoyed most of this but felt that Lee was punished for showing a bit of independence with unnecessary harshness. Is Bacia saying this is what happens to a woman who wants a bit of life outside the family circle? In fact, all three of them were punished in a way for stepping outside tradition - and they all get rewarded when they step back! Not sure what Bacia's point is, but it's not encouraging - I wonder if she meant it this way? Strange. Maybe I didn't enjoy it so much after all.