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.
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
What do You think about Adored (2005)?
Like an audio book soap opera, Adored chronicled the lives of the McMahon family over several decades. Drama, mystery, conflict, chaos, romance, fame, gossip and fortune ensued throughout. When te male patriarch of the McMahon family passed, a lot of people had to get used to a lot of changes - most of which were out of their control and most of which they did not like. Nevertheless, time went on, everyone grew up and went on their way, each on their own path of success. But in the McMahon family it seemed that everyt time someone reached their star, it seemed there was a heart that broke. Ultimately, the story came down to fame or family? Would one finally win out over the other? Excellent book. I can't wait to read or listen to something else by Tilly Bagshawe.
—Cathy
REVIEW OF ABRIDGED AUDIOBOOK READ BY SONYA WALGER:With only one previous audiobook under her belt (Bergdorf Blondes), Sonya Walger's sensational narration of Bagshawe's deliciously sinful novel proves she's a budding audio star. Walger (who appears on TV's CSI: NY) throws herself into this adaptation with giddy abandon and palpable enthusiasm. Narrating most of the book with her crisp, confident British accent, she effortless slips into American characters, giving each an individual cadence and personality. Bagshawe's decades-spanning Hollywood tale of glamour, greed, lust and revenge will remind listeners of the sweeping, high-caloric sagas by Jacqueline Susann or Lynda LaPlante. Like those two authors, Bagshawe excels at creating characters who are borderline unsympathetic but always compelling. While the big, juicy beach novel has been trimmed a bit, Jessica Kaye's excellent abridgment keeps the various story lines coherent while never slowing the pace below a gallop. Walger's remarkably adroit characterizations never let the multitude of characters become confusing. The only flaw in this production is that the musical cues sometimes play too loudly, threatening to drown out the narration rather than enhancing it.
—Kevin
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.
—Joey
