The Other Side of the Story
Marian Keyes
(Reviewer - Rebecca Brown)
2004 William Morrow
ISBN: 0060520515

Three British women, connected by lovers & books, tell their stories of fame & fortune, passion & work.

In Ireland, Gemma Hogan's Dad leaves her Mam & their 35 year marriage to shack up with his secretary, only a couple of years older than his daughter, & her Mam falls apart. Gemma's torn between losing her independence, rescuing her helpless Mam, keeping her event organizer business in the black, & raging at her Dad. It doesn't help that her erstwhile best friend, who stole her man from her & fled to London, has just written a bestseller. Will Gemma get her Dad & Mam back together?

Lily Wright, haunted by stealing Anton from her best friend, is struggling with poverty & motherhood. One day she sits down & writes an enchanting, heartwarming fairy story which she completes in just 8 weeks. After fruitless months of rejection, literary agent Jojo Harvey makes a deal for her & after a slow start, Mimi's Remedies rockets to the bestseller list. Will Lily's next book be as good?

Jojo Harvey, an American ex-cop with a body to die for, moved to London, & did odd jobs before landing a position with a literary agency. Now she has a severe case of boss-itis. Mark is all she ever wanted in a man except, naturally, he's married with children ... & he's a partner in the firm. Meanwhile Jojo's parlaying her golden touch with picking good books & brokering great deals for her writers. & even though she's not been there long, she's brought in a ton of cash for the company, & she's up for partnership. Tall as she is, will Jojo get knocked out by the glass ceiling?

Marian Keyes has written a rollicking read in the voices of three vivacious & emotion-packed women. We dive into their work, their families, their love lives, secrets & ambitions. & the fabulous world of publishing gets spotlit in all its crazy drama & gut-wrenching tension.

The Other Side of the Story is often hilarious, often a tear-jerker & often infuriating as each woman stumbles over obstacles to happiness, grasps the brass rings of fame, makes & loses fortunes, loves & loses relationships. Lots of ribald language, sex, booze & mishaps, with drama & danger galore ... & neatly done resolutions!

An enjoyable tale of three women & how their lives mimic their art!

More from Marian Keyes:
Watermelon
Lucy Sullivan Is Getting Married
Rachel's Holiday
Last Chance Salon
Angels
Sushi for Beginners
Under the Duvet
(09/12/04)

Rebecca