Adored [Abridged, Audiobook] [Audio CD]

Tilly Bagshawe (Author), Sonya Walger (Reader)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2005

To the outside world, Siena McMahon has a fairy-tale life. Born into a great Hollywood dynasty-granddaughter of movie legend Duke McMahon, daughter of billionaire producer Pete McMahon-she is blessed with beauty, brains, and wealth...a proverbial princess. Yet behind the wrought-iron gates of the sprawling McMahon mansion in Hancock Park, her life is far from idyllic. The McMahons are bound together not by love but by infighting and ambition. When a gold-digging English aristocrat, Caroline Berkeley, worms her way into their lives and their home, the family's potent mix of jealousy and wealth explodes. Packed off to school in England, Siena starts making plans to leave the moment she arrives. She is determined to become a Hollywood star in her own right-just as her grandfather had said she would be. And once back in L.A., the rejections, betrayals, and failures she'll face will only make her stronger and tougher than ever before. But at what price? In the utterly dysfunctional landscape of her life-among friends, lovers, and family-she must find the people who will help her survive, help her become the person she was meant to be, help her be truly Adored. Set in the most glamorous cities of the world-L.A., London, Paris, and New York-Tilly Bagshawe's debut novel is like the real-world Hollywood it mirrors: deliciously escapist, wickedly sexy, and always irresistibly compelling.

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

With only one previous audiobook under her belt (Bergdorf Blondes, Hyperion Audio), 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.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Bagshawe set out to write a book that broke free from the chick-lit mold. She succeeded in producing an epic romance with ultraglamorous characters--no Bridget Jones here. The book opens with the story of philandering movie star Duke; his coolly detached wife, Minnie; and their decidedly untraditional home--Duke's mistress shares quarters with his true family. After Duke's death, Bagshawe follows the lives of his granddaughter, Siena, and his illegitimate son, Hunter. The two have reunited just as they're both becoming Hollywood stars. But when Hunter's best friend, Max, betrays Siena, their refashioned family is split once again. Siena then becomes involved with a hotshot producer until a violent incident leaves her forever changed. Although the lengthy novel could have done with some judicious editing, the Hollywood setting and the volatile relationships will keep readers enthralled. Recommend it to fans of Danielle Steele and Nora Roberts. Aleksandra Kostovski
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Audio CD
• Publisher: Hachette Audio; Abridged edition (July 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 159483041X
• ISBN-13: 978-1594830419
• Product Dimensions: 5.7 x 4.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (45 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,467,273 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Tilly Bagshawe upset the nuns at her catholic girls' boarding school by getting pregnant unexpectedly at seventeen. Expelled but undaunted, she gave birth to a beautiful daughter alone and went on to Cambridge University as a single mom, taking her baby with her. Tilly had a successful career in finance before fulfilling her dream of becoming a writer. Now married with two more children, she lives in Los Angeles and London. In addition to her bestselling novels, Tilly has contributed to numerous British newspapers and magazines including Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Elle, The Sunday Times, The Times and The Daily Mail.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not deep - but good, easy beach read, July 20, 2005

By 

SAMM "SAMM" (Houston, TX) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Adored (Hardcover)

If you are looking for an deep character novel - look elsewhere. If you are looking for a good beach book, this could be the one.
The main character is easy to hate/love/hate/love (you get the picture). Predictable? Maybe - with a few twists along the way.
After I finished the book, I did not wish for the time back. Actually, I finished it wanting more.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Jackie Collins for a whole new generation!, December 2, 2005

By 

Paula Emeigh "love to read!" (Raleigh, NC USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Adored (Hardcover)

For those of us who read Jackie Collins but hate waiting years for a new JC book to come out, this book is the one for you! From the first page through the last, you will find lots of sex, dirty language, hollywood gossip, back stabbing, trials and tribulations and a very comfortable ending. For those of us that like to get away from our daily routine and just read a book for the fun of it, give this new writer a try! I don't think you will be dissapointed.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Average and kind of boring, May 12, 2006

By 

Romance Reviewer (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Adored (Hardcover)

I picked up this book looking for an escapist read. Based on the book's description, I expected that if anything, it would lean towards the sleazy side. Instead, I was surprised to find that I was actually pretty bored.

The story line should have been fairly intersting, but I was never in a hurry to get back to it and find out what happens next. I kept reading for lack of other book options, but I definetly wouldn't call it a page turner - not even a decent "shallow" beach read.

Overall, I felt Adored just lacked spark and energy. The best way I can think to describe it is like a soap opera narrated in a journalist style - the characters and plot line were scandalous, but it lacked juiciness. It would be like a New York Times writer submitting an article to a grocery store tabloid - mismatched.

Overall, it's a decently interesting read, but ultimately pretty forgettable.