Customer Reviews

My Lurid Past

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

British chick lit tends to be edgier, sharper with satirical elements, whereas American chick lit is often lighter and more earnest. My Lurid Past is the former, and I couldn't put it down! Lauren Henderson writes about the pitfalls of today's single woman with irresistible irony. Juliet's wild one-night stands have gotten monotonous. A self-proclaimed commitmentphobic, she's begun to wonder if she'd ever get married. After all, her friend Gill seems much happier. But when Gill admits that she and her husband haven't done the deed since they married, Juliet tries to figure out if one could have a balance between living in the fast lane and having committed bliss. Perhaps she's better off joining her friend Mel in becoming a dominatrix at a fetish club...

I enjoyed the dark humor and unique characters. Lauren Henderson has joined the chick lit genre with a bang. I loved the Sam Jones mystery series, but Henderson is up to a great start writing chick lit. This is a great Downtown Press offering. Highly recommended to all chick-lit fanatics...

I had mixed feelings about this book. It's about three female friends and their fear of commitment.

The problem is, the characters are not entirely believable. Juliet, the protagonist, is a successful businesswoman who is nonetheless almost entirely cowed by her shrewish mother and taken advantage of by her brother on welfare, who is trying to become a musician. Juliet is hung up on her ex-boyfriend, Bart. To avoid a repeat of the hurt caused by their breakup, she embarks on a series of one-night stands. Suddenly, this routine starts to feel old.

Juliet's overweight friend Gill is trapped in a sexless marriage. Then she leaves her husband for another man. Juliet's other friend, Mel, is a rubber-corset-wearing dominatrix who works in a fetish club.

These characters felt like caricatures to me...Mel's consistent coldness to her "slaves" is hard to believe, and Gill in reality would have tried to discuss her problems with her husband, especially since they had such a nice relationship otherwise.

In Henderson's favor, she knows how to manipulate a plot. Although it was clear that she was making up the plot as she went along (she admits it in the back of the book), you couldn't predict with certainty whom any of the women would end up with in the end. There are some fun twists along the way.

Overall, if you are a Henderson fan, you may want to check out this book. But I have a feeling her next novel - "Don't Even Think About It" - is better.

My Lurid Past is a change from Sam Jones. There are no dead bodies to be found, and our leading lady, Jul isn't as sure footed as Sam. This stories centers around the lack of commitment that most people feel and a fear of the unknown. Jul is plagued by an ex-boyfriend that has created a sense of insecurity in her. She has basically been whoring her way though London when the book begins. We watch as Jul tries to settle up with her demons and move on with her life. This is a very true to real life story that creates yet another set of captivating characters.

I know Lauren Henderson was originally know for her mystery series, which I haven't read, but she nailed this book! It is a very fun, enjoyable read, with likable, realistic characters...all like friends we know and love...quirky, crazy and all. The dysfunctional, controlling mother is like many we know and wish we didn't.

If you like Sex & the City, you will love this book!

While Lauren Henderson is a technically good writer, I couldn't really get into this book. It just seems like she was trying too hard to be edgy instead of actually being edgy. If there's one thing I can't stand, it's posing and posturing. Basically, if you strip away the coke use and the S&M clubs from the book, this is just another Bridget Jones book. Oh, and the main character is a publicist. How typical.

Two stars for the book not being sloppily written.

very intimate, very lusty and in a general sort of way amazing

I had read "Don't even think about it" first and I really liked it so I though that I would pick up "My Lurid Past". I was slightly dissapointed. The story seemed to drag on and it never fully captivated my attention like "Don't even think about it" did. I didn't paticularly care for some of the characters in the story, like Gill and Mel and even Juliet at times. I did like the character of Alex though and the romance story with him. So it wasn't the best book but I'm sure that it's great for fans of British chick-lit and Lauren Henderson fans.

When I first picked up this book in the London's Heathrow Airport I was looking for a good book for the flight home. What I got was the best book I've read in a long time. I must say Lauren Henderson's way of writing is so close to home, any woman trying to not think your insane because of the ways of the fast paced city life, and the single world. This book lets you know others think and feel like you do! This book is a must read ladies!

Thirtyish, Juliet Cooper wonders if that is all there is to life. She would love them and leave them as a serious sexual serial offender, but currently does not do the latter as she finds men boring. She had no intention of turning to women or the bondage game of her friend Mel the dominatrix does. Instead, Juliet envies her other best pal Gillian who is happily married to the faithful Jeremy.

However, even that dream haven turns false when Gill, jealous of the sexual freedom of her bud, leaves Jeremy, who has not touched her in forever. While Juliet works to keep Liam, the upcoming star of a new TV cook show she will produce, out of trouble with women, Gill begins dating. After meeting Philip, Juliet wonders if a nunnery would be better, but then there is always Architect Alex, who actually stirs her blood, but will Juliet allow him the opportunity to shake her bones?

MY LURID PAST is an amusing chick lit tale that loses some of the luster due to the lack of sympathy the decadent Juliet will receive. The lead character seems spoiled and Gill comes off worse for not even making a real effort to communicate with her spouse. Still, the tale is often humorous especially when Mel is leading some dog collared male around as her slave.

Harriet Klausner

I loved this book; it covered my two favorite hobbies -- men and food! You have to read it; it's funny and charming but it also makes you think! Lauren Henderson is truly brilliant!