Tan Lines [Mass Market Paperback]

J.J. Salem (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 28, 2009

Liza is beautiful, fearless, and slays rival media commentators with her firebrand feminist spin. So why is it that this summer, in the Hamptons, Liza is falling into all the old traps and clichés that she cautions other women to avoid?

Kellyanne hoped that this summer would be different. Waiting tables and playing mistress to a rich developer helps her to stay afloat before her big break as an actress. But why are the phenomenal looks that were supposed to take her all the way leading her to the edge of disaster?

Billie rocks the indie music scene with an appetite for self-destruction. Sex is candy, drugs are fuel, and even her closest friends are disposable. So how is she supposed to find real success when she’s only looking out for number one?

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Salem's debut is another in the long line of slick commercial thrillers that cast a trio of powerful female protagonists into their own personal hell as each encounters a pitfall sure to upset the balance of their everyday, fast-paced lives. With all of these intriguing female leads running around, Christopher Lane is a strange choice for narrating duties. As strong voiced and commanding as Lane is, his talents just aren't suited for this particular tale; a strong female narrator would surely have captured the very essence of each well-crafted and endlessly flawed character. The final result is surely less thrilling than Salem would have liked. A St. Martin's Press hardcover (Reviews, Apr. 7).(July)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

“A really great beach read. I loved it!”—Jackie Collins

“Sexy beach trash of the highest order.”—Elle

“Throbs with intensity…scorching.” —Publishers Weekly

 “A hot, sexed-up read…Smut from the gut.” —Cindy Adams, New York Post

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks; First Edition edition (April 28, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312556756
• ISBN-13: 978-0312556754
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.1 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,787,332 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Hot & Steamy!, July 28, 2008

By 

Jennifer L. Anthony "curvy*mommy" (Orange County, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tan Lines (Hardcover)

Wow. This book is incredibly raunchy! However, that's what makes it a great summer beach read in the tradition of Judith Krantz and Jackie Collins. Sex (gay AND straight), drugs, rock & roll, reality TV - you name it, this book has it. Definitely not a book for the faint-of-heart.

It's a quick read, and even though the 3 main characters are annoying in the beginning (you wonder how they can be so stupid), you do become invested in the story and in finding out how they are going to fix (or in one case, ruin) their lives.

What really annoyed me, however, was the constant references to brand names. Did I really need to know the brand name of EVERY piece of clothing Liza put on for a date, including her bracelets and fragrance, not to mention her shoes and bag?? I don't mind a brand name here and there, but in this book they were constant, and the book started to read more like a luxury goods catalog.

The ending was a bit rushed and disappointing. As I got towards the end of the book I actually wondered if I was missing a bunch of pages, because I couldn't believe the story was going to be over in just 10 pages. The Page Six style epilogue wrapped things up just a little too neatly.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Pure trash, January 5, 2010

By 

C. McLaurin (Louisiana) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tan Lines (Hardcover)

This was one of the worst books that I've ever read. To put it on a level with Jacqueline Susann is ridiculous. I am ashamed to admit that I read as much as I did, hoping that it would get better. Most of the characters have very little redeeming value and the crudeness of the language was just too much.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Jackie Collins Wannabe, November 27, 2009

By 

A Reader - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tan Lines (Mass Market Paperback)

It's obvious from reading the author's website that he wants to be the next Jackie Collins. The problem is he tried way too hard and fell way too short.

There's a difference between a "smut novel" and smut. This was nothing but smut. And while well-written, too much was left hanging and unexplained, which made for a very unsatisfying read.