Customer Reviews

Tan Lines

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

The author is excellent in his writing skills, but Tan Lines is just smut. I've read novels before that contained sex scenes, but the sex scenes in this book were just too much. They were disgusting and completely perverted at times. If it weren't for the raunchiness of the book, I might rate higher. On the contrary, however, if it weren't for the really excellent story-telling skills of J. J. Salem, I would rate lower. This book, unfortunately, does not deserve its keep on my bookshelf. I am still debating if giving a two star rating is too much.

Okay, I am a huge chick lit fan and I have to say that I have been thrilled to read Tan Lines by J.J. Salem. This book is extremely raunchy and pushes the envelope on almost every level, but it is such a wild ride of a read that you don't care - I just got on the bandwagon and kept reading to see where it would lead me.

Right from the beginning you just KNOW that our three leading characters, Liza, Kellyanne and Billie are heading for a huge fall - but somehow I just could not wait to find out just how low they would all need to go before they figured out that the road they were on - WAS THE WRONG ONE!!!!

If the old saying is true, then you understand why these three ended up finding each other.

What I also loved about this book is the fact that the girls, although confused and extremely sexual, still managed to convey a strong sense of girl power!!! and I am all for that. Interestingly enough, the men in this storyline are definitely backstories and the main focus is on the females - kind of like Sex and the Story - which this book reminded me of (except that I did not feel the love among the three friends all that much). This story was told with humor and honesty and although I can't say that I loved any of the main characters - they were wonderfully written and I totally enjoyed living through them.

Although this book may be shocking to some, there is actually a morale to this story. I also thought this book had the absolute best opening lines...caught my attention IMMEDIATELY.

If you are looking for a great chick lit read, then run to get this one.

I love a trashy beach read as much as anyone, which is why I was excited to find this mentioned on Jen Lancaster's blog. I ordered it without much thought and looked forward to a mindless summer read. I don't know where to even start with how bad this book is. I'm guessing any positive reviews are from friends of the author. The story starts with a Hampton's home being cleaned and remolded from an apparent murder. This sets up the book on the first page and (spoiler alert) the actual murder does not happen until the last page with no real build up at all! The characters are never developed and they are incredibly sad as they are made to be extremely stupid. The sex is very crude, which I honestly don't have a problem with, but it really wasn't even enjoyable to read because it was just that raunchy. I often felt like I was reading an advertisement as the book is showered with labels, hot spots, etc. Again, I don't really have a big problem with this, but it was way over the top and just annoying. I can't believe I actually finished it, but I thought it MUST get better at some point. It never did.

I really liked this one! I wanted to read something light and fun after two very serious books, and this was the perfect choice.

It's the story of three friends who are sharing a summer rental in the Hamptons. Billie is the wild and troubled rock star, Liza is the married professional feminist, and Kelleyanne is the sweet Southern girl who's being taken care of by her sugar daddy. Over the course of the summer, they all go through lots of changes - some for the better and some for the worse.

It's fun and raunchy and absolutely readable!

I am a huge fan of chick lit and this book is definitely as raunchy as it gets. It has drug use, sex, politics, everything that goes on in the real world today. Sure, its raunchy - its about time I found something that is raunchy AND interesting at the same time! I originally purchased this book because whatever review I read said it was a thriller - which it is far from. But I enjoyed it, even though it almost didnt have an actual plot. Their lives were intriguing, and I read the entire book wondering where it would lead. And I certainly found out. If you want a quick "raunchy" chick lit read, this one is for you.

I had no expectations at all about this book but it was one of the best reads I've had in a long time. Very, pacey, very sexy and lots of fun but it's not a fluffy read either, it gets you wondering about what's important in life and what really makes a woman happy. The book details the lives of three women; feminist and columnist Liza Pike, Kellyanne Downey wannabee actress and mistress to a rich older man and Billie Shelton, a rock goddess who is on a path of self-destruction. Friends since college the three meet up in the Hamptons for a summer of fun, bitching and partying. The humour and one liners are razor sharp and the story runs like a train. I stormed through this book and wanted more. Definitely recommend.

Tan Lines has got to be hands down, the best beach book ever. It is pure filth and absolutely perfect for summer. It is truly the best kind of beach trash! Buy this book and read it indoors with plenty of air conditioning because it's H.O.T.