Glitter Baby by Suzanne Elizabeth Phillips
First line: The Glitter Baby was back.
Suzanne Elizabeth Phillips is the modern day Jacqueline Suzanne without all the drugs and alcohol. She creates realistic characters with tough struggles so dire you wonder how they could possibly survive to live to a happily ever after status. These characters are messed up! But – they work.
Phillips is a master at characterization. This two generation saga starts with Glitter Baby’s (Fleur) mother: the queen of manipulation with a child-like persona of her own whom you can’t help but like and feel sorry for, because her life was so sorry. And you can feel the love for her daughter. Who can dislike a mother when she loves her child?
Fleur was sent to school from the time she was two because her mother tried to pass her off as the husband’s child, but who actually turned out to be his arch rival’s. She grows into an incredible beauty, so Mom gets her into modeling. The child doesn’t know for years that her “father” is not really her father. Needless to say, I could write a book on the book that is Glitter Baby, the plot is so complicated.
This book is Phillips first novel, revamped and reissued. I will admit to not being able to put it down when I first picked it up.
For: Readers who want a un-put-down-able book to dig their claws into. -Kathy Wheeler