This post was originally published at Novelicious.com and is now at WritingTipsOasis.com. WritingTipsOasis.com acquired Novelicious.com in June 2022.
Reviewed by Anna Bell
Ella Aldridge goes to Thailand to mend her broken heart when she meets famous footballer Danny Riding. She soon finds herself having the dream wedding complete with magazine sponsorship deal and celebrity bridesmaids that she’s never met. Ella’s lifestyle of glamorous parties, a wardrobe of designer labels and perfect house, come at a cost as Danny’s agent controls her every move. Building the ‘Riding brand’ soon seems to work as Ella not only becomes a magazine columnist but also a co-host of a new chat show.
Whilst all is glittering from the outside, behind the closed doors, Ella and Danny’s marriage is built on a secret. And when Ella starts to fall for fellow co-host, womaniser Johnny Cooper that secret is in danger of being made public. Ella’s soon finds herself torn between saving her marriage or following her heart.
With a cover full of gold sparkly letters, All That Glitters, is proof that you can judge a book by its cover. It is exactly as you would imagine it to be: a light hearted read in a glamourous setting.
The book explores the myths behind the paparazzi pictures and gives you an insight into just what it takes to be a celebrity. I loved the agent manipulation of Ella and Danny’s life and it really made me think about the stories behind what I read in trashy magazines.
Ella’s a really likeable character, heartbroken and down-trodden from her relationship before Danny, she grows as a character as the book develops. As Ella finds herself at rock bottom, fellow WAG Chastity helps her to rebuild her life. The only draw back to this is that in some places Ella is rescued a bit too much by Chastity, and it seems that Chastity is more interested in digging into dark secrets than Ella. Which is a bit of a shame as I wish that Ella could have grown strong enough herself to do it.
Having said that, you do root for Ella all the way through the novel and you hope that she will get together with her very own prince charming.
If you fancy a more intelligent version of the 'celebrity, high heels and handbags' genre of novel, then this is the read for you.
7/10