Glitter Baby is a Departure

I know, I don't post for a month or more and then you get multiple posts in one day. Well, that is kind of the way my life goes. I appreciate any of my friends and visitors who keep stopping by even when I have slacked off! On to my next review:

Last summer my friend Debbie introduced me to Susan Elizabeth Phillips and I am eternally grateful for the intro. I have loved getting to know all the Chicago Stars and the cast of delightful zany characters filling Ms. Phillips stories.
"Glitter Baby" is a departure from the lighthearted and funny story lines of the Chicago Stars. This is a deeper, sadder and might I say more suspenseful story. While there are definitely moments of humor and lightness, not all of the characters get resolved nicely. It was actually written prior to the Chicago Stars series. It is a little dated since it takes place in the 80's but given I was 20 then I enjoyed the nostalgic visit back.

Glitter Baby is the story of Fleur Savagar. She is the illegitimate child of young wanna be starlet, Belinda and aging swashbuckler star, Erroll Flynn who has a penchant for young girls. She isn't angry or resentful of the reckless and absent Flynn. He is a star. Regular rules don't apply to him. Belinda, convinces herself in order to protect her baby, marries a mysterious, nefarious and dark character, Alexi Savagar. He loves Belinda and sweeps her away to a mansion in France and lavishes her with gifts. When he discovers she is pregnant with the child of his rival he banishes the infant to a convent school to be raised and forgotten.

Fleur grows up knowing she isn't really loved. She doesn't know why this is because her mother visits her periodically and sweeps her away to glamorous places like Paris, the Greek Isles and weaves tales of glamorous stars and wants Fleur to have the same stars in her eyes. Then she is returned to the school and forgotten until the next time. This abandonment will be the cause of her lack of self esteem and lead her into situations that are not in her best interest. Fleur is used by her mother to enter the elite world of the celebrity. Her creepy stepfather wants to use her for less than fatherly reasons and she is almost seduced by the lure of finally being loved. Fleur does get a romantic interest but it has a very hard and twisted road. The story really revolves around her and her journey to finding out she really belongs to herself and not her mother, father, the public or anyone else. She is responsible for her life and her happiness.

Again, this is not a light read but it is a very satisfying story and I felt it ended believably and appropriately.