WELL, PV HAS DONE IT AGAIN - ANOTHER WONDERFUL, ABSORBING, DELICIOUS NOVEL
PACKED FULL OF FASCINATING CHARACTERS, AN IMAGINATIVE AND CLEVER PLOT, ALL SET
AGAINST A BACKDROP OF AN OLD ESTABLISHED COSMETICS COMPANY.
THE HOUSE OF FARRELL WAS ESTABLISHED IN CORONATION YEAR IN 1953, BY ATHINA
AND CORNELIUS FARRELL AND HAS FOR YEARS, TRADED SUCCESSFULLY, MOSTLY ON THE BACK
OF ITS MOST FAMOUS PRODUCT - THE CREAM. NOW IT'S 2011, CORNELIUS HAS DIED,
ATHINA, IN HER 80'S, IS STILL VERY MUCH IN EVIDENCE, AN AUTOCRATIC LADY WHO
REFUSES TO THINK OF MODERNISING AND THE COMPANY HAS ALMOST RUN INTO THE GROUND.
EVENTUALLY LADY FARRELL MUCH AGAINST HER BETTER JUDGEMENT, IS PERSUADED THAT
URGENT AND DRASTIC ACTION IS NEEDED TO SAVE IT AND A FIRM OF VENTURE CAPITALISTS
IS BROUGHT IN TO INJECT MUCH NEEDED CASH AND BRING THE COMPANY INTO THE 21ST
CENTURY WITH A RE-LAUNCH.
BIANCA BAILEY IS THE WOMAN CHOSEN TO PERFORM THIS MIRACLE AND HER TASK IS
NOT AN EASY ONE. SHE IS MARRIED TO PATRICK AND THEY HAVE 3 CHILDREN. BIANCAS
JOB IS OBVIOUSLY VERY DEMANDING, INVOLVING LONG HOURS OVERSEAS TRAVEL, BUT
PATRICK, WITH HIS ROUTINE 9-5 ACCOUNTANCY POSITION, IS ABLE TO BE AT HOME WITH
THE CHILDREN. THEN HE IS OFFERED A NEW EXCITING OPPORTUNITY AND THERE ARE
INEVITABLE CLASHES.
FLORENCE HAMILTON HAS BEEN WITH THE HOUSE OF FARRELL SINCE ITS INCEPTION
AND LOOKS AFTER THEIR ICONIC SHOP - A BOUTIQUE IN THE EXCLUSIVE BERKELEY
ARCADE. FLORENCE IS LOYAL, CLEVER AND HAS A SECRET THAT MUST STAY HIDDEN.
THERE'S A LONG WAY TO GO UNTIL THE RE-LAUNCH AND IT IS FULL OF TWISTS,
TURNS, DISASTERS & TRIUMPHS. ATHINA FARRELL ID DETERMINED TO RUIN ALL
BIANCA'S PLANS AND THERE ARE MANY FASCINATING SUB-PLOTS INVOLVING THE OTHER
MEMBERS OF THE FARRELL CLAN AND STAFF OF THE COMPANY AND THEIR PARTNERS.
THIS IS A WONDERFUL BOOK. PV ALWAYS PROVIDES AN EXCELLENT READ AND THIS
ONE IS HEART-WARMING, TENSE AND FULL OF GREAT CHARACTERS FROM 13YR OLD MILLIE,
WHO IS BEING HORRIBLY BULLIED AT SCHOOL, TO 81 YR OLD ATHINA, WHO THINKS HE HAS
THE ANSWER TO EVERYTHING.
I LOVED EVERY MOMENT AND BADLY DIDN'T WANT IT TO END. THERE CAN BE NO
HIGHER ACCOLADE!
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