April 16, 2007
In Steel's latest, 42-year-old Tanya Harris loves her life as a mother of three, wife of a dashing San Francisco lawyer and moderately successful writer of short stories and soap opera scripts. She has long given up on her dream of writing a screenplay, but then her agent calls with a dream offer: a major director wants her and her alone to write the script for a new high-profile film. Tanya's first reaction is distress (her twin daughters are about to start their senior year, and her son is making the transition to his freshman year at UC Santa Barbara; how can she leave them?), but her detailed deliberations are cut short by her husband, who convinces her that this is her big opportunity. In Hollywood, Tanya's cosseted in every possible way, and she takes to the work immediately. But the weekend flights home aren't enough, and her worst fear is realized when her husband strays. Steel follows Tanya as she copes with domestic upheaval, all the time pushing ahead with her blossoming screenwriting career. Steel's characters spend a lot of time contemplating problems, and Tanya is especially adept at hand-wringing. Steel's many loyal readers will be entertained by this story of a dedicated mother and wife who embarks on a series of life-altering adventures in Hollywood.
April 15, 2008
A freelance writer who turns out short stories and soap opera scripts, Tanya Harris is the mother of three childrenJason 18, and Megan and Molly, 17-year-old fraternal twinsand wife of a successful San Francisco lawyer. She adores both her husband and her life as a stay-at-home mom; there have been no upsets in her marriage or with the kids. Then one night her agent calls, informing her that a well-known director wants her to write the script for his new feature film in California. Tanya's first reaction is definitely to say no, but her husband persuades her that this is her big opportunity in Hollywood. She unenthusiastically takes the job, planning to work in Hollywood during the week and return home on weekends. Predictably, her husband begins an affair with her widowed best friend and next-door neighbor, and Tanya herself has a romantic interest in the producer. Her picture-perfect life begins to unravel rapidly, but Tanya finds a new man, things work out with her children, and of course she wins an Academy Award. Recommended for those who love Steel. [This book was initially released in June 2007; the mass market paperback appears in May 2008.Ed.]Carol Stern, Glen Cove P.L., NY
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