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A young woman wins the role of a lifetime in a film about a legendary heroine � but the real drama is behind the scenes in this sumptuous historical epic from the author of Mexican Gothic.

1950s Hollywood: Every actress wants to play Salome, the star-making role in a big-budget movie about the legendary woman whose story has inspired artists since ancient times.

So when the film’s mercurial director casts Vera Larios, an unknown Mexican ingenue, in the lead role, she quickly becomes the talk of the town. Vera also becomes an object of envy for Nancy Hartley, a bit player whose career has stalled and who will do anything to win the fame she believes she richly deserves.

Two actresses, both determined to make it to the top in Golden Age Hollywood—a city overflowing with gossip, scandal, and intrigue—make for a sizzling combination.

But this is the tale of three women, for it is also the story of the princess Salome herself, consumed with desire for the fiery prophet who foretells the doom of her stepfather, Herod: a woman torn between the decree of duty and the yearning of her heart.

Before the curtain comes down, there will be tears and tragedy aplenty in this sexy Technicolor saga.

Fingers crossed this one is good!! I'm really struggled with the last few ones by this author so I'm hoping better luck with this one!

AND unfortunately, this one has NO CHAPTERS! Ugh.

So, my plan to come back is:

1: pg 84 (stop at Salome)
2: pg 150 (stop at Don Quiterio)
3: pg 222 (stop at Vera)
then end.

Hopefully this works for us to be able to chat about this one!

At least those of us who got this book from BOTM will have the same page numbers.

ooh this one has been really hard to get in to.
it seems like a slow beginning with so so so many characters!

1: pg 84 (stop at Salome)

(view spoiler)[ but I think I've got the general gist of it.
I'm flipping between audio and physical as a way to get through it but I really wish there were chapters and solid breaks.

this movie should be interesting. so many of the comments talk about how bad it goes and how she did or didn't deserve it.
I wonder if the girl who didn't get the lead is going to go a bit mad and hurt Vera (hide spoiler)]

2: pg 150 (stop at Don Quiterio)

still reeeeallly slow going!

(view spoiler)[ I'm not loving just how much drama is going on here.
there's the drama in Salome - which I am not interested in at all. I'm just not feeling that part of the story.

I'm finding Nancy horrific! WOW! What she did to Jay!
and you can just tell she's going to do something terrible to Vera

I really like Vera but she seems very out of her depth with all these Hollywood people. I hope she makes it out of this without too much damage from Nancy.
I like her with Jay. that was cute and sweet. Nancy is going to LOSE it if she knows Jay went to dinner! (hide spoiler)]

OMG I just noticed the author gave a link to a Book Club kit!! Yay!

It's here;

Yay! I didn’t know you were starting this one yet. It doesn’t sound too promising. Lol

3: pg 222 (stop at Vera)

(view spoiler)[ wow, you can really feel it coming together
Nancy and Benny - doing violence to burn the images. yikes
and Jay and Vera being together
but yikes, Clifford is a huge jerk! I can't believe the way he's spinning it all to make her look bad
I'm sad she fought with her mom and aunt like that but they really were making it really hard for her to think straight and for her to have her own hopes and goals and dreams

does this mean she'll leave acting? I wonder about the song she's creating too (hide spoiler)]

and done

(view spoiler)[ well that didn't end the way I'd thought - still Nancy spurring something awful to happen. So sad it was Jay, caught in the moment that they were going to move on with their lives.

I'm glad Vera left acting and moved to music. They didn't appreciate her enough

I love that Nancy also sunk into obscurity because that is definitely what she deserved. (hide spoiler)]

Ugh, chances are if you gave it 2 then the MOST I'd likely give it is 3. But you never know. I'm sorry you didn't like it more. Not sure when I'll get to this one, but I'm not going to rush now. lol

I have a love hate with this author, for sure, so if you've liked her last few, then you will probably love this one. It was just a struggle for me. . .

Actually, I've only read one by her and gave it 3 stars, but I guess I should bite the bullet and just read it since I bought the book. lol