Plus One by Vanessa Raphaely || Book Review

I grabbed this book off the showcase display at the library, mainly because I want to read more books by South African authors.

What I like about this author is that she was in the industry that she set the book’s plot in and looking at the content in that context shows you that this was someone that was truly on the inside.

Some of the situations made me think of The Devil Wears Prada – just on serious steroids.

DISCLAIMER: This review could contain possible spoilers based on my opinions. All opinions and views are my own.

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Challenge prompt: A book set in South Africa
Originally published: 2018

Pages: 382
Format: E-book

Plot from Loot.co.za:

As deputy editor of the glamorous FILLE magazine in London, Lisa Lassiter had almost passed up the chance of a weekend on a billionaire’s yacht off the coast of Mykonos. But her best friend Claudia Hemmingway, on her way to becoming one of the hottest movie stars on the planet, could be very persuasive when she wanted something. Not only would they get there by private jet, she’d told Lisa, they would also get to rub shoulders with VIP guests – not least a famous Hollywood film producer. It would be a weekend of fun, sunshine, champagne and partying. And it was all of those things. Until it wasn’t.

Lisa has spent ten years trying to get past that weekend. If she has learnt anything, it is that unfinished business and secrets always work their way to the surface. Moving on is one thing; forgetting is another, and forgiving … well, where to start?

Thoughts:

The book took a while to peak my interest and there was some consideration of not finishing it.

This isn’t a go-to genre for me but I did enjoy the writing style.

Two timelines, ten years apart and not much really interesting happens in that year gap. Once you’re in the second timeline, you realise that not all wounds heal, no matter how much time passes.

Lisa was nice, and I kind of felt sorry for her once in the second half of the book, but I didn’t really like her much in the beginning.

Claudia… Wow… What a character. You don’t know where her story is going, or mind really, and while the story does focus on her, it’s not all about her and her antics.

The ending was mind-blowing, with a twist I didn’t see going and I kind of hated the ending, although a truly good ending, because it just ended on a cliffhanger and I needed to know what happens next!

The book explores some power dynamics that we face/might face in life and the importance on focusing on these subjects.