Lately I've got quite bored of Louise Bagshawe's books but this offering from earlier in her career appealed to me so much that I recently bought it again to re-read. The two main characters are Rowena and Topaz, who meet at Oxford and form an unlikely friendship. Blonde, upper crust Rowena is a million miles away from fiesty American redhead Topaz but it seems that opposites attract. Until Rowena betrays Topaz, that is. After their far from amicable parting, both girls pursue their dream careers - Rowena is the male-dominated music industry and Topaz as a journalist. However, Topaz's dislike of her former friend is never far from the surface. Eventually ...  Read the complete review

I've been a "semi" fan of Louise Bagshawe's books ever since I read "Tall Poppies" about two years ago. I then went on to read Venus Envy, A Kept Woman, and her new one When She Was Bad. The only books I hadn't read were her first two, Career Girls, and The Movie. So, imagine my delight when I find a 3-in-1 book with those two and Tall Poppies in! All for the knockdown price of £5.99 :-) Anyway. Career Girls. Bagshawe's first book, and although not her best, still enjoyable. The book centres around two girls, Topaz, a fiesty Italian-American who has a passion for writing and publishing, and Rowena, a rich Scottish girl with a ...  Read the complete review

Louise Bagshawe’s hugely enjoyable first novel charts the decade long feud between former best friends turned bitter enemies, fiery American Topaz Rossi and poor little rich girl Rowena Gorden. The 2 career girls fight their way from students at Oxford University to the top of their respective careers in the magazine and record business, trying to destroy each other while accumulating fabulous riches, boyfriends and dresses, dresses, dresses along the way. Though it’s slightly more realistic Career Girls has more than a hint of the Jackie Collins bonk-buster. At one point a character remarks "its like the eighties never ended" in regard ...  Read the complete review