Hollywood and Wine by RM Pala

Orphaned as a young child, Linda McLane lives a life of servitude and physical abuse with her guardians, a bitter and dangerous aunt and uncle. Alarmed by Linda’s plight, a kindly reverend notifies her other aunt, prominent Hollywood actress Vera Sinclair, who promptly whisks Linda away from her dreary English village and off to sunny Los Angeles. On the ocean voyage, Linda begins a transformation from gawky village lass to beautiful sophisticate, a transformation so complete that she finds immediate success as her aunt’s secretary, working toward the older woman’s spectacular comeback. A story of depth and complexity, it tackles such issues as racism, socioeconomic inequality and sexual abuse and the various plotlines move forward quickly. There are plenty of period-appropriate cultural references (e.g., It Happened One Night, King Kong, The Scarlet Empress) and frothy descriptions of parties and socializing. These elements counterbalance the serious themes. This is a book for adults. There are erotic scenes with explicit detail. Foreshadowing ensures that the plot twists at the conclusion are plausible but still unexpected and shocking.

"A transcontinental Cinderella story set in the Great Depression. A book worth reading from an author definitely worth watching." - Kirkus review

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