Here is the astonishingly colourful, fascinating life of the world's most famous barmaid, read by the author.
For 25 years, Julie Goodyear became part of everyone's family when she played Bet Lynch, the loveable brassy barmaid of the Rovers Return in Coronation Street. Now, at 64 (the age her mother was when she died), Julie feels the time is right to tell her amazing life story.
Her father walked out on the family soon after Julie's birth, and Julie was brought up by her mother, Alice, and stepfather. Her upbringing in Manchester was impoverished, but Julie coped, largely through her love for her spiritualist grandmother, whom Julie would accompany when she was called upon by the local community to lay out the dead. At just 13, Julie had to deal with her beloved grandmother's death when her body was found in a canal.
Julie fell pregnant at 16, bringing shame and embarrassment, before marrying Ray Sutcliffe. The marriage only lasted three years. In 1966 Julie made a six-week appearance in Coronation Street as Bet Lynch from Elliston's Raincoat Factory, a role that made her Britain's best-loved barmaid and a cultural institution.
In 1979, during a routine check up, Julie discovered she had cervical cancer and had two operations. At the time, she was given a year to live. Various liaisons during the ensuing decade included Julie's first foray into a same sex relationship with her housekeeper.
In 1987 Julie left Coronation Street for a while to nurse her mother, who was dying of cancer. Julie finally quit the series on 2 October 1995 after walking away with a lifetime Achievement Award at the first National Television Awards. In 1996 she was awarded an OBE.
Julie's much anticipated autobiography reveals, for the first time and with incredible candour, the truth, sadness, and spirit behind this larger than life woman.
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"Main character, and lawyer, Taylor Donovan has been sent out from Chicago to L.A. to lead in a defense against a sexual harassment case. As an undefeated lawyer, Taylor knows how to prepare for a case and how to question a witness, and is ready to move from a member of the firm, to partner. Because of this fierce attitude and drive, Taylor is quickly chosen to help one of Hollywood's most famous actors (and Sexiest Man Alive), Jason Andrews, learn the ins and outs of being a lawyer for his next big film. Taylor is less than happy with the set up, and is even less happy when her newest client blows her off, wasting her precious time. Not only does Taylor blow off Jason once he does show up, but also tries to get out of working with him. As in most romance novels, this lack of instant appeal intrigues Jason, and creates the instant tension in the story. Taylor has no time for pretty-boy Hollywood stars, and Jason underestimated the female lawyer who was to be his trainer. Somehow, the two would have to work together, because Jason won't take no for an answer, and neither would the law office Taylor works for.
Review: I'll spare you the extended storyline, as I think the set up of the base tension between these characters can be mapped out in a pretty broad way and shown to connect to a much-loved Elizabeth and Darcy storyline from over a century ago. While not the most believable plot at times, nor the most well-tuned writing, I did find that the dialogue and banter between Taylor and Jason to be highly entertaining...and to be quite honest, exactly what I needed right now. The connection to Pride and Prejudice is very loose, and doesn't really distract you away from the story in any way, although there are these delicious moments when lines pop up from the original that have you connecting the characters more than you would have otherwise.
To a purist, the connections to Pride and Prejudice would be offensive, but I have to say that I liked the entire ride. I thought that the mix between the two was not enough to really offend, so I was all on board. Also, it seemed that for a romance novel, there was very little sexual content. In fact, the author handled the tension between the two characters in a pretty restrained way, that actually added to their chemistry. In this case, I really think that less was more, and created a fun, escapist read that kept my attention. I really enjoyed my time with this first novel by Julie James and will have to give her others a go!"
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Becky (4 out of 5 stars)