DAUGHTERS OF FORTUNE by TARA HYLAND

DAUGHTERS OF FORTUNE

BY TARA HYLAND

THE BLURB:-

William Melville's daughters are heiresses to the world's most exclusive fashion dynasty. Beautiful and rich, they are envied by all. But behind the glittering facade of their lives, each girl hides a dark secret that threatens to tear their family apart.

Smart, ambitious Elizabeth, the eldest, knows how to manipulate every man she meets, except the one who counts: her father.

Gentle, naïve Caitlin, the illegitimate child, struggles to fit into a world of privilege while staying true to herself.

Stunning, spoilt Amber, the party girl with a weakness for bad boys, is more fragile than anyone realizes.

As each of them seek to carve out her own destiny, they face different choices, which will take them in wildly different directions. But as old wounds resurface and threaten to destroy the Melville empire, their paths will cross again. Because the simple truth is that, no matter how far you go, you cannot escape the claims of family.

THE REALITY:-

I liked this book. The basic structure was very similar to my novel, The Reject's Club, in that there are three main characters. The layout was also of the same ilk, with separate sections devoted to different timescales. The way the chapters were formed, with each semi-dedicated to one of the characters, but not exclusively so, and with new people also flitting in also rang a resounding bell. Boring lecture over! I will now discuss the story.

I read this during time off from work and managed to flatten it in a few days, despite it being nearly 600 pages long. That's child's play to me! Though not the most enthralling story I have ever read, it certainly made me want to turn the pages.

I sympathized with all the characters and their various issues. Elizabeth and Amber clearly needed more attention and recognition from their businessman father, and the latter's descent into depravity, due to the neediness of her nature was truly heart-wrenching. Parents take note- some young women are very, very vulnerable and insecure, and need your protection. I loved the sections detailing Caitlin's boarding school (I BEGGED my parents to send me to boarding school- the idea of independence, midnight feasts et all was very alluring, but sadly they couldn't afford it. I think I would have done much better there that at the state secondary school that I was forced to attend). The incident Caitlin had to suffer was well written and you really felt for the poor girl as men can be such revolting turds sometimes. As a fashion designer, I could really relate to this character. I wish I had attended the same course as she did-  learning the basics of pattern cutting and sewing in the first year before even being allowed to attempt some designing, and then being forced into being original. My course was about copying, copying and more copying. There was no structure to the course and you were expected to “just know” certain things. I didn't have to pay fees as it was all state funded at the time. If I had then I would have asked for my money back, it's as simple as that. Sadly, I hear the place is still exactly the same.

With a good ending that taught me a few things about the workings of the stock market (the author's field of expertise) I was impressed by this book and am looking forward to reading more by Tara Hyland.