Material Girl

Can real life have a happy -ever-after? A controversial, debate-provoking novel about growing older, taking risks and living for the moment, from the author of the highly acclaimed The Perfect 10.

Take some lessons in love – from a movie star…

Dolly Russell was a star of the big screen at a time when women were beautiful and men were strong.

Scarlet White is a make-up artist at a time when women are desperate to be beautiful and men are pretty rubbish…

Dolly, having been coaxed out of a decade's exile in the Hollywood Hills after a glittering career and a headline-grabbing love life, is the latest star to grace the West End. A notorious diva, she's used to getting her own way. Scarlet is a woman on the edge – going nowhere fast with her boyfriend of three years, getting herself into compromising situations, lusting over the leading man and wondering where the promise of yesterday went.

When the two are thrown together on the eve of the opening night, the last make-up artist having fled with a bad case of nerves, fireworks seems inevitable. But instead an unlikely friendship blossoms as Dolly gives Scarlet some valuable lessons in life and love, opening up as Scarlet gets closer, her still-beautiful mask finally slipping.

In a world where sex and love are often mistaken, possessions are more important than emotions and where 'must do' is swapped for 'make do', Scarlet's passion for life is reawakened. As she ventures to live life like a movie star, she wonders if maybe a fairytale ending – complete with leading man and glorious sunset – is possible after all…