If you haven’t read the first two books in the series, well – you know that you’re going to want to avoid this review. Instead read my thoughts on Vixen (book one) here and Ingénue (book two) here. Deal?
Now, unless you’ve read Vixen and Ingénue I am hoping (for your unspoiled reading pleasure) that you are NOT reading any further into this review – otherwise I might have to slip you one of Fred and George’s Puking Pastilles.
Okay… Final chance to turn away…
Red-headed songbird Gloria Carmody finds herself potentially free from jail – if she can figure out the secret behind the wealthy but unsuccessful Forrest Hamilton’s seemingly unlimited funds. Can she uncover answers while pretending to pal around on his lush yacht and ritzy villa before it becomes more dangerous than she realizes? Her future with Jerome depends on it…
Reformed flapper Clara Knowles has jumped back into the swing of boozy speakeasies and dusk-till-dawn parties in the name of journalism – but she’s lost Marcus Eastman because of it. Now, the knowledge that he’s wedding another girl already tears her to the core – not only because she now realizes that Marcus was the love of her life, but also because she knows this must mean he never loved her as much as she thought he did...
Now that Lorraine Dyer is at Barnard she finds that she’s an excellent student – but maybe that’s because her social life is dead as a doornail. Her scandalous summer has leaked out, and instead of being perceived as the fabulous, beautiful girl who tried to save Gloria and Jerome’s life, she’s being thought of as the one that put them in danger in the first place! So, when she finds out that Marcus’ new bride-to-be may actually be a gold-digger she decides that HAS to save one of her ex-best friend’s chance at true love – and somehow win her friend back. But will her newfound decency be convincing to anyone other than herself?
This series has been a blast! Initially I wasn’t so head-over-heels over Vixen, but by the time I read Ingenue I got it. Jillian Larkin isn’t trying to write the most realistic, gritty, 1920s era novel (at least I’m not getting that impression), she’s trying to entertain us! And entertain she did!
Diva doesn’t give a whole lot of recap over what happened at the end of Ingénue so I was a bit confused at first because I don’t have much (make that any) time to reread the previous book first. But it didn’t take long for me to get back into the swing of things.
My investment in Jerome and Gloria’s romance was still strong – I love those two together. Really though, my absolute favorite character in Diva and the entire Flappers series now, is Lorraine! Her wild antics, awesome lines, and overall over-the-top character is frankly awesome and hilarious!! I need a T-shirt that says “Team Lorraine”!
Clara on the other hand had gotten a bit tiresome for me at the beginning with her flip-flopping personality. But I wasn’t bored with her or her story – just not as committed. Though by the end, I’ll admit, I was on pins and needles to see if she and Marcus would get back together again.
Diva is a ton of fun to read! It’s super-fast and bitingly funny when it’s not marvelously melodramatic. I read it in one sitting - easily. Jillian Larkin has penned a fantastically crazy end to a joyfully popcorn-worthy series!
Comments