Review of Sophie's Turn by Nicky Wells

Happy Friday again guys. I know there hasn't been much happening on the blog this week - well actually nowt, but that will change shortly! In fact, today we have two items, the second I will post this afternoon (and keep you guessing until then!)
For now, here's my book review of Sophie's Turn which I enjoyed so much, I downloaded the sequel, Sophie's Run yesterday to celebrate World Book Day.

Blurb!
Slapper? Slut? Adulteress? Sophie Penhalligan's life and moral universe is turned upside down when rock star Dan proposes to her in full knowledge that she is already engaged. She has always loved Dan, in a remote-crush kind of way. She thinks she loves her fiancé, Tim. What is she to do?

It's all happening because her past has come to tempt her. Nine years ago, she met her teenage idol and rock star extraordinaire, Dan Hunter, up close and personal. Well, almost!

Now Dan has crash-landed back in her life just as Sophie is happily embroiled in a relationship with Tim, her boyfriend of two years. Until recently, she was confident Tim would eventually propose. But while his persistent inaction is beginning to cast a cloud over their relationship, Dan's sudden reappearance poses a whole new dilemma.

Having accompanied Dan's band to Paris, Sophie suddenly finds herself engaged to Dan while her erstwhile fiancé Tim is... well, doing whatever it is Tim does back in London. Torn between the dream-come-true and the sensible-thing-to-do, Sophie concludes her inadvertent journey of self-discovery with an ending that surprises herself, and everyone around her.

Sophie's Turn is a glamorous contemporary fairy tale that will make chick-lit and romance lovers laugh, cry and rock along every step of the way.

My review
Easily a 4.5 star

I won a copy of this book a few months ago in a competition. I had recently read another 'rock star' type book, so wanted to wait a while before reading this one, as I had really enjoyed the previous book I'd read and didn't want to confuse the two. I need not have worried. They were very different. Sophie's story you could imagine having happened, if you were part of that music scene and a groupie. The original meeting 10 years previously wasn't so OTT that it was unbelievable. I immediately didn't take to Sophie's boyfriend, or the way in which he dealt with important events, or the way he shunned her and made her views seem unimportant. That doesn't mean I condone Sophie's actions, but many of us couldn't blame her for her choices and let's face it, who gets to 'meet' their idol and spend time with them as adults?
Crossing the fine line between removing herself from the 'danger zone' and going to a gig alone, without her boyfriend in the end, as a meeting had come up, was a turning point - in the end, one of no return.
Sophie's best friend egging her on and her boss putting her in a position where she didn't have a decision to make, but which put her in dangerous territory, were also well portrayed.
I found the decadent lifestyle enjoyed by rock stars credible and it was clear the author had some knowledge of the music industry, whether through research or because she was a groupie/rock chick herself, who knows?!
The additional complication of her fiance's ex-girlfriend and the way he reacted around her, simply added to the mind games and right up until the end I didn't know how she was going to choose.
The characters were well depicted and diverse and although I didn't agree with all of Sophie's decisions, I liked her.
I enjoyed the unpredictable ending, just the type I like - none of this foregone conclusion stuff!
There's a sequel I believe, or next instalment, Sophie's Run.
Sophie's Turn is well written and I read it in only a few days - always a good sign.

You can buy the books here:-
Sophie's Turn - http://amzn.to/Z4sQNI (UK) & http://amzn.to/Z4sZk2 (US)
Sophie's Run - http://amzn.to/WOB62v (UK) & http://amzn.to/12yZ4qj (US)
Both are also available in paperback.
And I've just read, there will be another part, released in September, Sophie's Encore. She kept that quiet!

Tune in this afternoon for a surprise post!
Sooz