Secrets of the Hollywood Girls Club

by Maggie Marr

In a nutshell: Secrets is Sex and the City a-la-California: instead of following four fashion-crazed thirty-something ladies around restaurants in New York, we get a glimpse of the glamourous life of film in Hollywood through Celeste the actor, Jessica the agent, Lyida the producer and Mary Anne the screenwriter.

Indicative quote: "Cici felt sick. People were viewing her fucking? At parties? She forced herself to bury her feelings of anger. She needed to convey the correct emotions to Nathan. There were multiple ways to play this scene. She decided on vulnerability. Men were usually terrified of a crying woman."

Reason I liked it: Fluff can be fun, hence the reason shows like Grey's Anatomy and Desperate Housewives have an audience. This book fits neatly into the guilty pleasure category and allows you to fantasize about a different life, albeit over-exaggerated and unrealistic at times, but moderately satisfying nonetheless.

You’ll like this book if you liked: Anything in the Chick Lit section of your local bookstore which includes Sophie Kinsella's Remember Me?, anything by Jackie Collins and the Candace Bushnell collection, of course.

Book club ideas: Shake up a new flavour of martini for each chapter you discuss or celebrate the book by going bar-hopping with your girlfriends. Wear expensive stilettos, smoke even though you don't, and flirt with underage members of the opposite sex. Or the same sex. Either way, wear red lipstick, toss your hair a lot and repeat "I am glamourous" to yourself. Then go home and be normal again.

Verdict: If you've read a few really intense novels lately and want a break then by all means, Secrets will provide you with that departure. It isn't, however, a very rewarding read. We've all seen the type and read it and are in a state of overkill right now with television shows like Lipstick Jungle and the other one about cashmere. You're probably best off to smile at the cover, do a flip through to catch a mildly funny dialogue exchange and leave it at that.

Perfect present for: Someone you don't like but need to buy something for, your crazy aunt who loves The Young and the Restless, or your girlfriend who's thinking of moving to California to become an actress against your wishes and sound advice.