Sparkles - Louise Bagshawe > Reviews (1)

I have neen a fan of Louise Bagshawe for years, and usually buy her books in paperback as soon as they released as I can't afford the paperbacks! But my 3 month old baby "bought" this for me for my birthday last year and I am so glad he did...it really is Louise Bagshawe's best novel yet! So here goes the review!

*The Story*
Sparkles crosses many decades and travels all around the world following the Massot family. They are a wealthy, internationally well known family who are the heirs of an aristocratic jewellers who live in Paris but that is where the niceties in this family end.

The owner of all the jewellery shops Pierre Massot has been missing for 15 years, and is presumed dead. He is succeeded by his young English widow Sophie and their son. The family business is going into decline and no one seems aable to do anything about it.

That is until Sophie declared her husband legally dead and took her place at the head of the Massot shops and dynasty. However, the relationship between Sophie and son goes into decline as he does not believe that his father is dead, and seeks solace and help from this elderley grandmother, Pierre's mother, who also believes her son is not dead.

The book really is centered on how Sophie goes from a timid shy English woman to the successful head of Massot shops and a head strong business woman. But there are also intriguing snippets through the book of flashbacls to Russia years ago, and this intrigues you as it is not all made clear. Things do however soon fall into place! The ending is magnificent, I didn't expect it and ended off a marvellous novel is a very strong way.

I thoroughly loved this novel, and as I said before I think it is Bagshawe's best effort yet. I was hooked frrom the start and I simply couldn't put it down. I loved how throughout the book there were flashbacks to Sophie's youth and how she met Pierre so you get a background knowledge, but also the intriguing parts in Russia.

Read this book you won't be disappointed!

Chloe xx