Sidney Sheldon’s Chasing Tomorrow – Tilly Bagshawe

I first read Sheldon’s If Tomorrow Comes (ITC) several years ago, which in itself is quite a funny story – when I say funny, I don’t mean in a hilarious way, more in a ‘oh really’ kind of way.

I was working in a famous catalogue shop and the manager used to bring her old novels in and leave them in the staff canteen, ITC being one of them. While having lunch one day I picked it up, turned to a page and started reading. Well, I got so engrossed I took the book home and started reading it from page one.

I loved it.

I love the characters.

I loved the story.

And I loved the premise.

It had me captivated from the get go. It tells the enthralling tale of Tracey Witney, an ambitious young lady with everything going for her. Tracey’s life falls apart and she finds herself convicted of a crime she didn’t commit and sentenced to life on the wrong side of a prison cell door. Tracey’s guile and character lead her to make the best of her new life and without giving anything away she eventually gains her freedom.

Next stop – revenge.

Tracey develops into one of the worlds top con artists, meeting Jeff Stevens along her way who becomes her love interest.

ITC develops into a romping tale of these two con artists as they travel the world, ripping off the ruthlessly rich and avoiding the authorities as they go.

When I found Chasing Tomorrow (CT) in my local supermarket I read the back page and saw it was a sequel to ITC. Given how much I loved ITC you can imagine my delight.

What I didn’t know at the time was that it wasn’t written by Sheldon.

I saw the name Tilly Bagshawe on the cover, which I admit did confuse me. It wasn’t until I finished the book I did a little research and found out Sheldon had died around 10 years ago. Initially I thought that perhaps Sheldon and Bagshawe had co-written the book.

But that clearly wasn’t true, Sheldon being dead and all.

Bagshawe has written several books under the Sheldon mantel, probably comissioned to keep the name going and the money flowing due to her similar writing style.

Anyway, as I say, I knew nothing of all this background when I bought Chasing Tomorrow, and I feel that worked it my favour.

I loved Chasing Tomorrow.

Granted, I was a little surprised at some of the time leaps, 10 years being quite a big jump. I kind of felt I’d missed out on so much of the character’s interim growth.

Nevertheless, I soon got used to it, and it didn’t throw me off enough to lose interest, far from it.

It allowed for the distances between characters to seem more real.

CT picks up where ITC finished and tells the ongoing story of Tracey Witney and Jeff Stevens.

There’s actually not an awful lot I can say without spoiling the story, and it’s a story I wouldn’t want to spoil, especially considering how well written it was.

This book begins quite steadily, however the end scene of part one has you wondering and almost screaming out, hoping it doesn’t go where you suspect it will.

The middle of the book is a mixture of acceptance and confusion as you start to wonder how all the developing threads will pull together.

The end, well, what I can I say. I was so gripped I read the last hundred or so pages in one shot. It’s fast paced and like a good film where you’re screaming at the screen, I found myself doing similar with the book.

Sheldon’s and by default Bagshawe’s work falls into the spectrum of ‘trashy’ novels, but I for one don’t know how or why they’re called trashy.

They’re damn good stories, written in a captivating and engaging way, and I for one am all for them.

*CS*

I’m not going to post any book links for this one, simply because you can find it all over. Also, it seems unfair posting an Amazon link when I got mine in Morrison’s.

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Suicide Sex Club by C M Blackwood

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect with this being a ‘lesbian romance’. Even though I’ve been experimenting a little with same sex fun, I consider myself to be straight, maybe bi-curious, and all the erotica I’ve read previously has leaned in that direction.

Straight away the title tells you this book is going to be edgy, and indeed it is, right from the start.

The main protagonist, Becca, is clearly a troubled young lady. Whilst it’s not mentioned, Becca’s penchant for pain and serious physical abuse during sex leaves you the feeling she comes from an abusive background. I found some of the scenes a little uncomfortable because such pain is not something I would enjoy.

Becca visits a sex club, The Suicide Sex Club, which is elusive, exclusive and bordering on the downright criminal. You get the feeling that the owner, a despicable chap called Popov is probably into trafficking and plenty of other criminal activities.

At the club Becca finds herself drawn to a lady she sees, Tory, who cares for her after Becca has undergone a particularly harrowing but nevertheless consensual, sexual ordeal. The rest of the book tells the story of their developing relationship and how they endeavour to escape the clutches of Popov and his club.

This is a fascinating read and very disturbing at times. I  was quite uncertain as to how it was going to turn out for Becca and Tory and the book keeps you guessing. The sex scenes were well written, although I did feel I might have had to wear wellies if I’d been involved with them. Needless to say, the book keeps you reading and wanting to know more, and personally I think that’s what a good story should do. The only thing that confused me was how Becca could go from being seriously injured very early on, and yet her injuries cause her no problems after about a day.

It’s a good read, and if you like your erotica on the dark, twisted side, with lesbian emphasis, then Suicide Sex Club will smack your arse and send you reaching for your rabbit.

You can buy Suicide Sex Club here.

You can find more by CM Blackwood here.

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