A melancholy sigh describes Kate Disney's stalled life. Her dreams; marriage, a family, notoriety, and being a famous artist; are on hiatus and not baring fruit. She's invested three years of her life with her "on and off again relationship" boyfriend, Jake. Her pleasure seems balanced and motivated by his whims. She's torn between being happy, and sad. Using psychological games Jake has dragged her emotionally down and wreaked havoc on her self image. Her fear is, does she still live to paint or has all her creative energy never really been there? How long before somebody realizes she's faking her talent?
She thought she knew what she wanted. It wasn't mooning over her absentee boyfriend, and painting pampered pets. Not even her dream of her owning a home is panning out. Saving rent money, she lives in the renovated gardening shed of her father's wealthy friend and business partner, Leonard Ross. Even the garden variety snails consider it more their habitat than hers. It's a wasted effort because Jake's career and wallet take priority, and he siphons off what little she saves.
Kate is having sex with Jake when Mirabelle swoops in without knocking. Mirabella Moncar is not the most beautiful woman, but she knows how to solicit her sensuality. A retired silver screen star, her passion (besides sex when and with whom she wants) is her wildlife trust. As the center of paparazzi attention, Kate thinks Mirabelle is self centered.
Tanya, her best friend and Robbie Hirst, Tanya husband, know that Jake is no good, but no amount of talking can convince Kate otherwise. She loves him. She wallows in self pity, mooning over her absent lover. When Kate does try to date somebody new, she finds herself with a man who is totally incompatible to her. There had to be some middle ground between commitment phobia and a control freak. Trying to gain perspective, Kate goes to the zoo. Louis Alcott, a long time friend from art school is there. Louis is on the fast track. He commissions her on a joint art display. They find out there is mutual attraction, but is it enough? Finally Kate sees the folly of her dysfunctional relationship with Jake and breaks it off. Except Jake proposes marriage. Which way will she choose? Convention or a maybe?
Even though Mirabella's delivery of her rude advice doesn't change, Kate's perception of it does, and Mirabella and Kate' friendship deepens. Kate learns even 'Goddesses' can have unfufilled dreams. Can Kate help Mirabella's misguided heart?
THE GODDESS RULES takes place in London England in today's time. There are just enough slang expressions that I felt I was there, but not too many that I became lost in the translation. I believe that in order to like a book, you have to like the characters. I don't like the two lead characters. Although they are well written and stay true to their roles, I wanted them to grow and improve. I don't think Kate is near to staying faithful without further self esteem issues. Although there are some strong traits about Mirabella's character I admire, I believe that her character will always think of herself first and everybody else, never.
When obsessed pet owners have pooches or kitties they want
immortalized on canvas, Kate Disney is the artist of
choice. From her shed (which doubles as a studio and
apartment) in London's Primrose Hill, Kate caters to the
whims of the rich and famous while herself living a
decidedly bohemian existence. The problem is, she has a
tendency to cater to her on-again, way-off-again boyfriend
as well. Jake is so erratic, that most of her friends
don't
understand why she even bothers. But it's hard to fall out
of love with a man who writes her songs and calls her
Angelβ
even if he disappears for weeks at a time.
Luckily for Kate, Mirabelle Moncur isn't buying any of
that
claptrap. Mirri was an actress, a legend in her time. Now,
at age sixty, she's given up on fame and men and lives in
Africa, where she raises lion cubs. But her reclusive
nature has done nothing to dull her beauty, mar her
incredible figure, or dampen her outrageous joie de vivre.
After sweeping into London to have Kate paint a portrait
of
her favorite cub, Mirri seizes hold of Kate's lifeβfrom
the
baggy wardrobe to the hopeless taste in men. Under Mirri's
tutelage, Kate learns to dance on tables with abandon,
drink like a dockworker, and flirt like a goddess. And
when
her old friend Louis reenters the picture, she begins to
see things in a whole new light. But Mirri has secrets
that
hint at a less than divine future. Now it's Kate's turn to
teach Mirri a thing or two about life, love, and being
fabulous.
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