The plot of this book has been used a thousand times, from The African Queen to The Titanic. Yet still we don’t grow tired of it.
Basically, it concerns an uptown girl, who has been living in her white bread world, and who never had a backstreet guy (it seems her daddy never told her why). But she’s getting tired of her high class toys, and all those insipid uptown boys. But the downtown man knows that when his ship comes in (or goes down), she’ll understand what she’s been missing, and then he’ll win.
Wait! That could almost be a song!
The African Queen: Uptown Girl
The African Queen – grooving on her downtown man
More specifically, Lilac LeRoux is the only daughter of the richest man in the universe. Her life consists of parties and fancy clothes and shoes, and scorning those beneath her. She is aboard the new and allegedly indestructible luxury space ship Icarus, and happens to meet Tarver Merendsen, handsome but lower-born, who gets to mingle with the likes of her on the upper deck because he is a war hero.
When the space liner crashes, Lilac and Tarver end up seemingly alone on a brave new world, and must learn to survive with each other, and in harsh alien surroundings.
Discussion: Yes, the plot is as old as the hills, but in the right hands it never gets tiring, and these two women definitely have the skill to bring this story to life. In a good twist on the usual story, there is An Astonishing Event that takes place near the end. And it does end, even though it is the first of a planned trilogy. So you don’t even have to continue on with the series, and yet I definitely plan to do so!
Evaluation: Nice treatment of an old theme. And Tarver is, of course, “swoon-worthy.” Can’t wait for the next installment.
Rating: Book: 4/5 Astonishing Event: 5/5
Published by Hyperion, an imprint of Disney Book Group, 2013
The Titanic: Uptown Girl
The Titanic – grooving on her downtown man
Rhapsody in Books Weblog 
Okay, now I’m going to have that song stuck in my head all day long. That plot is old so it has to be done well to really win me over but you’ve made it sound like this book might.
Loved the song paragraph best, as I guess is easy to assume 🙂 I probably wouldn’t have chosen this usually but I must admit your review’s made me interested.
I had to smile at your comparisons to The African Queen and Titanic. I have this one on my Kindle and look forward to reading it, especially after your approval of it!! No hair tuck in this one…
Ear worm! Ear worm! Christy Brinkley!! Argh!!! I do actually like that plot if it is massaged and given some unique flair of some kind. I can’t stand the not knowing about the Amazing Event.
Hmn. Maybe a read as it is set in space. Need a science fiction fix. Astonishing event? Sounds intriguing. And I like Uptown Girl. Guess I will be singing that today!
I wonder if someone will take your lyrics and run with them? You had me until trilogy. I am a sucker for this age-old story though so I’ll think about it.
You are so funny! This book sounds great – onto my TBR list it goes.
Yep… going to request this right now. 🙂