Books*Reviews*Etc: PLATINUM DOLL by Anne Girard

PLATINUM DOLL
A Novel about Jean Harlow
by
Anne Girard

BOOK DETAILS
(from NightOwl Reviews)

Number: 9780778318668
Release: January 26, 2016
Author: Anne Girard
Availability: Print-Book
Genre: Mainstream
Tags: HIST: Historical Fiction
Publisher: MIRA

Set against the dazzling backdrop of Golden Age Hollywood, novelist Anne Girard tells the enchanting story of Jean Harlow, one of the most iconic stars in the history of film It's the Roaring Twenties and seventeen-year-old Harlean Carpenter McGrew has run off to Beverly Hills. She's chasing a dream—to escape her small, Midwestern life and see her name in lights. In California, Harlean has everything a girl could want—a rich husband, glamorous parties, socialite friends—except an outlet for her talent. But everything changes when a dare pushes her to embrace her true ambition—to be an actress on the silver screen. With her timeless beauty and striking shade of platinum-blond hair, Harlean becomes Jean Harlow. And as she's thrust into the limelight, Jean learns that this new world of opportunity comes with its own set of burdens. Torn between her family and her passion to perform, Jean is forced to confront the difficult truth—that fame comes at a price, if only she's willing to pay it. Amid a glittering cast of ingenues and Hollywood titans—Clara Bow, Clark Gable, Laurel and Hardy, Howard Hughes—Platinum Doll introduces us to the star who would shine brighter than them all.

REVIEW
This book is about one of the iconic stars of Hollywood. Setting is the Roaring Twenties. Harlean Carpenter McGrew was only a mere 17 years old when she ran off the Beverly Hills with her rich husband. She had everything a girl could want, or did she? She is getting bored doing the daily housewife duties. She is dared by a friend and she takes up on that dare to follow a dream, being an actress on the silver screen. Harlean changes her name to Jean Harlow, which is her mother's name. Her mother also tried to make it big in films but didn't succeed. Now she is trying to live her dream through her daughter, Harlean. The longer I read, the more I wanted to read. Couldn't put it down. Harlean, or rather, Jean was a beauty with a platinum blonde hair color everyone was trying to imitate. As Jean gets bit parts in films, her husband becomes increasingly jealous. This only adds to the drinking problem he already has. Jean finds out that with fame and the starlight comes a price. Is she willing to pay it? She had bit roles with Clark Gable, Clare Bow, Laurel and Hardy and the infamous, Howard Hughes. But Jean was the cream of the crop and it definitely showed. Her movie career was short lived since Jean died at 26. It was the talk of everyone. Everyone knew Jean Harlow. Is being a sweet, lovely, caring, book loving girl from Missouri enough? The author takes you (fictionally) through the first young years of Jean Harlow's life. The tragic end is not disclosed. With an overbearing controlling mother and an alcoholic controlling husband, was Jean destined for stardom or would her career be short lived? If you love the glitz of Hollywood back in the roaring 20's then you will love this combination of Hollywood in the Golden Age, Jean's mother, a control freak out for herself by using her daughter, the alcoholic husband along with Jean's dream of what an ideal marriage was and how she was obligated to take care of her Momma Jean. A wonderful fictional account of Harlean Carpenter, a.k.a Jean Harlow.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author, Anne Girard and NightOwl Reviews for my unbiased review. No other compensation took place.

I would give this book 4.5 STARS.