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A Perfect Heritage: A Novel
A Perfect Heritage: A Novel
A Perfect Heritage: A Novel
Ebook952 pages16 hours

A Perfect Heritage: A Novel

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

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“A Perfect Heritage is, like the cosmetics company it profiles, a classic and very much worth the investment.” —Bookreporter

The House of Farrell is a prolific skincare company and home of The Cream, an iconic face product that has seen women flocking to its flagship London store since 1953. At Farrell, you can rely on the personal touch that has been their trademark for generations.

The legendary Athina Farrell remains the company’s figurehead in her kingdom at the Berkeley Arcade, while Florence Hamilton plies their cosmetics with the utmost care and discretion. She is sales advisor—and holder of secrets—extraordinaire. But of course the world of cosmetics is changing and the once glorious House of Farrell is now in decline, its customers tempted away by more fashionable brands.

With no idea how to right the ship, Athina hires Bianca Bailey, a formidable businesswoman, mother of three, and someone who always gets her way. Athina and Bianca lock horns over the future of the House of Farrell but it is the past that tells its devastating tale of ambition and ego, passion and wonder. A perfect summer read, this is Penny Vincenzi at her finest.

“Superbly blending the past with the present, the author not only writes a truly solid soap opera but takes an in-depth look at the world of cosmetics, advertising, and business.” —Library Journal (starred review)

Praise for Penny Vincenzi

“The doyenne of the modern blockbuster.” —Glamour

“Soap opera? You bet—but with her well-drawn characters and engaging style, Vincenzi keeps things humming.” —People

“Nobody writes smart, page-turning commercial women’s fiction like Vincenzi.” —USA Today
LanguageEnglish
Release dateApr 19, 2016
ISBN9781468312393
A Perfect Heritage: A Novel

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Rating: 3.8249999600000004 out of 5 stars
4/5

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  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    „The most important thing of all he said was to only do what I was good at, not to struggle with the rest.“ (Quotation page 224)

    Content:
    The elegant, timeless and famous Athina Farrell is the figurehead of the House of Farrell. Once very famous cosmetic brand, but meanwhile a little bit old fashioned, is the company almost insolvent. A group of investors is ready to give the Farrell a new but last chance. Bianca Bailey, a smart businesswoman and very successful, high-profile financial expert, has the knowledge and brilliant ideas, but many changes are to be made in the family leaded company. The matriarch Athina Farrell is absolutely not open to new ideas, if not her own and she is still powerful – would she risk the future of the famous House of Farrell?

    Theme and Genre:
    This interesting, thrilling story is about family lead companies, about cosmetics and new markets in our modern world. It is also about family, love, feelings, about social media and bullying, and the problems of very successful working moms.

    Characters:
    The characters are interesting, well drawn and most of them likeable. Bianca, who wants to succeed in saving the company and who knows that it will work, has problems to connect her intense job with her family live as a mother of three. Florence Hamilton, director of the famous Farrell flagship store at Berkeley Arcade for many years, is just loveable. Athina Farrell, stylish but with traditional business ideas is a legend and still sees the House of Farrell as her own, not willing to cooperate with Bianca.

    Plot and writing:
    The story is intense, because it is much more than the exciting question, if and how the famous House of Farrell is saved. It is about decision-making and the twists, troubles and happiness in the personal lives of everybody intertwined. The author switches between the persons, and they all have their own stories. In my opinion, that is why this book is so unputdownable, together with the naturally flowing, readable language.

    Conclusion:
    This book could be described as a saga and generational fiction of a family owned famous
    cosmetic brand, but what it makes a really captivating and delightful reading are the personal stories of the members of the family Farrell, all the persons working at Farrell and in Bianca’s team. A perfect book for enjoyable, exciting hours of reading.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Couldn't put it down.

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A Perfect Heritage - Penny Vincenzi

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