Chastity is a diva with the reputation that goes with it. She keeps a close circle of friends and managers around her, and there's nothing she won't do for those she cares about including Bea, her household assistant, and Jeffy, her ex-husband and manager. At the height of her career, she is just where she wants to be, though occasionally she does wonder if it is all worth it. The hassle, the cameras, the tours...and now she is being maneuvered into doing a tour with Josh Haley, the man who broke her heart seven years ago. Way back when, they were so in love they couldn't see straight, with a passion that either had them constantly having sex or heated arguments. Josh didn't realize what he had when he had her, and lost her when his womanizing became too much; chas caught him in bed with another girl. A week after that she married his best friend. Since then, the three ex-friends have all made it to the big time, no longer trying to get their lucky break singing in dumps to make ends meet. The marriage collapsed when Jeffy began wanting to be a father, but the friendship that had been between them for years survived the collapse of their marriage. She leaves the business side to Jeffy, only wanting to sing and play. Likewise, Josh has the same arrangement with his manager. It is thus that they find themselves coerced into doing a tour together, though they have avoided one another since their breakup. But now Josh knows what he lost and wants another chance. When they come into contact again the sparks fly. They were always good at making music together, both in bed and in a studio, and it is this that settles the animosity between them enough for their love, which has never faded, to shine through and find a way to unite them once again. But is their love enough to get them back together when there has been so much betrayal, when their careers put so much pressure on them, and when the media are constantly hounding them?

BA Tortuga has written a highly unusual romance with All That Glitters. It is by no means gentle or 'traditional' in its approach. Coarse language is used throughout, and the animosity between the characters seems greater, at times, than their love. Having said that, it is quite a good story, so long as you can ignore the many editorial errors which make it seem as if the book hasn't finished the editing process. You will waver between liking the characters and not liking them, particularly Chastity. All of the characters are strong and well-developed, though their personalities will not be to everyone’s tastes. Ms. Tortuga has given the reader an interesting glimpse into the life of celebrities, most especially singers. The pressures that are brought to bear in their world, the bitching behind the scenes, how anyone can stab you in the back if it’s in their own interests - it's certainly not a life I’d want for myself, though I already knew that. Chastity and Josh's love for music shines through in this tale; it is perhaps the one thing they love more than each other. They have much to work through if they are going to manage a relationship between them; by stories' end not all is resolved, but much has been accepted, understood and integrated into their relationship. All That Glitters is a story that gives the reader unvarnished truths: no relationship is easy, and to make a partnership succeed, you have to work at it.


Reviewed by: Elizabeth