Material Girl

The Fancy Lives of the Lear Sisters

By: Julia London

Narrated by: Natalie Ross

Length: 13 hrs and 56 mins

Publisher's summary

In the first book of The Fancy Lives of the Lear Sisters trilogy, a spoiled socialite discovers the best things in life are worth working for.

For socialite Robin Lear, being handcuffed in the back of a police car for a bogus crime is the cherry on top of the worst week ever. First, her father announces devastating news. Then, in a fit of tough love, he demotes Robin from her cushy job in the family business and reassigns her to work for an insufferable manager. Now, for the first time in her life, Robin will have to earn her place in the world - and the sexy new contractor renovating her house may be just the man to show her how.

One look at beautiful Robin Lear is all Jake Manning needs to know that she’s just another trust-fund baby who’s never done an honest day’s work. Getting involved with a woman like her would be a disaster - yet staying away is proving to be damn near impossible. But who knows better than Jake that the best things in life are worth the effort….

©2013 Julia London (P)2013 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Its just a bit off....

I liked the story and the narrator did a great job, but its just that.... A story of two ppl, where nothing really happens. No major climax to the story and no major valley either. Just a kind of sad telling of the life of a spoiled brat turned less spoiled by falling for a "regular blue collar guy". The weird thing is that I can't imagine not listening to the second book.... Even though I'm kind of annoyed by the lack of interesting events in this story. The best part of this book is Cole, a 14 yr old juvenile delinquent and Evan the rat... Lol. I'm still gonna listen to book two.

easy listening but not much different in storyline

a little too long for basic plot of rich girl...working guy. needed a new twist to age old theme. good narration altho she started out sounding bored

Couldn't get through the book

I wish the main character had been more likeable...while I like that Julia London writes a lot about characters with many flaws and issues they're dealing with (like in the pine river series), I couldn't really find any redeeming qualities in Robin's character.

Terrible book..Wonderful narrator..

What would have made Material Girl better?

If Robin hadn't been so stupid for so long!!

What was most disappointing about Julia London’s story?

Robin!! And it was waaaaay too long.

What does Natalie Ross bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

She reads with so much emotion. She a wonderful narrator.

What character would you cut from Material Girl?

Jake

Any additional comments?

That was one of the longest, stupidest books I've ever listened to . Robin was just TSTL and never 'saw the light' until 96% so that gave me plenty of time to hate her. I liked Jake, that's the only reason I gave it 2 stars. Fortunately, the author didn't make Cole out to be a truly horrible teenager but Jake's mom and Robin's dad were really unlikably. Evan and Mia were sooo awful it wasn't even funny.
You could cut about 150 pages from this book and it might be worth listening to or reading but as it is it just goes on and on with such boring BS. Almost 500 pages/13 hours is just too much.
The only reason I finished it was because the narrator was so good. Even for $1.99 it wasn't worth it.

narrator is horrible. every sentence should

not mean it is the end of the world. cannot even figure out what the story is about because it is like listening to the book part in English, part in opera, and part in musical...all in one sentence! yet again an entire set of books destroyed by horrific narration.

Tedious and I couldn't stand the main character.

The characters were so unlikable I couldn't get past the first 3 chapters. Don't bother with this one.

Oh Those Men in Tools Belts

What made the experience of listening to Material Girl the most enjoyable?

there are 2 more stories with reader Natalie Ross

What was one of the most memorable moments of Material Girl?

When Jake wishes our heroine the best.

What does Natalie Ross bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Natalie Ross's male reading voice. It is so sexy! I buy as many books she reads by herself.

Any additional comments?

Julia London books just do not quite make it. Hero's are good,but the female leads tend to just not make the A list. Maybe there is not enough humor, but a slight stab at it. I guess I would have to say, these are romance stories, but with an under tone of the dark side. There is a happy ending, but needs more humor in her stories. A listener wants to feel good after the listen. I am going to try book 2 as the outline sounds a bit more fun.