My Review of “Another Side of Paradise” by Sally Koslow, Harper Paperbacks, May 2019 Part of Suzy Approved Book Tours

My Review of “Another Side of Paradise” by Sally Koslow, Harper Paperbacks, May 28, 2019 , Part of Suzy Approved Book Tours

I loved everything about “Another Side of Paradise” by Sally Koslow.  I appreciate that  Sally Koslow has done extensive research, and writes so vividly with great description the colorful cast of characters and various timelines. This novel is fiction based on famous characters. I was captivated and intrigued by this fascinating novel.

The author describes her characters as complex and complicated.   A great deal of the timeline in this novel is the “Golden Age of Hollywood”, and describes Sheilah Graham, born Lily Shield, as a gossip columnist, and writer. The author portrays the Hollywood scene, the writers, and the producers,  in such an engaging and enthralling way.

A young Jewish Lily Shield is brought up mostly in an orphanage in England. She marries young and changes her name to Sheilah Graham. Sheila Graham holds deep secrets that torment her. Sheilah comes to America, where her career takes hold. During this Golden Age of Hollywood, Sheilah meets F. Scott Fitzgerald, author of “The Great Gatsby” and “Another Side of Paradise”. Fitzgerald is writing screenplays, as his career as an author is declining. Sheilah’s is starting to rise in her career.

Sheilah and Fitzgerald begin an unusual relationship with highs and lows, and twists and turns. The author gives us an intimate view of their romantic and intense relationship. I felt addicted to this story, and couldn’t put the book down. I would highly recommend this novel for those readers that appreciate fiction with a historical background.