A contemporary adult novel set in the volatile world of L.A. radio
Red Wine For Breakfast stars Jenny Reed, a 34-year-old born-again Californian from New York, who plays macho Monopoly by her own rules. Winner take all.
And she had it all: the number one morning radio show on KKTM-FM in Los Angeles, a wonderful best friend, and a nice noncommittal affair with the station owner, Brian Allen.
Her career was all she needed. Success was all she ever wanted. Until Johnny King became her on-air partner and challenged her to play his own game. The day she beat him was the day she gained his respect. It was also the day she lost her best friend in an apparent suicide ... or was it murder?
Real life radio personalities and a front page drug scandal bring realism to a fictional novel set in Los Angeles where radio stations change formats like socks, and jobs are as secure as houses built on the San Andreas Fault.
In a business drowning in testosterone, Red Wine for Breakfast is the story of strong, determined New Yorker who has to shake off the laid-back attitude of LA to overcome the challenges of an industry that threatens to turn her off and a man who only wants to turn her on.
Professional Reviews Midwest Book Review
Jenny Reed is a 34 year old born-again Californian from New York who plays "macho Monoply" by her own rules -- winner take all. Jenny has the number one morning radio show on KKTM-FM in Los Angeles, a wonderful best friend, and a nice noncommittal affair with the station owner, Brian Allen. Her career was all she needed. Success was all she ever wanted -- until Johnny King became her on-air partner and challenged her to play his game. The day she beat him was the day she gained his respect. It was also the day she lost her best friend in an apparent suicide (or a possible murder). Real life radio personalities and a front page drug scandal bring realism to author Raven West's debut novel, set in a city where radio stations change formats like socks, and jobs are as secure as houses built on the San Andreas Fault Line. Red Wine For Breakfast is engaging, rewarding reading from beginning to end. Raven West's abilities to weave a story so viscerally and visually auger well for her budding career as a novelist.
Believable YOU ARE THERE atmosphere
Terrific! You don't just read it, you LIVE it! Indeed, Raven West’s RED WINE FOR BREAKFAST is redolent with that very essential, YOU ARE THERE atmosphere. Its synopsis "...In a business drowning in testosterone, Red Wine for Breakfast is the story of a strong, determined New Yorker who has to shake off the laid-back attitude of LA to overcome the challenges of an industry that threatens to turn her off and a man who only wants to turn her on..." is right on target.
As a veteran of the newspaper business in particular and media in general, I enjoyed very much entering her heroine Jenny Reed's world, who is very much an emancipated, no nonsense woman who boldly fights for what she wants, and gives no quarter. Yes, Jenny is no falsely blushing flower of innocence. She grasps the bull of mediocrity by the horns, and turns it into what she wants. Red Wine for Breakfast is NOT a traditional Harlequin novel, but a tale very much in tune with the realities the NEW WOMAN has to deal with, and triumph over. Thumbs up, Ms. West!
Huntress Book Review
Doris Cohen is a 34-year-old pure blood New Yorker living in Los Angeles. As Jenny Reed, she has the number 1 morning drive-time radio show in the city. Jenny is the sort of person who plays by her own rules. A nice a nice, non-committal affair with Brian Allen, the station manager, certainly doesn't hurt.
The station is suddenly sold by Denise, Brian's wife, an the station owner, to Tony D'Amico, who knows nothing about radio, and bought it only for tax purposes. Jenny also gets a co-host forced on her, a man with a sexy voice named Johnny King, who happens to be Denise's bog brother. IN a profession where jobs are as stable as a house of cards, these are not good signs for Jenny. On day, while on the air, Johnny "accidentally" leaves the mike on while he asks Jenny to go to bed with him. The listeners lover the idea. Their relationship changes to one of mutual respect the day that Jenny gets him back but good, also on the air. Life gets difficult when Jenny's best friend, Gayle, turns up dead, connected to a drug scandal that could cost the station its license.
This one is quite good. It's's easy to read, the author certainly knows her way around the radio biz, and the romance part isn't' too overwhelming for non-romance readers. Check this one out.
He needs a wife. She needs a reason to trust him. He fell for her at first sight. She, not so much.
If you’re into engaging romantic stories with heart and humor, together with complex family dynamics, you’ll love His Practically Perfect Pla
