A seductive reflection on ambition, desire and tortured journeys.
“Americans don’t have royalty… We have rich people. Business and tech genii. And we have Hollywood, which will have to do.” Book 2 in Alicia Butcher Ehrhardt’s sweeping Pride’s Children series, Netherworld, pulls readers back into Hollywood’s kaleidoscopic underbelly as we catch up with Bianca, Andrew, and Kary. Bianca, a go-getter in every sense of the word, refuses to be held back by convention. Determined to claim her rightful spot among the elite, she will stop at nothing to get everything she wants. Among those wanted things are an award-worthy directorial debut, unchallenged respect, and Andrew O’Connell. Discernment, however, is not one of Andrew’s more dominant qualities. If the tabloids are to be believed, his temper often gets the better of him and women are his weakness, but he works harder than anyone in Hollywood, making him the man of the hour. Kary is neck-deep in edits as she finishes her first science-fiction novel, copes with an unrelenting illness, and tamps down unwelcomed emotions for Andrew. But when Andrew calls on Kary for help, even her persistent medical condition can’t keep her from reentering Andrew’s exhausting circle. With separate goals, morals and priorities, the three will have to figure out an equitable arrangement because their paths continue to cross, partly by happenstance, but mostly by design.
In Hollywood, where skin is the currency and everyone is looking to collect their pound of flesh, relationships aren’t always what they look like on the cover of a flashy magazine. Netherworld takes advantage of every opportunity to exploit and expose what goes on behind closed doors. The narration moves at the speed of thought, making it a gratifying challenge to get inside the head of each character, and agile readers will be rewarded with an intoxicating story that tugs the heart in many directions. A masterclass in character-driven novelism, Netherworld showcases three complex characters, building fissures of depth within them and giving each their own moment in the spotlight. An unlikely favorite is Bianca Doyle, a calculating woman who proves to be so much more than the vapid ingenue she seems to be. For those who love getting absorbed in the worlds of writing or filmmaking, Alicia Butcher Ehrhardt expertly guides readers on a deep dive into these fields, replete with all the melodrama and manipulations the scenes demand. So realistic are the conversations and situations that you’ll forget you’re reading a novel and instead believe you’re enjoying a cup of coffee with Kary at her Sanctuary. A seductive reflection on ambition, desire and tortured journeys, Netherworld is an honest look at finding love in a complicated world.
