Title: Beautiful Ruins
Author: Jess Walker
Genre: Fiction
Review Rating: Five Stars
Reviewer: Linda Hays-Gibbs
Exciting, Hilarious, Artistic and Enduring
Pasquale is a young man of dreams. He dreams of a beachfront for his island
of rocks, American tourists, and a grand hotel; instead of his humble hotel to
make him a success. One day an American actress does grace his hotel but he
wonders if it is an accident. Then he finds himself drawn to her and her plight.
Diagnosed with stomach cancer Dee Moray is sent to a pitiful island of
rocks to wait for the man she loves to take her to Switzerland for cancer
treatment. The reality is she is pregnant with Richard Burton's baby and took
off the set of Cleopatra to have an abortion; curtesy of Michael Deane the
publicity agent over the film. His interest is purely mercenary as he wants to
keep the outrageous romance between Burton and Taylor going with no wrinkles.
This woman Dee could disrupt a film that has already went way over budget.
Burton isn't told about it until Pasquale goes to find Deane and confronts
him for his mistreatment of Dee. Then we have a hilarious intervention by Burton
and Pasquale.
Dee escapes without anyone knowing where and continues her life in
Washington far away from Hollywood. She has her baby; names him Pat, and he
grows up to look and act like Burton.
We have several story lines here. Claire the Hollywood producer Deane's
assistant. The author Mr. Bender,that stays at Pasquale's hotel too and Amedea,
Pasquale's sweetheart. Dee's troubles raising Pat and etc. It switches back and
forth between the 60's and present day too.
It could be very confusing but to me it was delightful, exciting, hilarious,
and enduring. This story teaches a great deal about life and mistakes and
righting wrongs. I loved it and gave it Five Stars. Great originality, beautiful
descriptions, wonderful characters and great storyline. Excellent story Jess
Walker
Linda Hays-Gibbs