“Proof that light fiction needn’t be badly written, there’s nothing guilty about this pleasure.” Debut of the Year, Elle Magazine Literary Awards, 2009.
‘Honest to goodness proper story-telling… Characters that you actually care about, a story that you get engaged with… Glamorous and exciting… a big bag of fun… just a great story… It made me think of if Jeffrey Archer had written better for women – epic, big, ‘step away from my beach towel, I’m reading’…’ Alex Heminsley talking to Claudia Winkleman about Luxury on her Arts’ Show, 31st July, 2009.
“Praise be… to Jessica Ruston, whose first novel, Luxury, is right in there in shoulder-pad territory: admittedly, the two protagonists are actually men but here, in the world of five-star hotels, international travel, multi-million-pound designer jewellery, treachery, betrayal, sex and the rest, we are well and truly back in bonkbuster territory. Thank goodness: the genre has been sorely missed… This is a wonderful debut: Ruston is staggeringly assured. Not only does she write convincingly about her chosen area, involving high finance and the business elite, but she’s utterly in control of her timescale, moving at ease between three different decades, as we first meet the protagonists, still friends, in their 20s, before fast-forwarding to the present day, before plunging deeper back in time still to discover what makes them click. Bonkbuster: welcome back.” Sunday Express, November 1, 2009. Click here to read the full review.
“Ever get tired of reading a bonkbuster written through a thick veil of irony? Almost as if the author is ashamed that she once survived on Jackie Collins and Jilly Cooper? So do we, which is why we love the fact that Jessica Ruston is bringing back sexy moguls, reckless glamour-pusses and moneyed decadence in a way we didn’t think was possible. Set in the world of luxury hotels, this is a tightly-plotted romp that gives Shirley Conran a run for her money while being very 21st century indeed. The characters are larger-than-life without being ridiculous, the settings provide escapism and the plot wraps everything in a perfect grosgrain bow. It’s what long haul flights were made for.” ElleUK.com
“A bonkbusting tale with lashings of lust and hard cash… Logan Barnes has created a hotel empire and an enemy in Nicolo Flores. Now Barnes’ ultimate property, Luxury, has opened on a tropical island, and Flores is intent on destroying the dream… Luxury is satisfyingly trashy.” Metro
“Pure escapism for a rainy October weekend – a real page-turner!” Woman
“Impressively written and littered with exciting twists, this sleek story about addiction, scandal and revenge is utterly thrilling. 5 stars” Closer
“Luxury oozes glamour, wealth and scandal – a fantastic debut. Five Stars.” Company
“Manhattan penthouses and exotic islands are the glitzy settings in this blockbuster debut. Deliciously indulgent” Marie Claire
