Book Review: Ambition by Immodesty Blaize

Sienna Starr is grateful for what being the daughter of burlesque star Tyger Starr brings her, but also wants to break out on her own. She loves being a chorus girl in a dancing show, but is determined to be a star in her own right, and shine as the lead dancer. Unfortunately, Sienna seems to have made an enemy of the show's leading lady Brandy Alexander, and she's determined to make Sienna's life hell, not wanting her to take any shine off Brandy herself. However, when someone from Brandy's past shows up and threatens to wreck everything she has worked hard for, how far will Brandy go to protect herself? Will Sienna be able to reach her dreams of being a leading lady herself, and sort of her own personal demons with boyfriend Max too? When does too much ambition become a bad thing?



Immodesty Blaize hit the women's fiction market last year with a bang when her beut novel Tease was released to rave reviews. Somehow that book passed me by, but when I was sent her second novel Ambition to review, I was curious to see if it would be my sort of read and so decided to give it a go. It actually wasn't as sexually graphic or gratuitous as I was expecting which was quite good, but still had a really OTT and exciting story to keep your interest as you are reading! This book would definitely appeal to fans of Louise and Tilly Bagshawe, Sasha Wagstaff, Lulu Taylor, and books along those lines so if you're a fan of any of those authors, look out for a copy of an Immodesty Blaize book!



This book is a sort-of sequel to Blaize's first book Tease which I haven't read. I wondered if this would be a problem because I had no idea about what had happened in the previous book, and if it meant I wouldn't understand some of the things spoken about within this new book. However, I needn't have worried because the things that did happen in Tease were explained enough for the reader of this book to get the gist without being bogged down by too much back story. I did understand what happened though, and the book moved at a great pace with fab characters that really kept me hooked throughout, I really couldn't put this book down and picked it up at every opportunity I had.

Sienna Starr is a character who certainly isn't your girl-next-door, you can't imagine her being someone that you know but that is what is so great about her. This book is definitely escapist fiction, and you expect to be transported to another world when you read it, and that is exactly what you get with this book. Blaize draws on her own personal experience as a performer and burlesque dancer to make Sienna's career and lifestyle seem believable and realistic, and I found this worked really well for the book. Sienna seems a fairly down to earth girl despite her career and rich mother, and we get to follow her ups and downs throughout the book, which made me really warm to her and sympathise with her. Sienna's relationship with her mother Tyger isn't seen too much in the book which I felt was a bit of a shame, but perhaps Blaize wanted to move away from Tyger as she starred in the previous book.

The other characters in the book are also pretty unbelievable but again are perfect for the book. Brandy Alexander is totally outrageous, and such a nasty piece of work - she really is a pantomime villain but you have to love her for it!! The unravelling of her through the surprise character in the book is simply brilliant, and I loved how I was just waiting for it all to go horribly wrong! Sienna's boyfriend Max is again a horrid character, and I was willing for Sienna to see him for the real creep that he is, but Blaize drags this storyline out quite well for most of the book. Lastly, English character Honey is the one I felt the sorriest for, and she is the one that shows us the horrid and seedy side of the Vice industry in Las Vegas. They are a great cast of characters that set in the world they are work well together, and create a great ensemble cast.

Overall, I was really impressed with this book and it would certainly make me look out for more of Immodesty Blaize's titles, especially this books predecessor Tease just to find out more about what happened with Tyger! I loved the characters, I loved the setting and the story is so exciting and outrageous that you won't want to put it down. Ambition is a great tale of love, revenge, and of course, ambition, and it is one that I really enjoyed. As I mentioned previously, fans of Tilly and Louise Bagshawe, Lulu Taylor and other such authors will love this book, but do be aware of the sexual content in case that isn't your cup of tea. It's a fun escapist read to snuggle up with in the evenings, and I recommend it!

Rating: 4/5