Legs
Trina Kay knows she has it all: a smart, sexy boyfriend and business partner, a closet full of designer clothes, and a multimillion dollar mansion overlooking Silicon Valley. But things spiral out of control once her boyfriend, Tom, puts up a billboard of her legs to advertise their real estate business.Furious with Tom’s decision to exploit her body, Trina flees to Sonoma County where her best friend, Val, lives. She plunges into her new life with a fierce determination to succeed by opening her own real estate brokerage and starting to date. Things don’t work out exactly as planned. Trina’s living in a luxury apartment she can’t afford with bills she can’t pay. And the one nice man she’s met has driven away before she could get his number. On the brink of bankruptcy, Trina finds a job working for Ms. Lashay at Smart Loans during the beginning of the mortgage crisis. Just when things couldn’t get worse, the past threatens to collide with the present, and Trina is forced to make difficult decisions that will change her life and those around her forever.
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars Loved every word!
I live in Rohnert Park and loved envisioning Trina’s travels around Santa Rosa and Sonoma County. Angela creates a very realistic picture of the life of a Realtor,in Sonoma County. I had a hard time putting the book down and it was over before I wanted it to be. Great book!
3 Stars Chick Lit
Author Angela Lam Turpin has worked in the real estate industry for over fifteen years. Her book-length memoir, Red Eggs and Good Luck, won the Mary Tanenbaum Award for Creative Nonfiction. Her essay, Strange and Wonderful, appeared in Wild Child: Girlhoods in the Counterculture by Seal Press. Legs is her debut novel with Blood Moon Rising soon to be released. She resides with her husband and two children.
Trina Kay is pretty certain that she has all her ducks in a row- Her business partner and boyfriend is sexy and smart, they have a multi-million dollar mansion overlooking Silicon Valley, and she has a closet full of designer clothes. But when the economy forces drastic advertising measures for their business, Trina finds her life spiraling out of control when her boyfriend, Tom, puts up a billboard of her legs. Furious that he exploited her body that way, Trina takes off for Sonoma County and the comfort of her best friend, Val. Determined to succeed in her own real estate brokerage business, Trina begins dating again. Now, she’s living in a luxury apartment she can’t afford, the bills are piling up, and the one decent dating prospect drove away before she could even get his number. Desperate not to file for bankruptcy, she lands a job for crazy Ms. Lashay. And just when things couldn’t get any worse, Trina’s past collides with her present, forcing her to make difficult decisions that may very well send her over the edge.
I’m finding myself with mixed emotions after reading this book. It has been listed as both Literature and Romance alike, but I feel it fits along the lines of Chick Lit appropriately. While reading the book, I felt there was a lot of business reading on the real estate market, which slowed it down marginally. I also felt like I kept waiting for something to happen, even though a lot was going on in the plot. Her family could be a little over-the-top at times, and the main character, Trina, was a bit childish periodically. The story is told in first person, which isn’t my favorite.
In saying that, I truly enjoyed the author’s quick wit and sense of humor. It allowed the characters dimension and personality to shine. I laughed aloud a few times. Her understanding of the economy and housing market allowed for a learning experience and realistic setting for occupation and place. I adored the secondary character she created with Val. Her eye for detail was refreshing, as well. If you are a Chick Lit fan or are interested in learning about real estate, this is a recommended read.
Kelly Moran,
Author and Reviewer
5 Stars Great read
This was a great read, I found myself on many occasions in the shoes of Trina, feeling her emotions as my own. It is a one of a kind story, about a woman’s independance and all the real decisions I have found myself making in life with career, family and men. Turpin really sets a great foundation as a novelist with this book, I am excited to read what she comes out with next.
5 Stars Great Book!
I really enjoyed Legs! There is something about reading a “girl book” that just makes you feel good - just like a chick flick! It was also neat to recognize cities and landmarks from the San Francisco Bay Area! (I got so excited when I read the Kite Runner and parts of it took place right here)
This was a fun, easy read. In fact, I’ll probably pick it up and read it again… chick books are always better the second time around.
5 Stars Beautiful Legs and a Real Kick
Just like the title, outlandish and fun, Legs will give you a kick!
Angela Lam Turpin’s main character, Trina Kay, moves with confidence through a glamorous world of big houses, fast cars, and every important clothing and jewelry designer, until–she doesn’t! Her life turns on a 180-degree dime. Trina is out of work, out of love, and out of money. She does however, have her spunk and intelligence.
Turpin weaves the intricacies of the real estate business throughout the story in an interesting way, building tension as we wait to see how much trouble Trina has gotten herself into, business-wise, and definitely personal-wise.
A gay friend, a prickly family, a new tenacious boss, a possible new lover, and an indefinite ex-husband, all add up to a good read. The ending is not wants expected
Filed under: Refinancing Book Reviews