No Goodbyes

Sex? Drugs? Bad behavior? These are the obligatory ingredients for juicy Hollywood reads. But you won't much miss them in this modest but irresistible tale from actress (Goodfellas) and novelist (The Girls) Elaine Kagan. When 25-year-old actress Chassi Jennings, daughter of a venerable film producer, throws a tantrum on a set, the studio calls a time-out and sends her into therapy. Her psychiatrist Eleanor Costello eventually determines that Chassi's histrionics are a cover for deeper issues, such as the trauma of witnessing her movie-legend mom's death in a hit-and-run accident 14 years earlier. In the process, "La Shrink" (as Chassi calls Dr. Costello) gains insight into her own troubled relationship with her daughter. Still, as neurotic, drug-addled Hollywood brats go -- remember the Meryl Streep character in Postcards from the Edge? -- Chassi is a Girl Scout. Not to worry, though. Kagan keeps this mother-daughter drama bubbling along with smart dialogue and alluring details of Chassi's casually posh life -- from her perfect golden hair to her new black BMW, the Holmby Hills mansion and finally the breathless, latte-serving actors-in-training who want to walk in her shoes. You'll be mentally casting this role -- Gwyneth? Cameron? Jennifer? -- long before you put the book down. A delicious Hollywood read sans the Jackie Collins hype.

Since I have read all of Ms. Kagan's previous books, I literally couldn't wait till her next title was published after finishing Somebody's Baby. And then as soon as I saw No Good-byes on the bookshelves, I couldn't wait to read it. But now that I gulped down No Good-byes, I am once again eagerly waiting for her next title.In No Good-byes, Elaine Kagan, no stranger to Hollywood herself, has written a wonderful tale about the lives of three very different women as they interact with each other in Hollywood. First we meet Chassie, a big star in her own right, who is also the daughter of a very famous actress. But Chassi can't forget the day when at 12, she watched as her mother was killed by an out of control car. Now at 25, she suffers from dizzy spells and the sudio suggests she see a psychiatrist named Eleanor Costello. Eleanor, who in many ways becomes a surrogate mother to Chassi, as she listens to Chassie reflects on her relationship with her own daughter and what went wrong. And finally rounding out these women is Ionie, the waitress in the coffee shop downstairs from Eleanor's office. As Ionie forms friendships with both of these women, she becomes pretty much their backbone and sounding board as they confide in her and from an alliance. Ionie unlike the others is grounded in the present and looks forward to the future which she hopes will also include her becoming a famous actress. As the months go by and their ties to one another become stronger and stronger, all three of these women will learn the truth about their lives, each other and most of all themselves.While this book was somewhat predictable, I enjoyed getting to know these characters who became very real to me. And of course I found myself staying up much too late to finish this captivating read.So, Ms. Kagan, when can I expect your next book?

I've read all of Ms. Kagan's books, and although this wasn't my absolute favorite (I think Blue Heaven wins that honor), I still enjoyed it quite a bit. Ms. Kagan's casual, conversational writing style draws you in, and her characters are always interesting--likable, but with flaws and weaknesses, just like all of us. No Good-Byes tells the stories of three women--a psychaiatrist and two young actresses (one successful, one aspiring)--and how their lives are connected. The story is suspenseful, the resolutions satisfying, and the plot especially interesting when it comes to Ionie, the aspiring actress, and how she changes once she is immersed in Hollywood culture. Overall, very entertaining-- a great read for the summer.

Kagan has written another novel I couldn't put down. Her honesty, direct approach and the way she views reality are truly amazing. I keep finding "myself" in her books again and again! She has an insight into women and the ways we live that is so open and honest you can't help but love her work. I'm anxiously awaiting the next novel!