| Title | : | Captain of Industry |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1594934916 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781594934919 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 305 |
| Publication | : | First published June 28, 2016 |
Suzanne Mason has built the enviable life she was always told smart geeks could never have. Fortune, fame and the beautiful girls usually reserved for captains of football teams are all hers. She has everything she ever wanted, except the one woman who is no one’s trophy.
Expert combatants in the games of life know there can only be one winner. Regardless of the scorching attraction between them, the game of love is no different, is it?
Captain of Industry Reviews
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Lesbian romances almost invariably feature the 'being true to oneself' trope, where one or both of the lead characters 'come out', live openly and happily ever after, with little or no consequences. The reality is much less rosy. Sometimes this is simply impossible for certain professions, geographical locations and/or cultures. One such profession is acting, where perceived sex appeal can mean the difference between stardom and being stuck in bit roles, especially for a woman.
In Captain of Industry, Jennifer is a fairly successful commercial and ramp model but her ultimate dream is to be an actress. And while her looks have opened doors for her in Hollywood, it can only get one foot in the door, as she's not willing to play casting couch games with the powers-that-be. In between modeling gigs, she's hard at work honing her craft, attending endless auditions, and getting her name out in the public. In one of her work parties, she meets newly-minted tech millionaire Suzanne, an out lesbian. They hit it off right away despite their obvious differences. But Jennifer knows if there's even a whiff of a rumor that she's gay, she'll probably have to kiss her acting career goodbye before it even starts.
What sets this book apart from the usual lesbian romance is its distinctly feminist theme. Jennifer isn't the usual romance lead. She's the embodiment of the modern feminist. Able to stand on her own achievements and not needing to be defined by her relationships with others. She eschews love for self-fulfillment when love threatens to interrupt at an importune time. She loves no less than others, but because her love is a woman, the fear of failure, of being labeled and stigmatized before she can even make a name in her profession, makes her choose head over heart. Jennifer's character is what makes this book different and ultimately, such a rich and wonderful read. Her voice is authentic, honest and emotionally raw in her most vulnerable moments, even when she was in full actress mode and trying to maintain her cool. (Note: the character actually appeared in a previous Kallmaker book as the antagonist. I haven't read that and I think it helped that I didn't hate her from before.)
Jennifer's love interest is Suzanne, a techie geek through and through. It was easy to see how easily and hard Suzanne would fall for Jennifer and her movie-star looks. Suzanne knows all too well no one ever gave her a second glance back when she wasn't the millionaire tech gal but just the science geek. These two ladies are as different as night and day, as Lego and Lauren Bacall. I liked how the author bridged this unlikely pairing. It was also interesting to see them interacting at different points of their lives and at different levels of success...and how that then affected their attitudes towards each other.
I was far less interested in Suzanne's world than Jennifer's struggles, however, as being well-established throughout the book made for less compelling reading. In fact, I must say that not enough was written about possibly the worst and possibly most pivotal time of Jennifer's life--when she's in her early thirties--ten years after giving up her love life--when she was nowhere near the star she wanted to be, when her dreams were slipping away as the years passed by, and all she had to show were bit parts. Her modeling career must also be nearing its expiration date then. What would it have been like to be rejected for yet another audition? What would it have been like to utter one single line, and know that she could have killed the lead? Or what it would have been like to only be hired for the eye candy? Was there ever a time when she was so dejected she felt like giving up? Did she ever entertain thoughts of just settling for marriage? Jennifer was such a complex and intriguing character. What was it like for her to be with those men? How did they compare to Suzanne? What about with Selena? How does she feel being called a 'bitch' when more ruthless men were called 'ambitious and driven'? All of these were just passing mentions. I wanted to know more. But, this is a lesbian romance. So that was all we got.
Still. It was better than most other lesfic. The book is written in the author's usual sophisticated and very assured style. Another plus in my book.
4.9 stars
P.S. Many of the author's characters from earlier books have cameos in a 'power women' gathering in the book. How terrible that the only character I recognized from the bunch is Anna, that famous BMW dealer from guess where? ;) -
3 1/2 Stars. Now I must admit, I was not liking this book. I think part of the issue was all the flashbacks and knowing that they didn't end well, was ruining my enjoyment. Then about half way through, the book really changed for me. Most of the book was now in present time and I felt like I could get a better feel for the characters. It was honestly like reading two different books and I enjoyed the last half so much more.
When it came to the characters, I really started to like Jennifer in the second half of the book. Even though she was known as being the "bitch" I had empathy for her and wanted to see her happy. Susanne, I thought was all right, I just didn't feel as connected to her.
The romance was decent, but be ready for a whole lot of up and downs. It's not always easy to read about a book that spans so many years and that isn't always happy.
I think Kallmaker is a very good writer, so I would recommended this. Just know that the first half of the book is a little tough. -
Loved it. Kallmaker shows us how a great author puts together an unforgettable read. Her attention to detail, focus on past and current trends and her ability to give the reader fully formed characters to love or dislike sets her on a level few lesfic authors have achieved and makes her novels a pleasure to read.
Jennifer Lamont wants to move her modelling career to the next level. With enough voice and acting lessons and dogged determination she hopes to break into the acting world. Falling in love with the geeky up and coming tech wizard and out lesbian Suzanne will not help her advance in the industry. If the casting directors find out she is a lesbian she risks her ultimate goal of leaving the runway behind and making a name for herself on the silver screen.
Heartbreaks aside, I was impressed at the skillful way Kallmaker includes issues of the day covering a span of twenty years. The rights of women vs the reality of challenges faced by women in many occupations being recognized as equals. The need for women to work together to break down barriers in the corporate world and the understanding that working together benefits all of us. Kallmaker also takes a hard look at the impact media has on our lives in today's world of instant information and twisted truths.
A great read that is more than just designer labels,runway models and cameo appearances by characters from previous novels.. It’s a story of a woman coming to terms with how decisions born of necessity impact her life.
Full value from one of the best in lesbian fiction today. -
“Captain of Industry” turned out to be both more annoying and more enjoyable than I expected.
Based on many reviews, I was initially surprised at how annoyed I was. I even took a pause on the book for a couple months, and was tempted to DNF, before finishing it. Based on my disappointing annoyance, I was eventually surprised once again when I enjoyed the ending more than I’d expected I would after pausing it.
MC Jennifer is 20 when she and 26ish MC Suzanne first meet. There’s fun banter, great narration, and good chemistry. But…their story is told with flashbacks over a twenty year period. I’m not a fan of flashbacks. For me, it ruins the moment during their 20s because I know it won’t work out. And ditto when they meet in their 30s.
Some of their personalities were likable and believable, and some was disappointing but appropriate and acceptable. For example, Jennifer is a very determined woman - she won’t settle for anything less than what she wants professionally. I should, perhaps, say for anything “differently”, not necessarily “less”…because she abandons decades of love for the elusive brass ring of career success. Uber rich and successful Suzanne is often likable, but too often I just couldn’t really accept that Jennifer was the one-and-only for her. I’m not comfortable with the trope of their being only “The One”, perhaps because I’m afraid I’ll one day die an old and lonely cat lady if I don’t bump into “The One” at the right moment in both of our lives. No….I want to believe there are numerous women out there, one of which I will be very very happy to love and be loved by, but my life and other lives won’t be ruined if “The One” and I don’t connect. It’s just a sad story to me even if there’s an HEA.
Well, I digress….sorry.
For all of the pining for each other, the infrequent great sex and shared moments of connection…Jennifer continues to sabotage their could-be relationship to achieve success. Once successful….tah dah….she regrets not having love in her life.
The trope of not being able to come out for fear of career damage just never felt real in this case….this is modern day Hollywood here; not the 1930s and not an industry in which LGBTQ identities are as forbidden as they still are in some industries, such as grade school teaching.
Well, I did kind of like that Suzanne finally recognizes that she wasn’t understanding that Jennifer was terrified of coming out; her apology made me realize that I hadn’t been very understanding either, as you may have noted from my previous paragraph.
Despite what I would consider two decades lost, it was sweet that they decided it was time spent becoming who they were each meant to be, while on a path ultimately to each other. The HEA was a little too tied with a nice bow, but felt good enough that I’m surprising myself by rating the book as recommended with 3.5* rounded up to 4*. -
I like this book, I kept reading to the end wanting to find out the ending.
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Solid 5 for me .. The writing was very good as it's the first time I read anything by this author and I will surely read more! The characters were very strong although I have to admit I liked Jennifer more.. Maybe because throughout the book the author was convincing us that Suzanne is a smart entrepreneur but failed to explore that part. We were led to believe she's brilliant at what she does but yet I couldn't find concrete proof on what it was that made her such a huge success. Jennifer on the other hand, I could relate to her struggles and I felt how she's progressed in her career throughout the 20 years. Yes both characters are very different but I could feel their connection.. The ending made a lot of sense to me and at the end of the day, what do we want from a book? Personally I want a big smile on my face, and this one succeeded in doing so :)
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I could not get Jennifer off my mind after reading Stepping Stone, so quite quickly dug into this . Even though she is not portrayed as much of a standup person, the author hinted and something more intriguing behind her manipulative side, and we get to know her a whole lot better in Captain of Industry. While I may not agree with or fully understand her actions, her reasoning behind her decisions is well fleshed out, and Jennifer owns her shittiness full fold. This is also a narrative of women in the acting industry and the huge double standard of women vs men as they age in the spotlight. I thought Ms. Kallmaker handled this content so well.
We see Jennifer's softer side, her loneliness, her confliction over her attraction through the years to tech mogul Suzanne. The highs and lows, etc. I actually quite liked the flashbacks as well, it moved the book along at an interesting pace. I still don't like how she treated Selena though (From Stepping Stone), and feel she got let off of the hook too easily.
Also, this line: "Suzanne seemed well-acquainted with both women. That or she didn't mind being used as a thigh napkin." (literally busted out laughing at this)
Why have I never heard this term before. She should copyright it. -
This is such a beautiful book, I'm still starstruck. At first it didn't entice me and I almost dropped it a couple of times since the romance felt rushed and both Jennifer and Suzanne too innocent. However, as the book went on I started to appreciate their innocence and pieces started to fall into place.
Both Jennifer and Suzanne find themselves introduced to stardom at a young age, both have fears but are committed to the goal of achieving their dreams.
I enjoyed very much how the author first introduces the romance and then goes on to lie the story of each character since that way it gets you the right amount of pages to get interested in each of them. It's not very common in romance novels and was very well done.
The time jumps made all the difference for me, it put the book and the characters into perspective and allowed me to appreciate each step they took toward their dreams and toward each other. The way they grow and mature, changing with time and the circumstances makes them fall back into each other. The angsty parts of the book set the mood for the final outcome of this love story.
This is a book filled with strong women and a subtle lecture on feminism, in the end they realize that yourself has to always come first, and that way you'll be able to give yourself to the love of your life. -
Detailed score: 4.0
Nothing groundbreaking here - it's pretty trope-y now that I stop and think about it but it didn't feel like that while I was reading it.
My main criticism was that, despite some juicy hook ups, it took our leads ages to come together properly and we weren't given enough to time to savour it.
Overall, though, a confident, compelling read -
This is another book that I have mixed feelings on though I'd rate it as a good read.
The chemistry between the two leads is fantastic, the dialogue and internal thoughts are witty, fun, and natural, the storyline is solid, the Hollywood industry was captured well, and it had the best, most accurate use of Twitter (and modern social media) I've read to date. The supporting characters are incorporated nicely and we get a good feel for the leads despite not getting much of their backstory. The quality of the book is high and I found Jennifer to be the overall appeal of the story. There's a lot of good here.
What is somewhat halting, though, is that it's a story that focuses on going after personal goals, sacrificing relationships and to some extent one-self in the pursuit. Because of this, we get a mix of Jennifer and Suzanne in present day and flashbacks where we KNOW things go badly so, while we're to enjoy the leads coming together, we also know they're doomed. Jennifer's character also becomes less likable with time and, though that's intentional by the writer, it made me as the reader not like her too much as the book went on. These elements cast a shadow on the enjoyment.
We do get a happy, satisfying resolution and Jennifer's character is redeemed by the end. I came away from the book with a description of "Cute"...this was a cute story which is a word I don't use often for a book review. lol. There's some touching depth, as well, so it's not all fluff but the fairy-tale aspect and the separation of the leads keeps the story on more of a high-level entertaining type read. -
I liked the characters, took a lifetime to get together. Got this as an audio book, I find they appeal differently depending on the narrator. This one did a pretty good job.
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4.5 stars, rounded up because I'm feeling generous.
This is one of those books that just keeps getting better and better. Acts I and II were good, Act III was better, and Act IV was fantastic.
We follow Jennifer's and Suzanne's lives together and separately through three time periods, between which they were apart from each other: the present, their first meeting 20 years before, and a brief reunion somewhere in the middle. And all of it was the very definition of great character development. They're both flawed and make mistakes that doom their relationship at first and then we get to watch them go through the process of acknowledging that and figuring out how to do better.
And the feminist themes! With clear attention to intersectionality, even! For starters, as a girl in tech myself I was very pleased to see Suzanne, a successful CEO and out and proud lesbian, constantly bringing up the gender gap in tech and all the sexism she suffered to get where she was, not to mention all her efforts to try to improve the situation as she could. And Jennifer, oh how I loved her. Putting herself first as she pursued her dream to become a respected actress. Calling out how terribly the movie industry treats women and doing everything in her power not to let that stop her. Being reasonably and realistically afraid to risk it all too soon when she had no stability.
Jennifer was just so wonderfully written, whereas in the hands of a less talented writer, she as a white gorgeous model could've easily been a shallow, boring character — Kallmaker made her relatable and interesting, and even though the book is in third-person and also focuses on Suzanne by herself just as much, Jennifer was the one who really shined the most for me.
The author did a great job of writing simple, sweet moments to balance out the sheer exorbitance of their lives as two rich women, in a way that I wasn't too annoyed by the detailed descriptions of expensive clothing, fancy decorations and luxurious trips. This is the first book I read by Karin Kallmaker and I'm very glad I enjoyed it because she has so many others I'm excited to read next. -
Somehow I seem to have read a different book than the rest of the reviewers (maybe I wasn't in the mood) but (from the beginning) I had a hard time getting into this story. The main characters lacked of chemistry (I was missing a good build-up) and the story was babbling along. I wanted to like it, it had great potential (maybe I will read it again some day ;) and see it's real potential
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I usually enjoy Karin Kallmaker's novels but I really loved this one. I couldn't put it down. Added it to my list of favorites :)
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An appealing story!
Refreshing, original and utterly compelling. I loved the attitudes, skills, success, failure and behaviour of the two leading ladies. They can't get the other out of their mind. They want it all, but at what cost? The chemistry crackles with electricity and the tension is dynamic. The characters, the settings and the relationships make this an intriguing and engrossing read. The love story is done beautifully. I'm definitely going to re-read it. -
Two women, one already a successful tech millionaire, the other a successful model, add instant attraction and great chemistry and we have a classic whirlwind romance. On the surface “Captain of industry” is an excellent, well written story in the traditional genre, but underneath it is a much deeper commentary on the cost of success, and the price of being out.
Suzanne is a new tech millionaire, living it up in NYC as a minor celebrity and enjoying all the benefits of being young, attractive and rich. Having sold her start-up to AOL, she is the current whizz kid, self made, successful and going places - with everybody wanting a slice of her success. For her being out is not an issue, she just ‘is’ and there is no thought of any cost or consequence.
Jennifer is a successful model, just reaching the level where she feels confident to turn down work and stonewall men who think they can maul her. But her heart is set on being an actress, and she spends every spare moment working on her skills, her resume and her contacts. For her being out is not an option. She knows without a doubt that coming out will kill her career before it starts. And for her that drive to succeed is stronger than her dreams of happy ever after.
When Jennifer literally falls into Suzanne’s arms their attraction is instant, and their interactions both amusing and playful. Despite the brevity of their various encounters across the years their deep connection is obvious. But while Suzanne believes they can enjoy each other, grow and develop their relationship, see where it goes, Jennifer runs scared from anything which might damage her career. And the lies the rub, because Suzanne cannot understand, will not recognise, the cost of being out, and Jennifer will not risk it.
What we see unfold is a woman hardening her heart, pushing others away, becoming the Hollywood bitch, all for her career. Kallmaker deepens the romance into a feminist commentary on the choices women have had to make to get what they want. At the same time we have a story of personal growth; Suzanne must recognise her money cannot buy everything, Jennifer needs to gain success on her own terms, and the maturity to stand up and be counted.
Extremely well written in classic Kallmaker style, with a great supporting cast of friends and colleagues and a fascinating exploration on the social scene these women inhabit, this one is a joy to read. The humour balances the seriousness of the underlying message and the success and growth of both women puts the heartache into the perspective of a grown up wider world. And Lego? Who thought Lego could become zen?
It’s a delight to have Karin Kallmaker back at the writer’s block after her quiet years, however valuable she was as a publisher. I look forward to many more of her interesting characters, thoughtful subplots and wonderful writing. -
Let's talk about Karin Kallmaker's "Captain of Industry." 1st time I'd come across a book where the protagonist was inherently an antagonist - an unscrupulous one at that - in another book of KK's, "Stepping Stone." I remember when reading SS, Jennifer Lamont was really getting on my tits with her deviousness! But, Kallmaker, being the masterful storyteller that she is, deftly created Lamont's backstory in this book so compelling & riveting that I couldn't help but feel empathy & compassion toward her. I began to understand why she did what she did in SS. Her plight & circumstances were so realistically portrayed here because we all know (or heard of) how the entertainment industry is like especially for women.
And then there was this push-pull, on/off struggle between Jennifer & Suzanne. Their intoxicating entanglement throughout the years was unfolded with such conviction from KK's writing that despite all the unfortunate outcomes they both (especially Suzanne) experienced, I was right there rooting for them every step of the way. It was such a cathartic experience following their shaky & uncertain path toward each other. Crikey, did I heave a huge sigh of relief when they finally merged! What an emotional ride!
Another gem from this book, for me, was that some of my fav couples from my fav books of KK's showed up in this story! I was so pleased to meet them again in this book. I these couples from their own books!
Jackie & Leah from "
Painted Moon"
Syd & Faith from "
Wild Things"
Toni & Syrah from "
Just Like That"
Helen & Laura from "
Roller Coaster"
Selena & Gail from "
Stepping Stone"
Anyway, I enjoyed this book very much especially because I got to discover the real story behind the antagonist who inadvertently became a fiercely empathetic protagonist in this brilliantly told story. You'll have to read "Stepping Stone" to get the whole picture of the indelible Jennifer Lamont.
I highly recommend both these books! -
So I haven't read a Kallmaker book in years! Like way back before digital reads! This was a pleasant surprise. I enjoyed everything about it. But what I liked mostly about it was that Jennifer was allowed to be who she was...and was unapologetic about it. I mean men are allowed this luxury all the time!
Anyway, it was a really nice love story with great characters, nice settings and enough angst that you felt it! -
Stayed up far too late reading this one. I was hooked from the first chapter. Once I started reading, I just wanted to keep reading. It is part of what frustrates me so much, I wait ages for a new book to come out and finish it in one day, or two at the most. Like all of her other books, it was entertaining, frustrating, and well written. I didn't think I was going to like this character, but she grew on me before the end of the book.
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Karin Kallmaker is a smooth writer: interesting, complex characters, well-developed plot, a story that flows, good description, tension in the plot and ups and downs before the climax. CAPTAIN OF INDUSTRY features two beautiful and talented women, Suzanne Mason (who is the title character), a tech genius and very ambitious businesswoman, and Jennifer Lamont, a gorgeous model and aspiring actress. The book breaks down into three acts: when they meet as young women on the way up but still struggling; when they meet a decade later, both moving into success; and when they meet at the top, again several years later. Given who they are, this structure may be inevitable, because both have professional dreams and are pursuing them. For the reader, the fits and starts are less satisfying. These women are so incredibly drawn to each other that nothing else in their personal lives satisfies. So they live in pain, misery and aloneness--giving all to their careers--because they can't give themselves permission to love and have the person they really want. I could only read a few pages at a time because I was so sad that they could not allow themselves to commit to each other. Of course, eventually there is a twist as each faces inner reality. One just has to be patient.
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I enjoyed this one a lot. It felt good to read a book about grownups with grownup problems. The main character is not always likeable but I appreciate how her reasons all make sense to her. I enjoyed the geek talk, Kallmaker is always good at that. The characters were well developed, the story flowed well. I liked the feminist issues that were present throughout, and not only present but addressed. Refreshing.
The reason I'm not giving it four stars is the insane number of cameos. Even the main character is apparently recycled from an earlier novel (though I don't remember her). And that's the problem I had. With every character I was wondering if I should 'know' her and if I should, what was I missing by not remembering her? The auction scene was just ridiculously crowded. I doubt it would have been written like this if not for the cameos. -
I started this ages ago, put it aside as I didn't get into it. I liked it this time. Bit of past back and forth which filled in blanks but didn't quite hold me. This is my issue as have read a few like that on the bounce and I haven't felt the pull with any of them. I've felt a bit irritated that we haven't just stayed with the present.
This is a Kallmaker book so it is well written and well researched. For me, unusually in a Kallmaker book, I didn’t love the mains. Either of them. They didn’t lift off the page for me and although I kept reading there was not that compulsion to find out what happened next.
I said earlier I didn't like the past sections, although they were beautifully segued into each time. I don't think I was supposed to like Jennifer and I didn't. I did enjoy her journey or rather her end point. The book finished well and as a complete work I enjoyed it. As you would expect with a Kallmaker some brave choices were made and she continues to be a fresh writer. I don't know how she does it but I am so glad she does. -
This was not my book. I couldn’t get into the book the first 60%. I even skipped passages (shame on me) to get trough the first acts of the book.
For me the beginning lacked emotions. It begins in present time. Then there’s a lot happening in the past and we get short peeks off the present. All this time for me it’s just stating what happened in the past, accompanied with some dialogue. When act IV came around I became more interested, because there were feelings involved. If that wouldn’t have happened it would have been a DNF.
I thinks it’s the writing style that doesn’t do it for me. But seeing there’s a big fan base out there, don’t hesitate to try it. -
I'm binge-reading Karin Kallmaker's books this month.
A non-relationship that goes over 20 years. There are some interesting changes of glasses, thank you oh maturity goddess. It blossoms on a happy end thanks to both main realizing their mutual mistakes, stopping recriminating and reaching to each other.
Of course, there was a lot of pain and loss before that but it's an ok read overall.
I hadn't read the first book with the actress in the role of "The Awful Ex" then.
The writer tropes seems to be
> awful birth families
> bereavement
> light miscommunication
> lava-hot sex scene
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In anticipation of this book coming out I re-read "Stepping Stone" to familiarise myself with some of the characters. I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed reading how Jennifer Lamont started out in life, which is surprising to me as I didn't really like her as a character in "Stepping Stone". "Captain Of Industry" enables the reader to see another side of Jen and what made her who she was in Stepping Stone.
The story is strong, full of great women (some making cameos from other Kallmaker novels) and engaging throughout! Highly recommend "Captain Of Industry"...a great read! -
There are certain tropes that stand the test of time like second (or even third) chances and closeted actresses caught between who they are and who they are expected to be.
Read the full review @
https://bestlesficreviews.blogspot.co... -
Good, but not great.
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I really can't put my finger on something, but it just didn't sit well with me... It's ok, but definitely not even Top 5 Karin Kallmaker's books... Maybe Next Time stays by far my favorite one...
