Gemma Townley Little White Lies

Little White Lies

Gemma Townley

Ballantine, Mar 2006, $6.99, 320 pp.

ISBN: 0345486862

Sick of living in Bath and wanting to taste swinging London, Natalie Raglan quits her job at an advertising firm and ends her relationship with her boyfriend. Once her ties to Bath end, she moves to London.

However, just because she moved to the big city does not mean anything has changed, except that Nat feels even more alone than ever. More embarrassing is that outside of bills, wrong numbers, and crank calls, the previous renter Cressida Langdon receives all the friendly calls and fun mail. However, the frustrating turning point occurs when Cressida receives an invitation to attend a gala at swanky Soho House. Unable to resist, Nat decides to attend pretending she is Cressida. Rubbing elbows at bashes at the Soho House with the rich and famous is great, but it is dating investment banker Simon that makes Nat feels she is dancing on clouds, for she loves him, but also feels part of her is in the pits of hell, because he loves swinging urbane Cressida not mousy Natalie.

This character driven tale centers on a lonely individual who remakes herself by "stealing" someone else's image. Natalie soon learns several life lessons on deception, yet also believes that without it she would never have tasted love ("far better to have loved "). Readers will empathize with Nat as she hobnobs with the elite, which was her dream until she met Simon, who she believes fell in love with her Cressida persona not the real Natalie. Fans of contemporary fiction will appreciate Natalie's dilemma, for she knows she must reveal the truth, but that will end her relationship with the man she loves, as trust is important.