Only a few years before, they had been three friends from Glasgow, just trying to survive tough lives of danger and dysfunction.
But on one Hollywood evening in 1993, they were on the world’s biggest stage, accepting their Oscar in front of the watching world.
That night was the beginning of their careers. But it was also the end of their friendship.
Over the next twenty years, Mirren McLean would become one of the most powerful writers in the movie industry.
Zander Leith would break box-office records as cinema’s most in-demand action hero.
And Davie Johnson would rake in millions as producer of some of the biggest shows on TV.
For two decades they didn’t speak, driven apart by a horrific secret.
Until now…
Their past is coming back to bite them, and they have to decide whether to run, hide, or fight.
Because when you rise to the top, there’s always someone who wants to see you fall.
Review
I really enjoyed The Rise. At first I thought I would just like it, that it would be an easy read. As the premise of the story isn’t something totally unique, it wouldn’t be a book I’d have to think too much about. And in some ways it was. There was your usual cliches about money and fame going to peoples’s head, the typical LA stereotypes, and a slight inclination as to how things would turn out in the end.
However, The Rise also held a lot of emotion that I wasn’t ready for. I’m a sucker for anyone who is truly self-made, who have risen above situations they were told they never would. We get that with these characters. And while they are unlikeable in many ways, the authors still manage to keep them grounded, likeable, and vulnerable. I cried during the last few chapters. I wasn’t expecting that. But this was really where the book elevated itself from a story that was told before into something more special.
If you would like to check it out, you can but The Rise here.
I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Joyful Antidotes 