In Name Only

by Barbara Wilkins

A young girl who goes to California meets the man of her dreams and ends up getting everything she has ever wanted, at a price she cannot afford

463 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1992

Reviews

[Cathy North · Rating 1 out of 5]

I felt like I was a middle school child with the reading of this book. It just went on & on up until the last few chapters. Then, it somewhat became mysterious. The ending was a complete letdown. I would and should not have wasted my time with this book. I hung in there and hoping it would improve. But by then, I was invested in it and unable to stop once I started.

[Somi · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Name Only is about Beth Carol Barnes, the daughter of a wealthy business magnate, who runs away to Hollywood from the small town in which she grew up, when she becomes pregnant from an affair with a boy from the wrong side of the tracks.

In Hollywood she falls into the bad hands of the man she eventually marries, who forces her to act in a pornographic movie, prostitute herself, etc. but she still retains her innocence (or stupidity), somehow.

Her child, Raleigh Barnes, becomes one of the greatest child stars who has ever lived in Hollywood, until tragedy strikes.

But all is not as it seems.

This book exposes a lot of the decay in Hollywood, kind of like Olivia Goldsmiths's Flavor of the Month

The ending of this book, is glorious. I have read it so many times and my copy is now a tattered mess.

[Laura Lee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, it started out great...

[Gina Jantz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was all ready to not like this book and in the beginning I got really mad at how stupid one of the main characters was, but it ended really good, great plot twists!

[Meadow Gg · Rating 1 out of 5]

I couldn't do it. Sorry.