Blog Tour Review: Behind Her back by Jane Lythell

Behind Her Back (StoryWorld #2) by Jane Lythell

Published: 8th February 2018

Publisher: Head of Zeus

Pages: 368

Available in Paperback and on Kindle

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Rating: 4/5

Blurb

Liz Lyon is a television producer and busy single mum to a teenage daughter. She works at StoryWorld, the UK's favourite morning show. As both confidante and team leader, she is the person tasked with controlling the conflicts and tantrums that flare up off-air. Having just started dating again, she's also having to deal with a few conflicts and tantrums at home...

Following a blissfully peaceful two-week holiday in Italy, Liz has returned to find a new colleague has joined the station. Lori Kerwell has been brought in to increase the show's profitability. But Liz is not sure that's the only thing on Lori's agenda.

As Lori builds her power base with the bosses, Liz finds herself wondering what's really going on behind her back...

Review

Behind Her Back by Jane Lythell is the story of Liz Lyons, a TV produces for the hit daytime show StoryWorld. On her return to work after a two week break there’s a new member to the StoryWorld team Lori Kerwell. A woman who knows exactly what she wants and takes no prisoners on her way to get there.  There is instant tension between her and Liz, as Liz is used to being the woman in control and doesn’t like her job criticized from an outsider. Along with the tensions building between Liz and Lori there is also a storm brewing among returning presenter Fizzy and her stand-in Leyton, both wanting to be the solo star of the show.  In among the rivalry, secrets and back-stabbing Liz also finds time to juggle caring for her teenage daughter Flo, keeping her house in order and finds time for the occasional date.

I really liked Liz as a character, she’s driven to do well in her job but not to the extent that it takes over all her life. She’s a single mum and makes sure that fifteen-year-old daughter Flo knows she’s loved and that Liz is there for her always, despite usually getting the brunt of Flo’s teenage angst when things don’t turn out quite as she planned. She’s also very loyal towards her team and tries her best to make sure they are all happy at work and will defend them when any of them come under-fire. Liz has also kept secrets for various members of her team, which in the wrong hands could have ruined their careers and their private lives. My favourite part was reading about her getting ready for the big awards dinner and looking for the perfect dress and all the insecurities which go with that. These scenes showed her at her best a real woman which many of us can relate, who every now and then gets to be the princess.

Lori, couldn’t be more different from Liz and was not someone I warmed to. She’s cold-hearted, ruthless and will manipulate people to get what she wants. The way she made suggestions for the programme which were frankly stupid was annoying, more so that the big bosses seemed to run with her idea and the leave Liz with the blame when it went wrong made me angry for Liz. I didn’t like Fizzy much either as she seemed to be able to manipulate people, especially men into doing what she wanted too, the only difference was she has a much bubblier personality than Lori so got away with it more.  

Written from Liz’s perspective, it felt very much like reading a diary as there is a lot of narrative where Liz is contemplating events which have happened to herself. I really liked this format of writing as it mirrored the storyline making it feel like one of those real-life TV documentaries.  I was unaware until about a third of the way through the book that this is the second StoryWorld novel. Events from the previous novel are described enough that I didn’t feel I missed out by not reading the first book. I was a little sad that just as I had really got into the novel it seemed like it had ended, leaving me with a few questions as to what happened next, like what happened with Ron? Hopefully this means there is a third StoryWorld novel on its way…fingers crossed.

Behind Her Back is a realistic look at life behind the lens, looking at the relationships between presenters and producers and the underlying tensions and rivalries among them all. It is a book I enjoyed very much and I look forward to reading more from this author.