A Perfect Heritage by Penny Vincenzi, 2014

I read my first Penny Vincenzi book, The Best of Times, while I was on maternity leave.  I was hooked and looking forward to reading her other novels even before I finished The Best of Times.  Despite the description of the novel not capturing my interest and the hard-covered tome being over 700 pages (a factor considering I carry my books so that I can read during my commute to work), I knew that A Perfect Heritage would be a great read.

A Perfect Heritage is the story of cosmetic giant House of Farrell with characters including high powered female CEO Bianca Bailey, who has been brought in by venture capitalists to turn-around the declining brand and sales.

As an ambitious working woman, it's exciting to read a novel revolving around a female CEO, venture capitalists and hedge fund managers.

The story also references English events, like the Queen's Jubilee, which happens to fall on the anniversary of when Athina and Cornelius Farrell founded The Cream, the product that built the House of Farrell empire.

As an anglophile, these cultural references are always fun and a pleasure to read.

Characters who work for the House of Farrell include Bertie Farrell, Florence Hamilton, Susie Harding, and Lara Clements; with the main story centering around Bailey; her husband Patrick; their three children, including Milly; and best friend Jonjo.

The following dialog between Bailey and Saul Finlayson, hedge fund manager and Patrick's new manager, inspires me to tackle initiatives at work that seem daunting, even though they are nowhere near as daunting as running a multi-million dollar company (yet...):

   '...You should have made sure they'd go with you all the way.' - Saul
   'So it's my fault?' - Bianca
   'To a degree, yes.  Anyway, you must keep going.  Keep going and don't look down.  And don't worry about all the other stuff...  None of that is your fault.'
   'It - it feels like it.'
   'Well, it isn't. And you mustn't let it distract you.'
   'I know, I know.  You're right.  I've never felt like this before, uncertain and even --' she stopped.
   'Even?'
   'A bit scared.'
   'Oh, now you can't be scared,' he said.  'You mustn't even think about being scared.'
   'Don't you get scared?' she asked, curious.
   'Sometimes. But I just fight it off.  I decide what I've got to do and then do it.'
   'And is that ever wrong?'
   'It can be.  Losing is bad, but I mostly win, so it's OK.'

After a satisfying 700+ pages, I reserved another Vincenzi novel from the library and can't wait to get my hands on that book!