NEW RELEASE
Ruby Blues - Jessica Rudd (2011)
This sequel to Campaign Ruby takes place two years into Max Masters' first term as Australian Prime Minister. Ruby has become his strategic communications advisor. But her boyfriend Luke, who once worked for Masters, isn't happy with her long hours. Ruby's certainly got her hands full at work, with damaging stories about the Government being leaked to the media and having to deal with her colourful and over-enthusiastic intern, Bettina. Plus someone is sending threatening messages to the chief of staff, Diana, who once had a fling with Max. This really doesn't have much of a plot, instead it reads more as a series of mishaps - from speech snafus and Twitter trouble to waxing woes and vomit vexations. Some are hilarious which is just enough to save the book.
Jessica Rudd is following up her debut novel Campaign Ruby about an English woman who gets caught up in an Australian political campaign with its sequel Ruby Blues. The summary says: "Two years ago Ruby Stanhope got the Opposition into government and fell in love with a sweet guy whose favourite tie featured palm trees. Now the new PM is on the nose. And Luke is demanding romantic dinners at home rather than takeaway on the run. What's a girl to do when she's about to turn 30, when her wardrobe turns drab, her love life turns lukewarm and the government is leakier than a cheap umbrella? Can she find her inner Nancy Drew in time to save her boss? Will she succumb to temptation when Elliot, the hot vet, enters the scene? Luke? Elliot? Work? Love? Unladdered stickings? Can she it have all? And more importantly, what should she wear to the Midwinter Ball? In Campaign Ruby, Ruby managed to get: 1. drunk; 2. the leader of the Opposition elected; 3. Luke. Now that the balloons from the election night party have sagged, as well as the electorate's enthusiasm for the new PM, Ruby is battling political and personal spot fires. She has a whole new To Do list scrunched up at the bottom of her Prada handbag: 1. Screw things up with Luke; 2. Turn 30; 3. Deal with hormonal pregnant lesbian aunt; 4. And an imploding government; 5. Avoid killing peppy intern; 6. Attend party after waxing accident; 7. Cosy up to Pretty Boy; 7a. Complicate things with Luke; 8. Save the government from itself; 9. Figure out who the hell she is; 10. And who she wants." Ruby Blues is out in October.