https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6645825102

Simultaneously a page turner and a very harrowing/uncomfortable read. Rose feels like a real person and the things that happen to her all feel very real too. Milo and the way he hides in plain sight sadly also felt very real. I can't exactly say I enjoyed this, given the bleak subject matter, but it is a beautifully written and thought provoking book - and not entirely devoid of hope. Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

This I think is a marmite kind of book. It deals with the celeb world and the use and effect of power which celebs wield. So totally on it and a need for it but I couldn’t get to grips with the characters nor to be honest care enough about them. But because that is my experience I still would say try- read it!

Imagine if you work for a celebrity magazine and have the opportunity to fulfill your wildest dreams by mixing with the rich and famous. Sounds like a fantastic dream lifestyle doesn't it? Rose seemed to think so until she met Milo Jax the current pop heart throb adored by women everywhere. Rose can't believe it when he starts to pay her attention but, after spending the night together her life starts to unravel. Rose can't remember anything about it apart from a painful aftermath and increasingly nightmarish flashbacks. Which affect her whole life going forward. Very current story in light of the #metoo revelations.

A contemporary novel exploring events in the run up to the #MeToo movement. The cover and blurb on this book are very misleading - this is not a serious literary work about a #MeToo incident. It reads like the author started writing a romance between a pop star and a publicity assistant then decided she wanted to add in a serious issue without changing her style or tone. It lacks the seriousness or bite required to write on this topic, with so much inane chatter about working for a magazine between the actual key plot points that it's easy to forget what has actually traumatised Rose. The quality of writing isn't bad, its just wrong for the subject matter. There are much better #MeToo related novels out there. Not one for me.

Gold Rush is a deeply compelling and upsetting immersive story of Rose and the terrible thing that happens to her. Rose works in an industry that valorizes men and treats women as disposable objects. Men's careers must be protected at all costs in media PR.
When Rose wakes up the morning after a one night stand with a mega famous male pop star, she feels increasingly wrong. We accompany Rose, as the creeping realisation that she has been raped becomes horribly apparent. Rose struggles to put one foot in front of the other. She finds unexpected support and unexpected gaslighting from other women. It's a brilliantly written and scarily real account of how women don't always support each other when something awful happens.

*** spoilers***

The first part of this book, which I feel could’ve been discussed in far fewer pages than was written, mainly sets the scene for Rose Martin the fact that she has just broken up with Richard, her long-term boyfriend, who works for (Firehouse magazine), who she lives with (Luce), her relationship with her mother (Lola). Her work life is filled with helping to put together launches for the magazine whether it be products, fashion shows and exclusive after parties. Then there is the rubbing of celebrity shoulders and with others in her line of work, editors and influencers. One of the best perks Rose gets from her job at the production company can be all the free products she has access to, which come from photo shoots, product launches or are items, make-up to high end handbags which are sent to the editors.

Anyway, Rose meets Milo Jax, a rockstar at the pinnacle of his career, at one of these launches where he then takes her to an afterparty. Following a couple of messages on social media, she becomes intrigued and ends up having sex, after a visit to his home.

The day after the interaction with Milo, she meets her mother for a walk and on the way home has a panic attack and ends up in hospital. She’s advised to take a couple of days off work which she does and uses her time to try to contact Milo, who hasn’t responded to her.

He’s obviously ghosted her but she’s not accepting that by continually contacting him on social media, he hasn’t even given her his number but there’s more going on here than meets the eye. And it leads up to a very shocking twist towards the end. The reason a chapter towards the end that doesn’t make any sense at all, it doesn’t state who the accounts version is written from, it just describes the breakdown of rose.

This book reminds me of another book called Queenie, where she too sleeps her way through a break up because jolene is doing exactly the same thing, using sex as therapy to get over a break up. It really makes me think that there are women out there that do this, become so obsessed with a guy after sleeping with them, that they can’t even think straight or use sex as therapy.

It’s a very descriptive book and the best description is the way she’s falling apart over Milo, how she’s just become obsessed with him and the fact that she can’t even remember what happened after sleeping with him. It is very long this book, but it is worth a read as it is very insightful into the goings-on of PR companies and the business as a whole especially if you’re interested in this sort of field of employment.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book with no obligation to review.

I was not keen on this book. It is very, very slow and there is, for me, too much details on what a PR person's job actually involves and a too detailed account of a hen weekend. I felt that these were just padding.

None of the characters (apart, perhaps from Minnie) are people you want to know in real life. They are all astonishingly shallow and self absorbed and worryingly needy. Even Rose is hard to warm to. Girls can be very silly where men are concerned but Rose is a young woman and surely would have grown out of crushes and ideas of knights in shining armour.

What does make the book a very uncomfortable and depressing read is the (presumably accurate) bleak and shallow lives led by these characters. I am horrified by how women are manipulated and treated by the men in this book. I was particularly shocked by the fact that even women are buying into these porn tropes of violent and degrading choking etc., during sex. Having said that, the book has prompted much discussion among my friends and fellow readers both male and female.

Interesting but not enjoyable.

Rose works for a PR agency. The year is 2017, and Rose is 25.
The people around her are privileged and entitled. We immediately dive into the world of the celebrities, influencers and PR.
Something is fishy. We are not sure what it is yet.
It is gradually unfolded.
This was a 3.5 stars read for me, rounded up thanks to Petter's mastery of this world.
Her writing was gripping from the outset and throughout most of the novel. It is hard to believe this was a debut novel - I genuinely felt surprised upon learning of this fact.
Petter takes us on a visual-cinematic journey across the kitchen of entertainment. Unfortunately, this kitchen is sometimes ugly.
Overall, what stood out for me was the incredibly detailed and vivid representation of the PR world and entertainment industries. The nepotism, the hierarchies, the pet peeves, and the nastiness.
I wish we delved more into the characters, and due to the amazing writing of Olivia Petter, I wish to read a buoyant story by her with little twists. Her style is a perfect match for such stories. It was quite fitting for this story to be unfolding too, though I found the final parts, and the revelation of Rose's trauma (this was hinted many times, I only wish to get insights into such a character's psyche as part of another book - it was not this book, which is fine) a little abrupt.
Plot: 3.5
Concept: 4
Mood, style and prose: 5, 5 and 5
Characterisation: 3
Themes: 5
Thank you, #netgalley and #4thEstateandWilliamCollins #fourthestate. Petter's was the most refreshing and original voices I have read in a while.

Thank you to the publishers and to NetGalley for this ARC!

Wow wow wow. This book is incredible. I will admit that when I started it, I wasn't sure if it was going to be for me, but after the first couple of chapters I was hooked. And it just kept getting better. This book explores so many themes such as celebrity culture, power exploitation, sexual assault/rape, toxic friendships and relationships, womanhood, amongst others. The characters in this book jump off the page and I could very easily see this being a TV show or movie. This book made me angry, heartbroken, and even made me laugh in parts through the frustration and pain that I was feeling for the main character. Gold Rush is such a stunningly beautiful piece of fiction that is sadly all too close to the reality that we hear and read about daily. I loved reading it.

I struggled to read this book at times because it felt/sounded like a sreenwriter preparing for the next version of "The Devil Wears Prada".
I never figured out how Rose came to be working at her role in a publishing company. PR is far from the arts degree she had studied for.
She also saw herself as the charity case duckling amongst the beautiful, monied, cygnets and swans. Although she was certain her abilities were better than theirs particularly Oliver, who got the best jobs because he is a good looking gay man.
The settings are all celebrity - A to Z - listed parties and events full of drink and drugs.. Run out of the best champagne? no problem, move on to the top shelf vodka and tequila. Heaven forbid you run our of them but whisky will do.
I had visions of a drunk going round the tables at closing time pouring the dregs into one glass to get another mouthful of booze. Not a pretty site.
Rose finally gets to strut her stuff with the celebrity singer who is mid world tour. He is lovely to her. Not at all what she expected and he doesn't expect a quick shag in the cleaning cupboard.
She is smitten. Especially when he initiates contact through instagram direct messaging. Then comes the invitation to his home, of sorts. They talk for hours before finally having sex. Petter gives no indication if this was sweet and missionary or a mix of BDSM and Shibari but Rose seems happy enough.
He escorts her home where more drink is taken and, judging by the pain and bleeding the following day. Rose assumes they had more sex. But she can't remember..
For me this was where the book fell apart heading straight down to the ridiculous duckling finding herself surrounded by hens, booze, drugs and naked butlers as well as an obsession with instagram and Cinderella dreams.
The ending had to come and I was happy that it was not dragged out. Given the length of the celebrity 's career and the number of girls/women who were delighted to get his attention I don't foresee a happy outcome.
Me? Despite the quality of Petter's writing and her insights into the pathetic culture of celebrity, I should have spent my valuable time washing my hair.

3.5 stars.

I really enjoyed this book and was able to devour it in less than 48 hours.

I really enjoyed the authors writing and found her style very relatable and easy to absorb, making this book one that's easy to gobble up despite the triggering content. The story itself I did enjoy, again despite the content, I enjoyed the exploration of Rose as a character and her character development and conflicting thoughts and feelings made this feel very real and honest. The important topics that were covered were covered well, and I thought the author did them justice.

Whilst I did enjoy the book and it's impact, this is a 3.5 star read for me due to the fact I wanted the side characters to be fleshed out a bit more in order to add a bit more sustenance to the story rather than being quite one dimensional. I also found the ending to seem rather abrupt which didn't really fit the pacing at all in comparison to the rest of the book? The random perspective change near the end has so left me with loads of questions and theories but I suppose that was likely the authors intention - I'd love to know everyone else's thoughts on this.

Overall a very good book and I would definitely check out the authors other book after reading thus.

Thank you to 4thestatebooks and wmcollinsbooks for my ARC of this book.

This is more 3.5 to low 4 star for me.
While the book follows an important topic and does it rather well. It doesn't shy away from it. I also felt the writing was very slow paces which made it hard to stay invested and not zone out a little.
Then the ending felt so rushed compared to the rest of the book. She finally truly knew what happened to her and the book just ends.

This was a real headache of a novel, but in a good way. Or at least, a well written way. The plot felt like a gut punch, early on in the story Rose is raped but she doesn’t remember it, nor can she bring herself to admit this to anyone. Her life seemingly falls apart around her after this night, and she struggles to admit it to herself. There’s several uncomfortable moments where she battles with her own anxiety and trauma, and I was desperately hoping someone would help her, or at least that she would help herself. Her struggles are unfortunately not uncommon, every woman knows someone who has been in Rose’s situation. This entire book was so difficult to read, but it was handled with care and brings to light such an important topic. Hats off to Petter for this heartbreaking story.

I was disappointed by this. I think I felt it had too many side stories that prevented it from fully exploring the main storyline. It felt a bit shallow. I really wanted to like it and just didn't.

This is a novel set in 2017, just before the Metoo movement kicked off. It follows Rose, a 20-something young woman working in publicity for celebrities. One night she manages to snag a popular musician as a client for an event and the two begin messaging until one night he invites her over and they have sex. Until the next morning when Rose awakes and finds she’s bleeding but can’t remember what happened the night before…
This was a rather odd book for me. It wasn’t quite a thriller and the story doesn’t kick off until about a third of the way too and even then Rose doesn’t quite realise she was raped until the very end. I felt like the story ended too soon. I think my issue is that they are too many Metoo thrillers/suspense books being published and now that in 2024 we’re seeing the reality (with few men actually being punished and criminals being given another chance with Weinstein’s conviction overturned and Trump likely to run for election again - rather depressing) books set over five years ago are starting to feel dated for me, personally. I felt Gold Rush meandered; there is way too much telling and not enough showing. I also found Rose honestly rather bland and boring. The narrative lacks voice, it lacks bite. The book re-hash topics and themes that have been explored to death. Plus I have a critique regarding a pivotal scene, which I’d rather not put in this review as it’s a major spoiler.
Overall this is an okay-ish debut exploring events in the run-up to Metoo. It doesn’t particularly say anything new or different bear in mind.

An interesting and thought-provoking novel. This was, undeniably, a thoroughly addictive read - I finished it in one sitting - but once it was over, it left me feeling a little unfulfilled.

Set in London in the summer of 2017, post-Brexit and pre-Me Too, Gold Rush follows Rose, who wakes up having just spent the night with the most famous man on the planet. The only problem? She can't quite remember it... Interrogating sex, consent, and celebrity culture, Gold Rush deftly and sensitively portrays the aftermath of a traumatic sexual encounter. As Rose struggles to come to terms with the encounter - unable to label it assault, even to herself - Petter isn't afraid of ambiguity, offering readers a messy, complex, and ultimately very nuanced depiction of a topic that is often rendered in stark black and white.

By diving into the minutiae of Rose's day job - working as a publicist for a high-profile, traditional print media company - Petter does a great job of bringing readers into the high-gloss world of celebrities, influencers, and exclusive parties from the perspective of the perpetual outsider, as well as portraying the dissonance inherent in returning to 'everyday life' in the wake of immense personal tragedy.

But this idea of Rose as the perpetual outsider is where the novel kind of fell apart for me. Gold Rush offers a half-hearted commentary on class, portraying Rose as a working-class woman raised by a single mother, who forgoed a promising career as an artist after realising the art world was essentially an exclusive club. But Rose has essentially swapped one club for another, working in an industry where nepotism is rampant, and all her co-workers are someone's nephew or favoured god-child: people who already had their foot in the door. Rose's day job means that her life intersects with the very wealthy, the very badly-behaved, and the very entitled - but her personal life is filled with these characters also. She attends dinner parties at an old uni-friend's town house, where the party-goers sniff ketamine and drink Laurent-Perrier from the bottle; she spends the weekend at her school friends' family estate in Salisbury, a veritable castle, for a disastrous hen do. She lives with Luce, her oldest friend, in a flat Luce's parents own in central London, on a reduced rent - but as their friendship splinters, Luce lords this over her, suddenly doubling Rose's share of the rent in the middle of an argument. Rose and Luce's devolving friendship was one of the most interesting components of the novel for me - but ultimately its breakdown felt rushed, and somewhat ridiculous. This was heightened by the ending, Oliver's chapter (which I really did not like), and the epilogue, which all felt surprising;y after-school special to me, after the purposeful ambiguity of the rest of the novel.

Ultimately, I felt that whilst Petter is clearly a great writer, with a detailed understanding of the world that she's depicting, for me, this novel took a controversial subject and used it to tread familiar ground. I wished Petter had dived more into the class system underscoring this world of celebrity, wealth, influence, and social capital - particularly as it is set in the UK, where public attention is increasingly turning to the fact that the majority of British celebs are privately educated at a select group of schools. But, I commend her for her sensitive portrayal of sexual assault, and the messy emotions experienced in the aftermath. I will still definitely be recommending this book to readers, and particularly to anyone looking for a pick for a book club book, as I feel the topics within would make for great discussion.

“You better watch out for what you wish for”- had that line from Celebrity Skin popping into my head while I was reading- sex, money, gender and fame in the bad olden days pre-#metoo and an important reminder that we could never have gone too far.

As someone who loves a Hollywood book this is such an interesting and important read. Especially since the Me Too movement p. I hope it raises awareness for women to speak out and share their stories as a cautionary tale.