Lord Tony Baddingham rules the television world of the Cotswolds. He brought in American producer Cameron Cook, and she has taken the Corinium franchise by storm. And he hired Declan O’Hara away from the BBC. The Irishman is known for his in-depth interviews, and he instantly made the ratings soar. Tony ruled his world, from the top talent he hired to the beautiful women he seduced.

But when Rupert Campbell-Black, a retired show jumper, moves into Tony’s neighborhood, things change. Rupert is also rich and handsome. He also seduces any woman he wants. And when he decides to put in a bid for the local television franchise, he has to figure out how to fight Tony for it. There are insiders and moles, secrets and lies, backstabbing and bed hopping. But at the heart of it al is competition.

It is the ‘80s, after all, and board rooms are contentious and adultery is prolific, as business and family mores are changing. Jilly Cooper’s masterful novel transports readers to a soap opera of a story where art and hearts combine in a fight for television. There is a large cast of characters in this 600+ page novel, or if you opt for the audio book, like I did, over 27 hours. But if you’re willing to stick with it, the ending is worth the investment.

I listened to Rivals on audio, as I said, and I thought narrator Sherry Baines did an amazing job with this book. There is a lot of drama in these pages, and a large cast and she kept the action moving throughout with a lovely posh accent that transported me to Britain with every chapter. I did think the American accent she used for Cameron was a little harsh, made her sound a little more strident than necessary, but it still worked in this story.

I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect from this book. It took me a bit to get into the story, as I did struggle to keep the characters straight at first. But as time went on and I got to know them all better, I enjoyed Rivals more and more. I’m tempted to read more of the Rutshire Chronicles, just to hang out in this universe some more. It was a lot of fun, and I absolutely loved the ending. If you love a long, soapy saga, then you’ll want to pull up a comfy chair and settle in for the television rivalry to end all others.

A copy of Rivals was provided by Forever, with many thanks, but I got the audio book through Audible.