I must first confess that I came to Rivals after watching the TV show and I loved it, it’s a guilty pleasure of a novel. Cooper manages to make what is essentially a story about late 1980’s UK TV franchise bidding into a 750 page turner combining multiple threads (pretty much all of these are around affairs). That said, it isn’t without its flaws. For instance some of the dialogue (which is predominantly based around sex) is unrealistic, there is no real acknowledgement of the human impact of anyone’s actions, and also it’s attitudes to women leave a lot to be desired (women are essential sex objects throughout) – that said it is a Jilly Cooper novel, all of these things are to be expected. Perhaps it’s because I’m came to it straight after finishing the TV series – but I loved it. If you enjoyed the series and want a long romp to take your brain out too this is the book for you.

After falling in love with the TV adaptation of Rivals, I knew I had to read the book - and it did not disappoint. Jilly Cooper’s writing is sharp, hilarious, and dripping with drama, making every page an absolute delight. The characters are larger than life, the scandals are deliciously outrageous, and the world of British TV rivalries is just as gripping on the page as it was on screen. Rupert Campbell-Black remains the ultimate charismatic rogue, and the mix of love, ambition, and betrayal kept me completely hooked from start to finish. It’s glamorous, chaotic, and so much fun... the kind of book that makes you want to dive straight into the rest of the series. Whether you loved the show or just want a juicy, fast-paced read, Rivals is pure entertainment at its finest!

This is without a doubt my favourite Jilly Cooper book. Ruperts return, the lovely Taggie, the sexy irish Declan, and the backdrop of Corinium TV and the village where it all happens. It's brilliant!!

I didn't read this when I was a teenager and it first came out because I was more interested aged 14 in Reading Waugh, Dickens, Graham Greene, julian Barnes, Peter Ackroyd or Austen etc. I read it because of all the hype around the TV series. This is badly written with a cast of one dimensional characters. Women particularly get a bad deal - some of them are only ever described as shrieking or screaming every time they open their mouths and the men exploit them, It's outdated and distasteful in so many ways that were inappropriate when it was first published. The "heroes" or "good guys" all middleaged men expressing attraction to underage teenage girls and Cooper turns the heroine into an unwitting Lolita.