The Lucky Ones — Karen Mason

It's 1978 and cousins Ellie Grantham and Viva Collins are eighteen years old.
A sheltered schoolgirl, Ellie has lived in the protection of Annie Holland, her mother as well as her father and stepfather. She longs to escape the confines of boarding school, and when she meets a handsome punk rocker, she gets her chance to finally start living. Viva Collins lives in the glamour of LA with her parents and younger sister. Dating a womanising politician's son, and taken for granted by her mother, Iris, Viva longs to return to England to seek out Mark, her younger brother, who was left behind by Iris when she escaped to the US. After blackmailing Patrick, her father, Viva makes her escape and arrives in London. Soon she is thrust into the world of fashion, and all the temptations it brings.
Soon, it's the 1980s and these two independent girls are making their mark. For Ellie, what starts as a second-hand record shop turns into a burgeoning record label. A disastrous, short-lived marriage means Viva cannot work as a model again, so she becomes a journalist and has no intention of returning to America - despite Iris threatening to disown her. The cousins put aside their mothers' rivalry and become close friends and allies.....for now.
Along with their success comes heartache. Ellie finds life as a rock star's wife difficult â€" can she ever trust him? And Viva lurches from one disastrous relationship to another, while the man she truly wants is married to another.
As these two girls turn into young women, their lives change as quickly as the society they live in. This is Thatcher's Britain and the ethos is to make as much money as possible, with little regard for those you trample on as you make your way. Ellie and Viva intend to do whatever it takes to get to the top and there are bound to be broken hearts, shattered dreams, and some relationships will never be the same again.