Tara comes clean

The relaxed addiction-free Palmer-Tomkinson

By BBC News Online's Rebecca Thomas

You have got to hand it to "It" girl Tara Palmer-Tomkinson - she is resilient.

In spite of all her past - and very public - drug, shopping and bad boy love addictions, here she is again laying herself open to scrutiny.

Tarapt.com flaunts itself as a frivolous guide to living the sophisticated, designer-clad Palmer-Tomkinson lifestyle.

Girls just want to have fun, fun, fun. But we also want to know the hot places to go. The clubs, the restaurants, what to wear, where to wear it and even what to say on some occasions

Welcome to Tarapt.com

But, details about her upbringing and past troubles, also make this a candid confessional.

And, after a thorough perusal of this heavily product endorsed site, the nagging question is: "Just who here is having the last laugh?"

Like Palmer-Tomkinson herself, the site is sleek and stylish. Candy floss colours suggest high spirits and adolescence.

Even the language sounds like lisping Violet Elizabeth in Just William, with words like "horrid" and "giggle" filling the page.

But if you can get over the language barrier, the content has been well thought-out.

The carefully painted image of Palmer-Tomkinson is of a privileged but "ordinary" girl.

Agony aunt

Must Go and Tara's Territory give all the tips on where to be seen - Mauritius and polo matches are just two.

Tara's Gossip Column - of the same ilk as the one she had in the Sunday Times Magazine - gives the lowdown on which celebs she has recently brushed shoulders with.

The advice column

And scattered factboxes relay top tips on the restaurants and fashion labels most favoured by this girl-about-town.

But then, there is the Palmer-Tomkinson who has suffered. In Confession Corner, she comes clean on the addictions that landed her in a rehab clinic.

And in Dear Tara, she puts on her agony aunt hat to advise readers on how to deal with relationship problems.

You want to believe Palmer-Tomkinson, you really do, but something about this website just does not ring true.

The imagery is blatantly sexy and seemingly aimed at her male fans.

The girly tone certainly does not help, given Palmer Tomkinson's 29 years in age.

And your average teenager does not have the kind of money to go to flashy London restaurants like Le Caprice.

But, the biggest giveaway that Palmer-Tomkinson is cannily marketing her image - but keeping her guard - is that after all this honesty, you come away having learnt nothing new.