In Fidelity

by M.J. Rose

Hot on the trail of her much talked-about debut, Lip Service, M.J. Rose once again explores the dark corners of the human psyche in a riveting and erotic tale of love, lust...and betrayal.
Although everyone thinks she's being paranoid, psychotherapist Jordan Sloan knows better. Haunted by the long-ago murder of her father, she learns that his killer has been paroled and she instantly fears his revenge. Only she knows the dark secret of her relationship with Mallory -- and the depth of her deception in providing the testimony that put him away. She sees him in shadows, in mirrors, in photographs her teenage daughter takes in the park....
Still suffering the bruises of her husband's betrayal, Jordan grapples with ambiguous emotions even as she is drawn again to her estranged spouse. Clinging desperately to the hard-earned stability of her life, she maneuvers through the meshwork of love's fragile bonds, layers of longing, and the chaos that is human relationships. All the while, a mysterious new patient seems intent on contributing to Jordan's unraveling. For as she struggles to prove that her fear of Mallory is justified, she also wrestles with how it might feel to finally forgive Robert's infidelity.
M.J. Rose has crafted a rare and evocative new novel of spellbinding energy, as a woman come to terms with her own life -- assuming she will continue to enjoy the luxury of living it.

Genres: Fiction, Chick Lit

289 pages, Paperback

First published January 29, 2001

About the author

New York Times Bestseller, M.J. Rose grew up in New York City mostly in the labyrinthine galleries of the Metropolitan Museum, the dark tunnels and lush gardens of Central Park and reading her mother's favorite books before she was allowed. She believes mystery and magic are all around us but we are too often too busy to notice... books that exaggerate mystery and magic draw attention to it and remind us to look for it and revel in it.

Her most recent novel, The Last Tiara, will be published Feb 2, 2021

Rose's work has appeared in many magazines including Oprah Magazine and she has been featured in the New York Times, Newsweek, WSJ, Time, USA Today and on the Today Show, and NPR radio. Rose graduated from Syracuse University, spent the '80s in advertising, has a commercial in the Museum of Modern Art in NYC and since 2005 has run the first marketing company for authors - Authorbuzz.com

The television series PAST LIFE, was based on Rose's novels in the Reincarnationist series. She is one of the founding board members of International Thriller Writers and currently serves, with Lee Child, as the organization's co-president..

Reviews

[Stef Rozitis · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was cluttered in terms of events and emotions. There were too many things going on between Jordan and Robert's broken marriage (with infidelity), Dan Mallory and his murder, Lilly and Cooper and Zen, Lilly's relationship to her parents and her naivety, Adrienne Blessing and her entanglements and those are just the main plots. They are competing and clashing rather than entwined and then Chloe has to have her thing with Max too. It is almost as if the author is scared that one of the plots will be boring so she adds too many in (like too many spices or too many colours). So there was that, but it wasn't the main thing I disliked.

I disliked the compulsory heterosexuality of the book (women loving women gets mentioned and dismissed but that is not what I mean). There are sex scenes. A lot of them which some people would enjoy and they are relatively graphic but quite well written for a sex scene I suppose and each one is different from the last so for someone who really appreciates a sex scene (I don't) it's got that going for it I guess. But more than this the characters, are constantly talking and thinking obsessively about sex and the sex is pretty phallocentric. Men have a selfish, entitled attitude to casual sex even though they are able to act generous to "win" someone back. Women seem to want nothing more than to please, gratify and be noticed by men.

I guess 2001 when the book was published was at the beginning of the whole uncritical "sex-positive" thing where we were meant to reclaim it as our right to want to be f%^&-ed by men (somehow I couldn't quite summon up the enthusiasm) or even if we are lesbians to give ourselves "permission" to objectify other women in the name of being "liberated" to "enjoy sex". So in that context I guess this book would have made sense.

But I found Robert controlling, I lost count of how many times in the book he silences Jordan "don't talk" "leave the thinking to me" "don;t say anything" "you always talk too much" especially when she is trying to express or understand her own feelings "don't be sad, not now". Then there was the selfish and spoilt Lilly whose feelings Jordan kept tiptoeing around "just this once" again and again and who needs to learn a LOT about boundaries or she'll be drawn into a similar emotional doormat role to her mother who seems to respond more to the emotions of Robert and Lilly than to herself. Jordan's mum was puzzlingly absent until right at the end.

There is no way to talk about Adrienne without spoilers but be prepared for misogynistic cliches (also is this just an excuse for the author to talk a lot about penises?).

All in all, if you like sex scenes from a passively domineering renaissance man and a successful neoliberal subject laced with middle-class femininity (with a side of other neoliberal femininities and more phalluses) then enjoy this one. It does have some reasonable writing and delivers on the covers promise of love (however tainted), desire (however cliched) and betrayal (in so many ways) all of the in spades.

For me it is going to be now for something completely different!

[Veronica WordsAreMyDrinkOfChoice · Rating 1 out of 5]

Doormat of a heroine, selfish brat of a daughter, controlling, cheating husband, this book was all over the place. Also, maybe I do not know enough about her paints,
Or rules are different with the counsellors I have seen, but answering calls in a session is a no go. Especially when you are talking with people who are discussing major issues, have anxiety etc. They charge a fortune a lot of the time and I do not know many people who would return to one who is taking personal calls, making appointments etc in you session?

[Rhonda M · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved the voice of the character. I could feel the emotion behind her sentiments for her grandmother and her conflicted love for her husband.

The daughter I wanted to smack. I pray my daughter is not that obnoxious and holier than thou

I sort of figured the husbands accident was an accident. And that Mallory was somewhere lurking. All that hype and he was just around for a couple pages. I gave this four stars only because I wished there had been more closure on her fathers jewelry and that crazy skirts had some sort of repercussion for her actions. And the ending did feel rushed with Mallory.

But overall I enjoyed the writing so much I plan to check out another book from this author.

[Kia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg this book is so good. I finally found an adult novel that keeps me focused 😄 The writing was beautiful and the story was beyond interesting to the point where I refused to put it down. I honestly didn't eat much because cooking required me taking a pause. I'm now curious on what other type of novels the author has written.

5+ Stars

[Jana · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Marie DiCocco · Rating 4 out of 5]

A while back I read "The Book of Lost Fragrances" and while looking for something to read a few weeks ago, came across these older books that M.J. Rose had written.

It took me a bit to get into this book, but once I was hooked, I couldn't put it down. As is characteristic of her writing, it is sensual, it is seductive, it is so descriptive that you can see, smell, and taste everything in it.

It does have a happily-ever-after ending, but the twists and turns that get you there are worth it.

My favorite quote, found towards the end of the book, summarizes the theme of the whole story:

If you accept that nothing is perfect and are willing to forgive, if you look at the people around you and recognize them for who they are and for the gifts they have to offer and not damn them for who they cannot be or what they cannot give, if you acknowledge that we are all perfect and imperfect, then you really can live happily ever after.

[Kaethe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now's the time to click on In Fidelity, so you have time to relish this and Sheet Music while waiting for Halo Effect. I love a book where I can sympathize with the characters' pains, glory in their pleasures, and feel just a little bit quicker on the uptake. Excellant suspense. Unlike many books featuring a woman in peril, this one does not feel like a made-for-TV-movie. Readers who grew up on Nancy Drew mysteries and moved on to the suspense of Daphne Du Maurier will recognize a familiar form presented in a format to appeal to literate readers.

And, if that isn't enough, M. J. Rose is the Most Sensual Author in the World. I can smell, taste, feel, and hear what's written. Every scene is vivid and engrossing. Reading should always be this pleasurable. Nummy.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so good, well written, it's about a woman who learn how to deal with his husband's affair and a guy who killed his father is out of the jail. She's suspecting that murderer is stalking him. So, basically the book is about how the woman deal with her life, with teenager daughter who has boyfriend and is obsessed with Zen stuff. Very interesting, not any dull parts in this book.

[Ashley White · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honestly....I'm not sure how this book got such positive reviews. There were a ton of grammatical errors throughout the text. The story itself was a bit dry and it wasn't a "page turner" (to say the least). I give it 3 stars because the plot wasn't horrendous. Minus two stars because of the writing and overall lack of excitement.

[Lillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

so far book is very good, the main character is a psychotherapist and the story is being told from her perspective, so we will see. hard to put down

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story... good twists and turns and not at all the ending I expected... love her... now if she will only bring the rest of her books to ebook form so I can buy them....

[Naomi Bell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Riveting!!! Love her writing style.