Between Friends

by Kathleen Rowntree

A comedy of village customs, manners, marriages and affairs. Past experience leads Tessa to suspect that her husband is having another affair, and a chance remark over mid-morning coffee indicates that things may be even worse than she thought. By the author of "The Quiet War of Rebecca Sheldon".

Genres: Fiction

320 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 1994

About the author

Kathleen Rowntree was born in Northumberland, brought up in Lincolnshire, studied music and English at Hull University and is now living with her husband in Oxfordshire. She taught for some years before she began to write. When asked what her novels are about she usually replies with one word: 'relationships'. Her explorations of human foibles and tangles lead reviewers to use words like sharp, shrewd, witty, satirical, clever and hard-biting - as well as sympathetic, funny, warm, suspenseful and (fortunately) entertaining. She has many other interests besides reading and writing fiction, especially art, poetry and hill-walking. Among the UK writers she herself gets most from are Elizabeth Taylor, Julian Barnes and William Trevor while Anne Tyler and Alison Lurie are two of her US favourites.

Reviews

[Jayne Charles · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad book, but a bit over-studied, and a bit careful. There were flashes of superb writing - the scene at the crematorium, and the scene where Rose calls at what was the cottage where she grew up, but what is now just someone's hallway, spring to mind in particular. The plot itself was a llittle bit Woman's Weekly, perhaps - not chick-lit but not quite Nobel Prize for Literature either. Somewhere in between.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not my usual sort of book; somebody left it behind after visiting us so I thought it might be a bit of light reading. I actually enjoyed it far more than I expected to. Cosy village setting with all the usual suspects as characters. Could be considered a bit corny except for the central 4 characters and the difficulties created by two of them. Lots of questions remain. Is Tessa a bit of a doormat or has she been clever? Can Maddy ever be considered a true friend again or has the fragile eggshell of trust been broken forever? Interesting story development and nicely written.

[SavageGrace · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would have smacked a certain skank around and divorced the husband - dropping both from my life. Tess is MUCH too kind and forgiving.

[Evie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok, but you find yourself asking, 'why?'

[Frances · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had some interesting insights, but the characters seemed to be either quite nasty or complete doormats. It was such a disappointing ending for any self-respecting female too.

[Tina O'reilly · Rating 3 out of 5]

A small village with a fair amount of busybodies and volunteers getting into everything and everyone. For those living in close knit communities much of this book can sound very familiar territory, perhaps not all of it, but at least some.

There are people who sign up to every event, bake and sell teas at jumble sales, arrange collections, lifts, always offer themselves up to help. Then there are others who more reluctantly join in, usually enjoying it when they do, but they wouldn't be the first to put their hands up when assistance is requested. Then there is the annual village tradition, a village show where beforehand neighbours nurture their homegrown produce, make jams and so on, and it wouldn't be right not to join in. It's scandalous just to 'live' there and not become part of it all.

Tessa is suspicious that her husband is up to his old tricks again, the man who can charm any female, old and young, single or not single. She usually confides in Maddy, her best friend yet something doesn't tally up and she thinks she's discovered Maddy is actually her husband's new point of focus. She knows his flings can be short lived but this is different.

[Julie Dunnett · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tess lives in a small village and relies upon her best friend Mandy to support her in the boredom caused by the little lives of the villagers and through her husbands various affairs. When she discovers that her husband andMaddy are now having an affair she decides to pretend she does not know and try to keep her marriage and friend! Hmmm. I can see the attraction of not messing up her carefully created life but surely all will be based upon a lie in the future! I felt so sorry for Tess and furious with her husband. And disgust at her so called friend! The story is told with humour and is relieved by some wonderful descriptions of the dog Scrap!

[Pippa Catterall · Rating 4 out of 5]

This has elements of the village aga saga (in Yorkshire), the campus novel, sharp social commentary, gentle critique of the soulless metrics of Thatcherism, and passages of lyrical vividness. It manages to tell a number of interwoven tales from the point of view of various characters as they somehow cope with behaviour which could destroy many friendships and lives. And it closes with a clear and ringing moral on the penultimate page about learning not to burden others with our failings but grow through them.

[Evva Starr · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started this novel furious that the main character, a mid-life woman in a rural town in England in the late 1980s, seems determined to wait out and overlook the affair her serial-cheater husband is having with her best friend. I came away with a greater understanding for why people make the choices they do and a renewed resolve to mind my own business.

[Vidya Ramakrishna · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice, easy and quick read, a social drama set up in the typical English village backdrop. There are a lots of characters running parallel. Liked the characters Robert, Tessa and Colin (though short lived).

[Gillian Woodcock · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did enjoy this book. The description of the Christmas Bazaar was bang on. If, at the start of the book, there was a sketch map of the village, this would have made it much easier to read.

[R · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not great, so many unnecessary details. I struggled to finish it, and the characters were quite annoying and seemed artificial.

[Jan Bailey · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable light read with pleasant characters. Rather stereotypical of village life at times - the nouveau riche would-be squire type, the newcomers who try to take over etc. If you are a WI member it'll drive you mad that Ms Rowntree didn't do her research properly and has WI meetings weekly as opposed to monthly!

[Marie Shirley Griffin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful

Women have very complex relationships with those around them. Especially the other women in their lives.

We marry men, we raise children, but it's our relationships with our friends that help keep us rooted to this earth.

What would you do to keep those roots healthy? What would you do to save them?

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tessa and Maddy are peacefully drinking coffee, when a chance remark turns Tessa's world upside-down. The book follows her thoughts as she decides what to do, as well as following the lives of local folk in the village. Very moving with a little humour now and again. Recommended.

[Michele · Rating 3 out of 5]

British Aga-saga story set in a village.

[Michele Kallio · Rating 3 out of 5]

BETWEEN FRIENDS is a delightful social comedy set the fictional village of Wychwood, England.

[Joyce Dunlop · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book and like to re-read in the autumn.

[Teresa D · Rating 3 out of 5]

Terribly British,very stiff upper lip !