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The Marriage Gap Year
Romance Writers Australia Book of the Year Finalist, 2025!
Marriage is all fun and games until your wife wants a YEAR apart.
During a cringey visit to IKEA, the store where relationships go to die, Emma finally blurts out to Rob that she is no longer happy in their 26-year marriage. It’s been decades of stagnation, boredom, frustration. Emma is desperate to get more than whatever this is out of life. She wants more meaningful work, connections, thrills, joy – and more passionate sex. It’s been ages.
Rob knows their marriage isn’t perfect, but it’s good enough…isn’t it? He’s loyal, solid, a good provider. He’s been there for her. What more does she want, anyway?
As a last-ditch effort to salvage their sanity and maybe, just maybe, come back together happier, Emma suggests taking a Marriage Gap Year. Time apart, no calls, no texts. This feisty communications manager wants the comms switched off between them for the next 12 months.
As Rob and Emma embark on their Gap Year, the sparkling Instagram-perfect expectations Emma envisioned don’t quite match the reality. But the more time they spend apart, the more Rob and Emma both begin to remember who they were before the kids, the jobs, and their endless responsibilities.
Will their marriage survive a year apart?
Find out in this sparkling novel set in bustling Melbourne and the sparkling beaches of San Remo, where love, friendship, and the search for happiness collide.
If you loved books like Emily Henry's 'Funny Story' and 'The Unhoneymooners', you won't want to miss this heartwarming, hilarious, and thought-provoking read. Buy now before the price changes!"
★★★★★
This lusty romantic dramedy explores the ennui of modern marriage, the depth of friendships, and to what extent we are willing to run away in order to come back to the people we love.
♥ “A wonderful, warm, and riveting read about two prickly people, this is more than a romantic comedy. It is ultimately about how it is never too late to find meaning and joy.”
– Alice Pung, author of One Hundred Days
♥ “A daring narrative that challenges conventional notions of love and our blundering into the frontier of midlife. A story of our times.”
– Rachel Matthews, author of Never Look Desperate
♥ “In the age of fakery, the authenticity of this story is a precious gift.”
– Sian Prior, author of A Story of Longing and Freedom
Marriage is all fun and games until your wife wants a YEAR apart.
During a cringey visit to IKEA, the store where relationships go to die, Emma finally blurts out to Rob that she is no longer happy in their 26-year marriage. It’s been decades of stagnation, boredom, frustration. Emma is desperate to get more than whatever this is out of life. She wants more meaningful work, connections, thrills, joy – and more passionate sex. It’s been ages.
Rob knows their marriage isn’t perfect, but it’s good enough…isn’t it? He’s loyal, solid, a good provider. He’s been there for her. What more does she want, anyway?
As a last-ditch effort to salvage their sanity and maybe, just maybe, come back together happier, Emma suggests taking a Marriage Gap Year. Time apart, no calls, no texts. This feisty communications manager wants the comms switched off between them for the next 12 months.
As Rob and Emma embark on their Gap Year, the sparkling Instagram-perfect expectations Emma envisioned don’t quite match the reality. But the more time they spend apart, the more Rob and Emma both begin to remember who they were before the kids, the jobs, and their endless responsibilities.
Will their marriage survive a year apart?
Find out in this sparkling novel set in bustling Melbourne and the sparkling beaches of San Remo, where love, friendship, and the search for happiness collide.
If you loved books like Emily Henry's 'Funny Story' and 'The Unhoneymooners', you won't want to miss this heartwarming, hilarious, and thought-provoking read. Buy now before the price changes!"
★★★★★
This lusty romantic dramedy explores the ennui of modern marriage, the depth of friendships, and to what extent we are willing to run away in order to come back to the people we love.
♥ “A wonderful, warm, and riveting read about two prickly people, this is more than a romantic comedy. It is ultimately about how it is never too late to find meaning and joy.”
– Alice Pung, author of One Hundred Days
♥ “A daring narrative that challenges conventional notions of love and our blundering into the frontier of midlife. A story of our times.”
– Rachel Matthews, author of Never Look Desperate
♥ “In the age of fakery, the authenticity of this story is a precious gift.”
– Sian Prior, author of A Story of Longing and Freedom
366 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 29, 2024
38 people are currently reading
7960 people want to read
About the author
Yannick Thoraval
3 books35 followersI'm an award-winning writer and author who loves reading and writing character-driven stories that explore relationships in all their messy forms.
When I'm not reading or writing, I teach fiction and creative non-fiction at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia.
When I'm not reading or writing, I teach fiction and creative non-fiction at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews
February 13, 2025
So, I hated this. Its possible this simply wasn’t the right fit for me, or maybe I “didn’t get it” or something, so opinions may vary. I disliked it essentially from the start but I always finish novels because you never know how they might make it work or redeem things by end, plus I want to know how it ends! Finishing this novel didn’t make anything any better though, it only made it worse. I’m going to try and be brief and avoid being mean.
My Rating: "F"
GoodReads: 1-star
I hate Emma, the main protagonist. That’s likely the main reason for my dislike of the novel, because she (to state the obvious) is the protagonist after all. I think I dislike everything about her that we see throughout this novel, and it only gets worse and worse. I’m stopping here to avoid spoilers, except one because it might influence if readers want to read this book: she cheats on her husband, knowing that it IS cheating, knowing it will hurt him (we see her internal monologue so its not up for debate), and then spends a lot of the novel rationalizing how its actually a good and fine thing that she did. Her main concern is how the cheating will affect HER life going forward. Her friend then validates and supports that its fine and she shouldn’t feel bad. She explicitly tells him that she isn’t sorry that she did it. Emma is a bad person (for more reasons than just this), who makes a lot of bad choices, and I don’t see the appeal in following her story. If they had discussed seeing other people in advance then honestly this would have been perfectly fine but they very clearly did NOT have that discussion so this was simply cheating, regardless of if they were not talking to each other at the time. Also, I don’t think that Emma learned anything over this year or grew as a person (that we saw) so I don’t even see the point of doing all this.
The novel also framed her bad behaviour as being fine. Which I hated. You can have protagonists be awful people or unlikable, but not when the book tries to frame it as otherwise.
The premise irked me from the start. The idea was neat which is why I requested the novel, but it was executed entirely differently from what I expected. The plan was one-sided and Rob was forced to go along with it. I felt incredibly bad for Rob during all of this. Yes, Rob was complacent and their relationship wasn’t doing the best, but Emma’s handling of it was terrible and unfair to him. I disliked how they apparently didn’t try ANYTHING else before deciding on this strange plan; no couples therapy for example? Emma disliked that Rob wouldn’t talk to her and was distant, so her solution was to cut off all contact and force him to have less contact and be more distant? I thought this story was going to be about two people who made the mutual decision to take a year off and “go find themselves” or whatever and then come back together (or not) which could have been a really great story.
The thing is, that almost everything Emma did during this year, she could have done without cutting out Rob and doing this whole thing. Listening to a podcast? Running? Changing jobs? Seeing friends more? Going to concerts? These are all things she could have done, maybe even involving the husband she says she wants to be closer to. He could have been supportive throughout. She just needed some basic communication skills (which is apparently her job). The only things she did that would cause problems (like cheating) she objectively shouldn't have been doing anyways while in a relationship, and being on a "break" didn't make that any better.
The ending was also very unsatisfying. Apparently, I am failing to keep this short or spoiler free. It was just unsatisfying for the most part. I don’t get what the “point” of this novel was supposed to be, unless its “do whatever you want even if it’s a bad choice and hurts people you apparently care about”.
Also, the writing was just Eh. There were a lot of side plots that I didn’t see what the point was, other than to make the novel longer.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
My Rating: "F"
GoodReads: 1-star
I hate Emma, the main protagonist. That’s likely the main reason for my dislike of the novel, because she (to state the obvious) is the protagonist after all. I think I dislike everything about her that we see throughout this novel, and it only gets worse and worse. I’m stopping here to avoid spoilers, except one because it might influence if readers want to read this book: she cheats on her husband, knowing that it IS cheating, knowing it will hurt him (we see her internal monologue so its not up for debate), and then spends a lot of the novel rationalizing how its actually a good and fine thing that she did. Her main concern is how the cheating will affect HER life going forward. Her friend then validates and supports that its fine and she shouldn’t feel bad. She explicitly tells him that she isn’t sorry that she did it. Emma is a bad person (for more reasons than just this), who makes a lot of bad choices, and I don’t see the appeal in following her story. If they had discussed seeing other people in advance then honestly this would have been perfectly fine but they very clearly did NOT have that discussion so this was simply cheating, regardless of if they were not talking to each other at the time. Also, I don’t think that Emma learned anything over this year or grew as a person (that we saw) so I don’t even see the point of doing all this.
The novel also framed her bad behaviour as being fine. Which I hated. You can have protagonists be awful people or unlikable, but not when the book tries to frame it as otherwise.
The premise irked me from the start. The idea was neat which is why I requested the novel, but it was executed entirely differently from what I expected. The plan was one-sided and Rob was forced to go along with it. I felt incredibly bad for Rob during all of this. Yes, Rob was complacent and their relationship wasn’t doing the best, but Emma’s handling of it was terrible and unfair to him. I disliked how they apparently didn’t try ANYTHING else before deciding on this strange plan; no couples therapy for example? Emma disliked that Rob wouldn’t talk to her and was distant, so her solution was to cut off all contact and force him to have less contact and be more distant? I thought this story was going to be about two people who made the mutual decision to take a year off and “go find themselves” or whatever and then come back together (or not) which could have been a really great story.
The thing is, that almost everything Emma did during this year, she could have done without cutting out Rob and doing this whole thing. Listening to a podcast? Running? Changing jobs? Seeing friends more? Going to concerts? These are all things she could have done, maybe even involving the husband she says she wants to be closer to. He could have been supportive throughout. She just needed some basic communication skills (which is apparently her job). The only things she did that would cause problems (like cheating) she objectively shouldn't have been doing anyways while in a relationship, and being on a "break" didn't make that any better.
The ending was also very unsatisfying. Apparently, I am failing to keep this short or spoiler free. It was just unsatisfying for the most part. I don’t get what the “point” of this novel was supposed to be, unless its “do whatever you want even if it’s a bad choice and hurts people you apparently care about”.
Also, the writing was just Eh. There were a lot of side plots that I didn’t see what the point was, other than to make the novel longer.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 11, 2024
Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read this book.
I never want to leave a bad review, and I never want to DNF a book… so I stuck it out with this book. This story should have taken me a day to read… it took 5.
I loved the idea of the book, until I really started to hate the MFC. She is selfish. She gets jealous over a picture when she’s actively hooking up with someone else. She doesn’t want to define that relationship and gets upset when he hooks up with someone else, which he was also wrong for since he literally brought her to an event.
The only parts of the story I enjoyed were Robs. Watching Rob grow and mature with the help of the crew on the job site, but even his parts felt dragged on about the house.
In the end I was sad for Rob, he tried and he waited and did nothing except grow and learn to appreciate his wife more, all for her to basically say I want to stay married but not be together.
I gave this story 2 stars for Robs growth and the side characters.
I never want to leave a bad review, and I never want to DNF a book… so I stuck it out with this book. This story should have taken me a day to read… it took 5.
I loved the idea of the book, until I really started to hate the MFC. She is selfish. She gets jealous over a picture when she’s actively hooking up with someone else. She doesn’t want to define that relationship and gets upset when he hooks up with someone else, which he was also wrong for since he literally brought her to an event.
The only parts of the story I enjoyed were Robs. Watching Rob grow and mature with the help of the crew on the job site, but even his parts felt dragged on about the house.
In the end I was sad for Rob, he tried and he waited and did nothing except grow and learn to appreciate his wife more, all for her to basically say I want to stay married but not be together.
I gave this story 2 stars for Robs growth and the side characters.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 12, 2024
"The Marriage Gap Year" by Yannick Thoraval has an intriguing premise: after 26 years of marriage, Emma decides she wants a year off, completely without contact. The question hanging over the novel is, what will become of their marriage?
Unfortunately, for me, the book was a letdown. The story alternates between Emma and Rob as they embark on separate journeys of self-discovery. Rob begins building a house, while Emma makes career changes and meets new people. Neither character is particularly likable, and being stuck in their heads feels tedious.
At around the 25% mark,
The writing style is frustratingly choppy, lacking any real flow. Throughout the novel, very little happens, and then the ending is rushed.
In the end, despite the potential of the premise, "The Marriage Gap Year" fails to deliver, with flat characters, slow pacing, and a dissatisfying resolution.
Unfortunately, for me, the book was a letdown. The story alternates between Emma and Rob as they embark on separate journeys of self-discovery. Rob begins building a house, while Emma makes career changes and meets new people. Neither character is particularly likable, and being stuck in their heads feels tedious.
At around the 25% mark,
The writing style is frustratingly choppy, lacking any real flow. Throughout the novel, very little happens, and then the ending is rushed.
In the end, despite the potential of the premise, "The Marriage Gap Year" fails to deliver, with flat characters, slow pacing, and a dissatisfying resolution.
October 1, 2024
4.5 ⭐️
The Marriage Gap Year by Yannick Thoraval is a thought-provoking and emotionally charged novel that delves into the complexities of relationships and the pursuit of personal happiness. This was my first introduction to a book by this author and I loved every second of it. I just couldn't stop reading.
The story follows the lives of Emma and Rob, a married couple who embark on a year-long break from their marriage (the "marriage gap year"). As they explore their own desires, passions, and dreams, the couple faces a series of unexpected encounters and situations that test the strength of their relationship.
One of the highlights of this book is its exploration of the complexities of human emotions and the dynamics of relationships. The author skillfully portrays the internal struggles and conflicting desires of the main characters, allowing readers to empathize with their situation. The characters are likable, funny and relatable, making their journey all the more compelling.
Thoraval's writing style is engaging and relatable, effortlessly capturing the essence of the characters' emotions and experiences. It also made me reconsider some of my life choices, so sometimes it was even like I was in a therapy session myself. Apart from that, the book is written with a lot of humor as well and made me giggle a lot.
Another noteworthy aspect of "The Marriage Gap Year" is its exploration of societal expectations and the pressure to conform to traditional norms. The book challenges the conventional notions of marriage and prompts readers to question what truly makes a relationship successful and fulfilling.
Overall, it is not your typical romance book, but the author gives us a refreshing, more serious take on the genre. I highly recommend this fast paced, funny, relatable and refreshing book - it's definitely a must read!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Further Publishing for sharing a digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
The Marriage Gap Year by Yannick Thoraval is a thought-provoking and emotionally charged novel that delves into the complexities of relationships and the pursuit of personal happiness. This was my first introduction to a book by this author and I loved every second of it. I just couldn't stop reading.
The story follows the lives of Emma and Rob, a married couple who embark on a year-long break from their marriage (the "marriage gap year"). As they explore their own desires, passions, and dreams, the couple faces a series of unexpected encounters and situations that test the strength of their relationship.
One of the highlights of this book is its exploration of the complexities of human emotions and the dynamics of relationships. The author skillfully portrays the internal struggles and conflicting desires of the main characters, allowing readers to empathize with their situation. The characters are likable, funny and relatable, making their journey all the more compelling.
Thoraval's writing style is engaging and relatable, effortlessly capturing the essence of the characters' emotions and experiences. It also made me reconsider some of my life choices, so sometimes it was even like I was in a therapy session myself. Apart from that, the book is written with a lot of humor as well and made me giggle a lot.
Another noteworthy aspect of "The Marriage Gap Year" is its exploration of societal expectations and the pressure to conform to traditional norms. The book challenges the conventional notions of marriage and prompts readers to question what truly makes a relationship successful and fulfilling.
Overall, it is not your typical romance book, but the author gives us a refreshing, more serious take on the genre. I highly recommend this fast paced, funny, relatable and refreshing book - it's definitely a must read!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Further Publishing for sharing a digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
October 22, 2024
Many thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I really struggled with this book. The reasons Emma wanted a "break" were not explained well in the beginning and there were no other efforts for a resolution, like counseling. This really bothered me. Toward the end of the book, there was a much better explanation given, but it should have been at the start of the book. Totally a misplaced chapter.
The rest of the book alternates POV between the husband and wife, but neither of them are likable, and their lives were rather boring. Definitely not a lot of growth and the rest of the book is filled with random events. There is one brief romantic interest, but it came out of nowhere and was like the author was trying to copy the book/tv show "Younger" for a brief moment and then gave up. I honestly felt bad for the husband and the resolution at the end was disappointing. It just didn't tie together for me.
Taylor Jenkins Reid wrote a book years ago titled "After I Do". Similar idea with a year-long break, but really excellent growth, romance, and a cute storyline.
I really struggled with this book. The reasons Emma wanted a "break" were not explained well in the beginning and there were no other efforts for a resolution, like counseling. This really bothered me. Toward the end of the book, there was a much better explanation given, but it should have been at the start of the book. Totally a misplaced chapter.
The rest of the book alternates POV between the husband and wife, but neither of them are likable, and their lives were rather boring. Definitely not a lot of growth and the rest of the book is filled with random events. There is one brief romantic interest, but it came out of nowhere and was like the author was trying to copy the book/tv show "Younger" for a brief moment and then gave up. I honestly felt bad for the husband and the resolution at the end was disappointing. It just didn't tie together for me.
Taylor Jenkins Reid wrote a book years ago titled "After I Do". Similar idea with a year-long break, but really excellent growth, romance, and a cute storyline.
January 19, 2025
Thank you Goodreads and Thoraval for the complimentary ebook of The Marriage Gap Year.
I was really hoping that this would be a light romcom type of read that I would enjoy. I just didn't like this book. I get the entire losing of oneself during marriage and childrearing. I completely get the jest of trying to find oneself again. I was really hoping that was what this was going to be about. Instead of doing some soul searching and focusing on herself, Emma right away finds herself in a sexual fling with a younger man. Everything else like her connection with her son, career, and self discovery is ignored. Rob was the one that did most of the growing in the relationship.
I really liked the way that Thoraval handled the situation with Will. Both parents accepted him for who he was.
One thing that I really didn't like was the massage parlor. I do not understand why there is always an emphasis on hyper sexualizing the Asian female. Why couldn't he just go in for a massage with out being offered a happy ending? For some people this might be funny but it's not. I know this book is based in Australia and who knows, it might be different there. However, not long ago in Atlanta Georgia, a young man used his sexual fantasies as an excuse to shoot up several Asian massage parlors and kill several people in order to "curb" his urges. The next time a masseuse offers someone a happy ending, I hope it is someone not of Asian decent.
In all honesty, I don't recommend this book. It wasn't funny, some of it was offensive, and it ended on a flat note.
I was really hoping that this would be a light romcom type of read that I would enjoy. I just didn't like this book. I get the entire losing of oneself during marriage and childrearing. I completely get the jest of trying to find oneself again. I was really hoping that was what this was going to be about. Instead of doing some soul searching and focusing on herself, Emma right away finds herself in a sexual fling with a younger man. Everything else like her connection with her son, career, and self discovery is ignored. Rob was the one that did most of the growing in the relationship.
I really liked the way that Thoraval handled the situation with Will. Both parents accepted him for who he was.
One thing that I really didn't like was the massage parlor. I do not understand why there is always an emphasis on hyper sexualizing the Asian female. Why couldn't he just go in for a massage with out being offered a happy ending? For some people this might be funny but it's not. I know this book is based in Australia and who knows, it might be different there. However, not long ago in Atlanta Georgia, a young man used his sexual fantasies as an excuse to shoot up several Asian massage parlors and kill several people in order to "curb" his urges. The next time a masseuse offers someone a happy ending, I hope it is someone not of Asian decent.
In all honesty, I don't recommend this book. It wasn't funny, some of it was offensive, and it ended on a flat note.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 5, 2025
I was really intrigued by the premise of this book, but it wasn’t what I expected and ultimately fell flat for me. The plot developed slowly, and the ending was unsatisfying. Neither of the main characters were likable. For the majority of the book, I hated the wife and felt sorry for the husband. They were both to blame for their marital struggles, the majority of which were communication issues. There was one part where I felt bad for the wife for like two seconds, but that feeling passed quickly when I remembered she was the one who blew up her life and chose that path. The book does address some legitimate issues of modern relationships, but I just didn’t find the events to be realistic or relatable.
October 1, 2024
I made it to 25% before I decided that this wasn’t for me and I would have rather stuck a needle in my eye before I finished this.
March 18, 2025
I tried so hard to get into this book, I really did! So much so that I spent the second half of January, and all of February, trying. Eventually, I decided to call this what it was: dnf. It PAINS me to not finish a book, which is why I think I spent so long trying to read this one. There was nothing at all wrong with the book. The premise of this book is what drew me in. As a woman who married young, and as a result has been with their husband for half of their adult life, I truly related to the main character's struggles with complacency; however, overall, I just didn't fall in the love with any of the characters. I didn't feel like I needed, or really even wanted, to know what was going to happen next. I hope to pick it back up and try again, but the first go around was not the time for me.
Thank you to the Publisher, Yannick Thoraval, and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book!
Thank you to the Publisher, Yannick Thoraval, and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book!
dnf
November 11, 2024Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for this arc.
Sadly this was not for me.
im not wasting my time reading about hypocritical characters who cheat during this gap year without discussing seeing other people beforehand. At least the cover is pretty and I enjoyed them living in australia but that was it for me.
Sadly this was not for me.
im not wasting my time reading about hypocritical characters who cheat during this gap year without discussing seeing other people beforehand. At least the cover is pretty and I enjoyed them living in australia but that was it for me.
November 7, 2024
Emma and Rob are long married and both unhappy in a stagnant relationship (and unhappy with themselves). At Emma's urging, Rob agrees to take a year's break from the marriage and each other. What follows is months of self-discovery as they decide on the future of their marriage and on the value of their happiness. The premise was fine but the story just didn't grab me fully, although it did pick up as it progressed. Neither Rob nor Emma seemed all that likeable or sympathetic in the beginning (although as the story went on I liked Rob more than Emma, I did not ever really warm up to her). We jump right into the gap year at the start of the story before we really get to know them or their history, which made it harder to invest in and root for them as the story went on. There are dual 3rd-person POVs, which was helpful, and the supporting characters were written well. But it came down to how much I really cared about the fate of Emma and Rob, both individually and together, and I just didn't like either of them enough to be all that interested in the outcome. Ultimately this was not the book for me, but I think it will appeal to readers who aren't looking for a cut-and-dried HEA, as well as readers who like some relationship angst in their books. This is definitely more general fiction than a romance, so fair warning. Also fair warning, the cover of the book makes it seem like a much more light-hearted story than it actually is (I think the book description describes it as "hilarious," which it most decidedly is NOT). Thank you to NetGalley for providing an eARC of this story in exchange for my objective opinion.
December 23, 2024
The Marriage Gap Year originally enticed me because of a unique plot: a couple married for over 20 years decides to take a "gap year" away from each other to find themselves and reassess their relationship.
This was a novel that I was eager to finish, and gave it 3.5 stars off the bat. However, after thinking more about it, I realized that I really did not enjoy this book much. The first thing that stuck out to me was that it wasn't a joint decision: the marriage gap year was decided by Emma, the wife and protagonist, who sprung it on her husband, Rob. Next was the lack of ground rules; the only information was that the couple was separating and living apart with no specifics regarding romantic relationships, affairs, or flings outside of the two of them. Without these specifications, the couple arguably sets themselves up for failure in the long run due to the blurred lines of cheating.
Beyond the flaws in the concept, I found the main characters to be incredibly annoying. Emma is very stubborn and "woe is me," and never really had a character arc or any resolution that suggests introspection. She has a tendency to blame others, but doesn't adjust or reflect when her friends, fling, child and husband call her out on it. Rob, who is originally painted as the antagonist, shows much more growth throughout the story, which makes his gruff exterior much more palatable.
Throughout the novel, I found myself wondering how these two would ever reconcile, as they did not seem to have any connections or common ground outside of their child. It was weird to root for characters on their own in a "romance," rather than as a couple.
I did enjoy the writing style and the pace of the book, as well as the setting and dual perspectives, which motivated me to finish the book quickly despite not liking the characters. Overall, I'd give it 2.5 stars rounded up.
Thank you to NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was a novel that I was eager to finish, and gave it 3.5 stars off the bat. However, after thinking more about it, I realized that I really did not enjoy this book much. The first thing that stuck out to me was that it wasn't a joint decision: the marriage gap year was decided by Emma, the wife and protagonist, who sprung it on her husband, Rob. Next was the lack of ground rules; the only information was that the couple was separating and living apart with no specifics regarding romantic relationships, affairs, or flings outside of the two of them. Without these specifications, the couple arguably sets themselves up for failure in the long run due to the blurred lines of cheating.
Beyond the flaws in the concept, I found the main characters to be incredibly annoying. Emma is very stubborn and "woe is me," and never really had a character arc or any resolution that suggests introspection. She has a tendency to blame others, but doesn't adjust or reflect when her friends, fling, child and husband call her out on it. Rob, who is originally painted as the antagonist, shows much more growth throughout the story, which makes his gruff exterior much more palatable.
Throughout the novel, I found myself wondering how these two would ever reconcile, as they did not seem to have any connections or common ground outside of their child. It was weird to root for characters on their own in a "romance," rather than as a couple.
I did enjoy the writing style and the pace of the book, as well as the setting and dual perspectives, which motivated me to finish the book quickly despite not liking the characters. Overall, I'd give it 2.5 stars rounded up.
Thank you to NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 9, 2024
Thank you Netgalley and Yannick Thoraval for an advance ebook in exchange for my honest feedback.
I was very excited to read this book. Another reviewer suggested sitting down with a glass of wine to read this, which is exactly what I did!
I looooovvvveeee the opening scene!! There's a couple, having an argument at IKEA? So. Incredibly. Relatable. I felt like I was there, inside the argument and feeling both sides. Usually, I despise novels that have these sorts of conversations but there's just something about the way it's written that makes it charming and relatable, not cringeworthy.
I love the sassy and sarcastic dialogue. It's believable, and the characters show depth. They actually have a backstory and logical thought processes and a complex social web between each character.
There's funny bits, too. I don't want to give away the whole novel in my review, but there was a few times where I laughed out loud (literally) at things in the novel.
I like the way this is written. The descriptions of different places that really make you feel like you're there. It's also fantastic that it's set in Australia. There's not many great Aussie authors and there's so many beautiful parts of our country to describe.
I also love the juxtaposition between the two characters. Emma and Rob really are so different.
The blurb mostly matches the novel, except that it is absolutely nothing like 'Elinor Oliphant is completely fine'. It's not a depressing novel about a self-hating alcoholic. I didn't enjoy that one, not sure why the author compared himself to it. It is much more similar to Funny Story by Emily Henry or the Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella. It's upbeat despite negative life events.
Overall, I enjoyed this novel and would be keen to read other work by the same author.
I was very excited to read this book. Another reviewer suggested sitting down with a glass of wine to read this, which is exactly what I did!
I looooovvvveeee the opening scene!! There's a couple, having an argument at IKEA? So. Incredibly. Relatable. I felt like I was there, inside the argument and feeling both sides. Usually, I despise novels that have these sorts of conversations but there's just something about the way it's written that makes it charming and relatable, not cringeworthy.
I love the sassy and sarcastic dialogue. It's believable, and the characters show depth. They actually have a backstory and logical thought processes and a complex social web between each character.
There's funny bits, too. I don't want to give away the whole novel in my review, but there was a few times where I laughed out loud (literally) at things in the novel.
I like the way this is written. The descriptions of different places that really make you feel like you're there. It's also fantastic that it's set in Australia. There's not many great Aussie authors and there's so many beautiful parts of our country to describe.
I also love the juxtaposition between the two characters. Emma and Rob really are so different.
The blurb mostly matches the novel, except that it is absolutely nothing like 'Elinor Oliphant is completely fine'. It's not a depressing novel about a self-hating alcoholic. I didn't enjoy that one, not sure why the author compared himself to it. It is much more similar to Funny Story by Emily Henry or the Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella. It's upbeat despite negative life events.
Overall, I enjoyed this novel and would be keen to read other work by the same author.
December 3, 2024
In the beginning, I was intrigued by The Marriage Gap. The storyline held promise, and I genuinely thought I would enjoy the upcoming chapters. Unfortunately, as the plot progressed, it began to lose its momentum and started to drag.
I pushed forward, hoping for a turn that would recapture my interest, but by the halfway mark, I found myself unable to continue. The main female character felt frustratingly unaware of herself and her actions, making it hard for me to connect with her journey. I rooted for the male lead and was curious about his fate, but not enough to endure the rest of the book.
The concept had potential, but it ultimately fell flat for me. While the idea was promising, the execution just didn’t resonate.
I pushed forward, hoping for a turn that would recapture my interest, but by the halfway mark, I found myself unable to continue. The main female character felt frustratingly unaware of herself and her actions, making it hard for me to connect with her journey. I rooted for the male lead and was curious about his fate, but not enough to endure the rest of the book.
The concept had potential, but it ultimately fell flat for me. While the idea was promising, the execution just didn’t resonate.
February 5, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.
I gave up on this fairly early on, and eventually didn't make it past 40%. I liked the premise of the book, which is why I requested it, but as soon as Emma cheated on Rob and then her best friend defended her for doing it, I was done. Why oh why would you hook up with your co-worker's brother? Doesn't anyone at your office know you're married? You might be separated, but you're still married! The whole thing was too icky for me. I didn't like any of the characters at all and thought the story was boring.
I gave up on this fairly early on, and eventually didn't make it past 40%. I liked the premise of the book, which is why I requested it, but as soon as Emma cheated on Rob and then her best friend defended her for doing it, I was done. Why oh why would you hook up with your co-worker's brother? Doesn't anyone at your office know you're married? You might be separated, but you're still married! The whole thing was too icky for me. I didn't like any of the characters at all and thought the story was boring.
November 22, 2024
I was intrigued by the premise of a long marriage plateauing and trying a gap year in their marriage after becoming empty nesters.
The main characters pursued their own questions of their default normal and tried making different choices.
The pace was too slow for me and it never picked up. I don’t mind when some books end unexpectedly or open ended when I feel like there were a lot of growths in the characters but that was not the case for this book.
Unfortunately, this was not what I expected and I did not enjoy it.
The main characters pursued their own questions of their default normal and tried making different choices.
The pace was too slow for me and it never picked up. I don’t mind when some books end unexpectedly or open ended when I feel like there were a lot of growths in the characters but that was not the case for this book.
Unfortunately, this was not what I expected and I did not enjoy it.
November 2, 2024
The concept of this book is so intriguing but it’s written in such a way that by the end not a single character is likable or relatable. Major let down for me unfortunately. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC copy, all opinions are my own.
August 7, 2025
Yannick Thoraval’s The Marriage Gap Year is a refreshingly original take on the complexities of long-term relationships, viewed through a lens that is both heartfelt and piercingly honest. Set between the urban pulse of Melbourne and the coastal calm of San Remo, the novel invites readers into the quiet storm of a marriage that has slowly begun to unravel—not from betrayal or scandal, but from years of emotional drift and unspoken disappointment.
Emma and Rob have been married for over two decades. From the outside, their life appears stable, if unremarkable—grown children, decent jobs, a shared history. But Emma is quietly suffocating. Her life feels flat, dulled by years of duty and compromise. She no longer recognizes the woman she’s become, and during a painfully awkward trip to IKEA (a setting as ironically fitting as it is symbolic), she drops a bombshell: she’s unhappy. Really unhappy. And she wants out—at least for now.
Rather than walking away entirely, Emma proposes something radical: a one-year break from their marriage. No contact. No check-ins. No comfort zone. Just time and space to rediscover themselves as individuals. Rob, blindsided and reluctant, agrees—more out of confusion than conviction.
What follows is not a tidy rom-com transformation, but a layered, emotionally rich exploration of what happens when the rhythm of a shared life suddenly stops. Emma, expecting a surge of excitement and clarity, instead stumbles through a maze of loneliness, longing, and unmet expectations. Her fantasy of reinvention proves harder to grasp than she imagined. Meanwhile, Rob, the dependable husband who once thought consistency was enough, begins to examine his own emotional limitations and long-ignored desires.
Thoraval has a gift for portraying emotional inertia—those stretches of life where nothing seems wrong, but everything feels off. His writing is perceptive without being cynical, humorous without undercutting the story’s emotional core. The characters are not made to be heroes or villains; they’re simply people who have lost their way together. Through therapy, awkward encounters, old friends, and new temptations, both Emma and Rob begin to reckon with the versions of themselves they’ve buried over the years.
One of the novel’s strengths lies in its refusal to offer a neat resolution. There are no grand declarations or predictable reconciliations. Instead, Thoraval presents something more authentic: two people navigating the messy, uncertain space between growing apart and growing into themselves.
Stylistically, the novel is sharp, modern, and quietly witty. The pacing is measured, allowing the reader to feel the slow burn of realization and the weight of choices that accumulate over years. The dialogue is believable, often uncomfortably so, and the emotional beats land with the kind of intimacy that makes you pause and reflect on your own relationships.
If you’ve ever wondered what might happen if a couple pressed pause after decades together—if the roles of spouse and parent were momentarily set aside to uncover the self—this novel offers a compelling answer. It’s not always pretty. It’s often painful. But it’s also hopeful in its honest depiction of change, connection, and the courage it takes to reimagine love.
The Marriage Gap Year doesn’t just ask whether a marriage can survive a year apart. It asks whether we can survive losing ourselves within one—and what it takes to come back, not just to someone else, but to ourselves.
Emma and Rob have been married for over two decades. From the outside, their life appears stable, if unremarkable—grown children, decent jobs, a shared history. But Emma is quietly suffocating. Her life feels flat, dulled by years of duty and compromise. She no longer recognizes the woman she’s become, and during a painfully awkward trip to IKEA (a setting as ironically fitting as it is symbolic), she drops a bombshell: she’s unhappy. Really unhappy. And she wants out—at least for now.
Rather than walking away entirely, Emma proposes something radical: a one-year break from their marriage. No contact. No check-ins. No comfort zone. Just time and space to rediscover themselves as individuals. Rob, blindsided and reluctant, agrees—more out of confusion than conviction.
What follows is not a tidy rom-com transformation, but a layered, emotionally rich exploration of what happens when the rhythm of a shared life suddenly stops. Emma, expecting a surge of excitement and clarity, instead stumbles through a maze of loneliness, longing, and unmet expectations. Her fantasy of reinvention proves harder to grasp than she imagined. Meanwhile, Rob, the dependable husband who once thought consistency was enough, begins to examine his own emotional limitations and long-ignored desires.
Thoraval has a gift for portraying emotional inertia—those stretches of life where nothing seems wrong, but everything feels off. His writing is perceptive without being cynical, humorous without undercutting the story’s emotional core. The characters are not made to be heroes or villains; they’re simply people who have lost their way together. Through therapy, awkward encounters, old friends, and new temptations, both Emma and Rob begin to reckon with the versions of themselves they’ve buried over the years.
One of the novel’s strengths lies in its refusal to offer a neat resolution. There are no grand declarations or predictable reconciliations. Instead, Thoraval presents something more authentic: two people navigating the messy, uncertain space between growing apart and growing into themselves.
Stylistically, the novel is sharp, modern, and quietly witty. The pacing is measured, allowing the reader to feel the slow burn of realization and the weight of choices that accumulate over years. The dialogue is believable, often uncomfortably so, and the emotional beats land with the kind of intimacy that makes you pause and reflect on your own relationships.
If you’ve ever wondered what might happen if a couple pressed pause after decades together—if the roles of spouse and parent were momentarily set aside to uncover the self—this novel offers a compelling answer. It’s not always pretty. It’s often painful. But it’s also hopeful in its honest depiction of change, connection, and the courage it takes to reimagine love.
The Marriage Gap Year doesn’t just ask whether a marriage can survive a year apart. It asks whether we can survive losing ourselves within one—and what it takes to come back, not just to someone else, but to ourselves.
November 16, 2024
1.7 Stars
One Liner: Ugh, why?
During a trip to IKEA, Emma blurts that she wants space from Rob and their twenty-six years of marriage. Rob is not sure what the problem is but he agrees to Emma’s condition –a year of separation with no contact between them.
As they go their separate ways for a year, both realize a few things and make some decisions. Can their marriage survive the Gap Year?
The story comes in Emma and Rob’s third-person POVs.
My Thoughts:
NGL, I’m not the target audience for the book, but the premise was so good that I had to read it! I went expecting two outcomes—they would realize their mistakes, recognize their love, and get back together, or accept that they grew apart too much and end the relationship as mature adults. What I got was a mess with a WTF ending.
The first chapter has the IKEA scene from both POVs. It establishes the setup right away and the gap year starts soon afterward. So far good. It seems like both have made mistakes and need to sort things out.
Then, we get alternate chapters from Emma and Rob’s POVs. Guess what? It took very little time to dislike Emma and the feeling worsened as the story progressed. Did she make even one right decision about her life? No!
Rob sounds like a typical complacent middle-aged man happy with his stagnancy and would rather be an ostrich than have a meaningful conversation. However, he starts to accept his flaws and makes an effort to become better. Moreover, he loves Emma (and stays loyal). 2 stars coz his arc was at least a bit realistic, and the cover is the best part of the book.
Now, our heroine… what do I say about her? I don’t know if she is supposed to be an inspiration or an example. We sure could learn what not to do and how not to be. For someone who claims to have standards and integrity, she doesn’t display them even once throughout the book. In fact, she thinks she’s some flawless perfection and refuses to even acknowledge that she may also be responsible for the dampening of her marriage. Twice her friend tries to make her see her truth but nope. How dare someone judge her when she is the only one supposed to judge others? The audacity of it! And there’s infidelity as well.
Despite the slow pacing and the unsuccessful attempts at providing backstories, I continued to read hoping for a decent ending.
Nope, cheated again! What the heck is that even? What’s the purpose of the story? Where is the FMC’s growth? Whatever little changes she made could have been done even when she was with the hubby. Makes no sense! The whole thing reminds me of badly written Reddit AITA posts. *shudder*
The best way to define the FMC would be a
To summarize, The Marriage Gap Year should have been an introspective and heartwarming read about character growth, self-discovery, and love. However, it is none of these (and definitely not hilarious as stated in the blurb). You might like it better if you like the women-can-do-no-wrong-and-men-are-always-wrong category.
By the way, I skipped all that gyan by Dr. Priya. It was filler content anyway.
Thank you, NetGalley and Further Publishing, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #TheMarriageGapYear
One Liner: Ugh, why?
During a trip to IKEA, Emma blurts that she wants space from Rob and their twenty-six years of marriage. Rob is not sure what the problem is but he agrees to Emma’s condition –a year of separation with no contact between them.
As they go their separate ways for a year, both realize a few things and make some decisions. Can their marriage survive the Gap Year?
The story comes in Emma and Rob’s third-person POVs.
My Thoughts:
NGL, I’m not the target audience for the book, but the premise was so good that I had to read it! I went expecting two outcomes—they would realize their mistakes, recognize their love, and get back together, or accept that they grew apart too much and end the relationship as mature adults. What I got was a mess with a WTF ending.
The first chapter has the IKEA scene from both POVs. It establishes the setup right away and the gap year starts soon afterward. So far good. It seems like both have made mistakes and need to sort things out.
Then, we get alternate chapters from Emma and Rob’s POVs. Guess what? It took very little time to dislike Emma and the feeling worsened as the story progressed. Did she make even one right decision about her life? No!
Rob sounds like a typical complacent middle-aged man happy with his stagnancy and would rather be an ostrich than have a meaningful conversation. However, he starts to accept his flaws and makes an effort to become better. Moreover, he loves Emma (and stays loyal). 2 stars coz his arc was at least a bit realistic, and the cover is the best part of the book.
Now, our heroine… what do I say about her? I don’t know if she is supposed to be an inspiration or an example. We sure could learn what not to do and how not to be. For someone who claims to have standards and integrity, she doesn’t display them even once throughout the book. In fact, she thinks she’s some flawless perfection and refuses to even acknowledge that she may also be responsible for the dampening of her marriage. Twice her friend tries to make her see her truth but nope. How dare someone judge her when she is the only one supposed to judge others? The audacity of it! And there’s infidelity as well.
Despite the slow pacing and the unsuccessful attempts at providing backstories, I continued to read hoping for a decent ending.
Nope, cheated again! What the heck is that even? What’s the purpose of the story? Where is the FMC’s growth? Whatever little changes she made could have been done even when she was with the hubby. Makes no sense! The whole thing reminds me of badly written Reddit AITA posts. *shudder*
The best way to define the FMC would be a
To summarize, The Marriage Gap Year should have been an introspective and heartwarming read about character growth, self-discovery, and love. However, it is none of these (and definitely not hilarious as stated in the blurb). You might like it better if you like the women-can-do-no-wrong-and-men-are-always-wrong category.
By the way, I skipped all that gyan by Dr. Priya. It was filler content anyway.
Thank you, NetGalley and Further Publishing, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #TheMarriageGapYear
August 5, 2025
went into this book wondering if it was the right call for someone who has been married less than a year herself. But I figured, if nothing else, it might give me a blueprint for what not to do!
Maybe my reading circles are not broad enough but, for me, it was unusual to see a novel of this genre and storyline written by a male author – perhaps it’s social conditioning but we tend to think of books about relationships and love and marriage as being a distinctly female hunting ground.
For that reason, and the general premise of the book, I was keen to see how it played out.
Emma and Rob have been married for over 20 years when a blow-up in IKEA prompts Emma to suggest the drastic idea of taking a year-long break from each other. What follows is a novel of alternating chapters, charting the couple’s separate lives through Summer, Autumn, Winter, Spring and Summer again.
Thrown into the mix is a host of characters including their college-aged son Will, Emma’s friend Kendry, Rob’s coworker Sareena, and Emma’s love (triangle) interest, Erik.
For the most part, this book flows extremely well and while there are moments, particularly in Emma’s story, where my eyebrows raised at the overexaggeration of certain interactions – my thinking immediately going to ‘this is a woman, written by a man’. But, for the most part, I enjoy the characters that Thoraval has created.
I like how he doesn’t decide to mirror their years either, because in all likelihood no two people would ever have the same experience in something like this. I did enjoy Rob’s house-building narrative, seeing it as a kind of metaphor for their relationship – good foundations, the wrong choice of showpiece, before sense prevails and the basic aura of the building is retained.
Emma’s story is a bit different, if a tad obvious, in that she questions what exactly she has done with her life, other than raise and support her son and husband. Her questions are more around whether she has ever really been seen as an individual person with her own goals and desires.
I did feel that the last chapter, with the house opening, was a bit too neat and tidy. While I get that the book is, at the end of the day, a romance, I actually would have ended it on the previous chapter, to leave a little bit of ambiguity for the reader, especially given the type of topic Thoraval was writing about.
I did appreciate that he didn’t just tick a box next to their relationship and left some question around what would happen, but the slight melodrama of the final chapter (around the house sale) all just felt a bit shmaltzy for my liking.
Nonetheless, I don’t read a lot of romance novels but I would happily read more if they were as well crafted as this one – it just didn’t quite stick the landing for me.
My thanks to Further Publishing for an eARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Maybe my reading circles are not broad enough but, for me, it was unusual to see a novel of this genre and storyline written by a male author – perhaps it’s social conditioning but we tend to think of books about relationships and love and marriage as being a distinctly female hunting ground.
For that reason, and the general premise of the book, I was keen to see how it played out.
Emma and Rob have been married for over 20 years when a blow-up in IKEA prompts Emma to suggest the drastic idea of taking a year-long break from each other. What follows is a novel of alternating chapters, charting the couple’s separate lives through Summer, Autumn, Winter, Spring and Summer again.
Thrown into the mix is a host of characters including their college-aged son Will, Emma’s friend Kendry, Rob’s coworker Sareena, and Emma’s love (triangle) interest, Erik.
For the most part, this book flows extremely well and while there are moments, particularly in Emma’s story, where my eyebrows raised at the overexaggeration of certain interactions – my thinking immediately going to ‘this is a woman, written by a man’. But, for the most part, I enjoy the characters that Thoraval has created.
I like how he doesn’t decide to mirror their years either, because in all likelihood no two people would ever have the same experience in something like this. I did enjoy Rob’s house-building narrative, seeing it as a kind of metaphor for their relationship – good foundations, the wrong choice of showpiece, before sense prevails and the basic aura of the building is retained.
Emma’s story is a bit different, if a tad obvious, in that she questions what exactly she has done with her life, other than raise and support her son and husband. Her questions are more around whether she has ever really been seen as an individual person with her own goals and desires.
I did feel that the last chapter, with the house opening, was a bit too neat and tidy. While I get that the book is, at the end of the day, a romance, I actually would have ended it on the previous chapter, to leave a little bit of ambiguity for the reader, especially given the type of topic Thoraval was writing about.
I did appreciate that he didn’t just tick a box next to their relationship and left some question around what would happen, but the slight melodrama of the final chapter (around the house sale) all just felt a bit shmaltzy for my liking.
Nonetheless, I don’t read a lot of romance novels but I would happily read more if they were as well crafted as this one – it just didn’t quite stick the landing for me.
My thanks to Further Publishing for an eARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
November 26, 2024
This book is a raw and real look at marriage and personal growth. It follows Emma and Rob, a couple who take a “gap year” from their marriage after their son heads off to college. Emma feels stuck and wants space to figure herself out, and Rob, not sure what else to do, agrees.
I was hooked by the concept—it’s such an interesting idea—but I found it hard to connect with their story at first. There’s not much backstory to show how they got to this point, so it felt like I was thrown into their lives without really knowing them. But as the year went on, my feelings about the characters shifted.
At first, I understood where Emma was coming from. Marriage is complicated, and who doesn’t feel stuck sometimes? But her choices during the gap year felt selfish, and honestly, she was hard to like. Rob, on the other hand, really grew on me. He wasn’t perfect, but he worked on himself in a way that felt real and relatable. Their son, Will, also added a lot to the story, especially when he called Emma out—I couldn’t help but agree with him.
Thoraval’s writing is funny, sharp, and reflective. There were moments that made me laugh and others that made me stop and think. It really challenges what we expect from marriage and whether there’s ever a “right” or “wrong” person in a relationship. That said, the ending left me feeling a little let down. I wanted more closure or maybe some growth from Emma, but it felt like Rob was the one putting in all the effort.
This isn’t your typical romance—it’s messy, bittersweet, and real. If you like stories that dig into the complexities of relationships, this one’s worth a read.
TW: Infidelity.
Thanks to NetGalley and Further Publishing for the ARC.
I was hooked by the concept—it’s such an interesting idea—but I found it hard to connect with their story at first. There’s not much backstory to show how they got to this point, so it felt like I was thrown into their lives without really knowing them. But as the year went on, my feelings about the characters shifted.
At first, I understood where Emma was coming from. Marriage is complicated, and who doesn’t feel stuck sometimes? But her choices during the gap year felt selfish, and honestly, she was hard to like. Rob, on the other hand, really grew on me. He wasn’t perfect, but he worked on himself in a way that felt real and relatable. Their son, Will, also added a lot to the story, especially when he called Emma out—I couldn’t help but agree with him.
Thoraval’s writing is funny, sharp, and reflective. There were moments that made me laugh and others that made me stop and think. It really challenges what we expect from marriage and whether there’s ever a “right” or “wrong” person in a relationship. That said, the ending left me feeling a little let down. I wanted more closure or maybe some growth from Emma, but it felt like Rob was the one putting in all the effort.
This isn’t your typical romance—it’s messy, bittersweet, and real. If you like stories that dig into the complexities of relationships, this one’s worth a read.
TW: Infidelity.
Thanks to NetGalley and Further Publishing for the ARC.
October 15, 2024
What a beautiful quotable book this was.
“Couples did things. They found workarounds, ways to enjoy the best of each other and avoid the inconveniences. They got bigger beds, or separate beds; they slept in separate rooms, or in separate houses. It was their marriage, after all, and they were free to make the rules.”
So. The marriage gap year explores the life of Rob and Emma and how their growing conflict in their marriage of 26 years prompts them to take a gap year from each other. Both explore their personal lives with fresh perspectives after Parting ways.
I didn't like the fact that Emma was having a physical relationship with Erik, a guy a lot younger to her. It was quite absurd and obnoxious as she was already in marriage with Rob and had just taken a break as a breather. Later I learnt in the book as to why she did that. But in my opinion it's still not justified.
Also I just don't know whether the ending was a cliffhanger because it was not clear whether they decided to part ways, however they did decide to live separately.
Coming to what I like about the book is that it highlights the complexities of marriage, how society perceives it. Both Rob and Emma were very determined towards their career choices despite their adult son who moved to study overseas. Also the book has a lot of wise quotable text thereby making it unputdownable.
I thoroughly liked it although it took me a little while to finish. I highly recommend this book to someone feeling low or has marriage troubles to go through this book. Hope you might have some help
“Couples did things. They found workarounds, ways to enjoy the best of each other and avoid the inconveniences. They got bigger beds, or separate beds; they slept in separate rooms, or in separate houses. It was their marriage, after all, and they were free to make the rules.”
So. The marriage gap year explores the life of Rob and Emma and how their growing conflict in their marriage of 26 years prompts them to take a gap year from each other. Both explore their personal lives with fresh perspectives after Parting ways.
I didn't like the fact that Emma was having a physical relationship with Erik, a guy a lot younger to her. It was quite absurd and obnoxious as she was already in marriage with Rob and had just taken a break as a breather. Later I learnt in the book as to why she did that. But in my opinion it's still not justified.
Also I just don't know whether the ending was a cliffhanger because it was not clear whether they decided to part ways, however they did decide to live separately.
Coming to what I like about the book is that it highlights the complexities of marriage, how society perceives it. Both Rob and Emma were very determined towards their career choices despite their adult son who moved to study overseas. Also the book has a lot of wise quotable text thereby making it unputdownable.
I thoroughly liked it although it took me a little while to finish. I highly recommend this book to someone feeling low or has marriage troubles to go through this book. Hope you might have some help
November 22, 2024
Rating: 3.75⭐ (rounded up to 4⭐)
Read if you enjoy:
- Stories about self-discovery
- Adult romance
- Exploring complicated marriages
I really loved the concept of this book! It dives into a relatable yet unique topic, told from an interesting perspective. I finished it in just three days, which shows how hooked I was!
The fast-paced plot and Emma’s journey during the marriage gap year were especially captivating. Watching her try out new things and navigate her emotions felt so relatable at times, making me want to see how everything would unfold between her and Rob.
The story is told chronologically, giving readers a clear view of the challenges and realizations the characters face during their year apart. Emma’s character stood out to me the most—her charisma makes her hard to forget, even though her stubbornness can be frustrating. She’s vibrant and dynamic, which made her journey enjoyable to follow.
That said, some of Emma’s decisions didn’t always make sense to me, but they felt intentional to drive the story. While I was thoroughly invested in her POV, Rob’s perspective fell flat for me. It felt more like a side note to balance the narrative than an essential part of the story.
Overall, I found The Marriage Gap Year fast-paced and engaging, with plenty of drama and tension to keep me hooked. While not every part resonated with me, I think it’s a solid read for anyone who enjoys character-driven stories about self-discovery and the complexities of marriage!
Read if you enjoy:
- Stories about self-discovery
- Adult romance
- Exploring complicated marriages
I really loved the concept of this book! It dives into a relatable yet unique topic, told from an interesting perspective. I finished it in just three days, which shows how hooked I was!
The fast-paced plot and Emma’s journey during the marriage gap year were especially captivating. Watching her try out new things and navigate her emotions felt so relatable at times, making me want to see how everything would unfold between her and Rob.
The story is told chronologically, giving readers a clear view of the challenges and realizations the characters face during their year apart. Emma’s character stood out to me the most—her charisma makes her hard to forget, even though her stubbornness can be frustrating. She’s vibrant and dynamic, which made her journey enjoyable to follow.
That said, some of Emma’s decisions didn’t always make sense to me, but they felt intentional to drive the story. While I was thoroughly invested in her POV, Rob’s perspective fell flat for me. It felt more like a side note to balance the narrative than an essential part of the story.
Overall, I found The Marriage Gap Year fast-paced and engaging, with plenty of drama and tension to keep me hooked. While not every part resonated with me, I think it’s a solid read for anyone who enjoys character-driven stories about self-discovery and the complexities of marriage!
September 4, 2024
It’s one thing to fall in love. But do you stay there? After 20-something years with sexy-tradie-turned-grumpy-bastard Rob, fed-up empty nester Emma is considering flying the coop.
After one IKEA argument too many, the whip-smart comms manager proposes an experiment that will either save her tired relationship or put it out of its misery: a 12-month marital time-out with no contact and no obligations.
Rob and Emma each set off to remember what they want in life, love, work and sex. But there are no easy answers, and single beds can be freezing cold, especially in Melbourne.
The Marriage Gap year is beautifully written, funny, and genuinely made me think. It brilliantly jumps back and forth between Emma and Rob’s points of view: I was always on the side of whichever one of their heads’ the author put me in.
Books, TV and movies usually portray relationships as either perfect, meant-to-be romances or toxic prisons. But most long-term relationships I know in real life are somewhere in between: mixes of fondness and resentment that bring out both the best and worst in people. This is an honest and playful exploration of that awkward truth. We use the word “break” to mean both a fracture and a needed, helpful rest, and this book looks at both sides of that coin.
The Marriage Gap Year is extremely entertaining and clever. I'd recommend it to just about anyone, from my brother to my mum. I'm definitely keeping it in my mind as Christmas approaches.
After one IKEA argument too many, the whip-smart comms manager proposes an experiment that will either save her tired relationship or put it out of its misery: a 12-month marital time-out with no contact and no obligations.
Rob and Emma each set off to remember what they want in life, love, work and sex. But there are no easy answers, and single beds can be freezing cold, especially in Melbourne.
The Marriage Gap year is beautifully written, funny, and genuinely made me think. It brilliantly jumps back and forth between Emma and Rob’s points of view: I was always on the side of whichever one of their heads’ the author put me in.
Books, TV and movies usually portray relationships as either perfect, meant-to-be romances or toxic prisons. But most long-term relationships I know in real life are somewhere in between: mixes of fondness and resentment that bring out both the best and worst in people. This is an honest and playful exploration of that awkward truth. We use the word “break” to mean both a fracture and a needed, helpful rest, and this book looks at both sides of that coin.
The Marriage Gap Year is extremely entertaining and clever. I'd recommend it to just about anyone, from my brother to my mum. I'm definitely keeping it in my mind as Christmas approaches.
December 13, 2024
The Marriage Gap Year has a refreshingly different premise. What if a longtime married yet unhappy couple take a "gap year", where they are still married but living apart and not speaking to each other? What would it be like to be alone after 26 years of marriage? Thoraval's main characters are unhappy in their marriage, so Emma asks Rob for a temporary separation. His depiction of apathy and lack of feeling between the couple was really accurate and quite depressing. The characters separate and set out on a path of solitary living. For each character, in different ways, this path alone presented a lot of challenges. For Rob especially, he was very isolated and lonely while living in a model home. Spoiler alert, at the end of the book, the characters decide to continue their separate lives but stay together. I found this ending to be disappointing because I hoped they would make a more final decision about their marriage. Both Emma and Rob were complex characters, and Thoraval writes both with authenticity. This book has an interesting premise, but I found it quite depressing.
Thanks to Further Publishing and NetGalley for an advance reader's copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.
Thanks to Further Publishing and NetGalley for an advance reader's copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.
July 4, 2025
In this interesting new romance novel, readers follow Emma and Rob on a disastrous trip to IKEA when Emma reveals that she has not been happy in their nearly thirty years’ long marriage and is tired of the stagnation, boredom, and frustration that has seemed to increase. As they decide to take a year apart -- no calls or texts -- and see if they can salvage their marriage, both Emma and Rob have to discover if life apart is what they thought it was or if they can reconnect with their relationship in the good years. Set in Melbourne and San Remo in Australia, readers will love this international escape and the drama and hilarity that ensues in this fun new romance novel. The alternating perspectives allow Emma and Rob to share their separate lives and perspectives of their marriage, and this really develops their relationship and the story. Their relationship is really the star of the novel, and the depth of their characters really helps Thoraval build out their relationship and plot elements. The settings and world-building are nicely detailed and complex, making these locations feel lived-in and tied to the characters in some interesting and important ways in this novel.
Thanks to NetGalley and Further Publishing for the advance copy.
Thanks to NetGalley and Further Publishing for the advance copy.
August 17, 2025
An interesting premise - a middle-aged couple who take a gap year on their marriage to let loose and get back in touch with themselves…
Overall an easy and pleasant read.
You might enjoy it more than I did if you’re unhappily married or a bloke who’s always wished there were more construction worker characters in the world of fiction.
Warning: spoilers below!
——————-
This book appears to provide a narrative against traditional marriage, and gender roles as we see the woman go off the rails, quit her job and cheat with a younger man, while her poor old husband remains faithful and focused on his work/ career.
Independently, the characters also face challenges with younger colleagues of the opposite sex who further challenge or represent various stereotypes.
I like the concept, but it all felt a bit too neat.
In contrast, we still see the main female character lash out in stereotypical hysterical fashion while the blokes are portrayed as calm and level headed - in IKEA, at work and in a pawn shop…
For me it just felt like the woman was being painted as the crazy one - which is one stereotype I’d like to see crushed.
Plus - using the word ‘panties’ in a sex scene always gets mine in a knot!
Overall an easy and pleasant read.
You might enjoy it more than I did if you’re unhappily married or a bloke who’s always wished there were more construction worker characters in the world of fiction.
Warning: spoilers below!
——————-
This book appears to provide a narrative against traditional marriage, and gender roles as we see the woman go off the rails, quit her job and cheat with a younger man, while her poor old husband remains faithful and focused on his work/ career.
Independently, the characters also face challenges with younger colleagues of the opposite sex who further challenge or represent various stereotypes.
I like the concept, but it all felt a bit too neat.
In contrast, we still see the main female character lash out in stereotypical hysterical fashion while the blokes are portrayed as calm and level headed - in IKEA, at work and in a pawn shop…
For me it just felt like the woman was being painted as the crazy one - which is one stereotype I’d like to see crushed.
Plus - using the word ‘panties’ in a sex scene always gets mine in a knot!
September 3, 2024
The Marriage Gap Year is a very readable and well-paced novel about relationships and navigating new phases of life. The main characters, Emma and Rob, have reached middle age, their young adult son has just left home and they seem to be pondering what comes next. This leads the couple to take a ‘gap year’ from their marriage. I think it is a very clever premise for a novel that explores people considering whether there could be more to life, or if they should just accept where they find themselves at 50 as the blueprint for the rest of their days.
Through the two main characters, the author takes us on a journey about how it is never too late to look for new opportunities, to gain new perspectives, skills and experiences. I found the characters’ contemplations and reflections on life interesting, at times humorous, and often relatable. Throughout the novel we are led to ponder, what do I want to hold onto going forward in my life, and what is best left behind? The author has created a very thought provoking novel but these more serious themes are delivered with a humour and lightness that also make it a very fun and enjoyable read.
Through the two main characters, the author takes us on a journey about how it is never too late to look for new opportunities, to gain new perspectives, skills and experiences. I found the characters’ contemplations and reflections on life interesting, at times humorous, and often relatable. Throughout the novel we are led to ponder, what do I want to hold onto going forward in my life, and what is best left behind? The author has created a very thought provoking novel but these more serious themes are delivered with a humour and lightness that also make it a very fun and enjoyable read.
March 20, 2025
While this book was unique and had a plot line like no other book I have read, I didn't quite click with the book and the characters.
The reasons for the marriage gap year wasn't detailed and was abruptly thrown at the readers in the first few pages. I wish there was more background, or possibly flashbacks from both characters to fully understand why Emma wanted a gap year. With this, I felt like there was barely any conclusion and it was highly rushed. I enjoyed the two POV's from Emma and Rob, but Rob's story was incredibly boring. There was only one instance in his POV that he was not at work, and only reading about his job at a construction site quickly got boring.
I did, however, really enjoy the supporting characters. I felt like Emma's friends were enjoyable to read about, and I found myself getting really intrigued with Kendry's story. The sketches and drawings from Rob''s POV were really well done and really added to understanding his work.
Overall, I just felt like there was so much more potential for this book!
Thank you so much to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for this ARC!
The reasons for the marriage gap year wasn't detailed and was abruptly thrown at the readers in the first few pages. I wish there was more background, or possibly flashbacks from both characters to fully understand why Emma wanted a gap year. With this, I felt like there was barely any conclusion and it was highly rushed. I enjoyed the two POV's from Emma and Rob, but Rob's story was incredibly boring. There was only one instance in his POV that he was not at work, and only reading about his job at a construction site quickly got boring.
I did, however, really enjoy the supporting characters. I felt like Emma's friends were enjoyable to read about, and I found myself getting really intrigued with Kendry's story. The sketches and drawings from Rob''s POV were really well done and really added to understanding his work.
Overall, I just felt like there was so much more potential for this book!
Thank you so much to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for this ARC!
October 17, 2024
TW: infidelity
When their son goes away for college, Emma finds that she just can’t spend another day in her marriage as it is. She proposes time apart, a full year. Her husband, Rob, doesn’t seem to feel one way or another about it, so he goes along with the separation.
With minimal backstory to establish how they arrived at this point in their lives and marriage, the year begins. They each try spending their time doing what they want and learning more about themselves.
The challenge for me is that we essentially hit the ground running, doing our best to follow these characters without really knowing who they are, and how they became that way. It's easy to make assumptions based on how the characters behave, I just felt like we lacked insight into their foundations.
Thank you to Further Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
When their son goes away for college, Emma finds that she just can’t spend another day in her marriage as it is. She proposes time apart, a full year. Her husband, Rob, doesn’t seem to feel one way or another about it, so he goes along with the separation.
With minimal backstory to establish how they arrived at this point in their lives and marriage, the year begins. They each try spending their time doing what they want and learning more about themselves.
The challenge for me is that we essentially hit the ground running, doing our best to follow these characters without really knowing who they are, and how they became that way. It's easy to make assumptions based on how the characters behave, I just felt like we lacked insight into their foundations.
Thank you to Further Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
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