Любовната афера на жена ми

by Nancy Woodruff

„Удруф не оставя нито един от читателите със сухи очи в тази завладяваща история за страстта, която може да ни връхлети… и да ни смаже. Романът е опустошителен и прекрасен.”
Джорджи Конъли сякаш има всичко – съпруг, когото обича и три момчета, които обожава. Когато на съпруга ѝ Питър, е предложена по-висока длъжност в Лондон, семейството с радост опакова покъщнината от дома си в предградията на Ню Йорк и се премества отвъд океана. Джорджи процъфтява в Лондон, а „спящата” ѝ кариера на актриса, която е оставила зад гърба си след раждането на децата, се съживява. Възлагат ѝ роля, каквато се пада веднъж в живота – тази на Дора Джордън, действителна личност, най-прочутата с таланта и красотата си актриса на ХVIII век и майка на тринайсет незаконни деца, десет от тях – от бъдещия крал на Англия, Уилям ІV. Но накрая, сега, когато изглежда, че Джорджи има всичко, което иска, тя го рискува заради една любовна афера, която ще има такива катастрофални последствия, каквито никой не би могъл да си представи.
Оригинално поднесена от името на съпруга на Джорджи, Любовната афера на жена ми е поглед към две необикновени жени, родени с двеста години разлика, но споделящи едни същи съдби, които плащат огромна цена за страстта си. Едната от тях умира, но остава жива във времето, другата остава жива, но ще бъде като мъртва до края на живота си.

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Family, Literature, British Literature, Love, Audiobook

232 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Alex George · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this novel in two days. Two busy days, at that. An awful lot of people have observed that this book is nigh impossible to put down once you begin reading, and I can confirm that this is indeed the case. The author pulls you in to the story, and then simply doesn’t let go. The narrative drags you along with quiet but inexorable tension. It’s merciless, and quite brilliant.

The story revolves around an ex-pat American couple living in London, and (I don’t think I can be accused of spoiling anything, given the title) the affair that the wife, Georgie, has with the director of a play in which she is starring. If that all sounds somewhat humdrum, don’t be deceived. This is an all-too-human, and utterly gripping story. The author marshals her characters expertly and creates an almost intolerable sense of inevitability about the disintegration of their marriage. Watching this self-absorbed woman’s fall from matrimonial grace was a little like watching a car crash in slow motion. It’s brutal, but one can’t pull one’s eyes away for a moment.

One of the things that makes the book so memorable is that there is a secondary narrative deftly woven in with this very modern fable, the intriguing true story of Dora Jordan, a famous eighteenth century actress. I knew nothing about Dora Jordan before reading the book and her own tragic story provided a telling counterpoint to Georgie’s own trials. It also served to ramp up the tension deliciously.

And then there’s the ending.

I’ve read some very heated debates online about the merits of the ending. I confess I am still in two minds myself. It is awful, shocking. When I finished the book I put it down, numb, and wandered about for a while, trying to make sense of it. At first I felt angry about it. Over time I slowly came to terms with it. It’s difficult to discuss the ending in any meaningful way without giving away what happens, and I certainly don’t want to do that. But it speaks to the power of the novel as a whole and to Nancy Woodruff’s ability as a writer that she was able to make me care so deeply about her characters.

Highly recommended.

[Jennifer Rayment · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok, this one is going to be a hard one to review and would have much rather reviewed it before I read the final two chapters. It is going to so difficult to explain what I didn't like about this book without giving anything away (which is something I totally dislike in a review) I will try my best!

Good Stuff

Beautifully written, but tragic
The narrator's obvious love for his wife is so beautifully described
The narrator's wife is wonderfully theatrical (although quite the self involved tramp)
The character of Fergus is delightful with his wise comments and constant questions
Painfully uncomfortable and realistic portrayal of a marriage and of the tediousness of being a parent
Portrayal of the life in the theatrical world is fascinating
Historically accurate and makes me want to know more about Dora Jordan
Haunting tale of betrayal, passion and not being satisfied with what you have

Not So Good Stuff

The frickin last two chapters. Let's rip out your heart, stamp on it, and than stamp on it again. Way too depressing for my sensitive nature
I repeat, the last two chapters!
Irritated at times with how much of a drama queen the wife was

What I Learned (some spoilers in this - don't read if you don't want TMI)

Cheating bad -- don't do it! Especially with boring sounding English guys.
My god, I really really want to visit England
Actors are extremely selfish and self involved
I really don't like to read things that involve bad things happening to children (oh never mind, we already know how much I hate that)
Loved the scenes of the play within the story, made me want to see the fictional play
Favorite Quotes and Passages

"We try, we husbands and fathers, we really do. I just want to tell you that. We may not find the perfect triceratops pajamas on sale four months before the birthday"

"Peter, Peter, the world is a girl you're trying to get to sleep with you, and you'll never succeed if you tell her your failures"

"And yet had she known what was going to happen to her, to us, I know she would gladly have traded each moment of passion for decades of the tedium she then so fiercely attacked"

"It is inconceivable to me now that I could stand in a room with this man who in a matter of weeks would be F*****g my wife-who probably was thinking of nothing but that as we talked"


"Oh, Georgie, weren't there already enough of us who adored you? Why did you need one more"

Who Should Read

Not for the sensitive reader due to last 2 chapters
Those with a love for the theatre and English theatrical history
Those enjoy stories of scenes from a life
Not for those who enjoy happy endings

[Sonya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Когато се запознават Питър е неуспял романист, а Джорджи актриса в Ню Йорк. Решението им станат семейство и имат деца – три момчета, ги изправя пред финансови проблеми и те отиват да живеят в Ню Джърси. Отдавайки се на грижите си за тях, тя изоставя актьорската си професия и започва да води скучен и еднообразен живот – чистене, готвене, пране - който не харесва. Един ден на мъжа й, който вече работи като журналист му предлагат работа в Лондон, на по-висока длъжност. Цялото семейство е в еуфория и бързо организира преместването си. В Лондон, Джорджи среща стар познат, от когото тя краде ръкопис за пиеса. Това е пиеса - монолог, историята на мисис Дора Джордън - действителна личност, прочутата с таланта и красотата си актриса на ХVIII век и майка на тринайсет незаконни деца, десет от тях – от бъдещия крал на Англия, Уилям ІV. Тя успява да влезе толкова добре в ролята на мис Джордън, че започва да губи себе си. Цялата история се разказва от Питър – опитвайки се да обясни и оправдае съпругата си, с която вече 12 години споделят радости и мъка. Финалът е толкова разтърсващ и неочакван, че ме остави без думи.

[Nina Draganova · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ужасяващо тъжна история!
Разкървави сърцето ми и ме върна към тежки мисли.
Толкова ли е трудно да устоиш на изкушенията?
Защо свършва страстта и любовта?
Можеш ли наистина да простиш и да забравиш ?
Какво води след себе си предателството?
И още... и още...
Написана от мъжка гледна точка .
Две паралелни истории.
Предпочитам тази от съвременността , другата не задържа вниманието ми.
Разбира се , тя е причината за цялото повествование.

[Kristine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written and for the most part held my interest. The story is told through the voice of the husband and the author is able to weave a tale that captures your attention from the start. The parts I found at times odious were when the book would slip into the dialogue of Dora Jordan, the actress that Georgie was portraying in her play. I understood what the author was trying to do, drawing parallels between the Georgie and the actresss she was portraying, but it got a little too much at times for me. The rest of the story held my attention and I went through a lot of emotions about Georgie- from understanding the tediousness of being a stay at home mom to feelings of disgust at her selfishness at throwing away her family. She had a husband who was devoted to her and who really wanted to make her happy, but she just wanted more and was really just plain selfish and self-absorbed. The ending was a total shock and surprise and it did leave me reeling. I would say this is a must read and I would of given it 5 stars except I thought the Dora Jordan dialogue was a bit tedious at times.

[Draganka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Изключително интересно замислен и реализиран роман. Любовната афера на жена ми е не просто роман за изневярата и последствията от нея върху семейството. Не е просто една хубаво разказана история. Препоръчвам.

[H.L. Gibson · Rating 2 out of 5]

A story about an egotistical woman whose selfishness spurred unfortunate reactions and cost her family dearly.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

To say the ending was not at all what I expected is an understatement. I really enjoyed this book and once I settled in, I finished the remaining half of the book in one sitting.

[Aniisha AnnaMaria · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not my cup of tea. Abandoned.

[Joanna Carden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nancy Woodruff's novel My Wife's Affair is the story of exactly that -- an affair. Told from the perspective of the cuckolded husband, however, it becomes so much more than that. It is actually the story of a marriage, and could be titled as such, were it not for the eventual fate the marriage inescapably reaches.

Peter and Georgie are two Americans living in the New Jersey suburbs after three sons born in quick succession forced them out of their brownstone in New York City. Georgie, a former actress, feels herself withering away as she cares for three boys under the age of five: Fergus, the oldest, and twins Jack and Liam. Peter has made sacrifices himself, forgoing a career as a "real" writer to take a position as an economic journalist. He feels, however, as though the sacrifices he has made were worth it all in the end, as they resulted in stability for his little family of five. Georgie, on the other hand -- not so much.

The family moves to London for a brief period of time when Peter gets a job covering the European side of things for his newspaper. The move initially revitalizes their marriage, and the family quickly settles in: Peter in his new job, the boys in their new school, and Georgie in her first theater part since she became a mother.

Woodruff expertly blends historical fact with the fictional world she has created, through the great British theater actress Dora Jordan. She is the controversial stage madam who Georgie has been chosen to play, in a one-woman show titled Shakespeare's Woman. Jordan was the real-life mistress of King William IV (back when he was a Duke, rather than King), and her descendants went on to become distinguished citizens of England. In fact, current Prime Minister David Cameron is a direct descendant of hers. As Georgie increasingly finds herself drawn into the character she portrays on the stage, she also finds herself leaving her maternal and wifely instincts far behind.

My Wife's Affair was far from an easy read. Woodruff writes her characters and their story with ease, but the subject matter is dark. The effect of infidelity on a marriage and family is laid out with extraordinary honesty. Woodruff splices Peter's narrative voice with scenes from the play, joining fiction to fiction-based-on-real-life in a decidedly creative manner. In that way, the reader sees not only Georgie's progression into a life autonomous from her family (and Peter's complete heartbreak), but also Jordan's decline following her retirement from the theater.

Woodruff's masters Peter's voice in the novel. A smattering of quotes, so that you can see for yourself:

On their journey into parenthood: "Pity me for not recognizing that the path of compromise was more easily traveled by one of us than the other" (14).

On Georgie and New York City: "She belonged to the city; like the old man on the mountain, that was her place in the world, and we should have done anything we could to stay" (44).

On Georgia's bipolar relationship with the theater: "I was worried about the down at the end of the up, the long descent when the show closed" (123).

On infidelity: "It's not temptation alone, or chance. And it is not a moment, because it takes more than a moment to find a place to go. . . . It involves momentum, the strength of a moment sustained" (155).

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’ve got a hot work project with an overdue deadline, a soccer game that you simply must attend, or any “must do” commitments in the next couple of days, whatever you do, DON’T pick up this book. It will grip you, entice you, and place you under its spell. And in the end, it just may break your heart.

The book, narrated by Peter – a wannabe novelist turned businessman – focuses on his wife Georgie, a mother of three who has become unmoored with the day-to-day drudgeries of an ordinary life. A promotion to London puts a world of possibilities suddenly within reach. Peter ponders, “Shouldn’t I have told her…that everyone’s life had flat, ordinary parts? That growing older meant moving on, closing chapters in your life and opening new ones…”

But he senses Georgie’s boredom and is on her side when she reignites her acting career, taking on the prestigious one-woman role of the true-life preeminent 18th century comedic British stage actress Dora Jordan. As she throws herself in the role, she discovers that she and Dora – the long-time companion of the Duke of Clarence (later, William IV) and the mother of 10 of his children – have a natural affinity.

Gradually, Georgie “twins” herself to Dora, a kindred spirit whose struggle of motherhood versus career so mirrors her own. And, as any reader can guess from the title of the book, she enters into an affair with the elusive playwright, Piers Brighstone, that sets in motion a chain of events with tragic consequences.

There is much about this book that sets it apart from the “chick lit” designation it might have become in a lesser author’s hands. For one thing, there’s the strength of the writing; Nancy Woodruff never resorts to overwrought, obvious, or manipulative sentences. For another, these characters and their pain are achingly real with genuine insights. At one point, Peter reflects, “When I looked at Georgie I saw two different people, the one I loved and the one who had broken my heart, and I had no idea how to dispose of one without losing the other.”

But perhaps most compelling is the interspersed letters of Dora Jordan herself; in a preface the author claims to “remain faithful to both the facts of Mrs. Jordan’s life – insofar as they are known –and the warmth of her voice.” As Georgie states, “Two hundred years later and it’s exactly the same thing.”

This is an unsparing look at a modern (and not-so-modern) marriage, a punishing glimpse into the costs of the decisions we make – yet it’s never preachy or moral. While I was reading My Wife’s Affair, I was totally enveloped into the world Nancy Woodruff created. The “new life rising from the ashes of Georgie’s unhappiness” is really about getting what you want…and still wanting more.

[Paul Pessolano · Rating 5 out of 5]

"My Wife's Affair" wil be enjoyed by everyone, but will have special meaning to those who are in the theatre. It is a tragic love story that is unusual in that it is told from the perspective of the husband.

Georgie Connolly is happily married and has three boys. She has forsaken her career in theatre for her family. Her husband, Peter, is a journalist and is being transferred from New Jersey to London. It is here that Georgie finds her way back to the theatre in a one woman show.

The show is about the life of British stage actress Dora Jordan. Jordan was famous in the 18th century. She was not only a great actress but was the mistress of the future King of England and the mother to his thirteen illegimate children. Although their lives were two hundred years apart they are faced with the same struggles and tragic consequences.

Georgie is swept ujp in the passion for the play and begins to neglect her husband and three boys. Peter, her husband, is very supportive and tries to understand and encourage her. Howeverf, when he passion for her work also involves an affair with play's author, their lives start to unravel.

A very unique novel in both style and content that will be enjoyed by all readers. Not only is it a great story but everyone will be amazed at the surprise ending.

[Kelly Hager · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are someone that I exchange presents with, stop reading now because odds are very, very good you're going to find this book as a present.

For the rest of you--holy crap. I wish I could explain to you just how brilliant and amazing and wonderful this book is.

Peter and his wife, Georgie, have recently moved to London with their three sons. Georgie used to act but now mostly takes care of the boys. Now that they're in London, though, and her boys are in school all day (the British apparently start with all-day school much earlier than we do, so even though her oldest is only five, they're in school), she starts acting again.

She's quickly cast in a one-woman play about Dora Jordan (who was, apparently, the Angelina Jolie of her day, according to Georgie) and this role quickly consumes her.

There's a very vague sense of unease through most of the book--I can't tell you when I first noticed it or when it started to deepen into dread--but yeah, good luck putting it down.

Books like this one are why I read so much--because every so often, you find one that just grabs you and won't let you go and is dangerously close to perfection.

[Elizabeth of Silver's Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was wavering between a 4 and a 5 the entire way through the book, and then the ending brought it all the way up to a 5/5.

The book is narrated by Georgie's husband...it goes back and forth telling about the life of Dora Jordan also an actress/comedian who Georgie portrays in a one-woman show and Georgie's life with her husband and three boys.

Georgie left the stage in New York to be a stay-at-home mother, but now that her husband has been transferred to London and the children are enrolled in London schools, she wants to go back to work in the theater.

Georgie lands the role as Dora Jordan on her first tryout. The play is a hit for Georgie, and she ends up traveling and leaving her husband and children for long periods of time and having an affair with the director. Her heart aches every time she leaves her children, but she still won't give up the touring. The ending will haunt you long after you turn the last page.

....you will enjoy the book and not want to put it down.

[Amanda Ishtayeh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am always intrigued when people say they reread a book...this was one that I too wish to reread and also wish I had read on my Kindle so I could have easily marked passages. Full of intrigue and surprise this is a great read that will stand up to the test of time. The emotions are ones that men and women will both relate to. My favorite line is this: "But now I was a father, and being a father made you less of a man, I could see. It left you powerless to do what you really wanted to do, because you had these children, you loved these chidren, you needed them and they needed you. I could almost bring myself to despise Georgie for making me a father as much as I did for her infidelity."

[Cina · Rating 2 out of 5]

The only thing I liked about this book was that it was a quick read...outside of that I found the plot to be easy to detect and the ending rather meh. I feel like the author really didn't capture the voice of a man whose wife cheated on him. I don't think as a woman she could fully grasp what men go through and it seemed kind of stereotypical how he handled all the events that happened. Then to only make him in the end become the bad guy and the wife the victim I felt was actual rubbish. It's readable and that is about it, the kind of book either you really like it or hate it. I am the latter.

[Amy Nash · Rating 4 out of 5]

After finally clearing off my stack of "required" reading, I was able to start...and finish "My Wife's Affair" this weekend. It was terrific! Fast paced, engaging, and had me guessing right up until the end. I can ensure that this book will now be making the rounds among my book club members as well as my sisters...and we are all big talkers about the books we've read.

Congratulations to Ms. Woodruff on a thoroughly enjoyable yet heart wrenching novel.

[Chrisanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nancy Woodruff's themes of love and passion sparked my interest from page one. The delicate balance between family and career rarely exists for any of us and, in this story, one woman's desperate attempt to strike such a balance led to a tragic end. Ms. Woodruff expertly captures the lure and thrill of live theatre. I was fascinated by the fictional Georgie and how her persona was entwined with the real life of the woman she portrayed on stage, Dora Jordan. Excellent!

[Carmen Alb · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was disappointed. From the reviews I read I was expecting much more. Everyone was saying that is a book you won't be able to put down once you started reading, but it didn't feel like that to me.
He pretty much gave away the affair from the start, and you could tell who is it going to be with... I think the only think that kept me reading was to find out if they stay together or not.... And I am still not sure what happened...

[Shirlie Dumey Wright · Rating 3 out of 5]

I go through phases regarding what I read. For quite a while I am consumed with YA fantasy. Then, I get a craving for thrillers. Then again, I want nothing more than a romance that makes me go "ahhhhhh." Recently, I have been consuming women's fiction tragedies, which is what led me to My Wife's Affair. Nancy Woodruff tells the book, as can be implied from the title, from the husband's perspective. The affair is addressed early on in the book, and the narrator takes us through how his marriage had taken many turns. He was a writer, and his wife was an actress. However, their lives ended up being a series of compromises. In order for him to hold down a job, it somewhat forced her to give up her dreams. When his job takes him to England, his wife pursues her dreams of being on stage. It all seems great. They both are pursuing their careers. Unfortunately, his wife ends up becoming consumed by the character that she is portraying and feels an unstoppable attraction to the playwright. She feels conflicted - they have children. When she is confronted by her husband, they are determined to make their marriage work, to give their children a good home with two parents. They simply could not imagine what happens to stop them from having that life.

To be honest, the overall story of the book was great, and the ending was outstanding. For me, the middle of the book moved a little too slowly.

[Michael Scofield · Rating 5 out of 5]

Това е красиво написана история за много различни видове любов: брачна любов, родителска любов, романтична любов, любов към работата и как всички те се пресичат и често противоречат. Напрегнато и проницателно изследване на психологията на един брак, борещ се между неизбежната вълна на самодоволство в живота и зрелищата на изневярата.
Нанси Удруф е написала роман за прелюбодеяние, който започва като история за щастлива двойка, която отглежда децата си в предградията на Ню Йорк. Оттам животът им бавно се отклонява от курса. Тази книга о��исва семейна двойка, която се сблъсква към катастрофа. Разказвачът на историята е съпругът, който премества семейството си в Англия за работа. Тя е актриса/майка, която се явява на прослушване за роля на живота си, играейки английска театрална актриса от истинския живот, която е била любовница на крал. Бруталната част от тази история е, че въпреки че и двамата герои правят сериозни грешки, те са много съпричастни и можете да разберете с пълна яснота как това може да се случи.
Всеки от героите изглежда реален, ярък и правдоподобен, а образа на съпруга разказвач е напълно убедителен. Много е трудно да се посочи злодей в тази книга, но това е знак за литературно качество, това не са необичайни герои, чиято крайна съдба няма значение. Една от любимите ми части от книгата е начинът, по който две истории са преплетени заедно; животът на една съвременна актриса и майка и истинската историческа фигура на мисис Джордън, жена, изпреварила времето си. И двете истории ме грабнаха, и двете ми разбиха сърцето. Въпреки че авторката върши отлична работа с предусещането на края, но се подгответе за един/два невероятни обрата на края. Това е един сърцераздирателен и мощен роман.

[larry Mccauley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mc

A story with predictable results .An action that has been happening for.ages . Infidelity causes the most traumatic pain in existence . In this case the wife who is an actress cheats with her male.counter part. The wife realizes she has 3 children at home and in her mind she loves her husband. It is too little to late. The why,the reason can be many but the one true fact remaining is the bond of trust has been broken . The wife who says she simp!y made a mistake , she never stopped.to.think that in most cases that trust which is so important in any relationship will forever be lost with cheating . Just one mistake. Its a.great story. ....one to be.read and never forgotten especially by married individuals . it can happen to husband or wife

[Teodora Daneva · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Eдна целувка е достатъчна да задвижи нещата. Достатъчна е да усили енергията на съпротивлението, да я насочи към сферата на възможното."

"Желаеше го – този мъж – искаше да се приближи все повече и повече до него, искаше да бъде въвлечена, разглобена, сглобена отново, с опитността, която знаеше, че той притежава. Чувстваше, че не може да направи нова стъпка в някаква друга посока, освен към него. В този момент от живота си не се нуждаеше от нищо и никой, освен от него."

"Цената за учтивите отношения е висока. Ако не споделяте паденията, изглежда, че можете да спрете да споделяте и възходите."

"Някои от най-важните сцени в живота ни са тези, които не виждаме с очите си."

[Marcia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok. I learned an interesting story about a “famous but not known to most of us” English actress from the 1700/1800’s. That’s the redemption of this otherwise totally depressing story. Just read the italicized parts and you’ll get the interesting story. Skip the rest.

[Veronika Gincheva · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ужасна книга!
Избирам си какво да чета, според това какво ми се чете. Очаквах да отговаря на описанието. Очаквах лека книга за морални дилеми по повод изневяра. Последните три страници ме разбиха, абсолютно неподготвена за драматичния финал със смърт на дете!!!!

[Grace Martinka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful, gritty, and captivating. The raw, gut-wrenching emotions took my breath away at times.

A firsthand insight into theatrical history immersed me completely into the historical feature, as well as the modern-day story.

Beautifully told, and very emotional. Well done!

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I chose this book randomly from the library shelf (something I do with regularity). A tightly-written page turner! I'll have to look for Nancy Woodruff's other books.

[Lyublina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just .. Leaves you without breath.

[Desislava Plachkinova · Rating 4 out of 5]

Държи под напрежение

[Kotka Sharena · Rating 2 out of 5]

Добре написано, но адски скучно.