Open Season: A sexy, modern debut as featured on Women’s Hour

by Cassie Werber

"A breathtaking novel that gets under the skin of the complexities of love, sex and human nature"-Katie Bishop, author of THE GIRLS OF SUMMER

"A perceptive book about intimacy and desire that feels zingy, original, fresh"-Chloë Ashby, author of SECOND SELF

"Tender, shimmering, elegant, and true... thoughtful and sensual, sexy and cerebral"-Laura Barnett, author of THE VERSIONS OF US


Every relationship has rules. What if they all changed?

Hura and Cillian have a happy, secure marriage and are on the brink of planning a family. But when Hura's teaching career gets derailed, they decide it's time to explore a opening up their relationship.

Roses has never been monogamous. Her connection with elusive James-who works all hours as a junior doctor-is electric, and they're falling for each other. But both have secrets that make intimacy feel dangerous, and in a bid to reassert her independence, Roses suggests they sleep with other people.

When these two couples collide, life shifts on its axis and starts to spin out of control. As Roses and James fight to keep the past from overwhelming them, and Cillian and Hura test the limits of trust, they must all decide which lines to draw-and which to cross.

A passionate deconstruction of the complexities of sex, love, honesty and betrayal, OPEN SEASON marks Cassie Werber out as a major new talent.

Genres: Fiction

336 pages, Hardcover

Published April 25, 2024

Reviews

[Carl Porter · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Open Season" by Cassie Weber is an enthralling debut that artfully delves into the complexities of sex, love, honesty, and betrayal. This 320-page novel presents an engaging plot with unique twists and a pace that keeps you hooked from start to finish.

The characters are richly developed, each with diverse backgrounds and motivations that add depth to the narrative. The relationships between Hura, Cillian, James, and Roses are realistic and layered, making their emotional journeys compelling and relatable.

Cassie Weber's writing is clear and captivating, featuring sharp dialogue and a well-structured narrative. The vividly described settings, particularly the familiar backdrop of London, enhance the story's authenticity and immerse you in the characters' world.

"Open Season" tackles impactful and thought-provoking themes, such as the challenges of non-monogamy, career pressures, and the delicate balance of trust in relationships. These themes are seamlessly woven into the plot, keeping you engaged and reflective throughout.

The book's suspense is unrelenting, with unexpected developments that maintain high tension. Each chapter leaves you eager to see what happens next, making it hard to put down.

I listened to the audiobook version, narrated by Weber herself. It was incredibly easy to follow along, and although there were some very minor details, the overall quality was quite good.

Overall, I recommend "Open Season" as a compelling introduction to the genre of sexual discovery, relationships, and openness about sex. It's an engaging read for anyone interested in contemporary romance and drama. Would I read more from Cassie Weber? Yes. Would I recommend "Open Season"? Yes.

[Jess · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tried to do a contemporary fiction as a palette cleanser. Saw this in the library and I like a touch of drama/‘forbidden’ stuff so grabbed it.

This was so boring. Not badly written, at least (though I hated the paragraphs that started ‘Later.’ But boring and pointless. I’ve heard people say it’s an in depth exploration into intimacy/desire and human nature and I just don’t agree. I never really felt like the story got to a point or what it was trying to say. Maybe it’s just me and I wasn’t taking it for what it was supposed to be. But regardless I didn’t enjoy it and it was not my thing.

[Lucy Skeet · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5
Man I loved this one! Anything that explores marriages and relationships and im there

[a11msp · Rating 3 out of 5]

Open Season tells the story of two young, middle-class couples in contemporary London whose lives intersect through their forays into consensual non-monogamy—a journey that proves messier and more consequential than they had anticipated. Written by an author who practices this lifestyle herself, the novel is at its most compelling when it draws on what she knows best. The minutiae of open relationships and sex within them are rendered with a matter-of-fact authenticity, avoiding either uninformed prudishness or salacious voyeurism. Unfortunately, there is quite a bit more to this book, which, in my view, undermines, rather than enriches, its core project.

First, there are extensive detours into the characters’ messy childhoods and convoluted family dynamics—precisely the kind of material Molly Winter, author of the contemporaneously published More: A Memoir of Open Marriage, was advised by her agent to cut from her early drafts as distracting. Second, the central drama that unravels the characters' alliances hinges on a rather unconvincing plot twist that feels almost accidental in its origin.

Through mono-normative eyes, these elements risk reinforcing a moralistic cliché: that non-monogamy is pursued by emotionally troubled individuals who are ultimately punished for their hedonistic pursuits. Perhaps the author, given her personal “credentials,” did not intend this. Perhaps she meant to show that non-monogamous relationships, like any others, are inevitably tainted by the emotional baggage and immaturity of their subjects. Still, given that consensual non-monogamy is once again dominating glossy magazines, I had hoped for a more nuanced and unselfconsciously focused story from an author professing to practice this lifestyle happily. Maybe she still has such a book in her. If so, I’d suggest she reach out to Winter’s agent...

[Annabelle MacDonald · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book on the surface looks way more dirty than it actually is. It explores the complexity of openness and how easily strings get tangled and lies spiral out of control. I like how you follow two couples through their individual struggles and how their pasts have shaped the person they are now. You can see their pasts shine through as the couples interact with one another. Overall really well written, amazing story. It’s refreshing to see sex presented in a characterful way rather than something explicit and pornographic, it’s used to tell a story rather than be there for the sake of it.

[Emsal · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was not for me. I think the author could have gone deeper with this and explored the sexual relationships in more depth. The ending was weird. I just found the whole thing a bit tame and boring and pointless.

[LeeTheGirlReads (Lee Holmes) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unconventional relationships interwoven by a couple’s experimental open marriage. Not what I was expecting at all with the four main characters having a complex backstory. Intriguing. The narrator of the audiobook was great.

[Neil · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. The characters were so well developed and interesting. The romantic lustful tensions felt so real. I was so invested in each character and found myself rooting for them as their flaws revealed their true selves more. A fantastic point of view of modern love and living.

[Amy Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredible story with such beautiful and complex characters. I didn’t want it to end!

[Emily Birks · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up

[Michele]

https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/s...

[Iv Divine · Rating 2 out of 5]

boring

[Holly Williams · Rating 2 out of 5]

Light, at times repetitive. It was fine, but the characters felt half-formed, and the plot meandered.

[A Red Headed Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘The freedom of it. The wildness, after so many devoted, faithful years.’

Every relationship has rules. What if they changed?

This book was not written how I thought it was going to be. I’l be honest - I thought it was going to be very smutty and sexual. But it was the opposite.
A beautifully written book creating the sexual tension through minimum words and descriptions. Looking deeper into lives and how these new rules and boundaries affect each individual.
I didn’t expect it to be so sad and look into more controversial topics for the time they are set in.

Definitely not my usual read but I found I was very invested and wanted to keep reading.

Thank you @cassie.werber for gifting me a copy ✨

[Jodie Boast · Rating 1 out of 5]

Really not for me sorry. Felt like nothing happened and then something pretty big happened around page 230 and lost interest in any of the characters.